Lower Fourth Floor

  Elyria sat in the middle of the large open room as the fires around them roared on.

  Mynxi ran in circles, talking without pause. “...Then Auntie Keira was all bang, thought she was going to win, but then Auntie Solara was getting her into trouble. I promise I was going to win this time, Ely, I was super duper sure I was.”

  Elyria sat there, smiling as Mynxi carried on.

  After a moment, she rose to her feet. “Alright, help me put everything away before the next group of monsters comes, little one.”

  Mynxi waved her tail and tilted her head. “But we can just leave it here. I’ll be really quick this time, I promise.”

  Elyria calmly began placing everything into her bag. “What have I told you about the monsters, little one?”

  “Not to play with them, Ely. Why do you call me little one? That’s Dad’s name for me.”

  “Well, at least you listen more than your dad…” Elyria murmured, placing a gentle hand on Mynxi’s head. “And I call you little one because I like it. Is that alright?”

  Mynxi nodded. “Uh-huh. But why don’t you like fighting the monsters, Ely? They’re not people like Dad said, and you’re super, super strong.”

  Elyria smiled faintly. “I’ve got my reasons. Besides, why would I need to fight when I have someone as brave as you here? You’ll keep me safe, right?”

  Mynxi gave her a thumbs up. “Super duper Specialist Mynxi will always keep you safe. Just like Dad does.”

  Elyria turned to finish packing. “Alright, hurry up and put your drawings away. You don’t want the monsters to step on them.”

  She turned back.

  Mynxi was dancing in place with two knives in her hands. “Woop woop, it’s fine! Don’t worry, these monsters aren’t hard. I’ll be really quick this time.”

  Elyria almost smirked. “Is that so? Alright then. Do you want to try something really hard? So hard your dad will be super jealous?”

  Mynxi nodded instantly, mouth hanging slightly open.

  “Alright,” Elyria continued, “do what I said and put the drawings away like a good girl, and I’ll show you what I mean. Deal?”

  It was almost like a small hurricane tore through the room.

  Everything vanished into place.

  Mynxi stood there grinning. “All done! Can I fight the strong monster now?”

  Elyria shook her head slightly, half annoyed, half impressed. “Honestly, I can never tell if he is bringing this out in you or if you’re becoming more like that silly dad of yours. Alright. Come with me.”

  She held her hand out.

  Mynxi took it.

  Elyria led her back to the chamber with the stairs to the third floor. She knelt in front of her.

  “Alright. When the bell goes off, we'll wait here, ok? I’ll tell you when you can go.”

  Mynxi began bouncing side to side, swaying her head and tail. “This is going to be so fun! Will you tell Dad?”

  “Don’t get too confident now,” Elyria said gently. “And remember what to do if it’s too much.”

  Mynxi deflated slightly. “Yes. Ask for help. But I’m really strong now.”

  Elyria smiled, fixing Mynxi’s hair. “Yes. And your dad and I are super proud. But we all need to get stronger for what comes next.”

  Mynxi laughed, lifting both knives into the air.

  Elyria rolled her eyes. “Why do I even try? You’re just like him, no matter how much I try.”

  The bell echoed through the dungeon.

  Elyria knelt beside Mynxi, holding her gently at the waist and lifting a finger to her lips. “Alright. Now we need to be quiet while the monsters do their thing.”

  Mynxi smiled emphatically.

  Three emeralds walked into the centre of the large chamber.

  They lined up beside one another.

  Then three white deaths joined them.

  Then a dozen black wolves.

  They formed together as one.

  One of the emeralds stepped forward, then turned and knelt before the central one, bowing its head.

  The central emerald placed its hand on top of the kneeling one’s head.

  A spike of emerald energy pierced straight through it.

  The kneeling emerald collapsed as emerald fog poured over its body, forming armour and a flowing scarf of mist around the central one.

  Mynxi tried to step forward.

  Elyria gently held her back. “They’re not done yet. Just wait a second, ok?”

  Mynxi looked up, confused. “Ely… what are they doing?”

  Elyria watched quietly. “The monsters’ job in this war isn’t very different from people’s. If you look at the middle one, it’s like your dad. If you went in right now, it would be the first to fight you. But the stronger monsters it has working with it, the better its chances become. They fight together. Do you understand?”

  Mynxi shook her head side to side. “Nope. Can I kill it yet?”

  The True Emerald began to be surrounded by the white deaths and black wolves as it spread its emerald fog over them. One by one, they shifted in colour, deepening into emerald.

  The True Emerald returned to its original form.

  The remaining emerald beside it knelt once more.

  Again, the hand.

  Again the spike.

  Again, the absorption.

  The power flowed back into the centre.

  An emerald death and two emerald wolves stepped to its side.

  The rest stood before them.

  Mynxi watched in amazement as the remaining monsters bowed—then began eliminating their own kind.

  They cut down the ones that had bowed.

  The emerald fog passed from body to body.

  Armour hardened around them.

  The strange emerald scarf formed around their necks.

  Mynxi’s mouth hung open.

  When it was complete, only a single True Emerald, a single True Emerald death, and a pair of True Emerald wolves remained.

  Elyria glanced down at Mynxi. “So, do you think you can manage that?”

  Mynxi didn’t speak.

  She nodded.

  “Alright,” Elyria said softly. “Don’t forget I warned you. They will be hard. Don’t be brave for the sake of it. Shout for me if it gets too much.”

  Mynxi stepped forward slowly, gripping both knives tight in her hands.

  The monsters stood in the centre of the chamber, staring her down.

  The True Emerald formed a pair of knives similar to hers.

  Then it mounted the True Emerald death.

  Mynxi stopped in front of them, smiling.

  She waved. “Hi. I’m Mynxi. Sorry, I have to be quick. I promised Ely.”

  Before anything else could move, both True Emerald wolves were already at her sides, ready to tear down.

  The True Emerald death lunged for her head.

  Elyria stood back, watching.

  Her thoughts drifted to the day after the Revolutionary Army formed.

  Day: 5546

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  A little outside Virelith, in a small forest clearing.

  Solara walked back into the open space, shouting, “Lance Corporal Lumi, you know what you signed up for. Now hurry up and do your training, then you can go back to your shop.”

  Keira shouted from somewhere behind a tree, “Please, Lumi. She looks nice, but I’m still fifty-fifty she’s a monster. Please.”

  Solara rolled her eyes. “Alright then. What’s the plan here, Captain?”

  Caelan stood holding Mynxi in his arms. He leaned his head closer to her and said quietly, “You know you don’t need to fight if you don’t want to. I told you I’ll keep you safe from now on.”

  Garron cleared his throat. “Well, I don’t want to be that person, but she’s far too young for anything like this. Are we just going to train every child we find?”

  “Well, see?” Elyria cut in. “Finally, someone with a little common sense around here, unlike a certain balding moron.”

  Caelan grit his teeth. “YOU WERE IN MY BATHROOM! WHY WOULD I KNOCK ON MY OWN BATHROOM BEFORE I GO IN?”

  “Because it’s courteous!” Elyria snapped. “The door was closed!”

  “Then why were you in my room?!” Caelan shot back.

  Solara pinched the bridge of her nose and walked over, lifting Mynxi out of Caelan’s arms. “You two. Sit over there and do whatever in the stars this is.”

  Both Caelan and Elyria pointed at each other. “They started it.”

  Solara turned slowly and death-glared at them. “Sit. Now.”

  They both went and sat under a tree.

  Elyria muttered quietly, “Great. She’s mad at me now for his inability to knock on a door.”

  “Button it,” Solara said flatly. “That goes for you, too, Lance Corporal.”

  The two of them sat in silence, avoiding eye contact like children convinced they were right.

  Solara turned back to Mynxi and softened. “So, Mynxi, do you want to show your auntie what you can do? It’s ok if you don’t want to. We will all understand, I promise.”

  Mynxi asked nervously, “Will it hurt?”

  Solara smiled. “Don’t you worry. Your auntie will never hurt you. I promise.”

  Mynxi held up her pinky. “Dad and Auntie Keira told me if you promise, we use our pinky to do it.”

  Solara hesitated for half a second, then glanced toward Caelan. “If you tell any of them—”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Caelan waved her off. “You’ll beat me until I cry. Don’t leave a girl hanging.”

  Solara rolled her eyes but wrapped her finger around Mynxi’s pinky.

  She set Mynxi down and knelt to her level. “So. How do you want to do this? Hands? Or do you want to try with a weapon?”

  Mynxi shyly turned and pointed at Caelan’s sword.

  Caelan put a hand over his heart. “Oh.”

  He reached for it, but Solara held up a hand to stop him. “I think it might be a little too big for you right now. But I think I might have an idea. If you trust me.”

  Mynxi nodded quickly, fidgeting with the sleeves of her Revolutionary Army jacket.

  Solara turned and shouted back toward the group. “Master Sergeant, do you still have that knife?”

  Something smacked her in the head.

  She caught a wrapped knife as it bounced off her shoulder.

  “I’m keeping you back today for that, Master Sergeant!” Solara shouted.

  “Bite me!” Keira yelled back.

  “I PROMISE YOU THAT YOU WILL BREAK LONG BEFORE ME!” Solara shot back.

  She walked back to Mynxi, muttering under her breath, then handed the knife to her.

  Mynxi lit up instantly.

  “Alright, Mynxi,” Solara said, smiling again. “You can use this for now. We’ll find you your own later when we know what we’re working with, ok?”

  “Thank you, Auntie,” Mynxi said nervously.

  “You don’t need to be nervous,” Solara replied. “We’ll do this slowly. Don’t worry. I won’t hurt you.”

  She stepped back a few feet and drew her sword.

  Mynxi slowly pulled the knife free, looking down at the ground.

  “Mynxi,” Solara said calmly, “you look me in the eyes when you fight. Alright?”

  Mynxi lifted her head and met Solara’s gaze. “Ok, Auntie Solara.”

  “When you’re—”

  “WAIT!” Caelan shouted.

  Elyria rolled her eyes. “Let them get on with it already.”

  “Shut up, old lady,” Caelan snapped, then looked to Solara. “Lieutenant, do you remember that fight me and the emerald had yesterday? Do me a favour and use that move the Emerald did before I used Death Thrust.”

  Elyria immediately grabbed a fistful of Caelan’s hair and yanked.

  Garron frowned. “What would be the point in that? We are best establishing a baseline before anything like that.”

  “Trust me,” Caelan said through clenched teeth. “I want to see something. WILL YOU STOP PULLING MY HAIR? I THOUGHT YOU WERE A PACIFIST!”

  Solara exhaled slowly. “Lance Corporal, leave his hair. And fine. If you two can be quiet while we get this done.”

  “Go on, little one!” Caelan shouted from the sidelines, giving Mynxi a thumbs-up. “You show your auntie who’s boss!”

  Mynxi tried to hide her smile but failed, giving him a tiny thumbs-up back.

  “Alright,” Solara said calmly, settling back into stance. “Let’s get started. We’ll take it easy for now, so don’t panic.”

  Solara stepped in.

  Her blade came down.

  Mynxi pivoted.

  Clean. Smooth. Like she had seen it a hundred times before.

  Strike after strike, Mynxi shifted just enough, never striking back, simply adjusting, reading, moving.

  Solara pressed harder.

  Mynxi countered.

  Flawless.

  Then—

  Mynxi feinted left.

  Exactly like Caelan had the day before.

  She slipped under Solara’s guard.

  The small knife in her hand thrust upward as she whispered, “Death Thrust.”

  Solara was sent sliding back several feet.

  The knife never even touched her.

  Solara dropped to one knee.

  She unbuttoned two clasps on her shirt.

  Bruises were already forming across her chest.

  Silence.

  Everyone stared.

  Mynxi’s hands began to shake.

  The knife fell from her fingers.

  “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please—”

  Before she could finish, Caelan was lifting her into the air.

  Caelan held her high, grinning like an idiot. “I knew it! Oh my god, you are so amazing, little one!”

  Elyria rushed to Solara and began healing her.

  “But Auntie—” Mynxi sniffed.

  Solara laughed softly. “Don’t you worry about me. Your auntie is a lot stronger than that.”

  Garron stepped forward, placing a hand gently on Mynxi’s head. “That’s what training is all about. You don’t need to cry every time we do something like this. We all know the risks.”

  Elyria muttered under her breath, “Of course. What else did I expect? Of course, she’s copying him.”

  Caelan looked down at Mynxi. “Can you do me a favour, little one? Your auntie and I need a quick talk. Can you stay with the mean old lady for me?”

  Mynxi wiped her eyes on her sleeve and nodded.

  Solara took her gently from Caelan’s arms. “See? No need to cry. All better already. You did really well. It took your dad a super long time to learn that one.”

  “Alright,” Caelan said, pointing toward a bag near the tree. “See that bag over there? I packed some juice and stuff to draw with. Can you do me a favour and draw us some cool drawings for your room later? And if you ask the grumpy lady nicely, she might let you have some snacks.”

  Elyria walked over, already unimpressed. “Come on, little one. I’ll give you all the snacks while your dad goes and is an idiot.”

  Mynxi took her hand, and they walked back toward the tree.

  Garron turned to Caelan quietly. “So what was that then? You seem to know something you’re not sharing.”

  Caelan ran a hand through his hair, still trying to process. “Something bugged me yesterday when Ravon was there. She only saw it for a split second. I swear to you, she recreated it perfectly. It doesn’t make sense. If she hasn’t trained, how the hell can she do that?”

  Solara crossed her arms, thinking. “If she can pick something like that up so quickly, we might have a problem.”

  “I agree,” Garron said. “I’ve never seen anyone do something that reckless until I met you. But for a child to pick it up… It’s a risk. What happens if she does it by mistake in training?”

  “Whoa, whoa,” Caelan said quickly. “We can’t exclude her. She’ll be crushed.”

  Solara bit her lip, then groaned in frustration. “I really, really don’t want to do this, but what if—”

  Under the tree, Mynxi sat quietly drawing.

  Elyria patted her head. “Don’t beat yourself up. Everything is ok.”

  “But I hurt Auntie. Is she mad?”

  The others walked over.

  Caelan knelt before Mynxi with a wide smile. “Alright, little one. We had a quick talk, and I was wondering—from now on, how would you like to train with your dad every day? I promise I’ll show you some really cool things.”

  “Am I in trouble, Dad?”

  “No,” Solara said gently. “You’re perfect. We want to make sure that before we try anything else, we know exactly what you’re doing. For your and everyone else’s safety. I promise, no one is mad.”

  “Solara, you can’t—” Elyria started.

  Solara cleared her throat.

  “Lieutenant,” Elyria corrected smoothly. “I have a request. I wish to join both of them. I think I can help with a few things that will help them both.”

  “Yeah? Like you can show me anything,” Caelan muttered.

  “Captain,” Garron said sternly. “Ego.”

  Elyria smiled faintly. “No, it’s fine. Thank you, Garron. I’ll make you a deal, Caelan. Beat me in an arm wrestle, and I’ll never complain again.”

  “And if you win?” Caelan asked.

  “I oversee your training with Mynxi.”

  In the background, members of the Revolutionary Army were running laps.

  A second later—

  “YOU GODDAMN MONSTER! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT—MY FUCKING ARM! OW! I DIDN’T MEAN IT, LIEUTENANT! I’M SORRY! SHE’S JUST SO FUCKING—OW!”

  Keira burst out laughing.

  The others joined her.

  —

  The next day.

  Elyria, Caelan, and Mynxi walked alone beyond the edge of Virelith.

  Elyria rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I wish you had talked to me about this first.”

  “What?” Caelan shot back loudly. “It’s what she wanted. I’m not going to be the one to tell her no.”

  Mynxi skipped behind them, holding her pair of knives, swinging them as she walked.

  —

  Back in the dungeon.

  Mynxi was surrounded.

  Elyria watched from the stairwell and thought quietly to herself.

  It took us years to fully understand she was never using one ability.

  Mimic — the ability to replicate any attack she has ever seen, if it can be adapted to the weapons in her hands.

  Counter — the ability to counter anything new that does not exist within her arsenal before ever seeing the full attack.

  Either of these alone would place her among the strongest.

  Together… there is no telling how far she will grow.

  However, the one drawback she must overcome is the physical capability and the stress it places on such a young body — even for someone of the demon race.

  Someday you will surpass every single one of us, little one.

  But today… Let us see how far it is.

  Mynxi smiled widely.

  She rolled right just as the monsters landed, slicing one of the emerald wolves’ heads clean off in a single motion.

  She giggled.

  Then she was everywhere.

  Bouncing at near sonic speed across walls, pillars, and the ceiling.

  The True Emerald, mounted on the emerald death, crashed through the stone, trying to track her.

  The second emerald wolf stayed close to her tail — always just slightly too slow.

  Mynxi launched herself off a wall. “Super duper double kick!”

  She slammed both feet into emerald death’s face.

  It roared.

  The True Emerald leapt at her with both knives.

  She was already gone.

  The True Emerald paused.

  Its blades were buried inside its own emerald wolf.

  Mynxi darted back and forth, laughter echoing through the chamber.

  The True Emerald stopped chasing her.

  It walked calmly to the centre of the room.

  Mynxi appeared directly in front of it.

  A flurry of blades.

  Mynxi deflected.

  Dodged.

  Countered.

  Every strike matched perfectly.

  The emerald did not hold back.

  It pressed.

  Locked her in.

  Behind her — the emerald death.

  Claws swung for her spine.

  Air.

  She was already gone.

  The True Emerald looked upward.

  Mynxi hung from the ceiling.

  The emerald death’s claw slipped from its body.

  Then its head followed.

  Mynxi smiled.

  Behind her tail, a small death scythe unfurled.

  The True Emerald’s scarf flared.

  Two more arms burst from its back.

  Four knives.

  Mynxi exploded downward.

  Skipping, jumping, spinning.

  Sonic boom after sonic boom tore through the chamber.

  Four blades thrust at once.

  Mynxi spun fully.

  Her tail scythe sliced through all four.

  The True Emerald regenerated them instantly.

  Mynxi flipped back across the room.

  She launched again.

  Mid?air-

  A small scream.

  She dropped one knife.

  Her hand grabbed her leg.

  As she spun past the emerald, she saw it —

  A cut had opened along her arm.

  Another along her leg.

  She landed, shaking. “Ow… ow…”

  Before she could move —

  The True Emerald was on her.

  She raised her blade and tail to block.

  Then—

  She was somewhere else.

  She blinked.

  She was sitting in Elyria’s lap in the stairwell room.

  “Little one,” Elyria said calmly, “what did I tell you? I said you ask for help.”

  Mynxi pushed herself upright, not taking her eyes off the True Emerald. She raised her knife and tail again and limped toward the entrance.

  “I’ll keep going,” she said through clenched teeth. “That’s what you and Dad showed me. I will stand like all my aunties and uncles. I won’t—”

  Elyria sighed and pulled her gently back into her lap. “That was very impressive. But I told you to ask for help. You spent too much energy jumping around again. Be a good girl and let me heal you, then you can go play again, alright?”

  Mynxi deflated.

  “But just you wait until I tell your aunties and your dad how super cool you were out there.”

  Elyria’s hands began to glow.

  Mynxi looked up brightly and flashed a peace sign. “Was I super duper?”

  “You spend far too much time with Auntie Keira…” Elyria muttered.

  The centre of the chamber began to shake violently.

  Elyria looked up.

  A crack formed in the middle of the floor.

  She grit her teeth. “I fudging swear… You better not, Caelan.”

  Mynxi watched the ground split wider and wider. “Is that—”

  “Who else would it be?” Elyria replied.