Etherno

by Aaron DeMott

  The factory was only about a half a mile south of the town —more like village— of Ainz. Onin flipped the sheet over. A map of the factory was on the back. There was one large building, and about a dozen outbuildings. The main building was laid out like a maze; office space, warehousing, and production floor. If the factory equipment was still there, it’d give the enemy dozens of places to hole up in.

  “Aw, sweet!” Tannin waved his map in Onin’s face. “They’ve got a Sandwich Masters!”

  Cerina smacked the back of his head. “Really, that’s what your focusing on?”

  “We gotta eat, don’t we?” Tannin looked over to Saija.

  “Hey, leave me outta this!” She held up both hands. “I’m eating before we go.”

  “Anyway—” Ryogin turned back to the map.

  The door to the office opened. Amaryllis stumbled in and collapsed into one of the chairs. Ryogin’s eyebrows shot up as he looked at her. He jumped to his feet and retrieved a glass of dark liquid from the fridge. Ryogin handed the glass to Amaryllis, and put his arm around her shoulders. Onin’s stomach twisted at the bitter herbal smell. Amaryllis held her nose with one hand, and downed the contents.

  “Yuck.” Amaryllis stood up and handed the glass back to Ryogin. “Thanks, I needed that.” She made a face. “Didn’t want it but needed it.”

  “I take it your mission was successful?” Ryogin set the glass on top of the fridge.

  “Yes.” Amaryllis covered a yawn with her hand. “Everyone saw the urgency of the situation and was willing to assist. As expected, one particular mentor put me through some rather grueling training.”

  Ryogin cursed under his breath.

  “Don’t be too hard on him.” Amaryllis placed her palm on Ryogin’s arm. “It might just keep us alive.” She turned to Kasai. “And thank you, as well.”

  Kasai blushed and twirled her hair with her finger. “I didn’t do much.”

  “But you did.” Amaryllis pulled her into a quick side-hug. “I ran out of energy hours ago. Without your generosity, I’d be unconscious right now.”

  “Is that safe?” Ryogin leaned over and looked Amaryllis in the eyes.

  “I think so.” Amaryllis shrugged. “I can only access about one percent of her gift, and even that feels like a limitless supply of energy.” She yawned again. “If you’d like my assistance, I’d suggest we do that now so I can catch a quick nap.”

  “Ah, of course.” Ryogin took a step back. “Tannin, Cerina, and Kasai, we have some small items for you that might help you fight the Natas.”

  “Figures he’d get more crap,” Cerina whispered.

  Onin looked over his left shoulder at Cerina. Tannin and Saija were on the other side of Ryogin. No one else had heard her. He sighed. Probably best to just let it go.

  Amaryllis held her staff in front of her. Ryogin placed on hand on her shoulder, and the other on the staff. Amaryllis gripped her staff with both hands, and braced herself. “Multi-class: Artifice, full uplink; Dragonfire.”

  A white crackling disc swirled out from the staff with a bang, and shoved her back up against Ryogin.

  Tannin pointed to the disc. “Wasn’t that smaller last time?”

  “It was.” Amaryllis adjusted her grip on the staff. “This time I’m using dragonfire to power Artifice, instead of my own energy. Also, Ryogin is helping.”

  Ryogin stepped forward and placed both of his palms flat against the white disc. When he pulled them away a bundle of black fabric emerged.

  “Here.” Ryogin handled the bundle to Tannin. “It’s a shirt and pants made from a cotton and carbon nanotube blend. It should be stronger than armor after you reinforce it.”

  He reached out to portal again, and something wooden started to emerge. Ryogin pulled an electric guitar from the portal.

  “Hey.” Tannin leaned in close to Onin and lowered his voice. “I did have a mushroom omelet for breakfast. Did he just pull out a guitar when we’re getting ready for battle?”

  Onin shrugged. It was a guitar, and it was an odd choice.

  “Here.” Ryogin handed the guitar to Cerina. “You do know how to play, right?”

  Cerina stared at him, mouth agape, as she took the guitar. She looked down at it, then back up to Ryogin.

  “Um, do you know how to play this?” Ryogin took a half-step forward.

  “Yessss.” Cerina raised an eyebrow and cocked her head to the side. “Um, is now the best time, though?”

  “It has a sound-wave generator built-in.” Ryogin pointed to the body of the guitar. “You can use it to generate various tones, including infra- and ultra-sonic notes.”

  “Hmm.” Cerina stared at him with a neutral expression on her face.

  “Here.” Ryogin reached behind him and pulled a book out of the portal. “Read this. It’ll give you all sorts of ideas on how to use it in combat.”

  “Ha!” Tannin pointed at her. “You got homework!”

  Cerina narrowed her eyes, slung the strap of the guitar around her neck, and struck a low note.

  Onin winced. The sound buzzed through him and he saw double for half a second.

  “Ow!” Tannin took a step backward and clutched at his head.

  “Oh yeah.” Cerina ran her left hand down the neck of the guitar. “This will do nicely.”

  “Yeesh!” Saija dug at her ear with her pinky finger. “Warn a person next time, will ya?”

  “Moving on—” Ryogin rubbed at the base of his neck. “As I said, it looks like the dragon should arive around noon tomorrow, so you should all study the factory layout, and get plenty of food and sleep.” He snapped his fingers. “Oh, I almost forgot, Kasai, I have something for you as well.”

  Ryogin reached for the portal and pulled out a small vial. As soon as it cleared the swirling white mist, the portal snapped shut.

  “If you’ll excuse me...” Amaryllis yawned, then curtsied and left the room.

  Ryogin handed the vial to Kasai. Onin leaned in for a closer look. The vial contained a small white-ish gray pill suspended in a milky liquid.

  “What is it?” Kasai asked.

  Tannin leaned over her other shoulder. “Looks like an antacid.”

  Onin rolled his eyes and looked over to Ryogin.

  “It’s a nano re-sequencer programmed with an RNA strand that will—” Ryogin looked around at everyone. “Okay, from the blank faces, you didn’t get any of that. It’s a magic pill that will balance out what’s messed up in your DNA.”

  “Okay.” Kasai turned the vial over in her fingers. “But what will it do?”

  “Well—” Ryogin scratched the back of his neck. “It should let you use your dragon abilities more easily. I and several other departments here at the university, along with ABG, have studied your genetic scan and the theory is that a few imperfections are mostly responsible for your difficulties transforming. We’ve been working on this since we scanned your DNA a few days ago.”

  “Wait—” Kasai took Onin’s hand and stepped closer to him. “You mean my, uh, issues with Onryo aren’t the only problem?”

  “That’s the theory. That pill should correct the genetic issues. The rest is up to you.”

  Kasai stared down at the vial, the corner of her mouth pulled to one side. “Are there any side effects?”

  “It’s hard to say with blended species. There really isn’t a standard. Especially when the species are as different as gesaran and dragon. It also doesn’t help that we know practically nothing about dragon biology.” He paused.

  “I’d expect a few differences though. In Amaryllis’ case, her ears and tail grew larger and more pronounced. Oh, it might knock you out for a few hours as well.”

  “Oh.” Kasai’s eyes widened. “Perhaps later, then.” She slipped the vial into her pocket. “Well, let’s study that map.”

  “Right.” Onin led the way out of Ryogin’s office, still holding her hand.

  Onin stepped out of the bathroom after his shower and almost dropped his towel. Tannin was s
itting on the edge of the bed sipping at a cup of coffee.

  “’Morning.” Tannin waved a finger at him and took another sip.

  “What are you doing up?”

  “Getting ready for a big fight.” Tannin drained the last of his coffee, tossed the cup into the trash can, and headed for the shower.

  Onin starred after him. Since when did Tannin get up in the morning? Onin shrugged and got dressed.

  The girls were waiting for them outside. Onin waved to Kasai and walked over to stand next to her.

  “What’s the plan, boss?” Cerina asked.

  “We fly in and try to take them by surprise.” Onin pulled out his copy of the factory map. “So far, it looks like my servitors haven’t been noticed. Suit-guy is here—” Onin pointed to the center of the map. “—and there are three more Natas patrolling the area. The servitors haven’t observed them using any gifts—”

  “But they’re Natas, so it’s a safe bet they’re cheating,” Saija said.

  “Yup.” Onin nodded. “So we’re gonna play it safe and see if we can isolate them and fight them one at a time.”

  Tannin raised his hand. “Question. How are they cheating, anyway?”

  “I’m not exactly sure.” Saija pulled her mouth to the side. “When I was possessed, it kinda felt like the ice and fire and stuff was coming from somewhere else.”

  Amaryllis stepped forward. “Ryogin-sama’s theory is that they’ve found another giftling like me who can copy or transfer powers, and are corrupting it somehow to enable them to use multiple gifts instead of being limited to the host’s gift.”

  “But that’s not important now.” Onin generated servitors for his hands and feet, and rose off the ground. “Long term, that information might be useful to stop the Natas, but for now we’ve all got to on our toes and expect surprises. Is everyone ready?”

  Everyone nodded. Onin generated servitors for Tannin, Saija, and Cerina, and they all lifted off into the sky. Amaryllis and Kasai were right behind them. It should take about an hour and a half to get to the factory. The flight was uneventful. Boring, almost. Onin looked around. The sky was free of clouds, and the only birds were off on the horizon. It’d be a nice day if they weren’t on their way to battle people possessed by evil aliens.

  Onin saw a white speck on the horizon. That should be the abandoned rubber factory. He dove down until he was at about tree level, and when the factory came into sight again, he landed in the middle of a dirt road that wound through the forest. Kasai touched down to his right, and Amaryllis landed on the other side of him. Everyone else landed behind him, and they all clustered around and looked at him.

  Rather unnerving, that. He still didn’t feel like he should be in charge. Oh well. Someone had to be.

  “Uh, okay, um...” Onin took a deep breath. “So, the servitors report one guard on this side of the factory. We’ll sneak in and try to take him out fast.”

  Saija raised her hand. “Um, when you say, ‘take him out’...”

  “Preferably unconscious.” Onin held up a hand when Saija opened her mouth, presumably to protest. “I know, I know. You’ve warned us they’re all but impossible to save, but they’re still people. I’d like to at least try. That said, if it’s you or them...”

  Tannin nodded. “Right.”

  “Try to make it quick.” Saija wrapped her arms around her chest. “It’s agony to be the host. If not physical pain, then emotional. They can’t help what the Natas does, and…” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “Well, it’s not pleasant. If we do have to kill them, do the host a favor and make it quick. Also, the Natas won’t be able to escape if it’s fast enough.”

  Kasai stepped over and pulled Saija into a hug.

  “Thanks.” Saija patted Kasai on the back and looked over to Onin.

  He wasn’t a telepath, but he could practically hear Saija asking him what to do. She’d been through so much at the hands of the Natas. Kasai too, had suffered for her entire childhood, and she still had compassion for the enemy. Onin was lucky to have friends like this. He walked over and hugged both of them.

  “Group hug!” Tannin ran over and almost pushed Onin over as he jumped in to hug everyone.

  “Ugh.” Cernia rolled her eyes. “Again with the mushy-mushy. Let’s go beat up some bad guys.”

  “Right.” Tannin let go and ran down the lane. “Time to save the world!”

  A mile down the road the forest thinned out and they stepped into a wide grassland. A lone white farmhouse stood a ways off the road. As they approached, an old man wearing nothing but bib overalls ran out of the house and toward a pickup truck so old it still had tires.

  “It’s more of them demons!” The old man dove into the truck and turned over the engine.

  He pulled around to the front of the house and honked the horn. An old woman with white hair wearing a paisley dress ran out of the house.

  “DON’T LOOK, ETHYL!” the man yelled.

  Ethyl shrieked and covered her eyes with one hand as she ran to the truck. She jumped in, and the old man floored it. The truck coughed and lurched forward, coughed again, and sputtered down the road. Onin was pretty sure he could out-run it on foot.

  Tannin blinked and pointed to the truck as it disappeared around the bend into the forest. “What the shroom was that?”

  Cernia blinked a few times. “I’m not even gonna smack you for that. I have no idea what just happened.”

  Onin shrugged. “Neither do I. Uh, let’s just keep walking.”

  About twenty minutes later Onin stopped at the factory gate. It was open.

  “Do I have to say it?” Cerina pointed to the open gate.

  “Yeah, they might as well add a sign that says, ‘It’s a trap!’,” Saija said.

  “Might as well get this over with.” Onin reached over and took Kasai’s hand.

  She looked over to him, smiled, and squeezed it. Together they stepped through the gate. Two men and a young woman, all in overalls and checkered shirts, stepped out of the nearest building. They raised their hands, and sent blasts of fire and ice straight at Onin.

  Chapter 21

  Incoming...

  Onin ducked. The ice and fire splashed off an invisible wall a few yards in front of him. Kasai held her palm up in front of her, facing them. The Natas each took a step back and bumped into an invisible wall. The Natas pounded against invisible barriers on either side of them.

  “I’ve got them contained for now.” Kasai glanced over her shoulder. “Saija, can you make sure they don’t portal out?”

  Saija nodded.

  “Thanks.” Kasai turned to Onin. “But now what do we do with them?”

  “If I may?” Amaryllis stepped forward and inclined her head toward the Natas.

  “Sure, be my guest.” Onin said.

  He didn’t have any idea how to contain the Natas without killing them. If Amaryllis did, that would save them all a nasty moral dilemma.

  She walked over next to one of the men. “Kasai, can you open a fist-sized hole in your telekinetic field, please?”

  Kasai nodded, and Amaryllis punched the men in neck, just below his right ear. The Natas crumpled to the ground.

  “What!” Onin took a step forward. “What was that?”

  “I hit him in the carotid artery.” Amaryllis bent down and peered at his face. “He should be fine other than a splitting headache when he wakes up. Saija, can you portal him back to Ryogin-sama?”

  “Uh, sure.” Saija glanced over to the unconscious Natas, and a purple portal opened underneath him. “Thought it’d be harder than this.”

  Something popped. Kasai cried out and stumbled backward. Onin reached out and caught her.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah.” Kasai brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “But they did something to, I don’t know, deflect my telekinesis.”

  The male Natas grinned and took a step forward. The female Natas hung back and held her hands up in front of her.


  “That’s not good.” Onin generated a servitor as he looked up.

  He sent a mental command to two of the servitors that were in infrared mode, and they shifted to normal. The newly-made servitor zipped over and they lined up into triangle formation.

  “Hang on.” Amaryllis swung her shakujo and pointed the tip at the Natas. “I want to try something.”

  Before Amaryllis had a chance to do anything, the two remaining Natas blurred, then ran to the door of the closest building, leaving a blurred image behind.

  Tannin raised his hand and pointed where the Natas had just been. “Did I—”

  “If you say anything about mushrooms, I swear—” Cerina glared at him and lifted her palm.

  Tannin scrunched his eyebrows and stuck out his tongue at her.

  Onin sighed. “Come on, let’s go after them.” He turned and looked at Saija. “And yes, I know it’s a trap. But we don’t have much of a choice.”

  The building was dark inside. Onin waved his servitors in, but dimmed them. He didn’t want to stumble over anything, but he didn’t want to give away his position, either. The building was evidently a warehouse. Old wooden crates stacked four high were lined up in rows throughout the building. Only a few modern plastic crates were stacked near the door.

  “What do you suppose is in these crates?” Tannin rapped on the side of one.

  “Knock it off.” Cerina poked him in the ribs. “We’re not here to play Pillagers of the Lost Coffer.”

  “Ha! You really do partake in entertainment on occasion!” Tannin grinned at Cerina.

  “Whatever.” Cerina rolled her eyes turned down the nearest isle of crates. “We’re here to stop the Natas.”

  “And the dragon.” Kasai’s voice was low.

  Onin turned to face her. “It’ll all work out. Somehow.”

  She smiled and took his hand.

  They worked their way down the row of crates without seeing any signs of the Natas.

  “Where do you think they went?” Tannin tapped on one of the crates again.

  “Probably through the giant door at this end of the warehouse.” Cerina waved the neck of her guitar in that direction.