Friday, August 27, Evening

Leo Maxia

“There she is!” Xylia pointed to Kotone’s yellow-clad figure, wading through the sea of students. “Hey! Over here!”

There we were, hanging around the Spielberg Society’s film. The film had been kind of a wash, but at least it was enjoyable on a ‘so bad it’s good’ level. Oh well. They did their best. I do respect the effort, though.

It took Kotone a long time to make her way through the crowd. Shame that there’s no faster movement options when you know where you want to go. It would really speed up gameplay. Someone should complain to the devs. Finally, Kotone found her way through and got to us.

“We ran into your club just now,” Kotone said. “I think they scared Xavier.”

Yuna tends to do that to people. “Even Olive and Erin?”

“Olive, no. But Erin like, got all up in his face and everything. She even asked him to join your club.”

Erin… invited Xavier to the club? But then, that must mean--

“Hey, where’s my brother, anyways?” Xylia asked.

I looked over Kotone’s shoulder, through the crowd. Xavier was on the tall side, and I had noticed at some point that he had a weird habit of pulling up his hoodie when walking through crowds. You’d think a tall red hood would stand out in a crowd, but I didn’t see him anywhere.

“That’s weird. I could’ve sworn he was right behind me. Did he run off somewhere?”

A bead of sweat rolled down my neck. I pulled out my cell phone. “I’m going to try calling him. What’s his number?”

“I’ll do it,” Xylia said. “He doesn’t pick up unknown numbers.” She tapped a couple buttons and put in on speaker phone.

After a couple dial tones, someone answered. “This is Xavier.” I breathed a sigh of relief. “Whatever it is you’re selling, I’m not interested. Good-bye.” The line died. Never mind.

“Charming fellow,” Kotone said.

Xylia said, “He… he always picks up when I call. Here, let me try again.” Again, she called, but again, it was a critical miss.

There’s no cell reception in the Command Level. If Xavier was there, there’s no way he could pick up.

“Leo, what’s wrong? You look a little pale,” Kotone said.

I shook my head. “It’s nothing. I just… I think I know where he is.”

“Where?”

I shouldn’t tell them. They can’t know. They’re not Espers. Yuna said the appropriate term for a non-Esper was ‘NPC,’ but I hated using it. It’s so… dehumanizing.

Anyways, I can’t let them know. “Sorry,” I said. “I’ll call you when I find him. I’ll be right back.”

Before they could ask more questions, I turned and ran off.

“Holy Sword, Galatine,” I muttered, under my breath. I imagined the sword in a sheath, not drawn. The sword did not appear in my hands. I looked at my reflection in the window. Though the sword wasn’t summoned, my eyes were faintly glowing blue. My body felt light as air.

Some time ago, I’d discovered, through extensive experimentation, that it was possible to cast the buffs of the Holy Sword without actually summoning it, though it still changed my eye color. Still, it was incredibly useful if I ever needed to run faster, or to brace myself, etc.

Though the physical strain from this method was less taxing, it took even more mental effort to make sure I didn’t accidentally summon the Holy Sword. That would not go over well a hallway crowded with people.

I bolted through the halls. Having a speed buff was probably the best part about the Holy Sword. As I did, I pulled out my phone. I had Yuna on speed-dial, and the keystrokes to call her memorized.

“Yuna, it’s me,” I said.

“What’s up?”

“I think someone’s been trapped in the Command Level. I’m heading there now. Is Erin with you?”

“Mhm. I’ll have her track you down,” Yuna said.

I nodded. No witnesses around me. “Thanks. I’m heading in now. User, Leo Maxia. Enter Command Level.”

As if the floor opened up beneath me, it felt like I was falling through the earth. Through the earth and into the realm of adventure.

My feet touched down. I opened my eyes.

The Command Level is usually deathly quiet. But it wasn’t quiet. There was a clanking sound, all around me.

I turned. Enemy encounter. Two large, knights lumbered towards me. They had massive plate armor, decorated with green patterns lifted straight out of Tron: Evolution.

Commwarriors.

“OTMOP03KAM HET!”

I reached at my hip, and imagined the sheathed Holy Sword at my side. The Galatine’s speed buff was still running through me. I pulled, and summoned it, and swung in a wide arc of blue steel.

“Already active!” They paused for a moment, then lifted their weapons, massive broad-bladed executioner’s swords, and swung. I ducked under one, and sidestepped the other. Even without the Galatine, they were too heavy to match my footwork. Heh. Investing in my speed was a good pick.

But I didn’t have time for this. I needed to get rid of this Virus and move, quickly. Not only is Xavier in danger, as a normal human in the Command Level without powers, we also have to get rid of the target.

I gritted my teeth. Unlike last time, I didn’t have a clue what the Virus-possessed object was, this time around. There was no time to waste.

I took a step back. “Fallen Holy Sword Clarent!” In my hands, the Holy Sword burst into flames, searing the longsword away into a regal rapier. The Viruses were a couple paces away, now.

Power flowed through my body. I focused it around the blade; it glowed, wreathed in energy. I brought it down, in a single strike.

“Sword of Rebellion!”

I swung.

A moment later, the power faded. The hallway was in ruins. More importantly, the Viruses had been destroyed. I would feel bad about the collateral damage, but the reset would fix it anyways. I dismissed the Holy Sword and looked down at my hands. They always tingled after a huge attack like that. I couldn’t tell if it was the adrenaline or the strain from doing that.

This sort of power… I didn’t like to admit it, but it was the sort of thing I had to remind myself not to get addicted to.

Let’s keep moving, Leo.

It wasn’t long before I heard a familiar voice.

“Take that!”

I leaned out the window. From the floor above, in the Old Building, there he was. Dressed in a red jacket, the escort of this escort mission. Xavier Uzual. He ran back, and a moment later, a Virus entered my field of view.

I need to move, fast! “Two of Cups! Holy Sword Galatine!” Two balls of water appeared around me; I froze them into a platform just outside of the window, and jumped through.

From the ice platform, I vectored up the exterior of the school, half-flinging myself up and diagonally to ascend the wall. Kind of like an upwards wavedash.

“Already Active!” it shouted.

The Virus was very close to Xavier, now. Xavier himself had been backed up against the railing, the third-floor walkway between the Old Building and the main one. Nowhere left to run.

It lifted its massive broadsword.

“Xavier! Look out!” I placed a hand on the ground and propelled myself, as fast as I could. I’m not going to--

“Get out of the way!” Xavier ducked under a swing, and reached for a piece of rope lying on the ground. He yanked, leaning all the way into it, and threw himself to the side. The sword cleaved through the bars of the railing, where his torso had been seconds ago. Thank goodness they were slow! “Get out of the way! Behind you!”

From behind me, there was a loud crash. I turned, and vectored myself at the wall to avoid a speeding shopping cart. The cart slammed into the Virus. It staggered a couple steps.

For a moment, it seemed like it was going to regain balance.

“O-OTMOP03KAM--”

“Haaaaaaahh!” Xavier drew a baseball bat, and slammed it into the Virus’s side-- the final push. It toppled over, and fell off the railing. After about a second or two, there was a very loud crash.

I looked back to where the shopping cart had come from and saw a pile of toppled tables and shelves, like dominoes, having been knocked over by Xavier’s rope. They must’ve pushed the cart into motion when Xavier triggered it.

I made it back to my feet and checked over the railing. The Virus’s armor was disintegrating into nothing.

He… took out a Virus without any powers. Seriously… unbelievable!

The bat fell from Xavier’s hands and clattered to the ground. His knees buckled. I ran over to where he was.

“You’re hurt,” I said. There was a large gash on one arm. And… he was bleeding a shimmering blue liquid. “Ichor…”

Xavier didn’t respond. His eyes were blank. But nevermind that now. That Ichor wound looked really bad. “Two of Cups.”

I was probably the least competent at healing in the Hero Club, but I did my best to perform first-aid on him. I did all I could do, then dismissed the Two of Cups card.

“Are you okay?”

Xavier turned his head, very slowly. He made it to his feet, though it took him a couple seconds. I extended a hand, but he did not take it. Then, he stepped away from me, keeping his eyes trained on me.

His hand reached down and hoisted up the baseball bat. There was a noticeable dent in its side. He pointed it at me. “D-don’t come any closer.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. I’m not going to hurt you. Watch where you’re pointing that thing--”

“Don’t move!” he yelled. “Are you with them?”

“Who’s ‘them?”

“Are you?” he shouted. His hands were trembling. If I summoned the Galatine now, I could definitely disarm him. But that wasn’t heroic.

“Calm down. I’m here to save you.” I lowered my voice. “I’m with the Hero Club. That’s all.”

“Next question! What do you know about those Commwarriors?”

“Those guys… I’ve fought them before, but I don’t know much about them.”

He didn’t lower the baseball bat. “Give me a reason I should believe you.”

Because I’m a hero? Because I’m the Magus of Blue, Caladbolg Montoya? What was I supposed to answer to that? But finally, I took a deep breath. “Kotone and Xylia are worried about you.”

After a long pause, he exhaled. “Do you know what’s going on?”

I nodded. “Sort of.”

“Explain.”

The coast seemed clear. I shushed him and looked around. Yuna, Erin and Olivia would find us soon, I believed. They could sense our emotions, after all.

“Let’s take refuge in a classroom while I explain,” I said.