Aurin stood at the ranch with Luna, Kyle, Gardner, and several of their gathered Minakai. The atmosphere was tense as the four humans and their monsters waited for their guest.

  “I don’t like this,” said Gardner. He bore a look of disgust on his face. “I know you think you know what you’re doing Aurin, and I’m not trying to say you can’t handle yourself, but jumping into the snake pit is not something I’d advise.”

  “I agree,” said Luna, clutching Aurin’s sleeve. “Are you sure this is what you want to do?”

  Aurin smiled at her and gave a subtle nod. “The Ashmores have been bothering us for months. For better or worse, one of them is out of the way thanks to Logan. The other needs to know that whatever he has in mind won’t be enough to defeat me. His desire for vengeance is both misplaced and has been redirected to the last person who will roll over and let it happen.”

  Kyle sighed and looked to the sky, unsure of what he could say that would be helpful in the moment. “I,” he began before pausing. Aurin looked at him. “I think you’re doing the right thing. But I don’t think you should underestimate Alfred Ashmore. His father was no slouch and had access to powerful Minakai. If he’s more skilled than his father and the data he’s been gathering has truly been a boon, you might be in for a nasty surprise.”

  “Time to find out,” said Gardner, nudging Aurin. “Here he comes.”

  Gray appeared from the trees, walking along the path towards the ranch. Luna, Kyle, and Gardner eyed the man with great distrust, but Aurin had chosen to bet on Gray’s sense of remorse being genuine. He waited patiently for his ally to approach, but he was itching to know the latest news from the mouth of Ashmore himself.

  “Hello,” said Gray airily, but his face evoked a seriousness that contrasted heavily with his tone.

  “Good morning,” said Aurin. “So, what did he say?”

  “The second stage is on and it begins tonight.”

  “Excellent,” said Aurin with a grim. “And he doesn’t know that you revealed yourself to me willingly?”

  “A necessary deception to protect my safety,” said Gray. “As far as The Blackjacks and Alfred Ashmore are concerned, I am on their side.”

  “You are on their side. Whatever the second stage involves, do it. Don’t feel even a hint of guilt if you’re asked to do something duplicitous. If things get out of hand, I’ll have the others on standby to intervene.”

  Gray looked at Luna, Kyle, and Gardner, who all had their lack of faith visible on their faces. Kyle, however, at least tried to hide it. Not one of them trusted Gray for a second, but Aurin believed in the man’s sincerity. He had seen the turnaround of several members of the Zodiac Squad when things had gone too far. Mr Williams had realised the error of his ways after seeing his daughter being injured and cast off the Virgo name. For Frederick, it had taken a little more time to truly forgo his Leo persona, but he truly sought redemption for his actions.

  “When does this end?” Luna asked. The usually boisterous Innogon picked up on the dread in his tamer’s voice, and nuzzled her leg in an attempt to comfort her.

  Gray’s eyes darkened. “As far as I understand it, there are three stages, but I know nothing about the third stage. Expect the unexpected is what I say. In this upcoming round of the game, there’ll be five players, including you. I’m sure you can guess who the other four are. One of The Blackjacks will escort Aurin to the location of the next stage this evening.”

  Gardner winced. “I don’t like this one bit. Aurin, are you sure you want to continue?”

  “I’m certain,” said Aurin. He was determined to see this through. Sir Ashmore had lost. Alfred Ashmore would lose.

  “Alright,” said Gardner with a sigh. “But if things get ropey, we’re going to do whatever we can to break through the rift and pull you out of there. No lunatic rich kid is banishing you to another dimension, you hear?”

  “I do not believe that is the plan,” said Gray. “At the least, I have heard no murmurings to indicate anything of the sort. Project Virtugil is about strength and power. It’s why Aurin’s Minakai have been analysed. Alfred Ashmore wants to put on a show and see you defeated. I suspect some sort of humiliation is his end goal… but, that is only my personal theory.”

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  “And I hope that’s as far as it goes,” said Kyle, patting Wingbloom on the back. “You know the location of the second stage already, right?”

  Gray nodded and smiled wryly. “I do. And so do all of you.”

  *

  Aurin sat on his porch with his Minakai scattered across the ground in front of him. They were either sleeping or awaiting what they knew what was to come momentarily. Skrow was the only one not present, instead scouting the sky for any sign of approaching life.

  “How’re you feeling, Shamtile?” asked Aurin, prodding the lizard’s arm.

  “Graw!” screeched Shamtile, putting his hands on his head.

  “I know it’s stressful,” replied Aurin with a chuckle. “If you think it’s bad for you, it’s worse for me. From what Gray has said, the second stage should begin and conclude tonight. Once we tackle that, we’ll deal with stage three. We’re going to win this and emerge stronger than ever, alright?”

  Shamtile nodded and began an enthusiastic dance. As he was getting into it, Skrow called from the sky and descended. His caw echoed throughout the area, alerting all of the monsters. They arose, wondering if they would be called to battle immediately or if they would be forced to wait for some action.

  “Here we go,” murmured Aurin, climbing to his feet and walking in front of his Minakai.

  Heart appeared as she ascended the hill, her face concealed as ever. But Aurin knew who she was now. Her fall from the sky during Tamer Day. Her attempt to approach him at the café before Luna arrived. Her attack shortly after while Nolan stood around and played innocent.

  “Hello, Ruby,” said Aurin.

  “Well, aren’t you a clever one?” Heart asked, putting a hand on her hip and leaning to the side. “I knew I liked you from the start, Aurin. If it wasn’t the good looks, it was your willingness to play the hero without hesitation. A shame that it wasn’t meant to be, isn’t it? Although, perhaps if you ask me nicely, I’ll abandon The Blackjacks for you?”

  “I’ve already got a beautiful redhead in my life, thanks.”

  Ruby tutted and clasped her hands over her shoulder. “Oh, if only every man was so dedicated. No tricks, no games. Speaking of which, I’m here to bring you to the second stage of our game.”

  “Well, Club passed on my message, didn’t he? I’m ready to play.”

  “Shall we?” asked Heart, curling her fingers to beckon Aurin forward.

  “We shall. Come on, team.” The Minakai looked between each other, unsure about which of them Aurin was calling to follow him. “All of you, let’s go.”

  Heart let out a high-pitched cackle that reverberated electronically. “Aurin, do you think I’m an assassin? While I may have a knack for sneaking up on you, I have no intention of burning you to cinders.”

  Aurin glared at her. “Considering who I’m dealing with, and knowing his father, you’ll forgive me for not trusting him. I’m sure there are things he keeps even from you, Ruby. I have no intention of being more reckless than I need to be.”

  “You may have a point,” said Heart, snapping her fingers. “After that little trick Spade played on you, perhaps it is smarter for you to be escorted by an army worthy of a king. I, however, am going to trust you. You’re too much of a good boy to attack me, even though you consider me an enemy.”

  Heart turned away and walked back down the hill. Aurin followed with his whole team in tow. He knew very well that bringing so many monsters was overkill for defending himself, but he also knew that they would be the focus of whoever was watching him. That would give Luna, Kyle, and Gardner a better chance at remaining undetected as they all approached the destination.

  Aurin and Heart walked down the path, through the forest, and past the road to Harmony Tower. They were going straight into town and Hazelton was still. Aurin could see the lights ahead, knowing that precious few would be awake at this hour. Most of the shops had closed save for the pubs and a handful of the late-night cafes.

  Wanting to avoid a spectacle, Heart led the group through the quieter side streets, but several passers-by still stopped in shock at the sight of Aurin’s team. From within the houses, the curtains twitched and glistening eyes peered through the windows, wondering what that stomping racket was.

  “Tell me, Ruby,” said Aurin. “Why are you doing Alfred Ashmore’s bidding?”

  Ruby rubbed her fingers and thumbs together. “Because it pays much better than modelling,” she said unashamedly. “It doesn’t hurt that it’s been fun partaking in this experiment, Aurin. Battling you and watching from afar has been entertaining.”

  “You’re a gun for hire, then? A mercenary?”

  Heart shrugged. “Call it what you want, but I have to make a living somehow, don’t I? And I like expensive things. Are you going to tell me that I don’t have to do anything like this? That I’m a better person deep down inside?”

  “I’m not going to say any of that,” said Aurin. “You’ve made your choice. You know that you shouldn’t be involved with any of this, but you don’t care. Money means more to you.”

  Heart let out a shrill giggle. “Oh, Aurin. You’re such a funny boy. But I must say, you know me too well already. We’ve barely met and you pick up on these little things, don’t you?”

  Aurin was baffled. “Your motives are hardly a secret, considering you told me them.”

  Ruby patted him on the shoulder, making him recoil. “Ah, dear, sweet Aurin. You’re a lot of fun, did you know? I’ll be sad when the game ends. So very sad.”

  The two crossed the bridge towards Hazelton Stadium. Standing in the otherwise empty square were Spade, Diamond, and Club. All three were suited up and masked, despite Aurin knowing exactly who they were. He was not sure why, if his Minakai were no longer being studied. Perhaps it was part of the theatrics.

  Spade let out a bellowing, guttural laugh. “Aurin, you don’t do things by half measures, do you?” he asked, not expecting an answer. “Are you ready for the second stage to begin?”

  Aurin smiled in response, clenching his fists so hard that his fingernails were painfully digging into his palms. He hoped that he would get the opportunity to battle Jackson at full strength. It was no secret that Jackson thought himself the better tamer, and Aurin could not wait to prove him wrong, once and for all.

  right here.

  Aurin's Team:

  Luna's Team: