The room was as sparse as advertised. Merely an empty chamber with many, many doors leading to the outside. Or at least, that’s what I knew they led to.

  All anyone else would have seen were walls of blank white light covering the aperture.

  Dolce saw all of this and immediately began thrashing against the walls. His large body creating shockwaves of displaced air whenever he bounced off and tried again.

  ‘Nothing!’ He roared within his mind. ‘There’s nothing here! You said there would be dangers here! That’s why you made me hurt! But there’s nothing here!’

  “Be calm.” I ordered.

  Dolce’s muscles loosened and relaxed.

  “Feel good.” I followed up and Dolce went from raging, to giggling sweetly within his own mind.

  I nodded at that and turned to see how grandpa was doing with my own two eyes.

  His situation was the opposite.

  He was trying to come off as if he was totally fine. Like the last few minutes were nothing but a brisk walk in the park, stopped only by a brief period of feeding cute ducklings.

  In actuality, he was screaming internally, as he was plagued by the feeling of his bones melting into hot lava and ripping themselves out of his body in protest.

  “Don’t [Dominate] me.” He snapped before I could say anything. “I don’t need your pity. Or anyone else’s. I’ve lived through worse. I’ve willingly put myself through worse for your father and your grandmother, when she was still alive. I can handle this.”

  The half-truth came smoothly. Though I didn’t know why he bothered.

  He knew I was reading him after all.

  ‘Though perhaps it’s more of a pride thing.’ I chided myself. ‘He’s always been the one making sacrifices and he doesn’t like the suggestion that he should take it easy.’

  That was something we’d have to work on.

  The air shivered then, and another person came out to join our group.

  “Henry!” I called out with gusto. “So good to see you!”

  “AAAAAAA!!!!” My best friend screamed in response. “What the (Sully) is this!? Where the (Sully) am I!? What the (Sully) did you do!?”

  His censor word hurt. I knew what it was now but the pain didn’t lessen since the last time we’d talked.

  I calmy walked towards him and explained our current situation.

  “(Sully) me Sully! You can’t do these kinds of things! I’ve got responsibilities back in Novice difficulty! I’ve got to look after Cass!”

  “She’ll be fine.” I assured him.

  “Yeah!? And how do you know!? Cause a lot of things seem to be slipping past you lately!? I was the strongest person in Novice! That meant that everyone who went on Excursion with me was safe! How do you know nothing bad will happen to her!?”

  “Because the System isn’t outwardly hostile.” I explained calmly. “People in Novice almost never die. Like, it is actually impressive if someone on Novice manages to somehow get themselves killed. Even on Excursions. At worst, people there will get sent to put out small fires or rescue puppies or stop gun-toting muggers. You and I only met last time because of my new teacher. Which you would have known if you bothered to read my Forum messages. I sent several of them.”

  “You paralyzed my friends!”

  “Yeah! And I set them free right after, didn’t I? Honestly Henry! You’re talking as if I were trying to be an evil (Gnome)!? Don’t you know me after all these years!”

  “You also mind-controlled me when we were kids!” He pointed out. “All those years, I was your slave!”

  Ooof. I… I’d known that was coming, but hearing it said out loud still hurt.

  “Whoa! Slave is a really strong word, Henry!”

  ‘A mostly accurate one, but please don’t focus on that.’

  “Look man. I was six. Okay? I had no idea what I was doing! Do you think some six-year-old can be blamed for things they do? Of course not! Kids are idiots! And! And! Let us not forget…”

  I chose my next words carefully. Even going to far as to turn off [Social Hunter IV] and my future sight to make sure the next words came from the heart.

  “I did pretty good for being six. I mean, all things considered. Think about it. I freed everyone as soon as I could and I did stop all wars and all crime even back then. Besides, when you compare me to other bad dudes in history, then the things I did don’t really seem all that bad, right? I mean, Ferdinand of Naples literally had his political rivals killed, mummified and presented to his court as part of a museum, Tamerlane the lame ordered his riders to trample 7, 000 children and Mussolini force-fed people castor oil until they literally (Gnome) themselves to death. In that context, I’m not really that bad, am I?”

  Henry’s cheeks reddened.

  I cursed internally and re-activated [Social Hunter IV].

  “Okay so maybe those were bad examples.”

  “Gee, ya think?” Monique snapped from the side. “Why don’t you tell him you never danced on top of the people you skinned while you’re at it?”

  “Hey!” I whirled around. “I never harmed people unjustly!”

  Monique raised an eyebrow.

  ‘Gnomes aren’t people.’ I messaged her through [Solomon’s Enduring Empathy X]. ‘I don’t know how many times I need to tell you that.’

  I turned back to Henry.

  “You sank Australia!” He accused.

  “No! The Tall Man sank Australia! Big difference!”

  I took a few deep breaths. Mostly for his viewing pleasure.

  ‘Thank you [Social Hunter IV]. Again. I really needed to sell being in distress.’

  The old me without the combined ability could have still pretended to have human reactions, but I didn’t doubt I was doing a much better job now.

  “Look Henry.” I said again while getting closer and grabbing his shoulders.

  “I know I messed up. Okay? I’ve been sending apologies through the Forums all this time. I’m not going to sit here and pretend I’m perfect. I have a lot of improving to do and I have a lot to atone for. But like I keep saying. I’m doing my best and all I can promise is that I’ll keep doing my best. Okay?”

  His face relaxed somewhat, but he didn’t seem overly enthused about the idea.

  Now, I could have pointed out that the whole reason that he could even feel things like dissent or worry was that I was shutting down [Solomon’s Inexorable Presence X] completely and that if I stopped, he and everybody else would be licking my heels like there was no tomorrow. I could also have pointed out that I could still very much [Dominate] whomever I damn well pleased and that there was little to nothing anyone here could do about that.

  Yet I didn’t need the new Shifter ability to tell me that was a bad idea.

  “Henry, I…” I pretended to stutter.

  [Social Hunter IV] instantly recognizing the best responses for the situation and producing tears from my eyes as my massive form quivered. As if I were emotionally vulnerable and afraid of rejection.

  “I’ll do anything I need to regain your trust. Okay? You’re not some face in the crowd. You’re not some guy I brainwashed. I care about you Henry. You’re my best friend. I don’t want to lose you.”

  Now, that was all true of course. I had meant every word. But again, [Social Hunter IV] REALLY sold the scene.

  To the point where I felt as if I were somehow deceiving him and my team as they watched.

  ‘Which is ridiculous because I know I mean it. Augh… I need to work on that some more. I have got to stop obsessing about coming across as a bad person. I know I’m not a bad person.’

  Randall’s recent treatment came to mind, but I quickly suppressed those feelings too.

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  ‘I had no choice when it came to that. If the Dragon keeps his word, then it won’t even be a factor. If he doesn’t…’

  Well. If that happened, anyone who connected their minds to Randall’s own was in for a really bad time. I didn’t know all the details yet because I’d purposely gotten rid of those memories with [Solomon’s Inexorable Presence X], but I knew enough to guess that even someone as ancient as the Dragon wouldn’t be walking it off.

  ‘I also know that I didn’t get a System warning for breach of contract. Maybe because it’ll only trigger is Hazimon does it first, maybe because it would technically be Randall’s (Gnome) on the line. Hard to tell with the System.’

  Henry looked shaken.

  He opened his mouth, and then closed it again.

  His eyes began to moisten, though of course the action was completely genuine in his case.

  Then the air shimmered and new people were plopped right down onto the chamber with us.

  “Mittens is near! Mittens appears! Mittens is here!” Mittens bellowed in triumph. Still wearing Anezka’s body as a grotesque skinsuit.

  In his right hand, he held the sword of bone I’d made for him. In his left…

  Were my family. Plus Luigi for good measure.

  “Let them go!” The girl I knew to be Puffin screamed from the side. Brandishing a wooden spear of her own.

  Mittens kept heckling his own entrance and waving around the bone sword.

  She looked like she about to thrust and skewer Anezka’s shell, when her eyes snapped to me.

  “AAAAAAHHH!!! It’s the demon!”

  “Hey!” I complained. “That’s rude! I’m your brother! Kind of. Sort of. Dad and mom like you so whatever. But it’s still rude!”

  “AAAAAAHHH!!!” Dad and mom screamed as well. Though this time, they were shouting because of grandpa.

  “Murderer!”

  “Please don’t shoot me!”

  “Hey! Grandpa is not going to shoot anyone!” I protested.

  Mom and dad turned to stare at me.

  “Sully!?” They both exclaimed. “What the (Mittens) happened to you!?”

  “It’s a long story.” I admitted.

  Then I clapped.

  “But I think we’re all here so we can take some time to go over everything.”

  I turned to Mittens.

  “Put them down.”

  Mittens obeyed.

  “All right Puffin. Your turn. Put down the spear.”

  “(Sully) you!” She screamed. Lunging forwards with the spear.

  I didn’t bother to move, even as my parents cried out to stop her.

  She stopped herself in any case. Pausing mid stride and donning a look of blank confusion.

  Then she spent a good thirty seconds staring at the spear and at me in quick succession. As if trying to remember how spears worked.

  “Pointy end goes first.” I offered. “But the reason you can’t think to attack me is a Title. I think you need to be much, much stronger than you are now if you want to overcome it.”

  I raised my hands in a placating gesture.

  “But let’s leave that for later. Right now, I’d like us all to talk this out like regular adults.”

  Puffin didn’t listen. Donning a look of anger and going to attack the next nearest person. That person being Boris.

  “Stop.” I ordered.

  She did so.

  Freezing in place like a statue.

  Then I stepped in between then while Boris stepped back.

  “Okay. Now. I don’t mind you trying to attack me. I really don’t. Go right ahead and try your very best for as long as you like. But my teammates were not boosted as much as you or Henry or Vince or Thunder Fist.”

  I stepped forwards.

  Reading her status.

  ….

  …….

  Yeah….

  That was….

  Yeah….

  Granny Golden and that fox guy Banerid had both suffered near-fatal heart attacks upon seeing the new and improved Henry back in Novice.

  I wondered what their reaction might be upon seeing this nonsense.

  ‘Probably not great.’ I decided.

  This time, I was more or less in agreement with them. This girl was way too strong for her own good.

  ‘It’s about as much of an improvement as grandpa.’ I mused. ‘Which means I absolutely cannot let her do whatever she wants with my team. They might be better in terms of skill and experience, but those numbers are just too much.’

  Puffin would be able to butcher the rest of my team like they were squealing piglets before any of them were able to do anything. Worse, she was that strong because I… via Tall Man shenanigans, had doused her in Psy.

  ‘Which means all this is on me.’

  “You will control yourself.” I informed her sternly. “Or I will have to stay on top of you until you start doing so.”

  She didn’t answer.

  I released the domination.

  “So?”

  Her eyes snapped to me. Suddenly full of fear.

  Then I felt the same emotions coming from dad and mom.

  I sighed.

  “Right then. I guess we’ll all be sharing some memories then. Easier for everyone to get caught up to speed.”

  We stepped out past the white aperture together.

  Me and my group leading the front while Henry, Luigi, Puffin and my parents clung to the back.

  On the one hand, I already knew it would take time for them to come to terms with everything that had happened and I knew that it wouldn’t be easy on them. I knew this was a hard pill to swallow.

  I knew I had to be patient.

  On the other hand, Puffin’s attitude kept making things worse. To the point where she now kept placing herself between me and my own parents like she was some kind of guard dog spotting a bloodthirsty intruder.

  As for dad and mom themselves… well.

  ‘They’ll come around.’ I assured myself. ‘I’ve seen that happen lots of times. They’ll be fine. Things will all be fine.’

  The world past the white barrier was a familiar sight. The view containing buildings and streets and parks and some few trees.

  And plumes of smoke.

  Lots of plumes of smoke coming from lots of factories. The sky being a dark, ominous grey turning blacker and blacker by the second.

  I nodded. Opened my mind. And smiled.

  There were… so, so, so many gnomes.

  So… so… so… MANY GNOMES.

  I took a deep breath to steady myself.

  ‘No! Sully! Bad Sully! Dad and mom are right here and they’re very clearly traumatized! You can’t go around dispensing sweet… sweet…SWEET JUSTICE! AHH!! KILL ALL THE GNOMES!!’

  “Son?” Dad came up from the side. “Are you okay?”

  “Never better!” I said while smiling back at him. “I’m just thinking of how dirty the sky looks. We should introduce the peo… the peop…. The peo…” I re-activated [Social Hunter IV] to keep myself from gagging.

  “The people here to sustainable environmental practices.”

  “Why did you gag while saying people?” He asked. His face looking more and more worried.

  “The air is dirty. I started coughing because of that.” I lied smoothly.

  “Anyway, we should go around and try to find Vince and Thunder Fist. They should be around here somewhere.”

  “And…” Mom swallowed. “Are we going to be okay?”

  I turned my head in confusion.

  “Uh, yeah? Why wouldn’t we be?”

  “You… you’re not reading our minds?” Dad asked.

  “Well no. You told me to stay out of your minds. So I did. I’m not going to go around reading you when you don’t feel comfortable dad.”

  Neither of them looked convinced.

  “Okay look, you saw all the memories right?’

  Mom broke down in tears.

  “Oh, oh come on! I… I’m trying my best okay?”

  I turned to my team.

  “Guys! Help me out here!”

  Dusty and Slab were the first to step forward.

  “Mom, dad.” Dusty began. “I know he can be difficult at times and I know you’ve all been through a lot. But he really means what he says. Everything he’s done has been for the benefit of others. The thought of being selfish or the idea to use his powers for his own benefit never once crossed his mind.”

  “He has his rough edges.” Slab agreed. “But millions of people in my world have been able to return to the surface thanks to him. Sully never once asked for anything in return. Not once. Whatever may have happened, I truly believe he did not mean any of it. And even then, Sully is always trying to atone for the lives he took and the damage he caused when he was little. I think that says a lot about the weight of responsibility he feels.”

  “But dad.” My own father began, suddenly looking at grandpa. “He shot us. To save us from you.”

  “That wasn’t me dad! That was a copy! A copy that thought you were gnomes by the way! I would never do anything to hurt you!”

  “And what about gnomes?” Mom asked. “They’re sentient, aren’t they? They’re people aren’t they? Yes, I know you’ve suffered Sully. And I am so, so sorry we weren’t there to protect you. But this hatred isn’t like you.”

  She was crying by then.

  “You have to let go of this hatred in your heart. It isn’t like you. I’m scared of what its turning you into.”

  Now there was a load on nonsense.

  Gnomes weren’t people. If anything, I’d call them something closer to talking roaches. And even then, I’d feel as if I’d offended all the roaches in the universe. They didn’t deserve to be compared to gnomes.

  “Mom, look.” I began. Now leaning over to hug her. “It’s fine. I’m fine. I’m the same person you’ve always known. I’m proud of the way you raised me and the way you taught me to be a good person.”

  I wiped away a tear.

  “Do you remember when we came back home and Mittens was dead?”

  “Mittens remembers.” Mittens spoke up. “The body was gone, but the spirit remained. Mittens was wronged. Mittens was made strong. Mittens had his vengeance. Mittens is here!”

  “SHUT THE (Gnome) UP MITTENS! I’m TRYING TO REASSURE MY MOTHER!”

  Mittens drew back. As if ashamed.

  I turned back to my mother.

  “You held me as I was crying. And you told me that it would all be okay. That death was something that made us sad, only because we loved the ones who had died. You taught me that the best way to honor Mittens would be to live my life well and happy. Because that’s what Mittens would have wanted for me.”

  “Mittens agrees.” Mittens said with newfound excitement.

  I chose to let that statement go.

  “The point I’m trying to make is… I was devastated and then you and dad comforted me. Even when you were under the effects of mind-control. Who you were as people didn’t change and I did everything I could to free you because I wanted you back just the way you used to be. I… I’m only the person I am because you and dad always taught me to respect others and to care for them. Because you taught me that the best way to live my life was to care for other people like I wanted to be cared for. Not only that, you showed me how to live by example.”

  She was sobbing less now.

  “You remember going outside the shelter where all the people who’s homes burned down were? I remember. I remember going there when I was eight and I remember handing out lunch bags we’d made and blankets we’d bought. I remember how the people’s eyes lit up with hope and I remember you telling me that I’d made a difference. That I had a duty to make a difference.”

  Her eyes stared into mine. So did dad’s eyes.

  ‘Thank you [Social Hunter IV].’ I thought again. ‘You’ve been infinitely more helpful than I ever gave you credit for.’

  “I’m still that person. I want you to know that. Everything I’ve done. Everything I have yet to do, has been to keep people from going through the same things I went through. I need you to know that. I need you to know that…”

  “Well, well, welly, well, well!” A voice called from the sky. A gnomish voice.

  “Looks like we found some more tall ones boys!” The voice cackled. “Just in time for the show! Let’s get these fools to the arena for the mass execution! And let’s show those two maniacs that this world belongs to us!”