Chapter 19: The Return

Chapter 19: The Return

My hands were sore.

I rubbed at them, shivering in the cold air as the ringing in my ears began to die down. I hadnt noticed it while I was fighting the Arachnomantis, but it turned out shooting so many times in an enclosed room had consequences, even with the silencing enchantment on my gun. My HUD showed my mana bar at about a sixth of the way filled, and I felt myself swallowing.

Id emptied sixteen magazines plus another nine bullets. That added up to 249 bullets, plus the one Id had chambered at the start for an even 250. Almost seventeen points worth of ammunition just to take down that beast. All for fifty points. Between the level difference and my lack of my full Magical Girl powers, it made sense it took so many bullets to kill. But only fifty points? I had expected more from a boss.

I shook my head. I was being ridiculous. I just defeated a giant spider-mantis centaur with scythed legs and arms, and I was worried about the points? Why did that matter when Id just saved everyone in the third floor shelter?

Gently, I pressed the sides of my ankle again. Selene had told me to use the rest of the regenerative salve Id bought earlier, and the swelling had gone down considerably. Apparently the salve was incredibly effective on things like sprains and bruises, especially if applied relatively quickly after getting hurt. Already my ankle felt much better, and other than some tenderness, I was pretty sure I would be able to walk and run on it normally.

I pushed myself to my feet, groaning as my body reported a whole new set of forming bruises. It was a familiar sensation, though, and I was able to ignore it with a practiced effort of will. My legs and arms felt rubbery, which was a little surprising. I knew I wasnt athletic or anything like that, especially considering I was exempt from most of my gym classes, but the pangs of soreness seemed out of place. Or maybe this was just what an actual fight felt like? It couldnt have been more than a few minutes at most were fights really that exhausting?

[Congratulations, Mai,] Selene interrupted my thoughts. [Youve done something that not many would even consider possible. Defeating an Anathema seventeen levels above you and doing it without your Astral Shift Truly, this is an extraordinary accomplishment.]

An embarrassed blush warmed my cheeks.

Thank you but I really couldnt have done it without you. Im, um Im sorry about what happened to you. I couldnt-

[Dont worry about it. It was painless. Im only frustrated that I wasn't able to help you more. That, and my forced demanifestation is going to complicate things. That, however, we can get to in a moment. First, we should focus on shutting off the coolant pipe that was-]

A hissing sound interrupted Selene, and I jumped as I snapped my gun to aim at the Arachnomantis. It lay unmoving, and I frowned until I realized the gas coming out of the pipe began to thin out as the hissing grew higher in pitch. The second the gas stopped coming from the pipe, the hissing stopped, and I slowly lowered my gun.

[Ah. Well, it is good to know the emergency shut off systems are still working. Using the pipe to freeze the Arachnomantis was an excellent bit of improvisation, by the way. I was worried how your combat instincts would translate from game to real life, but it seems I was being overly cautious.]

I I gave a shrug, fidgeting. It just felt right at the time I should have thought about using it during our planning session, though. It would have made things so much easier.

[Perhaps. At any rate, things went about as well as could be expected. Especially against such a tough opponent.]

Yeah I cant believe it was only worth fifty points, though. I know it would have been a lot easier if I was using my Astral Shift, but it's still not a lot for a boss.

[A boss? Mai, that was just a normal Anathema.]

Silence stretched between us, a chill running through me that had nothing to do with the temperature.

W-what? But in Rebellion

[Oh. Oh, Mai I apologize, It seems I wasnt completely clear in my communications. Rebellion uses Anathema as a reference for its monsters, but the creatures it chooses to use as bosses are usually just challenging or particularly unsettling Anathema. In the real world, the Arachnomantis is just another type of Anathema that can be encountered, not some special subtype.]

Oh I felt my heart fall a little at that. Wait, are there special types of Anathema then? Ones that are actually like bosses?

[Yes Elite Anathema are ones that are higher level than they are normally found at. For instance, an Elite Fomorian Hound would be level six or higher. Then there are Rare Anathema. These are types that are not normally found among the masses, and when they appear, they tend to not have any standardized level. Rare Anathema are very dangerous due to their unique abilities and intelligence. They fit the criteria of boss monsters well enough.]

Selene paused for a moment, almost as if considering her words.

[Above those are the Aberrants. Those those would be something even stronger than a boss monster. Aberrants are everything a Rare is but worse. They have intelligence that can equal a human's along with powers and magic that can rival a Magical Girls. If an Aberrant is found, usually multiple squads of Guardians are called in to deal with it. Aberrants are some of the most deadly creatures, and where one shows up, disaster usually follows. If you ever encounter an Aberrant alone, you run. No exceptions. It doesnt matter what or who you are trying to protect, if you stay to fight an Aberrant alone, all you will accomplish is losing your life along with whatever you were fighting for, and the world cannot afford to lose Magical Girls in hopeless battles. Do you understand?]

There was an undertone in her words, something that almost sounded desperate, like she was pleading for me to accept. I gave a nod to the empty air, gripping my gun a little tighter as a sliver of fear worked its way into my stomach.

[That being said, if you are at least a hundred levels above the monster, you can probably fight on even ground. Besides, Aberrants are very rare and can be detected well in advance of their arrival. They arent something you just stumble into on the street.]

That made me feel a little better, and I let out a relieved breath of air..

[Now then, I believe youve recovered enough. We should move on with our mission.]

Right, I looked around the room. The generator.

I started moving, heading to the back of the room. Selene had told me before the fight I didnt have to worry about shooting anything except the pipes because the generator itself was retracted into the floor. It was a security measure to help protect it if the shielding station went offline. All I had to do was use the access panel to get the generator to come back up.

Reaching the back of the room, I was greeted with a closed metal box, just like Selene had described to me. There was actually a small dent in it, and I winced as I reached out and pulled open the front panel. Inside was a hand scanner along with what looked like a card reader. I placed my hand against the screen, almost jumping when it lit up blue. After a second it turned green, and a loud mechanical whirring suddenly filled the room.

I turned around, looking with wide eyes as the center of the floor simply pulled itself open. A circular portion of the floor indented itself before splitting in half and then sliding away. Once the circular hole was clear, a hum filled the air, and a circular platform slowly rose to replace the flooring. I watched, slowly approaching as the platform settled itself into place, the sound of machinery abruptly coming to an end.

The circular platform was made of metal, and there were only two objects on it. The first was a cylindrical pedestal indented to allow a perfect sphere to rest on it. Both were made of some kind of reflective silver metal with a hexagon pattern engraved in it. The sphere itself was bigger than my head, and something about the object made me feel uneasy. Something about it was off, like my eyes couldnt quite see it correctly.

[Try not to stare,] Selene advised me. [You are looking at an almost perfect sphere. It was created and shaped to the specifications of the first million digits of pi. Your brain is recognizing that it is indeed a sphere, but because it is so much closer to a perfect one, it is causing a psychological reaction. It will pass, but you will probably get a headache before you get used to seeing the shape.]

I turned away from the alien sphere, blinking my eyes at the sudden strain they felt. Careful to avoid looking directly at it again, I turned to look at the second object in the metal circle.

It was a box. Large, made of black metal, and completely featureless except for a cable as thick as my leg attaching the box to the pedestal, and another leading directly into the ground. Judging by the metal sporting the same hexagonal pattern as the sphere and pedestal, it was clearly some piece of Zenith technology.

Whats this? I frowned at the box.

[I dont know.]

I blinked.

What do you mean you dont know? Its Zenith technology, right?

[Yes, but there is nothing in my database about it.]

Is that bad?

[Not at all,] Selene responded cheerily. [There is plenty of information that I either do not have access to or simply do not have the memory capacity to hold onto. Because I was designed to fit inside your Soul Gem, there was a limit to how much data I could take with me. For instance, I only know the first fifty levels worth of Anathema creatures, and that list is hardly extensive. Most of my memory is taken up by the Vaults, Abilities, and Skills, but even then it is only the most common items. More specialized or unique equipment would require a search of the Arcane System, and with the Usurpation zone cutting off access beyond simply buying and receiving things, Im currently unable to find out what this might be.]

Oh. But this isnt anything to worry about?

[I dont believe so. Its Zenith technology hooked up to a mana generator, so it must have a purpose of some sort. It may be some type of booster or possibly a safety device. Although not a standard piece of equipment, a Guardian must have purchased and attached it for one reason or another. Once we get back to the shelter, we can ask Error Machina about it if you are still curious.]

Okay I stared at the box for another moment before I turned my attention back to the mana generator. So, what do I do now?

[Before we can continue, we should discuss something. Mainly, what the plan is for our return trip.]

Right, I checked my mana in the corner of my vision. Im only at 82 mana right now, so we should wait until I can manifest you again at 220 now that Im level eight, right?

[Yes, except for one small caveat. When my physical manifestation gets destroyed, there is a sort of penalty in place for an hour, requiring you to spend double the normal amount.]

Wait, what? I thought you told me you could be manifested again without any repercussions?

[Ah. I meant that there would be no lasting damage to myself or you. Truthfully, I didnt mention this penalty earlier because I did not anticipate being dispelled. An Anathema would have to be well into the one or two hundred range to see me, so I assumed I was safe. I did not take into account the idea of me helping you in direct combat at the time. I also did not want to add another thing for you to worry about, especially with the chances of it happening being so low. Apologies.]

No, its I sighed. Its fine. That makes sense, but it puts us in a bad spot right now.

[How so? We can simply wait an hour. That, or you can spend some of your stat points on your willpower and spirit to quickly regenerate the appropriate amount.]

But that would mean spending more stat points without a plan, I bit my lip, thinking about it. Id need to spend at least fourteen points in willpower to get enough, but even then it would take almost fifty-two minutes to regenerate enough mana? Unless I spent even more in spirit to boost my regeneration

Doing the math in my head, I began to feel uneasy. Sure, it would only take a few points to regenerate my mana back up in twenty minutes or less, but that would mean spending close to half of the stat points Id just gained. It would get me out of my immediate situation, but what about the future? The more I just spent stat points without developing a proper plan, a build of some sort to follow, the more I was going to have to correct in the future and the more at risk I would be while I worked with something suboptimal.

I dont think spending my stat points is something I want to do. I finally said. Not right now.

[Agreed. Spending them without a plan seems unwise. I suppose we could work on developing one while we are waiting for the manifestation penalty.]

Um. How much time does the shelter have left before the shield goes down and it opens up? I asked, fidgeting.

[Three hours, sixteen minutes. They would still have a little over two hours of time left even if we waited.]

I frowned at that. Something about the idea made me feel intensely uncomfortable. Waiting an entire hour, doing nothing felt wrong. The idea of leaving Lily and so many other people in danger any longer than I had to didnt sit well with me. Sure, Id gone out of my way to defeat a few Anathema before reaching the generator, but that was to help ensure I had all the resources I might need to save them. If I had the choice to immediately protect them, shouldnt I take it?

Besides, something about the idea of waiting made the back of my mind itch, like I was trying to remember something important. It just didnt feel right.

When we turn the generator on, will we be able to tell if the shielding station goes online?

[Yes and no. There wont be a direct response, but the generator control screen will inform us if it is sending power. That will tell us if the shielding station restarted and is drawing mana as planned. Even if I have limited information on the subject, Error Machina seemed to also believe the shielding station would automatically restart, so there is little doubt about it working.]

And once it begins restarting, it will draw all the Anathema there. So the path to the shelter should be clear. Especially if we go back the same route we took here.

There was a moment of silence before Selene responded in a hesitant tone.

[Yes. It should be, but the safer option would be to wait until I can scout ahead, just in case.]

I Selene, it might be safer for me, but what about everyone in the shelter? I argued. I know theyd still have plenty of time but it just feels wrong. I dont want them to have a doomsday clock ticking down on them any longer than possible. Letting them stay in danger it just doesnt sit right with me.

[There is some merit in that I suppose running back without waiting would only increase the risk if the shielding station wasnt turning back on, something we can infer from the mana generators output. The startup sequence of the shield is too bright a beacon to not draw the Anathema to it, meaning the way would have to be clear. Even if there were stragglers, we already cleared a route to the stairs Very well, then. I can concede this is a viable plan as well.]

My shoulder relaxed in relief, and I smiled.

Alright. What should I do then?

[There is a hand scanner on the pedestal, but you should pick up your magazines and possibly refill them before you set out. We also need to deal with the webbing in front of the door.]

Oh right.

I went to work, collecting my scattered magazines from around the room, storing them in my backpack. Selene helped me find them, using my HUD to highlight them in gold so I was able to see them even in the dim emergency lights. I stopped over one of them, something catching in my throat as I looked at where it had fallen.

Selene What happened to the bodies? I asked quietly, staring at the puddle of blood my empty magazine rested in.

[I was hoping to avoid this, but the remains of the team previously sent are currently cocooned in the corners of the room, near the ceiling. The Arachnomantis eats much like a normal spider does, injecting venom and well, the specifics dont matter.]

Oh I said, staring at my magazine. There was a handgun lying near it, in the same puddle. It was blockier than mine, more square shaped.

But it was still a handgun, lying in a puddle of blood. It belonged to someone. Someone who tried to use it to protect others. Someone who had friends, family, a dream. And now it was just

I was suddenly reminded of the blood soaking the back of my jeans from when Id fallen. The blood coating my left hand

My chest felt tight.

[You dont have to pick up that magazine if you dont want to,] Selene told me gently. [You can always buy more.]

Okay, I whispered.

I stared at it for another moment, then turned away.

Only one of my magazines had fallen in blood, and I had Selene buy me another three full mags, bringing me down to 130 points. I could have just bought ammo to refill my empty ones, but I really didnt want to stick around longer than necessary. I had a few empty magazines lying outside the room Id have to scoop up on my way out, and I made a mental note to do so and also told Selene to remind me just in case. Exhaustion was trying to creep its way back into me now that I was no longer in any direct danger, but the threat of having to go back out was keeping at least a small bit of adrenaline running through me, even if it was supposed to be a safe run back.

I stopped in front of the doorway out, sighing as I looked over my task. The webbing the Arachnomantis had used to block the way wasnt very thick, and I could make out the door on the other side through the webs. Selene and I had expected the Arachnomantis to web the doorway when I started shooting from safety, but our solution to getting back out again was less than ideal.

Setting my gun down for a moment, I reached over my shoulder and pulled out my ice axe. It wasnt exactly the best tool for the job, but

[Almost there. Now, I need you to pick up the syringe and place the end with the points tightly against your neck. Anywhere will do. Then, use your thumb to push down on the bunny head like youre pressing a button.]

My first attempt to pick up the device made it slip from my fingers. It took some fumbling, but I finally managed to grasp it and place it against my neck, my hand trembling. Putting my thumb on the bunny head, I pushed. Three sharp pin pricks poked into my neck, a sensation that barely even registered.

[Excellent job Mai. Now give it a few seconds, and you should start feeling much better.]

An odd, cold sensation started to spread from my neck, quickly working its way through my body. As it went, I noticeably felt my muscles begin to relax, and once the wave of relief hit my arm, it was like a pleasant touch of ice against the burning inferno. The pain receded before the sensation, and my ragged gasps quickly turned into shaky breaths. I blinked a few times as my mind began to clear, only for a new fog to settle in place. This one was gentle, though, like a blanket trying to wrap me up.

Shheleene? I slurred.

[Cloud Nine is a powerful pain reliever that should hopefully allow you to retain enough of your mental functions to continue moving, which is what you need to do right now. You arent out of danger yet. Nod if you understand.]

I did so, glancing around. The hallway was still clear, but when my eyes landed on the mass of black tendrils, I felt fear and nausea spike through me in equal parts. The giant, bloodshot eyeball in its center had popped, sinking into itself from multiple bullet holes. To my side, I saw my gun lying with its slide clicked back into the empty position.

[Okay. Mai. I need you not to panic at what Im going to instruct you to do next. I promise you, this can be fixed, but right now this is the only way to save your life. If you understand, open the second case.]

At first I was confused which case she was talking about, but when she didnt stop me from reaching towards the next closest one, I worked to open it. It was hard with one hand to get the latches, but somehow I managed, pushing open the container. Inside was an object I vaguely recognized, though it was more polished and futuristic looking. It was a vaguely square blade with a curved handle attached to it, the entire thing made of dark metal except for my white bunny emblem on the blade.

It was then that the purchase notifications finally clicked into place, and I stopped breathing.

Selene? I whispered, my voice hoarse.

[This is a manamolecular bone saw. Using your mana, it will create a cutting edge capable of slicing through most materials. Mai I need you to take this saw and cut off your left arm.]

Panic exploded through me, my breathing picking up as her words sunk in.

What!? my voice cracked. I- no, Selene, I cant, what are you-

[Mai, look at your health!]

My eyes shot to the corner of my HUD and widened. Even as I watched, the red bar was slowly dropping, the number changing to 32% and only staying for a few seconds before losing another whole percent.

[Mai, the Anathema snapped and shattered the bones of your forearm, wrist, and elbow in multiple places. Fragments and edges of those bones have cut into you, and youre bleeding internally faster than you could possibly heal with any of the medicines you have access to. If you do not remove your lower arm, you will bleed out. This can be fixed, I promise, but this This is the only way.]

I watched my health continue dropping as horror grew inside me.

30%.

My arm? I had to cut off my arm!?

29%

But if I didnt-

28%

There was no time, what was I doing!?

27%

I reached for the bone saw.

[Open the third closest case first,] Selene advised as I moved, her voice still impeccably calm. [It has the emergency clot spray you used before on your stomach. After the cut, you need to immediately apply it.]

I followed her instructions, flipping open the third case before picking up the bone saw. It was light, and felt almost flimsy. Holding it in front of my face, I realized the blade had no edge to it whatsoever.

[Good. Now, raise your left arm. You are going to cut right above your elbow in one clean slicing motion, bringing the bone saw down on it. The saw drains mana at an exorbitant rate, so once you activate it, you will only have a few seconds before you run dry. Activate the saw the same way you would the silencing enchantment on your gun. Just like I taught you.]

I raised my left arm, my eyes glued to it. My left hand was completely limp, and even through the baggy sleeve of my sweatshirt, I could tell that something was wrong with my entire forearm. I raised the bone saw, poising it over my arm. Sweat poured down my brow as terror pounded through me. My heart was racing so fast, it felt like it was going to tear itself apart.

[Mai,] Selenes soothing voice washed through me. [You can do this. I believe in you.]

I nodded and took a deep breath.

Reaching out with my thoughts directed at the bone saw, I felt a familiar pull to it, an emptiness that lacked something important. Pulling up the warmth in my heart, I directed the ball of heat I gathered into the saw.

Violet light sprang to life along the edge of the saw, letting out a hum, and I gasped in surprise.

[Now, Mai, now!]

I swung down without thinking.

The saw cut through my arm without resistance.

My lower arm fell to the floor.

I felt nothing.

The violet light on the saw flickered then winked out.

I stared at the stump of my arm, a light, floating feeling washing through me as a small stream of blood sprayed out.

[The clot spray, quickly!]

Selenes voice snapped me back into action, and I dropped the saw. I grabbed the can and aimed the cone-shaped nozzle at my stump, pushing down the trigger the moment I had it vaguely in place. Gray foam sprayed out, getting everywhere as my arm shook. I managed to get a large glob of it around my stump, my breath catching in my throat as I watched my health in the corner of my eye.

19%

The foam began to tighten around my stump, condensing itself.

18%

The pressure reached a limit, then, as if by some unspoken command, the excess foam began to dissolve away, dripping to the floor and leaving my stump covered in a thick, uneven cast of gray matter.

17%

My health stopped dropping, and I let myself breathe again.

[Good job, Mai. Very good job. Now, the fourth case, the one with the red plus sign on it. Open it, and place your left forearm inside.]

I what? I asked, voice shaking.

[Bringing your left arm back will allow us to reattach it. It is also advisable to not leave Magical Girl body parts around when possible. They are relatively rich in mana density, something that can greatly spur the growth of Anathema who consumes it.]

I looked down at my severed arm, staring at the appendage.

It was my arm. My hand. Blood was forming a small pool from where Id cut it above the elbow.

I whipped my head away and vomited all over the floor.

[Its okay, youre doing great. Let it out.]

My stomach muscles felt weak by the time I was finished, but the sensation was detached, somehow. I forced myself to keep moving, to not think and just move. Turning to the case with the red plus sign, I unsnapped the latches and opened it. The interior was covered in soft black packing foam, but there was also a square touch screen on one end. A variety of statistics were displayed, all of them currently reading at zero except for the battery which displayed at 100%.

Then I set my eyes back on my left arm.

Everything in me felt tight, revulsion crawling through me as I reached for it. My mind screamed at me, telling me this was wrong, that everything was wrong.

I ignored it, grasping my arm.

It was so thin, and I could feel bony, sharp objects underneath the skin.

I gagged, moving as fast as I could to push the limb into the box.

The display inside the case sprung to life immediately, various numbers and diagrams appearing. I tried to read the display, but for some reason, the words didnt sit in my head. I would read them, but the meaning behind them seemed to leave a moment later. I wasnt sure what I was looking for, something to tell me everything was going to be okay, maybe, but all I saw were red numbers and images.

[Close the case Mai. Then take the Greater Regeneration Gum in the last box. Afterwards, you need to pack everything up and head back. Slowly. Were over half way, but we need to be careful of any more surprises. Ill guide you the entire time, just follow my instructions.]

I nodded, and grabbed the gum. Unwrapping it one-handed was a chore, the difficulty of it making my throat tighten. When I finally got it out, I simply popped it into my mouth and swallowed it whole. Then, I forced myself to stand.

A wave of dizziness made me stumble, and I bounced off the wall. Forcing myself to ignore the babbling emotions that grew in my stomach, I started putting everything into my backpack. The case containing my arm was surprisingly heavy, something I tried to ignore. The hardest part was reloading my gun. It took me a while to figure it out, but I managed by keeping it still on the ground with my foot while I slotted in a new mag.

During the whole procedure, things felt deeply off. A cloud of fuzziness had descended on my mind, and if that wasnt bad enough, everything I did felt strangely detached. Like I wasnt experiencing it, only watching somebody else go through the motions. Somewhere deep inside me though, I felt a building emotion, one I recognized even through the haze. It clawed at my stomach, trying to force its way up my throat. I pushed it down with fierce practice, even as it screamed at me that my arm was gone.

I I wanted to cry.

Really badly.

I didnt let myself.

Shouldering my now much heavier backpack, I took a shuddering breath and closed my eyes.

Focus. Emotions later, task first. Youre drugged, probably in shock. Get to safety first. Always safety first. You know this, Mai. Same as always. Pain, survive, safety, heal. Four steps. Just four steps. You got this.

The thoughts seemed to clear some of the fog in my mind, a steely determination setting into my core. I opened my eyes and raised my gun in a one-handed grip.

Get me out of here, I pleaded to Selene, my voice cracking.

Arrows appeared, and I followed them.

The rest of the trip back passed in a blur. Selene had me stop at every corner and intersection and look both ways before continuing. Every doorway we passed through I now peeked through first, looking at the ceiling for any more of those monsters. We went slowly, methodically, and the path that I could have run in about two minutes turned into ten.

We made it to the stairwell without incident. Going up the stairs was difficult. My center of balance was off, and without a free hand to grip the railing, I had to move slowly. To open the doors, I had to tuck my gun into the crook of my left arm, using my stump to hold it in place. The reminder of my missing limb sent a pang through me, my storm of emotions in my gut threatening to overflow, and I let out an involuntary whine.

[Almost there. Just a little more, Mai.]

Selenes voice sounded angelic, a constant, unmoving rock in the lashing waves of raw emotion threatening to overflow inside me. I latched on to those words, opening the door, and peeking down the Shelters entry corridor. The coast was clear, and I made my way to the shelter door quickly, stumbling and swerving as I made it to the touch screen and slapped the call button.

I needn't have bothered. By the time Id stumbled to the door, it was already beginning to open. Once the doors had parted enough, I squeezed my way through. Only when the doors closed behind me did I let out my breath. It came out ragged and quick, and I couldnt force it to slow down.

Carefully, I made sure the safety of my Umbra was turned on while I waited for the safety scan to complete. I felt myself wavering on my feet, my eyelids getting heavier. When the entry doors finally opened enough for a single person to fit through, I was greeted by the sight of Sergeant OMalley and Ji-woo looking at me with undisguised horror.

Mai! she cried out, rushing towards me.

I tried to say something as I took a step forward, but I reached my limit.

Darkness engulfed me, and I welcomed it.