Hector gently lowered Sasha’s head onto the cold stone of the prison cell. The bastards hadn’t even bothered with giving her some hay to rest on. Hector stood with a frown, his eyes lingering on her corpse.

  He moved over to Jodie and rested a hand on her shoulder. Her hand shot up and grabbed his wrist. In her eyes was venom. Hector hadn’t ever seen Jodie like this before. “I’m going to kill them,” she said, getting to her feet.

  She released his hand, and Hector let it fall to his side. His eyes lingered on her for a moment. Should she even continue? He frowned. He didn’t have time to stand and consider. Hector left the cell with speed, stepping past Lincoln.

  “Hector!” His friend called. He didn’t turn; he didn’t even consider it. Ahead, the door to the next room loomed. The screaming was louder now. They were behind this door. He hurried forward.

  Slipping the key in, the door clicked open. This key was some sort of master key. He pushed the door open, the wood scraping across the stone. A sharp stab of horror hit his chest. There, tied to a slab of stone, was Harry. The young boy who had joined the dojo with Mirae.

  Behind him, a large egg, about the size of a child, sat on a block of stone; thin black tentacles writhed from its form. They lashed at Harry’s body, causing shouts of pain.

  The static in Hector’s legs erupted with force as he charged forward, racing to free the boy from the egg’s sick torment. But before he could get close, more thick black tentacles erupted just outside his vision. The tentacles slammed towards him, and he jumped back, diving out of the way as the stone floor cracked with the impact.

  Hector looked up, his eyes meeting the man he’d been looking for. Hammond. Tentacles whipped from his back, disdain written all across his face. Flanking him were two other Farmhands. It was the same two that were with him the day he attacked Delworth.

  I should have guessed I’d find them here. Better for the one in charge to manage things personally.

  Hector got to his feet. Static crackled through his legs as the surrounding air hummed with energy. Hector squinted at Hammond. The idiot had changed, for sure, so much so that he looked like the black-robed cultivator from the festival—tentacles and all.

  Were they related?

  “How did a pig like you get down here?” Hammond asked, his gaze flickering, moving behind Hector. Footsteps echoed off the stone, and Hammond’s frown deepened. “There is even more of you. What the hell are Samuel and Peg doing up there?” His gaze snapped back to Hector, a smile forming on his lips. “At least you will make good food for the egg.”

  Harry let out a shriek as a tentacle thwacked into his side, drawing blood.

  “You sick freaks!” Jodie yelled, moving next to Hector. Her fist clenched tight as her gaze practically stabbed towards Hammond. “You are going to pay for what you did to Sasha. I’ll make sure of it.”

  Hector glanced at her, running his gaze over her figure. She was shaking. Footsteps followed a moment later, sandals and boots tapping against the stone. Lincoln walked up to Hector’s other side. “So, it was him, after all. I guess this was why he wanted Delworth,” Lincoln said.

  To think they wanted to sacrifice him to some egg. He was just trying to lure him in with some sweet words, though I guess we should be thankful Hammond sucks with communication.

  His eyes moved over to Harry, strapped to the table, letting out screams each time a tentacle whipped him. They were running out of time. “I’ll leave the other three to you, Hammond’s mine.”

  Before they could speak, Hector took off, clothes flapping in the wind, static buzzing around him. Hammond frowned. He raised a hand and waved it forward. A tentacle at his back shot out, racing towards Hector.

  It wasn’t as thick as the man’s at the festivals, but seeing what it did to the stone. It would pack a punch. Hector ducked under it, energy buzzing through his legs. He then slipped past the two that followed.

  The other two Farmhands went to intercept him, but Hector continued. The first Farmhand struck with a fist. Hector jumped, clearing him and slapping a hand on the boy’s back. He used the force to push himself forward as the Farmhand stumbled away and straight into a kick from Jodie.

  Hector then skidded across the stone, stepping to the side as a tentacle whipped by his head and cracked into the floor. The force carried a little more impact than he’d expected. Was Hammond getting a little frustrated—already? Hector locked eyes with him and stepped to the side as the other Farmhand threw a wild punch.

  The punch missed, but the single tentacle whipping out of the Farmhand’s back didn’t. The tentacle slammed into Hector’s chest, and his sandals screeched across the stone, the force of the blow pushing him back. No pain, though. [Hearty Body] had saved him yet again.

  The Farmhand frowned, getting ready to charge forward. But Nyx came from the side, her knee rushing straight at Farmhand’s face. The Farmhand stood, and the tentacle at his back, writhing with energy, zipped up, blocking the blow.

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  Those things were proving to be more annoying than he’d hoped. Hammond stood towards the slab, Harry still lay there, barely alive, as tentacles from the egg whipped at him. Hector had to destroy that first.

  The two Farmhands were now occupied, so Hammond was fair game. Torchlight crackled as Hector raced towards Hammond. A tentacle, thrumming with strength, whipped towards Hector. He ducked, leaping forward and rolling out of the way as the tentacle cracked into the floor where he’d been seconds before. If it wasn’t for [Volt Runner], he’d probably be in a world of pain right now.

  Hector ducked over another and came face to face with Hammond. His fist snapped forward, slamming into the boy’s shoulder. It wasn’t where he was aiming, but he’d take it—as long as the static built, it would be fine.

  He needed to slow Hammond down. He needed to destroy that egg. As another tentacle whipped towards his head, Hector ducked. Hammond reached forward, trying to grab him, but sparks zipped through his body as he entered Hector’s static field, subtly slowing his movements.

  It was enough. Hector rushed forward, delivering three blows. Two, crisp and sharp, slammed against Hamond’s chest, but as Hector went for the third, a tentacle rushed from the side. Hector reeled back, stepping out of the way as Hammond staggered from him.

  “You pig, how dare you touch me,” Hammond screamed, “You will die for that.” The tentacles on his back seemed to react to that statement. All four reared back, their forms pulsing with power as Hammond charged at him.

  No skill at all, just raw power. Pathetic.

  Hector pulled on his [Quickening Brace] Talent, and the world slowed, dropping to a crawl. His gaze zipped around, tracking the placement of the tentacles, the movement of Hammond’s feet and where he was looking.

  Hector had to end this now, and the first hit was his. His fist cracked into Hammond’s jaw as the world slammed into motion. He then sent another punch straight to Hammond’s gut, static jumping from his fist.

  As he did, a tentacle whipped towards him, slicing through the air. Hector jumped back before kicking off the floor, twisting and lashing out with his foot as another of Hammond’s tentacles reared up to block.

  Hector’s foot slammed into the tentacle with a low thud, static barely penetrating its surface. He then swivelled and pushed off, grunting as he used the force to close in on the large black egg.

  “No! Stay away from it,” Hammond screamed as three of his tentacles shot forward, the air cracking around them. This was going to hurt. Hector braced, and with several low pops, the tentacles slammed into his side and arms.

  Hector crashed through a standing torch, smashing it into a cloud of splinters, before smacking into the wall and slumping down. Pain thrummed through his arms, but his side was surprisingly okay. [Hearty Body] had activated twice.

  This is getting really old, real fast. But I haven’t built up enough static yet, have I? I doubt four or five eruptions will be enough to stall him, especially since those tentacles can move on their own.

  Hector’s eyes snapped wide as two tentacles raced towards him, a crazed Hammond running behind. Hector dived out of the way into a roll, the wall cracking as the two tentacles slammed into it.

  He leapt from his roll and glimpsed Lincoln, getting knocked back by a tentacle before slamming into the floor. Blood leaked from the corner of his lips as he gripped at his side, face creased in pain.

  Hector wanted to help, but with Hammond on him, that would prove difficult. Surprisingly, Jodie was keeping up with the tentacle-enhanced Farmhand.

  “Stop running and just die,” Hammond said as a tentacle cracked down on the ground at Hector’s side. This guy was trying to kill him. Should he not try to do the same?

  Even as Hector considered the idea, his heart tightened. Could he take another person’s life? He’d never done that before in either of his lives. Harry let out a weak scream, his voice growing faint. He was fading.

  If I don’t go at him intending to kill, Harry will die. But I can’t. What will my dad say? What will my friends say? But do I have a choice—Hammond sure isn’t giving me one.

  Hector twisted on his heels, his sandals scraping across the stone, coming to a stop. As he did, a tentacle whipped by, and he ducked, weaving under it to close the gap between him and the madman charging across the room. “Screw it,” Hector murmured.

  He had to at least fight like he was trying to kill. Hector leaned into the strike of another tentacle, sliding under it as static raced through his legs. He hopped to his feet and dived forward to pop up right next to Hammond, cracking his fist into his chest.

  And that’s six hits, I think.

  He willed the static to erupt all at once, ducking out of the way of another tentacle. He then rolled to the side before scrambling behind Hammond. The Farmhand exploded into a fit of spasms, static crawling across him as his body stalled. It was just enough.

  Hector leapt off the floor, swivelled, and as he crested, snapped his leg forward, cracking it into Hammond’s spine. The boy froze like his strings had been cut. Sharp twitches jumped through his body before he crashed to his knees and slumped to the floor.

  As he did, Hector jumped back and turned, racing towards the egg. He leapt over the slab and angled for an Orion leaping strike, slamming into it with two vicious blows. The surface cracked, chips of back stone flaking into the air while Hector jumped back, landing on the slab.

  The egg’s tentacles flopped down, and Hector reached forward, sliding his hands under Harry, scooping him up into a carry. The ginger-haired boy’s breathing was weak and laboured. Cracks continued coming from the egg as torchlight flickered off its surface.

  Behind Hector, his friends were still engaged with the other two Farmhands. He’d have to trust in them to keep them off of him as he got Harry out of the room. Hector spared a glance at Hammond. He’d been unable to bring himself to kill him. But hopefully, he wouldn’t be able to walk—would that stop him in the future, though?

  His grip on Harry tightened as he shook his head. He leapt off the slab and raced to the door. He’d deal with that later.

  Suddenly, an aura washed over the room; it was thick and sickening, much like the one at the festival. Hector staggered, holding back the urge to gag. Was it another void beast?

  “Hammond, you pathetic fool,” a voice boomed. It was harsh and low, its tone jagged, like scraping chalk on a whiteboard at the bottom of a well. “I gave you such power, and you were stopped by these weaklings. I knew I shouldn’t have left it all up to my food. But I shall not make that mistake again.”

  Behind, the egg’s shell cracked, and shards of black stone clattered from it, smacking onto the stone beneath. A low rumble filled the space and shook deep in Hector’s chest. His heart dropped as he slowly turned his head.