Aira almost had t Li to her bed the previous night, deing to answer any additional questions about the new skill or anything else. And there were many questions to answer and things to discuss. Still, Li had to get proper sleep before doing anything important or making any decisions.

  For Aira, of course, there was no such a problem. She felt exhausted after the attack, but that was something she could withstand. Maybe she couldn't just brush it off, but it shouldn't bring any signifit plicatioher. Especially as she finally managed not to overexert herself.

  That achievement was even more crucial as she was on the brink of using up almost all of her reserves even before the siege began. And then, she had to perform as that affected multiple humans, not ond not twice.

  Yes, Aira was quite proud of herself.

  It would only be better if she made it a habit to stantly s the surrounding area with her Energy Manipution skill. Maybe, in that case, they wouldn't be startled by the attackers.

  But it ended well, right?

  Aira spent the rest of the night ing up the halls and dragging the bodies out of the building.

  "I uand that they were scared," she thought, leaving Korin's body outside. "But don't they care about their fallen rades? What should we even do with them?"

  The task took her the rest of the m. Aira didn't have time to wash the floors, and the surfaces were still slick with blood in some pces. But she removed at least some of the debris and cleared the paths they'd spent a week barrig.

  And, well, removed the bodies.

  There were more thay of them. Most of the leaders of the squads. And even a few more attackers who were killed during one of her first strikes wheargeted the firearms. Obviously, not all of them were fast enough to react despite that strange dey duritack.

  Finally, the sun was rising. Soon, Aira would have to tinue her gruesome work and bury the bodies. Digging up a hole wouldn't be an easy task during the winter, even with all the boosts she had. But the alternative was what? Making a pyre? Just thinking about that made Aira shudder. Even if they had to burn the people who just a couple of months earlier wao burn her alive.

  Was it time to wake up Li? During the time they spent together, Aira began to rely on this quirky green-haired woman quite a lot. Much more than she ever relied on any other partner in her life. Still, there was that lingering question of tinuing their journey. How far could they go together in this world where humans and undead were mortal enemies?

  Aira's radio suddenly woke up. "Hhhrrnnngh... Is it m already?" Li's voice came through. "Where are you?"

  "I'm right in front of the building," sent Aira directly to Li's radio. "Doing chores, you know…"

  "By the twisted branches," muttered Li, "That's one way to stomp on the m vibes!"

  "You know what," said Aira. "Let's meet i. We have a lot to discuss."

  ***

  When they had mugs of hot tea in their hands, it was finally time for the long talk.

  "So, Neunion, huh?" said Li. "Li started, leaning bad giving Aira a sharp look. "By the roots, you didn't let me shake the tree on that o night. What's all this about raising undead?"

  "I don't know yet," said Aira. "I didn't have time or… subject to test it."

  "And… Was Korin… was he one of the unlucky ones?" Li asked, her voice getting quieter. "I 't say I was a fan of the guy, but, by the Elder's breath, he was my boss food stretch…"

  "Yeah… sorry," said Aira. "He's over there in the pile."

  "Well, root me sideways," Li asked, her brows furrowing. "'t he be a… what's the word… a subject? You know, for your, uh, new skill thing?"

  "I haven't thought about it yet," said Aira. "But it said medium-sized anisms. Do you have dragons in this world?"

  "Dragons? What ihorny thicket? Why dragons?! Why is that your first thought?!" Li excimed, staring at Aira like she'd grown a sed head.

  "Well, I mean, if you don't have dragons," said Aira, "humans probably won't qualify as medium-sized. But I try if you wao do that. Do you? Want it?"

  Li paused, startled by having that choice.

  "I… I'll be a lost a if I make that call," Li said. "Not for him, not for you, and definitely not for anyone else."

  "Not that it would make his life worse than it is now," said Aira.

  "Ha-ha…" answered Li. "Not funny."

  "Good, let's table that for now," said Aira. "Do you remember I mentioned a strange energy signature I noticed yesterday?"

  "Yeah, you said it wasn't a human," said Li. "Boughs and branches, it got me all rattled like a loose gear when I tried to sleep. But, truth be told, I was too wind-so care much. Slept like a stump…"

  She looked at Aira.

  "Ah, sorry," Li said.

  "Well, dead jokes are sort of your thing now," said Aira, smiling. "So, energy signature. It definitely wasn't a human. Moreover, I sehe differeer I got this new skill. And its descriptioions sensing the undead."

  "So, you think it was an undead spying on us?" asked Li. " they… you know… spy?"

  "That's exactly the problem," said Aira. "I don't know! I know nothing about the undead of your world. But it sort of made me think. I o find them!"

  Li had just taken a sip of her tea. Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she gasped involuntarily, sending the tea spiraling down the wrong pipe.

  "Elder's beard," she wheezed between coughs, "Are you even for real?"

  "Do you need help?" asked Aira. But Li waved at her, showing that she'll survive. "So, I've been thinking," Aira tinued. "We've spent a lot of time searg for dots about the old times and the Fall in the archives of this facility. But we haven't found much. Thanks to you, Elder Jorin, and… other not-so-kind people, I know about the humans. But what about the undead?"

  "By the frost on the pine," Li said thoughtfully. "They say there's no talking to them, no reasoniher. Supposed to be dangerous as a fox ered in a trap. That's why we kept our distance. But now… I'm not so sure. Especially after you pointed out how adgets don't match up with what's here in this old facility. Makes me wonder what else might not add up."

  "That's true," said Aira. "I have almost fotten about that…"

  "You know how the Elders in Mountain View have tried to py h them tely," Li tinued. "Don't ask me why—couldn't tell you what swayed them. But whatever it was, it had to be big enough for Elder Jorin to pull the rest of the cil out of their hollow stumps and into agreement. That's no small feat."

  "Yes, that's right, everything points to the undead," said Aira. "Obviously, I'm not the only one who thought that. And now, with that new skill, I have even more reasons to reach out to them," Aira was hesitant for a moment. "I know it's a lot to ask. But would you care to join me on this journey?"

  "What?! By the twisted branches, you wao marto an undead ir out of my own free will?" Li excimed. "That's pure moon-blind madness! Humans aren't just disced from going there—we're ht banned! It's impossible!"

  "I know it's a tough decision," Aira agreed. "But please think about it. And we'll talk more ter."

  ***

  In the end, Li agreed with Aira that the bodies had to be buried. The task of digging the mass grave was somber and exhausting. But at least it kept Li warm during the chilly m. The spring was ing, but this high in the mountains, it wouldn't get warm until much ter in the season.

  It was when they put the st body into the ground that Li noticed Aira getting stiff for a moment. The undead womaraightened up and turoward the hill. It was so densely covered with trees that it was hard to see anything there.

  "What is it?" asked Li. "Did you catething"

  "Yes, something…" said Aira. "Just for a moment I sehe same energy pattern as before. I'm sure it's the same undead I noticed yesterday."

  Li saw Aira fog on something deep ihin her and decided not to distract her panion. A few minutes passed before Aira returned her gaze to Li a out a deep sigh.

  "It's gone," Aira said. "But this… being… it couldn't just run away. I spread my senses far away. I even sense Mountain View, even if it gets all fuzzy and is quite overwhelming."

  "So, what is it?" asked Li. "How did they hide?"

  "The only expnation I have is that they have magic," said Aira. "Some skill that hides them, masks their signature, aes my powers."

  "You're tellihe undead have magic?" said Li, her voice rising. "What in the underbrush?! That's unfair as a fox stealing your dinner! Us humans are left without a spark, and they're out here tossing spells like leaves in a storm?!"

  "Steady there," said Aira. "Don't fet I'm an undead as well. Ahe universe isn't fair. Not only your world. I guess all the multitude of worlds is totally unfair. So, we just o make it work in our favor."

  Li glowered at Aira. She was fuming, but it was hard for her not to agree with Aira's approach. That's what she had wao do since who knows how long ago: take up the reigns of her destiny and bee something bigger. And now, there tion of toug something magical. Literally.

  "Do you think…" Li hesitated as if searg for the right words. "By the twisted branches… is there even a ce I could ever have magic?"

  "I won't lie to you, Li," said Aira. "I don't know. I don't know enough about your world and its System to give you an answer. But I promise you that if there is even the smallest ce for that, I'll leave no stouro help you find yic."

  ***

  It took them the rest of the day and even some more night-shift work on Aira's behalf to up most of the mess that was either sticky, smelly or preveheir freedom of movement around the facility.

  A new day dawned with a somber atmosphere hanging over the valley. Aira and Li khat their time here had e to an end, at least for now. They had survived the assault, but the lingering threat of atack was too signifit to ignore.

  What was even more critical was that they didn't want to take responsibility for even more stupid and greedy humans ing over to the a facility to take their ces and most probably lose their lives.

  They had to move on. They had to find a different, safer pce. And probably move further in expl Aira's quests. But first, they o secure the facility.

  "We o mothball this pce," Aira said, her voice steady with resolve. "We 't let anyone else get in here. What's your opinion, would the bunker door keep them out?"

  Li shrugged and looked at the door with a frown as if doing some calcutions in her mind. "Back at Mountain View, we've got heavier gear—heck, even explosives," she said, her toeady. "You saw they used them a couple of days back. But this door? Solid as oak. Ha! That's funny. Stronger, of course! It's going to give them a run for their , that's for sure."

  "So, what's your professional opinion?" asked Aira.

  "It all es down to how rattled they are," said Li. "We just took out a few squad leaders—not just from Mountain View, mind you, but from other settlements too. That's got to have them fuming. Still, they'll have to weigh their anger against the risk of losing even mers. That kind of gamble? It's colder than cliff shade."

  "You are saying that we are safe," said Aira. "Should we stay?"

  "Absolutely not," said Li. "What I mean is they'll take time to lick their wounds, sure. But with every suhe shiny bits and gadgets Korin's team bragged about will get uheir skin like a thorn. Every settlement out there would love to get their hands on this pce, though probably not if it means losing their best rangers. Problem is, there are too many cilors, traders, and shadowfooted politis stirring the pot. They'll push until someoes the bramble again."

  "Yeah," said Aira, nodding. "It would just take some time before someone is overtaken by greed."

  "I'll give them a month," said Li.

  "So, where do we go?" asked Aira.

  "I know it feels like we're tossing all our work to the wind," said Li. "But it's the smart move. We've uncovered a treasure trove of knowledge, and you've sharpened your skills more than a ranger's bde. Now’s the time to keep our branches covered and move forward," she took a moment to think. "We have to tinue your quest. We tinue our quest. It's what matters most."

  Aira raised her brows: "Our quest? So, are you a perma member of the team now?" she said, pg her hand on Li's shoulder in reassurance. "I'm sure we'll e baeday," Aira tinued. "And even make it work with humans. Both your friends from Mountain View and the others."