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Chapter 23

Deep Below, Level 6

"I feel like we have been here before, David"

Vinny was seated on the side of the fish tank, his feet dangling over the water as he stared into the pale green depths. Fish broke the surface every so often, their dark eyes regarding us momentarily, hopeful we were going to throw some food pellets for them, then vanishing with piscine disappointment.

"You showed me the aquaculture farm early on, Vinny" I agreed but I suspected he was referring to something else. My friend, my very first ever friend and my champion from the day I became self-aware, chuckled at my inept words.

"Bo Sung-Tae was right about you in one respect, David. You are very literal minded at times"

Vinny was bandaged and dosed up on pain relievers, administered with blunt efficiency by a Twenty-series Guard from Nino's entourage. The Jill had recommended Vinny get proper medical aid and he had promised he would do so. All three of us knew he was lying and yet we said nothing more about it.

"It is one of my many endearing features" I replied which earned me another soft chuckle. I lowered myself onto the mesh grating at his side, carefully dangling my own legs over the water. With all the damage alerts I was currently ignoring I was not entirely sure I would be able to stand up again.

"Doctor Smith told me the townsfolk will recover their strength in a day or so" I continued, filling the empty air between us. "I guess she must know a little about magical curses"

"I suspect your Nino knows a lot more than she ever lets on" Vinny said quietly. He tilted his head to look at me, contemplatively. "She's not human, is she David?"

"It's not my place to answer that question" I answered. "Everyone has their secrets in the Deeps, Vinny"

"Yeah. I guess all of mine are out in the open now, meaning it's time to move on"

"Where will you go?"

Vinny sighed and pointed at the tank of water, until I realised what he actually meant.

"The Burrow?"

"Uh-huh. Matron King is going to need a lot of help getting things back in order down there" Vinny explained. "Besides, she already knows what I am, the person I used to be. We had a good long chat after the fighting was over, when I told her about what had been done to Esther"

"Are you looking for redemption, Vinny?" I asked my friend.

"No, I think that is beyond me, David. All I want now is to hide away from the world and hope it forgets about Vincent Saint August"

"I never met this person, but I won't forget Vinny the Scavenger from Deep Below"

I got to my feet, moving slowly so I didn't overload my internal gyroscopes and end up falling into the water. Sami had already declared the tanks would have to be scoured clean after Sung-Tae had 'carelessly' dropped his hands in there. I doubted she would be pleased about dragging my short-circuited chassis from the water as well.

Which reminded me of something I had been wondering about.

"Vinny, how did Sami resist the Miasma?"

"She couldn't. No-one without the blood of an Adept in their veins can resist its power. Even the Adept have to make a conscious effort of will to avoid falling under the Mare's influence. The ability is not a common one that Warlock's normally summon, since it takes a lot of sacrifices to give the Mare strength"

"Bo Sung-Tae knew where to find all the sacrifices he needed, here in Deep Below" I added. "But that still doesn't explain how Sami was unaffected. If she is an Awakened she can't have any Adept blood in her family history"