CHAPTER 108: A STEP FORWARD

Fin stood over the specialist’s body. The air settled, quiet except for the rustle of leaves high in the canopy. Blood stained the moss around the corpse.

Arachne pushed herself fully upright, walking towards Fin, her movements stiff. Meg followed close behind her, keeping her eyes averted from the body on the ground. Scarlet approached from the other side, kicking idly at a loose root.

"Well," Scarlet said, looking down at the dead man. "That was... something."

Fin didn’t look at the body. He turned towards the castle. "Let’s go inside."

They walked back, leaving the clearing and the corpse behind. Fin walked steadily, though his shoulders slumped slightly. Arachne walked beside him, still favoring her injured side. Meg trailed them, looking down at the ground. Scarlet brought up the rear, glancing back occasionally.

Inside the main hall of the castle, the heavy doors closed behind them with a soft thud. The space felt large, quiet. Fin stopped near the center of the room.

"He got in," he stated. He looked at Arachne, then Scarlet. "No breach. No fissure. He just... walked in."

He ran a hand through his dark hair. "The Association sent him. They knew where to find this place. Or he figured it out."

Scarlet crossed her arms. "So? We kicked his ass. Problem solved."

"He got in once," he countered, meeting her gaze. "They can do it again. Next time, maybe they send more than one. Maybe they send someone stronger."

Meg shifted her weight, looking between them. She picked at a loose thread on her torn workout pants.

"We need to be ready," he continued. "This training..." He gestured vaguely towards the direction of the training ground. "It’s too slow. We don’t have time for basics."

Arachne nodded slowly. "You intend to accelerate the process."

"What process?" Scarlet asked, looking from Arachne to Fin. "What are you talking about?"

"A power boost," he said. He looked directly at Arachne, then at Scarlet. His gaze did not meet Meg’s. "My mana. Direct infusion. It should enhance your own capabilities, speed up your development. Arachne’s transformation is proof it can work."

Arachne straightened slightly, her expression serious.

Scarlet stared at him. "Inject... your mana? Into us?" She raised an eyebrow. "Is that even a thing? Sounds kinky. And probably dangerous."

"It is dangerous," Arachne stated quietly, her eyes still on Fin. "The recipient’s body must be able to handle the influx. Compatibility is key. Rejection can be... fatal."

"Oh, great," Scarlet muttered. "So maybe we just explode instead? Fantastic plan, Boss."

He ignored her sarcasm. "Arachne, you’re compatible. The link is already there. Scarlet..." He looked her up and down. "Your base is strong. You handled Varn’s mark. You’ll probably be fine."

Meg stood silently off to the side. She looked down at her own hands, turning them over slowly. She clenched them into fists, then released them. She took a small step back, closer to the wall, her shoulders hunching slightly.

She watched Fin outline the plan, watched Arachne’s quiet acceptance, watched Scarlet’s skeptical questions. Her jaw tightened. She bit the inside of her lip, then looked away towards one of the tapestries, tracing its swirling pattern with her eyes.

"So," he continued, addressing Arachne and Scarlet again. "We do this now. we are taking the fight to them."

’sigh, how did I let myself get dragged into this.’ Scarlet thought, having no choice but to join. ’soon as things go south, I am bolting.’

Arachne was fine, ready to die for him if need be.

Meg watched them. Her hands clenched and unclenched at her sides. She took a breath, the movement small, almost unnoticed. Then she pushed herself away from the wall, stepping forward into the center of the hall, closer to Fin.

He turned his head slightly, looking at her. Arachne and Scarlet also turned their attention towards her.

she stopped a few paces from him. She looked down at her scraped knuckles, then up at his face. His black hair framed eyes that glowed faintly green. The lines on his arm pulsed softly. This wasn’t the Fin she pulled from dumpsters, the boy she shared stolen food with, the one who promised tto get them out of the slums and live a happy life in the city.

This Fin commanded strange servants, healed mortal wounds with a touch, fought monsters from other dimensions, owned a castle hidden from the world.

"Remember Arclight?" she asked, her voice quiet but clear. "Before... all this?"

He didn’t answer immediately. The green light in his eyes dimmed slightly. "Yeah," he said.

"We had plans," she continued, taking another step closer. She met his gaze directly now. "Partners. You and me." She gestured vaguely around the grand, empty hall. "Things changed. Okay. I get that." Her jaw tightened. "But I’m not staying behind anymore. I’m not hiding while you fight whatever crawls out of the shadows."

She straightened her shoulders, lifting her chin slightly. "I want in."

Scarlet snorted softly. "In on what? Getting yourself killed?"

"I want to be a Hunter," she stated, her gaze unwavering on Fin. "Teach me. Train me. Give me the power boost too."

Arachne stepped forward slightly. "Meg," she said, her tone holding a hint of caution unusual for her when addressing someone other than Fin. "That is impossible. You have no mana core. Your pathways are dormant, closed entirely."

"She’s right," Scarlet added. "You need a core to channel mana. It’s Hunter 101. No core, no power. End of story. You’re just... normal." The word hung in the air, sounding almost like an insult in this place.

"I don’t care," she insisted, still looking only at Fin. "Find a way. You can do impossible things now. You have this place. You heal people with a touch. You fight monsters." Her voice grew stronger, laced with familiar stubbornness. "Figure it out."

Fin remained silent, studying her face. He saw the scraped knuckles, the fading bruise on her jaw, the dirt smudged on her cheek. He saw the exhaustion in her eyes, but beneath it, the same iron will he’d known since they were children scrabbling for survival in the slums. The look that said ’I don’t care how, just make it happen’.

He sighed, a quiet sound that seemed loud in the stillness. He raised his right hand, the one with the newly healed fingers, palm outwards towards Meg. Faint green and silver light swirled around his fingers. He moved his hand slowly, scanning her from head to toe. The light pulsed faintly as it passed over her chest, then faded completely.

He lowered his hand.

"They’re right," he said, his voice flat. "No active core. Pathways completely sealed. Baseline human."

she didn’t flinch. "So?"

"So," he echoed, meeting her defiant gaze. "It’s supposed to be impossible."

"You didn’t say no," she countered immediately.

He looked at her for a long moment. The silence stretched. Arachne shifted her weight slightly. Scarlet watched with detached curiosity.

He ran his hand through his hair again. "Are you serious about this? Really serious? This isn’t training like back home. This is... different. Dangerous."

"Yes," she said instantly. No hesitation.

He stared at her, then looked away towards the high, vaulted ceiling, then back at her. He recognized that look. He knew that tone. Arguing was pointless. She wouldn’t back down.

Another sigh, heavier this time. "Okay," he said, the word resigned. "Fine."

Arachne took a sharp breath, surprise flashing across her face before she masked it. Scarlet raised both eyebrows.

"You’ll awaken her?" Arachne questioned, stepping forward again. "My Lord, the texts are unclear, the risks astronomical—"

"I know the risks," he cut her off quietly. "But she’s made up her mind." He looked back at Meg. "It won’t be like the infusion. It’s not a boost. It’s... building something from nothing. Forcing pathways open. Igniting a core that isn’t there." He paused. "It could kill you. Easily."

"I don’t care," she repeated, her stance solid.

He nodded slowly. "I saw something. Back in the library. An old text, mentioned forced awakenings. Theoretical. Mostly dismissed as myth." He rubbed his temples. "I need to find it again. Read it properly. Understand the process before I even think about trying it."

He looked her directly in the eye. "This isn’t going to happen overnight. It might not happen at all. But I’ll look into it."

Meg’s tense shoulders relaxed slightly. A small nod. That was enough. For now.