Nia’s ears twitched as she curled up in bed, groaning and stretching out across her sheet. Smacking her lips, she tasted drool while dully staring up at the glowing bunny stickers she’d put all over her ceiling. Feeling lethargic, her fuzzy brain ticked backward, rusty gears clinking with her gradually quickening thoughts.

  “Ugggh… Blegh.”

  Last she remembered, she was doing some kick-tail things, and there was a pretty black meteor. Then, she got a little sleepy, so she crawled into bed.

  “Hugh!” Eyes snapping open, she shot up in bed, messy, white hair whipping left and right as she scanned her personally decorated room in Rachel’s soul. “The bad wizard man! Huh…”

  In the silent and faintly lit space, she found a bed resting beside hers, where a gorgeous, young, bandaged woman rested. “Nike,” she noted with a rapid nod, ears falling forward as her foggy mind came into focus. “And there were funny knights and a princess…Was there a princess? No… Not a princess. Booo… Bad story.”

  Arms flying out, she sank back into her pillow. “Hmm. What am I supposed to do? Let’s see, I was… Major?!”

  Nia jumped out of bed and ran to the door in a panic, throwing it open to find the black nothingness that Rachel refused to decorate. To the side of the blinding spotlight overhead was her partner in ears.

  “Rachel!” Running to the limp hare, she rolled her over to see a little drool oozing out of her mouth. Giggling and breathing a sigh of relief, she leaned back, supporting herself with her arms. “Don’t panic…everything’s a-okay. Haaa. We’re all okay.”

  Doing a quick scan of her leader and what was happening outside, Nia frowned. I can’t be a little girl and know what the major needs. Time to grow up!

  [Subdue Curse: Active]

  Darkness seeped out of Nia’s frame, shrouding her in shadows as the giant hare woman shrunk with the rest of the world. When it cleared, Nia tightened her fist and returned to her anime military school, black-and-red uniform.

  It was as if a vise around her brain and heart had been loosened, thoughts she’d never have as a child taking bloom while she processed what it was like to be freed from the age curse.

  [Counter Curse Pool: 99.9%]

  [5:59:59 Hours Remaining]

  Four-leaf-clover eyes returning to her major, Nia let out a long sigh. “I really am somewhat of a burden as a kid…yet you still humored my antics. Hmm.”

  Her skirt folded around her thigh as she knelt down to study Rachel’s condition more thoroughly; she was out for the count and would probably remain that way for a while.

  Picking the hare up, her narrowed vision drifted around the dark space, sensing a strange power that had flowed through Nike, Rachel, and her a bit ago. It had now dissipated, but the effect was fairly obviously an attempt to enhance the effects of the personification’s ichor, hoping to support them through all their spirit expansions.

  She returned Rachel to her room, mentally expanding the bed and nestling her leader into the comforting mattress; everything inside the room was infused with Nike’s Ichor and was most likely the reason for her recovering first, along with naturally being more intrinsically tied to the personification.

  Summoning a chair at the foot of the two beds, she sank inside of it and crossed her legs, her boots bobbing a bit as she leaned against the armrest to determine her next best move. Fist resting against her cheek, her vision wandered between the recovering two young women within her care. It was her job to protect both, yet it appeared as if Rachel and Nike had been the ones caring for her.

  Now returned to her true age, she could see that it was only by Nike’s divine blood that they’d survived the ordeals in the Legend Quest. Both Rachel and she would have been spiritually torn apart by all the Unique Moons and rapid EXP gain. If that weren’t enough, without synchronizing with Rachel’s soul, her leader wouldn’t have been able to share in that restorative energy.

  A recording of memories exploded above the beds as Nia used her access to Rachel’s soul to replay everything that had happened. Her major was brilliant, maneuvering as best she could through the unbelievable events she’d been manipulated into. Cerridwen’s prompt to Eostre and Rachel’s misfortune sense had guided them through what should have been certain death, and that was what must have snatched Izanami’s interest.

  “Nearly four days,” she whispered, watching everything that had happened outside of their spirit in a sped-up fashion. “We’ll be going to some place called Washington, DC, where the leader of the major’s nation is based… Hmm. It’s not for me to debrief the military without knowing where Rach wants to pull them, so it’s best to remain silent on that—”

  “Mmgm…”

  A heavenly groan made Nia’s ears poke up, and her attention darted to the angelic woman to her left as a quiver ran down Nike’s frame, a pained whimper following. She was waking up—if only for a moment, Nia was sure.

  Getting to her feet, she showed a gentle smile as she helped the woman remove the bandages around her head so that her electric-blue eyes could crack open, having been restored during her slumber.

  “How do you feel, Lady Nike?”

  “Hmm?” Still looking sickly despite her glorious countenance, the personification’s slim fingers tightened against the sheets covering her naked figure as she oriented herself. “You are…the Soul Item who offered to shelter me… Nia? Mmmgm…”

  “I am. You should rest, though,” she softly urged. The silver-haired woman’s sudden wince, groan, and uncomfortable, shifting shoulders brought Nia’s frown to the bed; her kid-self had missed an important process in Nike’s recovery. “Your back… Give me a moment.”

  Kneeling down and sweeping her braided hair out of the way, she studied the underside of the bed while imagining the place morphing to her desires. Two holes opened up, offering the goddess’ angelic wings room to grow and stretch without being compressed; in addition, she made sure the floor bowed and had cushioning for the appendages to rest on.

  “There, how is that?” Nia soothed, rising back to her feet to see the personification pulling a few loose strands of her thick, silvery bangs behind her ear. “Better?”

  A weak chuckle shook Nike’s weak figure as she settled back in, closing her brilliant eyes for a moment before opening them again. “Exhausted, drained, and still practically on my deathbed in wait for Thanatos… What happened to Dionysus?”

  Nia snorted and showed her the two memories of when Rachel had rescued her and when Izanami had so terrified the lesser god that he’d practically committed suicide trying to get rid of the Hell Lady. “You won’t need to worry about that douchebag any longer.”

  “I see…” A melancholy sigh passed through the woman’s cracked lips as a golden tear fell down her cheek. “The Dionysus I knew was…kind.”

  Sitting beside her, Nia reached out to take her hand in support, feeling her spiritual quakes that transferred emotions not her own. “What happened?”

  “I welcomed him after that endless, horrific battle against myself, beaten and ravaged…” Nia experienced a quiver from the goddess’ ruined wings to the tip of her own tail and ears. “I thought I would receive succor and aid…instead, I was impaled by my own weapons, stained in the blood of my own doubles. He was not the gentle boy who looked up to my mistress.”

  Seeing the torture and bewilderment in Nike’s watery eyes, leaking liquid gold, Nia tried to comfort the personification as she went in and out of consciousness. Eventually, she asked to be shown the events of the tournament, yet her constitution was too weak to finish, and Nia let her slip back into blissful sleep two hours from the point she’d awoken.

  She fixed the woman’s sheets again, glad that much of the initial confusion and shock was dying down. Once again, she had no clue what Rachel wanted to do with the poor woman, but that would come soon enough, now that she had pulled her inside. For now, all she could do was make them both comfortable. Her gained levels would be done with her partner.

  Leaning back in her chair, Nia reflected on her own inexperience. Outside, she listened and observed Molly, Sam, and Scarlet, along with the host of nurses, doctors, and soldiers who came in from time to time. Apparently, she’d caused a bit of an upset when a nurse tried to undress Rachel and put her in some kind of terrible gown; naturally, she’d acted unconsciously and crushed her fingers.

  Nia fussed with her hair, breathing out her stress. There was so much she needed to learn, and now she saw how much more of a burden she would be to her major when the curse returned. There were bits and pieces she knew about the world from her connection to Rachel, but it was far from perfect, let alone personal experience. She did know it wasn’t her place to interfere with Rachel’s family or do anything other than protect her leader.

  In the hours that passed, Nia analyzed their connection and made a few troubling discoveries that would severely impact how they went forward. It was thanks to the Synchro Points being put into their personal spiritual bond rather than to the items, such as the hammer, that made it possible to bring Rachel into this space in the first place, which brought her closer to Nike to share in her restorative properties.

  Her focus drifted to a clock as Rachel’s ears twitched, a low, exhausted groan passing through her lips. At least, she was regaining spiritual cognizance; it would still be quite a while before that translated to physical cognizance, however.

  [Counter Curse Pool: 23%]

  [1:23:00 Hours Remaining]

  “Welcome back, Major. Feeling like shit?”

  Rachel’s eclipse-like eyes opened and lowered to appraise her. A weak smile lifted her lips as she fell back against the pillow, ears draping against the backboard.

  “Nia… You look good. How long?”

  “Roughly the fourth day. I hear they’re moving you to a place called DC to meet someone called ‘The President.’ That good, or do I need to break you out of this ‘hospital,’ and find a safer location?”

  “Mmm. No, it—should be fine,” she mumbled, coughing a little. “What happened to us, and why am I in such a shitty state?”

  “Thank her for your swift recovery.” Nia jabbed a finger at the resting personification in the bed beside her leader as Rachel’s weak gaze opened to take in the kiddy room. “Can I suggest something, Major?”

  Vision closing again, the hare’s chest shook with faint laughter. “I don’t think I’m going anywhere soon. We’re still in this spiritual place, aren’t we?”

  “Yes.” Letting the statement hang for a few seconds, she leaned her cheek against her fist while staring at the totally drained young woman in front of her, utterly defenseless without her. “We shouldn’t use the Unique Moons. Not unless we absolutely have to.”

  “Mmgm-haaa.” Resituating on her bed, Rachel puffed out a hiss as she forced herself to open her eyes again. “Okay. I’m all ears. What’s on your mind, Soldier? You have something to get off your chest.”

  Nia’s focus flicked to the resting, silver-haired goddess beside her leader. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and studying in the past few hours regarding our spirits, these Seeds, and the effect of these moons have on us, and I’ve come to a few conclusions.

  “First, without Nike’s ichor sustaining us, we would have long been torn apart by the mess of energy flooding us, and part of that burden you shared with me, lessening the strain. Let’s not forget the Hell Moon restricting itself to the lowest state it could go.”

  A slow nod came from her major as Rachel’s eyes fell to her stomach, internalizing everything she was expressing, yet Nia knew the hare could see everything in perfect focus.

  “We are worsening Nike’s condition and slowing her recovery by putting so much stress on her by using all of this Negative Lunar Energy, such as the Hell, Blood, and Greater Harvest Moons. Your soul cannot sustain itself under their pressure for long. That kind of Force is counter to Nike’s nature as a Positive Energy being.

  “In short, your goal was to protect Nike and give her a safe place to stay. Using Negative Energy moons will not accomplish that objective. Furthermore, our souls are not capable of sustaining that level of output, and only by pure luck, splitting the stress, and the specific types of moons used allowed us to go this far.”

  Rachel followed her gaze to the resting woman. “I see… So, that’s why Chang’e recommended that we try more Positive Unique Moons. We were hurting Nike, and I’m not suited to handle the Negative ones for long.”

  “…Not exactly,” she whispered, drawing the hare’s attention as Nia straightened in her chair. “Secondly, you actually do channel Negative Force rather well, which is something I obtained from our spiritual synchronization. You are very adaptable, Major, and I’m sure Izanami and others took note of that, but I am still catching up and have relied heavily on Nike’s ichor to keep pace.”

  A thoughtful hum rumbled in the hare’s throat as she looked off to the side. “Interesting… Eldritch is neither Positive nor Negative, as I understand it. Is that why Cerridwen chose me, and how does the Black Moon affect Nike?”

  Not having an answer, Nia shrugged. “These Unique Moons are extremely powerful, and the Black Moon is…unorthodox, is all I can say. If we were to study it during the transformation, then I’m sure we’d be able to learn more, yet that is also a risk.”

  “It is,” Rachel said with a short sigh, forcing her hands onto her belly while recalling the experience. “There was a point when we were turned, where I knew I wouldn’t be able to go back if I kept diving deeper into those enigmatic, misty layers, and I’d lose myself. Alright, we’ll limit it to only used when necessary; our pools of energy are finite anyway.”

  Big ears shifting to the side, the hare rolled to stare at Nike and her, clearly restless. “How will the energy affect me if you swap my Pool out and we don’t use [Lunar Spike] to simulate the moon’s presence? Can I still utilize certain aspects of being under the Unique Moon?”

  A frown touched Nia’s face, crossing her legs the opposite way and looking at the clock again, gut tightening; she did fear the haze of childhood dampening her mind again. Clothing compressing around Rachel’s body outside their spiritual room with the sudden spike of discomfort, Nia had to force herself to relax a bit before giving her honest response.

  [1:15:00 Hours Remaining]

  “It’s…hard to say right now. From what I’ve observed, you’d probably have a very minor reaction, depending on the levels I give you, but I can’t mix Pools at this point. I can separate but not combine. It’s all or nothing. Rachel?”

  “Mmm…” Head lulling to the side, the lunar hare jerked and opened her eyes again after twenty seconds. “Hmm?”

  “You’re fading again. If you keep forcing yourself to remain awake, then it might worsen your fatigue.”

  Rachel shook her head and slumped to her back again, swallowing the lump in her throat before puffing out a long, hot breath. “I can finish this…and then rest. I’m sure Chang’e will send a messenger if I accept her offer, and potentially show us what Positive Energy feels like. Hmm. You have access to everyone else outside?”

  “It will be hard to manifest myself,” she truthfully responded, “but I should be able to hold it until I revert back to a child in approximately 72 minutes. May I address one more thing?”

  Rachel lifted her eyebrows to let her know to continue. “Let’s hear it.”

  “Major…” Nia straightened and grabbed her wrist, resting it against her thigh and looking right into the hare’s waiting eyes. “I lack in many areas, and I want to be more useful to you. I’m not comfortable with how vulnerable you are when I’m under this curse. I want you to know how I feel because I think that is something you’d value… I want to use this precious time each day wisely, and I cannot break it into increments. I want to be a team and share your burden…not be one.”

  An uncomfortable silence ensued as her leader considered her statement, and after a short time, a small smirk lifted the corner of the hare’s mouth. “You really are my twin… Feeling restless, huh? Haaa. Okay, but you also have to learn how to have fun, too, Soldier. I enjoy being in the gym, training and, heh, getting punched…well, mostly the punching others part,” she admitted.

  Finding the strength to rub her eyes, Rachel blinked and pushed herself against the headboard, ears resting against the wood. “I know you’re at least a bit more girly than me, Nia. You enjoy fashion and shopping—not that I don’t—but not to the same degree as, say…you or my mom. Don’t push down the joys of life by feeling like you’re letting me down. You’re not, and I wouldn’t be here without you, child or adult. Got it, Captain Bun?”

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Stress melting away, Nia forced it out in a long stream. “Loud and clear, MajorHops.”

  “Good. Now, why don’t we make the best out of this hour you’ll have left? I think our patron goddess here’s given me a second wind. Give me a short rundown of what’s happening outside, and then you can do what I can’t, eh-hehe…wake up. Report, Captain.”

  Giving Rachel a return smirk and loose salute, Nia fixed her skirt and took on a more serious posture. “Ma’am!”

  She went through a rough overview of what happened, and hearing the soldiers bringing everyone to the hospital in preparation to form a caravan to a place called an airport, it didn’t take long for Rachel to give her a short list of tasks to complete.

  Their Stats and Feat selection would wait until they had a chance to see where things would be heading, but Nia was certain her curious leader would be pouring over The System when able over the next several days that it would take her to recover. It would still be a day or two before she regained consciousness, yet her spiritual stamina wouldn’t reach normal levels for at least another week, even with Nike’s help.

  Once finished, Nia looked at her clock, not happy with how much time she had when things could so easily spiral out of control, worried she could get trapped in one of the tasks Rachel assigned her.

  [0:54:34 Hours Remaining]

  Standing at the door, Rachel’s eyes were drooping, yet she was still mumbling about everything she’d learned.

  “Hmm. Astra did vanish after everyone collapsed and left behind a puppet body. They…ran interference on the evidence gathered by the public on the operation but haven’t returned or reached out to anyone personally yet. Weird…”

  Nia paused for a moment as her fearless, overachieving major slipped back into the void. Flipping off the light, she sighed. Rachel had been nothing but good to her since being in the hare’s care, and this goddess had kept her alive through Dionysus’ curses. She didn’t know what her leader was totally about, but what she did have was high hopes for the future; it was her job to keep her owner on the rise and share her burden.

  “Thank you for believing in me, Major.”

  Nia shut the door and created her artificial, humanoid body, manifesting to her family for the first time. Twinkling lights brought her into being, causing Scarlet to shoot to her feet.

  Red irises and four-leaf-clover petals opening, she put on a bright smile and held up a hand. “Yo, what’s up!”

  “H-Hey, uh…who are—a Rachel clone?” Scarlet stammered, waving at her leader’s parents. “M-Mrs. Park! Mr. Park!”

  Crossing her arms, Nia shifted to a wall and appraised her superior, letting the chaos unfold as soldiers came in, calling their supervisors. It was a bit amusing how even Scarlet saw her as a clone, but Nia knew she wasn’t quite a copy due to her slimmer figure. That being said, they were a close match, for sure.

  “I guess you could call me a clone,” she chuckled, vision snapping to Molly as she cleared her throat and rose with her husband. “I’m Nia, by the way. You could say I’m Rachel’s living clothes that protect her. I was the child with her when she came out of the Legend Quest. Questions? I’m on a bit of a clock.”

  “Many!” Scarlet swiftly replied, her hands nervously grasped at her front as she inched forward. “What happened inside that portal?!”

  “Ahem.” Molly swept her loose hair behind her ears as she broke into the conversation, and two officers hurried down the hall to join them. “Yes, we want to know what happened to my daughter, but first…how is she?”

  Shifting her weight to the opposite foot, Nia showed a confident face. “She’ll make a full recovery in time. I was able to talk to her a short bit in spirit before she slipped under again, and she told me to let you know that she looks forward to a long talk when she’s conscious.”

  Relief came over them at her tone, Scarlet forcing a laugh as she collapsed on her seat. “Wow… I just can’t believe we made it through all that. And you’re her like…spirit animal? That’s sooo cool! What happened?”

  Nia’s gaze snapped to the door as a classy, military-dressed woman came in with a few men; from what she’d heard from passing gossip, Saint Barbara had returned to consciousness only a few hours previous.

  “That’s what I would like to know, Scarlet. I’m sorry, but we’ll need to discuss the details you have in private as a matter of national security. Did I hear correctly that you have the answers for us?”

  Nia’s lips twisted, eyes narrowing at the soldiers in the hallway. “Unfortunately, Captain Barbara, Rachel made it clear to me that I wasn’t to say anything beyond a few details regarding myself and her condition. I am to collect more information about the fallout after the operation and report back to her for further instruction. Until I get orders from my major, I am only here to ensure Rachel’s safety and do the few tasks she has given me to fulfill. She will awaken in mind and spirit before her body.”

  Sam, Rachel’s father, moved to look down at his daughter, resting with a sensor showing quite unnatural vital signs that made no sense to Nia. “You can communicate with her before she wakes up, then? She’s okay, though.” He brushed back his daughter’s thick bangs and smiled. “If it’s Rachel, I’m sure this is all business after letting us know she was safe. Can you tell us more about yourself?”

  “Minimally,” Nia confirmed, pulling everyone’s attention and Barbara’s slight frustration. Rachel said the woman was probably under a lot of stress from superiors, but she would back off if Nia were blunt and honest. “It shouldn’t be more than another day or so until I can give you an answer. Perhaps more if the major wants me to be in this adult form.” Her tone brightened as she grinned at Molly’s sad face. “I’m here to support.”

  “How so?” Barbara questioned, vision drifting to her true body that the hare wore. “Were you the one that crushed a nurse’s fingers when they tried to undress Rachel?”

  Placing a hand on her hip, Nia gave a shrug. “Probably. It’s my job to protect my wearer, including from horrendous fashion. I’ve looked forward to meeting you, Mrs. Park. Rachel has built you up to be quite the woman.”

  A rosy smile lifted the woman’s eyes. “Daww. Every mother loves to hear that. Sam and I would love to hear all about you if you’re the one who protected our daughter. Isn’t that right?”

  The man gestured to the window seat. “I’ll take notes. Captain Barbara, Scarlet, care to join?”

  “Yes!” Scarlet chimed, jumping to move her chair to face the closed window; the sun wasn’t out, and the window blinds were totally open, but it appeared to be a new moon, or it had already fallen below the horizon. “First, how do you turn from a little girl to, uh…well, how you look now?”

  Nia snickered, making the girl’s cheeks color as she smoothly sat. “Rachel’s right, you are pretty awkward—oh, but in an adorable way! She was worried about you like you were a little sister.”

  “Mmmgm. I didn’t want her to worry about me,” Scarlet grumbled, biting her bottom lip and glaring at the sleeping hare. “She was super positive, wasn’t she?”

  “The major?” Nia asked, crossing her legs and fixing her skirt. “Rach is my owner and a hopeful realist, I guess you could say, and I am her captain. And, no…you should say she saved me…multiple times. How did I turn into a little girl? A curse I cannot go into detail about. I must be brief since this curse will return in less than fifty minutes. Let me begin by reintroducing myself…”

  Going over herself and her bond with Rachel, she skipped over how she was created or came into contact with her leader. It only took eight minutes to satisfy everyone’s curiosity as to what a Soul Item was and how she was connected to the lunar hare, but it certainly seemed to have the saint interested in outfits that could enhance anyone, and not just those with the Seeds.

  As for Molly, the woman was more fascinated by her child-like curse, time limit, attributes, and fashion choices than anything else, catching her a tad off-guard. The mother seemed thrilled to have, as she put it, yet another adorable daughter to dote on. Molly appeared even more tickled as she went on to express the promise Rachel made her about shopping together once out and things settled down. Scarlet even wanted to get in on the action.

  Getting to her feet, she waved them goodbye to reach her next destination: Selvaria, Maria, and Fiona. Rachel wanted to be sure everyone was committed to joining her in DC, which appeared to be the case. She directed everyone but Maria to Rachel’s parents to learn more about who she was since more than one person mistook her for the hare, which she knew would piss off her major.

  The unicorn held up her arm, a scowl in place and blocking her path to the elevator as Roy and Fiona looked between them.

  “Aye, chica, we ain’t done. I got somethin’ ta say.”

  “Maria,” Fiona whispered with a stressed smile. “She said she was limited on time. We’re all going to DC, right? I mean, The President asked to see us personally. Do we have a choice?”

  “I’m not talkin’ ‘bout that. I gotta know now…”

  Nia frowned, feeling the curse’s return getting closer by the second. Selvaria and her mom were really nice but had been a bit talkative, which wasted a bit of time. Well, her mother was a Chatty Cathy, as her daughter said; the leviathan kept trying to tell her that she had to go.

  “If it’s quick,” she mumbled, scratching the base of her left ear. Rachel wanted her to quell any fears the others had of her and prevent any negative feelings from forming before things could build up or spin out of control. So far, no one had been all that angry at her leader, only wishing her a speedy recovery and a thrilling account of their time in the Legend Quest. “I still need to talk to two more people, and I’m running out of time.”

  Maria swept past her, silky braided hair swinging at her back. “I don’t need long.”

  Seeing Fiona’s helpless shrug and grin, Nia followed the unicorn outside the cafeteria hallway into the brightening skies; morning was coming.

  Sniffing, arms crossed, Maria gave her a searching glare. “What’s up with the devil kid shit and evil feeling I got from ya when we last met, huh? I didn’t like it then; I don’t like it now. I don’t need no damn possession shit complicatin’ my life, ya know? And if the hare wants my help, I gotta know why she looked like a damn demon when she got back. We clear?”

  Nia shifted her weight to the opposite foot, seeing the seriousness in the woman’s illuminated silver eyes; Rachel did give her permission to come clean if things did look like they’d spiral out of control.

  “It’s…complicated, but the simple answer is that it was the effects of the Hell Moon. Just like any other moon that gives Rachel powers, it affected her in that way, but it is only temporary, and the same thing would happen under, say…the Celestial Moon, only in reverse. They aren’t powers she uses lightly, and it is one of the reasons she’s in such a critical state. She promised me that it would only be as a last resort. Does that answer your question?”

  Maria’s mouth tightened as she tapped her upper arm. “That’s not all, chica. I checked again when I got back; there’s some insanely dark shit tattooed here… She make a deal with a devil or somethin’? What’s with those tooth tattoos, huh?”

  Hugging herself, Nia puffed out a long sigh. “Again, complicated; something she’ll go into when she wakes up. It is actually meant to be used against a powerful demon trying to come into our world and drag it into Hades. It is to capture a demon, not bring one to Earth.”

  “Hmm… ’ight,” Maria grunted and walked off to walk around the hospital, causing Fiona to balk inside and tell Roy to open the door since the unicorn was ditching them. “I’ll think on it; at least ya were honest. This is bullshit… Hell Moon? Celestial Moon? Damn. What’s next, huh, Santa Claus?”

  Waving at the fairy and soldier as they flew after the Mexican mythickin, Nia hurried to her next destination up the elevator, hearing soldiers following her.

  She knocked on the door to the room before opening it up without getting permission. Anthony’s eyebrows pulled together as she entered, his fiancé still sleeping.

  “Rachel…you’re up? Wait…you’re not Rachel. Who?”

  “Nia, Rachel’s clothes; eh-heh, yeah, long story, but I just need you to listen for a second—I don’t have much time. Can you do that?”

  He slowly nodded as she opened up the window, the sounds of the city and wind increasing with the air pressure in the room. She closed the blinds and nudged her head to join her, the furthest place away from his girl.

  “Sure, uh…what’s this about?”

  Nia nibbled on her bottom lip as she felt her grip on this body fading; she might not even last the full release before passing out due to the stress this was putting on her recovering spirit. The most important part had to be saved for the end since she had to keep up appearances.

  “Life or death. Listening now?”

  Anthony took one last look at the sick, exhausted woman, sleeping in her bed and continuing to fight the cursed cancer slowly eating her away. “Okay.”

  [0:16:00 Hours Remaining]

  When he drew near, Nia’s eyes and ears tilted to the door, where soldiers waited. Everything had played out more or less as Rachel projected.

  “Hold out your hand. Quickly. And your phone?”

  Anthony complied and fished his device out of his pocket. “Why do you need—hey… Not cool,” he whispered, trying not to alert his fiancé.

  Nia took it and tossed it across the floor, sliding until it bounced off the opposite corner. In explanation, she brought up a closed fist; brilliant golden sheens erupted between her fingers, making the legend step back, wince, and turn away. She revealed the tiny, golden Greater Seed to the stunned man.

  “What the hell is that?”

  She kept her voice low, eyes drilling into his. “The thing that gives you your powers: this is Conner’s Greater Seed. Rachel doesn’t know what it will do to you if you swallow it, which you need to do in order to absorb its power. She doesn’t know why this option was given to both of you, but it is an option. Rachel does know one thing, though…”

  Anthony became stone-faced as Nia brought his attention to the woman he loved.

  “If you had gone with her into the Legend Quest, you would have gained the ability to cure her. We can only assume that by taking this, you may unlock harder challenges, thereby gaining access to greater measures to rescue Amelia.” He reached to take it, but Nia withdrew her hand. “I’m not done.”

  Letting her intense eyes translate the severity of this decision, Nia said exactly what Rachel instructed her to deliver.

  “Inside at least legendkin Greater Seeds are numberless broken worlds, and so far as we can tell, it is your job to save them. By taking this on, you’re increasing your burden, and let me be the first to tell you that both Rachel and I should be dead from just the challenges in Conner’s Legend Quest. Granted, it was unorthodox and manipulated, but this is not something to take lightly.”

  Anthony worked around his jaw, glaring at the glinting seed; it wouldn’t be long until her final discussion. “Why would Rachel give this to me? She doesn’t owe me anything.”

  Nia smirked, ears rising; it was too easy to predict how this would have gone. “Because Rachel knows you need help as much as we do, and she trusts your feelings for Amelia more than the military’s willingness to put up with a troublemaker like her. Rachel is willing to help you achieve your goal if you help her achieve hers to solidify a private military company. That requires you to be away from Amelia for extended periods of time.”

  He grunted, running his hands through his messy red hair. “With a healthy degree of death involved… Basically, Rachel needs my quests and someone who is willing to skirt the line at times. I get the feeling she’s not keen on this idea.”

  Nia brought her palm closer again, hearing the woman just down the hall as she briskly walked toward them. “There are forces that have pushed us in this direction. However, it seems worth the payout. Also, don’t underestimate your usefulness. Conner turned out to be quite the man in the end.”

  “Yeah, a man who died,” Anthony sighed, plucking the seed out of her hand and popping it into his mouth to swallow. “Still, I’d do anything to give Amelia a normal, healthy life… Anything.”

  His gaze drifted to the woman as his hair flared with brilliant flames and his green irises blazed. It only lasted a second before dying down. “Is that it? My throat feels a bit raw, but I don’t feel any different.”

  Nia shrugged, having done her job. “No idea. Maybe it will take some time to assimilate. Anyway, Rachel looks forward to talking to you in DC. Excuse me…”

  [0:10:12 Hours Remaining]

  Promptly leaving, she closed the door to be greeted by a much taller, auburn-haired woman, a rosary nestled between her breasts. Saint Barbara’s illuminated golden eyes appraised her, arms crossed and wearing a small smile. Her voice was calm and soft.

  “I presume, given the timeframe you gave me before, that you’re finally ready to have our chat. What was that giant burst of energy I just felt now?”

  Nia gave her a masked smile. It seemed legendkin could sense it when exposed, which was certainly something worth noting to her major. “Let’s go somewhere a bit less…crowded.”

  “Follow me.”

  Barbara waved for her men to leave them as she quickly brought her to the elevator, her high heels clicking against the hostile tile. She didn’t wait until they were alone.

  “I saw your brisk talk with Maria, and I’m sure she had the same general questions I most want to know…” Pausing inside the box as it opened for them, the saint pressed the button for ground level, her penetrating yellow irises shifting to her. “Why do I sense such foul energy coming from you, or more specifically, Rachel’s clothes?”

  Doors closing, a short chuckle shook Nia’s chest as it became a chore to keep herself stable. “You both certainly do have powerful sensing abilities to feel it past my shielding. It is the type of Lunar Energy that I’ve stored. You’re going to ask me what type of cursed force Rachel used to completely shut down those knights, but I’m here to ask you to be patient on those details.”

  Exiting when they reached their destination, Barbara gave a few kids down the hall a smiling wave, who enthusiastically returned it, clearly having interacted with the saint.

  “In short, you’re telling me Maria has some of those devil answers for me, and you’d like to return to Rachel with a report. Is she intending to give us the full details when she wakes up? How important are they?”

  “Ah, and Rachel is now Level 12.”

  “Level 12…” Barbara mumbled, vision falling as she processed it. “Six levels in the span of fifteen minutes?! Unless there’s something I’m missing, that’s…almost unbelievable. This is something to take note of… Hmm…

  Passing through the doors of the blocked-off area for military personnel out back, Nia felt her hold slipping. “How she did it, of course, and everything she’ll reveal is quite literally world-changing. She says it will flip the game. There is a far bigger board in play, so it’s good the President called for a meeting. Now, before I go, Rachel thought you should know that MI6 knight she punted into the ground… He’s the legend of Sir Galahad, whoever that is.”

  Barbara slowed to a stop, sucking in her lips and tightening her jaw; apparently, this person was a big name in their world. The woman was already moving for the walkie-talkie on her overly large, non-reflecting belt around her waist.

  “How can you be sure?”

  “The wizard—code-named M—shouted it out when Rachel struck him; as powerful as she was at the time, he should be dead. We know Relica escaped. What is being done about MI6 and her being extracted by the UK? Is it war?”

  The legend’s tight eyes swept the parking lot, fingers hovering over the activation switch to the radio as it buzzed with chatter. “If M stands for Merlin, and it probably does if he was a wizard, then we need to increase security. The UK has the legends of Camelot, and we have one of their biggest boys recovering in lock-up…

  “Clear the airway… Mateo, we’re bumping up the schedule and swapping to Red-Alpha-Stingray. Prep everyone to move; we’re heading to DC an hour ago. Out.”

  “Confirmed, Captain, setting into motion Red-Alpha-Stingray. Out.”

  Brushing out her auburn locks as the wind caught it, Barbara shifted to look down at her. “What’s happening to MI6, Relica, and the UK is nowhere near my pay grade; that’s between the President and General Dallas. Rachel will have a chance to update them personally when she wakes up.”

  “Understood.”

  Nia was about to return to her true body to rest when Barbara threw her an unusual bone to bring her leader.

  “By the way, if Rachel doesn’t already know, we legends aren’t totally like our historical counterparts. Yes, I’m a Catholic, I’m a true believer, I’ve dealt with…messed up shit in war, and I do happen to have pure Greek ancestry, but Saint Barbara herself never had the powers that I have.

  “Tunneling, warships, artillery, and explosives, much less all the guns I can summon… It seems mixed between popular current culture and historical record. Ask her what she thinks about that…because I find it uncomfortable being called a saint. I may be the legend of Saint Barbara, and I do venerate her with all my heart, but I’m not Saint Barbara.”

  Slowly nodding, and not fully understanding the direction this was going, Nia smiled and waved at Molly, staring out of the window above before dispersing into glittering light, saying, “I’ll let her know.”

  Mind slipping into an endless fog, Nia felt fulfilled. She’d done what she’d been ordered, and now they were being moved to this weird two-letter city. What awaited them in DC?