Should've spent so much more time with you

As soon as she turned her back on the monster to retreat, a tentacle coiled around her leg. The NPC was forcefully dragged to the ground beneath the bed.

—No! Let go of me!" she shouted, struggling desperately to free herself.

—Why are you leaving so soon? The fun is just beginning...

Her right arm began to transform, turning bright red and liquid. It was lava!

Using her molten lava arm, the NPC grabbed the tentacles imprisoning her. The monster howled in pain as the lava burned its scaly skin. It abruptly released her to escape the searing heat.

The man brandished a radiant sword of light, and it whistled lethally as it sliced through the air. The NPC tried to dodge the deadly arc of the sword, but its speed was incredible. The blade of light cut her arm, instantly cauterizing the wound.

The NPC's superhuman reflexes were the only thing saving her from being shredded by the weapon of light.

As the sword descended toward her again, the NPC maximized her lava arm and placed it in the path of the strike. The blade of light sizzled upon contact with the blazing lava but couldn't penetrate it.

Two tentacles emerged from the monster's head. They coiled around the NPC's body and pierced her cleanly.

The NPC widened her eyes in surprise and disbelief. The NPC looked down to see the bloodied tips of the tentacles emerging from her abdomen. The monster grinned maliciously as life escaped from her body.

With a strong tug, the man retracted his appendages, hurling her forcefully toward the window.

The glass shattered as the NPC crashed into it, plummeting into the void from a great height.

In a desperate reflex, she stretched out her arm and clung to the edge of the building, abruptly halting her deadly descent.

A dark figure peered through the broken window. The NPC only had time to glimpse the light cannon before it was fired.

A beam of pure energy struck her chest, making her scream. Her grip loosened, and she began to plummet into the void once more.

She extended her arm transformed into blazing magma and pointed downward.

A stream of molten lava surged from her hand, creating a pool of liquid fire right where she was about to crash.

The NPC submerged into the magma pool, feeling the extreme heat but without burning. The lava cushioned the impact, saving her from instant death.

Slowly emerging from the pool, bruised but alive, the NPC looked up toward the window where the furious monster watched her.

Looking up, she saw the girl she had seen held captive inside the building peering through the same broken window.

The young girl stood at the edge, looking down with tear-filled eyes.

She leaned forward and plummeted into the void. Clearly, she preferred ending her life over enduring the man's torment any longer.

The NPC could only helplessly watch as the young girl descended toward certain death on the pavement.

Driven by adrenaline, just as the girl fell into the void, the NPC lunged and managed to grab her arm, holding her firmly.

But the combined weight of both made them fall into the abyss.

They hit the hard pavement with tremendous force. The NPC felt bones crunching and breaking from the blow, but she didn't let go of the young woman. They rolled down the sidewalk, dazed and injured.

Pedestrians scattered, screaming at the sight of them falling from the sky. Despite the agonizing pain, she knew they had to move. The monster could appear at any moment to finish them off.

Badly wounded, they managed to escape and hide under a bridge.

—Report your status! Why did you disobey your orders?—It was Alex's voice, furious.

Alex recognized that running away had been the right decision. Eliminating the target would have been impossible in his condition. Furthermore, they needed more information about these monsters before facing them.

For now, the priority was to find Samuel. Only he could guide her on how to enhance her abilities enough to overcome this threat.

The adrenaline that had kept the NPC alive was rapidly fading. Now that they were safe, the pain from her numerous wounds intensified.

Examining herself, she could see the severity of her situation. A shattered leg, broken ribs, internal bleeding from the fall. The shot from the light weapon had pierced vital organs.

Her vision began to dim, and an intense cold invaded her body. She was entering hypovolemic shock.

Slowly, the inner fire that granted her powers started to fade. Her magma heart, once pulsating with an intense orange glow, dwindled until it turned ashen gray.

Her transformable arm, previously able to turn into scorching lava, stiffened and became opaque.

Alex's urgent voice resonated telepathically in Elara's mind: —Elara, have you found any trace of Samuel?

The vampire responded irritably: —Ugh, again with this? I already told you I haven't found him. This city is huge.

Alex mind —¿you did it?

Alex insisted: —I think I have a clue. I need you to go to these coordinates immediately. It's an emergency.

—What? Why do I have to go?— Elara complained. I was about to reach the tower offices. You can't just give me orders like that.

—There's no time to argue— Alex stressed.

Elara sighed irritably, —Fine, Ash. But you better get me a good burger.

Reluctantly, the vampire headed to the indicated coordinates, curious but annoyed by the interruption of her plan.

As Alex severed the telepathic communication, she couldn't help but notice the difference in Elara's demeanor. She was no longer the ruthless bloodthirsty vampire she had created months ago. Now, she seemed much more... human.

Silently, Alex reflected on Elara's subtle transformation. She interacted in a very different manner, with more emotional nuances. Even her tone of complaint seemed to carry a hint of joviality.

Could this be the effect of maturation?

Perhaps, with time and the right influence, Elara's bloodthirst could be completely tamed.

Beyond her contemplation of Elara, Alex's mind continued to churn with thoughts about the recent encounters with monsters in the city.

In particular, he pondered on how to make the most of the god's notebook she had obtained. She needed more information about its specifications and limitations.

Studying the monsters they had already faced would give him clues to their origins and weaknesses. Then, with that knowledge, he could devise an effective strategy in the notebook to counter them and get guidance from its creator.

For the moment, the most sensible thing was to continue analyzing the situation step by step. The notebook and the monsters were both little-understood powers, with great destructive capacity.

13.1 I just wanna see your smile, shining in the sky

The condemned man walked with his head bowed, his wrists firmly handcuffed behind his back. A group of armed officers surrounded them as they moved through the jeering crowd.

Upon reaching the center of the courtyard, the officers forced Diablo to kneel in front of the crowd. Valeria stood next to the executioner and loudly read the charges against the prisoner.

—Diablo, you have been found guilty of treason, conspiracy, and rebellion against the Party. The sentence for these crimes is death.

A luxurious ship descended right in the middle of the courtyard. Its gates opened, and from within emerged a man and a woman dressed in elegant royal attire. They were Prince Rasid and Princess Layla of the imperial Al-Samat family.

Valeria was astonished by their presence. The Al-Samat were the supreme rulers who had reunified the world after the alien collapse. What were they doing here?

Rasid spoke in a powerful voice: —We have come to grant imperial forgiveness to this man. His actions, however reprehensible, do not merit execution.

Valeria stepped forward, defiant. —With all due respect, your Majesties, your decision is beyond jurisdiction. This man is a dangerous criminal in Nexarvita. The law here dictates that he must die.

###Nexarvita### (City-state that emerged from the collapse of three nations: Canada, Mexico, and the United States)

Rasid handed her a sealed document. —We have special permission from the Council of Nexarvita to intervene in this case. Everything is in order.

Valeria examined the document. Indeed, it had the official seal of the Council, granting jurisdiction to the imperial family. She had no choice but to comply with the order, although she was not pleased about it.

Then, Rasid addressed the crowd with a powerful voice, —By imperial decree, this man will not be executed. Instead, he will be taken to the capital city of Navothan Xīn'gong, where a new fair trial will be held.

Valeria had no choice but to agree, although she clearly disagreed. She ordered her officers to release the prisoner and hand him over to the custody of the imperial representatives.

Diablo paused and turned to Valeria, who observed everything with crossed arms and a furrowed brow.

—Executioner, do you truly believe I would rather be executed here today than face a fair trial in the imperial capital?

Valeria raised an eyebrow. —Your actions show utter contempt for the law and order of our society. You deserve the maximum punishment for your crimes. If it weren't for the intervention of their Majesties, you would already be dead.

Diablo smiled faintly. —You may be right. But you're mistaken if you believe the system you defend is truly just. Sooner or later, the truth will come to light.

Valeria returned immediately to see Samuel after the frustrating interruption of the execution. As she stormed furiously through the halls and ascended in the elevator, she muttered curses under her breath about the interference of the Council of Nexarvita and the imperial family.

Upon reaching Samuel's cell, she yanked the door open. —Get ready, we're leaving for Industrial City right away. I have transport waiting to take us,— Valeria ordered.

Samuel appeared bewildered but stood up without saying a word. Valeria handcuffed him and swiftly led him through the corridors to an armored vehicle waiting outside.

Once inside the transport and en route, Valeria took out the binding contract sheet. —Alright, since our plan has become complicated, we need to fine-tune the details. I need us to come to a clear agreement before we arrive at Industrial City.

13.2 Don't mind all these silent tears

Samuel had gotten up from his cot in the cell. He looked at the jar containing the eye removed from him.

He looked at the jar containing his removed eye, a display of the sadism of his former underworld employer, Lily, who had swallowed a soul fragment that gave her superhuman strength.

From one of those wounds had come the soul fragment that Lily later swallowed. To verify it, Samuel decided to self-injure again.

Upon reopening the wound, he indeed saw that instead of organic matter, there was a crystal inside.

If Samuel possessed such a powerful object within him, why then couldn't he create NPCs and communicate with his creations as he had hoped? It was another mystery that he couldn't comprehend.

He had the notion that everything had started to go wrong when Lily shot him. Could that gunshot have damaged some internal mechanism that needed fixing?

13.3 I'm not the one you wanna fuck wit

In a few minutes, they were flying through the sky towards the industrial city.

Once airborne, Valeria took out the sheet containing the terms of the binding contract. It was time to go through it point by point with Samuel.

—Firstly, in exchange for your testimony against Lily, you will be granted a new identity and protection under the Party's jurisdiction. You will be out of your former employer's reach,— Valeria explained.

Samuel nodded. —hat sounds good. I don't want that psychopath finding me again.

—Secondly, you will fully cooperate in the investigation against the criminal citadel and its high-ranking members.

—I will. I'll give them all the details I know about their operations and centers of power,— Samuel affirmed.

Valeria smiled contentedly. —Perfect. Now, in case either party fails to fulfill the agreed terms, the other will have the legal right to take retaliatory action, as stipulated by the binding contract law.

—There's one more point I want to add,— said Valeria. —I need you to falsely implicate Diablo so that I can bring him to capital punishment. Tell them he was your contact within the criminal citadel.

—I'm not sure I'm comfortable doing that. It's one thing to testify against my former employer, but to falsely incriminate someone else...

—Listen, Samuel, I know it's not ideal, but Diablo is a dangerous criminal who needs to be eliminated,— Valeria insisted. —If you want my protection and this new life, I need your total cooperation.

Samuel remained pensive and silent for several minutes. He was very unsure about adding that clause. He felt it would cross a dangerous line.

She approached him slowly and grabbed his chin firmly, forcing him to look into her eyes. —Listen to me carefully, you have no choice. You will do exactly as I order.

—A-Alright, I'll do it, I'll testify against Diablo,— Samuel acquiesced, completely intimidated.

—That's what I like to har,— Valeria said, releasing him and returning to her seat. —Now, sign the entire contract without further questions.

Fearful, Samuel signed the document as she demanded.

13.4 Celestial City

Inside, Samuel was furious. He thought, —This won't be left like this. I will find a way to settle the score with this abusive executor.—Valeria's deal also further motivated Samuel to seek a solution to regain his ability to create NPCs.

In some way, he would find a method to fully access the power of the celestial fragment within him. Then, he could create NPCs that would help him escape Valeria's control and maybe even strike back in some way.

After a few hours of flight, Valeria and Samuel arrived at Celestial City, a futuristic megalopolis situated in the heart of Africa. It was a mandatory stop before reaching Industrial City.

Celestial City was a vast floating island stationed amidst the desert, connected to the mainland by high-speed trains.

Valeria swiftly guided him through security controls, using her military credentials to make way. Soon, they reached the Military Module, the local headquarters of Nexarvita's armed forces.

There, a contingent of Nexarvita army officers awaited them. Clearly, Valeria had contacts in high places.

All dressed in black suits and dark shades. But there was one woman who stood out: a young girl of shorter stature compared to the others, with navy-blue hair and a coat over her uniform.

She was the one who approached to greet Valeria and Samuel directly.

—I'm Special Agent Ada Zulueta. I'll escort you to the facilities while we finalize the arrangements for your stay.

She paused briefly, carefully choosing her next words.

—I assume Executor Valeria has already informed you of the procedures and protocols that must be strictly followed during your visit. I advise you to obey the guidelines given.

Ada began walking briskly, focusing more on checking details on her tablet than on her guests. Samuel noticed a strange obsessive glint in her eyes.

—Excuse me, could you tell us what our itinerary of activities will be?— Samuel asked, trying to strike up a conversation.

Ada looked at him annoyedly. —That information will be provided in due time. For now, the priority is to show you the high-security accommodation wing where you'll be staying.

As they walked, Ada asked concise questions, absorbing every detail about Samuel and the situation that required his identity change.

Once in the conference room, Ada sat down and clasped her hands with seriousness. "We have a lot to discuss. First, let's go through all the legal documentation of your case to ensure we follow all protocols to the letter."

—To prepare for your change of identity, I need all the details about your current life. Full names, occupations, places of residence. How long have you been evading your employer?

—What kind of threats have you received? Describe them accurately.— She proceeded to take mental notes before moving on to her next question.

—To determine your new name and appearance, I must deeply understand your situation. What are the specific events and decisions that led to the attempted assassination against you?

Ada listened to Samuel's responses, methodically cataloging each relevant detail. Her analytical mind was entirely focused on one purpose: managing an effective identity change by absolute control of information and procedures.

After completing the extensive preparation process with Anabel, Valeria and Samuel finally arrived at the spaceport of Celestial City to board a craft bound for Industrial City.

Ada accompanied them to the terminal to ensure everything was in order before their departure. Then, having made sure the procedures were followed to the letter, she proceeded to bid them farewell.

—The documentation for your transfer is complete. As the sergeant in charge, my duty now is to return to the Nexarvita base to attend to another urgent matter,— she informed them briefly.

Though her expression was as neutral as ever, internally Anabel grappled with her obsessive secret mission: the possible appearance of an alien on Earth. She had been covertly sent as a hunter to eliminate the threat by any means necessary.

—Have a pleasant flight,— Ada wished them with a slight nod of her head.

13.5 I swear, you're gon' be so proud of me

As soon as she distanced herself enough from Valeria and Samuel, Anabel's neutral expression transformed. Her eyes sparkled, and a faint smile graced her face as she walked briskly.

Entering a private room, she let out a chuckle and rubbed her hands together. —Finally, I'll be able to reveal myself,— she thought. She hastened to remove her uniform and don her special hunting attire.

She was in a secret chamber, filled with shelves of alien weapons and glyph technological artifacts. Anabel picked up several weapons, examining them critically, weighing which combination would be perfect for her mission.

—Let's see, the Ionic Particle Cannon is ideal for long-distance shots... but I'll also need something with concentrated firepower in close quarters,— she mused aloud.

She continued deliberating like a child in a candy store. When it came to deadly alien technology, she couldn't contain her fascination. This was her true personality: a brilliant mind obsessed with the stealthy and lethal hunting of beings from other worlds.

—Soon, we'll meet face to face, little space friends,— she whispered to herself amidst laughter while caressing an alien firearm.

But his preparation wasn't limited to weapons alone. He packed some compendiums on human medicine and a thick one on alien parasitism.

"Adjudication and Litigation of Alien Cases: Legal Aspects"

It contained details on how to build a strong case, from the initial accusation to the sentencing, following all regulations. Additionally, it explained how to interrogate arrested aliens and the forensic argumentation before a court.