Hayami had led the group further North, it was snowing now. It was getting deeper the further North they went. Of course, it would be winter as they got here. Hayami loved the winter, but it made it easier for slavers and elves to find them. Monster attacks were becoming more frequent. Apparently, the elves had brought a monkey species here over the last several years and that species had made the forest this far North their home.
These creatures were smart, too smart Hayami thought. They could use basic tools and knew how to make stone spears. With their four arms and two prehensile tails they were never without one. With no small amount of resistance from Rothar and the other fighters in their group, they had started to incur losses. Not many, but the fighters were tired, and the non-combatants were many. They had even left the carts of supplies behind in one night raid. Hayami had discussed going out to the main road with the group for safety, but they decided the monkey creatures were the lesser of the evils. On the road the elves and slavers would have complete access to them.
Just as Hayami was lost in thought Rothar roared, “incoming monkeys.”
***
Ashera was talking over with her companions about some of the experiments and research notes M.O.T.H.E.R. had given her to explain to them. A lot of the material related to an experiment from the 1960’s a time so long in the past that Ashera’s companions almost couldn’t fully understand why M.O.T.H.E.R. used such an old research paper as a starting point. It was called Population Density and Social Pathology, it referred to the collapse of a social structure when everything was idyllic. The notes also showed how the use of the hive mind linking was designed to compensate for the deviant behavior seen in the experiment. Suntiana and a few of the healers were excited to see all the research and to understand something so foreran. Most of the group though couldn’t have cared less.
Seslyn was over with her mother who was getting the injection from cold storage. Seslyn jumped up into the chair she had sat in so many times while in her home. Each time to get an injection, have a brief conversation about things she did not understand, and then, to her great disappointment, being dismissed back out to her brothers and sisters. She wondered if her mother or M.O.T.H.E.R. was working with her right now. Was there even a difference she wondered quietly.
“I will still be me when this is done, yes?” Seslyn said quietly to her mother.
“Yes and no. You will have all your memories and experiences along with all of mine. The hope is that you remain you with more knowledge. However, there is a chance you might lose some part of yourself. I cannot say for sure my child. I can only hope your mind holds on to all that makes you precious,” her mother answered honestly.
Seslyn was nervous, but at least her mother was honest with her. She would do everything she could to remain herself. No matter what.
“Arm Seslyn,” her mother asked.
Seslyn, like she had so many times before presented her arm. Waiting for the pinch and the headache that followed. The pinch came. This time the headache didn’t instead it was an overwhelming flood of pain causing her to cry out and double over. Her head swam as memories, that were not her own came flooding in. Memories of working with Ashera and other scientists. Memories of fighting the elves on the front lines with magic she had no idea how to cast. Memories of a family left behind when becoming M.O.T.H.E.R. Memories of being alone for so long. Of wanting a family, of wanting to not be alone. Was this what her mother had meant that she would understand. She couldn’t think about that though, more memories flooded her mind. She felt a distant presence, Hannah trying to enter her mind.
Hannah didn’t speak, instead she flooded Seslyn with more information. Information from the elven network. Information on the virus, on their plans for the other species and most importantly on the timeline they had until it was fully complete. Each time more information entered Seslyns mind Hannah moved closer to the front of her mind, merging with her personality. Seslyn thought she was trying to take over her mind. Seslyn refused to give up her mind to this fragment, this remnant of her mother. Seslyn was her own person. Not somebody to be used as another pleased. She fought against the new personality being written into her mind. She struggled desperately to cling to her own memories and experiences. Pushing Hannah’s memories to the side while still trying to absorb the information.
Seslyn wasn’t sure how long it had been with her on the floor surrounded by her friends. Judging by the looks she was getting it had been some time. She was looking down at the ground, there was blood. Seslyn could vaguely hear Ashera calling to her. She couldn’t make it out the torrent of information still whirling around her head. She raised a hand to her face feeling something wet on her cheeks and on her snout. She thought it must be blood. The mental Strain literally causing a physical reaction. Had she known what that meant before the injection, she wondered. Everything seemed to make so much more sense now.
Ashera and her strange magic seemed so much closer now. Suntiana and the beastites, their transformation from druids to what they are now. She understood exactly what had happened. Was she still Seslyn, was she Hannah now, or was she a merging of the two. This was the question most weighing on her mind.
“I feel like I’ve been hit by a transport truck,” Seslyn said. “How long was I on the floor for?”
Ashera looked at Seslyn with a cautious expression, “Seslyn, is that you?”
“Yes, I think so,” Seslyn said quizzically, “though with my use of that old human phrase I think I understand your concern. I have all Hannahs memories and some information from the elven network in my mind. Yes, I am still me, yet not entirely the same. If that makes sense.”
Ashera looked to M.O.T.H.E.R. and said, “you didn’t overwrite her mind, did you? I swear if you took her from us…”
She was cut off by M.O.T.H.E.R., “I did not, my memories simply influenced her. She is still Seslyn just smarter. Much smarter she essentially absorbed 3000 years of information. Of course she will be a little different now. She is still Seslyn, my daughter.”
“She’s right. I feel Hannah’s and some of M.O.T.H.E.R.s memories but nothing that would change my personality, at least not too much,” Seslyn said, slowly trying to get to her feet. “Now my mother has greatly understated the situation we are in. The elves are planning to release the virus within the week. We need to stop this from happening. Not just to save the bestites of the city, but also to save my family.”
Seslyn explained that the new version of the virus was enhanced to take out everything except the high elves. They weren’t planning to use it on all the world this time. Only on cities where the beastites were rebelling or practicing their pagan magic. It would be the ultimate control. Samples were meant to be sent to other cities if it was successful here. The virus had been changed, to be transmitted via air, touch and saliva. The last was important as once the host was dead, within two to three hours the body would reanimate until the virus had burned the body out. Another two to three hours, but in that time the virus could be transmitted to any living thing. Not just beastites, but elves, animals and other species like orcs and goblins. It would, if unleashed, effectively end all life on the planet. If M.O.T.H.E.R.s calculations were correct. Within two days once it starts spreading to other animals and other species the whole world will be infected.
“Shit,” Ashera and the others said.
“What the fuck have the elves done,” Ashera wondered aloud.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Seslyn pulled up the keyboard on the terminal in the room and started to pull up documents and schematics on the computer with ease. She overlayed the schematics of the elven city above over the ratfolk city they were in and immediately Ashera notices they were mirror images of each other. She pulled up the room directly above M.O.T.H.E.R.s chamber, it was the laboratory where the virus was made and housed.
Ashera looked around, noticing there were no stairs leading to the tunnels above.
“That is correct, there are no stairs in this chamber going up. It wouldn’t be prudent to have the enemy get in here,” Seslyn said as if reading her mind.
Seslyn pulled up more documents outlining how to infiltrate the headquarters and then the lab. With the addition of Ashera, they noticed the success rate went up from zero-point zero one percent to a whole percent. It appeared that M.O.T.H.E.R. had now accounted for the fact that using her magic Ashera could disguise herself as an elf and bring the team with her into the lab. She outlined how Ashera should use the others as potential test subjects for the virus as a ruse to get into the lab. Then they would have to take over the lab, wipe the servers, destroy the virus and take out all the elven scientists.
“Oh, so nothing tricky then,” Artemis grumbled. “I love being used as bait.”
Suntiana let out a shush sound at him and grabbed his arm. “Everything will be fine. We’ve made it this far.”
Everyone else chuckled at this exchange. It was good to see some levity among this stressful situation. Ashera thought about away to improve their chances of success. Bringing in a few of her companions would be best. If she brought the whole group, it ran the risk of failing miserably as they would likely get separated. She couldn’t bring Seslyn for obvious reasons. With her new memories maybe, she could put Seslyn and Seises in charge of the remaining troops and have them assist the ratfolk if things went belly up. The main problem was M.O.T.H.E.R. had no information on what was inside the lab. It could be a simple layout, or it could be a huge maze and become a massive problem. They also needed to consider where the test subjects would be held and would they be guarded. How would they get out if they were. So many variables left to chance, Ashera wasn’t happy with how this was stacking up against them.
“Seslyn, would you be comfortable working with Seises and the other members while I took Suntiana and Artemis up to the surface?” Ashera asked, confident in Seslyn’s answer.
“No problem, we will stay back and stay out of the way if things go tits up. If we go up there and things have gone wrong, we’ll just become more fuel for the virus,” Seslyn said with Hannah's cool matter-of-fact tone to her voice.
Ashera turned to Artemis and Suntiana, “I won’t make either of you come with me. You’re just the most likely to infiltrate the compound with me and not get caught up once shit hits the fan.”
“I want to come too,” Praxis’s voice came from the group. “These are my friends and family being used as test subjects. More importantly I would like to save however many we can…”
Praxis was cut off by M.O.T.H.E.R. “No none that are in that facility before you are to be rescued. If they are infected, then we are out of options as the elves’ goal will still be achieved.”
“What?” Praxis yelled. “I’m, we are supposed to leave them to die?”
“No, you’re supposed to kill them quickly and with mercy,” M.O.T.H.E.R. interjected. “We cannot let them suffer the effects of the virus. It is not pretty.”
“I’m no longer comfortable with this machine being in the lead Ashera,” Praxis said in a demanding tone. “I want a new plan one that saves as many as we can. Else I will do it on my own.”
Ashera looked at praxis a look of understanding coming across her face. She knew all too well about wanting to save her people at any cost. She had tried once before and failed. Then she tried again on the island and had failed again. Neither case had this much riding on it, nor had she had her senses about her the second time. She might have succeeded if she had. This was different though, if this virus made it out everyone was at risk.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
“I’m sorry Praxis we can’t if even one infected person makes it out, the whole world is in danger. I’ve seen the original version of this virus, and it was devastating. It’s the reason my people all wander around as those mindless zombies we had to kill to get down here. I want to save as many of my people as I can as well. I just don’t see it happening. For either of us,” Ashara said, almost in a whisper.
“Get me in there and I will save them. If they show any signed within the three-hour period, I will do the deed myself. I won't except their fate till I have been in there for three hours with them,” Praxis said definitively.
“That will work,” M.O.T.H.E.R. said. “If there are no symptoms, we will let them go. You have my word. Acceptable?”
Praxis nodded and went back to listening to Ashera explain the new plan.
“we’re in,” Suntiana said for them both. “No one will expect a team of four to bring down the organization from the inside. When do we do this?”
“The sooner the better, each passing moment could make us too late,” M.O.T.H.E.R. said, with a concerned expression on her holographic face. “If the virus is released when you are up there… do not leave the tower until Seslyn comes to get you. It is their last safe place. Only the ratfolk can fight the infected, we don’t need you getting in the way.”
“What about the elves?” Ashera asked. “Won’t they hinder your people?”
“If the virus is released… we will wait for the second stage before sending them all up,” Seslyn said somberly. “No survivors.”
With that a tense quiet fell over the room. The gravity of the situation sinking in. If they failed, this would become a ghost town. Ashera wasn’t sure how the ratfolk would take down a town of zombies, but she knew it wouldn’t end well for all of them either. Likely many wouldn’t survive. A lot rested on their shoulders.
“Where is the closest we can get to the surface near the tower?” Ashera asked.
Seslyn moved and zoomed in on the map. Circling a tunnel in the entertainment district. Figures the elves would want to keep the beastites close to the tower for maximum infection, Ashera thought. Pointing to the tunnel on the other side of the tower.
“Why not come up out there?” Ashera asked.
“That is the elven barracks,” Seslyn said, cutting off M.O.T.H.E.R. “that would be testament to suicide.”
Ashera nodded, “entertainment district it is then. We head up tonight, make sure you’re ready.”***
The fight with the monkeys left Rothar and the survivors looking worse for wear. They didn’t have supplies and were eating monsters to survive. It wasn’t the worst thing, nothing bad would happen to them but the taste was horrible. Hayami kept assuring them they were close to the Norther territories. Never saying how close though.
It had been weeks since they had split up from Ashera and her group. Rothar began to wonder if Ashera and her group would make it to the North without a guide. He had half hoped a little metal bird would come to them saying they were on their way after dropping Seslyn off. He wondered if something had happened to them. There was nothing he could do about it now. His thoughts were interrupted by Hayami putting her hand up to stop the group.
Rothar walked up beside her to see what she was stopping them for, thinking the whole time, “it better not be more fucking monkeys.”
He was surprised to see a clear boarder, with elves on one side walking the opposite way and other races he hadn’t seen before on the other side looking right at Hayami giving her discrete hand gestures on when to move. They had made it. Their losses had been monumental in the end, of the civilians about a third had been taken by monsters or given up and headed for the road thinking it better to be captured and brought back to the island. The fighting force had taken casualties too, more than Rothar would have liked but less than there should have been. Almost all of them fell trying to save civilians from the monsters. Those who hadn’t had gone with the others to the road, hoping to protect those who left from the elves as they headed back south to their homes.
Hayami hit him gently around the head brining his attention back. It was time to move, Hayami motioned for the group to follow her. They would be safe soon enough and then all there would be to do is wait. Or so Rothar thought.
***
They made their way up the stairs to the tunnel leading to the entertainment district. Ashera in her elven form. Leading the others who were holding their cuffs getting ready to put them on. Ashera had given each of them a key to the cuffs of on another. In case they couldn’t get to their own cuffs. She also provided them each with a skeleton key and a primary access keycard provided by M.O.T.H.E.R. to make sure they could get out of any jam they found themselves in. At least that was the hope.
Coming out in the entertainment district, Ashera noticed that they were behind one of the slave stalls at the edge of the district.
“Put on your cuffs and act like newly acquired slaves,” Ashera said to the group.
Ashera led the group onto the street merging seamlessly with the flow. The district was like an old timey city, food stalls every few feet each smelling of something delicious, different theaters and music stages interspersed the food stalls and if you were paying the right kind of attention nefarious and untoward professions were being practiced in dark corners of the market. Ashera walked with purpose, everyone giving her a wide birth as she pulled her slaves along behind her. No one wanted to get close to an elf here, especially not one who so brazenly flaunted they had bought some of their kind. The beastites looked on with extreme distain but said and did nothing to Ashera.
Once clear of the district it was a clear road leading to the center of the city. The tower was hard to miss. It was opulent to say the least spiraling up with giant mirrored windows curving around the building. With ornate off shoots looking like branches made of what appeared to be marble. Elven architecture, Ashera thought, was completely wasteful. It was full of decorative elements that were only there to show how much money the designer had. Not dissimilar she admitted to the richest of human society, but this was different these were buildings for work.
As they got closer to the building, they saw just how absurdly tall it was. Ashera hoped that the research was either in the basement or on the main floor. If they had to climb the tower it would make eliminating all the scientists and escaping much too difficult.
A guard raised his hand and pointed at Ashera.
“What business do you have here?” he asked in a much gruffer voice than his appearance would lead you to believe he had.
“I’m bringing new subjects, found them trying to sneak out of the city,” Ashera said. Hoping it would be enough to get her in.
The guard looked her up and down a few times, then looked at her companions. He touched an earpiece and muttered something incomprehensible. A response must have come though that he found satisfactory. Without another word he gestured for the doors to be opened and moved aside.
Ashera nodded at him and moved through the door. On the other side they were greeted with weapons pointed right at them. Ashera looked behind her to see the guard smirking with his weapon drawn as well. She weighed her options. They could drop the façade and fight; she didn’t like their odds. Not right now at least.
Before she could say anything, the guard spoke, “we don’t get new personnel here. Ever. This is a secure testing facility. Whoever you are, you are not one of us. Now we will be taking your weapons.”
One of the people from inside the door came over and patted down Ashera. Artemis made eye contact with her; she shook her head saying no.
“No weapons boss. Should I check the others?”
“Of course not, what are the odds someone sneaking into this facility unarmed? I am sure they are unarmed.”
“Oh, okay bo…”
“No, you moron! Search them.”
The guard snapped to and began searching everyone thoroughly. To his surprise he found no weapons. Nothing, not even a knife. Afraid to report that back to his boss, he searched them again. Fortunately, the guard wasn’t as thorough as he had thought. Ashera managed to keep the keys and access card hidden with a false skin on her leg.
“Nothing boss,” the guard said. “They were either thinking there would be no security on the inside and didn’t need them. Or they are just dumb.”
The guard’s boss laughed, “looks like it’s the latter option then. Take them to the cells. The magitech experts have been looking for subjects to test the new strain on. Hopefully it doesn’t kill as quickly. The old strains made prepping for pest control so boring.”
Without delay the guards inside moved the party in the direction of the elevator. Ashera was still not in cuffs and thought about attacking them once inside away from prying eyes. However, one of the guards pressed his weapon against her.
“No funny business now,” he said in a basic whisper. He leaned in closer, “I don’t know how you got in here but it’s your funeral now. Though, you should survive without issue, being an elf and all. Your friends on the other hand, well you’ll see firsthand what this thing will do once we let it loose.”
With that he slipped something into her pocket and moved back, removing his weapon from her. Ashera put her hand in her pocket, feeling, what she thought was a key and a note. Not wanting to draw attention to it she just hissed at the guard in anger. The other guards laughed.
“Oh no Thrain, looks like your chances aren’t great.”
“Shut it, Raspin. No one is to touch the subject you know this. The magitechs get angry when their subjects are damaged before the experiments.”
Once secure in their cell, the guards left. Saying they needed to get out before the magitechs showed up, they gave the guards the creeps apparently. Once the guards were out of sight and could no longer be heard Ashera moved to get the keys. She handed them to Suntiana, Artemis, and Praxis. Then she pulled the letter and key from her pocket.
Reading the letter, her face went pale. It outlined that there was one more test, then it would be released in the city as a final test. Tomorrow morning, it seemed the guards on the tower had seen a group of outsiders approaching the city. Everything besides the elves would be wiped out and she would be left in the facility to die slowly and painfully. He had signed the letter to the guard captain. Apparently, this letter had not been intended for her. “So why did the guard give me this,” she wondered aloud. Then looked at the key, was it a key to the cell? Had the other guards thought the guard captain was a traitor?
As if on cue they heard voices coming down the hall, and the sound of something heavy being dragged with them.
“Thrain, are you sure about this? I mean he’s, our captain. We shouldn’t lock him up without proof.”
“Magitech’s told us there was a traitor and he fits the description from them. Besides after tomorrow, he won't last long. Not in that cell.”
“Quick, cuffs back on,” Ashera whispered at everyone.
The guards, walked past their cells, Raspin still complaining about betraying the captain. Thrain, looked at Ashera and nodded. Making a gesture with his eyes to her pocket. Then he winked at her. This letter couldn’t have been everything. Maybe there was more to it. She remembered in the war spies from both sides would use magic infused ink or paper to hide messages.
Once the guards headed back up the elevator, she pulled the letter out again and read it again. Then she moved some of the ink from her tattoo onto the page. The magic from the ink interacted with the paper and it began to glow. The letter changed and morphed. A new message formed before her very eyes. This is a trick she hadn’t seen in a very long time.
The new letter read; the plague needs to be stopped, it reanimates the dead, it’s how it spreads. Yes, she knew this M.O.T.H.E.R. had told her about this. She continued to read the letter. A lot of it was information she already knew. Then she got to the good part, once infected and reanimated, the virus could be contracted by elves. Who wouldn’t die the same way but would suffer lasting effects. Some ranging from loss of magic control to seizures and other neurological symptoms. All leading to death
“What the fuck!” Ashera exclaimed. “They’re still going to release this even though it could kill them all in a painful and debilitating manor?”
She continued to read; the God emperor has deemed the elves need to be cleansed after the attack on his queen. Anyone he deemed worthy has been given a vaccine and moved to secure facilities. This isn’t just about killing and subjugating our lesser. It’s about killing all of us under his orders.
“Holy fucking shit,” Ashera said almost in a whisper.
“What are you talking about,” Praxis asked.
Ashera still reading the letter ignored Praxis for the time being. There is a cell further down. It’s full of elves. Free them before the magitechs get to them. They key would let them get out through the lower tunnels. Into the sewers.
That’s when it clicked. M.O.T.H.E.R. knew this and so did Seslyn. So why had they not said anything. Were the elves being infected stage two? Was that why they were to wait inside, to stop them from becoming casualties. So many questions and no time to get answers. No one was allowed to leave this tower other than the four of them. She destroyed the letter just as Praxis was reaching to grab it.
“The elves can be infected by the virus Praxis. This changes everything. I’m sorry we can’t save your people. Everyone in here other than us four cannot leave,” Ashera said somberly.
“What would you know! The only proof of your statement you just destroyed before anyone could read it. And it was from an elf who's to say it’s even true.”
“It’s true, that’s why if we fail Seslyn said they would wait for stage two of the virus. The infection of the elves. We need to stop it, there is no cure for your people. I don’t know how Seslyns people are going to stop it, but I have a bad feeling about it.”
“No! We rescue everyone or you leave me behind to die with them,” Praxis screamed at Ashera, froth forming in his mouth.
“You think you’re the only one to decide this for their people? I lost all my people back on the island. Everyone died because of me. I’ll never forgive myself for that or forget that it was my system that caused it. Hate me if that’s what you need to do.”
With that Ashera reached out touched Praxis on the shoulder and cast a paralysis spell on him. Catching him has he fell she dragged him to the corner of the cell and laid him down. Looking at the others, Artemis nodded his approval and Suntiana just sighed in frustration.
Ashera grabbed the key from her pocket and unlocked the cell door. Once in the hall she looked around, taking stock of where they were. She froze. This was a human facility not an elven one. It had been where samples of all the worst biological weapons had been stored. In case the elves had ever decided to weaponize a disease, humans had made many that would be worse. She knew this facility because she had designed its security system. She wondered if the elves had figured it out. If they had it didn’t matter if they stopped the virus or not. They weren’t making it out of this place alive.