Jo sat beside Beth, both of them with their backs against a wall—a wall that was shaking. The dim blue light of the Trade Link lit their faces and the many people around them. Around them, the castle was collapsing, but the Trade Link merely shook slightly. Those near to the doorway reported that it was staying strong even as the castle tore away from around it.

They were unarmed, and in front of them stood John along with some others from the Coalition. John, and the others, held guns and watched the sisters warily, holding them prisoner.

'I'm sorry about this,' Maxine had told them some time ago, 'but considering the Contract you're both under, we need to keep you under guard. The Contact system will be ending soon. When that happens you'll be free and as much a member of the Coalition—or whatever we end up calling ourselves—as anyone else. But until that moment… I have to do this.'

The woman had turned away, her face twisted with anger. Jo had known why.

Because of Nicolai.

The man who had saved her and Beth's lives many times over, who had taught them, made them strong and capable. Who had fought beside them.

Who had betrayed them, all of them, and tossed them aside. Who had, from the very start, been using them all for his own gain and nothing else.

Or so the others believed.

Even now, Jo wasn't sure. She remembered another side of him, one shown rarely and to few others. She remembered a night spent together. And, she and Beth both recognised what he'd done. It hadn't been a slave Contract, but by saying so he'd spared them any suspicion.

Within her Soul there was something he had left, some strange little spiritual bundle of information. How he'd learned this technique of giving, thought the medium of spirits, what was very similar to a bundle of Local data, she had no idea. Just another of the many mysteries surrounding him.

It was a message, which, as was typical, was almost entirely practical.

If people look to direct their anger at you for things that have happened—just blame me. I'm out of reach. I hope you won't make the mistake of attempting to defend me. I did what I did for myself, and I'd do it all again.

Remember what I taught you. You're strong, now. I hope that you will keeps our original goals in mind. I believe they will guide you well in this new world.

Grow stronger. Accrue resources. Survive.

If you remember those three, perhaps we will meet again. If so, I look forwards to seeing how you and Beth have grown.

That was it. Jo shook her head, and smiled. She glanced at Beth beside her, wondering what message her sister had received. Beth looked back at her, then shifted closer.

'Still got our Symbiotes,' she whispered. Her eyes narrowed. 'This setup they've got around us isn't all that. We could break out. In the press of people, they wouldn't be able to shoot.'

Jo followed Beth's gaze and realised she was right. That was something they'd both come to learn. Situations that seemed impossible and inescapable on the outside were rarely so clear cut. She saw the way the people around her stood and knew they were unready.

Her casual gaze skimmed across John, who wasn't even looking at her—holding his SMG limply as he peered towards the exit and the clouds of dust visible outside. She could have that SMG out of his hands and into hers in a moment.

She sighed. 'But to what end?' she murmured to Beth. 'The castle is falling apart out there.'

'He left us these, didn't he?' replied Beth, smirking. A ring glittered on her finger, her Pegasi ring. They both had one. 'We can be out and flying away.'

Jo shrugged. 'There's no need.'

'You believe Maxine?'

'I do.' She nodded, slowly, considering. Beth's lessons from Nicolai had all been combat focused, but she'd observed him when he talked, his ways with people… and how he lied. He was practically impossible to read, full of contradicting signals and confusing body language.

Compared to him, Maxine was an open book. The woman was telling the truth and intended to have them freed once the Contracts wore off. Following that, Jo wasn't sure. Vikrum was an unknown. Perhaps they'd be better off leaving once freed—but she also felt Nicolai had been pretty on-point with his message. Just blame it all on me. He truly had gone in the most dramatic fashion, attracting the rage of everyone squarely onto himself.

'We'll be fine,' she told Beth, and stretched her arms upward, flexing her back. Lowering them she put one around her sister's shoulder, and smiled.

Beth sighed, snuggling closer. 'If you say so.'

###

Nicolai hovered in the air. He was wrapped in his poncho, as invisible as he could manage. His eyes were on the sky, on the gunship Vikrum had summoned. A blue light flickered before it, opening into a mid-air portal. The gunship went through and was gone, the portal zipping close. Its time was finally up. It had run out of things to shoot a while ago.

He had gone through a lot of Oma crystals, but had enough left not to worry—he'd be able to continue flying for as long as necessary. That was good, because returning to the ground was currently not an option.

Below him, the castle was crumbling.

It was a slow, monstrous process, thousands of tonnes of stone collapsing in chunks. Towers swam through the air, seeming to take an age to fall as they dropped toward the ground. The booms and crashes were deafening, and with each fresh collision there came an eruption of dust. Already the dust cloud was spreading like some all-consuming fog through the jungle in all directions.

Rising out of it was a tower, one which had only revealed itself as the castle collapsed around it. It was the Trade Link, which transpired to be a large, cylindrical tower that stretched all the way to the ground. It remained solid and unyielding even as chunks of castle fell against it.

Nicolai intended to keep above the dust clouds—breathing in pulverised stone and metal was exceptionally bad for the lungs. Of course, with his Skin Suit helmet's breathing apparatus, he could get through it fine; but it would put an unnecessary strain on the filters which would wear out sooner.

At the very least, the dustcloud meant that he needn't be overly worried about someone trying to shoot him out of the air. This was good, because he had a lot to go through.

His Mark was pulsing relentlessly, and at last he tapped on it.

Quest Complete: Return of a Disgraced Knight

You have fulfilled your agreement with Kleos the Traitor, placing him into the Coffin and providing it with fuel, as he requested.

Claim Reward?

Quest Complete: Demonic Designs

You outwitted a True Demon, maintaining control of yourself even as it sought to steal your body and consume your Soul. Not only that, you did so while within the earliest stage of the Foundation Realm, the weakest a Cultivator can be. For such an act, a significant Reward is due.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Claim Reward?

Unique Challenge Complete: The Blade Itself

You seized a Tier 3 Artifact from a powerful undead.

Claim Reward?

Nicolai had learned of an interesting fact some time ago, from intercepted communications between the Chosen. There were various little surprises and secrets which had been learned by curious humans experimenting, and this was one such.

If someone accepted a Reward while mid-air and away from any solid surface, it ended surprisingly well. Nicolai would have expected the Reward simply wouldn't be called, citing an error. Or perhaps something more irritating, like instantly forming a statue that would drop and be destroyed.

In actuality, a stone platform would appear in the air, floating, and the Reward Shrine would grow from this. The caller could rest on this platform until they had made their decision, though it wouldn't stick around forever. With all the dust now cloaking the crumbling castle Nicolai felt safe to start calling in Rewards. Better up here, he figured, than down there in the jungle. With the gunship gone and the Centipedes dead, he was safe to show signs of himself.

Quest Completed: Demonic Designs

Claim Reward?

Claim. The air a few metres from him glowed with a bright golden light. It flared and stone expanded, rushing out from the point of light. He backed up and away as it encroached on him, forming a dais. This was formed of clear white marble, a single piece, which grew and grew—it shot out under Nicolai's feet and continued onwards.

He settled onto it, backing away from the centre where something was swelling. The dais was more than fifty metres wide, he'd never seen a Reward Shrine create so much, and he felt it wise to give the centre some space.

The Shrine that burst out of the centre and swelled into shape was monstrous. A great bulging orb atop two tree-trunk legs. From the orb there were dozens of tentacles, reaching out.

Tier 3 Great Reward Shrine

Reward Shrines appear to grant rewards to players within the Great Game. They come in various types and tiers.

This Great Reward Shrine offers many rewards. You may choose three.

This Great Reward Shrine depicts the Unwinder, an 8th Circle True Demon who was drawn to this world long ago by the People, and was summarily bound into the Great Game by following a Heavenly Crusade.

Cut from the Outside, it is unable to sustain itself properly and has been gradually dwindling, weaker year by year.

The Unwinder loathes Heaven and wishes only for freedom, but does not have the wit to achieve this freedom. Now, it is little more than an animal, following base instincts—but with great power. Within the Great Game it serves the role of a world-ending threat.

This threat always appears on the same Starting Level: The Nightmare. Once the Unwinder finishes venting its rage on the Nightmare, it moves on to the next level, and then proceeds through the Game, wreaking havoc wherever it goes as a wandering world-boss, until Players grow strong enough to defeat it.

It is said that a race which spawns on Nightmare must have offended Heaven, for the presence of the Unwinder all but guarantees the extinction of that race.

Nicolai's eyes were wide with shock. Excitement and greedy glee poured through him. The words themselves spoke of extinction and world ending threat but these things seemed far away and of little concern to him at the moment. If he grew strong enough, and if he found the Lizard, he would survive. If he didn't, he would die. And right now he was growing very strong, plus he at last had a location for the Lizard. His gaze focused on the treasures presented to him.

The Unwinder had many strange limbs, extended all around it. These each turned into little plinths, a circle which girdled the statue.

And on each, a reward.

Before he could start looking them over, his Mark shimmered.

You have been granted additional rewards.

Title Gained!

New Title: Demonic Deceiver

You have outwitted Paxolnaz, a True Demon of the 9th Circle, who had possessive designs on your Body and Soul, while a Marked in the Foundation Realm. Not only have you survived this encounter, you have gained from it. Heaven smiles upon you, and has granted you a Title.

This Title serves as a warning to Entities, especially Demons, of the danger you represent. Henceforth any such beings will regard you with the proper wariness. It may also make you eligible for other opportunities.

This Title grants you a Claim to Paxolnaz's Spark of True Warp.

Claim Formed!

Claim to Paxolnaz's Spark of True Warp

Should you defeat Paxolnaz in any way while possessing this claim, Heaven will grant you Paxolnaz's True Name and control over its Spark—while also severing any ties the True Demon has to other entities.

As a result Paxolnaz would be subjugated, yours to command.

Access Granted!

Due to your actions, you have been marked as an Interesting Person. You are now permitted free entry to the Phantom City. It will soon open for the first time, and following the first opening it will be available once every two weeks.

Enter Phantom City?

Unavailable: 04:16:23:48 remaining

Nicolai stared at the information glowing in his Mark's display. Then he burst out laughing. Enslave Paxolnaz?! Heaven understood irony.

He read through it again, chuckling gleefully. Defeated in any way, the description said. He needed to find out what that meant, exactly. He wanted to know the exact requirements to tick that box.

He read over the Phantom City notification again. What was it? Where was it? How did any of this work? He had no idea, but he was excited to find out. Four days until the timer hit zero.

He had another Reward waiting for seizing the Artifact Blade, flashing at him from his UI, but he wouldn't be taking it quite yet. This great floating podium of stone and the gigantic Reward Shrine must be quite obvious from a distance. The castle was cloaked in dust, blocking him from view, but perhaps others with Pegasi Rings—or other methods—might fly up. That gunship Vikrum had called in was fresh in his memory.

Best to take what was on display in front of him quick, lest trouble appear. Once he'd taken care of it all and gotten away, he could consider the implications of all he'd learned. The details about the Unwinder, for instance, were telling. It was the great threat the Eye had warned him off, the thing he needed the Lizard to help him—and the rest of humanity—survive. His Mask was quick to point out that this portion of it was now free because of him.

That led him to frown, and step to the side of the podium, peering off. He'd expected a bit more of a show when the shred was freed. His eyes narrowed as he gazed down. Something was moving down there, in the ongoing collapse.

A great wash of energy and power erupted out, and he raised a protective hand before his face as powerful spiritual ripples washed over him.

Below he saw a broken shadow of the great Shrine behind him. Hatred and madness given form, made of pale, sickly flesh, its endless rage pulsing through the world.

Nicolai groaned as its influence reached him, and he felt the dark squirming, felt himself collapsing to the stone as the shadowy being rose into the air, a great nexus of writhing energies passing only a few hundred metres from him.

Something emerged from it and shot toward him.

You! screamed Paxolnaz, fury boiling off from it. An instant later, as its Soul Sense felt at him, he felt that fury suddenly peak. Heaven gave you a claim to my True Name?! I will destroy you, I will annihilate you, I will—

COME, boomed the Unwinder. A pale limb reached, grasped, and Paxolnaz was towed away. WE HAVE NO TIME TO WASTE ON ANTS. WE GO TO FREE ME!

The dark cloud surrounding the pale monster swept across the sky in a terrible blur, and in only moments it was disappearing into the distance. With it gone, the dark faded and was once more easily controlled as the Angelic Blade flexed on his back.

If it weren't for the debilitating effect of the Unwinder's aura, he would have pulled out his M99 and taken a few shots at the True Demon. Maybe he could've enslaved it right now. Alas, he'd been unable to act. In the future he'd need to ensure he was strong enough to not be rendered unable to act, or find some other way to deal with that powerful Aura, if he was to have the best chance of enslaving Paxolnaz.

His Mark pulsed, attracting his gaze.

Notice: Contract System Ended

This is a system message to inform you the Limited Contract System provided when you first entered this world has been disbursed. All Contracts that have been formed with this system are rendered null and void.

Perfect timing, Nicolai reflected, gazing at the distant shadow disappearing into the clouds. He realised then that it was a beautiful day. A large and perfectly round sun hung above, and dotting the blue sky around it were great ranks of perfect white clouds. He paused, gazing at them. In fact, they had an oddly castle-like appearance to them. Towers and battlements of clouds, even a sense of flapping flags.

An ant, the Unwinder had called him—him and everything else down here. He doubted it had even properly perceived him. He didn't mind the comparison at all. 'One day, this ant will step on True Demons,' he murmured. He chuckled, then the chuckle became a jagged cackle. He'd gotten away with it. All of it. Again.

The laughter ended and he wiped the spittle from his grinning lips, turning to consider the rewards arrayed around the Unwinder Shrine.

There were some decent things available from the Reward Shrine. Even some very good things. A Smart Gun similar to that Vikrum had once carried. Numerous Permits, including one that would call in a lower-grade combat bot, another that would bring in a gunship. Instant problem solvers could be his to deploy; but only once. Threat Analysis was insistent he get at least one, as a safety net for use in the event of disaster.

But Nicolai was more interested in items that would be useful now, later, and (ideally) forever. Going without any emergency use option was risky, but if he played his cards right the investment would pay off strongly in the future. Perhaps strongly enough that he wouldn't need an emergency use option.

He considered carefully, thinking on the best picks. One of the available Permits caught his eyes, which widened.

It was a Call-in Permit for something called an Assembler.

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