We make it to the ship as quickly as we can. The healing I’ve received has taken care of a lot of the damage, but all the movement tears the knitted flesh and muscle apart again. I grimace and hit the pain blocker injection in the HUD as we race through the Dungeon entrance and hop on the HoverPad which zooms up immediately at speeds that would have crumpled my injured legs without the PowerSuit’s assistance. Once the hatch is closed I eject from the armor and Bobby slots it back in its spot where mechanical arms and small machines swarm over it to accelerate the repairs. Other arms replenish the ammunition and plug in multiple power cables.
My companions are the consummate EDF troops and they focus on what they should - the attack on Saint Marianne’s. I roll off the HoverPad and lean against the ship hull as Kate jumps into her Powersuit and Bobby jumps into Brad’s while Brad leaps to the controls. It will only take a few seconds to arrive and so I open up my notifications and skim through the allocations I made to Aura and focus on my Status instead.
You have 194 Soul Sparks to allocate.
Would you like to allocate them now?
(Y/N)
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
My Soul Spark reclamation range is now 131 meters and I wrestle with what to do. I need to balance out my Strength and Perception with my Agility - that would help me with combat tremendously and help me get my Dungeon Rating up. I want to boost my Constitution and Mana; increasing my Constitution to 200 would boost my damage reduction by 50% and my Mana pool is too small to do anything meaningful. Or… do I take a risk and dump all my Soul Sparks into Aura, bringing it up to 333, a third of a kilometer?
The ship stops and the hatch opens. Bobby and Kate drop through instantly and Brad’s not far behind, still in his combat armor. I eye the armor that Bobby left behind and stand up. I want to join in, I want to fight, but the suit is damaged and so am I. And… there are real Heroes out there.
After another long glance I realize I can feel Auntie V’s Power working on me and my injuries are getting better at an accelerated rate. How on Earth can she maintain a healing aura over so much distance? I limp up to the front of the ship and look out over what’s going on. We’re probably over a hundred meters up and some of the fighting is in my Reclamation range - whenever I feel Soul Sparks forming, I pull them to me.
Below me the fighting is almost finished. We were late and is the case with many skirmishes of this kind with high category Powers, the action is quick and brutal. A shielded dome sits over Saint Marianne’s, protecting it. Clearly nothing has gotten through because all around it are alien bodies piled up. They range from huge insectoid shapes that have been blown apart to twisted, winged horrors whose broken bodies lay on the shield or have slid down to the ground. EDF troops are everywhere mopping up and it’s clear the attack has failed.
I look at my Status again and make a call on how to allocate my Soul Sparks, including the few I’ve Reclaimed here. No regrets. Then I open the notifications.
Soul Sparks Allocated!
Strength +53 (80)
Perception +53 (80)
Constitution +67 (200)
Luck +11 (21)
Mana +16 (26)
Aura +19 (148)
Stamina +670 (2000)
Stamina regeneration +120 (280 /min)
Mana +160 (260)
Mana Regeneration +19 (148 /min)
Soul Spark Reclamation range +19 (150)
Level Up! +2 (7)
Congratulations!
Your luck is now superhuman - the Universe bends in your favor an infinitesimal sliver
I’m now four times stronger, more agile, and more perceptive than the most unenhanced person on the planet, and even a bit luckier. My resistance to damage and healing factor is twice the typical Awakened adult, and overall I’m now seriously in the position to take advantage of my lifetime of training.
As I look down on the dome surrounding Saint Marianne’s and feel my great Aunt’s healing Aura continue to patch me together, I wonder if I’ve fucked everything up for her. Has this selfish drive to get more Soul Sparks, even if it’s sponsored by Auntie V, meant her plans fall apart? Slowly the dome dissipates now the attack is over and I have another thing to wonder - how on Earth is that dome even there? It’s obviously very strong. Maybe Saint Marianne’s really is a special place.
It’s not long before I hear a message over the intercom in the ship.
“Calrik, hop on the HoverPad.” It’s Bobby, and I do what he asks without any questions. I think I owe him one, or maybe several million as I glance at the PowerSuit that’s still being swarmed over by repair bots and arms carrying serious tools. The HoverPad descends at a good clip and stops a foot above a clear space of ground not far from the gate. All around buildings are smashed and parts of the road are caved in. I hope Auntie V’s healing aura also kept everyone who got caught in the crossfire here alive; I don’t remember feeling any Soul Sparks from areas outside the direct combat.
I’m absolutely sure it’s not protocol, but Auntie V comes shuffling out of the gate, red hair back in place, and eyes up my three companions who have arrived just as she emerged. Nobody is with her and her expression is dark. As soon as she emerges a contingent of EDF troops surrounds her and she makes her way to me, then stops. A wave of her hand and all my injuries heal themselves instantly. I grin at her, maybe hoping she doesn’t discover all the things I’ve done on the Dungeon run.
When Auntie V gets close to us the other EDF troops peel away and go back to whatever they were doing. The ship descends to hover above us, giving us aerial protection and Bobby and Kate spread out on either side of her while Brad keeps an eye out.
“I’ve already had a report from First Lieutenant Brookwell, Calrik,” she says to me. “Some of it is disturbing, and some of it just simply confirms you are a Corvin.” Her tone is final and she turns around, waving to me to join her as she does. I rush to her side and wonder why she’s chosen to say any of that out here, in front of the people who took me on this mission. Maybe I’ll never know. I turn back quickly and wave to them, but they’re already up in the ship along with the HoverPad and ascending back into the skies to keep watch over us.
We walk slowly through the gate together and slowly through the courtyard, her arm through mine. It’s fair to say there is a degree of chaos and rushing around. Even though the attack didn’t make it through the dome, it’s clearly unsettled everyone. I note a few angry looks at Auntie V and by extension me as well, no doubt they believe the reason Saint Marianne’s has been attacked is because of us, and they’re probably right.
When we enter the reception area, Fabian is out from behind his desk directing visitors and residents with authority along with Bart, Lucy, Teresa, and the rest of the team. When he spots us, he breaks off from the rest after having a word to Teresa and approaches us.
“Vitalis,” he says even though it’s clear whatever he’s about to say is something he doesn’t want to, and probably shouldn’t, “I’m sure you can understand how upsetting this is for the residents and how much attention this will bring on Saint Marianne’s. What can you do to help us cope?”
“Cope with what?” Auntie V snaps sharply. “Nobody was injured unless they ran around panicking needlessly. You will see no media reports about what’s happened and I expect you, the management, and the Board of Saint Marianne’s to avoid making any comment to anyone about anything.”
Fabian looks like he’s about to implode, unable to properly comprehend what she’s just said and fearful as always for the people in his care. Instead of responding, his eyes conveniently find me.
“Calrik, from now on Vitalis is your primary responsibility. Our instructions are that nobody else without exception is to enter her room and the door is to remain closed during visiting hours. You are removed from all other duties.”
I nod without saying anything.
“You may see some new people around in a Saint Marianne’s uniform,” says Auntie V in a tone that informs, but is not to be questioned. “My people will send you all the information.”
“I’m fine with that as long as they’re respectful of the operation we run here,” replies Fabian bravely. I do actually respect how he handles himself in a situation that could only be classified as highly unusual and upsetting. He’s got backbone and isn’t stupid.
“Please continue with your resident intake as usual,” instructs Auntie V, and we turn to head toward room 300 together.
Once inside Auntie V closes the door with more force than I would have expected and puts her hands on her hips. Her intent stare is something I match. Finally she breaks.
“Give me a hug, you idiot.” And I do.
“I’m not going to apologize Auntie V. You gave me an opportunity and I took it.”
“You bloody well did! Almost gave me a heart attack,” she accuses. It’s laughable considering she could heal her own heart attack and where we are right now, with the situation we’re in. I grin at her.
“Yeah, well, you know what I mean,” she says, waving away my grin. “Tell me everything that’s happened, Calrik. Including why I’ve got a request for five million Credits from the EDF?”
I show her my Status and her mouth hangs open for a second before she shuts it and looks energized despite her condition. She whips her head around and raises her hand in the air.
“We need the cube!”
I’m keen to test it too.
