Chapter 97: Still Alive

Their wingspans approached three meters. Coarse gray fur. Long claws on the front limbs, curved like hooked blades. They came at him with terrifying speed. Ethan stepped aside as the first wolf swooped past. Its claws tore the air where his shoulders had been. He raised his hand at once. A horizontal Space Fissure opened across its path. The wolf could not change direction fast enough. Its wing struck the edge of the rift. The creature howled as part of the wing disappeared into the spatial tear. Its flight went unstable, and it crashed onto the road, smashing through the windshield of an abandoned sedan.

He was already moving. He closed the distance before the wolf could stand and drove the sword into its neck. The creature convulsed once and went still. He pulled the blade free and retrieved the gray-black Core from its skull. The second wolf circled overhead. Its yellow eyes followed him for several seconds. Then it let out a distressed cry and climbed rapidly into the sky. He did not bother chasing it. No reason to spend energy on a creature that had already decided to leave. He wiped the sword clean and kept toward Wealth Building.

As he approached the Museum, the roars of the Snake King and the Tyrannosaurus Rex grew louder. A distant crash shook the surrounding buildings. Dust spilled from a damaged facade. A parked car rocked as another tremor rolled under the road. He stopped briefly at the mouth of an alley. He could see neither King from where he stood, but their fight was clearly still going somewhere past the Museum. Two monsters capable of tearing through buildings, fighting over territory, and everything caught between them would be crushed. He had no intention of becoming part of that. He activated teleportation four times in quick succession, covering a good distance and putting several streets between himself and the Museum. By the time he stopped, the worst of the tremors had faded behind him. He took a breath, steadied himself, and continued on foot.

Wealth Building finally came into view. The tall structure rose above the surrounding blocks, its upper floors catching the dim red light. Several windows shattered. Dark stains marked the walls near the entrance. A brief sense of relief. He was close. Then a figure stepped out from around the corner.

The zombie stood nearly two meters tall. Blue-gray skin with a rough, stone-like texture. Thick ridges over the shoulders and forearms. A long bone blade protruded from one wrist. Its head snapped toward him. Before he could fully read it, the zombie lunged. The speed was astonishing. It crossed the distance in a blur and thrust the bone blade at his chest. He raised his hand. A Space Fissure opened between them and forced the zombie to change its angle. Instead of retreating, it used the opening to drive forward. Its hardened fist slammed into his chest. The impact sent him stumbling back. Pain spread through his ribs. His breath caught. He struck the side of an abandoned car, dented the door, and managed to get his feet under him.

The zombie came again. He twisted aside and countered with Space Cut. The invisible strike tore the air and hit the creature’s forearm. A shallow wound across the hardened skin. Not enough. He attacked again, aiming for the knee. The strike barely penetrated the thick tissue. The combination of speed and hardening made it far more dangerous than an ordinary evolved zombie. Worse, he had already used his five daily charges of Space Fissure. He still had Space Cut, but the creature’s defense made a clean kill hard. The zombie suddenly stopped attacking. Its scarlet eyes shifted toward the street behind him. Then it turned and ran.

He frowned. It wants to escape? He took a step forward, ready to pursue. A golden figure plunged from the sky. The newcomer struck the zombie before it could reach the next intersection. Sharp bone blades extended from her fingertips and pierced its skull with effortless precision. The zombie’s body jerked. A moment later it collapsed. The golden-winged woman landed lightly, folded her wings, and glanced at him.

Kate. She looked him over, from the dusty clothes to the blood running down his cheek. Then she smiled faintly. "Oh, my. You’re still alive?"

He gave her a tired look. "What? Were you hoping I’d die?"

"Not particularly." Her gaze moved over his injuries. "Although you certainly look as if you’ve been trying your best to make it happen."

"Nice to see you too."

He crouched beside the dead zombie and retrieved the red Core from its skull. After he placed it in the Space, he stood and brushed the dirt from his clothes. Kate watched him with an unreadable expression. "Since you’re not dead, come with me."

Before he could ask what she meant, she stepped forward, wrapped one arm around his waist, and lifted him off the ground. Her golden wings snapped open. A powerful gust swept the street. "Wait, I can—"

The words died in his throat as she launched them into the sky. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her neck. The buildings dropped away. Wind rushed past his ears, carrying the smell of dust, smoke, and distant decay. From above, Silvermont looked even more broken. Roads blocked by wrecked cars. Rooftops collapsed. Dark figures moved through the streets below. Kate climbed higher, wings beating in powerful, measured strokes.

He had been about to tell her he could simply teleport to the top of Wealth Building. Then he caught a faint scent of gardenias. Clean and delicate, completely out of place in the ruined city. He turned his head slightly. Kate’s golden hair fluttered in the wind. Her face stayed calm as she guided them between the buildings. Up close, her features were almost indistinguishable from an ordinary woman’s. Almost. His curiosity got the better of him. He shifted his hand slightly.

Kate’s entire body stiffened. Her wings faltered for half a beat, sending them dipping several feet before she regained control. She turned her head and glared at him. A dangerous red light gathered in her eyes. "Do you want to die?"

He immediately raised both hands. "Sorry. My mistake."

Kate stared at him for another moment, clearly deciding whether throwing him off a building would be worth the trouble. Then she took a slow breath and faced forward. "Touch me again," she said, voice low and flat, "and I will drop you. Daisy is waiting. Try not to make me regret bringing you to her."

The wind took the rest. Below them the city kept burning under the red light, and the distant roars of the two Kings rolled up through the air like a reminder that the sky was only safer until something with wings decided it was not.