Yustitsiya felt the cold stone beneath Elana’s prone body. Beneath their body…

  Her body.

  A cacophony ploughed into her, soldiers yelling and metal clanging. Harsh light blinded her while the stench of sweat and vomit stung her nostrils. Her knees throbbed and her head ached.

  Twisted shards of steel hung around her; a giant cage now shattered. Beyond that, a black maw of frozen emptiness.

  Yustitsiya squeezed her eyes shut and screamed. She clutched her head as she tried to control the conflicting sensations surging chaotically through her mind from her human body and the Sila in the wreck of the tank below. Pain exploded in her ribs as something heavy struck her side, lifting her from the ground and slamming her into the wall.

  She fell to the floor, gasping.

  “You tricked me,” Chernov said, his voice thick and harsh. A blue glow masked his features.

  Yustitsiya pushed herself to her knees, wheezing as she struggled to drag air into her deflated lungs. How had humans survived so long with such fragile bodies?

  “Show me how to control the uzhas,” Chernov said, “or I will kill you.”

  Yustitsiya managed a nod, stalling as she slowly separated what her physical body felt, and what her Sila form perceived. Sila swirled waist-high around the chamber, though the bulk of it writhed below her—free of the tank, but trapped in a cavern. Her head finally cleared, and she struggled to her feet.

  Chernov stood by the chamber’s unlocked, and open control panel and pulled a lever. The door slid shut, muting the sounds of the scrimmage outside. He rested a hand on the purge lever and watched her.

  A faint smile touched Yustitsiya’s lips, and she held out her hands towards the Sila.

  Chernov yanked the lever and giant pumps thundered to life, sucking air from the chamber, purging it.

  Yustitsiya fought the flow of air and drew as much Sila as possible into her body, using it to reinforce bones and strengthen muscles. A grin spread across her face as her body glowed blue from infused Sila.

  The roar quieted as Chernov pushed the lever back. An evil light reflected in his eyes. “The uzhas may have hidden in you, Koskova, but it will not remain once I kill you.” He pulled a gas-powered pistol from his coat and aimed at her.

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  “I am no longer Koskova,” Yustitsiya said as she stared at Chernov, “and I will never tell you how to control me.”

  Chernov squeezed the trigger.

  Bang!

  The bolt sliced through the air—

  —and slammed into her shoulder. The force of the bolt ripped her shoulder back, and a pained groan escaped her lips.

  Hey! Elana said in Yustitsiya’s head. I thought you knew what you were doing. Stop letting him shoot bolts into my body!

  “Interesting,” Chernov said, lowering the weapon.

  Yustitsiya stared at the bolt wedged in her shoulder, the tip had barely penetrated.

  Chernov dropped the pistol and lunged at her.

  She dodged, slipping beneath his flying fists. Yustitsiya ripped the bolt from her shoulder and buried it in Chernov’s gut, twisting it before she yanked it out.

  He didn’t seem to notice as he pulled away, a blade appearing in his hand. With incredible speed, he darted forwards.

  Yustitsiya smiled. Not fast enough. She caught his wrist with her left hand, stalling his blade as she buried the bolt in his chest.

  Bone shattered.

  Disbelief shrouded Chernov’s features as he stared at the bolt jutting from his sternum. He staggered back and crumpled to the floor, the blue glow of his mind fading to dull grey.

  How did you do that? Elana asked. You’ve never fought.

  You humans have been sending your dishonoured warriors to mine us for decades. Did you not think we would study you? Study your fighting techniques?

  Oh, Elana said, so that’s why the men there go mad. That’s you?

  Yustitsiya inclined her head as she walked to the control panel, turned on the pump to the tanks, and opened the chamber door.

  The vault outside was a battlefield. Soldiers lay strewn across the floor, bodies shattered and broken. A harpoon cannon barrel protruded the wall beside the chamber, only half of the five-foot barrel sat free of the wall. Similar injuries scarred the remainder of the vault.

  Are they all… dead? Elana asked, her voice faint.

  Yustitsiya shrugged. “They tried to kill us.”

  A cloud of Sila flew through the vault and merged with Yustitsiya, her consciousness expanded again as she absorbed its memories. She remembered fighting the soldiers, hurling chunks of metallic Sila at them, crushing them with rage as justice was dealt.

  It felt good.

  Yustitsiya, let me back. You’ve killed Chernov, we can leave now.

  When the Sila is safe, then we will leave. Yustitsiya marched to the next chamber, opened the door, and turned on the pump.

  And when will that be? Elana asked.

  When everyone in this building is dead.