Boundless Chronicles

Chapter 12: Ghost Memories, II

Kwajik!

The blunt rusted iron smashed into the Side of the Corrupted Centurion's left knee joint. Thick, dark fluid Sprayed into the air like rancid oil. The massive creature roared, its violet flames flaring wildly as it lost its footing and crashed heavily onto the metal floor of the Subway Car.

Puok!

The Carriage shook under its weight, and the windows rattled as the metallic Screech of the emergency brakes echoed through the tunnel.

Noël didn't Stop.

He firmly Placed Strength on the heels of his feet and Stepped forward. Gideon Vance stood a few paces away, his silver rapier half-drawn, staring at Noël with a slightly complicated expression.

"What are you doing?" Gideon opened his mouth. "Its Synchronization Core is in its chest. If you break the knee, it will only trigger a Self-Destruct Sequence."

"To be exact, the Core isn't in the chest," Noël said.

"What?"

"In the 2nd timeline variant, this Centurion was retrofitted with an experimental auxiliary Core in its Spine. If you hit the chest, the Power Grid detonates. If you shatter the Spine, it safely locks down."

Of course, it was a lie. Noël had simply read the structural blueprints of this exact model in his ghost-memories, but naming a nonexistent timeline variant made the explanation sound infinitely more convincing.

The Revenant thrashed, its massive claws tearing up the steel flooring as it tried to Swipe at Noël's legs.

Right Side.

Noël quickly moved away from the direction of the attack.

Left Flank.

He dropped his center of gravity and ducked under a wild, Sweeping arc of its arm.

[Current Fractures: 7]

His head throbbed with a dull, persistent ache, but his focus remained absolute. He raised the iron pipe high, infusing Strength into his arms until his muscles strained against the fabric of his jacket.

He slammed the pipe down directly onto the creature's exposed Cervical Vertebra.

Kwajijijik!

A Shower of blue Sparks erupted as the Spinal Column fractured completely. The violet flames in the Revenant's eyes flickered, turned a dull, muddy gray, and instantly extinguished.

The towering monster slumped forward, motionless.

[You have dismantled a Corrupted Centurion.]

[The Gallery-being 'The Auditor of Ash' is impressed by your mechanical precision.]

[The Gallery-being 'Seyl the Unblinking' nods at your tactical efficiency.]

[400 Tribute has been sponsored.]

[Current Tribute: 5,600]

Noël exhaled slowly, wiping a drop of dark fluid off his cheek with the back of his hand. He turned around and looked at Gideon, who was still staring at him as if Noël were a puzzle he couldn't solve.

"Well?" Noël asked. "Did it blow up the train?"

Gideon slowly let go of his sword hilt, sliding the silver rapier back into its scabbard with a soft click. He made a dark expression.

"You are full of surprises, independent contractor," Gideon said, his voice dropping an octave. "You claim to be a simple vagrant, yet you move like a veteran scout who has walked through every dead zone in this sector."

"I told you," Noël said smoothly, "I read the logs."

"Logs don't teach you how to read a Revenant's micro-twitches a millisecond before it strikes." Gideon stepped closer, the air around him growing cold. "If you are lying to me about the Silk Queen's asset, your corpse won't even make it to the second layer."

"It was a lie."

Lyra blurted out the words before Noël could stop her. She pointed a grease-stained finger at him, her face pale with frustration. "He's making it all up! He doesn't know where any asset is! He's just winging it!"

Noël made a slightly complicated expression.

Gideon stopped. His eyes slowly shifted from Lyra back to Noël. The silence in the Carriage became suffocating.

Elara covered her mouth, her eyes wide with absolute panic. "K-Kaelen-ssi..."

Noël looked at Lyra and thought she was truly a troublesome extra. Her facial expressions were as easy to read as the sentences in a cheap novel.

He opened his mouth. "Lyra-ssi is just stressed from the tunnel collapse."

"Is she?" Gideon tilted his head, his hand drifting back toward his sword hilt. "Or is she telling the truth?"

[The Gallery-being 'Widow of the Third Bell' covers her face in glee.]

[The Gallery-being 'The Crowned Ember' prepares to watch an execution.]

[100 Tribute has been sponsored.]

The tension in the Carriage reached its absolute peak. Gideon's Spiritual Pressure weighed down on them like a physical wall. Noël's physical stats were high, but against a God-Touched Incarnation at close range, a direct clash meant certain death.

He didn't panic. He calculated the distance between them and the broken roof panel above.

At that moment, the train's automated system chimed.

[Approaching the Second Layer Terminal.]

[Preparing for immediate deceleration.]

Kiiiiiiiik-!

The brakes shrieked violently as the Subway Car slammed into the underground station platform, sending a cloud of dense gray dust rolling over the tracks.

The heavy metal doors slid open.

Beyond the open doors, a massive underground metropolis stretched out into the distance, a sprawling labyrinth of neon lights, towering steel Scaffolding, and armed guards bearing the insignia of the Capital.

Main Scenario #4 had finally reached its destination.

Gideon stared at Noël for another second, then turned his back and walked toward the open doors.

"We have arrived," Gideon said coldly, not looking back. "You have five minutes to prove your worth before I decide your information is worthless."

Noël stepped off the train onto the platform, followed closely by a shaking Elara and a glaring Lyra.

[You have cleared Main Trial #4.]

[4,000 Tribute has been acquired.]

[Current Tribute: 9,600]

Noël opened his status window, preparing to dump the Tribute into his stats before the next variable hit.

[Current Mnemonic Ledger: 8 / 60 Fractures]

The system window flashed red, interrupting his thoughts.

[A hidden scenario has been triggered by your high Mnemonic Ledger density.]

[The owner of the second layer is watching you.]

Noël looked up at the towering neon billboards of the underground city.