—Chapter 24—

—Brenner Hawke, Traitor to Humanity—

Kellan stood in the long corridor of the AVU Palace, his dread lingering.

The sounds of the stadium were muffled by the thick walls. The screens mounted to the hall walls were set to a low volume, creating an echoing effect. The cameras followed Bitso around the football field as he made declarations about the Nexus Games.

With little focus, Kellan hurried on his way, passing door after door. Each room sounded like a party was raging inside. He was desperate to find a place where he could gather his thoughts—somewhere calming and safe. Peace and quiet—for two seconds—that’s all I’m asking. It’s not much. Please, Baby Jesus.

As if the universe had a cruel sense of humor, someone shouted down the hall.

“Hey! Wait! Please!”

Kellan stopped and turned around. The lizard-girl with the copper scales ran to his side, her black hair stiff, like it had product—or it was coarse. The girl jogged to a slow and stopped next to Kellan, her amber eyes wide.

She was so thin, and only five and half feet tall. How old was she? Kellan had no idea.

The information his analysis ability provided flashed over his eyes.

Name: Levvy Torrin

Race: Rezrah

Magics: ---

Rank: ---

Armor Rating: ---

Health: 7

Stats:

Strength—2

Dexterity—2

Fortitude—2 [Scaled]

Charisma—2

Manipulation—2

Intelligence—2

Perception—3 [Keen-eyed]

Wisdom—2

Willpower—2

Abilities:

Personal—[Vampiric Fangs]—The rezrah can drain mana from a target whenever making a bite attack that deals damage.

Half-Mage Power—[Lucky]—The half-mage has fortunate events happen to them (once per fifteen minutes) in minor and major ways.

“I’m Levvy Torrin from Arkirn,” the girl said as she knelt on one knee and bowed her head. “Th-Thank you so much for helping me.”

Kellan motioned for the girl to stand. She got to her clawed feet, practically standing on her tiptoes. Her scaled tail swished from side to side as she stared up at Kellan—now silent and waiting.

“I’m Alex Kellan,” he finally said, realizing this was an introduction. “You don’t need to thank me. As a matter of fact, forget this. I… I need to go.” He turned on his heel and resumed his walk down the hall.

Levvy didn’t say anything. She followed Kellan as quiet as a shadow, sticking close—only two feet away. When Kellan glanced over his shoulder, she met his gaze with a smile.

“Merry Christmas,” she said.

He narrowed his eyes. “You celebrate Christmas?”

“W-Well, I thought it was a phrase from your country that meant you were grateful to be alive? Isn’t that what Bitso said?”

Kellan ran a hand down his face, already regretting his statement. He didn’t reply to the girl, hating the fact she was still following him. “Aren’t you a little young to be part of the Nexus Games?”

“I’m twenty years old, long considered an adult in Arkirn,” Levvy said, slight irritation in her voice. “And I didn’t want to take part in the Nexus Games… I was accidently sent here during the Conflux. I was happy living in Arkirn, learning the art of silversmithing. This world… It’s unkind.”

Twenty years old? Kellan could barely believe it. But then again, she wasn’t human. Were rezrah just smaller as a race? He had to assume that was the explanation.

“The Conflux brings random people here?” Kellan asked.

Levvy nodded once. “That’s how half the people in the games got here. They had to join, or be marked an enemy by the Arbiter, and hunted down by Pestbyters and Justices. I… I had to join.”

Before Kellan could say anything further, a door opened, almost striking him. Kellan jerked to a stop. Levvy stopped next to him, practically running into his arm.

Two individuals stepped out from the palace room, followed by a waft of smoke and the thump of heavy music. Once the door shut, the song became muffled, and the smoke died off.

Kellan recognized the two men.

Nasir Warren the Butcher. The seven-foot-tall bald biker with the lip piercing. He was distinct in a thuggish way. And he has entropy magic, Kellan recalled, still trying to gather all his chaotic thoughts.

The other man was Jace.

No title. No other information.

He had been the thug who had given Kellan his dog tags.

Jace was Kellan’s height, with pale skin and short, dark hair. He wore an honest-to-god metal pauldron on his shoulder, over his leather jacket. And Kellan would’ve said he was “normal” except for Jace’s machine-eye. The center of the eye glowed with a blue LED, like it was some sort of camera.

“Kellan,” Jace called out, half-smiling. He stepped closer, smelling of smoke. “I saw the whole trial on the viewscreens. The Arbiter’s judgments have never been that dramatic before.”

Nasir snorted. “What’s wrong with you, Jace? We shouldn’t be associating with sad sack.” Then Nasir laughed and shot Kellan a glare. “Right? That’s your new name now? I bet ya ten arcana that Bitso makes it your title once the games start.”

Kellan gritted his teeth. While he didn’t know what was going on half the time, he really didn’t want Alex Kellan the Sad Sack as his title.

“You cur,” Levvy said, a hiss on her voice as she stepped around Kellan. Her copper scales were flaring as she moved closer to the two men. “Alex Kellan is a noble knight. He deserves your respect.”

“What’s that, girlie?” Nasir asked, straightening to his full and impressive height. He was practically two feet taller than the girl. “I saw your pathetic fight on the viewscreen. You’re weak. Just a half-mage. Watch your mouth before it gets you killed early.”

Kellan placed a hand on Levvy’s shoulder before she mouthed off again. She glanced up at him, her eyebrows knitted. When he pulled her back, she allowed him to step forward.

Kellan was prepared to just walk by, but Jace stepped in his path, his machine-eye focused on him. “Wait. I wanted to speak to you. About the games. About… if we met out on the field.”

Nasir scoffed and then rolled his eyes. “Jace, you’re making a mistake.” He held up his left hand. The number 77 was inked just below his knuckles. “We’re going to win. We got the lucky number.”

“Lucky number?” Kellan asked, on the verge of laughing. “Are you serious?”

“Deadly. The last person who won had the number 77.” Nasir shoved his hands into his jean’s pockets. “And the last winner before that was on team 37, so I submit to you that the 7 is the luckiest part.”

Jace rubbed at his own hand. He, too, had a black 77 marked on his body.

Although Kellan didn’t really want to make plans with random competitor teams, he was curious about Jace. He had given Kellan his own dog tags… and he did look familiar.

“Are you me?” Kellan asked, finding it an awkward question. “As in, are you Alex Kellan the Defector? Me from another dimension?”

“No.” Jace rubbed at the back of his neck, turning his intense eyes onto the floor instead. “Look, you’ll recognize yourself the moment you meet him. You two share the same… appearance.”

“But not the personality,” Nasir said with a huff. “The other one is way more intimidating.”

“I’m not here to talk about the other you.” Jace took a deep breath. “Look—”

A chill rushed down the corridor. Nasir and Jace both grew still and silent. They turned their attention to the end of the hall—opposite the doors to the field. For a long moment, they just stared.

“He’s coming this way. Shit…” Nasir opened the door to a random room and slipped into the smoke and music, not a single word about his disappearance.

When Kellan turned to ask Jace, he caught his breath.

Jace had vanished.

No sound. No indication he had left. Just… poof. Gone.

“You should be careful,” Jace’s disembodied voice said. “I think he’s coming to see you specifically.”

Kellan couldn’t see Jace—was he invisible?—and Kellan whirled around, his gaze searching. Who’re they afraid of?

And then, when Kellan turned around to speak to Levvy, he noticed she had left as well, the sounds of a door clicking shut the only evidence she had fled. What’s going on? Kellan took a step backward, wondering if he should leave the corridor as well.

It can’t be worse than the Arbiter, he reasoned. And this place is an Oasis… No one can do any violent actions here. Why would the others be spooked?

Someone rounded the corner at the far end of the hall.

It was a man.

Just an ordinary man.

Well, perhaps not ordinary. He wore cargo pants, military boots, and a tight tank top, his muscles on full display. When the man strode forward, it was with the swagger of someone so confident in their abilities. He moved with the confidence of a fighter, and the casual speed of someone who just didn’t give a damn.

Kellan waited, tense and uneasy. No matter how much he just wanted to rest, the Nexus wasn’t about to let him.

The other man… When he drew close, the chill intensified. It matched the man’s cold exterior. He had sandy blond hair, swept back, with dark eyes that could disturb the dead.

The stranger smiled, but he had all the welcoming warmth of a morgue.

Kellan’s eyes flashed with the analytical information he had become accustomed to.

Name: Brenner Hawke, Trailor to Humanity

Race: Human

Magics: Body, Metal, Entropy, Travel, Meta

Rank: A, S, S, A, D

Armor Rating: 15 + 10 Shielding [Metallic]

Health: 55 [Cyborg-Enhanced]

Stats:

Strength—20 [Cyborg-Enhanced, Iron Grip]

Dexterity—18 [Cyborg-Enhanced, Pin-Point Accuracy]

Fortitude—20 [Cyborg-Enhanced, Tireless]

Charisma—5 [Controlling]

Manipulation—11 [Dark, Occult]

Intelligence—8

Perception—14 [Cyborg-Enhanced, Keen-Sighted]

Wisdom—6

Willpower—11 [Ambitious]

Abilities:

Personal—[Overconfident]—The mage can never hide their basic information, but if they are ever in combat with an enemy mage who does, the mage’s physical stats (strength, dexterity, fortitude) are doubled.

Hex—[Wielder of Arondight]—The mage is capable of wielding the legendary laser sword, Arondight. As punishment, the mage must kill one of a sentient races every seven days (the counter starting after each death), or the wielder dies.

Hex—[Apex Growth]—The mage gains double the arcana from all his kills. As punishment, the mage suffers from mana burn (mana use burns them, dealing damage equal to mana spent).

Hex—[Exarch’s Power]—The mage gains an immunity to a magical energy type (fire, ice, lightning, laser, phantasmal, entropy, or phase) and becomes immune to all mana burn effects. As punishment, the mage’s permanent mana pool is cut in half every time they rank to S in a magic. If the mage ever drops below 20 permanent mana, they die.

Hex—[Connected to the Sea of Chaos]—The mage’s mana pool is doubled, and they gain access to the unknowable magics, capable of ranking like them as any other. As punishment, the mage’s soul cracks each time they use a C rank or higher power (and after an unspecified number of cracks, the mage’s soul shatters, killing them).

Kellan could barely get through all the information. How many hexes does this guy have?

But he knew the name. Brenner Hawke. The one Bitso seemed excited for.

“Here you are,” Brenner drawled, no hurry in his voice. He slipped his hands into his pockets. “I’m glad I managed to find you before anything happened.”

Kellan glanced over his shoulder, surprised by the desert around him. Not a single soul was around—except for maybe Jace, who was invisible—but otherwise they were alone. When he turned back to Brenner, the man was giving him the once over.

“You have a lot of hexes,” Kellan said. “Is that why you’re in the games?”

“I’m in the games to get to Zenith. The hexes are just to acquire the power necessary to guarantee my victory.”

“Acquire the power?”

“That’s right. That’s why people agree to hexes in the first place. For the power—some sort of magical item, ability, or great boon the hex offers.”

Kellan slowly nodded, absorbing the information. Husker’s hex allowed him to kill people. What did Xiang’s hex do? And Brenner’s… Brenner had so many, he might as well be drowning in them.

“I saw your trial on the viewscreen.” Brenner smirked. “And how you fought that rennic in the alleyway, defending the two inbred kids.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“It was pathetic. You almost lost to a C rank chump. That’s not like the Alex Kellan I know, which means… You have no idea what’s going on here, do you?”

Kellan crossed his arms, unsure of how to respond.

“It’s okay,” Brenner said with a lazy chuckle. “If anything, this is my fault. Xiang summoned you here because she can’t stand losing to me.”

“What do you mean?”

Brenner held out a hand, like he wanted to shake Kellan’s. “I’m Admiral Brenner Hawke, with the United-Earth Defense Force.” When Kellan didn’t take it, Brenner returned his hand to his pocket, no hint of irritation or offence. “Listen, Xiang and I have a long history, and I apologize that you got caught up in all this.”

“Oh?”

“Let me make it up to you. You haven’t registered for a team, correct?”

Kellan lifted an eyebrow. “Not yet.”

“Then join mine.”

He caught his breath, stunned by the offer. “Are you serious?”

“We already have five members—” Brenner shrugged, “—but I’ll make an exception for you. The other Alex Kellan is a good friend of mine, after all.”

Kellan mulled over the statement. He glanced at Brenner’s hand. Sure enough, he had a black 42. He was on the same team as Kellan doppelganger.

“You… want me on your team?” Kellan asked. “You just said my fighting was pathetic.”

“You’re rather weak. But you don’t have to worry about that. Haven’t you seen the numbers? I’m favored to win the games.”

Brenner waited, like he wanted some sort of reaction—or perhaps a congratulations. Kellan didn’t offer either. He just wanted the man to get to the point.

With a sigh, Brenner continued, “Listen, if you do what I say, and keep your head low, you might just live long enough to win the Nexus Games with me.”

“Lucky me.”

Brenner smiled, though it wasn’t anything genuine. “It’s better than joining Xiang’s team. She’s a snake—a manipulator. I guarantee she won’t even make it to the third round. You have a much better chance with me.”

Kellan rubbed at his arms, the chill in the hallway worse than before.

“Let me get this straight,” Kellan said. “You and Xiang had a falling out?”

“That’s right. She thought she could win the games without me, and now I want to make sure she regrets every decision that brought her here.” Brenner motioned to Kellan. “And if I convince her old flame to join my team over hers—for a second time—it’ll be an amusing blow to morale.” When he smiled, it was more wicked than Kellan had seen before.

“So, you want to recruit me to get back at Xiang?” Kellan huffed and forced a laugh. “That’s embarrassingly petty.”

Brenner’s smile didn’t wane. “Petty? No. It’s thorough.”

The venom in his voice seemingly came from nowhere.

Kellan tensed, like the conversation could become a fight.

“I can’t just beat her at the games,” Brenner said, his volume increasing a bit with each word. “Xiang and I had deal—and she broke it. So now… I need to break her. Mentally. Emotionally. Physically.” Brenner forced himself to lower his voice, his body tense and controlled, right down to how precise he blinked. “I’ll thoroughly make sure she regrets crossing me, and if you join my team, it will be yet another blow to her ego. She’d only have four members of her team, and she’ll be forced to recruit some bum from the streets.”

Kellan kept his arms crossed, his fingers digging into his arms.

Despite the fact Kellan wasn’t answering, Brenner continued, “And I already told you—if you join me, you’ll likely win the games. There’s no downside.”

Kellan smirked. “Look, I’ve known you for a grand total of ten seconds, and already I would prefer the company of a murderous clown. There’s so many red flags coming off you, I can barely see.”

Brenner didn’t react. He didn’t say anything—his facial expression didn’t change. But when he spoke, it was slower and vicious. “Is that right?”

“I don’t know Xiang very well, but what I know of you, I’m not interested.”

There was a prolonged moment of silence.

Then Brenner said, “I’ll give you one more chance. And think about it, Alex Kellan. I know you. You’re a solider. A man who wants to do a job—and he wants to do it right. Xiang is going to use you. You might not know for what, but I promise you, she’s not being truthful.”

Before Kellan could answer, Brenner held out his hand a second time.

“Join me, Kellan. I’ll introduce you to your counterpart, and we’ll discuss our path to victory. I promise you won’t regret it.”