Changeling

(59): Find out.

(59): Find out.

Nestra pulled mana from her brand new, fully human, fully functional and ‘definitely here and not a figment of her imagination’ core. It was... difficult. Her experience pulling void mana helped, of course, but the human thing was different. This core was nebulous and immaterial like her true one used to be, a potential more than a real generator. It made the process slow and deliberate.

First, she had to select one type out of two, which was already a headache because she’d awoken both at once. Her core pulsed, ready to fulfill its function but unfamiliar yet — like having a new limb. It was all functional but she just had to manually think about every step. Focusing, she went for it.

Electricity was wild and fast — almost as fast as void. It was the thunderous path of least resistance, a tension released, a balance restored, and the destruction of everything in its path. It was also, on a more abstract level, speed and energy. She could understand it because the fake core imitated it well. By comparison, ice was slower though not that slow. It was weirdly mixed with something liquid — somehow, and pretty quiet otherwise. Like it had to act on something whereas electricity existed by itself. On an abstract level, it was still and very insidious. Her mom had mentioned something like that...

Nestra grabbed for ice this time. Slowly, she coaxed the power out of the core and into her circuit, first through her chest and along her arm, and then to her palm. The mana dispersed harmlessly outward from her open hand.

She opened her eyes. The bowl of water in front of her froze over, white tendrils visibly expanding from the center. She rubbed her fingers. Nothing. It wasn’t even cold. Another quirk of using one’s own mana.

“Remarkable.”

Nestra turned to Doctor Fehr, who tapped on a datapad with insane dexterity and speed. The datapad had to be a custom job to accept that kind of input.

“Hmm?” Nestra asked.

Aunt Claire was nearby, looking at the bowl with a smile that hadn’t left her lips for the past half an hour.

“You are certainly the most powerful awakened I have ever come across by any metrics. If you were not struggling to draw mana, I would have believed that you lost your core while you were a user. Your two affinities are not just unlocked — you can draw on both of them. Your mana reserves are half as large as that of the average newly ascended C-class. All of your physical abilities indicate that you already unconsciously draw from your mana to enhance your body. You cannot use localized focus yet, however, which is consistent with the awakened. As you mentioned, the experience of a full circuit ‘quirkie’ must be a factor. Intriguing.”

He tilted his head, considering her file. The localized focus was yet another human thing that her Aszhii self ignored completely. Humans passively reinforced, then altered their body with mana infusion. It was a slow process that took many months of meditation and also the reason why you could shoot a B-class in the head with a large rifle and only mildly inconvenience them. Humans could also overload part or all of their bodies with mana for temporary yet powerful boosts. It was particularly important for defensive frontliners. Her Aszhii self couldn’t do that. To be precise, she didn’t need it. Only very specific techniques like the thunder charge could push her further. Ashzii just seemed stupidly strong. Riel, she didn’t think the lizard people who had invaded the world towards the end of the Incursion could compare. Reports indicated they’d been slightly stronger than humans though much less versatile. The more she thought about it and the more she was thinking that the Aszhii were a menace. It was lucky that, from her understanding, most of them were more interested in cool hunts than in enslaving entire planets.

Anyway, localized focus. She couldn’t do it yet. It required too much concentration.

“We will not test meditation and retention as those would require a portal and a monster — respectively. I think those are not needed, however. Our purpose is achieved. Your usual practitioner can take it from here for the more advanced testing. You are a user, Miss Palladian. Congratulations.”

Despite being already aware of the fact, just getting it mentioned again filled her heart with joy. Finally. Finally! Her core pulsed, brimming with... well no, more like lightly fizzling with energy. But it was hers! Her human mana!

“Thanks. And thank you, Clecle!”

“Oh you’re welcome sweetie. Debbie is going to be so happy. And Hector, of course. I can’t wait to get back.”

“And you can if you wish,” Doctor Fehr said. “Our facilities are at your disposal if you would prefer to rest first, of course.”

Aunt Claire shook her head.

“I think I’d rather have us sleep in Zurich where the internet is significantly more stable, and also where we can party! It’s such a bummer that the next plane home is in three days... The rest of the family will have to wait. I would rather not try to fly over half the planet myself. Shall we go?”

“Sure,” Nestra replied, still not fully daring to believe things had gone without a hitch.

There were some warm farewells before they left. It was not obviously evident since the doctor and the rest of the staff acted with the sort of professionalism reserved for important investors, but even she could tell they were immensely proud of their success. Nestra followed her aunt out of the hospital and into the cold air with one immediate difference: pulling ice mana made her resistant to the low temperatures. Just that was enough to provoke another surge of joy. Aha! Now snow had no more power over her!

The second difference happened when she came across the auged train staff: they lowered their eyes when she went by.

It was subtle but she could tell the difference while they waited for the day’s last train back. The janitors, the employees, even auged soldiers back from a day’s work: they all averted their gaze after the most cursory of inspections. Before, they’d just exchange a polite nod or the likes if their eyes met. Now, they never did. She was both more visible and not to be looked at.

It was a little weird. Still not enough to ruin her mood, however. Aunt Claire had bought first class tickets next to the restaurant car, and Nestra had some of the most memorable coffees of her existence. It wasn’t good mind you, just memorable. Her first gleam espresso.

“I’m booking a hotel and a dinner,” Aunt Claire said with a massive smile. “Give me a moment. I think your parents will want to call you soon as well but the wifi in here is shit so let’s wait until we’re settled.”

“Sure thing.”

“Send them messages though!”

Nestra took a selfie, which she sent to all of the people who might be interested.

Ding. Dingdingdingdingding.

Nestra had to mute her notifications. She switched from one chat to another at full speed, replying to everyone as she could. Her mom tried to call but it didn’t connect, just as Aunt Claire had predicted. She and Dad were ecstatic. Helena couldn’t be contained. Mazingwe replied with a booking time for her first assessment. Stibbs teased her a bit about being a class traitor, her words. Only Sereth didn’t reply, so Nestra just imagined he was out on a raid. There was so much for her to plan, to look forward to. Register. Train. She’d be the oldest awakened in history, technically, and put in the same classes as teenagers and how would that even work? Mom would teach her ice and electricity. Maybe Helena and she could raid together with Helena taking the lead and helping her, this time. She was immersed in a fluffy bubble of happiness, warm and cozy and ignorant of the many travelers moving up and down the carriage. Which is why she didn’t understand when she suddenly had Claire’s waist right in front of her face.

Nestra looked up. Claire had her hand clamped on a scared commuter’s wrist, a sphere of mana firmly gathered around their locked limbs.

The commuter was a young woman wearing a surgical mask, which wasn’t unusual for travelers who wanted to avoid sickness or were sick themselves. As far as Nestra could tell she was a baseline, though it was hard to be sure under the unremarkable clothes she was wearing. There was a piece of small gray luggage behind her.

With a quick gesture, Claire opened a window. The roar of the wind and wheels reverberating in the tunnel drowned every conversation. The sphere of mana turned into a blob, escaping through the opening like a transparent slug. In a smooth motion, Aunt Claire pulled the mask down and the sleeve back. The traveler was wearing a rebreather and a strange contraption on her forearm.

“What’s that gas you released, and why are you wearing a rebreather?”

The woman replied in what sounded like German. Nestra activated her translator software but only caught ‘let me go’.

The woman’s eyes frantically turned towards the front of the train. At first, Nestra had no idea what was going on, but soon she felt one, then two bursts of mana. The train shook with an impact that made the lights flicker.

“Wait. She tried to poison us?” Nestra exclaimed.

She couldn’t believe her eyes. They were being attacked? Here? Now?

Aunt Claire slapped the woman unconscious, then her answer was drowned by screams.

***

The straight plunge from cloud nine to survival mode was a long and vertiginous fall, very unique in the way it froze her heart after a noticeable delay. It took a solid second for Nestra to accept that no, this was not a joke, no, she was still a gleam, but yes, she was in great danger. It was happening. It was real. Real and so weird. How dare the world throw her a curveball like this? She thought it was on her side today! What a complete betrayal. She had barely stood before Aunt Claire gripped her by the shoulders.

“B-class threats. Nestra, go to the back.”

People were standing by now. The noises of deflagration came from the front carriages, as did waves of powerful mana. Meanwhile, the people around her were caught between panic and shock. She had to take control before chaos ensued. She had to help. Nestra took her best cop voice as she stood with a confidence she wasn’t feeling.

“Right. Please leave your seats and calmly follow me!”

Aunt Claire was already gone. Nestra’s visor suggested a translation.

“Bitte kommen Sie mit mir!”

Spewing more German that would have made Goethe turn in his grave, Nestra herded civilians towards the restaurant wagon which was mostly empty. The train was noticeably slowing down now though thankfully no one had smashed the breaks. People were muttering and crying but they remained incredibly disciplined. Nestra gave orders for a total of twenty seconds before a tall man in uniform stopped her with a polite, heavily accented request.

“Thank you. We will take it from here.”

And they did. Soldiers in uniform had the rest of the passengers sit down on the ground with barriers emerging from the ground. The passengers strapped themselves with emergency seatbelts facing backward. Nestra was honestly impressed, but panic resumed when people rushed in from the back. Nestra heard gunshots coming from there. A pincer attack? With gleams and poison gas and guns? That was major for a terrorist attack and it was happening in Switzerland. Switzerland! Nestra’s mind reeled from how bizarre it was.

The restaurant wagon was getting crowded. A gray-haired aug woman took over by directing the soldiers to the back to give more room for the civilians. Nestra stood by the door, watching all of this unfold and wondering what she ought to do.

“You, gleam girl. Hello? Gleam girl?”

It took her a few times before realizing someone was talking to her.

“Hmm? Yes, sorry?”

“Can you fight?”

“Yeah. With guns.”

“You go back with the others. Hold the line. Reinforcements soon.”

A fierce battle was still raging towards the front of the train. Aunt Claire’s specific earth and air mana was easily recognizable against two opponents, signs that the contest was fierce. Nestra was worried but she was also super busy. The next carriage was number eight out of fifteen, if her memory served, and it was empty except for soldiers, two of whom had rifles. She wasn’t sure where they’d found them and she didn’t dare ask for one. There was another gleam too, a young man with the red eyes of a fire user. He was high D-class, short, and very muscular.

“You. Raider?” he asked in poor English.

“Sorry, no. Police,” she said, pointing at herself.

He looked disappointed.

“Kom with me, ja? Back. There.”

Nestra had a bad feeling about it, but she had always been about protecting people and that wasn’t going to change today. And besides, there was always the trump card. Who was shooting, anyway? She couldn’t sense any mana. What was going on?

Fuck, why now?

What rotten timing.

Nestra followed the gleam. The soldiers didn’t even consider letting her have the gun which was kind of... ok they couldn’t know she was clear to use one but surely?

And then it hit her. She wasn’t a cop, not even a foreign cop to them. She was a gleam. Gleams didn’t use firearms. It was just a common fact of life. So they didn’t even think to offer. She pointed at the gun, asking for it in German.

The soldier shook his head. He looked baffled that she would even ask. The fire gleam was already moving.

She swore under her breath. There were more gunshots. Spaced. Several shooters and she didn’t like the rhythm. It was coming from two cars away. The dragoon confidently opened the door even though he wasn’t wearing armor, and Nestra followed him to a deserted car cluttered with discarded bags. They were close now.

“Ready?” the guy asked.

“I have no weapons,” Nestra replied.

“I burn. You cover my back, ja?”

It was a shit idea but... the door banged open and a middle-aged woman fell, tears in her eyes. She quietly choked on her blood in the following seconds. Nestra could see the entry wounds on her back. There was no saving what was left.

The gleam moved in. Guns roared, at least two. Automatic. He blocked many with a red rotating shield that turned the projectiles to slag and must have been draining his mana in seconds. He dodged left for cover and cut the shield.

Nestra swore. She jumped after him, pushing him down while the deafening sounds of detonation made her ears ring in the enclosed space. Her eyes caught at least three enemies, two masked guys with guns and an insanely large guy in armor. She was too late. By the time she pulled him to the side, he’d been hit three times and was barely conscious. She hit the deck.

Those were battle rifles. Train seats, even stacked, couldn’t hope to offer cover. Now what? Was it time?

To her surprise, someone yelled and the gunfire stopped.

“Ah, I believe I just spotted Miss Palladian. So kind of you to come to us. Now if you walk slowly out with your hands in the air, I will not have to kneecap you.”

Nestra checked on the gleam. As far as she could tell he was cauterizing his bullet wounds so as to not bleed out which was badass but could also have entirely been avoided by remembering what ‘cover’ really means. He was clearly out of it, though.

She was also unarmed and it might just be better if she could get closer, at least to get a good look. And she was curious. They knew her? Were they here for her? Wait, the gas attack, it was targeting them specifically?

“Do we know each other?” Nestra asked, completely stunned.

She stood. There were four people total. Two were masked riflemen, clearly tense. One was clad in a small construction walker with powered claws so she had no idea what they might be. The last one was a gleam with dark eyes that might have passed for a baseline, the only one with his face uncovered. He was a pretty average pale white guy with a young scion sort of vibe. He was also smiling. The fact he had no mask told her he was planning on killing her.

The man huffed like she’d told a good joke.

“No, but it does not matter.”

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

She could not place his accent. Nordic, maybe.

“Here is what we are going to do. You will get down on your knees while I film a certain video following which I will execute you. Is there anybody left alive in this car?”

He looked around like he was searching for the best tomato in a pile.

“This woman is merely unconscious. And there is the would be savior, of course. A dragoon without his blade. You will do as I say and I promise you that they will live. Resist, and you will die anyway, but I will kill them as well.”

“Who the fuck are you?”

“On your knees. Mr Black, are you recording?”

“Ja.”

Nestra obeyed just so she could buy a few precious seconds. Maybe Aunt Claire was on the way? No, she was still fighting.

Not good.

“Very well.”

He approached her.

“Hello dear Palladians. Four days ago, you sent us a message. This message was very rude and angered a lot of very important people. You then returned to the safety of Threshold. Of course, no place is truly safe, but then you did not even consider staying there either. A shame.”

His tone was conversational.

“So we are going to kill Claire Reid and Clytemnestra Palladian. Why? Because we do not like uppity idiots disturbing our business. We will also do so because it’s costly, pointless, and we like messages too. We are going to kill her because we can and there is nothing you can do to stop us.”

“What is there to think?” Nestra screamed. “You could resurrect fucking Socrates and he wouldn’t find a way to argue it wasn’t anything but a horrible violation. I was horrified and disgusted and I’m the full beneficiary of this grand farce. Oh, wait, I forgot to tell you the part where my species’ children change the reproductive organs of their mothers so they can never have children normally again, so it is because of me that Helena has a weird affinity and health problems.”

“Fuck, Helena. She should be told as well...” Aunt Claire whispered.

“I already told her. She thought it was wired,” Nestra said, calming down a bit.

Fuck, she didn’t remember that Aszhii could cry, but apparently this shape maintained functional tear ducts, and they kind were ticklish right now. She sniffed and held it back.

Aunt Claire didn’t comment. She was lost in thought. For the second time in a row, Nestra felt compelled to fill the silence.

“I’ve been trying to help her, partly by, errr, raiding with her.”

“Illegally?” Claire asked, zeroing on the revelation.

“Well, not anymore. I actually do legal raids and I can bring apprentices with me. Helena is cleared to raid by her school. She might have just... kinda omitted a few details during her application. Only D-class worlds I swear!”

“How do you even raid looking like this?”

Claire was more curious than anything else at this point.

“I wear a mask. Duh.”

“Wait a minute... you’re Crescent! I heard about you. I was a bit curious too.”

Claire’s voice immediately switched to scolding relative.

“How dare you drag your sister into a portal without our consent?”

“Oh get off it. I’m a freakishly strong C-rank raider. I only allow her to get a little hurt.”

“So that recent scar on her leg was your doing?” Claire said, frowning mightily.

The silly exaggeration dissipated much of the tension. They were at the scolding part. It was a significant step up from the execution part.

“Look, she needs to learn. I swear she was never in danger. You should see her fight too. She’s like a lumberjack going to work, just cutting down stuff with brutal efficiency. Just like that. Swing swing. No class, all results.”

“Oh I’ll get to see her work with her parents’ approval. No more secret raids, you absolute menaces. I should ground you two for a month and I’m the rebel.”

Claire caught a smile before it could fully bloom. She sat down heavily on the ground.

“So... your core?”

“The human one? Cannibalized by the true form so it could survive earth’s low mana concentration.”

“So you were, in a way, attacked.”

“No, it was unconsciously self-inflicted.”

Aunt Claire looked outward. She was checking their surroundings.

“How do you know all of this?” she eventually asked.

“I already told you I can’t tell you and I beg, beg you not to push me on it. I am absolutely serious. This is a matter of life and death. Please don’t ask me.”

“Are you being threatened?”

“What? No, it’s just for safety and secrecy. Please!”

“Right. Right. Fine.”

Claire sort of deflated there. Nestra looked around at the seemingly peaceful mountains. It was such a nice view too, and it was such an important moment. She could have died here. The sobering realization gave her a sense of distance, like she was hot and cold, afraid and detached.

“Ok,” Claire said after a while. “Well this is certainly a moment. I, errr, I believe you. It’s just...”

“A lot to take in? Yeah, can’t blame you there.”

Claire fell silent again. Night had fully fallen by now, but light from distant stars pierced through the clouds to reveal enough colors to tinge the black and white vista with touches of deep blues and green. The cold wind fluffed Nestra’s hair. She touched the snow, realizing she was on one of the peaks she’d wanted to climb back in the plane, two life-changing events before. The natural beauty of the region hadn’t even registered when she’d gone to the clinic because of the stress. Now though, she was in that deep emotional valley after a narrowly dodged catastrophe. Every sight was a striking one.

Nestra stole a glance towards her aunt. She was rubbing her chin.

“How does it work with clothes?” she asked.

“So each body is in a sort of dimensional pocket and they swap alongside everything they have on them including weapons. I might even be able to use it as a sort of storage space after it grows further.”

“Huh. That would be so damn convenient during raids. We usually just have to select what we want to take with us if it’s a high level one. I know space nerds are working on storage rings like in the books.”

“Aunt Claire.”

“Hm. What?”

“Not that I want to pressure you or anything but we were just in a major terrorist attack with plenty of civilian fatalities.”

“Yes, I wish I could have saved more of them... but I was very concerned. At first. Those assassin gleams ain’t shit.”

“Right, but my point is, we ran away.”

“Yeah?”

“We ran away from the site of a major terrorist attack,” Nestra insisted.

“Oh. Ooooooooh yeah that might look bad.”

“I think we need to either find the police pronto or, ya know, fly back to Threshold burning villages on the way, pursued by a team of plucky police rookies.”

“Yeah yeah ok no need for sarcasm. I am so very sorry I ever doubted you were the same person, alright?”

“Cheers mate.”

And so they returned to the train tunnel, which took longer than expected because Aunt Claire had kinda forgotten where they’d come from. The train wasn’t there, naturally, but they did come across a patrol of dragoons by following the tracks, Nestra having changed back to her human form. To her immense and continued surprise, they weren’t arrested on the spot. It turned out that there were plenty of witnesses to both of them helping so they were resolutely on the good guys side. Nestra did explain that they were targeted since she expected law enforcement might find out anyway, even though there had been no witnesses to that specific conversation. None that were still alive anyway. She got the feeling Claire might have been asked about the weird mana marks but it was bad etiquette to inquire about a powerful raider’s secret techniques, and even more so when they’d just saved several dozen citizens at a risk to themselves, and even more so when said raider had torn apart several B-class attackers with no weapon and no armor.

She got the feeling some of the dragoons were not happy about them though.

“Did you suspect there might be assassins after you?” a B-class in white armor asked her back in Zurich, in a rather comfy interrogation room.

It was well past midnight by now and Nestra was working on caffeine and leftover excitement. The Zurich office for the dragoons was on the Uetliberg — which sounded cool but was actually just a small hill. It would have been a very pleasant spot were it not for the whole ‘I have been arrested yet again’ thing.

Seriously Nestra had spent more time in an interrogation chair than the average career criminal by now.

“No sorry it didn’t even remotely register. We were really just here for the medical procedure. Which succeeded!”

The guy hadn’t taken his dragoon hamlet off which she found particularly a little concerning. It was really like a high-tech knight helm, quaint unless it was glaring at her. The interrogator was also very tall in a way that made true Nestra want to come out and play to see what sort of pleasant reaction she could get from the overconfident fucker.

“I can tell, since you are now an unregistered user on the canton’s territory. A brief exchange with your hierarchy also revealed a peculiar specificity: you are apparently considered a D-class threat back home?”

“Ah, errrr, hmmm. Fuck.”

The dragoon chuckled. Nestra wasn’t sure if it was good or bad.

“By the way, the guy those augs neutralized? Your colleague? Is he ok?”

“What?”

“He took a few bullets.”

“Oh, yes. He made it. You carried him, yes? Obviously he will be disciplined for rushing ahead like an idiot instead of following protocol. Hmmm.”

He made a show of checking the time.

“That is quite enough bothering you for tonight. I apologize for holding you for so long but we had to double check a few things. I will ask that you do not leave Zurich during the next few days for your own safety, although your Aunt has declined high protection. I will have one of our cars drive you back, Fraulein.”

“Thank you.”

Unfortunately, Nestra’s special day ended with her crashing on her hotel bed.

***

“We’re so happy for you, but obviously very worried as well,” mom said at the ass crack of dawn.

“I should have been there,” her dad said, obviously anxious.

“It’s ok. It was just very unexpected. We will be extra careful and I will be there soon, promise,” Nestra replied.

Her mom grew teary-eyed watching her. Nestra approached the camera so it could zoom on her brand new irises.

“One of us! One of us!” her mom exulted.

“Aaaah I supposed your mom can have her minion while I teach Ulysses,” Dad joked. “She was getting desperate with no one to inherit her evil freezing ways.”

“Don’t worry love, she can always electrocute people by blade contact. You’ll get your share too!”

Nestra smiled when Helena entered the room in a whirlwind of exclamations and comments, still in her uniform. It was early afternoon in Threshold so she was probably missing classes if her parents’ half-hearted complaints were any indication.

A pang of guilt made her joy brittle. Ulysses was not here. He was not here because he thought she was a parasite, and fuck, he was right. They were already planning how they could best help her. Would they still do it if they knew she was a fraud? A parasite, in a way? Would they still love her?

Aunt Claire was acting silly but she was still... cooler than yesterday. It hurt. More than Nestra was willing to admit. After a couple of minutes, Nestra hung up.

“Are you alright darling? Were you wounded? I didn’t check,” Aunt Claire said, coffee cooling on the table.

They were in the hotel’s lobby. It was luxurious as hell and the buffet was grandiose, to the extent Nestra was on her third plate. Actually, maybe she could gain weight again here. Had to be a little careful.

She poked a half-finished pastry.

“No, no, it’s just... what happened yesterday.”

“Don’t worry, I’m being vigilant. Fuck those guys; we’re going to visit Zurich and enjoy it.”

“Not the assassination attempt. The discussion.”

Claire didn’t even mark a pause.

“Yeah, sorry, I was caught off guard.”

But she was still cool, Nestra thought.

“What?”

“No it’s nothing. Obviously it would take time for you to accept...”

“I already accepted, darling. Even if I’ll have many more questions once we’re back home. I'm just keeping track of our surroundings and preparing for sniper attacks. Just in case. There is a fucker with a rifle in the opposite building but he’s wearing a police uniform I just want to throw a stone at him anyway. What, you thought I was angry? It’s just difficult to be ready for anything but I kind of even want them to try. I can’t believe they baited me and it worked. So pissed at myself, in retrospect. I believe you by the way.”

She was talking very fast. It was barely understandable.

“Err. More like you did not trust me?”

“I know it’s you, Nestra. And despite what you’re thinking, you really are your parent’s kid. Face. Mannerisms. Annoying tendency to steal my kills. I hope one day you’ll extend the same trust to them that you extended to me. Why is my coffee cold?”

“It was served fifteen minutes ago.”

“Dammit. Love you, Nes. My little xenoniece.”

“Hush! It’s a secret!”

“No but seriously I’m, like, going to be in history books one day. Maybe I could flash my tits at the mayor for posterity? Could you imagine? Aunt of the first human-alien offspring showing off the ladies at a town hall meeting, 2078, colorized. I’ll be famous forever.”

“Nooooo!”