THIRTY-FOUR: Fishing

THIRTY-FOUR: Fishing

There wasnt time to panic, though perhaps Alden should have.

In his limited experience, teleports didnt usually land you thirty feet up in the air, in the jungle, above a shallow-looking pool of water surrounded by screaming teenage Artonans.

Alden dropped like a stone while the System flashed the words ASSUME DIVING POSTURE at him like it thought he could just do that in an instant under these conditions.

He fell feet first, his lab coat flapping around his elbows, and he barely had the presence of mind to hold his breath before he hit the water. It burned as it went up his nose, but Alden was too busy kicking furiously to care.

The coat was not designed for swimming. Nor were the jogger pants. He had to hold the elastic band in one hand to keep them from dropping down and tangling around his feet.

His lungs were burning when he breached the surface. He drew in a huge breath. A tiny waterfalljust a trickle a few inches widespilled into the pool from a fern-covered rock face in front of him. Treading water, he turned away from it toward the shore, trying to find the emergency he was supposed to help with.

There was an awful lot of shouting over there. It was a confusing spectacle of Artonan teens running back and forth, yelling hysterically, and waving their arms at him. There were about ten of them. His targeting halo was glowing brightly over the only one who didnt seem to be panicking, though she was gesturing at him and calling something insistent.

Isnt that the girl who made the macrame project out of animal skins on the first day? Theyd met in the elevator, too. She was one of the ones Joe actually liked. Jel-something.

He started to swim toward her, but then the System translated what she was saying.

>

Alden spun in the water, heart racing, looking for the beast. He expected to see something on the verge of attacking him. Instead, he saw a dark brown shape swimming away from him at an angle. He only managed to spot it because the water was so crystal clear.

It was lightning fast. He didnt have a sense of its size because he wasnt actually sure how far away it was. The pool was deeper than it appeared. And he couldnt really make out the animals shape before it darted down behind a rock.

It seemed to have tentacles.

Was it some kind of alien squid?

A squid having a medical emergency? A student that had accidentally turned themselves into a squid? If he didnt catch them in time would they be unable to revert?

Calm down, you lunatic. Youre not making any sense. You need more information.

What do you mean catch it? he shouted back at Jel-girl. How am I supposed to do that?

She had one of the System access tablets, and she waved it at him. >

Alden felt like digest was a very bad word in this context.

Trying to keep his head, he asked, What did it eat?

Please dont say a person. Please dont say a person.

Four different teens, including the girlJel-nor. Right! That was her name!looked toward a boy lying on the shore. Alden hadnt even noticed him, because he was being still and quiet.

Really still and quiet. Alden almost thought he was unconscious, but then he made out the guys lips moving furiously. He was either casting a spell, praying, or chaining for all he was worth. Then, a girl whod been standing between them shifted a few steps, and Aldens mouth went dry.

Oh shit, he whispered. Where is his foot?

There was blood staining the leaf litter by the waters edge, but not quite as much as he would have expected. The Artonan boy was obviously doing a good job with his spell, but how long would that last?

Jel-nor read her tablet then gave Alden an exasperated look, as if his question was too stupid to answer.

He stared at her. You want me to catch something that ate somebodys foot?

> Jel-nor called. >

I cant catch a freaking water monster. Thats not what my skill does! Alden protested. You need to call one of the professors. And get that guy to a hospital!This chapter was first shared on the Ñøv€lß1n platform.

Why the hell hadnt they already done that?

mishnen first! Its digestion process is swift. If we dont obtain the foot quickly too much damage will be done to the tissues.>>

Some of the other teens were looking between the two of them doubtfully and whispering now.

Aldens mind raced. Was he just being a coward? It was hard to tell because he was, in fact, pretty freaked by the idea of chasing a mystery monster that apparently bit people hard enough to sever limbs. But he didnt think that was the only reason he was hesitating.

Shouldnt he go pick up the wounded guy so that he could help him stave off blood loss?

Ever since he got this assignment, Alden had tried to picture what he might do if a medical crisis did arise. And none of his imaginings had involved chasing after a wild animal. He thought protecting the injured person from shock while they teleported to a medical facility made much more sense.

But Jel-nor was supposedly a genius. And she seemed really sure. And the System had let her do an emergency summons for this.

I guess I have to at least try?

All right, he said, fighting to remove his coat while keeping his head above water. Do I get a net or something?

The Artonans all stared at him like hed asked them for a pony.

No net then, he muttered. Okay.

When hed finally rid himself of the coat and his shoes, Alden took the deepest breath he could and dove underwater. It had been a long time since kiddie swim class in Mrs. McGugalls backyard pool when he was six, and that was the closest thing hed ever had to formal lessons. Hed been considering signing up for lifeguard training next summer, but that wouldnt do him much good now.

He could hold his breath as well as an average human and swim in the right direction with noble intentions. That was about it.

The water stung his eyes, but at least he could clearly see the rock the foot-eater had hidden itself behind.

His only hope was towhat? Stick his hand behind the rock, offer it his own flesh, and hope that his skill activated when it bit down? Like he was noodling for catfish?

Jel-nor had told him to get the animal. Maybe that was enough. But what if if it was an intelligent beast that couldnt be entrusted against its will? Or what if no animal could be unless it was already captured?

He hadnt had a chance to test that, and he hadnt asked Joe because it seemed like a waste of a question when his lesson time was limited.

Crap. I dont know what to do.

Alden had to surface for another gulp of air before he even made an attempt to catch the creature.

Hed started to lose his pants again. They were in the way. Maybe he should take them off and try to use them as a lure somehow?

He ignored the cries and questions from the shore and dove again.

By the time he got down to the animals hiding place, he was already hungry for air. But he kicked his legs free of the joggers and stuffed a rounded stone from the bottom of the pool into them.

His enemy was nearly hidden under the sand. Alden could only make out a single patch of smooth, mottled brown skin. He still wasnt sure of the overall size of it either.

Before long, half the group was screaming at each other, and Jel-nor was crying while she held her tablet in a white-knuckled grip.

Alden was so tense he couldnt unlock his jaw to speak. Not that he knew what to say anyway.

These guys obviously need a grown-up. He was fairly sure he was right about the situation now at least. For some reason, they thought they could hide their crime if they banished crocosquid and got the foot back.

Alden stepped over to the injured person. When the girl casting the spell paused for breath, he leaned over the two of them and said nervously, Do you want me to hold him? Its what my skills actually good for.

She blinked up at him, a vague expression on her face as if she were trying to snap herself out of a trance. Surprisingly, it was the victim who answered. Hed bitten his lips until they bled, and he was panting. But his eyes snapped open and flicked to Alden.

There were rings of golden metal around his irises. Alden had seen a few different Artonans with those. He thought they were probably devices similar to Joes smart monocle.

> the boy said stiffly. >

Alden stared at him. Was this guy for real? He was missing a body part. Are you serious?

>

The girl trying to heal him looked shocked. And it took Alden a second to realize what he meant.

You mean bait it with yourself? Will that even work? I was just swimming with it, and it ran from me. Maybe its not hungry after its last

He trailed off because it seemed rude to call his foot a meal.

you when we are so nearby? A mishnen can only eat a few times in its life. It prioritizes quality.>>

Alden thought this idiot might have just insulted him.

Well, Im here to help an injured person, he muttered. If you feel so good you want to go fishing, then send me back to the lab.

> an eager voice said.

Alden turned to see Jel-nors face brightening. >

Alden side-eyed her. I meanI guess?

But how were they going to explain the foot getting severed and partially digested in the first place? Well, that wasnt Aldens business. What was his business was worrying whether or not he could get in trouble for going along with this scheme.

Dangling a bleeding person in a pond to lure squidzilla was extreme. What if it went totally wrong, the guy died or lost another limb, and the assembled teenagers tried to pin the blame on Alden?

Could they do that? Joe had said working under orders would protect him from repercussions. But this group seemed off the rails. Would the System back Alden up if they lied and said hed misconstrued their instructions or just failed at them?

He wasnt sure. He wanted to ask the System outright, but he didnt want them to hear him.

And while they were all hyping each other up to go fishing for their monster, another, more chilling, thought suddenly occurred to Alden.

What if they get me killed on purpose? There was a lot of desperation in the air. The one who wanted a scholarship seemed capable of it. Jel-nor and the injured guy did, too.

They werent supposed to be able to outright murder him. But if they deliberately put one of their friends lives in danger and then ordered him to protect them

Thats kind of what theyre doing with this bait plan anyway.

Alden hated making a split second decision under these circumstances. The last thing he wanted was to make a bunch of Artonans furious with him. But he was willing to admit he was in over his head. He punched a button on his interface and started typing.

> the victim gasped. Alden had to hand it to the guy. He was really sharp for someone who was slowly bleeding out.

Im looking for a spell that will help me catch the mishnen, Alden said. I have one left to affix.

The boy closed his eyes. > he said. And he actually sounded moved. >

Alden smiled in spite of himself. This guy really was serious aboutsomething. Being a Knight? He was also self-confident to the point of stupidity.

I cant believe I just wondered if you would try to murder me, he muttered. Youre kind of cool. In an insane way. I dont know what a Knight of the Mother Planet is, but Im sure youll get there, man. Hopefully with both of your feet. Try not to hold this against me when you become an awesome wizard, okay?

An answer to his message flashed across the screen, and he sighed with relief. Good.

> the wannabe Knight said.

The girl whod been healing him must have, though. Her eyes widened in alarm.

Alden gave her an apologetic look. Then, loud enough to catch everyones attention, he said, If its any consolation, I called someone who might think you guys summoning a vicious creature you cant control is interesting and ambitious. I hope it works out for you all.

About three seconds later, Joe teleported in. He arrived neatly on dry land beside the lake.

I knew it wasnt normal for the System to drop me in the water, Alden thought. Had Jel-nor been trying to land him directly on top of the monster to facilitate its capture?

The professor was taking a bite out of one of the egg rolls Alden was so fond of, and he wore an expression of lively curiosity on his face as he examined the scene before him.

Alden, you poor dear! he said. Where are the rest of your clothes? Did they get your coat wet?

He glared at the assembled students. One of the girls burst into tears, and the boy who wanted the scholarship actually prostratedhimself on the bloody leaves.

>

Umprofessor? Alden gestured at the guy on the ground. Whatever theyd been doing to seal his wound had obviously been forgotten in the shock of Joes arrival. The shirt wrapped around his ankle was rapidly getting soaked with dark burgundy blood now.

Oh, yes, Joe said in an unconcerned voice. Its him. I suppose youd better haul him around while I deal with the rest of it. Just a moment. Let me

His eye zipped around behind its smart lens, and a second later, Alden received a trio of messages.

The first was a System notification letting him know that an official university representative was now on scene and should be obeyed. The targeting halo appeared over Joes head.

The second was a proper quest assignment to offer aid to the injured student.

The third was a private message from Joe.

[I assume youre willing to keep your mouth shut about their little infraction, and you dont care how I handle the matter. Otherwise you would have called the head of the medical team instead of me. Is that right?]

Actually, Alden had made his choice mostly based on the belief that Joe wouldnt order him to fight a sea monster when he needed him alive to complete his own dangerous quests every night. But it was a nice bonus that the professor might be inclined to help the students get away with their crimes. Theyd all be able to summon Alden for whatever they wanted one day, and he didnt like the idea of them seeking vengeance against him ten years down the line.

He made a zipper motion against his lips, which had Joe tilting his head in confusion, so he added an additional thumbs up.

Wonderful! said Joe, rubbing his hands together and turning to admire the creature in the pool. consequences. And having someone like me fix those consequences for you can be very expensive.>>