Nicolai's surprise was complete. He didn't understand how someone could be there, the room had been empty just a second ago when he'd checked and it would have taken someone longer than that—while making significant noise—to pass through it. Even with the Grasping Finger and Pegasi ring together, it would have taken him longer to cover the distance—and any Symbiotes used to move quickly would have released ripples which he would have detected.

These thoughts flashed through his mind in a singular clump, gone almost instantly as he reacted. Shocked through he was, his movements and actions showed no sign of it. The Modules were with him and gave him the ability to react and plan faster than any human.

His shield was already in position as an SMG poked around the corner, catching the spray of bullets and deflecting them to the side. His other hand was stuck in place along with his Soul Sense, still prepared to repulse the grenade. He couldn't let it land—it would be timed to detonate the moment it arrived beside him.

With both his hands and Soul Sense taken up in defence, he was unable to return fire. The full auto spray of rounds all caught at his shield, rapidly splintering it.

He knew the model of SMG and that it would finish firing all of its 30 rounds within three seconds. The shooter had an eye-wire affixed to it, able to aim accurately around the corner. Through Soul Sense he saw that this man was a Cultivator. If he retracted his own tendril and tried his typical trick on the SMG with the Grasping or Repulsive Finger, it may well fail—he might not be able to break the man's Soul Sense in the moments available to him. Also, the grenade would be landing beside him in two seconds.

Both his hands were tied up, but his legs weren't. Nicolai legs pressed like great springs as he threw himself suddenly forward, the Pegasi ring aiding his movement. The shooter was only a few metres away and Nicolai covered the distance in record time. On the way, his Soul Sense flicked with the Repulsive Finger, and the grenade was sent away.

He arrived a second later, hands extended, and crashed into the SMG at the same time as his shield broke. He got in under it, grabbed it and sent it high, the remaining rounds spraying into the ceiling, while the grenade detonated in the distance where he'd launched it.

Continuing through the doorway he found a man, snarling, dropping the SMG and pulling a knife. But Nicolai was out of the sticky situation, now, and he caught the man's hand with contemptuous ease. He twisted the man's wrist until it pointed straight upwards while pulling the limb straight, then threw a savage palm strike into the elbow.

With a snap that most would find sickening but which only filled him with satisfaction, the arm broke and the man let out an agonised scream. The scream cut off a moment later when Nicolai released the wrist, his own arm darting around. The hand-talon emerged just in time to punch through the side of the man's skull.

Nicolai lowered the convulsing corpse to the ground, peering around and taking his assault rifle into his hands. No sign of any backup. He dragged the corpse into a corner of the room, a spot that would force anyone entering through the door this guy had come through to turn 90 degrees to see him, giving him more time to react.

He was hoping more would emerge. The dark had slowly spread as he fought and now it pulsed through him, underlied him.

Regardless, mingled with the Modules he did as was necessary. His Soul Sense dove into the man, hunting. He found what he was looking for in only a moment, and meanwhile the man's soul was departing his body. Nicolai paused to pull the Lotus Blossom Soul Trap from a pocket and activated it, and the soul wailed as it was consumed.

After tucking it away he drew a knife and tore into the body like an animal, digging until he found the heart. There his Soul Sense tendril worked, and when his bloodied hand emerged he held a Symbiote.

Lurking Bark Symbiote

Type: Plant

Placement: Any

This Symbiote is devoted to spiritual stealth. It allows one to hide their Soul Sense without shelling, and also causes the spirit-sight of other's Soul Senses to glance off of the user's physical form—those looking through Soul Sense will see right through them. Useless against biological eyes or other light-based methods of sight, it is a nevertheless a very useful tool for any looking to move unseen—as oftentimes Cultivators rely more on their spiritual sight than their physical.

Part of him, along with the Modules, was pleased to learn how the man had snuck up on on, and glad to have the Symbiote for himself.

But mostly he was attuned to the battle and the hunger for blood. He heard a series of gunshots, and as the interference over the Local died out, he understood their source.

Jo and Beth had completed their own flanking maneuver, shortly after his attacker.

We got 'em, came Beth's voice over Local. All taken down. One of them was a Cultivator but he didn't do anything fancy. Some help has arrived, too. Some guys from the Coalition who we ran into when climbing up here, they came and helped us out.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

The sudden rage took him by surprise. They stole my kills, hissed a voice inside of him—even as he knew that he'd sent them to flank for this very purpose.

It was difficult, then, to remember what he ought to be doing, to keep himself moving. The Cultivator's Soul wouldn't hang around for long, he needed to feed it to the Soul Trap before it dissipated. After confirming for himself that the area was secure, he floated up and through the empty space of the collapse, holding tight to one side so he could quickly get into cover if necessary.

He saw Jo and Beth a few floors above—they'd gone to the floor above those who'd been stationed here, gaining a superior position. Attacking in surprise while this group had been focused on peering down to where he was engaged, he imagined they'd taken them all out very quickly and easily.

He spied the shimmer of a floating Soul and made a beeline towards it, pulling out the Soul Trap. Arriving he consumed it in a moment, and then got to work digging out the dead Cultivator's Symbiote. However, there was no sign of any. Even after thoroughly running his Soul Sense through the man and surroundings, nothing. For whatever reason this individual didn't have one.

He floated up and landed beside Jo and Beth, his eyes falling onto a small group of Coalition members who'd joined them. One of them had Soul Sense—and, what appeared to be a large, living mouth on his chest. Like some kind of very odd parasite, though it was on the man's clothes

A Cultivator.

What now? He thought, struggling to work out the way forward, staring at the mouth. It was licking its lip. He needed to… needed to… The dark seethed within him, twisting the shadows and sharpening the light. It wanted more. How could the fight be over, when there were others who still breathed, who dared to stand around him?

The Mask pulsed, struggling to act as the counterbalance, but it knew it was failing and communicated this to the other Modules.

Within him a fact was presented: He had four of the Souls needed to fill the Soul Trap. One more was needed.

One more was beside him.

'Go to the others,' he said, turning suddenly to face Jo and Beth. 'Let them know we've made some waves over here. Vikrum and the others are likely to turn back. The Coalition will be free to retreat and gain better footing.'

'Aren't you coming?' asked Jo, confused.

'No,' he snapped, struggling with his face. Managed a twisted smile. 'I have some things to do.'

'We'll accompany you,' said the Coalition's Cultivator with that mouth on his chest, stepping forward and nodding to Jo and Beth.

'Wait.' Nicolai stopped him with an arm, blocking his path. 'I need you guys with me. There's something we have to deal with.'

'Huh? What is it?'

Jo and Beth were still hanging around.

'Go!' he snapped at them.

They exchanged uncertain glances, but nodded then turned and darted away.

The shadows reached towards him and he watched them come, crashing into his legs and spilling around them like the sea around around an outcrop of sharp rock.

'What do you need?' came the fading voice of the Cultivator.

Nicolai's breath frosted in the air. It was cold, freezing almost. He saw the men around him shivering.

'I feel you,' he hissed, peering about himself. 'All around me. I know what you're trying to do.'

'Jibber jabber?' babbled the Cultivator.

'But you won't take me. I have control.' Nicolai flexed his merged mind, and the Dark and the Mask flexed with it. The Thrill burned through him, the glue that held it all together. The Hole was squirming, trying to yawn wide. But the Cage was tight around it, a part of him.

Some pieces of the alien energy came through, but it was minor. He still had time. But the Dark was demanding, he couldn't deny that. It wanted more and if he did not give it such, it would writhe and shake and seek to break what he had created apart. And then… the end would come. It had to be vented.

Nicolai held up the Lotus Blossom Soul Trap. Four eerie purple lights burned around its outskirts. There was one spot missing. It struck Nicolai as terribly wrong, that hole. Like a big grin with a great bloody gap where a tooth had been torn out.

The Cultivator was saying something. The words didn't make any sense. The others were arrayed around Nicolai. They were wary, but that wariness was focused in the wrong direction. Aimed at the area around them, not within.

'This isn't filled in yet,' he told the babbling Cultivator, holding it up. 'Have a look, Examine it.' He tucked it carefully into the man's hands, closing them about it.

The man bent his head to peer at it, and Nicolai's other hand darted up and to the side, quick as a cat, hand-talon emerging with snick as it dove into the side of his head then straight back out with a spray of blood.

Nicolai sunk low as he spun around, drawing his pistol as he aimed and fired in a series of perfect movements, each flowing seamlessly into the next.

He didn't need to take the time to aim down the sights. The shadows and his Soul Sense combined with Aiming and told him how to position the gun, how to aim, when to fire. He moved his arm and squeezed the trigger like a machine, like a killbot. Impossibly fast and precise. A series of snaps rang out, echoing off the stone as 9mm rounds punctured heads.

The gunshots ended and left a silence he found astonishing; as though the world were frozen. Then the dead men collapsed to the floor and his movement resumed. He rose to his feet, tucked the pistol away and took hold of his assault rifle.

His head turned as he checked his flanks. All clear.

The Cultivator's Soul streamed from the corpse behind him. He felt it trying to pull away. Nicolai turned in a snap and his hand was around its throat, his own Soul bristling, extending dark claws. He hunkered down and seized the Soul Trap, activated it and the Soul was dragged inside.

The final light ignited around its rim, and it let out a pulse through the Aura. Complete at last. He pocketed it, then dug into the corpse, searching for the man's Symbiote.

Big Mouth Symbiote

Type: Body

Placement: Torso

Linking to a space in the grey dimension, this Symbiote is a popular choice for any wishing to carry more on their person. It carries the same risk of all such Symbiotes—that it might be infested by treasure grubs or other grey dimension pests.

Souls cannot pass through the Symbiote.

He tucked the Symbiote away, the strain on his Soul Sense increasing a small margin as he further split his focus to suppress the new Symbiote. He'd break them both in later.

What now? asked the Dark and the Thrill, who never wished to stop. Who next?

We could strike a blow, depending on the situation, added Cyberwarfare and Aiming, who were designed to watch for opportunity, to get the most from every combat situation.

We should be wary of a counterattack, argued Threat Analysis and Simulation.

Shouldn't we go to the others? whined the Mask, to the embarrassment of them all.

Over Link he caught a distant, faded communication, just a little of it before it was overridden by static.

'Vikrum's heading back in, looks like he's alone—'

Nicolai smiled.

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