Chapter 17 – Basement

As I stood in front of the shelter’s interior doors beginning to open, Ji-woo walked up next to me. She gave me a quick smile, eyes flicking over me.

“Are you sure you don’t need anything else?” she asked, and I gave a shake of my head as I adjusted my backpack straps, the ice axe poking out the top.

After I’d put the healing salve on and changed my clothes, I’d invited the officers in. Thankfully, neither of the officers had commented on my hoodie, though Ji-woo had turned to face away from me for a moment, her shoulder shaking suspiciously.

Getting them to show me how to refill my magazines turned out to be helpful, too. It wasn’t complicated or anything, but they had some tips on how to do it quickly. I also got to see the bullets closely for the first time in decent lighting. The actual bullet was a bright silver color, but the casings were all colored in a shiny, metallic black. Well, except for the silver crescent moon and bunny head emblem that Selene had decided to put on all of them.

While we worked, I noticed Sergeant O’Malley seemed to be acting differently towards me. Not in a bad way, but I’d noticed he seemed more distant and only referred to me as “miss.” When I asked Selene, she said that was the standard honorific for Magical Girls, while male Guardians just used “sir.”

After we finished, things progressed quickly. We’d developed the plan for my cover story which involved placing officers around the civilian wing of the shelter and preventing them from coming close to the security wing or entrance. Sergeant O’Malley had suggested not telling the other officers about me, instead saying that he was the one heading out. While revealing myself to the other officers shouldn’t have posed a problem, he and Selene seemed to think it didn’t hurt to be extra careful.

So, as far as anyone else in the shelter knew, Sergeant O’Malley was the one sneaking out, and Ji-woo was in the command center while the remaining three officers worked to keep people quarantined to their wing and away from the entrance. In reality, Sergeant O’Malley and Ji-woo would both be waiting in the command center, monitoring the situation and waiting for my return.

After that was decided, the last thing that had happened was Sergeant O’Malley loaning me his gun belt. It hadn’t fit, of course, but some creative knots and knife work had more or less fixed it. We’d removed the pistol holster, instead attaching as many of the officers’ magazine holsters as possible. All together, I ended up with six magazine holsters strapped across the front of my waist. The other two loose magazines I’d stuck into my hoodie’s pockets, discovering that there was mesh netting inside that formed a tight pouch I could tuck the end of each magazine into. They weren’t the most secure things, but they were definitely better than nothing.

Speaking of the clothes, they’d proven to be impossibly perfect. The sweatshirt was slightly baggy, but in a loose, comfortable way. It was also lined with something impossibly soft on the inside, some kind of fluffy wool-esque material. Meanwhile, the jeans were tight, but hadn’t required a ridiculous amount of shimmying to get into. Weirdly, the jeans still let me move easily, somehow staying snug without restricting my movements. The combat boots were the most normal item, simply fitting around my feet in a cozy embrace.

In all, I was pleasantly surprised. I was used to wearing clothes that didn’t quite fit, and I’d asked Selene how the Gate seemed to know exactly what was needed. She’d explained that because she was connected to me, she naturally knew all my physical vitals which included my measurements. Just like whenever I summoned anything else, she was able to put in the correct information and make sure I got exactly what I needed including any… customizations that were decided on.

I sighed, adjusting the hood slightly around my head as the shelter doors finished opening. In the end, I’d never gotten a good answer from Selene on why she thought the bunny ears were a good idea. It wasn’t that big of a deal or anything, and so I gave up, simply making a mental note to carefully explain what I wanted to summon from now on. Besides, the hoodie did look cute… it just wasn’t something I would wear in front of other people in a million years.

“Well, I guess this is where we part ways,” Ji-woo murmured as the doors finished opening.

I looked at the woman, feeling uncomfortable. I wasn’t sure why she seemed so worried about me, not when the alternative would be one of them going out there. Still, it felt wrong to just leave her without saying anything.

“I’ll be careful,” I said, causing her to blink before she looked at me and gave a strained smile.

“I know this is your… job,” she said. “But at the first sign of trouble, the kind that you might not be able to handle… just remember you can always turn back, okay? Saving those people is important, but taking a risk and getting yourself hurt isn’t going to help them either.”

A flutter of warmth tingled through me along with another emotion I couldn’t quite identify. It was a little thing, but potent, as if it was condensed into a small, burning ball of… something. It made my throat tight, and so I simply gave Ji-woo a nod before I stepped forward into the airlock, Selene hopping by my side.

Even without the doors opening completely, it still took a small eternity for the interior doors to close and the exterior doors to open. I took the time to shove my emotions down and refocus on my mission. As the outer doors finished opening, my eyes were drawn to my health bar, and I frowned.

“Selene, why is my health only at 84%?” I thought to her, aiming the gun down the empty hallway as I stepped out.

[The damage from your first Anathema encounter was not fully repaired,] Selene responded. [While the Greater Regenerative Gum was able to heal your immediate wounds, it didn’t truly restore your intestines to full functionality. The fix is functional but will not hold up in the long term. As such, your maximum health is effectively reduced. Do not be alarmed, as getting proper treatment after the Usurpation will be relatively easy.]

I shivered at the memories, pushing myself to keep moving to the stairwell doorway while aiming at the stairs leading to the first floor. Thankfully, no Anathema came down, and we were able to slip into the stairwell without incident.

The stairs only went down one level, and we reached the bottom quickly. Without hesitating, I crouched next to the door as Selene to slip through before I carefully shut it. Then, I waited, flicking my eyes to my minimap.

Selene informed me that my minimap also filled out as she went through places, something I hadn’t noticed happening before. Even as I watched, the shape of corridors and rooms began to fill out at a quick pace. I tried to ignore my nerves as I waited in the silence, but my hands started to get sweaty around the grip of my gun.

Trying to distract myself, I focused on what the map was actually showing me. From the shape I could see so far, the basement really was a maze of long, narrow hallways, and I briefly wondered what the architect was thinking. Maybe it had to something do with them trying to cram as many of the mall’s utility and non-commercial rooms off the main floors as possible, but it still seemed rather haphazard.

The blue dot marking Selene seemed to finish scouting after five minutes or so, as it turned back and started heading back to me. When the dot showed itself right outside the stairwell, I opened the door, letting Selene hop through.

“How does it look?” I whispered.

[Only a few Anathema are patrolling the hallways, and most are types you have already faced. A few of the bigger office rooms contain larger groups, but those appear to be remaining stationary. We have a relatively clear route directly to the generator room, though I wasn’t able to scout the room itself. The door there remains intact, which is not usually a problem, but this one is built from material that can contain any ambient mana that leaks from the generator.]

“Wait, what do you mean normal doors aren’t a problem?”

[I can phase through most solid objects so long as they remain relatively still and are not too thick. It destabilizes my physical form, however, reducing the time I can remain manifested unless I am given more mana.]

“Oh…” I shifted from one foot to the other as I mentally changed tracks. “Did you find any signs of the group they sent before?”

[I found bullet casings and blood… both Anathema and human. While there were no bodies, the amount of blood in certain places does not suggest a positive outcome.]

“But if there were no bodies…” I trailed off, giving Selene a questioning look.

[Ah… There were no bodies because the Anathema feed on mana, and while humans are unable to use mana, they still generate small amounts. Their bodies would have been devoured as a source of strength. That, or taken to a nest where their biomass can be converted more directly, though that seems unlikely as I have seen no signs of a nest.]

I paled, forcing myself to give Selene a nod as I tried not to dwell on the images her explanation conjured.

“Okay. Do you have a suggested route then?”

[Indeed. We should be able to arrive there with relatively few encounters.]

I paused at that. That was ideal, but at the same time…

“What about taking out some of the Anathema patrols as we go?” I gave her a nervous glance. “I mean, just the ones that are alone. With the narrow hallways, I’d have the advantage, and getting some more points and experience seems…”

[An excellent idea,] Selene’s tails swished excitedly. [Getting easy points when possible is always a wise course of action. I also believe that the layout of this floor will make the sound of your firearm quite difficult to directly pinpoint from a distance.]

“Alright… let’s do that then.”

I reached for the door, placing my hand on the handle. Before I opened it, I gave myself a moment to steady myself, steeling my resolve. Only once the fear and anxiety prickling beneath my skin was smothered to a manageable level did I throw open the door, following Selene as she began hopping down a path.

The halls of the basement were dark, bathed in the dim scarlet light of the emergency lighting. The pale white walls and bleached tiles would have normally given the hallway a sterile, almost hospital-like appearance. With the red light reflecting off the floor, it instead seemed ominous and slightly eerie. The fact that we passed through some doorways with their doors broken down didn’t help either. That, and the narrow hallways were only wide enough for two people to walk down if they were willing to walk uncomfortably close together, adding a claustrophobic feel to the atmosphere.

I did my best to ignore the foreboding impression the basement gave off as Selene began navigating me through the maze, and it wasn’t long before she stopped me at a corner.

[A hound is about twenty meters ahead, facing away.]

Peeking around the corner, I saw the creature stalking away from me. Holding my breath, I stepped into the hall, taking my time to aim with both hands. With the hound facing away from me, there was only one place for me to target. Even though it didn’t seem like a particularly vital area, I was pretty sure a bullet entering through its backside and traveling down the length of its body could be devastating depending on how far the bullet penetrated.

I tried to keep my breathing and hands steady, letting the ring around the dot of my reticle shrink to a small size before I squeezed the trigger.

Even with the silencing enchantment active, my Umbra let out an impressive crack that echoed through the confined space, making me jump slightly. The Anathema seemed just as surprised, stumbling and falling to the ground as my bullet hit straight on. It scrambled, clawed feet skittering on the tile floor as it turned to face me. When it was halfway through the turn, showing me its entire side profile, I let loose another shot. The targeting circle was bigger this time, making me worry I might miss.

I was rewarded with another flinch and speckled spray of dark blood. The hound finished turning to face me and began closing the distance in an awkward, limping run. Targeting its head, I started firing, giving myself a second between shots to recenter.

The first shot missed while the second hit a leg, causing it to fall to the floor and lose momentum. Taking the extra time as it pushed itself back to its feet, I aimed before letting loose a third shot.

Black ichor splashed from its head, and the hound fell to the ground in a motionless pile.

[Defeated (Fomorian Hound – Level 3)]

[Reward: 10 Points]

[New Point Total: 62 Points]

I let out my breath, as exhilaration surged through me. The hound had barely been able to take more than a handful of steps, and it had only taken me…

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I checked my HUD. Five bullets. Five shots and only one of them had been a miss! Sure, the Anathema didn’t have much room to dodge, and it was quite literally a straight shot… but it still felt like I might have gotten better. Plus, five bullets was only a third of a point to replace. If I could keep up that level of accuracy, ammunition wouldn’t really end up costing me as much as I first feared.

[Excellent,] Selene commented with a flourish of her tails. [Good job at not panicking when it turned. Your discipline is improving fantastically. Shall we move on to the next one?]

A happy warmth flushed my cheeks, and I gave Selene a nod and meek smile. After I swapped my magazine out for a fresh one from my hoodie pocket, we took off.

The next one she took me to was another hound, but this one was heading towards me. The moment I turned the corner with my gun raised, it began to run the thirty or so meter distance. Thankfully, the hallway was long, and I took a moment to try centering on its head. The slight bob of the hound’s body as it ran made it hard, and as it reached the halfway mark, a flutter of panic pushed me to start shooting.

I fired five times in rapid succession, leaving my ears ringing. The hound fell in a limp, sliding sprawl that left a trail of black blood across the ground.

[Defeated (Fomorian Hound – Level 5)]

[Reward: 10 Points]

[New Point Total: 72 Points]

As the pounding of my heart settled, I noticed the point reward. Frowning, I turned to look at Selene.

“Why don’t higher level Anathema give more points?” I thought to her as I reached into my hoodie’s pocket and pulled out my previous, partially spent magazine.

[Point values and how they are calculated is a complicated subject,] Selene watched me as I ejected my current magazine. Working swiftly, I started refilling it with bullets from my other magazine while Selene began her explanation.

[The simplistic answer is that Anathema have a relatively low level variance of five to ten levels before they evolve or upgrade into a new type. This results in a new name as well. For example, Fomorian Hounds are only found between levels one to five. On reaching level six, it would evolve or upgrade, possibly being reclassified as a Greater Fomorian Hound. This new type would naturally have a higher point value. Because the level variance in any one type is usually a fairly small range, it was decided to average the amount of points awarded between the threat posed by an Anathema type’s maximum and minimum leveled versions.]

“How different would a Greater Fomorian Hound be from a normal one?” I asked as I finished filling up the magazine. I slotted the full one back into my gun, stashing the now almost empty one back into my pocket.

[As an upgraded type and not evolution, it would mostly just be an all-around better version. This gets into the more advanced subject matter of modifiers like prefixes. Essentially, a modifier added to a name only shows a change in the type of Anathema, not the general species it hails from. The Anathema might have a new ability or trick, but modifiers are generally added to denote a difference in stat values more than anything else. Anathema with a modifier usually don’t even look much different than their normal counterparts.]