a giant glass tombstone stickin
irrored glass-most of it smashed now. The ground floors were choked with vines that hadn't been there yesterday. The Aether work
the Shamblers were
circling the revolving doors in a slow
d signature detected. Wh
Rank: S (Unstable
| Aether R
Barricaded
t pe
ueen," the woman everyone in the wasteland t
le and let a small
rf
nutes to get up to t
w and quiet, only killing when he absolutely had to, using a piece of rebar to crush skulls so he wouldn't have to make noise wi
ing; some were in expensive suits, others in black tactical gear
uards, Ja
out and grabbed an unspent pistol from the floor.
coming from above. A wom
y ba
of frost, then a wet
ed climbi
e lounge. Leather sofas, a mahogany bar, and
ress, and the wal
middle of the room, her ba
, though streaked with blood and grime. Her white silk blouse was torn at the collar, revealing a pale collarbone and a fresh g
it out li
eap in blocks of crystal. A ninth was creeping toward her al
l blue-tracked the creature
e whispered,
traight through the creature's chest. It stag
lena s
way her knees almost gave out. The ice glove
was
to the room from the stairwell, Jax de
pistol and fi
ed back. Three bo
ted to lift, but nothing happened. Her power wa
saw
ood drying on his sleeves. He stood in the doorway l
r-sharp. "If you're another one of Garr
can
ken glass. "You have eight percent Aether left.
ent comple
you kn
a lot of
tremor in her lip and the pulse flickering in her throat. Up close, she smelled lifted h
mily owns forty percent of this city. Whatever
most l
are ash. Out there..." He tipped his head toward the shattered windo
, something flicke
e
uickly, but
l return," she insist
. Eleven are dead in the stairwell. The twelfth ra
blue eyes searched his face, an
aid. "Fled the roof an hour ago
e to listen. S
ll slowly t
stretched
aded doors. The tower groaned. Somewhere,
never been told "no," stood in the ruins of her penthouse and l
she asked, her voi
he pause
en. She respects stre
ract,"
ontr
keep you alive while this city burns." He held her gaz
s body, then back to his face, a slow
ou th
A faint, cold s
h caught
eople share power. You'd become stronger. Your rank would rise. You'd be immune to the
stared
re in
oba
mpatibili
t required. Awa
an who wanted to refuse but couldn't. A queen without a
indow, to the dead city a
ealized. Very slightl
say no?"
" Jax said, "and you die
of it hung
losed h
reath
e was gone. What remained was something
softly. "What would you
d to tilt her head back to meet his eyes. Cl
e fed and warm and you've had time to think, I'll explain everything. And if you
ran through her that had n
until
ou do as I say in the field. And y
pride, resentment, and underne
lowly, "the most arroga
es
ld rui
could
moment
heir to the Whitmore fo
, her voice perfectly stea
was ice-cold, and soft
d. "And yet i
Di
nitiated: El
Progres
ort target to Sa
ned briefly around
toward th
r draw a breath, steady
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