Soul's Requiem: B1 - 19. The Hunt Begins (Patreon)

1:  Clover Emberfield

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Clover materialized her umbrella, handing it to Melissa to shelter the little girl—now orphan—clinging to the woman’s side.  Muting Lily as she prepared a rescue party, Clover waited.

The moderate sound of falling rain and thunder came into focus as the three of them stood in the ensuing silence; soaked blonde hair matted by blood and mud, Melissa took a moment to check the stunned girl’s condition.

Carbon dioxide streamed out of Clover’s full lips as water slid over her exposed scalp and worked into the openings in her outfit; mud didn’t stain her supernatural attire, making the only grime on open skin and her platinum locks.

She glanced through the veil to see the partially destroyed building the Class-2 Transevil smashed through to assault them, pondering the event; dozens of the Class-0 and Class-1 spiders and wolves littered the ruined drilling site that she’d need to absorb.

Her Soul-Spirit hadn’t made any attempt to communicate with her after reuniting, and if she were being honest, the connecting dots passing through Clover’s mind painted a grim picture, much like the filthy environment they’d found themselves in.

Shion said I was a calamity inside the Void World, or whatever place I went to … I can’t remember it, but my Soul-Spirit—some piece of my Spirit User powers—told me I abandoned her…

Clover’s serpent ocean blue irises drifted to the Viper Blade in her hand, following the curves on the weapon.  I gained powers in the place I went, but abandoned them for something else … This Void Force, or was that unconnected?

Still, I somehow regained a portion of my Spirit Force once falling, which may have been why I’m so weak right now … I lost so much power when I fell from the sky and that woman spoke to me … It felt unlimited.

Hand tightening around the hilt, Clover breathed out another long sigh, releasing the visible air—the temperature was slowly dropping as the storm went on—and turning around, she looked back toward Hollow Veil’s living area.

I don’t even know myself anymore … This world is as alien as any fantasy novel I’ve read.  Yet…  Goosebumps ran across her arms, making her shiver.  Yet, I can’t deny it’s real.  It’s almost as if Clover died in the Void and I replaced her.

Hot air passing through her nose, she centered on Melissa as the woman straightened, free arm on the child’s back; the girl refused to look at anything but the mud, gripping Melissa’s still damaged dress, held together by at least twenty safety pins.

“Umm—you okay, Clover?  You’re not hurt.  Right?”  she asked, blue eyes swimming with concern while looking her over.

Clover shook her head.  “No, I’m fine.  How’s she?”

The girl flinched as she was brought back into focus, and Clover’s eyes lingered on her ripped, wet, and blood-stained dress, likely from her parents.  “Can she walk?  I can carry her if needed.”

A somber smile lifted Melissa’s expression while reaching down to pick up the girl with one arm, showing Spirit User’s strength.  “She’s bruised and has some small cuts—I healed the serious stuff, but I’m running pretty low on Spirit Force right now—if I do anymore than carry her, heh, I’m afraid you’ll have another body to sling over your shoulders.”

Giving the woman a small smile, Clover nodded.  “Lily?”  she asked, vision shifting to the projected screen of her hospitalized Operator.

“Huh—oh, umm, yeah…”  Her eyebrows pulled together.  “They’re following the connection I’ve established with you, so … give the first responders five more minutes.”

Clover looked up at the weeping violet-colored sky, the rain stimulating her skin; even the Great Void was obscured in the downpour.  “Let them know we’ll be on the main road.”

Responding to her statement, Melissa started walking to the left side of the building, soothing the girl, and Clover swung around the site to collect whatever the Transevil held; the lingering taste of their energy made flavors pop across her tongue, somewhat distracting her.

Lily’s brown eyes scanned the area from what the earpieces showed her, tone sorrowful.  “How many dead do you estimate so I can notify the morgue?”

Clover shook her head.  “I couldn’t tell you—at least fifteen.”

“More than I thought,” Lily whispered.  “Scavenger parties usually like to go in fewer numbers to avoid noise … It makes them feel safe.”

Figuring the girl likely did quite a bit of scavenging when a child, Clover didn’t press the topic.  “How are you feeling?  Are they treating you alright?”

Lily forced a giggle.  “Clover, I am a member of the SPU; in fact … I never expected this kind of treatment…”  she mumbled, looking over at two nurses that came in to fix one of the monitoring items on her finger and bring her water.  “It’s just … strange to me.”

Clover didn’t miss the melancholy note in her voice.  “I’m working my own angles to find out what happened to you—I just need to wrap up this Transevil mess around here.”

“Yeah,” Lily yawned, blinking rapidly and rolling her neck to the side, “but no, no—I’m doing good—just a bit tired and sore.  Heh, why do you always feel sore after a while and never in the moment?  Scratch that—I know the answer,” she nervously snickered.  “Umm … so…”

Knowing where Lily was heading, Clover shut her down.  “I’ll be just fine with the map and information you sent me, Lily; get some sleep and relax a little.”

She turned a smirk to her nervous chocolate-haired Operator.  “As I said, I’m not going to replace you because you’re human and need sleep—after being kidnapped and given some unknown treatment.  Rest!”

“Okay!  Okay!  Don’t bite my head off,” Lily chuckled, a thankful smile lifting her cheeks.  “If you need anything—umm, there may be someone else that answers if I’m asleep…”

“Bed!”  Clover demanded, ending the call and getting into sync with Melissa.

The normally peppy woman was having a bit of trouble keeping a good pace but she knew the Spirit User was stubborn enough to refuse help so she didn’t ask; if the roles were reversed, Clover knew she’d be the same way.

Melissa aimed a tired but knowing smile in her direction, passing by the rusted and damaged fences to a more leveled route.  “Lily doesn’t know all the details of her room yet—umm, hey, Clover…”

“Mhm?”  she absently responded, mind still deliberating on her upturned life while studying the broken steel drums, crates, and half-dismantled construction equipment.

“Thanks for coming to rescue me—I knew it would be dangerous, but went anyway since I was the closest … Sorry for causing so much trouble,” she mumbled, vision falling to the wet earth.  “It’s hard … I used to be treated like a glass statue, and … It just sucks not being able to help when you want to … to feel weak.”

Clover took a second to reply, looking up at the heavens.  “We all have our strengths and weaknesses, I suppose … And, of course, I’d come for you.”  She sighed, pulling around her dirty, braided hair to frown at the mess.  “You’re the first friend I had since exiting the Void—and I got to sample some more Transevil,” she added for amusement.

Melissa hummed, taking them around a pile of rubble blocking their path to a break in the site’s large fence.  “I knew you would get stronger … Ha-ha—didn’t think I’d witness an awakening like that, but I’m so happy.”

Her hope-filled eyes rose from the ground, head tilting to look in the direction of the Great Void.  “It means the curse is over—we may get strong Spirit Users again—it also shows you were given the power to help so many people.”

Clover understood the hidden message in those words; Melissa might get Shane back.

“Maybe—as I said, I’m no savior—I’ll choose my own actions,” Clover mumbled, but Shion’s words continued to haunt her.  “It’s just … Melissa—just watch yourself.  Okay?  There’s a Rassi that can disguise itself as your best friend, and I can’t even tell the difference … I don’t want to see anything bad happen to Lily or you.”

Melissa’s drawn lips and creased forehead shifted with her eyes to stare at her, understanding Clover’s own hidden message; the two of them were the only stable things she currently had in this unfamiliar world.

“Yeah, I know you’re not a normal Spirit User … Still, I want to thank you, Clover, and for the record, I don’t think you’re done growing—ascensions like that aren’t singular events—just very rare as far as I’ve seen.  Also … Umm, no, never mind…”

Letting the topic go, knowing she wanted to ask her to help humanity, Clover whispered, “I’ll take note of it.”

The sound of approaching vehicles met her sharp ears as the three of them made it to the front of the street.  “Seriously, Melissa, take a break this time—go watch a few of Shane’s old clips or something—you deserve it.”

A giggle shook Melissa’s frame as she noticed the bright lights from the cars in the distance.  “No one’s told me to do that—ever—thanks, Clover, umm … maybe I will, but first, I need to make sure this little girl is taken care of…”

Clover slowly nodded; there was still a level of guilt in Melissa’s tone at the mention of Shane.  “Keep the umbrella; I’ll get it later.”

“Alright—we’ll be fine from here.”  The blonde forced a grin, peering through the storm.  “You go and do what you do best—oh, and enjoy it for the both of us!”

“Sure thing,” Clover chuckled, slowing to a stop as the two military vehicles approached.  “Tell them I’ll handle it…”

Figuring it was about time to call the big man in charge, Clover darted back into the site and jumped to the roof of the building where the corpses rested; her earrings transferred to a captured memory of Commander Laurence.

It didn’t take more than three seconds for the man’s stern face to appear, dark eyes scanning the storm surrounding her.  “Clover, I just got a report from Lily about the successful rescue…”

He puffed on a cigar before blowing out the gray smoke and sitting back in his squeaky chair.  “You’re officially a Spirit Ruler now—Class-3—so, everything’s changed.”

“How so?”  Clover pressed, moving across the flat roof lined with white rocks; she could see holes in various places.  “By the way, I can still smell Transevil in the area.”

Laurence released a silent yawn, working around his jaw.  “I’m aware—a recon team is currently pinned down a mile to your south—what seems to be a smaller Class-2 Transevil in the area.  There’s nothing we can do at this point; they’ve already consigned themselves to their fate.”

Clover’s vision narrowed; begrudgingly, she began heading in that direction.  “How are all of these Transevil randomly showing up so close to Hollow Veil without any of your advanced spy satellites seeing them?”

The Commander didn’t smile or sigh with relief, seemingly accepting her sudden movement as confirmation that she’d handle the hopeless pair of operatives; Clover decided to do it for Melissa if nothing else, and it would be another tasty snack.

“The storm, for one,” Laurence calmly replied, scanning the background as she jumped across buildings, over fences, and ran down muddy alleys.  “The Great Void charges the clouds, somehow transferring some kind of energy to scramble most signals—it just so happens one of the SPU’s strongest satellites is currently overlooking this area—take that how you will, but it is giving us fragmented images.”

“Humph.”  She lashed out with the Viper Blade as she passed a few weak Class-0 spiders, eviscerating them with ease while pulling in their leftover essence in her passing; they were barely registering as a mint at this point—it was like she was an addict—needing more to get the same hit as before.  “What changes by me being confirmed at least Class-3?”

Thunder rolled around her as the gale increased, purple lightning flashing across the sky to her right; Laurence didn’t answer right away, taking two more drags of his cigar.  “Legally, I’m required to report you to my direct superior, Lieutenant Colonel Dionte Stewart, the leader over West Skydream’s 2nd Battalion, currently stationed in Talon City.”

A slight smirk lifted the corner of Clover’s lips; she grew to like Laurence more with every conversation she had with the somber man.  “You’re not going to?”

Laurence eased his neck to the side, glancing at one of his many screens.  “The storm causes interference, and perhaps the message was lost—in any case, I’m positive he’ll pressure me to have you travel to Talon City, and currently, it’s a terrible strategy.”

“For Hollow Veil,” Clover corrected.  “You still need me to handle the mess I’ve uncovered, and it’s not as if I can be ordered by the SPU … I’m not a member, after all.”

A low rumble shook in his throat as he shifted his body in the massive black chair he sat in.  “We’ve never had a Spirit User refuse to join, so … You’re right, it is a bit of a different circumstance.  In the end, I’ll take whatever help you’ll give us.”

Clover frowned as the scents carried through the rain, kicking off a nearby wall to run across a stone wall blocking some ruined mansion; she was entering an old residential district.  “I smell at least five people, two dead by the scent on the lingering Transevil, and not Spirit Users.”

Laurance hissed.  “Seems we were right—a few scavenger groups ended up setting out, despite the warnings sent through the community—it’s likely what drew the beasts closer to town.”

“I’ll handle it,” Clover grumbled, but her interest grew as she jumped over a significant break in the wall; a trail of destruction could be seen below as something large thrashed through the area.  “The Class-2 from the underground facility … interesting.  I’ll call once I'm finished.”

She hung up after Laurance nodded, settling back in his chair for another nap that was probably needed; the man likely hadn’t left work for weeks on end, only resting periodically throughout the days.

Jumping to the ruined concrete ground, Clover increased her pace, smiling at the pings that suddenly popped up on her map—the location of every known human and Transevil in the area—Laurance must have been briefed on her new tech by Lily before heading to bed.

Her focus centered on the Class-2; it wasn’t too far ahead, near the two Spirit User operatives.  You’ve grown weaker—or I’m stronger—in any case, you’re not so tough compared to the last Class-2 I fought, so how will you taste?

Leaping over a partially collapsed building barring the alleyway, she caught sight of the large black wolf; unlike the gem-infused Class-2 that attacked Melissa, this one had red markings running across its fur and no horn.

It was digging through the rubble, searching for something within as five other Class-1 sniffed around, following the operatives’ scent; she wasn’t going to give them a chance, though.

Gathering her VF and SF, she drew back the Viper Blade, icy and lilac mixed aura erupting around her; she thrust the weapon forward, sending the ghostly serpent weaving through the rain, jaws open wide to strike the beast.

It didn’t even see her swift entry onto the scene as snow flurried around them from the plummeting temperature, and the snake bit into the Transevil’s back; ice coated its body as the giant wolf snarled, flames leaking out of its jaws, yet it was soon suppressed, and by the time Clover landed, it was completely encased.

Strutting across the litter-filled site that resembled a junkyard, she whipped her blade into a whirlwind at the five advancing Transevil, pulling them into the vortex and shredding them to be made into a small appetizer.

Is this really what Class-1 and 2 Transevil have come to?  she asked herself, whipping the chain-weapon around the frozen beast, struggling to escape the powerful energy restricting it; the creature’s Desire Force was instantly pulled in as she passed, feeding her thirst for more.  It’s so disappointing.

Segmented sword closing around its neck, she flicked it to return to normal, severing its head from its body; there was a little resistance, unlike the hot butter the Class-1 had become, but still practically worthless, and she drank her fill while passing, absorbing the creature’s lingering essence.

Tongue sliding across her lips, she laughed.  “I’m far from satisfied—there has to be more…”  Scanning the map, she sighed.  “Only Class-1…”

She spent the next twenty minutes clearing out the zone, casually dispatching at least sixty Transevil that entered the west side of Hollow Veil and rescuing seven of eighteen scavengers that didn’t heed the SPU’s warning.  It was then Laurance called.

The man magically looked somewhat rested after his fifteen-minute nap, but nothing would change his gruff tone.  “Nice work; we’ve confirmed that’s everyone … Unfortunately, we have a crisis.”

“Just tell me,” Cover sighed, already becoming bored as the Class-0 lost most of their flavor.  “How bad can it be?”

He hissed, and she saw concern in his sidelong gaze.  “Transevil somehow made it to the hydroelectric dam … MASS is overseeing its security right now because of some new technology they’re installing but the Class-2 that just escaped you—it’s almost there, leading two others—it’s going to be a bloodbath, and they couldn’t report in because of—”

“The storm,” Clover interrupted, excitement increasing her blood pressure, “got it—send me the coordinates!  Anything else?”

Laurance leaned forward, tight fist against his mouth while glaring between a few displays out of Clover’s sight.  “At the current level—given the storm—if the dam breaks, at least a third of Hollow Veil will be flooded; casualties could be in the tens of thousands.”

“Then I better hurry,”  Clover muttered; she could practically taste the tantalizing flavors already.  Why do I get the feeling all of this is somehow connected?  Transevil are supposed to be mindless animals but they’re not acting like it.  I need to learn more…

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