Chương 27: 26-Babylonian Stand-Off

For a second, the whole scene seemed to freeze. The three zealots of the Answer faced the Federation and Babylonian troops without a care in the world, despite being outnumbered thirty to one. The Feds quickly broke formation and reassembled behind their sergeant. No one spoke. Billy heard a fly buzzing around a nearby tree. Sergeant White finally broke the silence, "Who the hell do you think you are, lady?" The girl with the eyepatch ignored him and spoke to her companions in a quiet, calm voice.

"I am taking him to Sister Mary Beth. You two dole out justice. No one with a system must escape alive." Anyone with a System? Billy thought. That probably included all the Babylonians and Feds present, including the Losers, even though each had only one-fourth of a system. The zealots did not seem the type to show mercy on a technicality. Ellen focused on White for an instant. Then all hell broke loose. With a slurping sound, reality tore itself ten feet over the zealot, a huge maw manifesting in mid-air.

The maw opened almost impossibly wide, throwing a circular ring of fangs surrounding it. Then, a long tongue shot out of it, knotting itself around the sergeant's body. The attack was so fast and precise that it reminded Billy of a chameleon snaring an insect in mid-flight. The sergeant was pulled into the maw with such speed that he did not even have time to scream. Then, incredibly, Ellen jumped into the open mouth after him. It closed with a slurping sound and vanished in mid-air.

The two remaining zealots smiled coldly at their opponents, waiting for them to counterattack.

"God is with us," the youngest one said, a ginger boy that could not be more than fifteen years old, with a fanatical gleam in his eyes.

"We are the Answer to your sins."

"I am assuming command!" the young Federation corporal, known as Ortega, curtly announced. Uh-oh, not good news, thought Billy. Ortega was not a big fan of the Losers, and he seemed quite green around the gills. He quickly proved Billy right.

"Form five turtle formations. Formations one to four, on the Circlers. Formation five on those two," he said, pointing at the Zealots. Ortega had concentrated nearly all of the Federation's firepower on them, considering the Babylonians as the greater threat, even though they had not behaved in a hostile way. Sergeant White would probably have joined forces with them after the Answer declared their intentions to kill them all. Forty Federation troopers were distributed among the four squads facing them.

There were different types of troopers in each. Some of them quickly summoned metal bucklers out of thin air and raised them towards the Babylonians. They projected shimmering, circular force fields that surrounded each squad, covering all the soldiers from head to toe.

"Lower shields," shouted Ortega. The force fields were gradually lowered until they were at chin height. Tens of hands held wands over the force field, aimed at the Circlers.

"Fire!" shouted Ortega. A multicolored rain of fire, ice, and lightning spells raced toward the still stunned Losers and the Savants. Somehow, most of those spells, which could have hit any of the six members of the group, ended up hitting Billy. Living Shield: You are much more likely to be targeted by random attacks if they would otherwise affect someone you care about. Billy disappeared in a flash of light. The light momentarily blinded Bob, but he quickly recovered.

Getting almost killed once per week does that to you.

"Duck!" he shouted, throwing himself on the ground before the Federation soldiers had a chance to shoot a second barrage of spells. Sarah, the young Constructist, spoke a Word of Power as soon as she hit the ground. She had memorized it quietly as they saw the Federation troops train, and it paid off. Power Word: Fog (Weather Magic 4): Summon thick fog over a large area that scales with mind. It will only last for five minutes.

A wisp of fog escaped from her mouth, billowing and growing at an exponential rate; most of Stanton was obscured by it in less than ten seconds.

"Everyone, seek cover behind the trees to your left!" Jenna's voice sounded inside the blood link. Bob could feel her anger and frustration over Billy's death through their soul contact. At that same moment, Bob's Truthfinding skill got triggered. Gaze of the Eternal Warrior(Truthfinding 3): Federation Gunners have an ample selection of enchanted wands in their storage space that can shoot pulses of hostile magic at medium range. One out of fifty-three combat patterns was detected. Fifty-three combat patterns?

What is the deal with these guys? Bob could not believe what his own magic was revealing to him. He followed Jenna quietly, trying to find the cover of trees, when he heard Corporal Ortega's voice instruct his men.

"Eleven!" he shouted. Bob realized he was referring to a previously trained maneuver by a code number. Gaze of the Eternal Warrior(Truthfinding 3): Federation Squad Leaders increase the effectiveness of any group maneuver as long as they have previously trained it with their men. Two out of fifty-three combat patterns were detected. Bob heard the soft thunk of metallic objects hitting the ground, far away. It did not matter.

They still served their purpose, conjuring giant twisters that sucked the fog away, leaving them exposed again before they reached the safety of the trees. Bob could faintly hear the fifth squad battling the zealots, their battle punctuated by horrible human screams. Things did not seem to be going well for the feds in that corner of the battlefield. Gaze of the Eternal Warrior(Truthfinding 3): Federation Grenadiers can throw enchanted orbs that create area of effect magics when they hit the ground.

Three out of fifty-three combat patterns were detected. If he had to detect all their possible patterns of attack before he could learn their weaknesses, they were going to be here all morning. They were suddenly in clear view of the soldiers again.

"Lower shields! Seven!" shouted Ortega, as the force fields were lowered just enough for the gunners to aim magically conjured staffs instead of the wands they had used for the previous attack. Sarah saved the day. Call to Battle (x2): Once per day, summon all your familiars simultaneously for 5 minutes. They will not count towards your construct summoning cap. The summoning is instant. Sarah's whole menagerie of constructs came into being: Mr.

Pinkytrunk, Grandma Snoodles, Cymbalape, and two others Bob did not recognize, but that looked like a giant toy soldier and a flying gondola with eyes, out of a children's cartoon show. The sixth familiar had been present all along, clinging to the constructist's back: Smiley Sam, an animated ragdoll that was the source of Sarah's remarkable courage.

"Fire!" shouted Ortega as the staves rained destruction on the constructs. Gaze of the Eternal Warrior(Truthfinding 3): Federation Gunners can use magical staves to channel magical attacks at long range. Four out of fifty-three combat patterns were detected. The familiars dissolved under the magical onslaught, but they bought the Babylonians some time to go for the safety of the trees. Steven had transformed into a stag and was carrying both Helena and Sarah on his back.

Jenna used her enhanced attribute to run so fast that her legs blurred. Bob used his athletics perks to a similar effect. Even so, they were not going to make it. Cover was just too distant, and there was no way they could fight this crowd. Helena's music had taken a surreal quality, as if it rained from the heavens instead of from the bardic healer's lute. Suddenly, she stopped. Music of the Spirit (x2): Concentrate your healing music on an ally in line of sight.

You can stop the power at any time, and the ally will be healed of all wounds obtained during that period over seven seconds. Lasts for a maximum of one minute. Has a cooldown equal to ten times the duration of the power. Mr. Pinkytrunk, Sarah's most tankish pet, had been reduced to a puddle of pink goo under the Federation's attacks. When the music stopped, the goo reshaped itself into the battle elephant's intact form. It roared and charged at the feds again. And the music returned.

Chosen Instrument (x2): Choose a type of musical instrument. Any of your powers cast using such an instrument can be used without incurring a cooldown. This power has a cooldown equal in duration to the cooldown that was suppressed. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"It is still alive! Take it down!" shouted an annoyed and slightly worried Ortega. Mr. Pinkytrunk was designed as a tank, and it passively made its foes perceive it as more dangerous than it was. The construct fell again, only to rise once more, taking advantage of the cooldown suppression for Helena's power.

"Take it down! Take down that bloody thing!" screamed Ortega. Nothing unnerves a soldier more than an enemy it can't kill. The elephant fell for a third and final time. Helena could not use her tricks again until her cooldowns were over, but the Feds did not know that. They approached the pink goo cautiously, waiting for a new attack at any moment. The Babylonians fell to the floor, exhausted. They had just made it to cover.

They crouched beneath some large trees that protected them from direct fire; they could not retreat any further, as their only way out was blocked by a cliff.

"38!" shouted Corporal Ortega's voice.

"I hate it when he does that," muttered Bran.

"Each time he calls a number, we get clobbered."

"You know, you've actually given me an idea," said Sarah, rifling through the small diary she used as a grimoire.

"I need a minute to create the power word, though."

"I am not sure we are going to get it," mumbled Bob. A number of sizzling energy bolts passed them by, on their right. They suddenly did a 180º turn, heading towards them and making their cover ineffective.

"Duck!" shouted Jenna, the first one to notice the new danger with her enhanced reflexes. Only the fact that they were shooting blind saved them from annihilation. Even so, a bolt went through Bran's right leg, leaving a hole the size of half a fist in it. Bran grunted as both Helena and Bob cast their healing magic on him. Bob could hear Jenna's mind inside the blood link.

"Billy, if you don't do anything now, we are not going to survive the next minute!"

"On it," answered Billy's ghostly voice. Billy's ghost was floating 50 feet above the battlefield. Gravity and distance did not work inside the Blue Room as they did in real life, and Billy had decided to take advantage of it. He had spent some achievement points on Expand the Room, increasing the distance he could float away from the point where he had died. He was currently floating on top of Corporal Ortega's formation, which gave him an unparalleled view of the Federation tactics.

Much as he suspected, the force field was designed much like a tank, with most of the armor facing the enemy. That meant the formation was completely unprotected against attacks from above. These people had killed him less than one minute ago. He could milk them for achievement points if he thought of a sufficiently ironic one-liner when taking them out. Ironic Comeback (Passive Enhancement): Gain a multiplier to achievement points gained when getting killed shortly after respawning.

The multiplier's value is based on how ironic the second death is. These people liked to number their tactics when they used them. Perhaps this would work for him. How many tactics did he use? He smiled. Oh, yes. This was perfect. He bought a fast spawn and 10 Out with a Bang charges. He manifested 20 feet over the squad and then let gravity do its work. Just before exploding, he shouted: "One!!" He got a plethora of notifications inside the Blue Room. You have slain ten level 15 Federation soldiers.

You gain 10 x 15 = 150 Achievement points. You gain a x10 modifier due to a highly ironic comeback. Your final gain is 1500 achievement points. Best Served Cold: Your death has been instrumental in killing someone who killed you in the past. You get extra achievement points for killing him. The longer ago he killed you, the more points you get. If your victim grants extra achievement points because of this power, his form is also automatically added to the Akashic Library. You gain 150 extra Achievement points.

Federation Gunner 15 has been incorporated into your Akashic Library. Federation Grenadier 15 has been incorporated into your Akashic Library Federation Guardian 15 has been incorporated into your Akashic Library Federation Medic 15 has been incorporated into your Akashic Library Federation Squad Leader 15 has been incorporated into your Akashic Library. Jenna heard the enormous explosion and dared a quick look to see what had happened. There were only three squads left.

The central one had been annihilated; only a crater surrounded by corpses remained. Jenna felt something small and hard hit her head. Ouch. She picked it from the floor. It was a metallic identification badge. It said Corporal James Ortega.

"That's my Billy," she proudly said. There was a moment of stunned silence, and then a new voice started shouting numbers. When the CO dies, command just passes to another squad leader, Jenna thought. She heard Billy's phantasmal voice inside her mind.

"It will not work again, Jenna. They have adjusted the shields. Now they are also facing upwards."

"That's the problem with shields," Jenna thought back.

"They can't face everywhere at once. That means their defense is not going to be so solid right now." She turned towards the Skillmaster.

"Bob, I think their shields are not as focused on us now as they were at the start of the fight. Wind Kisses the Ball could probably bypass them now. Let's try the Jenna-as-a-hyperdense-palooga-ball thingie we tried in Belona."

"We should really, really find better names for our tactics," Bob grumbled as Jenna shifted her Body points, becoming a hyper-dense doll-sized version of herself. Then she held her shins with her arms, making a ball with her body. It was not a perfect ball, but it was good enough for Spheric Polyvalence. The magic allowed the Skillmaster to throw any spherical object with the ease and speed he could throw a palooga ball. Without it, he would not be able to even budge the hyperdense form of Jenna.

"Let's just call it number 1," Jenna proposed.

"No, number 2 is better. Number 1 is already Billy's". Then she said no more because Bob was already throwing her towards the nearest squad. Wind Kisses the Ball! The expertly thrown human projectile skimmed over the edge of the force field, braining the Federation Guardian who was holding the shield that projected it. Then Jenna moved her freebies around. Body +3, Dexterity +3, Precision +3 She took Mind and Spirit to -2 for the four extra points.

She resumed her normal size in the middle of the enemy formation, her elven sword in one hand and one elven dagger in the other, and began a dance of death. She had not gone for strength, but for precision. All her enemies seemed to move in slow motion as her body became a prodigy of grace and efficiency. Bob's lessons had turned her into an unbeatable fighter, perfect technique empowered by the greatest possible natural talent.

She dodged blows by one inch, using the minimum amount of effort necessary; she moved to just the right spot for the needed amount of time, she flicked her blades almost lazily, but somehow they always hit a weak spot in armor, severed an artery, or nicked a nerve cluster.

She danced with her enemies, following a methodical order: first the squad leader, so that he could lead no more, then the medics, to ensure her wounds remained on her foes, then the gunners, the only ones who could pull a lucky shot in such close quarter, she went on with the grenadiers, who were hindered at close range and left the two most solid foes for the end. Guardians were built for defense and were good at it.

Jenna needed three seconds to kill each, instead of the customary second per kill she needed for the others. Fifteen seconds after the fight began, she was the only one standing, surrounded by a group of corpses. The last guardian gurgled as his body slid from her sword. The remaining squad wheeled towards her.

"Sevent.. uugh," the leader choked as one of Bran's arrows pierced her from the back of her skull, protruding from her mouth. Bob had used Celestial Gate to teleport both of them behind the squad, and they were skewering the remaining Feds with their arrows. The last feds valiantly tried to mount up a defense, but a hulking form appeared among them, mowing some down with a large machete while braining others with his head, held in his left hand.

The remaining feds fell down, the Headless Machetist in action, the last sight they would ever see. Soon, only the Losers and the Savants were standing.

"Damn," said Sarah, "I did not even get to use my power word."

"What kind of monsters are you?" a new voice interrupted them. They turned around and faced the last surviving foe. It was one of the zealots from the Answer, a stern-looking middle-aged woman. The other zealot, the young boy with ginger hair, lay unmoving on the ground, a hole in the middle of his forehead. The zealots had killed their Federation squad to the last man, but they had gone down fighting.

"Leave now, while you can, lady," Jenna told her coldly.

"This is the only chance you will get." The woman laughed at that.

"Do you think I am afraid of your silly powers? Of your systems? Of your dungeons and the monsters that inhabit them?"

"God is with me!" she said, as her body started to glow and float a few inches above the ground. Jenna focused her inner Compendium on the woman, but it came clean. This woman was systemless. She was sure of it.

"Beware, she is an Essential. That is where she gets her powers from," she told the rest of her group. All the bodies of the feds they had slain started twitching and swaying, clumsily getting up from the floor.

"No, she is not," Billy answered.

"She is emitting Essence, she is human." Jenna was amazed. How could she work magic without having a system or coming from a dungeon?

"What is she?" she whispered. She felt Bob's gasp in surprise. He summoned his status screen, Billy, and her to read it. Gaze of the Eternal Warrior(Truthfinding 3): shfoaw3ongxipslkfoiq2wngsdl902ngfkj0iro"I don't know what she is", Bob answered softly.

"Come on, guys, don't look so glum," Jenna tried to cheer them.

"They are only a couple of dozen zombies, and we already slew them when they were alive and had access to their powers. How tough can this be?" The zealot shuddered, summoning more power. The zombies' walk suddenly became more graceful and natural. They quickly reassembled into formations.

"Eleven!" gurgled an unnatural voice. The shields went up again.

"Shit," said Jenna. Then she noticed that Sarah looked almost ecstatic.

"What are you so happy about?" she asked her.

"I get to use my power word, after all," she said—she unleashed her magic. Power Word: Namasté (Linguistic 4): All words spoken in the presence of the caster transform into the least aggressive ones.

"92!" shouted the zombie leader. All the revenants suddenly turned around and retreated from the battlefield, running as if their lives depended on it.

"We can safely assume tactic number 92 is general retreat," said Billy.

"This is not over," said the remaining zealot.

"I will return. Everyone who walks away from here alive is cursed. I will return for you, for your loved ones, for these sniveling cowards who embrace your foul magic, for…uuhrk!" Bran's arrow to the throat cut her in mid-speech. She fell to the ground, twitched once, and lay still.

"The gloating. Always the gloating," sighed Bran. In the distance, the running zombies suddenly fell to the ground, as if they were puppets with cut strings. The first battle of the war had been fought.