Chapter 8

Fear seeped into Andy’s body. He had just finished fighting a large group of Ashfiends and Onyx, and he turned around to find Jenny at the entrance to the area he fought. All that went through his mind was that his cover was blown and what would he do with her.

“Jenny, what are you doing here?”

“I decided to follow you because you were acting strange, but I lost you. When I finally found you, you had blown up that Onyx.” She stopped talking and smiled “So you’re a User too? That’s surprising. I guess that means that we both know what happens to Jackie at the airport doesn’t it?”

“You’re a User?”

“Yes, I am Jenny Floyd. High Inquisitor of the Circle and Host to Qobus the God of Wind.”

“Qobus? Andy, I want you to be careful! The God of Wind selects his hosts to be User Hunters.” Damus called out to him.

“You’re a User Hunter?” Andy asked Jenny.

“Well yes and no. I do hunt Users, but now it’s only for The Circle. A run-in with the Host of the God of Creation caused that.”

“Sutarr? That means you also work for Pyesis’ Host?” Damus asked, this time to Jenny as well.

“I guess that’s true, but I only take my orders directly from Magnum, oh that’s the name of the Host to Sutarr, and so if Pyesis wants me to do anything he has to first go through Magnum,” Jenny said. She continued “Now then Andy, I was hoping that you would join The Circle, it would be very beneficial to both of us.”

“You’re working for Pyesis? Do you know it was his men that attacked the airport?” Andy asked.

“Well, I figured that was the case, although I didn’t know for sure. I guess that is going to make it harder to convince you to join?” She said as if it was more of an inconvenience that her friend died and not so much of a saddening fact.

“Impossible actually. They already asked, and I said no, and that was before Jackie was killed.”

“That’s too bad. I wished that you would join us, but I completely understand why you wouldn’t. With that said I think that makes us enemies now, and Magnum would be furious if I let an enemy God escape when I could easily kill it. So, I guess this is goodbye, Andy. I’ll tell your family you were attacked by a bear or something, so don’t worry about that.”

She brought her arm up, and a vortex of air began to form around it.

Andy braced himself for the attack.

She launched it forward at Andy, who jumped out of the way.

He ran toward Jenny with Talon in hand; his plan was to knock her out and capture her so that he can find out who ordered the attack. He realized his mistake when he noticed her face form into a smile.

Suddenly there was a pain in Andy’s back, and he felt himself float up towards the ceiling of the chambers. He looked back and saw the vortex of wind piercing into him. She had brought it back around after he dodged, it was something he had never thought of, and now that was going to cost him.

He began to fall back to the ground quickly and landed with a loud thud.

He heard Jenny turn to walk away and she said “What a shame, I’m going to miss you at the family events. Say hello to Jackie for me.”

“You should’ve taught the boy better Damus; he certainly would’ve helped stop Xelos.” A voice rang through the halls.

“Get back here Qobus! You’re making a mistake, and you know it!” Damus shouted after them, but there was no answer, and the chamber grew silent.

Andy’s body hurt. He tried to get up, but he couldn’t move. Slowly his vision began to fade in and out, just like in his training with Lukas. But he knew that this wasn’t training.

He was dying. The realization finally came as his vision finally faded to black.

Andy awoke in a white room. He looked to his left and saw a girl sleeping in the chair next to him. She had bright blue hair and was wearing a gray jacket and a white undershirt.

“Damus, are you there?” Andy whispered.

“Yes.”