BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM

Riding high in the sky atop June, Erik's heart pounded like a drum.

"What in blazes just happened back there, Master?" June hollered over the roar of the wind, his voice a mixture of concern and confusion.

Erik wiped the sweat from his brow, his hand coming away slick with blood. He was panting. He fought against many people and many thaids, but never he had come so close to dying.

"Those bastards, the Blackguards, they ambushed me." When he said that, his voice was rough as gravel, and his breath was labored. "They caught me off guard just as I was about to finish the job."

He glanced back, his gaze falling on Max's lifeless body. The man was sprawled across June's back. A shudder ran down Erik's spine. The Blackguards were stronger than he expected.

"Master," June's voice cut through his thoughts, "I think you should absorb that brain crystal right now."

Erik raised an eyebrow at him. "Now? Up here?"

June shrugged, his wings flapping steadily beneath them. "Why not?" he said. "We're clear of those goons for now. We've got maybe half a minute head start."

Erik considered this, his gaze drifting back to Max's lifeless body. But up there, in the open sky, where everyone could see him? Was that the right thing to do?

"Alright," he said. Erik realized he may not have another chance at getting Max's Power. "Let's do this."

Erik grimaced as he extracted the brain crystal from Max's fractured skull. Blood oozed out, sticky and metallic-scented.

"Bottoms up." He brought the crystal to his lips and knocked it back like a shot of whiskey. It tasted like copper pennies.

With the crystal down the hatch, Erik cupped the pooling blood in his hands. No use letting it go to waste. He slurped it up greedily, the viscous liquid dripping down his chin.

[MAX'S DNA GAINED. STARTING THE ANALYSIS.]

[MAX'S BRAIN CRYSTAL ACQUIRED. STARTING THE ANALYSIS.]

[ANALYSIS COMPLETE.]

[100 DNA POINTS ARE REQUIRED TO EXTRACT THE DNA. 500 TO GET IT WITHOUT INCURRING PAIN AND LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS. 1000 TO INSTANTLY ABSORB IT.]

[100 DNA POINTS ARE REQUIRED TO EXTRACT THE POWER. 500 TO GET IT WITHOUT INCURRING PAIN AND LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS. 1000 TO INSTANTLY ABSORB IT.]

[5150 DNA POINTS DETECTED. STARTING EXTRACTION?]

<Use 2000 DNA points and absorb both instantly! >

June's body contorted, shrinking rapidly into a canine shape even as he continued sliding across the floor.

Finally he came to rest against the far wall, now in the form of a panting husky.

Erik did the same, changing his appearance to resemble one of the men that fled the room some seconds before.

The young mana focused his mana, feeling his body shift and morph. His slender frame expanded, muscles swelling.

Facial features blurred, reforming into the sharp-jawed visage of a businessman. Erik's posture changed as well, shoulders squaring as he adopted a brusque, impatient gait.

"Let's move!"

June bounded for the door, glass crunching under his paws.

They raced into the emergency stairwell, the fire alarm's shrill wail echoing off the concrete walls.

Down they fled, taking the steps two at a time as screams and chaos continued around them.

Erik's features shifted into the unfamiliar visage he had copied. June's dog form bounded ahead, nails clicking on concrete.

As they neared a landing, a group of shaken office workers came into view. It was the same people who had been in the room when June crashed through. Oblivious, they huddled together, stunned and disheveled.

June leaped past them in one smooth motion. They jumped back, pressed against the wall by the large canine blur. Erik followed close behind, face angled down.

Erik adjusted his gaze away from one man in particular - the one whose appearance he had replicated.

Just in case, he shielded his face as he breezed by. No need to risk the man noticing a mirror image rushing past.

The workers gaped, bewildered, as Erik and June raced on without pause.

Their footsteps soon faded down the stairwell, leaving the men and women staring at them in confusion.

Neither man nor dog was identifiable to the group.

At the lobby, Erik pulled his coat collar up and dipped his head lower, masking his profile. June stayed close at his heels, playing the part of a domesticated dog.

They wove through the crowd and slip out the revolving doors in a few quick strides.

Once outside, they disappeared seamlessly into the flow of pedestrians on the busy sidewalk.

Erik and June's escape was complete, their identities still safely concealed.