Oskar sat there for a moment, shaking his head and smirking. A second later, he smiled and then gave the first indication of a chuckle before bursting out in a full belly laugh that set Erik off further. They were both crying before they could calm themselves down enough to go over all the absolute crap they’d just heard. Sara popped up her head and gave them a confused glare.

  “This is really serious. Stop laughing. We’ve got to talk this out,” Oskar wheezed.

  “I have never gotten so much actionable intelligence in my life, dude! And from someone who’s unexpectantly under a siege that he’s completely prepared for. Then, Valla shows up on our doorstep, and guess what? He’s got a super weapon he created for just this occasion, and it’s definitely gonna kill her… as long as you go out with no witne sses… I mean, back-up!”

  “I know, I know, man. It looked like it was written and choreographed. He even paused for me to say my lines. And the no look sit down was classy as hell!” Oskar looked like he was about to go into hysterics again. “I was legit offended when he wiped his hand after he almost touched me, t hough I’m not gonna lie. That kind of hurt my feelings.”

  “Aww, Poor Oss,” Erik laughed. “I almost lost it when he said ‘alas;’ we’ve been picking on Fox for that for weeks, but seriously, how the hell does she not see through that charlatan?”

  The tone shifting downward, it was easier to calm down a little, but Oskar’s face still hurt from smiling. He thought for a minute and answered.

  “Fox is brilliant, so I’ve been thinking about that myself. Even the shady ass Myelomes were a red flag to me, but they just seemed like the norm to her, so this is what I’m thinking. This guy, Benedictus or whatever, is all she’s ever known. He led them out of the Culling, I’m not disputing that. Maybe he was fine back then, and maybe he’s not evil now, just really shady.”

  Shrugging, Oskar took a breath and continued.

  “However, in her eyes, everything he has done has gotten the Kobold people here. Safe, protected, and in a home with freaking air conditioning. If Fox didn’t already think he hung the suns, she does now. You ought to have seen her face when she walked in and felt the cool air. She was asking a million questions like a child, and he was patient with her. It was kind of sweet.

  “And you were out when we walked in, but there are dozens of Kobolds here, maybe even a hundred. Little ones, big ones. I even saw a chubby one… so as I said, he might not be evil, but we know his ass is up to something.”

  Erik nodded. “Well, neither one of us are the type of guys to not tell a friend something just because they might take it wrong or because they might not believe it. So… maybe we just tell her what we’re worried about, straight up. ‘He’s up to something. Be alert, double check everything,’ and if we’re wrong, we’ll both apologize to her and him,” Erik said.

  Sounds good. Oh, and maybe don’t tell anyone about our powers without asking. I know this is her family, but it isn’t ours. She is. But I agree, we should tell her straight up.

  “She’s not gonna like it.”

  ***

  She didn’t like it, but to her credit, she listened to everything they had to say, and then she simply said, “I know it could not have been easy to say this to me. However, you do not understand our culture or our people. I assure you he has and always has had our people at the forefront of his heart.”

  Fox’s earnest eyes stared seriously into Oskar’s. “But I apologize for speaking of your abilities. They were so dejected when word of the enemy approach arrived, and needed the hope of knowing you would fight with us.

  “I will do as you ask, though. You have both more than earned trust and consideration from me, that is a truth.”

  Not currently wearing her Goggles, Fox’s green eyes were brighter than Oskar had ever seen them. The effect of seeing her fierce intelligence this focused, this close was a little intimidating, to be honest.

  “And…I look forward to your apology for being mistaken,” she said as she stood to leave.

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  The brothers sat in silence after she walked out, wondering if perhaps they had read into things too much, but the fact was, the old Kobold was trying to send what might arguably be the best combatant in the whole structure- the only one anywhere near C class other than Benedictus himself- out on his own. Separated from everyone, including Erik, and at the mercy of Valla.

  That just doesn’t sit right with me. I’m not overthinking it; it’s a bad plan. Old Kobold is full of crap, right?

  // Yep. And it all hinges on a mysterious weapon slap full of light magic. It’s just weird. //

  “I don’t think I can let you go out there alone,” Erik finally said.

  Oskar nodded slowly. “Agreed. How you feeling?”

  ** Erik **

  The question didn’t bother him this time, because there was no pity in it. They had just entered strategy talk, which required honesty. Waiting was no longer an option. It really never had been. Valla won the long game, and Erik knew he could make the difference between winning and losing. Life and death. So, he was honest, resigned.

  “I’ve got some shields in me, a good heal if it comes down to it. But it only gets worse if we wait. I don’t think there’s a world where I survive her living much longer. Might be why she’s come now. It’s now or never. She’s using me for something, somehow… and I’m sure she knows I’m almost out of juice.”

  Erik watched Oskar set his jaw, his face going hard. “Well, then… time to make her regret it. We’ll go together.”

  Unwilling to make the heavy situation heavier by getting all teary-eyed, they waited in silence until they heard a commotion outside.

  The door to the room opened and two of the Myelomes stepped in. The shady, gray and lavender Kobold they’d traveled with was in the lead, followed by a younger, but just as mean looking Kobold with mostly brown fur.

  After the Drakon and Asp fight and before Erik had zoned out, walking, Oskar had taken a break from glaring at the back of the Myelome they’d traveled with to ask Fox what to call them individually.

  She’d shrugged and said, “They are simply the Myelomes.”

  Ahead, the old Myelome turned around and looked at Oskar like he was the stupidest person in the world and said, “The Myelomes act as one. There is no need to address us individually.”

  Even Erik’s tired head had looked up at that to see Oskar doing jaz hands and mouthing the words “My baaad,” and went back to shooting hate lasers at Myelome #1’s back. Erik had simply lowered his head and focused on walking with everything he had left, thankful for the spear Oskar had lent him.

  And now… here they were. The Myelomes, fresh from their stirring performance earlier where they pretended to care about the fate of the Dorn Collective.

  “It’s time. Are you prepared? Do you have the Light crux, human?”

  Oskar stood, situating himself more comfortably in his prosthetic and gripping his spear. He patted his chest and nodded. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  The old Myelome nodded, but stopped when Erik stood as well.

  “Oh, and we decided the best use of Erik would be with me.”

  The look in her sharp eyes change, and she shared a quick look with the other Myelome.

  “I see. Well then, after you,” as she waved Oskar and Erik forward.

  The brothers stopped and waved the two Kobolds ahead, and there was an awkward moment when everyone knew things were about to go south. There was an energy in the air that happens when everyone in a room is ready to fight or die that even a sleeping cat can pick up on, if Sara’s sharp gaze was any indication.

  When it became clear there was no way that Oskar or Erik were going to be stupid enough to give their backs, things happened very quickly.

  With unexpected strength, the young Kobold forcefully pushed Erik against the wall.

  The older Kobold’s scream echoing through the room as she pointed a menacing finger, “Don’t kill the healer, fool. She’ll kill us both!”

  Erik vision cleared as his PUB activated Battle mode, grunting at the impact. He immediately tried to push off the wall and go after the smaller, young Kobold, but only succeeded in stumbling into her as he fell.

  Oskar reacted faster than Erik hoped. His Ward appeared and as the younger Myelome stumbled, Oskar’s weapon, now in its maul form, came down with devastating force. The weapon obliterated the entire neck and chest of the younger Kobold, and Erik flinched back, cursing as feverishly hot blood hit his face.

  Oskar spun, searching, as the smashed remains of the younger Kobold bounced back off the floor beside Erik.

  “I can feel you in here, you can’t get out. You’re dead,” Oskar said, moving to block the console.

  There was too much magic in the air for Erik to get a clear picture, and unfortunately, he couldn’t see much splayed out half under his rack.

  Reaching out to grab the rack and try to stand, Erik noticed his brother switch from his Resonant Ward to his True Resonance, still searching. Immediately, Erik watched the shimmer of magic around his brother stutter and disappear.

  A strained grunt from Oskar caught Erik’s attention; looking up, he saw Oskar’s blood-covered tunic. His brother’s arm was raised and clawing at something unseen behind him.

  Myelome’s savage, emaciated face peeked over his brother’s shoulder as she slid her knife under his brother’s chin for a second time. Erik couldn’t stop her; he couldn’t shield him with her on his back, but he reached out with his magic to see how bad the injury was. Thankfully, it wasn’t as deep as he feared- his brother apparently got his arm up in time and was fighting for control of the knife- but with all that blood…

  It’ll be enough if I can't stop her.

  Myelome rode Oskar down as he fell, the lighter fur of her arms already red with his brother’s blood. Using the momentum of the fall, Myelome slammed his brother’s face into the unforgiving metal floor, the sickening thud echoing through the room as bones snapped.