Once inside the elevator, I nearly collapsed. Only through force of will did I remain standing. I was drained thoroughly. My whole body was quaking from what I had just done. As the ice receded, my heart sped up, hammered into my chest. Every breath came quick and short.

  I had to force myself to breathe, in and out to calm down.

  Every part of me had wanted to lash out, to attack that man, but I couldn’t do that. I didn’t have the power for that, especially not where he was at his strongest.

  I thought back to our conversation with a grimace on my face. That man was everything I tried not to be. Why I did what I did back then, how He operated. Anything was game, so long as it pushed our portfolio higher. If it earned us more, even if it meant abandoning clients in their time of need.

  Loyalty wasn’t a thing to them. Only benefits. Monsters in the skin of men. I was… I had thought I was different from them and yet…

  I still did that. His voice still rang in my ears. Condemning me. His smile still burned into my mind.

  Taurus was no different. To him, I wasn’t a person, just a means to an end. As was everyone in this company. The only reason he didn’t force me to take the first job, was because the man seemed to have an issue with Mr. Torres…

  It was entirely possible, that he understood that I wouldn’t allow myself to be chained down. And he was betting that when the time came, when Mr. Torres made a move, that I’d lash out. That something would go awry.

  Only what did he have to gain? And for the time being, did that matter? No, not really. Now, now I needed to focus on the task he gave me. After all, if I failed it, none of this would matter anyway.

  Luckily, the job he gave me aligned with my own desires. A simple task, with a bare minimum promise. During the blood moon, I was to protect the company building. Nothing more, nothing less.

  Success meant my sins were forgiven, and I would be left alone.

  He didn’t much care for my tomfoolery, as I’m sure he would call it. And despite what he said, I don’t think he even cared that I stained the company reputation. He didn’t care that we met the quota, though, knowing him, he would have cut us off, shuffled Terada elsewhere, or had him killed if he wouldn’t move. Just like how he planned to kill Terada and possibly the whole division to circumvent Leo’s bomb.

  The only thing he truly cared for, was that I messed his plans up…

  This company was more or less his kingdom. The shareholders were the nobility. The managers his generals. The average worker, his peasant, and he, the king.

  The system made sense. It also made sense as to what was going on. Mr. Torres wasn’t just helping me out, no, Mr. Torres was making a play for the throne. That party? Those fights in the basement. Was the man preparing a coup? A rebellion, and did Taurus know? He had too, based on how he acted.

  Yet, why let it sit and fester? Why let Mr. Torres continue to gain strength? Was it pride? Surety in himself? Something more? Or simple vanity? I couldn’t even begin to understand his thought process…

  And maybe that was why I failed so miserably? A thought to consider. But really, how much power did Mr. Torres really have? Even as a shareholder, how much of the company did he truly own? How much of a stake was he putting on me to even get his plans moving forward?

  A shareholder invested in a company, in doing so, they had a say in the company. Bi-annual shareholder meetings help decide the direction of the company, and quarterly manager meetings allowed Taurus to exchange information with his generals. However, a shareholder’s power was finite, with there being hundreds of them, all with their own agendas or ideas.

  Those with larger shares of the pie had more of a voice, and Mr. Torres had made quite the gamble. Rather, this wasn’t a gamble, but a gambit. He’d merely needed a horse to back, me. Was it coincidence? My meeting him when I did? Or was something else at work?

  A narrative of sort?

  No… that would be silly.

  I felt like a horse, a horse that someone had bet their entire life savings on. A horse that had little to no chance of winning the big race… Only, I had no choice but to win that race. Lest I be made into glue.

  Despite that, my position wasn’t exactly hopeless. Being offered a job that at minimum exonerated me didn’t sound great, but there was an additional benefit. Taurus had made it clear, he was interested in me. Just having the boss’s attention was both a boon and bane. As long as I did well, I was guaranteed a promotion. If I did poorly well, it didn’t matter either. I might as well leave. Especially if I knew I wasn’t going to get promoted.

  I just needed to wait out the year…

  The mission could also be construed as a joke. Or so it felt. Like a carrot dangling before a donkey. Urging them onward with an impossible to earn treat. Only, it wasn’t a carrot he held, but also a stick. If I didn’t do the mission, he’d fire me. Throwing me to the curb and blacklisting me from getting work anywhere else within the city if he was so inclined to do so.

  It was dirty, but it was about what I expected from someone in his position. I only had to hope that he didn’t keep using that carrot to lead me by the nose. Never giving it to me and giving me the stick whenever I rebel. Hopefully he has enough sense not to do that. After all, even if Leo’s attempts were na?ve, if I were to give it a go, I think even Taurus would need to be wary.

  I just hope, it never comes to that. A mutual death… An all too familiar situation, the same as when…

  Worrying thoughts were interrupted by the elevator sliding to a stop. A small thud and beep announced its landing. The door slid open, right into the company parking lot below the building. I stepped out, eyes searching for my car, only to stop on a familiar face and figure.

  “Everything go okay?” Leo asked.

  “Just about, he gave me an opportunity to prove myself.” Though, I had a suspicion that it might as well be a suicide mission, depending on my luck.

  “That’s… good, I guess.” He stops cold, a contemplative look on his face. “Look, Prima, I…” He trails off again.

  I quietly wait for him to collect himself.

  Eventually, he speaks. “It feels like you’ve been avoiding me.”

  “I’m not sure what you’re talking about. I greet you when you arrive for work, and I bid you farewell when I leave. That doesn’t sound like I’m avoiding you.”

  “Yes, well, you haven’t checked in on my work, you’ve just… well, I don’t know…” He trails off again.

  “I didn’t think I had to. Leo, you’re doing fine enough, and I’m supposed to be your employee, your subordinate, and not your mother. I shouldn’t be doing your job in the first place. If you think you made a mistake, handle it, or if you can’t I am free to provide aid, but that’s only if you give me the order.”

  “That’s not what I meant!” He shouts, his voice echoes in the parking lot. “I just…” He trails off.

  I sigh. “Look, Leo, its better if we just keep being co-workers, like we were before. Nothing more, nothing less.” I made to move past him, but…

  “Prima, wait.” He grabs my arm, arresting my momentum, forcing me to a stop. I looked at him, annoyed.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “What.” I ask, tersely.

  “I… I don’t know what it is that Taurus told you to do, but I should be the one doing it.”

  “You?” I reply, more out of shock.

  “Yes, me. It was my failure that led to you doing what you did. It was because of me that you damaged the company’s image. You shouldn’t have to pay for my mistakes a second time.”

  I look at him. The spoiled brat was quickly growing up. He almost looked like a man with that determined look on his face, alas, he was still a bit too young.

  “You can’t handle the task he gave for me.” I state, his face changes numerous times between many different emotions, as if he was unsure what to feel.

  “You don’t think I can handle it?”

  “You can’t. That is an objective truth.” After all, even if his father was a magic user, Leo didn’t feel like one. He wasn’t trained or anything.

  I watched as his face fell. I could see the conflict in his eyes, his face. His grip loosened just enough, so… I shook my arm free. “Just head home and I’ll handle this.” I stated with finality, he didn’t pursue. I didn’t look back, but a single mirror above reflected his face. His hands clenched; he was biting his lip hard enough that it was bleeding. His gaze digging into my back.

  Was he angry? If so, good. Perhaps that would be a good wake up call for him. After all, I didn’t have time to play with children. Not now.

  I made for my car, my mind churned. Plans were made and unmade. I had to make the final preparations to compress and fully elevate Cobalt to a proper silver rank. I also had to animate the other knights I had made.

  With plans in mind, I arrived at my warehouse and went to work. Through the night I pumped my magic into the array whenever it filled up. My appetite was through the roof as a consequence, but I had plenty of food lying about.

  With morning, I drive towards the lower quarter and parked in a nearby parking garage. Over the weeks, the lower quarter had grown far more hectic and noisier. A constant dull rumble on the horizon, along with plumes of smoke were a common occurrence once I passed the threshold into the district.

  The barriers surrounding the district muffled the sounds of artillery firing while they prepared for the coming blood moon.

  At the checkpoint, they were actively working to pack up equipment and goods, when I asked what was happening, Casanova filled me in while I waited for my escort.

  “We’re packing up, as you can see.” He started unhelpfully. “Staying out here is suicide when the blood moon rises, which is why we’re heading back to base.”

  “You won’t be here tomorrow then?”

  “Nope, we’ll be gone.”

  “Then I have good timing.”

  “That you do, ah, and I think your escort arrived.” Casanova pointed to another familiar face, Black Hawk.

  After a brief greeting and some catching up while we walked, we arrived at the Wizard Gang territory. If it looked like a military base before, it now looked like a fortress. Metal sheets were placed everywhere; sandbags were laid about. Entire groups of people were doing drills.

  Cars and heavy vehicles rumbled by. Moving boxes and supplies, or heavy weapons to be deployed. Heavy cannisters filled with glowing munitions, enchanted rounds, according to Black Hawk, were passed around. Entire alleys were turned into kill zones, more so than usual.

  It was a hive of activity, and when we stepped into the market, the whole place had transformed into a staging ground. artillery and tanks were lined up. Teams of people worked to gussy them up or work them through final checks.

  Everyone looked busy, hustling back and forth. The interior of the camp was no different. The front gate was perpetually open as trucks moved back and forth, carrying supplies in and out.

  The interior of the community center was abnormally empty. What people were there were actively testing weapons before cleaning and packing them away, just to be shipped back off.

  In the midst of this organized madness was Berry. He noticed me the moment I stepped inside.

  “Prima, didn’t think I’d see you today!”

  “Yeah, well, I was close to finishing the last time we met, and I had some time to go over the design. I think I have it now… Is it fine if I shoot?”

  “The last few tests you made nearly took heads off…” He says, “but it should be fine. You will have to leave early. We’re all hands-on deck and we’re using the community center to inspect all the weaponry.”

  “I can see that and thank you.”

  “No problem, if you need anything call me.”

  “Will do.” I answered back and settled in. Despite his words, and his job, he was watching me with glee while I tested out my new bullet. Most were failures, and no real accidents happened, but…

  When it finally worked to my expectations, well… there was an accident. Berry was thrilled to see my new bullet working, but everyone else was not so thrilled. Promptly they chased me out, but I was satisfied.

  By the time I left the lower quarter, it was noon. The sun was hanging high, and it was the right time for lunch. I decided to cut through the park and take a bit of a meandering path back to where my car was parked. To see the sights, to maybe grab a bite to eat. Something like that.

  The park was decorated. Trees were covered in shining lights or ornaments. The grounds were covered in snow, with families running about, children giggling and throwing snowballs at one another, or building forts. It was all very alive.

  It made me think back to what Grim had said. To what I had witnessed with Billy and my neighbor… What were these people exactly? Were they humans? Or no? Then again, was I even a human anymore?

  Such thoughts were… not worth considering. Not when I knew people like Terada, Samantha, Kenta, Tom, and of course, Leo. None of them felt fake. None of them necessarily felt less than human.

  Even if they were, if I started thinking of them as extras, like in a movie… just what kind of life would I live in that case?

  It wasn’t a rabbit hole I wanted to go down…

  Chuckling to myself, I move onward, but I find myself stopped by a voice calling out to me.

  “Miss, interested in skating?”

  I look over, an older man was manning a rather nice-looking stall. Along the walls were numerous skates hanging. On the stall was a sign, ‘Skate Rental’. Just beyond him and his stall, was the park lake, totally frozen over. Nobody seemed to be skating. Which was strange.

  “Is it safe?” I finally asked, tempted.

  “Definitely! That ice is thick as can be, that I swear!” The man smiled and exposed his yellowed and silver teeth.

  “Then why is nobody skating?” I asked.

  “Cowards, the lot of them, but you? I’m sure you’d give it a go.” He said, but I was skeptical.

  “Look, sir, I’m not sure that’s…”

  “Here, you can take these, yeah? Free of charge.” He placed down a set of skates. They looked almost brand new, untouched. They glistened as well. No, what really captured my attention was just how beautiful they were.

  Without a word, I stepped forward to inspect them. They felt right. Almost like they were calling to me.

  “Free? I can keep these?” I asked. Bewildered.

  “There all yours If you can just give them a whirl on the ice and give those cowards some courage.” He said and smiled again.

  It was a tempting offer. I had time to bleed. I wasn’t exactly dressed for it, but… well, it had been a while, and it would be some nice stress relief. I really did need that after these last few days…

  “Fine, you got a bench for me to sit on?”

  “Right here!” He pointed over to a park bench that had been cleared of snow. With a huff, I moved over and took off my shoes and slid the skates on. They fit snugly, perfectly, like they were made for my feet. Once they were on, it felt, right. With the blades still covered, I made my way down to the lake.

  I felt eyes fall on me as I bent down, taking the covers off and tentatively took my first step. I very nearly slipped, but my next foot arrived and saved me. I floundered for a moment. Arms windmilled, hips shook. Still, my body and instincts warred with one another.

  I wiped out, once, twice and… that was it. Just as I was about to fall a third time, I felt something click. My old experiences meshed with my new body, further aided by my enhanced talent no doubt, and with that, I stood tall.

  I took a few tentative strides. Controlling my speed as I took nice slow rounds around the lake. Letting the cold wind blow through my hair and on my face. I leaned into it as my body grew more familiar with the motions.

  Next thing I knew, I was going faster and faster. The world around me was almost a blur as I twisted and turned. My own childish wonder, combined with my enhanced talent whispered to me, spoke to me. Teasing endless possibilities. Like a child, I listened, I performed. I danced.

  A twist, a turn, a spin, a leap. My skates dug into the ice as I swirled and moved. Transitioning smoothly from forward to backward, into a hop and a spin before landing with an expert twirl.

  Every movement was addicting. Every moment, I wanted more. My new body sang. More than my old one ever had. Was it the talent? Or was I just more suited for this? Every motion felt right and for a bit, it felt like I was no longer on the ground, but soaring through the sky. The wind whipped through my hair, cold air rushing into my face.

  Hot tears gathered in my eyes as I laughed. All there was, was me and the ice. Everything else faded away. Even then, long before I could truly test out every possibility that was being whispered to me, my body began to fail.

  Every muscle burned. My lungs ached with each breath. My face raw from the frigid wind. My hair wild and unkempt. Still, with a smile I arrived at the lake’s edge, where I had left the covers.

  People cheered. Whistled. Let out exclamations. The attention only made it so much better. Hearing them praise me, seeing them rush out to the stand and rent skates, just for the chance to replicate me.

  People fell and crashed. Though, they still laughed. Soon enough, the lake was full of people skating, moving in slow circles, with a few still trying what I had, only to fail.

  Changing back into my shoes, I hefted the skates on my back, the stall owner was grinning wide, handling his wad of cash.

  “That was brilliant!” The man said on seeing me approach, “You really riled them up!” He let out a cackling laugh.

  “Well, I had to put on a show worthy of these skates.” I said, far more confident than I had been at the time.

  The man simply smiled and said, “I feel like those skates were made for you. It’s only fair you keep them, especially with how much money you made me just now!” He goes back to cackling, and I roll my eyes, but…

  He wasn’t wrong. Which, was a bit worrying. Out of caution, I glanced around. And I swore, I saw a small white figure dash through the snow.

  Surely, it was just coincidence… Right?