Chapter 30

  The party awoke to the insistent blare of a trumpet echoing through the makeshift military encampment. Disoriented and stiff from the previous day's battle, Ignis roused his companions, having been the last to stand watch. Evolon, momentarily yearning for a hot shower, realized with a chuckle that Pierce must have cast Purify on each of them as they slept. A sharp knock echoed from the trailer door, and the group emerged, ready to face whatever the day might bring.

  A soldier, his face a mixture of curiosity and suspicion, escorted them through the bustling camp. Groups of soldiers, four abreast and ten deep, jogged past, in formation and singing cadence songs. The young soldier led them towards a large office building, its glass facade gleaming in the morning sun. They ascended to the top floor, where a spacious conference room offered a breathtaking panorama of the rolling hills and verdant forests of Northwest Arkansas. The group settled around a massive, twenty-five-foot-long conference table, its polished surface reflecting the sunlight streaming through the windows.

  Another soldier entered, depositing five rectangular brown plastic bags, each slightly smaller than a shoebox, onto the table before promptly exiting. Pierce, recognizing the familiar MRE packaging, let out a chuckle. The others, however, simply shrugged and gestured for Ignis to conjure their breakfast. While Ignis set to work, Pierce's attention was drawn to the table itself. It was a single, magnificent slab of hardwood, likely Redwood sourced from the old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest. The craftsmanship was exquisite, the wood meticulously sanded and polished to a mirror-like sheen. He imagined the countless hours a skilled artisan had poured into creating this masterpiece, knowing that most would simply see it as an expensive status symbol. The sight of the table, brought a wave of warmth and a sense of homecoming. He thought of his own well-crafted desk back home, a cherished possession always anchoring his thoughts to the world around him.

  "When they come in," Pierce instructed his companions over the mental chat, "stay silent. Keep your faces neutral until I give the word. We'll let them decide how much we help."

  As they finished their impromptu breakfast, a gruff-looking Army Officer with a silver bird on his collar strode into the room, his expression a blend of impatience and annoyance. "Alright," he barked, his voice echoing through the chamber. "I am Colonel Anderson. Why don't you start by explaining yourselves?"

  Pierce, sensing the Colonel's hostility, decided to take charge. "Everyone," he instructed over the mental link, "stow your breakfast." Instantly, plates, cups, and utensils vanished into their inventories. "Before we begin, Colonel Anderson," Pierce said calmly, "I'd like to request the presence of Sergeant Eugene Cox. We met him during the Battle of Bentonville. He can validate many of our claims. Also, if you could bring in the leader of the Resistance – I never got his name – he can corroborate other aspects of our story."

  The Colonel's eyes widened at the casual display of magic, his frown deepening. "Both of them are unavailable," he stated curtly. "We can validate your statements without them present."

  "Okay," Pierce replied, his tone neutral. "Ask your questions."

  The Colonel scowled, his frustration evident. "Look," he snapped, " You're unauthorized personnel with unexplained abilities, carrying unregistered weapons, and consorting with an enemy combatant." He pointed a knife hand accusingly at Grok. "That thing is an illegal alien, and I can do with it whatever I damn well please."

  Pierce, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes, calmly inquired, "Do you like comic book movies, Colonel?"

  The Colonel, thrown off balance by the seemingly irrelevant question, sputtered, "What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

  "More than you might realize," Pierce responded, his voice steady and controlled. "You seem to have the situation confused. In one of the newer Superman movies, there's a scene where Superman allows himself to be handcuffed and taken away by the military. That's essentially the situation we're in."

  "The ego on this one," the Colonel muttered under his breath, "thinking he's Superman."

  "We could leave at any time, Colonel," Pierce continued, his voice unwavering. "There is nothing your military could do to stop us. We have abilities beyond your comprehension. The most powerful military on the planet can't even scratch us. You may have heard, might even believe, the stories of our offensive power, but I can assure you we've only revealed a mere fraction of our capabilities to the returned humans. We've already done your job for you, not once, not twice, but three times. We repelled the invasion, we sealed the portals to stop the never-ending flow of troops from stepping onto our planet, and we rescued a large portion of the people who were taken. We're not done yet, either. We're headed back to the enemy plant to search for any remaining captives and to bring the fight to the Doombringer himself. We're doing this for Earth, Colonel, for all of humanity. And as for Grok," Pierce gestured towards his orcish companion, "I include her in that 'we.' There are US laws regarding foreign interpreters commandeered during battle. She falls squarely within those guidelines. She is not your prisoner, Colonel. She is your esteemed guest, and an ally."

  The Colonel's face grew redder and redder as Pierce calmly laid out the situation, each point irrefutable. Finally, with a frustrated growl, he slammed his hand on the table and stormed out of the room.

  "Can I make a phone call now before we leave?" Ignis asked over the mental chat, a hint of mischief in his voice.

  "Go for it," Pierce replied with a chuckle, "but remember they're recording everything we say and do from several angles in this room."

  The party members pulled out their cellphones, their fingers flying across the screens as they dialed loved ones to check in and share the news of their survival. Grok, meanwhile, retrieved her sword and began sharpening it with a practiced hand, the rhythmic rasp of metal against stone filling the silence left by the Colonel's departure.

  Ignis dialed a number and waited. “Roxy, hey there, I am a friend of Elly's, I am about to head out of town and just wanted to call and introduce myself.” Ignis lowered his voice for the rest of the conversation.

  "I have an idea," Pierce announced over the mental chat. Then, with a mischievous grin, he looked directly at one of the cameras and bellowed, "LAWYER!"

  He dialed his old friend and lawyer, Austin, explaining the situation and requesting his assistance with some urgent legal matters. Thirty minutes later, a slightly disheveled Austin arrived, his suit a size too big and his eyes wide with surprise as he took in the sight of Grok calmly sharpening her sword.

  "Austin, long time no see!" Pierce greeted him with a warm smile.

  "You know I charge double rates for anything involving the military," Austin replied, pushing his glasses up his nose and setting his briefcase on the table.

  "You charge double rates for anything that doesn't include a meal," Pierce retorted with a laugh.

  "This is not exactly a speeding ticket you've gotten yourself into," Austin said, his eyes darting around the room, taking note of the multiple cameras. "So, what exactly can I do for you?"

  Pierce placed a small leather bag on the table, the clinking of coins muffled by the thick leather. He slid it across to Austin. "We could be gone for a bit," he explained. "I need you to set up a trust to take care of our bills, apartments, houses, vehicles, and families. We may be popping in and out, or we could be gone for an extended stay. Is Esmerelda still cleaning your house? Could you get her to clean and stock our places weekly?"

  Austin, a small smile playing on his lips, attempted to lift the pouch with one hand and failed. "Overseas packages for five?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow.

  "Just four," Pierce corrected. "We may need some help on the legal front with Grok there, but her home is... well, let's just say your legal license isn't valid there." He stood and walked around the table, stopping in front of Austin. Austin extended his hand for a handshake, but Pierce pulled him into a hug. "Friends don't shake," he said warmly. Then, stepping back, he added, "Oh, I almost forgot." A faint, warm light, a mixture of yellow and blue light, flowed from Pierce's hand into Austin's body.

  "What the-?" Austin exclaimed, stumbling slightly as he removed his glasses. "I can see!"

  Pierce grinned. "Consider it a bonus," he said. "And a thank you for being a good friend."

  "Remember back in college, you always said you'd get a good job and get LASIK because glasses never fit your face?" Pierce asked Austin, a warm smile spreading across his face. "I know you're too busy throwing every dime into savings to ever get it done, so I wanted to help. Also, you need to cut down on the drinking. Your liver was 40% damaged. In a few years, you would have been in trouble."

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  Austin, overwhelmed with emotion, simply nodded, speechless. He carefully picked up the bag of gold coins with both hands struggling to placed it inside his briefcase.

  Just then, the Colonel re-entered the room, flanked by two stern-faced soldiers. As he opened his mouth to speak, Austin sprang into action.

  "Do you have a warrant or an executive order to hold my clients?" he demanded, his voice sharp and authoritative. Before anyone could answer, he continued, "Good. They are free to go. Any communication with my clients must flow through me and my office from this point forward."

  The Colonel, momentarily stunned by Austin's forceful intervention, sputtered, "But-"

  "No buts, Colonel," Austin interrupted, his voice brooking no argument. "My clients have cooperated fully. They have saved this town, and they have rescued those hostages. They are heroes, not criminals. Any further discussion will be made between myself and the United States Government."

  "Does anyone have anything else to do while we're here?" Pierce asked over the mental chat, turning to his companions.

  "Provisions!" Ignis replied instantly. "I can always come back and do some shopping later, but you never know if we'll run into an anti-portal field or something crazy like that."

  "Give me the list," Pierce said, holding out his hand. He knew Ignis, already had a comprehensive inventory of necessary supplies.

  Ignis handed him a piece of notebook paper, his handwriting filling the page. Pierce's eyes widened as he scanned the extensive list. "This may take some time," he remarked.

  "This is Bentonville," Evolon said with a confident grin. "I bet it's here within the hour."

  "Pierce," Flint asked, his voice laced with impatience, "are we going straight back into the lion's den?"

  "That's the plan," Pierce confirmed. "I know Ignis has an anchor near Doombringer's castle. I think we can get close and work our way through the castle before being bogged down with too many skeletons. And if they do send in the legions, I can just heal them to death."

  "You can finally heal them to death?" Evolon burst out laughing, the absurdity of the situation hitting her. Pierce had always maintained that “Healing them to death” would never work, but somehow he found a way.

  Pierce, with a wink towards his friends, handed the list to Austin. "We also need this list here," he said to the lawyer, "as quickly as you can possibly get it."

  Austin, unfazed by the sheer volume of the order, simply nodded and slid the list to the Colonel across from him at the table.

  The Colonel, after a cursory glance at the list, passed it to one of his men, who sprinted out of the room without a word. "I'll see what I can do," the Colonel said, his voice gruff but accommodating. "But we need more information before we can officially sanction any further actions."

  Pierce, ignoring the Colonel, continued his conversation with his friends over the mental chat. "Those two are going to be busy for a bit," he remarked. "What kind of gains did everyone get from yesterday's marathon battle?" He pulled up his status page and shared the highlights. "I got eight levels, all the way up to level twenty now. I balanced out all of my base stats to twelve, with Strength the lone one at thirteen. At level fifteen, I got a perk called 'Calm Mind' that allows me to heal mental trauma and give a calming effect. At twenty, I got 'Multiple healing,' which allows me to turn any single-target heal spell into a party heal for double the mana cost, and area-of-effect to friendlies for triple the cost. For spells, you saw 'Major Barrier' yesterday, which creates a stationary, impenetrable barrier that no spell or object can pierce. I also got 'Regeneration,' which heals my target for a smaller amount of health over a longer period. Its mana cost is half of my normal heal, and in the end, it heals five times the normal amount of health. I was using it towards the end of yesterday's battle, but I'm not sure if you noticed."

  "I'm level 19," Evolon reported over the mental chat, her voice tinged with a hint of pride. "Most of my in Dexterity, but spread some out into Strength and Stamina after yesterday's example of why dumping everything into one stat might not be the best idea. At fifteen, I got a class perk that allows me to easily find traps. I also got a 'Triple Arrow' spell that splits a single arrow into three when firing."

  "Level 19 here, too," Flint added, "Added Strength, Dexterity, Stamina, and Constitution after yesterday's debacle. My level 15 boon is 'Health Link,' where I can choose a target, and any damage done to them is split between the two of us. My level 15 spell is 'Retaliation,' where I reflect incoming damage back to the attacker." He punctuated his update with a long sip of his Peach Monster energy drink, his feet still propped up on the pristine conference table.

  "Level 19, like the others," Ignis chimed in. "You know, that early start you got is still screwing us over." He paused for a moment, then continued, "I spread points around like everyone else. My fifteen boon is recovering mana for every slain enemy. I wonder if that's group-wide or just my kills. My fifteen spell is 'Lightning Bolt,' which can chain through enemies, something like Pierce's heal spell. I didn't use it yesterday because we were in a metal room, and I'm not sure how it works yet."

  "Level 19," Grok reported, her voice steady and confident. "Spread out my points. At fifteen, I got 'Shared Senses,' so I can see, smell, and hear through any of my beasts. My fifteen spell is 'Beast Endurance,' where my stamina is raised, increasing with every beast I have summoned."

  "Nice," Pierce said, his voice filled with approval. "All of this should help with our upcoming battles."

  Just then, the Colonel cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "We require your clients to take a member of the military with them," he stated firmly, "to ensure the alien is not hostile."

  "Absolutely not," Ignis retorted, interrupting the Colonel before Austin could respond. "No offense, but your man would be squished to applesauce within seconds of the fight starting. Look, I'm the weakest member of this group, and I nearly had my arm cut off yesterday."

  "I can assure you my men are up to the task," the Colonel insisted, his voice laced with a hint of arrogance.

  "Does Barkley here have a blade on him?" Ignis asked, gesturing towards one of the soldiers flanking the Colonel. "Barkley," Ignis continued, standing and dramatically removing his robe to expose his arm, "come over here and try to cut my arm."

  With a nod from the Colonel, Barkley approached, drawing a long, combat knife from a sheath strapped to his vest. A cruel smile spread across his face as he lunged towards Ignis. The smile quickly morphed into an expression of shock as the blade met Ignis's arm. It barely pierced the skin, leaving a shallow cut no deeper than a paper cut, not even drawing a single drop of blood. Austin's and the Colonel's jaws dropped in unison.

  "Yesterday, we killed over a hundred thousand enemies," Ignis explained calmly, returning to his seat. "One almost sliced my arm clean off, and another ripped Flint's arm from its socket."

  "No offense to your men and their training, Colonel," Pierce added, "but the orcish mercenaries you encountered here on Earth were literally the lowest-level and cheapest invasion force in the known galaxy. What we're facing is an endless skeleton army commanded by intelligent spellcasters that your bullets and blades wouldn't even scratch. Taking one of your men with us would be like bringing a toddler to a gunfight. The definition of a liability in combat."

  The Colonel, his face pale, sputtered, "Then give us the magic you wield!"

  "There is no more of this magic left on Earth, Colonel," Pierce stated firmly, "and be glad for that, or the invasions would never stop until the planet is enslaved and stripped bare. What we have cannot be taught or traded."

  The second military guard re-entered the room, whispering something into the Colonel's ear before taking a seat beside him. "We have your list of demands," the Colonel announced, his voice betraying a hint of reluctance, "but..."

  "Great!" Pierce exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Take us to them, and we can be on our way." The group rose and followed the Colonel out of the conference room, down the hallway towards the elevator.

  "We are not done here," the Colonel insisted, his facade of authority cracking.

  "We are not done here," Austin agreed, gesturing towards the departing adventurers, "but they are."

  The five party members stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor. "Sorry, Colonel," Pierce said with a mischievous grin, "this one's full." He pressed the 'close door' button, leaving the Colonel and his guards standing speechless in the hallway.

  The group exited the building and strode towards a large Walmart truck parked in the street, its rear doors wide open. Ignis hopped into the back, and within seconds, the pallets of supplies vanished into his inventory. He hopped back out, leaving a bewildered truck driver staring at the now-empty cargo space. Ignis approached the driver, signed the bill of lading, and gave him a friendly pat on the back.

  With their supplies secured, the group moved with superhuman speed towards the portal area in the central square. "Does anyone else see that?" Pierce asked over the mental chat, his voice laced with concern.

  "With heat vision, I see something," Ignis replied, "but it's invisible to my normal eyes."

  "Stand down!" Pierce shouted to the hundreds of soldiers still encircling the portal site. "You're about to see some crazy shit. Just understand, this is not an aggressive act towards anyone here."

  "At least I get to test the range on this spell," Pierce muttered to his friends as he summoned a shimmering line of light and directed it to shoot upwards into the sky. At about two hundred feet, a six-foot orb shimmered into view, neatly bisected. The two halves plummeted downwards, and Pierce, with a casual display of superhuman strength, caught them effortlessly. The exposed core of the orb pulsed with a mesmerizing light, layers of color shifting and swirling like an RGB gaming computer, but arranged in concentric circles like a cross-section of the Earth, reminiscent of the educational diagrams Pierce remembered from elementary school. Then, with a subtle gesture, the two halves vanished into his inventory, leaving the onlookers awestruck.

  "Ignis, got any food for us? Grok, any potions?" Pierce asked, preparing to buff his party with every advantage he could muster.

  After consuming a few bites of high-quality snacks and downing a potent potion each, the party vanished, their invisibility rings rendering them completely undetectable. Ignis, with a practiced flick of his wrist, opened a portal directly to Doombringer's castle. The group swiftly stepped through the shimmering gateway, closing it behind them before any of the soldiers could react.

  They materialized within the opulent courtyard of Doombringer's castle, the air thick with the scent of decay and dark magic. The final confrontation at hand.