Derek stared at the smoking wreckage of his Repair Bots scattered around the feet of Ithara’s golem.

  The squat mound of dirt and stones—barely a meter tall and proudly named Chuck—was bracing itself against the metallic spikes of the attacking construct, its stubby arms locked in a clumsy but stubborn defense.

  Ithara bounced in place, clapping like a kid at a fair. “Excellent, Chuck! Show him what you’re made of!”

  Derek turned toward her, still dumbstruck, then back to the mangled heap of twisted metal.

  She elbowed him in the ribs, grinning. “Did you see my Chuck? Your bots didn’t even last a second, but he’s still standing strong!”

  He dragged a hand through his hair, disbelief tightening his jaw. “Ithara… my bots—” His voice cracked. “How the hell am I supposed to handle repairs now? Do you even realize what just happened?”

  Ithara blinked at him with perfect innocence. “Why? What happened?”

  Derek thrust a finger toward the chaos beyond the glass. “Maybe you were too busy cheering for your walking paperweight to notice, but my bots just got turned into scrap!”

  She hesitated, forcing a nervous smile. “Is that… supposed to be a joke? Because I don’t get it.”

  Derek’s eyes went wide. Was she serious right now? “Ithara… do you see those smoking chunks of metal scattered everywhere? That was my Repair Bots. You even asked me to name them. Sunny and Shade, ring a bell?”

  She tilted her head. “Derek… you do realize this is a simulation, right?”

  He froze. “Oh.” The word came out flat. “So you’re saying—”

  A low hum filled the air behind him.

  He spun around.

  Sunny and Shade floated back down, perfectly intact, and landed softly at his feet.

  Relief hit him like a wave. Beyond the glass, the wreckage still lay scattered. So detailed it could’ve fooled anyone.

  Ithara gave him a wary look. “Are you… feeling all right, Derek? Should I get you some water?”

  He rubbed his neck, a half-grin tugging at his mouth. “N-no, I’m good. Just… when I saw them explode into a thousand pieces, I might’ve overreacted a little.”

  Ithara rolled her eyes. “The system renders a fully realistic scene. From Chuck’s point of view, and for anyone watching, Sunny and Shade were destroyed. In reality, they were turned invisible and ejected from the simulator while their wreckage was projected in their place.”

  Derek nodded, letting out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. Right. Of course that’s how it worked. Maybe that last little incident had left him more jumpy than he wanted to admit. Time to chill the hell out.

  The enemy was little more than a floating sphere of metal bristling with downward-pointing spikes was hovering midair without any visible propulsion system, darting in unpredictable bursts. It hammered at Chuck with rapid, stabbing strikes. Thrust after thrust. From above, from the sides, each attack testing the golem’s clumsy defense.

  But Chuck held the line. Even when the blows slipped past his guard and dug into his squat little body, they barely left a dent. Its blank, featureless face gave no hint of struggle, just the same dull patience of a rock enduring the tide.

  Derek jerked his chin toward the display. “Looks like a stalemate.”

  “Indeed,” Ithara said. “If your bots had lasted even a second longer, they could have struck while Chuck kept it pinned.”

  Beside Derek, Shade let out a low vibration through its ion thrusters. It sounded suspiciously like the grumbling noise Tunga made whenever he was annoyed.

  Derek exhaled. “Guess that means Chuck wins this round. We can probably shut the sim down now.”

  Ithara shook her head. “Not yet. The fun part’s coming.”

  He turned back toward the glass panel that revealed what was happening inside the simulator. Ithara looked far too confident for his liking, but fine, he’d bite.

  Chuck’s stubby hands were still locked against the curved spikes, and the enemy wasn’t letting up.

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  Then faint arcs of electricity began crawling along the base of the spikes, the same way Isabelle’s blade would glow before one of her techniques.

  “Oh, that’s not good,” Derek muttered.

  Ithara’s grin widened.

  Lightning erupted from the spikes in a sudden torrent, crashing down on Chuck’s body. For a moment, everything vanished in blinding white light, followed by a thunderclap that sent chunks of dirt and the bots’ projected wreckage flying in every direction.

  Derek burst out laughing. “Good thing this is just a simulation. Though I doubt there’s much left to simulate of your golem now.”

  Ithara watched the scene with that same unfazed smile.

  Was she bluffing, or did she really think her clunky little pile of dirt and stones had survived that blast?

  The smoke thinned, and Chuck was still standing. His body smoked like a chestnut fresh out of the pan, but the attack hadn’t done a damn thing to him.

  In fact, the little golem looked bigger. His stubby arms were longer and thicker, and he even seemed a bit taller.

  Derek leaned forward, hands on the table, eyes wide. “What the hell just happened?”

  Ithara straightened, pride lighting up her face. “Chuck can absorb most kinds of magic and convert them into mass and strength.”

  Derek’s jaw dropped. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

  “Not at all. What you see here is still simulated, of course, but that’s only one of his abilities.”

  He ran a hand through his hair, a slow grin forming. Maybe that mudball was worth more than he’d given it credit for. Most of the attacks he’d faced in this world were energy-based. Fireballs and lightning strikes were practically daily specials. Using Chuck as a shield, especially in tight spaces, could be a real game-changer.

  Then a faint spark flared at the golem’s feet.

  Derek frowned. “What’s he doing now?”

  Ithara was grinning ear to ear. “Chuck doesn’t just absorb magic. He can send it right back, though never with the same strength he received it.”

  The metal construct jerked and tried to pull away, but Chuck caught it with his small stone hands and tightened his grip.

  The creature thrashed in every direction, struggling to break free, but it was no use.

  The charge surged up Chuck’s body, gathered in his arms, and finally leapt into the enemy’s spikes.

  Another blinding flash erupted, followed by a thunderous boom, only slightly weaker than the first.

  The metallic being shrieked, a high-pitched screech that almost sounded like pain, as thick white smoke flooded the simulator.

  Derek tried to peer through the haze, but it was useless. “What the hell’s happening now?”

  A crash of metal slamming against rock echoed through the fog, sparks flashing in quick bursts. The silhouettes vanished in the blur, leaving only the sounds of stone pounding steel, bursts of lightning, and the heavy thud of impacts shaking the chamber.

  Sunny shot upward, bobbing like a maniac, while Shade stayed grounded, utterly indifferent to the chaos.

  Ithara smirked to herself.

  When the smoke finally cleared, Chuck stood atop the crumpled husk of the creature, stomping with his stubby stone feet. He had doubled in size, now towering almost as tall as the NOVA.

  Derek turned to Ithara, jaw slack. Ten different thoughts fought to come out at once, but the only thing that made it past his lips was, “Holy shit… I freaking love that thing.”

  Ithara burst into laughter. “You should see your face right now.”

  Derek didn’t even notice. He was still reeling from what he’d just seen. “He literally crushed that thing like it was nothing.”

  The scholar crossed her arms with a satisfied nod. “What did I tell you?”

  “I need Chuck, Ithara. I’m gonna need his help down there.”

  She dipped her head in a small bow. “At your service, Cashnar.”

  Inside the simulator, Chuck was still pounding what was left of his opponent.

  Derek frowned. “Mind clearing something up for me? Where the hell did you get the idea to make that metal thing?”

  Ithara tapped her chin, eyes drifting to the colored stones on the table. “Hmm… I’m not sure. It kind of just appeared. There was some interference, and then it showed up.”

  “You didn’t select it yourself?”

  She shook her head. “No. When the parameters aren’t set precisely, the simulator sometimes pulls from stored memories of past runs to create an appropriate challenge. Why?”

  “Nothing. I just feel like I’ve seen something like it before, but I can’t remember where.” He shrugged. “Whatever, it’ll come to me.”

  A knock came from behind him.

  Derek turned.

  A high ponytail of blonde hair and a glint of silver armor stepped into the room. “Derek,” Isabelle said. “Forgive the interruption, but—”

  “Oh, don’t worry,” Ithara waved her off. “We just wrapped up. I’ll shut down the sim and leave you two. Wouldn’t want Chuck to get scared all alone.” She shifted a few yellow stones from their slots, and the scene beyond the glass dissolved into the empty chamber lined with towering crystals.

  At the center, the squat golem, now back to his usual size, looked around as if confused by his sudden solitude.

  Ithara slipped out of the control room and closed the door behind her.

  Isabelle smiled, though tension flickered in her eyes.

  Derek gave her a nod. “Didn’t think I’d see you again so soon. Any news from your little investigation?”

  She nodded. “Yes, but that’s not why I’m here.”

  He sighed. “Listen, if you’re here to try and change my mind, don’t bother. I’m going down there and—”

  “I know.” She cut him off gently. “I’m not here to stop you.”

  Derek eased back a little, his shoulders losing some of their edge. “Oh. Then what is it?”

  “It’s about Alyra. She says she needs to speak with you right away.”

  Derek’s jaw tightened. “She found out?”

  Isabelle nodded.

  Derek’s brow furrowed. “Who told her? Was it you?”

  “No. It was Sierelith.”

  Derek went still. “Wait, you knew she was here? Why the hell would she tell Alyra that? And how did Sierelith even find out?”

  “That heretic seems to know everything.” Isabelle’s gaze swept the room, voice low and controlled. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s listening right now.” She stepped closer, gray eyes fixed on him, brows drawn. “You knew that spy was still circling around Alyra. The real question is: why didn’t you tell me?”

  Derek rubbed at his beard. “Let’s see if I can say this without offending you… nope. So I’ll be straight: you’re a fanatic, Isabelle. You keep calling that girl a ‘heretic,’ and you’d love nothing more than to toss her on a pyre—or whatever zealots do when someone doesn’t follow your god.” He let out a short laugh. “Alyra can handle herself. I don’t think Sierelith is nearly as dangerous as you make her out to be.”

  Isabelle’s mouth fell open, a flicker of hurt crossing her face before she caught herself. “That’s really what you think of me? After everything we’ve been through?” She shook her head in disbelief. “Sierelith almost killed Alyra when she kidnapped her and dragged her to Ebonshade.”

  Derek lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. “She took her there and made sure nothing happened to her the whole time. Is she nuts? Sure, like half the people on this rock. But she’s a confused girl, not someone who deserves whatever end you’ve imagined for her.”

  Isabelle’s lips curved into a bitter smile. “I’m not the fanatic you think, Derek.” Her voice softened, barely above a whisper. “Or maybe I am. I don’t even know who I am anymore.”

  Derek frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  She shook her head. “Forget it. That’s not why I came.” She drew a steadying breath. “Alyra found out about your corruption from the Death Sphere.” Her eyes lowered, the faintest trace of guilt in them. “She’s the one who gave it to you… and now she blames herself.”

  His jaw tightened. “You’re the one who told her to give it to me.”

  Isabelle nodded, firm but weary. “Yes. I know. I tried to explain it to her, but I think it’s better if you tell her yourself. Please, just say it was all my fault.”

  Derek exhaled through his nose. “The real fault lies with this insane planet and whoever’s dropping those damn spheres on us. The sooner I fix this, the sooner all this madness ends. But fine. I’ll talk to Alyra.”

  Isabelle gave a slow, steady nod. She kept her gaze on him, something unspoken flickering behind her eyes, as if the question itself weighed on her. “One more thing, Derek. What will you do if you discover there’s nothing you can fix? That Orbisar is real. That His magic is real. And His will is for the spheres to keep falling on Elyndra?”

  He blinked. The question landed like a stone, but for him, the answer was anything but difficult. “What would I do if there really was a god? Someone responsible for everything that’s happened and everything that ever will be?” He let the words hang, then bared his teeth in a feral grin. “If He exists, He’d better start preparing, because I’m coming for Him.”

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