“I never had pets growing up. I always wanted a dog. I have nothing against cats, but I’m pretty sure they have something against me.”

  A couple of gunshots and an ice ball greeted us as we emerged from the precinct, and we ducked. The two sorcerers had planted something in the middle of the street. It was like one of those UFO discs that summoned the soldiers, but it was the size of a basketball cut in half. The red light blinked ominously in the darkness, and a swirling nimbus had formed over it.

  Mantis laughed maniacally. Brick, the dude, looked stricken, but he kept his handgun trained on me and his left arm in a fist at his waist. I could see the glowing gem of the ring that formed his shield.

  Jessie powered up her k-rifle and shot at the disc. Unlike the pulling tractor beam she’d used to snag me earlier, this was a pushing “punch” shot designed to violently throw whatever it hit. Brick stepped in front of the shot and activated his shield, which was starting to recover from the damage Dragonfang had done to it. He actually let out an audible “Oof!” and slid backward. He tripped over the device and landed on his back, his shield going out.

  “We have to destroy it before the summon completes!” Jessie said, powering up another shot. This prompted more gunshots and iceballs from Mantis. Wally zapped, and Fu fired her shotgun. I started flinging fireballs at the device, but my aim still wasn’t great. I spared a couple shots for Mantis and the recovering Brick, forcing them to take cover behind parked cars.

  There was a massive, reverberating noise like lightning through a digital filter. The aura above the teleporter became blazingly bright, then vanished. As before, a curled up ball came into existence where the device had been. Unlike before, this was no human soldier. It was something much, much larger.

  “We didn’t destroy it,” I noted.

  Jessie just cursed.

  “Oh, hell no,” said Fu.

  Mantis’s laughter echoed across the cell.

  The thing that uncurled wasn’t human. Not even close. It was shaped something like a giant panther. Its eyes glowed with an evil yellow light. Its skin was hairless and had an unnatural shine to it, reflecting nearby streetlamps. There were seams at every joint. As if it were a robot. Or a bug.

  “What is that thing?” I breathed.

  “I have no idea,” said Jessie.

  “I thought you knew how this stuff worked!”

  “Only the grunts, Jett! I’ve never seen anything like this! I don’t know if anyone has!”

  “What do we do?”

  “Run!” Jessie kept her k-rifle trained on the monster but began to follow her own advice, sidling away from the precinct entrance. Wally and Fu followed suit.

  The creature spotted me and roared. It sounded like a distorted, amplified recording of a feral cat screaming inside a large steel pipe. Then it bounded toward me.

  “Yes!” Mantis shrieked. Her excitement was almost sexual.

  I dove over the railing lining the steps to the precinct’s front doors. Fu tried blasting the thing. The shot glanced off it with audible ricochet sounds. The monster ground to a halt next to me, and I blasted it with my Torch skill. It shut its eyes but didn’t otherwise react as I bathed its entire freaking face with the hottest flame I could manage.

  Which still wasn’t all that impressive.

  Torch has reached Tier 1 Level 6.

  The levelup immediately helped, a little, but the creature only squeezed its eyes even more tightly shut. My aethervoir had recovered during the lull in the fighting and was almost full, but it was draining rapidly. I stopped when it dropped below 50%. The monster’s eyes immediately snapped open. A ruff around its neck fanned out. It looked like a frilled lizard’s neck had been transplanted to the creature and styled to look vaguely like a lion’s mane. I heard a sound like air being expelled, and I swore I could see steam venting from beneath the frills.

  I rolled out of the way as a massive claw slammed down. I regained my feet and stumbled toward the street. Holy crap did I feel exposed without the ability to properly skid. Still, I summoned Bullet Train and used the feeble thrust of Torch in the vain hope that it would boost my running speed a little. I knew it would be no use. This thing could chase down cars. I was sure of it. It was designed to.

  I heard a snarl and a distinctive hum behind me. I turned to see the creature dragging itself forward with difficulty. It was glowing with the aura of a k-rifle. I followed the jagged beam back to Jessie. She was slowing the creature while Wally and Fu tried to damage it with their respective weapons.

  “Run, skid dude!” Fu called.

  The giant cat was already moving with less effort, and the glow around it was fading. Either the k-rifle was already running out of juice, or the monster was moving out of range of its influence. I shot it with a couple of concussive fireballs, causing it to stumble and slide backward a few feet, and then I turned and ran.

  You have reached Tier 1 Level 10. Milestone reached. Tier upgrade available.

  ?What do I do?! I need to get my shoes working or this thing is going to freaking eat me!?

  [Very well. With your permission I will distribute your stats for you and perform the tier upgrade. However, you will still need to select a starter pack; all milestone decisions must be made before you tier up. Again, I recommend something for Fireball or Torch.]

  ?Do it!?

  Out of necessity, I now had to ignore the lecti’s previous advice about menus during battle. I pulled up the starter packs, desperately scrolling through while simultaneously trying to retreat and dodge. A claw swiped behind me and to my right. I could feel the wind of its passing.

  I found a pack called “Repulsor Torch,” and for a moment I thought I had it. But no, of course not. The modified Torch was designed to push my enemies, not me, like a k-rifle set to repel. It’d be useful, but it wasn’t what I needed now.

  I cried out as the creature snagged my calf and yanked me off my feet. Its claws tore muscle. I turned and jabbed Bullet Train right into its gaping mouth, then torched its face again. It was enough to force the creature to use its heat dispersion technique, buying me a couple of precious seconds, but my aethervoir was at 20% now. I wouldn’t be able to do that again unless I got a few minutes to breathe.

  My scrolling had stopped on a new pack, and my heart leapt.

  Torch Thruster starter pack. Includes: Torch Thruster, combat skill. +5 to Alacrity. +5 to Arcane.

  I focused on the new skill as I tried to push myself away from the creature with my good leg.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Torch Thruster, Tier 1 Level 1: A specialized Torch variant with much shorter range and much lower damage. However, it produces a far greater amount of thrust, propelling the sorcerer in the opposite direction.

  ?Lock it in!?

  Time suddenly froze. I found myself staring at a deadly claw fall toward my face in slow motion. I thought I could hear Jessie slowly yelling my name. A new notification crossed my vision, far more momentous than anything I’d seen to this point.

  Congratulations, sorcerer. You have upgraded from Fire Guardian Initiate, Tier 1 Level 10, to Fire Guardian Acolyte, Tier 2 Level 1. You have unlocked the following class skills: Lecti Avatar. Bind Armor, x7. Command Fire. Heat Sense. Most skills may now be upgraded to Tier 2.

  ?Bind my shoes! Bind my freaking shoes!?

  The time freeze abruptly ended, and I rolled. I narrowly avoided the claw, which crashed into the pavement. I leapt to my feet, faltering for a moment as my injured leg tried to give out beneath me. This was going to be tricky. Fortunately, skidding happened to be lower impact than running, and I could favor one leg—or even skid on one foot—for a short while.

  [I will focus regeneration on your leg, Mr. Fulgen. However, it will slow your aether recovery.]

  ?Good deal,? I thought. The monster crouched, preparing to pounce. I quickly ran through my menus, found Torch Thruster, selected my shoes, and channeled the new skill into them. Fire passed through the k-thrusters in the soles. I felt that glorious greased pan feeling and noted that the soles of my shoes were now giving off an orange glow instead of the familiar blue.

  The demon cat, perhaps sensing that the playing field had become more even, paused for a moment. It narrowed its eyes, and then it raised its head and roared in challenge. The sound washed over me like a wave, shaking the ground and shattering a nearby street lamp.

  I sneered at the monster, selected Bullet Train, and—not quite sure what compelled me—said, “Who ya gonna call?”

  Then, once again, I activated Torch Thruster.

  The monster lunged, and I shot off into the night.

  I noted, with some dismay, that this wasn’t yet the skidding I knew and loved. I was travelling at maybe twenty-five miles an hour. Even at maximum thrust, the black cat creature was slowly gaining. Torch Thruster was a vast improvement over the standard Torch skill, but it had less than half the kick Bullet Train was supposed to have.

  Torch Thruster has reached Tier 1 Level 2.

  The increase to my speed was noticeable, but not dramatic. Like I’d shifted to a higher gear but I still had the parking brake on. I would have to tough this out. Maybe I’d eventually be faster than I ever was. But first, I had to survive more than another minute. Besides, I wasn’t planning on leading this creature on a wild chase through the Grand City until one of us collapsed. We had to stop it.

  I suddenly reversed my thrust, stopping in the road and reversing my direction. My injured leg twinged dangerously, but I kept my footing. The demon cat dug in its claws, sliding to a stop, and reared to face me.

  In pro skid competitions, brawling can take several forms. Some circuits hold a free-for-all, where combatants can slide around at will or hold their ground, crack each other in the helmet or sweep their opponent’s legs out from under them. Others hold side-by-side duels, where combatants have to move in the same direction around a track circuit while trying to knock each other off their feet.

  By far the most exciting and brutal variant is the Skid Joust. In this form, the combatants face off across a square arena. At the sound of the whistle, they charge at each other at full speed. Most engineers and many stickers opt for a lance-like thrust, but swinging sticks or pods is a good way to catch an opponent off guard. Surprisingly, combatants often fail to destroy each other in these collisions, at which point they can operate under free-for-all rules and beat each other senseless until the whistle blows. Then they have to disengage and zoom toward the walls. Whichever combatant touches a wall first, forces their opponent to touch the opposite wall before they can charge again.

  I was no slouch in any of the forms, but I was particularly good at the joust. So good, in fact, that I had quickly decided to scale down my brawling commitments during my time in the pros, fearing that I would lock in too intently and seriously hurt someone. It wasn’t bloodlust or anything that extreme. Just a serious competitive streak that I got lost in during the speed and intensity of the brawl. I struggled to let up, and would always push a little harder if it meant a better chance of winning.

  Tonight I hoped that tenacity, so often lacking in every other area of my life, would serve me against a giant demon cat that two overdressed psychopaths had teleported in to kill me.

  The tip of Bullet Train crunched into the nose of the monster as it tried to swipe at me. White teeth went flying, along with jagged black chunks that I realized were pieces of the creature’s shiny armored skin. Purple blood splattered on my face and clothes. Unfortunately the stick deflected to the side of the creature’s face, and the angle of the leathery neck ruff pushed my attack further off center. I ducked the creature’s front claw, then its snapping whiplike tail. I heard a roar behind me, followed by clomping as the giant cat turned around and resumed its pursuit.

  ?Okay, bud. I have something to confess: That would have gone better with a spear.?

  [Told you.]

  My leg was at least half healed, so I moved on to advanced evasive maneuvers. I ramped off the rear window of a parked car and flew up to the second floor balcony of a hotel adjacent to the street. The grooves built into the soles of my skid shoes allowed me to grind the railing, and I jumped to the next balcony, then the next.

  I heard a crunching impact and glanced back. The damn cat had actually leapt up to the first balcony and was charging across it. Its body smashed through deck furniture and tossed chaise lounges into the night as it bounded forward and leapt deftly from balcony to balcony.

  I approached the precinct again. My three allies moved toward me. However, from my vantage point I could see the enemy sorcerers in the shadows of an alleyway, obviously preparing an ambush. Mantis was preparing one of her ice ball attacks.

  “Hey!” I yelled at them. I leapt away from the building and toward their position, the monster close behind. “Control your damn animal!”

  Their eyes widened in horror, exactly what I’d been hoping to see. It confirmed one important fact. This creature they’d summoned was untamed. Or at least, if it answered to anyone, it sure wasn’t them.

  I landed between them, trying somewhat successfully to favor my good leg, and wasted no time. I first thrust at Brick, but he got his shield up. The red translucent disc was nearly back to full power. I shrugged at him, immolated Bullet Train, and slammed it into Mantis’s abdomen with all of my enhanced strength. I heard two sickening crunches: one from the impact, and one from her slamming into the wall of the alleyway.

  “That’s for trying to freeze me,” I snarled. I spotted a shadow out of the corner of my eye and zoomed away. A second later the demon cat crashed down where I’d just been standing. Its broad shoulders were almost the full width of the alley. I heard Brick cry out as the creature’s claws scrabbled, trying to back out or get turned around. After a moment it gripped one wall with its claws, pulling its upper body up and over until it was facing the alley exit and me. I gunned Bullet Train and caught only a glimpse of brick slumped on the ground, his shield off, before I sped away.

  I zoomed past Wally, Jessie, and Fu, trying to present them with a target. Jessie quickly latched on to the cat with her k-rifle, slowing it down, and Fu lit into it with her shotgun. Bits of its tough skin scattered, and purple blood wet the ground. Wally managed to sear the already injured portion of the creature’s snout and mouth, eliciting a howl.

  “I’ll keep luring him past!” I called out to the others. “You work on the rest!”

  The next few minutes became a blur. It was clear the demon cat was laser focused on me. It was also clear that, as vicious as it was, it wasn’t stupid. It had learned from our previous jousting clash and turned its head to the side whenever I doubled back, presenting the slope of its leathery neck ruff so my stick strikes glanced off it. It would follow me eagerly enough past my allies, where Jessie would again slow it and Fu would again blast away with her shotgun. Unfortunately those blasts did minimal damage. It was only when Fu or Wally managed to solidly hit existing injuries that it reacted. A few times, these attacks annoyed it enough that it broke off from chasing me. In those cases, Jessie would reverse her k-rifle to push it away, and I would approach from behind and thwack it in the hind leg.

  We seemed to have, if nothing else, a sustainable stalemate going until the monster got wise. It again veered off toward the other three during one of my passes. I closed in to harass it, when it suddenly reversed direction and swiped.

  Its claws raked across my chest, drawing excruciating lines of pain, and the force of the blow swatted me away like a bug. I slid and tumbled along the pavement, my hoodie shredding until the skin underneath abraded away as well. I finally came to a stop, gasping for breath. Every movement hurt, and I thought I could feel every inch of the lines gouged across my torso burning and bleeding. I tried to get up, and that’s when my leg decided it was done. It fell out from under me, numb, like it wasn’t even a part of me anymore.

  [Health is at 38%. Aethervoir is at 1%.]

  That was it. I had nothing left.

  “No!” Jessie yelled. Distantly I could hear a shotgun report and the zap of Wally’s laser.

  The demon cat, triumphant, shrugged off the desperate attacks. It grunted as it stalked toward me. The sound was uncomfortably close to a laugh. Jessie tried once more to pull it away from me, but it was no use. It tore free of the k-rifle’s grip and soared into the air. If it didn’t crush me with its landing alone, I’d be ripped to shreds seconds after.

  [Mr. Fulgen. For what it’s worth—]

  And that’s when an ice ball struck the cat in the chest.