“Are you kidding?! We’re going to the university on a hunch because you felt a bit chilly?! Has it occurred to you that instead of being a Jotunheim boundary it’s just the A/C acting up?!”

Oscar continued to rag on in his dissatisfaction with Noelle’s deduction. She couldn’t blame him, it was a thin justification; but at the same time they had nothing else to go on so overall she found his complaining to be a waste of energy.

Energy that they all desperately needed.

Noelle’s heart rate kicked up a notch again, complaining about the load she was putting on her body. They had been running at a fast clip for a few minutes now, trying to make it from the house to Cornell as quickly as they could. They had debated taking the car but that would involve either bringing Brue along for the ride or stealing it, which he would’ve inevitably called in and had the police crawling all over them. Oscar deemed it best to forgo the car to keep civilian involvement with magic users to a minimum.

Oscar’s complaining wasn’t stopping. No normal person would be able to carry on like that while running at this pace. Levi had told Noelle that magic users could move their energy internally for physical enhancements as Oscar was clearly doing.

The same went for Lorelei. She was unsteady on her feet and still under the influence of the sedative yet was keeping pace just fine. Her leg turnover was weak but each one of her strides saw her gliding meters at a time over the road. Noelle and Oscar had tried a few more times to get her to stay back but all she had replied with was “Fuck off!”

Oscar switched subjects to complaining about Lorelei floating too much while running. He was worried that any extra magic use could leak out of her filter if she wasn’t careful.

“Enough with the complaints,” said Noelle. “No wonder you’re still a virgin.”

“N-no I’m not!” screamed back Oscar.

“Exactly what one would say. You’re not fooling anybody.”

Oscar readied a retort but swallowed it. There was no time for repartee now. They had arrived.

A stillness spread across the Cornell campus. It was after hours so the lack of people was to be expected, but there was a subconscious buzz surrounding the area. Even without most of the students there should still be some researchers staying late, janitors cleaning, birds in the trees, but it was empty. The parking lot was bare and there were no shadows to be seen in the lights coming from the interiors of the buildings.

“Aw shit,” said Oscar. “This isn’t natural at all.”

“Why are we standing around? We need to find Beth.” Lorelei pushed past Noelle and Oscar. “I’m splitting up from you guys. It’ll be faster that way.”

“No you’re not!” objected Noelle. “You’re still out of it. I’m not leaving you by yourself.”

“Have you forgotten I’m in charge of you? You’re not getting out of my sight,” said Oscar.

“Am I the only one who actually cares about finding her!?” yelled Lorelei.

“Okay...you go with Oscar. I’ll look separately from you guys,” said Noelle. Lorelei’s words had stung. She would let the girl go.

Oscar crossed his arms. “You can’t fight against those guys. Even though you have a gun on you it won’t do you any good. These are experienced magical killers. A small town cop isn’t going to outmaneuver them.”

“Chalk me up as a casualty then. I’m going in.”

“Hey!” Oscar cried behind her as she charged off towards the science building.

Noelle decided to overshoot the science building and go into the engineering hall a little bit past it. Oscar and Lorelei weren’t so far away as to not see her so they could enter the main physics area and explore that instead.

The interior of Noelle’s destination was still. There were no students or outside noises to be heard. The only sounds were the buzz of the lights, the low hum of the climate control, and Noelle’s own footsteps.

She began to sweep the building, inspecting each room in a floor before moving to the next upper level. She tried to stay calm but stray thoughts of Beth kept on pushing their way through. Her walk turned to a power walk, before breaking out into a dash between rooms. The clattering of her shoes against the tile echoed throughout the building, always following close behind her.

Noelle reached a lounge area for study on the third level. It was fairly innocuous: a few couches, a few tables, some large windows to let light in. Probably a decent spot for cramming before an exam during normal hours.

And there was the final detail: a person sitting on one of the couches.

He turned his head towards Noelle as she entered and stood to an imposing height.

It was Adrian. Here to follow through on taking her out after sparing her before.

“I see you’re still chomping at the bit, police dog,” he growled. A raven perched on his shoulder and leered at her, it’s beady eyes betraying none of its master’s intentions. “You know what comes next, right?”

Noelle slid her hand to a hip and gripped her pistol. She had never shot someone and didn’t think she could draw fast enough, but right now it was the only comfort she had.

What would come first? Did he have a gun? A knife? Would he be on top of her in a flash with a magically enhanced leap? Would the raven go for her? Was Caleb lurking somewhere nearby? The possibilities were limitless but the result for her would be the same.

This was probably it for her. 23 years of life would end with a swift death.

“Where’s the kid?” asked Noelle, careful to swallow any wavering in her voice that may betray her.

“Basement level, Physical Sciences Building,” he replied.

“You’re very accommodating. My looks take you in?” she chided.

“It’s not like you can stop us. Even if I let you leave here, which I’m not by the way, it’s already too late for you.”

Noelle drew her gun fully now, pointing it at Adrian’s body.

“Go ahead, it’s your funeral,” he said, an unimpressed look in his eye.

Adrian took a step closer, Noelle readjusted her aim to stay on his torso for the best shot possible.

“That man you were with before, my partner recognized him.” said Adrian.

“So what?”

“I thought he was just being paranoid, but I indulged and decided to look into him,” said Adrian, still nonchalant. “Do you know who ‘The Survivor’ is, by any chance?”

“What’s with the trivia question?”

“Thought not,” said Adrian. “He was a knight, ex-knight now. A real piece of work always doing the Congregation’s dirty work. I know you have no reference to understand it, but his resume is something else. I can’t even begin to tell you how many suicide missions he pulled off.”

“Get to the point!”

“He left the Congregation a few years back, nobody knows why here on the outside. The Congregation likes to keep the cards close to its chest, you see. But...every so often you hear about him. Stories on how he traveled somewhere and got wrapped up in something. Even just a few months back there was such a story. If I ever met him I’d love to pick his brain and test my skills against him.”

Adrian spread his arms. “Guess his name,” he demanded.

“No clue.”

“I’ll spoil it for you then,” he chuckled, “it’s Levi Wright.”

“L-Levi?” gasped Noelle. “It can’t be.”

“Great. I have a fan now,” said a familiar voice from behind.

Adrian forgotten, Noelle turned to face the voice. It was an objectively bad move as it exposed her back to the mercenary, but she didn’t care. She was simultaneously relieved and confused about the new arrival, who stood just outside the lounge. He had messy brown hair and green eyes. He had no weapons sans a stratus which she knew for a fact wasn’t working right.

“Levi, you’re...you got my message,” she corrected herself.

“Of course. A shopkeep like myself is always careful to check the business line,” he replied. “Why are you here? It’s for the best if you stayed away from stuff like this.”

“Beth’s in the basement of the science building,” she said. There was no time for a debate, they had to keep moving.

“I’ll be sure to head there next then,” said Levi.

“Forgetting someone?” Adrian threatened. “Neither of you are going anywhere. You both die here.

Levi sighed as he scratched his head. “Please don’t make me do this. I’m under equipped and rusty. I’d rather resolve this peacefully.”

“Too bad.”

“Noelle,” started Levi, “when the two of us move, run away.”

“What?!”

“Now!” he yelled.

Levi shot forward like a bullet, his magically enhanced legs giving him an extreme increase in power. His body swung as he got even with Noelle, spinning around to chamber a devastating spinning side kick.

Adrian responded in kind with a leaping forward kick. Noelle barely had time to back away as the two men collided.

Their feet hit each other’s chest with a resounding boom. Had a normal person been hit with such a kick no doubt their entire chest cavity would have collapsed inward. Levi and Adrian were both spared this by accumulating magical power in their torsos, and were instead blown to opposite sides of the room.

“Go!” Levi grunted, rolling on the floor.

Noelle gave him one last look before turning and fleeing towards the Physical Sciences Building. She couldn’t help with this fight, but at the very least she could find Beth while Levi kept Adrian busy.

“You’d better win!” she yelled out as she retreated from what would become a deadly arena.

Levi struggled back to his feet. Adrian had been quicker to react than he had expected. While he knew the larger man was an experienced mercenary, he was far above average for his trade.

“Pretty good kick,” groaned Adrian as he got back up. “A Taekwondo move, are you knights always so flashy?”

“I’m retired. Trying out some new things right now.”

Levi welcomed the exchange. It gave him time and Noelle a chance to get further away from Adrian.

“I’ll make you regret not keeping up on the combat side of things!” yelled Adrian as he leapt forwards for the next exchange.

Adrian’s move was a superman punch-a jumping cross. Levi barely sidestepped it and redirected Adrian’s momentum with his own hands as he moved in behind the mercenary. Levi went to grab Adrian’s collar, but the larger man had already recovered and swatted Levi’s hand away.

Surprised, Levi went for a straight, but Adrian had read him and worked his hands inside Levi’s defense. Adrian took hold and executed a shoulder throw, sending Levi through one of the lounge tables. Treated wood splintered everywhere as Adrian reaffirmed his grip and threw Levi to the side this time. Levi managed to break the grip a bit early and slammed into one of the windows with reduced speed, cracking it instead of outright shattering it.

Levi coughed, the wind was knocked out of him. He could only pray Adrian would give him time to recover.

“Hmm...I’d give that 45 points, friend,” said Adrian. “Too slow and simple. Don’t you know how to fight close quarters? That kick of yours was good but your offense crumples when you don’t have the room to pull it off. Striking is a farce in my world, the real world.”

“You’re right,” groaned Levi, “I’ll switch gears.”

Levi shuffled quickly to Adrian’s front, throwing basic jabs as he moved closer. Adrian ducked them all and countered the last one with a straight as Levi was pulling his jab back.

“Gotcha,” said Levi as he ducked behind Adrian’s straight, putting his opponent in a headlock.

Adrian moved his arms for a counter throw, but Levi has seen this coming. The throw’s preparation left Adrian’s body open and Levi released the headlock in favor of driving a hook into Adrian’s ribs.

Adrian snarled and spun around to face Levi. Levi threw a jab and this time it connected. Adrian brought his arm’s up to block the follow-up straight but Levi shot his elbow upwards instead, driving it into Adrian’s jaw. Adrian stepped back and Levi took the spacing as a chance to launch a spinning wheel kick, but Adrian jumped back even further and the kick whiffed.

Adrian collapsed backwards into one of the lounge couches. He held his mouth in his hands, blood visibly leaking through the fingers.

“Your CQC is linear,” said Levi. “If I had to guess, you’ve spent too much time in the Middle-East, fighting non-magical forces where you can overpower them with anything.”

“And you don’t?” growled Adrian, hostility mounting.

“I’ve fought things you couldn’t even fathom. You punch down, but I’ve spent my whole life punching up. Surrender now before I finish this.”

“Fuck you” was Adrian’s reply. His psychopomp raven flew about and a spectral vulture manifested itself.

Adrian threw another straight as the vulture cried. Levi could tell from the timing there wasn’t much magic behind the punch, it would be easy to block and counter. He readied his guard and allowed the punch to drive into his forearms.

Suddenly, an incredible force assailed Levi and he was blown backwards into the wall. As Levi collapsed to the ground he noticed where he had blocked felt completely numb, with a dull pain building behind the numbness.The power of the punch had been unreal.

“It’s futile.” Adrian smiled as he stood over Levi. “You’re experienced so I trust you understand the implication of what just happened?”

Adrian had demonstrated that he could boost the power of his hits to ridiculous levels. This had happened when the two had fought before, when Adrian had practically stomped a crater into the street. It was obviously a spell of some sort but Levi didn’t understand the mechanism yet. What it meant for the fight was that Adrian could amplify his strikes seemingly by his own choosing, Levi couldn’t block anymore lest the next hit also have a crazy amount of power behind it.

The ball was in Adrian’s court until Levi could come up with a workaround. A psychopomp raven acting as a summoning medium for a vulture, what the hell was Adrian up to?

“Just stand still and let me cave your skull in, you can’t win this one,” said Adrian as he approached for a strike.

Levi responded with a sweep. It didn’t connect but it got Adrian to back off, giving Levi time to scramble to his feet.

“I can’t not win,” said Levi, “you got that?”

“Are you stupid or something?”

“Listen, I try everything at least once. This time I need to try winning a fight on Cornell’s campus. I didn’t come here for the opposite.”

“Keep on babbling, it won’t help you,” taunted Adrian as his vulture cried in turn. Adrian kicked a piece of splintered wood from the table at Levi. Instead of traveling with the kick, it took off like it was an arrow fired from a bow. Levi barely ducked it before the splinter went over him and pierced through the wall.

Another unnaturally strong attack. Levi didn’t have time to ponder it due to Adrian making a rapid approach.

The two exchanged a series of blows. All of Levi’s were blocked while all of Adrian’s were dodged. The flow was broken when Levi was caught against the wall and forced to block a jab from Adrian. Adrian followed up with a stronger punch and Levi leapt to the side and rolled away as Adrian drove his fist through the dividing wall. A split second later the entire wall exploded, exposing the next room over.

Levi surveyed the destruction as the vulture cackled at him from the side. Annoyed, Levi activated his stratus. While it wasn’t in perfect working order he had still repaired it enough for some basic fire spells. The flames washed over the vulture and engulfed the portion of the room it was in.

“It’s spectral, genius,” taunted Adrian. “You won’t kill it with that.”

Levi responded with a tackle. Not expecting the sudden aggression, Adrian was blown back against one of the stone supports between two of the large windows.

Levi released the tackle and backed up to throw a quick left straight. Adrian made a half-hearted effort at blocking, instead barely brushing his arm against Levi’s.

Despite this, Adrian had a smirk on his face.

It was obvious what this meant. The unnatural power would kick in on the block shortly after and snap Levi’s wrist like a twig. Adrian had won.

Or at least, that’s what he thought. Levi’s fist plowed into Adrian’s face instead, breaking his nose and sending blood spurting everywhere.

“W-what?” asked Adrian, dazed. He hadn’t been expecting to take the hit and hadn’t accumulated enough magical energy in his head to reduce the power of Levi’s attack.

“You’re an amateur summoner,” said Levi. “You’re using the raven psychopomp to bring in the vulture. It’s clear you aren't familiar with the ins and outs of your spell. If you had tried a direct summon you could’ve tricked the vulture out a bit more, covered your weaknesses instead of rushing in with them so out in the open.”

“I don’t understand…” moaned Adrian.

Levi gestured towards the fire the vulture was still inside of. “No oxygen, your bird’s been silenced genius.”

Adrian could only watch, still too dazed from the punch to do anything as Levi began gathering flames around his fist for a charged punch using the power of the flame stratus.

“The spell you use for the vulture, it’s based on the ancient Greek story of Tityos,” said Levi coldly as he stared into Adrian’s eyes. “Tityos was trapped in Tartarus where vultures feasted on his liver, which grew back every night. The spell’s based on the cyclical nature of that punishment. Whenever the vulture cries any attack close to it has its impact compounded, as if multiple cycles of it are being stacked on top of one another.”

Levi cocked his fist back, the flaming punch ready to launch. “So I kept your vulture from crying out. Easy answer, huh?”

The flaming fist drove into Adrian’s stomach. He could feel the stone crack behind him as fire and heat exploded outwards from Levi’s fist. The curtains, the splinters, the fibers of the couch were all consumed by the flame.

But Adrian held fast. He had recovered enough and poured every last ounce of magic he had to spare into his stomach. His flesh wanted to crumble and was being burnt terribly, but he refused to give in. He unleashed a guttural and primal howl as he resisted the power of Levi’s punch.

When the flames cleared, Adrian still stood. Levi had been unable to finish him off.

“So much...for that trump card,” said Adrian.

“You’re the one who played the trump card, not me.”

Levi snapped his fingers and the flames dissipated instantly. Released from the oxygen trap the vulture instinctively drew a breath, unleashing a rasping groan.

The force of Levi’s punch compounded on itself again and again. The entire wall including the stone support and the windows was blown away as the attack worked itself over and over again on Adrian’s body. As he flew backwards out of the third story window Adrian got one last look at Levi and the summons as they disappeared.

After that, there was nothing but black on Adrian’s end as he plunged to the ground below.

Levi surveyed the damage he had wrought. Lucky for him the summon was a double-edged sword. Adrian’s detachment from the vulture meant he had never reworked the spell to not work for either party.

Peering through the veil of night he spotted Adrian in the parking lot, unmoving. Whether he was breathing or not Levi couldn’t tell.

“Speaking of the Greeks, this whole thing brings Sisyphus to mind,” said Levi to no person in particular. “Much like you said about this fight, people would consider him rolling the boulder up the hill futile.Yet...someone once pointed out there was meaning in his struggle. Futility...I’m not sure it exists in our world.”

Then Levi ran off towards the science building and to his next battle. The Survivor had lived once again.