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<Sc'the>

As soon as I saw that Pops knew what I had done and seemed to understand my plan I quickly got my tail out of there. Running away as quickly as I could for the only place I could think of that had a person that might be able to help. I'd barely gotten out of the front gates when the entire property exploded, a giant shockwave sending me flying forwards at a much faster pace than I'd been running and feeling like it had even broken a few bones. 

{New Resistance(s) Gained: Shockwave (Lv. 1), Explosion (Lv. 1)}
{Resistance Levels Increased: Explosion (Lv. 3), Shockwave (Lv. 2)}

I couldn't make sense of what was being said in my head, the words that the Voice transmitted directly to my brain turned into a sort of hushed background noise over the ringing in my ears. Slowly getting up I looked back, the entire area just past the walls' borders was a barren wasteland of various craters. The ground cracked and splintered in a spider-web like fashion and nearly nothing resembling a building left where the mansion was. Even the walls looked like they'd been repetitively hammered on by a demolition team, just barely holding together with cracks and deep grooves spreading throughout the entirety of their structure. 

I was glad I'd been able to get this far before it went off. Just feeling that shockwave from this far away was enough to make all of my muscles feel like jelly and while I don't think I broke any bones it sure felt like it. If I'd been any closer I was sure that my tail, and maybe even my legs, would've been absolutely shattered; If this had gone any differently I would have been completely immobilized, and there was nothing I could've done otherwise or the people attacking Pops might've found me somehow and decided to use me as a hostage against him, or worse. 

I turned back to the city, the reason why I was leaving coming back to me: I needed to get to that Cinder lady. Even though she would likely have heard that explosion and might already be on her way over I needed to at least make sure that she was, and that Red was going to be okay. Since she was also bound to be attacked by another group too...I could only hope that Freija and Wreign could keep her safe in the mean-time. 

The next hundred steps forwards felt like learning to walk all over again: my back legs would drag against the ground and I'd randomly bump into or trip over things. My tail wasn't acting like it should in order to keep me stable, and I had a hard time just keeping myself straight. The state of running again wasn't even a thought at this point while I gathered myself and persevered on my mission to get help. 

(Level 307 Dark Tiger Monk (Undead Tiger-Kin, Apostle of The Abyss) Killed) 
(Experience Gained)
(Experience Decreased due to Assistance)
(Extra Experience gained for helping kill a being over 50 Levels your own)
(Extra Experience gained for helping kill a being over 100 Levels your own)
(Extra Experience gained for helping kill a being over 200 Levels your own)
(Experience Doubled for helping kill a being a tier over your own)
(Experience Doubled for helping kill a being 2 tiers above your own)
(Personal Level Increased x307)
--(Error: Max Level Reached, Extra Experience Acquired has been turned into additional Points)--
(Personal Level: 1-->50/50)
(Max Level Hit: Accessing Evolutions)
(Evolutions Available: 3)
(Skill Levels Increased: Dash (Lv. 72), Stealth (Lv. 55), Patient Hunter (Lv. 50), Flight (Lv. 24), Dodging (Lv. 50), Incorporeality (Lv. 34))
(Resistance Levels Increased: Physical (Lv. 37), Magic Lv. 40), Fire (Lv. 53), Heat (Lv. 32), Fear (Lv. 48), Explosion (Lv. 5), Shockwave (Lv. 4). 
(Extra Points Gained for helping kill a being over 50 Levels your own)
(Extra Points Gained for helping kill a being over 100 Levels your own)
(Extra Points Gained for helping kill a being over 200 levels your own)
(Extra Points Gained for helping kill a being a tier above your own)
(Extra Points Gained for helping kill a being two tiers above your own)
(Soul Points could not be gained from source--Reason: Distance)
(Points Gained 2080)
(Free Points: 2172)

I quickly dismissed the notification from the Voice, only hearing the part of someone much higher leveled than be having been killed and--after what had felt like a long time--Finally being able to Evolve again...It was something that partially distracted me from the discomfort in my march forward since I didn't know how to feel about it. With how last time went I didn't imagine this evolution would be any more or less pleasant; in fact, I actually expected it to be much worse. The further along a being got in this world, and the stronger one became in accordance meant that the stages between evolutions and leveling would get longer and longer with each time. 

I did, however, put the extra 72 points into Dexterity immediately to help with moving a bit better, and recovery if I was lucky. Ignoring the slight itch under my skin and focusing my mind on getting to where I needed to be. I felt my muscles slowly gain more and more energy the further along I got and not soon enough I was able to start running full speed again. The Guard Headquarters--or whatever it was called here--came into view shortly and I was starting to feel almost normal again at this point. The slight fatigue my body from that whole experience was barely noticeable at that point, but still there as a ghostly reminder of what could've went wrong... 

I quickly entered the building, careful to avoid touching any of the already other extremely active guards and people around the area: the entire place seemed to be preparing to leave, or at least gathering to meet and disperse to areas they were needed with such a large event happening so closely to them. I made my way through the various hallways, up a few stairwells and then back down and up again, and realized in the middle of a random hallway...I was completely lost in here. 

I had absolutely no idea where I was going. The last time I was here was with Redline, just following after her and not actually trying to remember all of the various turns and hallways she took to get to Cinder's office: was I supposed to go up two floors or just one? And how many turns was there again? It was definitely more than 10...

I needed to find somewhere or maybe another person that knew their way around here better, or by chance I would hear or stumble upon her by accident...hopefully?

A few more turns and hallways later and I heard some of the Guards talking. Coming from around the bend in one of the hallways ahead and seemingly making their way towards me in a hurry. "Have you heard what caused that giant explosion earlier?" It was a female voice, sounding close to out of breath. 

A male answered her, equally as out of breath, "No, but I heard that it was in Poppa's area of the city, and that the Captain came out of her office looking extremely annoyed." 

"Well, can't really blame her." I watched as they came around the bend in a mid jog, heavy looking armor on both of them and gleaming with a golden-silver light as they trot along in a semi-paced rush. "I would've been irritated too if something this eventful happened before I got to eat lunch." 

The male huffed his agreement, chuckling a little, "Yeah. Makes me glad we were able to get through our meal period just before this happened. Though I'm definitely going to get a cramp on the way to whichever location we're being sent." 

I did my best to move out of the way and keep from touching them or moving in any way, even stopping to hold my breath as they passed. Thankfully they did so without noticing anything though, and it seemed like they knew where they were going too...it was probably best if I followed after them. 

"Wait, was there something else that happened other than the explosion?" The female asked and the male nodded. 

"Yeah. There was a beam of light that came from the East Sanctuary, so with both areas being high value locations I'm not sure which will get priority at the moment." 

A beam of light? Would that maybe have been Redline and her skill? I knew that those arrows definitely looked like beams of light, but were they that visible, even during the daytime? 

"Oh. Yeah that is pretty concerning...Where do you think we'll be going then this time?" 

"I'm going to bet that the two of us are going to be going to the Sanctuary," the male guard put a hand up in a so-so gesture and I tilted my head at the oddity of how it looked while running. "I think that the higher leveled people will be going to Poppa's area since it's more likely whoever decided to attack that Demon would have to be over his or even our own Captain in level." 

At the same time another two notifications from the Voice came through: 

(Level 309 Trickster Blade-Master Assassin (Undead Fox-Kin) Killed)
(Experience Gained) 
(Experience Decreased due to Assistance)
(Extra Experience--)
(Error, Max Level reached. Evolve to acquire more Experience and Experience Gained Points)

-------------------------

(Level 286 Vampiress (Undead): Caprellia, Master Demolitionist Killed)
(Experience Gained)
(Experience Decreased due to Assistance)
(Extra Experience--)
(Error, Max Level reached. Evolve to acquire more Experience and Experience Gained Points)

-------------------------

It seemed that until I evolved I wouldn't be able to get more Levels, or Points until I evolved...that was really disheartening to know. If I wanted to grow stronger I'm basically being forced to go through that hell called evolution, and even if I didn't there was no other way I'd be able to improve other than maybe increasing the levels of my Skills and Resistances, and even those would taper off and stagnate after so long...I was so deep in thought about what I had to do later that I almost missed the two of them turning a corner, and was barely able to keep myself from slamming into the wall. 

The two of them heard my claws dig into the floor as I turned the corner quicker than I'd ever done before. I was forced to jump from the floor to the wall and back to the floor again as to not make deep marks into the wood. Unfortunately this meant that the two of them stopped, drawing their weapons and getting into defensive stances to look around for whatever threat it was following after them--me--without their notice. 

"Who's there?!" The male yelled loudly, maybe hoping to provoke whoever it was into attacking? Not me. Nope. I was frozen, stiff as a rock and hoping that they wouldn't start to walk towards me. There were less places to sneak through here, and I wouldn't really be able to hug the wall or the section between doors that well without notice while they were both on high alert. 

It was times like this where having some form of communication would be nice Voice!

It didn't answer...like usual, but the two didn't move forwards either, thankfully. 

I looked over to the spot I'd slid and saw that there were scratches in the floor, but I hoped they weren't that noticeable in the dim light of the hallway, and that they would be too busy to investigate further. If they wanted to come and look later that was perfectly fine with me, I'd be on the other side of the city and they'd have no chance of finding out what happened here then, so please, please just keep going. 

"Come on, we can't deal with this right now," The female guard mentioned and the male glanced at her for a moment before nodding in agreement. She stepped back, taking out one of her knives to stow her sword and motioning with that they needed to go. "They know we're aware of them now, so if they attack they are guaranteed to have a hard time taking us down." She seemed to say that last part with an intent of some kind, but I couldn't help but look at her confused. I could definitely take you both down easily, only being around level 50 each and not able to notice me (Spy)ing on you, so...

"Yeah. You're right." The male agreed, but he kept his sword out and they both made their way down the hallways faster than before. Maybe to lose whatever tail they had, but thankfully, with the extra points in Dexterity I'd put in, I had no trouble keeping up with them at all. Able to stay a decent distance away and take the extra time to go slower around turns and curves just in case they decided to stop again. 

They kept at this for the next five or six minutes and I realized we were going to the outside again. This was an entirely different area than where I'd come in and nearly everyone was there. One of the other Guards noticed that these two had their weapons out and came over like a rampaging giant. 

"Recruits Dani and Steve! What do you think you're doing on base with your weapons unsecured?!" The Lead Guard guy came over quicker than they could put their weapons away and he had to actually push Steve's sword away to get in both of their faces. "You should know the conduct guardsmen! You've read the conduct guides like you were ordered, correct?" He got two nods, "Then what the hell are you doing with your weapon still out recruit?!"

Steve quickly put his sword away and I snickered silently behind them--serves you right for not thinking before you got closer to wherever this was before getting withing sight of your superiors. At least she was able to put her weapon away quicker in this situation; then again, it was a knife, so doing so was probably much easier than putting away a sword with an angry Superior coming at you like this guy did.

"You both will be on latrine duty for the rest of the week due to your reckless actions here, and Steve you will be getting an extra week added on top of that for not stowing your weapon before I was able to get near you." They both grimaced as the Lead Guard crossed his arms, "Why aren't you at attention?! Do you want another week on top of what you've already gotten Guardsmen?!"

Dani and Steve quickly got into a stance that looked similar to that of a person laid to rest but standing straight and I tilted my had at that. Why would they be required to stand like that? Was there something special about crossing both arms over your chest--fists closed--like that? "Good. Now please, explain to me why you were not only late but recklessly charging around with weapons drawn?" 

"Sir, there was someone, or something following us through the base, sir!" The Lead Guard leant to the side to look past Steve's shoulder and he shook his head and looked at Steve disapprovingly. 

"Are you fucking with me Recruit? There is no one, and no thing here but you and me" He leant in closer to Steve, who's face was getting redder and redder as this went on but not reacting otherwise, "Are you trying to make up an excuse for the both of you as to why you were so late again recruit!?" 

"Sir, no sir!" Steve answered and the Lead Guard looked at him for a moment longer before huffing and walking away. 

"Get to your stations recruits," I couldn't help but snicker quietly behind them as they both trudged their way over to the mass of other guards standing in lines of attention. The Lead Guard that was berating them went back to where he was standing and I took that time to properly look around at wherever this was. It seemed like the back of the building and there were probably hundreds of people here at the moment. 

The Lead Guards seemed to be at the front of every few rows, the Normal Guards were the rows standing in formation, and there were the odd few that were walking around between lines. Whether they were getting to a different formation, being switched around, or higher than the Lead Guards I didn't know, but it was all still a pretty amazing thing to see in person, rather than just hearing about in school, and looking at hundred year old pictures. 

"Alright Soldiers!" I recognized the loud voice of Cinder immediately. She was making her way down the center of both rows, headed towards me. Two other soldiers were at her sides as she walked, wearing purple patches on their arms and armor similar to that of a Lead Guard, but shinier. "A few of you have already heard of what was happening so I will make this quick: two areas of our kingdom are being attacked by unknowns. One of which is the Sanctuary so that will take priority! Most of you will be going there and only a select few will be coming with me to the other location! I will say now that this is most likely an attack in progress, by either another kingdom or an outside source we do not know, so be prepared for anything once you get there.

"I want everyone to focus on making sure any civilians or injured non-assailants are taken to safety, protecting them is the top priority over what may be going in within the East Sanctuary! I want this to be a quick and clean occurrence with no deaths on my watch!" She got near to where I was and the two guards that were flanking her split off to stand in front of both sections. "Those that will be accompanying me shall be at levels two-hundred fifty and above, no less! Even if you are one level under that you will not be coming! Those that do come forward will stand over there." She pointed to the left at an empty area, thankfully opposite of where I was.

Ten to fifteen of the guards at the front and near middle of both rows split off from the rest of the formation and came to stand at the front. " Now depart!" At that the two guards wearing the purple patches put their hands together like they were praying or something. Then, after a moment of waiting, suddenly both rows disappeared leaving behind just a slight trace of loosed bowel movements... 

Leaving Cinder and the fifteen guards standing off to the side. I expected her to do some more talking and then take their leave but instead she turned...towards my direction with a glare. "Now, what are you doing here?" She growled. 

This is so far, the biggest chapter that I've written for this story yet. Just past 3100 words before this Note and one of the more inclusive chapters I've felt I've actually done somewhat of a decent job on.
I also figured out today that Wattpad doesn't count a word between these marks (<>) as part of the total word count, so technically I could write an Entire Chapter between those marks and it would stay at 0 word count Lmao. 

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll be getting to the next one soon!

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