Chapter 113: Catacomb Redux, Finale.

The gains from our recent exploration were, significant. A good number of bronze coins, a new silver coin, courtesy of the mage and most impressive of all,

“A bone golem core and control rod?” I asked, looking the items over. They looked familiar enough. Though, my knowledge didn’t really go into control rods, or such. That was in the domain of proper golemancy, or whatever it was called. Most of the golems I made, weren’t quite considered golems.

Though, if someone wanted to be technical about it, undead were considered a form of golem…

Either way, my method was a bit different from the usual, I gave them souls, minds, identities. This made them fundamentally different from a traditional golem. Something that was typically programmed and given commands, not unlike a robot.

The core itself was the size of a volleyball. When placed with the body, it gave off a heavy fog of bronze, which was, an alluring sight. It made me think, wonder, if it would grant more than a single bronze coin, if that was even possible. In the end, I didn’t want to risk it. Not when the potential worth of the core was considered.

The core should be a silver ranked material. It could be higher, considering how long it had operated, and how ferocious it had been. The issue was, I didn’t exactly have the means, nor any idea of how to safely reclaim the core and neither did Talia. The golem core itself was… mostly intact. Some of the script on the array and along its body was damaged, but it wasn’t anything too serious. As some would say, it would buff out… probably… And if not, well, it would severely reduce the charge capacity of the golem.

Though, with the control rod, I wasn’t sure if that was much of an issue. The rod, more of a cane, had a rather impressive gemstone set inside, a larger, almost diamond. The material of the cane itself was fairly sturdy, a mix of ebony wood and what looked like steel. It made a nice clack when hit against stone and was just about the right height for appearing fancy.

It really wasn’t my style, unfortunately… But, it would make for a good auxiliary battery for the golem.

As for the golem core, well, it would take time to recover, especially with the damage. Given a few weeks and some dedicated feeding, the core would once more be replete with energy and could reconstitute itself on command. Which would make it a nice additional tool for the next exploration, or for the next event, whenever it occurs.

In the meantime, Talia could give the enchantments a good look over, in between perusing her books for our other project.

Overall, the gains were nice. Not to mention our growth as well. Shi, had grown incredibly over the course of this fight. Perhaps more than the whole trip down. Not that she would be of any help getting out of here, since after a final feeding session that nearly had me pass out, she fell right asleep. Almost like a child after a long day at the carnival. Different from her previous naps, this time she didn’t stir no matter how I tried to wake her.

Talia… didn’t see as much growth. And as we left, making our way out, with Shi in my arms, Talia spoke up. “I’m jealous.” Is what she said. “I can tell you got stronger from that fight, but me? I’ve barely improved at all.”

“Éclair said as much, that dogs struggle to improve.”

“Yeah, and I can see now why our leader failed. She never considered rabbits worth creating and just focused on dogs and foxes.”

“Didn’t Éclair already say that?”

“Yeah, but there’s a difference between hearing and seeing. And, sure, you’re not a lesser magical girl like me, but if we had a few people like you, well, I don’t know.”

“Do you think she would have even allowed someone like me to exist?” I asked out of curiosity.

“No… she would have seen you as a threat. Each of us were created and given roles, stations, and in many cases, she didn’t even bother to give us the tools we needed to fully make use of our abilities. We were lessers, not one of us were supposed to go beyond our station. She didn’t want capable subordinates, she just wanted…” She trails off.

“Slaves.” I mutter.

“Yeah… that. And you, I mean, you’re crazy, you throw yourself into combat as if you want to die, but...” Again, she trails off. “But, you’ve done more to help me than anyone else.”

“Well, other than the police, and Grim, I assume?”

“I suppose, but… paying for my library entry, giving me a place to stay, to research… Before, all I was expected to do was follow orders. Do menial labor, make sure machines were working. I learned a lot about arrays and magic, and if you combine that with my own knowledge and ability as a dog, even as a lesser dog, well, I have a feeling that given time, I could probably replicate some of the stuff I was working on.”

“That would be valuable.” I admitted. “But it’s not like I have the resources to support that.”

“Not now, but I’m beginning to believe you might be able to.” I felt something shift at those words. Rather, it was a subtle shift in our relationship.

I wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing, but one thing was clear. Talia seemed a bit more at ease with me. And that, I could work with.

We didn’t encounter trouble on our way out. It was almost too easy, but I’d rather that, than get into another fight. Not at this juncture. Somehow, we managed to find the door we came from, exiting out towards the service entrance at the edge of the port district.

The smell of the sea was strong from here. The sound of gulls and waves crashing along the jagged shore could be heard over it all. It was also cold. A light dusting of snow was falling from the heavens.

The lot was empty, save for my own car. I settled Shi in the back, Talia slumped into the passenger seat with a groan. The golem core and the control rod were stuffed into the trunk, as for the knights?

Well, they were all in bad condition. The fact that they were even still alive was a miracle unto itself. Fathom was spent, his soul worn to the point that he may just cease to be at any moment. Like a flickering flame in the midst of winter. A flame that only kept going thanks to the link we shared. Luna and Estrella were both beat to hell. Hopefully they’d make it back.

The sun was slowly rising. We’d spent a bit too long resting and recovering after the fight, but it wasn’t like I could go anywhere with a shattered spine. Luckily, Talia could heal. Even then, it wasn’t like I was back to pristine condition.

My spine kept making worrying noises. Small jolts of pain went up and down my back whenever I moved and settling into the driver’s seat was a fresh new hell. At least, the pain kept me alert and awake.

Turning on the car wasn’t fun, nor was it fun to get blasted with cold air. Only when the heater engaged did the cold flee, filling the cabin with welcome warmth.

Talia shivered, her hands cupped over one of the vents, in the back, Shi was huddled under my track suit jacket, sleeping. Leaving me in only a white tank top. A tank top soaked through with my sweat…

The warmth, was welcome. I let it work over me, and it almost felt like it eased the pain.

With a roll of my shoulders… a mistake as new pain jolted through me, I shifted into drive.

We went slow. Slow enough for both my knights to follow. As the morning mist dissipated, the sun fully rose. By the time I arrived back at the warehouse, the streetlights had turned off, and the distant sounds of trucks and cranes starting their day filled the air.

I carried Shi inside and deposited her on a couch inside the office space, that was used as a bedroom. Talia collapsed into the bed and groaned.

“You going to stay?” She said after groaning and mewling atop the bed, slowly covering herself with the blankets.

“No… I should probably stay at the condo tonight.” I answered and she didn’t complain. Rather, she fell asleep right after hearing my answer.  After divvying up the loot, leaving the core and control rod on a table on the main floor, and making sure my knights were settled in the cold storage, I made my way back.

The drive was uneventful. Soon enough, I was back at the condo, dreaming of falling into my bed. Of course, there had to be a hiccup. Someone was parked in my parking space.

A lot of thoughts ran through my mind. Most of them were fleeting flights of fancy brought on by exhaustion. Foremost of them was a malicious desire to just ram the car and be done with it.

The person that had parked in my space owned a nicer looking car. A vintage looking vehicle, a muscle car of sorts. It gleamed, probably freshly waxed, a bright red paint job that made it really pop out.

I had no idea whose car it was. Nor did I really care.

My car was vastly cheaper. The math was easy enough. I’d make whoever was in my space hurt a lot more than I would. But… sense took precedence over willful desires. Cold rational versus furious spite… So, I made the adult decision…

Though, it wasn’t like I was helpless. I parked my car, angled and right behind the nicer car. Just enough to box them in, without having my car take up the parking lot lane. I got out, locked my car door and went up.

I passed through the periphery of the central area. Older people were already up and doing things. The store was already open and manned. I quickly bought a few, quick items and made my way up to my room. Nobody cared that I was back, or rather, none of them seemed to really notice me as I slid into my room, devoured my meal and crashed into bed.

The futon, and the small mountain of pillows did little to ease the pain of my back. If anything, every move and shuffle just exacerbated it. Jolts of pain worked up and down my body throughout the night. Sleep came and went, broken by jolts of agony that came with all too sudden shifts or turns while in my sleep.

I laid in bed for most of the day, drifting in and out of sleep…

It wasn’t until the sun began to set that something made me get up.

A series of knocks on my door. Not just calm, polite knocks. But heavy blows that made my door rattle. Thinking they’d just go away, I tried to sleep again, but they didn’t stop. If anything, they increased intensity.

“I know your there! You’re blocking my car!” A voice I didn’t recognize roared from the other side of the door.

Realizing that this wouldn’t just go away, I forced myself up despite the pain. I wasn’t exactly dressed well. My clothing was in a poor state, ripped and torn here and there from the fights. A bit of blood soaking in here and there. Not to mention the smell of sweat and blood. Made worse by the constant thawing and freezing of my own magic.

In this state, I answered the door. The man on the opposite side of me was, again, not somebody I recognized. Not that I knew about the condo hierarchy. Not since my first meeting, and how poorly it went.

The man wasn’t anything special, at a glance. It was kind of hard to envision that he was the owner of that vehicle in the parking lot. Balding, thick glasses, a poor combination, but his body was a bit different. It wasn’t portly or thin, but had some muscle on it. He clearly worked out.

In fact, looking at him, I do think I saw him in the gym once or twice. He usually wore those ankle and wrist warmer things. Wearing too short shorts and a size too small tank top that emphasized his build, not that it was much to speak of.

He almost looked like a nerdy variant of those old 80’s workout video people.

He gave me a look, his eyes went slightly glassy as they took in the blood and tears in my attire. Simply passing over them like they weren’t actually there.

Had that contributed to why people didn’t notice me? Was it my bad state? If so, just how far does it go? Could it be abused?

After a series of furious blinks, he almost looked like he was rebooting. Like he was trying and failing to process what he was seeing before him. Like a robot being presented with the old joke of a phrase, ‘This statement is false.’ And having a freakout.

It wasn’t until a good minute or so that something shifted. His eyes, properly took me in, his demeanor changed.

“You look like shit.” He finally said, surprising me.

“I feel like shit. Now, why are you banging on my door?” I say, crossing my arms. He stared, maybe a bit too long at my chest, before continuing.

“You’re blocking my car.” He states.

“And you’re in my parking space.” I state back.

Our eyes lock. Neither of us gives ground.

“Do you know who I am?”

“Not a clue, does that matter?” He huffs, even steps back and looks around to an imaginary audience before stepping back, only closer this time. He wasn’t tall, at the very least, he and I were about the same height. Which, based on how he was tiptoeing slightly just to get that little bit of an edge, bothered him.

“I’m the condo president.” He said, as if that meant something.

“And that means you can take my space, does it?”

“It does when you don’t use it. You barely even live here, and…” He glanced behind me, a sneer on his face. “It doesn’t even look like you’ve properly moved in.”

“I have a job.” I said, clearly. “A job that doesn’t necessarily give me a lot of free time, or the ability to come back every night, is that a problem?”

“It is when I have to question if you’re even living here. You realize, that I could easily file a motion to have you evicted for not residing in your domicile.” He leans in slightly more, enough that I caught a whiff of his breath, and… it was surprisingly minty.

“If you did that, you’d have to reimburse me for the price of the unit, you do know that? And not what I paid for it, but what the actual worth of unit is.”

He frowns.

“I mean, does the board even have the funds for that?” I ask, not just to needle him, but out of actual curiosity. On one hand, losing my unit would be frustrating, but if they evict me and gave me back the worth of it, I’d be making bank. A silence settles. One I knew all too well.

He was thinking. Grasping for something, anything to say. His body shifted. His eyes bounced around, gathering information. He opened his mouth slightly, his tongue worked over his lips. And finally, he clicked his tongue, exhaled, his tensed body loosened. An easy smile made its way onto his face.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? I mean, it’s obvious your sugar daddy gave you this place.”

My nose wrinkles at that term. Even just imagining Leo being called daddy in any context was, bleh… Especially coming from my mouth of all things. Or was he thinking of Leo’s father?

Hell… what kind of situation am I in, that, that was even a thought process!?

“It’s obvious, that the reason you don’t stay here, is because of him, am I right?”

I said nothing.

“I’m totally right. I mean, just look at you now. You look like you got smashed and partied.”

Really? Partied? What the hell was he seeing? Honestly, it looked more like I had participated in a street brawl or two and lost. What I didn’t like, however, was how he started to leer at me, almost like I was a juicy piece of meat.

“I’m sure your sugar daddy isn’t enough for you, right? I mean, he’s young, inexperienced. Nothing like me.”

Oh… Oh… Is… is this really happening? Really?

Well, it apparently was as he pressed himself even closer. It was to the point that he was just about pushing into me, only to stop right at the threshold, as if he were some kind of vampire. Our bodies were separated, maybe by a hair.

I could almost feel the warmth radiating off him. The smell of, frankly, cheap and poorly made cologne that was put on way too thickly.

And as disgusting as this was, morbid curiosity made me speak up.

“Do you really think you’re that much better?” I had to ask.

“Of course. I have money too, you do know that? Plenty of it. I also know a place or two where you can get something… special.”

Ah, drugs probably. And as for the money? He probably was skimming from the board fund. I wouldn’t put it past him.

I really wanted to kick him, right where it hurts. I probably could too. Yet… well, beyond the fact that he really did deserve a good kicking, there was a plus.

Technically, this pervert hadn’t crossed the line. Yes, he was in my face, yes he was too close, but he wasn’t being handsy. Hell, I could see his hands resting on the threshold of the door, and he wasn’t just forcing himself in. If anything, despite his words and demeanor, his body language said a completely different story.

In a way, he almost seemed, afraid? As odd as that sounds… Which made the whole situation, odd…

In the end, even if I really wanted to punch him, again, I had to be an adult, at least, for now.

I exhaled from my nose and closed my eyes. Steadied myself. Inhaled, exhale. Once, twice.

“Look…” I trail off and look at him, still not moving. Our eyes meet.

“Monty.”

“Look, Monty. I don’t care what you think. Or what anyone thinks about me, but from the moment I got here, people have been harassing me and making comments about me.” I start and… I take a step forward. I bump into him, slightly, just enough to throw him back even a little.

His leering smile shifts, moving between a myriad of emotions. Surprise, shock, anger, humiliation? I wasn’t too sure, but it was good enough.

“I just want you and everyone else to stop. I want to use my space. I don’t want to worry about being heckled or harassed. I don’t care what the gossipers say or do, but if this keeps up, I might just get the police involved.”

Though, I doubt they’d do anything… Then again, maybe Grim would?

He frowns. I could tell he didn’t really like my threat, but at the same time…

“Fine.” He says. “I’ll have word passed around for people to stop messing with you, just, move your car, alright?”

I wasn’t sure what to expect. Him actually agreeing wasn’t high on my list. It actually made me curious about this man, Monty.

“I can do that.”

“Good, and if you ever change your mind, my door is always open.”

And just like that, I felt my curiosity dip… With a sigh, I went to get my keys, not bothering to respond. After all, I knew for a fact, I wasn’t going to let sleeping dogs lie. Eventually, I’d get back at him, and the whole community.

After all, it was only fair, right?