Chapter 82: Interlude Fifteen: Fiona - Level 6 Escort Mission

Erika’s ears were pulled back, and her fluffy tail was wrapped around her leg in terror. The giant ice box was open behind them, showing fifteen women inside, half of whom appeared to be fae or beastkin. None of them likely knew how to use their powers correctly, as Scarlet had taught her, or else they would have probably been strong enough to escape on their own.

"Don’t so much as, ack—t-twitch," Luis snarled, choking, but any blood that would have filled his lungs was frozen by the ice shard still stuck inside his chest; he took the pain well, yet the ice affinity was making him shiver.

"Not looking so hot there, bud," she chuckled. "It’s okay, Erika. If they hurt you, I’ll kill them; they don’t want to die. Isn’t that right? So...let’s see, you can leave or die. What’s worth more, making me suffer and die or saving Luis? Tick-tock."

Margaret forced Erika toward the rear exit. "We’re going to leave with your friend as insurance. Heh. Do you negotiate with terrorists now that it’s your friend?"

[Grade Advancement - Fae Queen’s Ire II Unlocked]

Fiona hummed, ice in her veins as she spoke words she’d never said aloud. She could see the uncertainty in Erika’s eyes, but she couldn’t focus on that right now. Fiona had a war to win, and the fire in her chest came out with a spiteful, grinning tone.

"Dryshite. What a little wagon hoe. Well, bollocks, it seems ya got me," she sighed, Irish accent thickening as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"Sure. Lizzy..."

"Go on, ya sorry saps. The sea won’t give ya a second wave; don’t let misfortune kick ye on yer arse on the way out. Langers."

"This bug is insane; I’m watching her! Shit, I need to get a slingshot for this bitch. Damn, shrimp. I swear..."

"No! I hear pounding outside; something’s coming. It’s been pretty intense out there, though, so it’s probably..."

All three froze as the back door opened behind them, introducing a new player to the board; Fiona wanted to dart forward, but luckily, her colder half won out.

"Huh. I hope I’m not interrupting anything? Hey, that’s not nice," a woman encased in black plates said in a monotone voice.

Margaret flipped around as a scaled hand covered in red liquid grabbed the panther’s wrist, applying pressure; she let go, shoving Erika forward with a growl as she tried to contend with the newcomer. The fish-tailed woman easily pushed the elf and black-furred man to the side.

"Wha—"

Monstrous, turquoise eyes made the cat’s ears fall back as a tail with a wicked blade broke part of the wall in an agitated flip, sending dust and concrete pieces scattering across the tile floor.

"Are you a bad guy? You look like one. A black cat beastkin, Astra?"

"N-No..." Margaret whimpered, unable to break the girl’s grip; Erika’s tail curled under as she skipped away, running to Fiona’s side. "L-Luis, s-she’s— She’s f-mging strong! Get off!"

"The hell?!"

"Let’s go—"

Eliza drew her hands back and smacked the back of the girl’s head as Margaret clawed her face; the woman didn’t even flinch, but the pan bent, and the cat hissed as her glowing claws didn’t so much as leave a mark. The woman turned to look at the stunned elf, her dull gaze asking if she was serious.

"I’m a leviathan, shrew."

One backhand sent Eliza flat against the wall, her brain checked out after a single gasp. Luis dropped to the ground beside her, eyes practically bugging at the elf’s broken face; he held up his hands in surrender.

"Look, we give up! Okay?"

Fiona met Erika and hugged her neck as the fox woman began to cry.

"F-Fiona, I—what is..."

"Shh! Shh! It’s okay. It’s okay... Umm. Who are you, by the way?"

With a smile, the woman held Margaret’s hand in the air, making the cat beastkin hiss, unable to do anything to so much as budge the leviathan.

"I’m the invincible warrior of the seven seas, Selvaria the Super Babe Leviathan—the name’s a work in progress, Astra; shut up."

Unable to fully enjoy the moment due to [Warpath], Fiona floated down and took Erika’s hand, guiding her a bit away from the woman as the others cowered in the meat locker. Erika was smart enough to listen intently instead of babbling.

"Okay, so who...are you with, exactly?"

"Help!" a few of the women in the freezer whimpered, shivering from the chill and making Sevlaria frown.

"C-Can you let go of my wrist?" Margaret cried, mirroring the hostage’s tone from Selvaria’s pressure, yet the leviathan ignored her.

"Hmm? Oh, right. I’m with the side of justice! Uh, you’re the fairy, so that means Rachel and Scarlet wanted to find you. Where is Scarlet?"

The scene of the showy, monotone woman and terrorists was so pathetic, with Luis surrendered on the ground, Margaret’s hand being used as an extension for the leviathan, and the unconscious Eliza possibly suffering brain damage, at least judging by the drool and blood leaking out of her mouth, that Fiona didn’t even see them as worth her attention any longer.

* -- * -- *

[Divine Fae Physiology - Advanced to D-tier]

[Prismatic Lumination - Advanced to B-tier]

[Emotional Surge - Advanced to D-tier]

[Sweet Magic Boost - Advanced to D-tier]

* -- * -- *

[Elemental Magic - Advanced to D-tier]

[New Element Selectable]

* -- * -- *

[Warpath - Advanced to E-tier]

[Warpath: Deactivated]

* -- * -- *

"Super Babe Leviathan, can you guide us out of... Who’s Astra?" Fiona questioned as she talked to some other random person, only for Selvaria to hold her free hand to her ear and turn toward the door as a humming drone floated down.

"Astra, you’re not dead... Cool. No boom? Oh. How big of a boom. Cool. Not cool. Of course, I have the fairy here. I’m the heroine of the sea. Uh-huh. Okay. I’ll save the hostages. No. I don’t like the bull guy. Yeah, I got a present for my mom."

"Selvaria?" Fiona asked tentatively, feeling her strength begin to leave her as the emotional energy faded. "Are we leaving?"

"Oh, right. Escort mission. I’m good at these—well, except for last time... Stupid rubber banding. Stay close. Oh, and a villain escort quest, too? This is my first! Let’s go. March—oh, you can’t," she mumbled, staring down at the shivering panther man. "He doesn’t look too good. Let’s—"

"Aaah!"

Luis detonated in a rush of blood, bone, and guts, Selvaria taking the brunt of that shrapnel that pelted her front.

"Luis, n-no... Relica, p-please..." Margaret whimpered, Selvaria mechanically shifting her toward the door in case she was next.

"Move!" Fiona screamed, pulling Erika behind the counter just as Eliza exploded, shortly followed by the panther woman.

"This is insane!" Erika cried, head covered and bristling tail wrapped close to her body.

Selvaria forced a smile, clearly trying not to think about the gore that now blanketed her. "Heh-hehehe. I hate you, Puffy Tail... I’ve been cursed. Dammit. I hate villains. Okay, let’s get you guys out of here before you all explode. Oh, you need sugar, too, right? Let’s get you sugar."

The plated woman snatched a half-bag of sugar from the counter and waved for them to follow her. "Come with me if you want to live. No. I’m not quoting a movie, Astra. Am not. Not! Okay, you got me... I kicked the bull’s butt, though. I don’t know what you’re on about. The freaking British."

Fiona settled on Erika’s shoulder, feeling somewhat spent and sleepy; a wave of sickness came over her from everything she’d done. Smoke was sweeping through the club, but Selvaria guided them out.

At least Erika’s safe... We’re safe.

[Level Up - Level 6]

[1 Stat Points Added; 1 Available]

[1 Feat Extension Added; 1 Available]

The world hazed and went black.

///SMENote///

How about a Power Stone Goal?

Every 200 Power Stones this week = +1 Extra Chapter

We could have the normal 2 Daily Chapters... Or +2 Extra Chapters Every Day. The power is in your hands! Or should I say Stones?