ã€ŠPost-Apocalyptic Survivor in Another World: New Beginningã€‹


 Chapter One: An End, and A New Beginning

    Joseph¡¯s hands shook as they both worked together to lift his mug from the table, a feat that, in his youth, had been something that required no effort. Back then his fingers had been thick, his hands powerful, strong enough to shatter the dish with a squeeze, had he so desired¡­ now though, they were thin, creaking and trembling as the spider-like digits struggled to hold the mug aloft. His dry mouth was so far away¡­ The lip of the cup may as well have been on the other side of Old America.

    Eventually though, after a concerted effort, he managed to take a single sip of his tea. He used to never have a taste for the stuff, coffee had been far superior in terms of caffeine content, but he had been around sixty when he became unable to handle even the weakest of joe. Truth be told, even this tea was starting to become taxing to drink. His heart just wasn¡¯t what it used to be, just the lightest of stimulation seemed to be pushing it to its limit. Yet his addiction had to be sated, else the pounding headache would set in.

    He gingerly set the mug back down upon the coaster, and leaned back in his chair with a ragged sigh. The leather was starting to become ratty and the cotton beneath was peeking through, but he just didn¡¯t have the dexterity to manage fixing it. Nor did he have the strength necessary to carry in a new one, not that he would even be likely to find a perfectly intact chair in this day and age.

    The End and the turbulent years that had followed it had made scavenging intact Pre-End items difficult. Not that scavenging was even in the cards for him anymore¡­ he grimaced at the thought. The End was coming for him, as it came for everyone, but it was strange that he had lived long enough for this kind of fate to befall him. Should he really be surprised? The miniature reactor that he had found decades ago had ensured that Betty would never be without power, and with that he had gained the ability to live lazily within her thick metal confines. His massive freezer was filled nearly to bursting with perishable foods, and that wasn¡¯t to mention the canned goods and water purifier. Betty was outfitted with all that he needed to survive, taking away any reason to leave her heavy-metal bosom. He hadn¡¯t driven her in years¡­ were his eyes still good enough to pilot her, he wondered?

    He gently shook his head. He didn¡¯t know, and frankly he couldn¡¯t summon up the desire to enter the cockpit. Once, Betty had been a mobile death-machine, both unstoppable and immovable, it had been his chariot¡­ but now, she was nothing more than a mobile nursing home. If nursing homes had tank treads¡­ and was watertight, and had several turrets, and-

    He smiled. Betty had been his greatest creation, something that had taken him four years to build. Scavenging the parts for her had been hellish and risky, but it had all been worth it in the end. It really did seem like it was the end, he suspected that Betty would soon graduate from an iron old-folks home to overly-armored sarcophagus. He almost wished that he could see the faces of whoever would find her in these wastes¡­

    They had better treat Betty right, or he would haunt their asses for the rest of time. He chuckled at that before the laugh sputtered off into a fit of coughing. He wasn¡¯t even allowed to laugh anymore!? His venerable age had taken much from him¡­ even before The End, most people never lived for this long. He was one-hundred and two years of age, why was he still alive? Was he really so much better than the billions of others who¡¯d perished in the beginning of The End? It was doubtful, he was simply lucky; more so than anyone else had been.

    Lucky... He shook his head, it wasn¡¯t luck that helped him to survive. It was a combination of good friends, smarts, and coincidence. Not that coincidence had always been on his side of course¡­ definitely not. After all, those good friends were long dead, all thanks to coincidence. Picked off one by one by hordes of the dead, malfunctioning killer robots, swarms of gigantic insects, tears in reality, tentacled horrors from beyond, and all manner of other dangers had taken them one by one.

    They hadn¡¯t deserved it, but then again, had anyone earned this horrid fate, to fall to the various monstrosities that now prowled the Earth? He thought for a long while before he came to realize that yes, some people did. Roving gangs of bandits raped and killed anyone they could get their hands on, and slavers¡­ Oh the slavers were far worse.

    He put a hand to his chest as he felt his heart begin to beat faster, an ember of his dormant wrath awakening to boil his blood. He took a deep breath to steady himself, shutting his eyes tightly before he finally sighed. With the anger suppressed, he opened his eyes. Everything was blurrier now, Betty''s interior obfuscated by two beads of tears threatening to come loose.

    The slavers had taken his everything from him, and whatever fates those bastards suffered was always deserved. Old memories presented themselves, threatening to invade his train of thought and derail him once more into a weeping rage. Those memories could very well be the death of him if he acknowledged them¡­ but would that be so bad?

    What did he really have to live for? Certainly not for anyone else, there was no one to rely on him any longer, no one he was capable of helping, no one that would want him to help. Sure, Betty would be a great help to any survivor, but Joseph himself would only be a hindrance and he¡¯d rather not be a bother to anyone. At this age, that¡¯s all he would be. The young survivors out there didn¡¯t need some old fart like him around¡­ unless it was purely for his advice.

    He had enough advice between his ears to bury someone alive with it; the problem was he had no one to give it to. He couldn¡¯t fulfill the role of ¡®wise old man¡¯ When there was no one to give the wisdom to. That might have not been so bad really¡­ to guide the youth, to help them know how to prosper in this ruined world.

    He wiped away the budding tears in his eyes with a shaky hand, clearing up his view of his living room. He smiled as he saw the fuzzy hot-pink carpet he¡¯d installed on the floor. He remembered getting some flack for putting it in, but his friends couldn¡¯t comprehend the fact that it had been an intact roll of carpet. Sturdy too! Only a few patches here and there, and it was far softer than the hard metal that lay beneath it.

    Slowly his eyes drifted up to the ceiling, seeing dozens of yellow lights hanging from it. Joseph had always enjoyed the warmth of soft yellow bulbs, white lights always irritated his eyes. They also helped make the room feel more cozy, obscuring the steel and heavy bolts above them. A dimmer switch next to the cockpit door controlled their brightness. Installing them had been a bigger pain in his ass than he had expected. It hadn¡¯t even been the wiring, it was the arranging. Hanging the wires so they resembled a spider-web had been way harder than it had looked. A dozen bulbs hung from this web like cocoons, or perhaps eggs? He could almost imagine a massive spider having weaved the thing, it was quite the artistic accomplishment on his part.

    Other than that, there was a large television that took up the entire wall before his chair, looted from an old Mal-Wart. Repairing that thing had taken some time, finding the intact diodes had proven to be agonizingly tedious. He hadn¡¯t used it, his computer, or anything else within the long brown blocky entertainment center beneath it for a long while. He just didn¡¯t have any interest in popping in an old movie he¡¯d seen a thousand times already, and the video games? His old fingers couldn¡¯t possibly keep up with all those buttons, and he hadn¡¯t installed it for himself anyway.

    Memories came forth, a young face he could barely remember, a smile, and a warm hug, a hug that could shut out the infinite cold of this dreary universe... His eyes were getting heavy again¡­ it almost seemed like he spent most of his time sleeping nowadays¡­ Well, no point in trying to stay awake. He let the back of his head sink into his seat, and in no time¡­ he was snoring.

    An hour passed, with Joseph not waking from his slumber. Then a second hour passed, and his snoring quieted, his heart still beating. On the third hour¡­ the beating of his heart¡­

    Ceased.

    <hr>

    Joseph¡¯s eyes slowly opened, seeing only blackness around him. He stretched, and found himself shocked, both with how easily he performed the motion, and with how far his limbs actually managed to reach. How strange, his elbows usually creaked once they were that far above his head, yet they didn¡¯t make a sound¡­ very peculiar indeed, perhaps he had slept well?

    No that wasn¡¯t right, all he did was sleep and he mostly performed that task adequately. Something was different, why were the dimmer lights off? Did Betty''s power shut down? It shouldn¡¯t have been possible, the mini-reactor should be able to run perfectly fine for hundreds of years if maintained properly¡­ unless it hadn¡¯t been being maintained. His head hung low as he came to the realization that he truly hadn¡¯t been looking after it as he should have. Betty¡¯s heart had finally stopped beating it seemed. Well, he couldn¡¯t just sit here and wallow in misery all day. His elderly form might not be able to get it done quickly, but Betty needed to be repaired.

    He stood up, blinking in shock at the total ease of the motion. No pained joints, responsive muscles, no dizziness, he must have done it in under a second¡­ and he was still standing!

    ¡°What on Earth¡­¡± He muttered to himself, blinking in shock again as he heard his own voice.

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    The deep scragglyness in his tone was gone, now it was deep and clear. His throat didn¡¯t hurt from the speaking either, something that he had become accustomed to in his late years. Not that he had many opportunities to actually talk of course, he rarely got visitors these days. No, not ¡®rarely¡¯, just never. When was the last time he really talked? He was too accustomed to his own internal monologue, talking seemed nearly alien to him now.

    ¡°Hello, I am Joseph, but you can call me Joe.¡± He said to himself casually.

    The sentence came out as smooth as butter, at least in his own modest opinion. What was going on here? He rushed over to the dimmer switch, and cranked it all the way up to its maximum brightness. To his relief, the light cooperated, illuminating the interior of his living room and revealing his hands. There, gripping the knob was a massive bear-paw of a hand, hairy, wide and looking more than capable of crushing tea cups. It was¡­ by God it was his hand! Not the hand he was accustomed to now, but the hand of his youth!

    He gasped and pulled his hand away from the knob, staring down at his open palms with wide eyes. There wasn¡¯t a wrinkle on those ole mitts, and those scars were undoubtedly his. His eyes quickly found the door to the bathroom, and he quickly moved over to it, pulling it open with a slam and flicking the switch. He gazed into the dusty mirror above the sink, seeing a wide silhouette waiting behind the grime. He almost jumped in terror before he realized that the figure was alone in the mirror¡­

    Meaning that Joseph was alone in the bathroom. This figure, this broad-shouldered stranger staring at him, was himself. He quickly turned the knob to the sink, water sputtering out of the faucet in a torrent. He then dashed his hands under the stream and slapped his palm onto the glass, wiping away the debris to reveal a young bearded face staring back at him.

    Again he gasped, his back hitting the wall as he stared into the mirror. It just couldn¡¯t be- that was impossible! It was him, him as a young man! He looked just like how Joseph remembered, deep-set eyes, prominent brow, thick brown hair on his head and face, and those gray eyes, by God it was him! He was¡­ he¡­

    He was young again! A minute passed, then two, then finally by the third minute, he began to weep. He was gonna be able to help more people again! He wouldn¡¯t have to sit and rot away in that chair until he died! He wiped the tears away from his face with a big grin¡­ Joe ¡®The Wrath¡¯ Haythorn was back! Besides aiding the well-meaning young survivors of the world, he¡¯d be able to pursue his¡­ other hobby.

    He was shaking with sheer joy at that realization, finally he could slaughter more of those slaving bastards! He wasn¡¯t sure how his body was restored to its youth, but he would not let this chance for extra vengeance slip by. Whether it was a gift from God, or some sort of freak mutation, he could fight once more. First things first though¡­ he needed to see what the situation was outside.

    He¡¯d parked Betty somewhere close to the old Snake River Canyon a few years ago, when his eyes began to fail and his arms could no longer turn her wheels. Were they still there, or had time passed by and changed it into something else? He wasn¡¯t going to throw any time travel shenanigans out the window just yet, after all, he had proof that strange things like that could happen, i.e his transformation.

    It wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t seen insane things out in the wastes, but to have something like this occur was unheard of. If this could happen to him, what could have happened to Betty? Sure, the power worked just fine, but what if she had been submerged in water? She could withstand a serious amount of water pressure, it wouldn¡¯t be the first time he¡¯d driven her out of a lake. He shook his head at the whirlwind of thoughts, leaving the bathroom and swinging open the door to the cockpit.

    A series of LCD screens surrounded a single leather seat, ratty and torn with the monitors covered in a layer of dust. How long had it been since he¡¯d sat in that seat? Since he¡¯d last parked her, so years ago now¡­ hopefully Betty wouldn¡¯t have any issues with starting up. He flicked the switch beside the door frame, illuminating the interior of the cockpit before he stepped inside.

    It looked more like a mall security office, rather than the driver¡¯s seat. Was that not an apt description though? He supposed not. He had wanted maximum protection from the hazards of the outside world, and that meant ditching the idea of windows entirely. Betty was essentially a gigantic moving metal square with no openings, so naturally, he needed the exterior cameras to see. The screens all were linked to a different security camera, each one displaying what they saw on one of the dozens of screens before the chair. A large wheel shaped almost like a butterfly stuck out toward the seat, with three metal petals sitting beneath it. Slowly, he eased into the dusty old leather, letting out a sigh at the nostalgic familiarity of it all.

    After a few seconds, he twisted Betty¡¯s key, and the ancient beast roared to life. He quickly flicked dozens of switches, bringing the display cameras online and beholding the outside world in its¡­ pixelated glory. The cameras weren¡¯t broken of course, it was just that these were older models, meant to record the interiors of convenience stores. He hadn¡¯t been looking for quality, just functionality, and these tools had fit the bill perfectly at the time.

    Well, that and he couldn¡¯t scavenge up anything better. Despite that, he had ensured that they¡¯d still function, even if they were underwater. He¡¯d removed the lens and electronics from their original plastic hulls, refitting them into portions of Betty¡¯s walls, four on each side. They may have been waterproof, but he still dearly hoped that he hadn¡¯t ended up submerged. Driving Betty out of lakes was always a pain in the ass, especially if given time to settle. Tank treads had a hard time moving in muck. Thankfully he had a couple other tools he could use to get him out of here if that was the case.

    Yet -thankfully- it didn¡¯t seem he¡¯d been dumped in a lake, from what he could see. His eyes flicked from screen to screen, seeing that Betty had indeed been moved elsewhere. Rather than a rocky canyon, she seemed to be parked in the middle of a forest. There were sparse leaves on the branches above, but the forest floor was absolutely covered in them. Autumn had come in full force it seemed. Had someone towed him here-

    He chuckled at the thought. What the hell would be able to tow Betty around? Maybe a tank could, but wouldn¡¯t he have woken up from the motion? No, he didn¡¯t think she¡¯d been towed. Yet, she had been moved. The question though, was how? Through the cameras, he checked the ground surrounding Betty, but could not see any tracks a heavy vehicle would have left behind. Maybe the pixelation was hiding them, or perhaps it was the thousands of leaves obscuring the ground? Either way it would be best to step outside himself to investigate.

    As just a precaution, he¡¯d suit up. He didn¡¯t see anyone out there waiting to shoot him, but again the camera¡¯s quality could have concealed them from sight. They could be up in the trees or behind the bushes, or even under Betty herself, waiting for him to come out. He hadn¡¯t survived this long by not being cautious, so if some bandits were out there trying to take a piece of him, they¡¯d have another thing coming.

    He stood from the seat, exiting the cockpit with grim determination. Which of his suits would be best to wear? He pondered this as he opened the door leading to his workshop. His hand felt at the wall next to the open doorway, searching for its light switch. When he found it, he flipped it up, illuminating his nigh-forgotten shop. It was absolutely covered with dust, more so than the cockpit.

    On the left side of the chamber was where the magic used to happen; every old tool he¡¯d collected over the years sat inside a grimy red toolbox, bolted to the floor to prevent sliding during Betty¡¯s travels. Everything he needed to maintain or add to Betty was within that massive box, with its many drawers and shelves. He had everything from impact wrenches to arc welders, a collection he had proudly maintained once upon a time. He dearly hoped that none of them had rusted too badly in his old age.

    Next to the toolbox sat a dusty metal table, thick smears of oil and other old fluid staining its top. He¡¯d made a whole helping of goodies on that workbench, and the only wear aside from the dirt that could be seen were the various tiny dents in its surface. He¡¯d need to give it a good cleaning soon. His eyes then drifted to the right side of the room, seeing several lockers bolted in place along the wall. Those would have a majority of what he¡¯d need, guns, ammo, melee weapons, armor, you name it.

    Yet considering these special circumstances¡­ he wasn¡¯t thinking of throwing on the old kevlar-reinforced plate armor. No, his eyes instead found the dark green suit of power armor that sat in the corner, looming over everything, even himself. It too was covered with a thick layer of dust, but there were no signs of decay across its frame. Would that he could wear it every time he went out into the field¡­ but it wasn¡¯t that simple.

    It took a massive amount of power to run that beast, and it ran out of it fairly quickly as it was an older model¡­ but damn, once it got going, nothing could stop it. That had been his luckiest find back in his scavenging days, an intact suit of T-12 armor, practically invulnerable to small arms fire and resistant to even larger caliber rounds, it was his last, and most effective, resort in a combat situation. It should absolutely have a full charge now, it had been sucking at Betty¡¯s teat for well over a decade. It would be nice to take it for a brief spin again, even if it was just to take a gander in the woods.

    He approached the armor¡¯s tank-like bulk with a grin, reaching up to wipe away the layer of dust occluding its visor until he could see his reflection in the red ballistic glass.

    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± He told the armor, patting it on the shoulder with a smile, ¡°Ready to get to work?¡±

    The armor didn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± He laughed cheerfully, reaching around its frame to unplug the large port in its back.

    A four-pronged cord the size of his head fell to the floor with a soft clang before he reached beneath the helmet''s chin. His thick fingers struggled to find the small button that would open the suit. Had it really been that long since he¡¯d used the T-12 last that he couldn¡¯t find the damn button to open it? He fumbled for another minute straight before he finally felt a satisfying click beneath his finger. He quickly pulled it away and stepped back as the armor roared to life.

    Slowly but surely, the entire front of the suit began to shift open, the chest plate, arms, and legs splitting open like an iron maiden. After the gears stopped shifting, he cracked his knuckles, his neck, then popped his back before finally stepping into the T-12. He had to turn to face outward, awkwardly slipping his head into the helmet before he stood straight-backed in the suit.

    A series of pads sat just beneath the visor, allowing him to bump them with his chin to enable different functions. He bumped left, and once again the T-12 began to hiss, closing around him and encasing him entirely in its bulk. Once he was completely sealed into the armor, he took a step forward, the metal floor beneath his feet loudly clanging with each step. It would be just a short jaunt, then it would go back on the charger, he only had about half an hour or so before this thing would shut down. That¡¯s what you get with these old models, but even still, power armor was power armor. He¡¯d practically be invulnerable for those thirty minutes and he¡¯d be done with his task well before then.

 Chapter Two: Metal Ogre

    ¡°Father,¡± Morla began, putting fingers over her lips, ¡°Why must we go this way?¡±

    She was growing more and more nauseous the longer this trip went on. It was supposed to be a ¡®shortcut¡¯ but this felt far longer than the usual path. This wagon wasn¡¯t meant for off-road trails, it was constructed for smoothed stone and cobbles! Each bump threatened to pull her breakfast from her guts, and if that happened she¡¯d never hear the end of it from her father. Had the directions that had been given to them been false? Her father, a portly man with a long graying mustache, shrugged his shoulders, his fine linens and colorful silks shifting with his bulk. Morga looked every part the stereotypical rich merchant, from his large gut, fine clothes, bejeweled fingers, and the tiny feathered cap on his head.

    ¡°It was supposed to be faster,¡± He replied in a deep, gently booming voice, ¡°Jareed had told me that the new guide knew the best paths through the Yellow-Leaf.¡± A bejeweled hand scratched at one of his many chins, ¡°This could be the first time that he has ever been wrong¡­¡±

    Morla scowled as she thought of that snake, Jareed. He was a manipulative mooch in Morla¡¯s opinion, only just useful enough for father to justify keeping him around. All that bastard wanted was to dress in fine silks and carouse like a man half his age, she couldn¡¯t fathom why father paid him as much as he did. The guards riding beside the wagon deserved twice the pay that Jareed got, they were actually risking their lives to protect them!

    As soon as father let her take over the business, the first thing she¡¯d do was to get rid of Jareed. Hopefully that day would be coming soon, her father wasn¡¯t getting any younger and it was clear that he was growing weary of the merchant''s life. Maybe he¡¯d even give control over to her after this trip to Relias, he had never asked her to come with him before. She¡¯d gone with him everywhere else to trade since she¡¯d been born, yet he¡¯d held off on taking her to Relias¡­ but why?

    ¡°Father,¡± She began, giving her stomach a moment to settle, ¡°For twenty-three winters you¡¯ve not taken me to Relias once.¡± She said with emphasis, ¡°Why now?¡±

    Her fathers normally cheerful green eyes, the mirror of her own, suddenly became serious, narrowing as he leaned toward her, ¡°Because that is where the most profitable, and dangerous, trading can be done.¡± He said intensely, his voice almost a whisper. ¡°The markets there are cutthroat and dangerous for an inexperienced merchant, if one of my rivals had gotten wind that you were present¡­ it would be likely they¡¯d hire someone to take you from me, either for blackmail or ransom. It is a wicked city my dear, but I must take you with me now¡­ I was going to wait to tell you this until we returned home, but my impatience curse me, I cannot wait any longer.¡± He paused, taking a deep breath, ¡°I am retiring from the merchant''s life, I tire of it. I wish to pass the company down to you. Morla, you¡¯ve got a good business sense and I believe that you remember all that I¡¯ve taught you over the years¡­ and frankly I wouldn¡¯t trust Delilah or Morgan with running it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because Delilah is too busy chasing men and Morgan is a fop.¡± Morla said with a nod, smiling, ¡°Thank you father¡­ I,¡± She hesitated, ¡°I won¡¯t let you down.¡±

    Ah damn, she could feel her eyes beginning to moisten. Hearing that father trusted her this much was just¡­

    ¡°Chin up, Morla, don¡¯t be a pansy.¡± He told her with a chuckle, ¡°This business doesn¡¯t tolerate tears, do the crying in private. You have to keep your fears under control-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not scared, you fat oaf, I¡¯m happy!¡± She shouted angrily.

    Father¡¯s green eyes widened as he sat back, aghast, ¡°Fat?¡± He asked, pinching his belly, ¡°Well, I thought I was looking quite slim myself, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Silence passed for a solid three seconds before he began laughing, his generous cheeks jiggling like he was a happy bulldog. Morla¡¯s lips quivered for an instant as she tried to retain the heat of her anger, but it was simply impossible. The both of them laughed together for a solid minute before it died back down into silence, her father¡¯s eyes staring into hers.

    ¡°You¡¯ll do well sweetheart, there isn¡¯t a soft bone in your body.¡± He told her, leaning forward to give her a pat on the head, ¡°Just remember, don¡¯t ever let yourself be disrespected by your business rivals, don¡¯t be scared to take risks, and never settle for less than perfection in all things. You must give one-hundred percent effort in everything you do.¡±

    Morla pulled her head out from beneath his hand with a grin. Honestly, she wasn¡¯t a child anymore! ¡°Worry not father, I¡¯m not going into this business with a mind to be mediocre. I won¡¯t settle for second-best, I¡¯ll be the top merchant in Faenor, I¡¯ll make you proud.¡±

    ¡°I know you will sweetheart-¡±

    Something then thunked right beside her, cutting Morga off as they both looked to see the source of the disturbance. A small, sharp piece of metal stuck through the thin wood, the tip of what appeared to be a¡­ oh no! By the Overseer, that was a crossbow bolt! A cold terror then began welling in her chest as the wagon screeched to a halt, the guards screaming before the clashing of swords could be heard. She tried to stand, but her father¡¯s hand forced her back down to her seat, he stared at her meaningfully as the fighting continued, clearly trying to indicate that she should stay put.

    She nodded as tears began to well in her eyes. Morga then reached down to his belt, pulling a curved knife free of its sheath. She almost goggled in shock that her father would be willing to fight, with his build he hardly looked the sort to be¡­ well, brave. He noticed her gaze and Morga gave a small smile.

    ¡°You don¡¯t survive this business long if you aren¡¯t willing to defend yourself Morla, hopefully it won¡¯t come to that¡­ but if it does, run.¡± He told her, ¡°If these vagabonds defeat our guards, let me leave the wagon first, and when that happens, you run as fast as your legs can take you. Get into the forest, and try to find your way back home.¡±

    ¡°But-¡± She stammered, wiping the tears from her cheeks, ¡°But what will happen to you?¡±

    Morga just shrugged, ¡°They¡¯ll probably try to ransom me, I¡¯ll be back in a week or two, don¡¯t fret.¡± He said, sounding almost laid back, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be the first time, but I¡¯ll be damned if I let them get their disgusting paws on you¡­ bandits aren¡¯t typically gentle with women.¡±

    Morga was not helping to ease her fears, but maybe that was on purpose. Terror could make one run incredibly fast, and right then she felt as if she could outrun a pack of wolves. A few seconds passed of struggling voices and clashing steel before all fell silent outside. Morga¡¯s bald head hung in defeat, and he flipped the dagger around, handing it to her hilt-first.

    ¡°Had our men won, they would have shouted their victory by now.¡± He said, urging her to take the weapon.

    With a shaky hand, she grasped the dagger, and he closed her fingers tightly around its hilt, ¡°I love you, sweetheart. Now remember, run fast, and I¡¯ll see you in a week or two.¡±

    ¡°But father-¡±

    ¡°No arguments girl, go out there, and be the best.¡± He finished with finality, standing from his seat and opening the wagon¡¯s door.

    She stood behind him, as he had instructed, and as soon as he stepped out into the open, she bolted. It was hard to do with her long silk dress, but she managed to get her feet under her. Before she could circle around the wagon to dart off in the opposite direction, she caught a glimpse of the vagabonds who assailed them. A dozen rough-looking men stood around the wagon in a semi-circle, blood dripping from swords and axes as the corpses of the guards and other strangers lay about, blood pooling into the Autumn leaves surrounding them. Among them, a familiar face stood out, with long black greasy hair, dark hair and a deep tan, there was no doubt who it was.

    Jareed, he had betrayed her father.

    ¡°Jareed¡­¡± She heard Morga say as she darted away into the forest, ¡°I¡¯m going to kick your ass.¡±

    A meaty thwack was heard immediately after those words left Morga¡¯s mouth. Had he been struck with a bolt, or a sling? Remembering her father¡¯s words, she didn¡¯t look back, her lips qauvering as she dashed into the woods, cold terror fueling her. She knew that any lapse in speed would surely lead to capture. Morla wasn¡¯t even sure if she¡¯d be able to outrun any of them if they decided to give chase, this dress and these accursed heels weren¡¯t exactly optimal for speed.

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    ¡°Catch the brat.¡± She heard Jareed order casually. ¡°She¡¯ll sell well I think.¡±

    She clutched the dagger tighter in her hands at the vile command, hearing footsteps quickly approaching through the crunching leaves. Was it just one, or had all of them decided to run after her? She didn¡¯t know, but she would not dare turn her head to see.

    ¡°Get back here, wench!¡± A low gargling voice shouted, ¡°I¡¯ll go easy on ya if you come back with me now!¡±

    She didn¡¯t reply, passing over fallen branches and flying past trees with a speed she had no idea she was capable of. Even with how fast she was going¡­ the footsteps were drawing ever closer, and closer, until finally¡­

    The ground rose to meet her, and her forehead thunked off the forest floor and turned her thoughts to mush. Large hands gripped her shoulders, forcefully turning her to face the swirling sky. She slashed wildly with her dagger, and the sharp steel connected with flesh, eliciting a cry of agony from her attacker. The blade was then slapped out of her hand, and a bearded ugly face sneered down at her, annoyance plain in his eyes as he felt gingerly at the fresh cut on his brow.

    ¡°I told ya I¡¯d go easy on you, but now¡­¡± He said with a growl, ¡°You made me mad.¡±

    A single hand bound her wrists together, raising them above her head and pinning them to the dirt. To her horror, the man''s free hand began reaching down toward her chest, palm open.

    ¡°No problem in sampling the goods before sale¡­¡± The man muttered to himself with a grin.

    ¡°No!¡± She shrieked, bucking her hips to try and remove the foul man from atop her.

    This wasn¡¯t going to happen, she wasn¡¯t going to let it happen, with the Overseer as her witness, she vowed that this would not take place! She bucked again as his hands finally began to grope, a feeling of pure revulsion filling her as he did so. Again she fought, and this time, the hand binding her wrists came away slightly, allowing her to pull a single arm free from his grip. He snarled, his other hand leaving her chest to try and seize her again, but he was not fast enough.

    Her freed hand gripped the hilt of the dagger again, and without hesitation, she plunged it into the bandit¡¯s neck with a snarl. Stabbing a man did not feel like she had thought it would. There was so much resistance, it was surprising that she¡¯d managed to sink the blade so far with her thin arms. Yet unlike the hand that wielded it, Morga¡¯s dagger was strong and sturdy, splitting the flesh beneath it like it was hot butter. His eyes looked pained for an instant before he stood, stumbling back as he gripped at his own neck, gurgling as blood torrented from his throat and down his body, soaking his clothes with crimson.

    He then fell to his knees, trying to choke something out of his ruined throat. Most likely a curse or a threat if she were to guess. Morla¡¯s green eyes went wide with shock as the bandit finally fell over, twitching slightly as she rose to her feet, drawing closer to the dead man as she stared, oddly fascinated.

    She expected to feel guilty for having taken a life but¡­ but she didn¡¯t. The only thing she felt for the corpse at her feet was pure contempt. She sneered, spitting on the body before gripping the dagger and bracing her foot on its shoulder. The blade came out with a shlick, the steel covered in blood from tip to hilt. This was a side of herself that Morla had never known existed¡­ Was this indifference to death inherited from her father? Had Morga had to kill like this before?

    ¡°Oi!¡± Another voice shouted, ¡°The bitch killed Lamy!¡±

    Her head shot up, seeing three other bandits staring at her and the still-twitching corpse, clearly shocked. Jareed then circled around the wagon, grinning as he approached.

    ¡°He was unimportant.¡± He said in his greasy accent, waving a dismissive hand ¡°All it means is that the ransom will be split among eight now, not nine. Hardly a loss.¡±

    ¡°Bastard!¡± Morla spat, ¡°After all my father¡¯s done for you!?¡±

    The desire to drive the blade into Jareed¡¯s neck grew stronger as he spoke. Nothing would please her more than to end this foreigner''s life.

    Jareed shrugged, ¡°My new employer is going to do far more for me, so naturally I¡¯m moving on. Morga just so happens to be part of the first job I was hired for. My previous association with him proved to be a great convenience, no?¡± He asked with a greasy smirk, ¡°This new occupation seems to be starting out fantastically.¡±

    ¡°And what occupation is that!?¡± Morla shouted, ¡°To be a common bandit!?¡±

    ¡°In a way. I suppose a bit of hostage-taking and some slaving could be considered banditry. Yet, I am going to be better than a mere highwayman, I¡¯m aiming to be the new king of Relias¡¯s underworld, you two are just the first step I¡¯m taking to get there.¡± He smirked, his eyes finding the gushing corpse of his associate. ¡°You know¡­ In truth, I¡¯m very glad you killed Lamy, if he had successfully ravaged you, your value on the market would have been severely reduced.¡± He continued, drawing ever closer with his band of degenerates, ¡°I¡¯m looking to make a profit, and there are plenty of influential people in Relias that would be willing to pay a small fortune to get their hands on a young untouched woman like you.¡± She continued to back away as they all began closing the distance between them, ¡°I would have killed this fool myself before he could have gone further, you should be grateful that I would be so kind.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to gut you like a fish, Jareed!¡± She shouted, anger replacing her fear as she bared the dagger at him, ¡°I am not something to be sold!¡±

    Jareed then chuckled, shaking his head like he was arguing with a child, ¡°All people can be for sale if they¡¯re simple enough to get caught in such an obvious trap, and as of right now, you are my employer¡¯s property.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll gut him too!¡± She yelled, a vein popping on her temple as she felt her face redden.

    ¡°Her.¡± He corrected with a smug smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry you¡¯ll meet madame soon enough, you can voice your complaints to her.¡±

    Before his seven cutthroats could seize her, a strange, almost mechanical whirring could be heard from behind her, with slow, heavy pounding echoing after it. It had an almost¡­ musical quality, all it needed was a third instrument to complete it. Foolish girl! This wasn¡¯t the time to be thinking of music! Even as she thought it, the tempo seemed to become more aggressive, the pounding quickening as the whirring grew louder. The men before her then stumbled back with a shriek of terror as a massive shadow loomed over her. She twitched once before slowly, she turned her head. Standing there, a mere ten paces away, was a monster.

    The beast had green metallic flesh that glinted in the sunlight, its single solid red eye seeming to glare right at her. It towered over even the tallest vagabond accompanying Jareed, and was at least three times as broad across the shoulders. Its arms and legs were both as wide as tree-trunks, looking powerful enough to punch and kick through solid stone. In its monstrous hands it held a massive and strange looking device. Six small hollow staves sat in a circle, their dark interiors pointed directly at her assailants as the metal ogre¡¯s finger rested on¡­ was that a trigger? Its other hand was solely focused on holding the tool aloft, tilting it slightly so that the strange tubes weren¡¯t facing her direction.

    She heard Jareed choke before he stammered, ¡°J-just scare it off, chase it and see if it will flee!¡±

    The ogre tilted its head, apparently confused at the words.

    She heard hesitant complaints from Jareed¡¯s lackeys before the man shouted again, ¡°Then grab the bitch and let¡¯s run! Perhaps it won¡¯t give chase!¡±

    This order seemed far more acceptable to the men, who clearly did not favor throwing their lives away in a suicide charge. After the order was given, she could hear their footsteps quickly approaching through the crunch of leaves. The ogre then suddenly lifted a hand, its red eye staring right at her before pointing directly to the ground. She paused for a brief instant before she, for some strange reason, complied with the signed command, falling flat to the ground just before the air above her erupted in thunder. Her hands squeezed her ears, trying to shut out the dozens of thunderclaps that threatened to burst her eardrums. Even with her ears clutched and body pressing hard against the cold forest floor, she could still both hear and feel the air above her split with a speed that terrified her. If she had claws she would have burrowed into the earth to escape that thunder¡­

    It was over in just a second, and after a few more passed, she slowly sat up, staring at a scene of carnage. Bodies littered the forest floor, riddled with dozens of bleeding holes that pooled into the dirt around them. Jareed cowered on the ground, but sadly she was unable to hear if he was whimpering in fear. All that she could hear was a high pitched ringing that threatened to split her skull. There was this strange smell about the air, almost like¡­ burnt metal.

    Morla then turned her attention back to the ogre, seeing that the tubes on its device were slowly rotating around one another, hot smoke spilling from each hole. What in the world just happened!? Clearly that device had been what the beast had used to kill her attackers, but what had been done? Was it some kind of automatic crossbow? Where were the bolts then? All that was visible on the corpses were the several gory holes that had been left behind, there was nothing sticking out of them¡­ but something had to have created them.

    The ogre hadn¡¯t used magic to enhance its weapon, for none of the Overseer¡¯s runes had appeared on its surface. She shook her head, figuring out the mechanics of this creature''s weapon should be the furthest thing from her mind. Her father needed her help now, and Jareed still needed to be killed! Yet, she hesitated. Was she safe? It truly did seem that the ogre had saved her, perhaps its intentions weren¡¯t vile? The thing had even warned her to get down before firing off that volley.

    Yet, what if that had been so it could eat her intact carcass later? She had heard that ogre¡¯s preferred women¡¯s flesh to men¡¯s. Again she shook her head, her legs failing her as Morla struggled to stand. It would have just killed her along with the rest of them had its end goal been to eat her, Ogre¡¯s didn¡¯t have the capacity to understand keeping a kill intact. She also seriously doubted that it ¡®desired¡¯ her. She had heard that Ogres thought of humans in the same light as goblins, only good for eating¡­ Which, while a relief, didn¡¯t ease her. She still didn¡¯t know what it wanted, so what was its goal?

 Chapter Three: English?

    Joseph stared down at the young woman with his brow furrowed. Why was she wearing a fancy silk dress out here in the middle of nowhere? That wasn¡¯t going to protect her from the environment or from the dangers of the wastes. He pursed his lips at the term ¡®wastes¡¯, this was a completely intact forest, uncorrupted by invasive fungus, radiation, or any of the other countless hazards that had come with The End. At least it seemed like it was so on the surface¡­ When was the last time he¡¯d seen a truly earth-like environment like this? Had to have been about fifty years ago now, in Yellowstone.

    This was certainly not Yellowstone, this was someplace different. The question was, where? He needed to-

    ¡°Ilit¡­ ilit it ogrish?¡± The woman said, drawing him away from his thoughts.

    He tilted his head at the strange words, ¡°What?¡± He asked, ensuring his tone was confused. Had he misheard her?

    She flinched as the words left his mouth, ¡°Ilit it ogrish?¡± She asked again, this time a bit more slowly.

    He stared in silence for a moment before he replied, ¡°Do you speak English?¡±

    Now she tilted her head, seemingly trying to understand his words. Oh joy¡­ he had thought he heard that one bandit in the back speaking a different language, but he hadn¡¯t been one hundred percent sure. Now he knew. What was she speaking in? She looked European, maybe German? It was hard for him to tell, but he had heard people speak in Deutch before, and it didn¡¯t sound like that.

    ¡°English.¡± He said clearly, making sure to maintain a friendly tone.

    No response. He looked her over again, head to foot, trying to see if there would be any indicators for which country he had ended up in. Besides the dark red dress, brown hair, and green eyes, he couldn¡¯t really tell. She was pretty, with high cheekbones and a sharp nose¡­ considering the blonde hair and the structure of her face, it was likely that he¡¯d somehow ended up in Western Europe. If that was the case, then he was a long way from home.

    ¡°Ilit it humish?¡± She asked suddenly, perking up.

    Humish? Was that the language or was she asking what he was? Should he nod or shake his head? It was best to be honest, even if she couldn¡¯t understand him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get what you¡¯re saying.¡± He replied, placing a hand on his chestplate, ¡°I am Joseph, Joseph.¡± He repeated slowly, ¡°And who are you?¡± He asked, pointing to her.

    She paused for a brief moment, considering his words before finally she said, ¡°Es un Morla.¡± She finished, mirroring his gesture, ¡°Et ou Touvolder? On ealk Faesh?¡±

    He nodded his head to show his understanding, repeating back her name to her. He didn¡¯t understand what this ¡®Touvolder¡¯ or ¡®Faesh¡¯ words meant, but he was certain that she¡¯d given him her name. In turn, she nodded sharply, pointing to him and repeating ¡®Joseph¡¯. Thankfully there were some things that could be understood without having to speak the same language. Now, Morla, what kind of a name was that? He rolled his eyes at the thought, he¡¯d seen far stranger names in his time than that, plus it was foreign. It was certainly no stranger than Kayleighaley, nothing could ever top that.

    He took a slow step forward, and again she flinched. He raised a hand, palm-up to show that he didn¡¯t intend her any harm. After a few seconds, she eased, and he took yet another step forward, and another, until finally he loomed over her, encasing her in his shadow. Slowly, he reached down, offering her his hand. She stared at it wide eyed for an instant before her shaking hand met his, and he hauled Morla to her feet with no trouble.

    Her legs were shaking, but she managed to remain upright despite that. His eyes found the quivering form of the last bandit, a swarthy man with a sniveling rat-like face. The guy was curled up in a ball, having managed to duck down just in time to avoid the hail of bullets that had shredded through his companions. Well, there was no point wasting a bullet on this one if he was all curled up on the ground like that¡­

    A quick stomp would do just fine.

    He stepped around Morla, approaching the downed bandit with no hesitation. He could feel the ground shaking beneath his feet as he stomped forth, ready to paint the bottom of his boot in a shade of bandit-crimson. The man yelped, scrambling to his feet before darting off toward a¡­ was that a wagon? He stared, fascinated by the simple wooden frame of the thing. It looked straight out of medieval times, complete with two completely unmutated horses tied at the front. He goggled at the majestic creatures for long enough that the final bandit passed by the ancient vehicle.

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    Joseph cursed, raising his mini-gun and taking aim. He probably wouldn¡¯t be able to catch up to the scum unless he ran, and sprinting in this suit was a pain. It wasn¡¯t difficult, in fact it could reach a top speed of fifty miles per hour, but it was exceedingly difficult to turn at that pace. Coming to a complete stop at that speed was even harder. It would be more likely that he¡¯d collide with something before he could slow down. A short burst from the mini-gun wouldn¡¯t be too serious a waste, and people like this just shouldn¡¯t ever be spared, all they did was cause trouble for good folk.

    He¡¯d learned not to spare these a long time ago. Right as his finger touched the trigger however, a large hand seized the bandit''s ankle from the ground next to the wagon, causing the fleeing trash to trip and fall flat on his face. He tilted his head as a fat man pulled himself forward, laying prone on top of the fallen bandit and pinning him with his weight. A large welt was forming on his brow, just above his eye. Another victim perhaps?

    ¡°Jareed, unul eet au eat keik au ash!¡± The fat man shouted, his face reddening as he brought his broad fists down onto the swarthy man''s face.

    Joseph winced with every single crunching blow the heavy fellow delivered upon the scumbag, wishing that it were him battering the garbage instead. Soon, the bandit fell limp, and so too did the hefty man, rolling off to lay flat on his back, gasping for air. Joseph goggled at him too, not because he had brutalized that raider, but because¡­ well, he was fat. How was it even possible to be that heavy nowadays? Back before The End, there were plenty of people that size, but with the extinction of sedentary life, it had been basically impossible to become obese.

    This person, whoever he was, was incredibly well off. He must have been a top-tier survivor back in his day to afford living this way now. Then again¡­ this place didn¡¯t seem to have it that rough. There wasn¡¯t any kind of corruption that he could see in this environment. Had this forest really been left completely untouched by the ravages of The End? It still seemed too good to be true, even though it was here before his eyes.

    Morla let out a relieved cry, rushing past him to approach the heaving form by the wagon, ¡°Fashar!¡± She shouted in what sounded to be joy, wrapping her arms around the man¡¯s bald head.

    Fashar. What did that mean? It sounded almost like ¡®father¡¯, maybe English was a root language for this new one? Either that, or the two languages shared roots in Latin. He compared the two strangers'' faces as he approached, seeing a few similarities between them. Especially those bright green eyes, basically the mirror of one another. If that wasn¡¯t her father then Joseph was a bird.

    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re safe now.¡± He told them, causing the large man¡¯s head to shoot up.

    He stared wide-eyed at Joseph, jaw falling agape a moment before Morla tapped him on the shoulder, whispering something into his ear. He seemed to ease a fraction, but still his eyes were wide with clear uncertainty.

    How should he proceed from here? Morla and her father were safe now, there weren¡¯t any inbound threats, and the environment was completely safe to breathe in. It looked like his work was done here¡­ They should be able to get home on their own now, those horses and that wagon looked completely functional to him. He could offer them a ride but¡­ well, he didn¡¯t know these folks aside from this brief encounter.

    He¡¯d learned years ago that just cause you saved someone, didn¡¯t mean that you could trust em¡¯. Joseph couldn¡¯t drive Betty while in his suit, meaning that he¡¯d need to step out of it, leaving him vulnerable. Sure, he didn¡¯t think that Morla or her father could overpower him, but they still might be able to stick a knife in him. Best not to take that risk, he saved their lives, that was all that needed to be done.

    With that thought, he turned around, marching away quickly before any more words could be exchanged. Hopefully they¡¯d not run into more problems anytime soon. A part of Joseph urged him to stay, to at least try and question the two about his whereabouts. He ignored the feeling as he continued back toward Betty, glad to hear that the strangers didn¡¯t try to pursue him. He could figure out where he was well enough on his own, and those folks didn¡¯t need ole¡¯ Joe pestering them for answers after they¡¯d just been attacked.

    It didn¡¯t take him too much longer to get back to Betty, a good thing, for the T-12 was nearly drained. A bleeping red indicator in the shape of a battery had made itself visible in the upper right hand corner of his HUD. There was probably less than five minutes worth of energy left before it would shut down. It was a good thing he didn¡¯t stay behind to question those people, he¡¯d have had to step out of the suit right there in the open. The T-12 would be staying on the charger for a bit, this environment seemed safe enough for him to don his plate-armor, especially now that he knew that no ambush had awaited him.

    Hopefully he¡¯d be able to get inside before the T-12 shut off, dragging it back manually would be intensive, and it wouldn¡¯t be good for his back. He wasn¡¯t getting any younger-

    He then smiled at the thought. Apparently you could take the old out of the man but not the man out of the old. He reached down toward the small metal case attached to his thigh, opening the magnetized clips before pulling free a tiny scratched up garage door opener. He¡¯d scavenged this bad boy from some old suburban ruins, it worked great for Betty¡¯s outer door.

    He struggled to push the button with his free hand, his gauntlet too large to properly fit his thumb over it. He had a trick to using this in his armor, what had it been? Ah, of course. He took the door opener, placing it against the jutting brow of his helmet with a small grin. A loud grinding could be heard emanating from within Betty¡¯s walls, and soon, the back of the vehicle slid open, the wall lowering down to become a ramp.

    Once the wall was completely lowered, it revealed behind it¡­ another wall. Except this one had a thick steel door in its center. It stood in contrast with the rest of Betty¡¯s hull, which he had painted black to help obscure it during the night. He hadn¡¯t really seen a need to paint the door, it would always be behind the ramp after all, no one would see it unless Joseph wanted them to. He walked up the ramp, the clang of his metal footsteps echoing through the surrounding forest before he stood before the door.

    It was a simple doorknob, oval in shape with no keyhole. He lifted his fist, gently banging out a gentle rhythm on the steel. Once the beat had completed, he heard the lock click, and he twisted the knob, pushing into his workshop with a sigh. Not from the effort he¡¯d expended out in the field, but rather remembering how complex and time consuming it had been to make that door unlock with a rhythmic knock.

    Just remembering the process made his brain run hot with frustration, so instead, he turned his thoughts back to the young girl and her father he¡¯d just met. No mutations whatsoever, despite being clad in nothing but renaissance fair gear¡­ this was a safe zone if he¡¯d ever seen one. Yet, despite how pure this environment was, there was still some poison lingering about in the form of bandits.

    Hopefully he could find someone around here that could speak English, someone that could point him to where these creatures were hiding so Joseph could exterminate them. Now that he was back in fighting condition, he had to resume his old duties¡­ His face twisted up into a horrible grin, his teeth clenched and eyes wide as he anticipated the slaughter to come.

 Chapter Four: Lootin n Shootin

    Joseph sighed as the canned ham fried in his pan, flipping it occasionally to ensure even cooking on each side. Sure, the meat was edible as it was¡­ but he refused to eat it cold, not when the option to make it delicious was available to him. His kitchen was a humble thing, nothing that would be out of the ordinary for the standard home in Pre-End America. While it did have all the tools from one of those quaint kitchens of old, it certainly didn¡¯t look like it.

    The kitchen was really more of an aisle, no wider than a train car¡­ the walkway between the seats of the train car, specifically. It was very compact, with barely enough room for him to stand within it. It served its purpose though, the oven sat beneath the mounted microwave, with a vent that, when opened at the top, would pull any heat and smoke up and out of Betty with the aid of a repurposed desk fan. The sink sat opposite of the oven, beside the door, a humble steel thing that had once called a mechanics shop home. His massive deep freezer took up the rest of the cramped space, loaded with enough food to last him a year¡­ at least, it would have lasted him a year when he had still been an old man.

    He didn¡¯t need to eat nearly as much then, but now that he was young again, it was like his stomach had become three times the size it used to be. This was his fifth meal today, when before he only ate one, or two on rare occasions. Yet he found it hard to be conservative when his gut was constantly grumbling.

    Once he finished cooking, he scraped the simple meal onto a steel plate, turning off the burners before throwing the pan in the sink and leaving his kitchen. There wasn¡¯t enough room on Betty for a proper dining area, the living room had always served that purpose well enough, even if the occasional messes stained the pink carpet. He sat down in his chair, wasting no time as he scarfed down the ground up meat as quickly as he was able.

    There was still so much left to do! He couldn¡¯t just sit down all day, Betty needed a bit more spring cleaning before he set out into the unknown. He grimaced at the thought, placing the plate on the small table beside his chair. Betty could be cleaned all day¡­ but that still wouldn¡¯t get her out of these woods, he was just delaying the inevitable¡­

    He needed to find a way to get out of these trees and onto a road, but maneuvering Betty through these thick woods was going to be close to impossible, at least not without knocking down a dozen trees on the way out. He¡¯d much rather leave the forest intact, it was beautiful and likely it was the only intact woodland left over from the old world. Destroying the surrounding flora would feel like contributing to The End in a way¡­ but again, he knew not how to avoid it.

    Betty was just too big, and the space between the trees was too small. That, and there was the fact that he didn¡¯t even know where the nearest road even was. He could drive through potentially hundreds of miles of forest before finding one. Joseph blinked before shaking his head with a small laugh. He could still be a dope sometimes it seemed. There had been a bumpy trail back where he had saved that girl and her father this morning. All he had to do was follow that trail until it led to a proper road, then he¡¯d be out in a jiffy.

    Still, he wasn¡¯t sure how long that journey would be, especially since he was considering going on foot. He wanted to scout out what lay ahead without having to de-forest his surroundings to do so, after that, he¡¯d take Betty through the shortest path through the forest, and hope that the damage she caused would be minimal. He¡¯d need to start packing up now to make use of the remaining daylight.

    The plate armor would do for this trip, the T-12 wouldn¡¯t be able to make the journey. With his mind set, he stood, approaching his workshop with a small skip in his step. He was actually excited to see more of the woods, to hear and smell the crunch of the fallen leaves as he explored the woody wonderland. It wasn¡¯t long before he was wearing his plate-mail, trench coat and backpack, practically tearing them from their locker as he rushed to put them on. He had barely looked his gear over before donning it, but as much as he wanted to get out in the field, it was important to ensure that nothing had rusted or gotten torn during his sedentary years

    The steel breastplate seemed intact, as did the studded greaves and vambraces, really, the entire set appeared whole, albeit a bit dusty. Thankfully there was no rust, but every inch of the armor was covered in tarnish. He wouldn¡¯t clean it off, it may not look pretty but if he did remove it Joseph would be far too shiny for his liking. As for the kevlar vest sewn into the interior, there were a few tears, but other than that it would function just as well. He¡¯d stitch it all up later.

    His hooded trench coat too had a couple tears here and there also, but there was nothing that couldn¡¯t be easily fixed with his needles. It was a durable, heavy thing that had handled most of what the wastes could throw at him, with hard plating sewn into the surface and oiled to make it water resistant. If he were more confident in what he might encounter out there today, he probably wouldn¡¯t wear it. It could be unbearably hot, even during early winter, but the protection it offered would be worth it¡­ at least for now.

    He may regret taking it out with him later, but better safe than sorry. Besides the studded plate-armor and modified trench coat, he had his gas mask-steel helmet combo, simple in its function. He had to make this piece from scratch, it had taken forever but its utility made it well worth it. Dark ballistic glass had been fitted into the v-shaped visor, protecting his eyes from both shrapnel and environmental hazards. If he encountered any poisonous air out there or invisible fungal spores, the mask would filter it out. He would need to replace the two tubes attached to the sides of the helmet, as years of decay had made them ratty and torn. He made sure that the cartridges loaded into the mask were still fresh before he donned it.

    The rest of his gear was stashed either in his leather tool-belt for easy access, or in his armored backpack for when things got more¡­ complicated. A bit of extra ammo never hurt, he just hoped it didn¡¯t end up crushing the food he¡¯d packed with it. Ah well, it would still be edible either way, no point worrying about it. He¡¯d eaten far worse than smashed bread in his time, even before The End.

    After ensuring that everything was well in order, Joseph left Betty, sealing her ramp with a click of a button and a grin on his face. It was almost like the old days again, just him, his gear, and the unknown. He hoped that nothing would try to kill him during this jaunt, but he knew better at this point. The End had brought in everything from the undead, trans-dimensional beasts, and mutated giant insects, just to name a few. Just because this place looked normal didn¡¯t mean that the critters contained within it were.

    A bullet usually solved most problems before they could get too close, but Joseph could handle an up-close scuffle if it came to it. He had the three corners of melee covered, a sharpened combat knife for stabbing, a short trench mace for bludgeoning, and a shortsword for slashing; all sheathed in his belt for ease-of-access. Different monsters required different solutions; if things became close-quarters, it was best to be prepared. He waved at Betty before finally departing from the clearing, picking his way back toward that trail he¡¯d seen earlier. That girl and her father had likely departed already, but there was no way that they would have taken those corpses with them. It had been a while but he was excited to pick through whatever loot the scumbags might possess.

    The clothes off their backs might come in handy for some extra thread, and he coulda sworn that a couple of them were wearing some leather. He¡¯d definitely cut those up for some extra patches, and perhaps he¡¯d take their weapons too¡­ hmm, if he did decide to pack up all that stuff then he¡¯d need to make a trip back to Betty to drop it all off. Not a big deal, he wasn¡¯t on a set time-table or anything. If he ran out of daylight before finding a proper road he¡¯d just come back to Betty for the night.

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    When he finally came upon the trail he¡¯d found earlier, he wasn¡¯t surprised to see that the wagon and its occupants were nowhere to be seen. Likely they headed back home, and that was likely for the best, especially with these types walking about. He sneered at one of the bullet-riddled corpses laying by the trail before taking note of the other corpses, ones he had not created. Joseph had not shot these ones¡­ they¡¯d been killed before he¡¯d arrived most likely.

    There were five of them, strewn around where the wagon had been. Had they been guarding it? Poor fellas, not the best of ways to go out. His eyes widened a fraction when he noticed a gleam from beneath their finely-tailored coats. Was that what he thought it was? He moved over quickly, making sure that no one was watching from the woods before he knelt down to inspect the corpses. Their wounds indicated that none of them had been shot, meaning that these bandits had no guns for sure.

    Low-lives didn¡¯t go out of their way to fight fairly with their victims. The several crossbow bolts sticking out of their exposed flesh was proof of this. The crossbow was not an uncommon weapon that was utilized in The End, it had been easier to produce ammunition for them then guns after all. The bodies all wore the same kind of well-maintained coats, all bearing a crest on the back that depicted an eagle¡¯s claw clutching a bouquet of roses. It was brilliantly sewn and completely intact aside from the tears received in battle. Other than that, there were little to no signs of wear, there was no way that these garments were Pre-End, these had been made somewhat recently¡­ by hand.

    He¡¯d need to see if he could find who did this, he¡¯d love to learn a couple things from them, if they were still alive that was. Yet, the coats were only secondary in his mind compared to the full breastplate beneath them. The shining metal gleamed in the sunlight that poured through the leaves overhead, dazzling his eyes. There was a great metalworker nearby as well, there had to be, there¡¯s no way these survivors just found something like this intact in a museum. He¡¯d like to meet them too, see if he couldn¡¯t pick up some tricks for his own metalworking.

    Joseph giddily began removing the armor from the bodies, undoing the leather straps that held them in place. It was a very good type of steel these were made from, he could melt them all down for some projects, maybe make himself a fresher set of armor. He unslung his rucksack, and got to work looting the corpses of their belongings. The breastplates wouldn¡¯t fit in the rucksack, but he got a good amount of the clothing put away, and he could carry the armor back to Betty in just a trip or two.

    And that¡¯s exactly what he did.

    The weapons, clothes, and knick-knacks of the deceased were slowly but surely moved back to Betty, with Joseph dropping them unceremoniously on the ground before the towering vehicle before going back to get more. It wasn¡¯t just weaponry and armor the departed possessed, the little sacks at their belts were filled with what Joseph suspected was gold! Certainly these little coins had to hold some sort of value, otherwise why would both the bandits and the guards be carrying it?

    He didn¡¯t recognize the characters etched into the gold on the front and back, the front depicting a flaming sword whilst the back showed a shield. There were some words etched on both sides as well¡­ but Joseph could not recognize the script for the life of him. It certainly wasn¡¯t a Latin-based language, and it certainly didn¡¯t look like it was Eastern. The script was borderline alien, utilizing several shapes of differing sizes to spell out what Joseph assumed was words.

    Had a new form of language arose in Europe, one that didn¡¯t use Latin as a base? That didn¡¯t seem likely¡­ maybe these were just as they appeared, shapes and nothing more. He¡¯d study it more later, perhaps he could find some other examples of the written word of this country soon. Things went on like this for about an hour, with Joseph lost in his thoughts as he brought the loot back to Betty in trips.

    On his third trip though¡­ something had changed. As he neared the trail once again, giddy to bring back the final load, he heard someone talking, or perhaps something. Some monsters from the End had been capable of utilizing human speech to lure in victims, best approach with caution. He knelt, listening to the low, guttural voices coming from just over the bushes.

    ¡°Agrak!¡± A voice shouted through what must have been a gallon of snot coating its throat, ¡°Meshan dar lut gon!¡±

    Lut gon? Was that loot gone? Well, Joseph wasn¡¯t going to share, he¡¯d gotten here first and these scavs had better move on. Other snot-filled voices replied to the first, their tones seemingly offended. These things didn¡¯t really sound completely human, whatever they were. They could be some interdimensional visitors trying to scrape by like him, but he¡¯d not engage in diplomacy with these creatures unless he knew for sure they wouldn¡¯t be a threat.

    The aliens could not be trusted, just like the demons, he¡¯d have to hold them at gunpoint and have them disarm themselves. He might let them keep their weapons if they weren¡¯t any kind of gun, just because they were aliens didn¡¯t mean that they didn¡¯t deserve a chance to survive in the wastes¡­ but in all likelihood he¡¯d just have to kill them all.

    He clicked off the safety of his rifle, standing from the bushes and shouting, ¡°Drop your weapons!¡±

    What he saw shocked him. Little green men with long pointed noses and warty skin stared at him with wide yellow goat-like eyes, blinking in confusion. What the hell were these freaks!? He¡¯d never seen anything like this in the wastes, and he¡¯d seen it all! They were all standing around the bodies, hunched over with clubs and crude daggers in their little clawed hands. Joseph counted twelve in all, none of them tall enough to even reach his waist.

    They looked like¡­ well, they looked like goblins. Hell, maybe they were goblins, The End had brought all kinds of otherworldly creatures to Earth, a fantasy creature wouldn¡¯t be out of the ordinary. They could also be mutants he supposed, but it was hard to say, he couldn¡¯t exactly test their DNA to be sure.

    ¡°Fagrak meshali!¡± A goblin shouted, pointing at Joseph, ¡°Fagrak!¡±

    Fagrak? Was that some kind of slur? Or maybe it was a command!? It did kind of sound like ¡®attack¡¯ after all.The goblins all then charged at Joseph, uncaring that he held them all at gunpoint. Maybe they didn¡¯t know what a gun was? Ah well, that wasn¡¯t Joseph¡¯s problem.

    He pulled the trigger, exploding the head of the nearest goblin and painting his fellows in crimson brain-batter. The creatures all dispersed, screaming in terror and falling over one another in an attempt to escape. The fight was over now, all it had taken was one bullet for them to learn what a gun was.

    Yet, Joseph didn¡¯t think it wise to leave survivors. He opened fire again on the retreating backs of the creatures, hitting them in the head or back and dropping them like flies. Once he counted twelve rounds fired, he slung the rifle back over his shoulder. It was quite spendy to fire off twelve shots like that, but there was no way he was going to catch all these little freaks by hand. It was imperative that he kill them all, survivors always came back to be a pain in his rear later.

    Speaking of which, there were a couple goblins that still lived, screaming and trying to crawl away, their legs non-functioning. Joseph sighed and approached the downed creatures, stomping on the napes of their necks to finish them off. The crunch of bone beneath boot was a sound he hadn¡¯t heard in a very long time; it looked like his stomping foot was back in prime condition!

    If there were any more goblins nearby they would have heard those gunshots for sure. He¡¯d need to wrap up the looting quickly before more showed up! He couldn¡¯t spend all these bullets in one place. He only had a couple mags left, who knew how many problems would show up? Ten, a hundred? There was potentially a lot he¡¯d need to deal with, and while this rifle could solve up to thirty problems per mag, he was hesitant to spend the ammo on these creatures.

    He quickly began pulling the rest of the loot into his rucksack, packing away the remainder of the corpses clothing before he scrambled back into the woods toward Betty. There was a healthy amount of loot here, and he could use the clothing he found to get his gear back in prime shape. Stitchings and patchwork needed to be done, and these would do very nicely for that. It wouldn¡¯t be a big deal to stay home another night before exploring, it shouldn¡¯t take him too long to sew everything back into shape.

    Today has been absolutely fantastic! Nothing like a bit of lootin¡¯ n¡¯ shootin¡¯ to get the rust off!

 Chapter Five: Setting Out

    It had been simple to stitch up his garments with the scraps he¡¯d collected yesterday, now his trenchcoat, rucksack and other clothing was basically good as new! Joseph hummed a tune as he picked his way back toward the trail once again, content with the cool Autumn chill. The slight gray tinge of the morning always made him feel cozy, even if he was hiking through dangerous territory. He had trouble trying to associate his current surroundings with danger though¡­ besides the goblin mutants and the bandits, this place seemed completely safe, at least environmentally.

    There were no signs of mutated wildlife, his geiger counter hadn¡¯t clicked once, and there was no tingle at the back of his neck that would have signaled a Portal Storm. The air was perfectly safe as well, that girl and her father had breathed it in just fine after all, and they had no masks whatsoever. The birds certainly didn¡¯t seem bothered either, happily chirping their tunes in the canopies overhead. The broad smile he¡¯d had since the start of the day hadn¡¯t faltered in the slightest. He had a full stomach, birdsong in his ears, and his gear was in top condition. Quite an excellent start, if he did say so himself.

    Hopefully the day would stay this good throughout, he had a potentially weeks long trip ahead of him and Joseph wanted this first leg to go smoothly.

    When he finally reached the trail once more, he was surprised to see that all the bodies, goblins and humans, were gone. Likely they were dragged off by scavengers, maybe retrieved by the goblins or the girl and her father for proper burials. Likely the former, he doubted they would give a damn about burying the corpses of a buncha subhuman freaks. He began studying the loose dirt on the ground, trying to determine just which direction the bodies could have gone. If they hadn¡¯t been dragged away, then they could have risen from the dead and shambled off.

    It wasn¡¯t uncommon¡­ perhaps he was still a bit rusty, it was common survivor courtesy to pulp any corpses you left behind so this wouldn¡¯t happen. Joseph supposed he¡¯d been too giddy with the looting to remember that fact. Ah well, best he track them all down and finish the job, else they might hurt somebody. That is, if there weren¡¯t signs of the corpses being dragged away. Furrows in the earth were clearly visible, leading off into the bushes.

    So the goblins had nabbed the bodies then? That just meant that he wouldn¡¯t have to go find them. The goblins could keep the corpses, it was their responsibility now. If they came back to bite them then they would need to handle the pulping themselves. Unless they had already done it? There weren¡¯t any signs of extraneous gore to be seen anywhere, aside from the dried blood left behind from yesterday¡¯s shootout. If they had been properly pulped there would be brain matter strewn about where the bodies had been, chunks of bone, and other viscera left behind¡­

    The goblins hadn¡¯t done it right after all, and he doubted that they¡¯d take them home to pulp them where they lived. Were they eating the bodies? It wasn¡¯t uncommon for mutants to do so. Maybe it would be best if he tracked them down, see what they were doing with the bodies. Maybe he¡¯d kill them too, it depended on what he found. With his mind made up, he began following one of the furrows in the earth, passing again into the woods on the opposite side of the trail he¡¯d come in from.

    They hadn¡¯t thought to conceal the path properly, it was easy to spot the smashed grass  where they¡¯d dragged the bodies through. An hour passed before the trail ended. It all led to the mouth of a cave set in the side of a hill, a raggedy red curtain hanging down the entrance; likely to keep out the light. Damn, these guys really were goblins. Living in caves, probably eating bodies- everything checked out so far. What was next, orcs? Elves?

    He shook his head, checking his rifle and making sure his other gear was secure in his tool belt. He took pride in being overly prepared for any situation, and a big part of that was the ancient art of double-checking, his greatest tool. Once he was sure that everything was secure, he began creeping up to the cave-mouth, seeing that it was apparently unguarded. At least it was on this side, the other end of the curtain may contain some goblins on lookout.

    Now¡­ what to do? Should he give them another chance to come out and be sociable, or should he go in guns blazing and kill the lot? It was tough to say¡­ yesterday they had attacked him on sight, but could he really blame the goblins for that little incident? He had surprised them after all, maybe he¡¯d triggered their fight or flight? They also couldn¡¯t understand his language, he needed to take that into account, so there was no way for them to have taken his warning to heart.

    He¡¯d give them a second chance to be sociable, he¡¯d call out to the cave and retreat behind some bushes in case he needed the cover.

    He cleared his throat before yelling ¡°Hello? Spare a cup of sugar?¡± He then darted behind the nearest bush, which sat directly across from the mouth of the cave.

    It wasn¡¯t long before one of the little creatures cautiously opened the curtain peering out to see Joseph¡¯s head sticking over the bush.

    ¡°Fagrak!¡± The goblin shrieked, sounding agitated, ¡°Ee ulod fagrak!¡±

    Hmm¡­ Ee ulod fagrak. If fagrak meant ¡®attack¡¯ like he suspected, then could this sentence have meant ¡®We¡¯re under attack¡¯? Meaning that Ee and ulod would be ¡®We¡¯re under¡¯... maybe. He¡¯d need to get a friendly local to chat with, maybe he could get an example of this language''s alphabet in exchange for some food. He readied his rifle, aiming it at the entrance and switching it to full auto. He wasn¡¯t sure how many were gonna come out but if they charged him then he¡¯d be able to put down enough to scare em¡¯ back underground.

    If they didn¡¯t immediately charge his position, then he wouldn¡¯t shoot. He wanted to have a parley with them after all, blasting their faces off would make that a bit tough to do. Other goblins soon emerged from the cave mouth, some of them butt-naked instead of clad in a ratty loin-cloth. The sight was unseemly but these were just subhumans, they didn¡¯t know any better. Especially since these creatures seemed to be the trailer-trash of mutants, and that was really saying something.

    None of them carried guns, but some did have slings, with stones already loaded in them. That could be a bit painful, but his armor would ensure that none of the rocks could kill him. The other goblins bore daggers and clubs, like yesterday, those could be a problem too, if he let them get up close. His trigger finger began to itch as another ten flooded out of the cave, staring daggers at him with their little beady goat-eyes. He held off on shooting, there was still a chance for diplomacy here, he¡¯d just talk to them and see where it went. Tone would be important here, as they couldn¡¯t understand words. If he came across as meek they would charge him, same if he came across as aggressive, he¡¯d need to be neutral.

    ¡°Hello, I was wondering if you could give me your alphabet.¡± He said, knowing they wouldn¡¯t understand him, ¡°I¡¯m not here to fight, ¡°He said, shaking his head. Should he risk raising his hands to show peace? He decided to do it, raising his hands palm forward and standing up. If they charged he could duck and open fire, it wasn¡¯t like they had guns they could return fire with after all. ¡°See? Just here to ask you fellas about where I am, maybe learn a few things about your language?¡±

    The chittering things all charged at him, laughing madly as they brought their weapons to bear.

    His teeth clenched in rage, and he brought up his rifle, ¡°I tried being nice!¡± He shouted, ¡°A freak¡¯s always a freak!¡±

    With that, he opened fire, dumping half the mag and painting the stone of the cave-mouth in a fresh shade of crimson. It only took a couple seconds for the monsters to be reduced to bloody sacks of punctured meat, leaving a total of twelve bodies littering the ground. He let out a barely suppressed snicker as he waited for more to appear, aiming down the sights eagerly. Now that he was here and diplomacy had failed¡­ may as well kill them all and take anything worthwhile in their little cave. He switched back to semi-auto and waited for a solid minute. He was just wondering if any more would emerge from the entrance before a goblin stuck its head out from behind the curtain.

    Pink mist exited out the back of the mutant''s head, the bullet ricocheting off the stone and plinking into a nearby tree. Was that the last one, or were there more inside? If there were any goblins left, they¡¯d definitely seen that last one get shot. The body had slumped down, halfway out of the curtain. Surely these things weren¡¯t so moronic that they couldn¡¯t tell their comrade was dead.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Had they ever been shot at before? They didn¡¯t seem to know what a gun was, based on how they blindly charged him while he held them at gunpoint. Maybe their species was simply lacking a self-preservation instinct? No, that wasn¡¯t right either¡­ they had certainly ran away yesterday when he¡¯d shot at them, meaning that they truly had no experience in dealing with firearms before.

    He grinned, happy to have such an overwhelming advantage against these dysgenic beasts. This revelation also meant that they had no firearms of their own¡­ perhaps he should be more conservative with his ammunition, the knife or mace would do, the shortsword might be a bit tougher to use in that cave. He cringed as he thought of the repairs that would be needed if the blade collided with the cave wall. He had crafted all three of these tools himself, and he was confident in their sturdiness, but blade edges and stone simply didn¡¯t mix.

    He mulled for only a moment before he slung the rifle back over his shoulder, checking to make sure that the hood was still over his armored head. A little extra protection for the back of his neck wouldn¡¯t go amiss in the cave, and who knew what sort of toxins were present in that nasty cave air? He slowly stood from behind the bush, drawing his trench mace, a short tool with a sturdy wood shaft tipped with ridged steel.

    With their small frames, they wouldn¡¯t be able to absorb the shock he¡¯d be able to dole out with the bludgeon. That, it would simply be easier to take them out with this rather than the knife. He approached the cave, giving the mace an experimental swing as his other hand pulled out a long, heavy-duty police flashlight. He had replaced the battery that morning, and testing had shown that it still worked like a dream.

    He crept up to the curtain, back hugging the cave wall before he leaned his head in to catch a glimpse of what lay within. A few goblins gasped in shock at seeing his masked-face, their primitive spears quavering for an instant before they charged, screaming ¡®Fagrak¡¯ to urge themselves forward. He quickly ducked his head back with a curse, backing away from the cave mouth while raising his flashlight.

    Since these troglodytes were cave-dwellers¡­

    He clicked the button on the flashlight twice, the bulb beginning to flash quickly as the gobs poured out of the cavern. He wasn¡¯t able to count how many had been in there, the darkness had concealed their true numbers from him. So far five of them had emerged, wielding stone-tipped spears leveled in his general direction.

    As he suspected, they groaned at the bright flashing LED, their eyes shutting before they began thrusting their spears blindly. Joseph darted forward, keeping the light fixed on the group as he reared back his arm and swung. The mace crashed down on top of the skull of the nearest mutant, cracking its skull like an eggshell and caving it inward. Blood cascaded from the creature''s eyes and nose as it crumpled to the ground, dead nigh-instantly.

    He swung again, catching another in the temple with a similar result, sending the creature cartwheeling into one of its fellows and sending the both of them down in a tangle of limbs. He charged the still-living goblin, delivering a vicious stomp to its forehead and caving in its skull. He smiled as he reared on another one, leaping toward it as it tried to retreat back into the cave. He swung, steel crunching bone and sending another mutant back to hell.

    More goblins came from the entrance, wielding stone daggers and wooden clubs, charging him with desperate fervor. Joseph didn¡¯t even bother dodging their attacks, letting the primitive weaponry glance off his armored trench coat and plate-armor, still smiling as he caved in more green warty flesh with his trusty trench mace. Sweat poured down his brow as his exertions went on, but he paid it no mind, the thrill of the fight overwhelming his discomfort.

    Eventually, it all stopped, and he found himself leaning over, hands on his knees and breathing ragged. Joseph moved away from the cave entrance and back toward the bushes as he tried to catch his breath, his body heat trapped beneath his visor. He flipped it up, putting his mace n¡¯ flashlight away before wiping the sweat from his face with a rag from his pouch. He hadn¡¯t fought like that in decades! It was so exhilarating, he dearly hoped that there were more inside the cavern, for he wasn¡¯t done fighting yet!

    When he finally caught his breath, he stood up straight, closing his visor before examining the carnage that he¡¯d left in his rampage. Twisted corpses littered the ground around him, a dozen laying half-way out of the cave mouth. He counted about twenty in all¡­ and none of them were breathing. That was good, but now the bodies needed to be pulped, else they would rise again. So he went to work, shattering knees and elbows by twisting them out of shape before stomping the heads apart. Now when they revived, their bodies would be totally useless! Now this was proper survivor etiquette, it was polite to future scavengers that would come here after him.

    He drew his mace and flashlight again before finally passing through the curtain and into the dank cavern. If there was any rank smell, his mask thankfully saved him from suffering through it. The path seemed to slope downward with no branching paths, so down he went, keeping his eyes peeled for moving stones.

    He¡¯d encountered creatures in caves before that had managed to look no different from a rock, maybe there was a subspecies of goblin that could do the same? Well, nothing looked out of the ordinary so far¡­ that was until he reached the bottom of the slope. Three paths branched from here, looking oddly smooth, for a supposedly natural rock formation. Had these goblins smoothed it out themselves? They didn¡¯t seem to have the tools necessary to do stoneworking, nor the mental capacity to do so.

    Welp, time to find out why!

    He decided to go down the tunnel to his left, his shoulders nearly brushing the walls as he went. They hadn¡¯t tailored this place to be sized for him of course, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel irritated at the cramped space. If any more freaks came at him then they¡¯d have to settle on a straight kick instead of his mace, at least until this tunnel opened up. Thankfully it wasn¡¯t long before he found himself in a new chamber, the floor covered with thick hay and littered with all manner of detritus.

    Another tunnel led out of this den, but he could see that it was a dead end. Likely it was in the process of being carved out, maybe it would lead to the chamber that the center path led to? Hard to say, but this room didn¡¯t seem to have anything useful in it. He supposed that he could rifle through the hay to see if there was anything worthwhile but he genuinely doubted it. Besides, there were piles of fetid goop and puddles of liquid here and there of unknown origin, and he was not going to put his gloves through that.

    He turned, leaving the chamber with a shake of his head before coming back to the center, opting to take the right path this time. This one ended in a wide chamber that was a bit¡­ morbid. Bones of all manner of animal littered the ground, flies buzzing around the piles of feces surrounding the carcasses. Canines, felines, bovines, among others¡­ along with some human skulls dotted here and there.

    Well, at least now he knew that those corpses would never rise, best leave this festering hovel to check out the final path. Maybe there were more gobs hiding in the final chamber? He hoped dearly that there were, it was best to eradicate such dens entirely. When finally he passed through that final tunnel, he emerged into the final and largest room. With only his flashlight to illuminate the surrounding darkness, he moved in, clenching his mace tightly. He didn¡¯t hear anything scuttling around yet¡­ did all the goblins really charge out at once?

    ¡°Mashak.¡± A deep voice said off to his left.

    Joseph whirled, readying his mace to strike at the charging goblin. Yet, no goblin was there. Instead, sitting chained to the stone wall, was a stout man with a long beard and bald head. He could tell that the man was of shorter stature, even with him sitting down. His ratty black beard reached down to brush the floor between his crossed legs, and his sharp dark eyes squinted at Joseph¡¯s flashlight. The stranger was pale, as if he¡¯d rarely seen the sun in his life, but his figure was wider than almost any man he¡¯d seen.

    The man looked¡­ well, he looked like a dwarf, of the fantasy variety. Wearing a tattered brown shirt, green trousers and nothing else, he looked disheveled. Another mutation or did he have dwarfism? He lacked the distinct facial features of someone with dwarfism, and his proportions didn¡¯t match either. The dwarf¡¯s broad hand gripped the chain tightly, hefting it up for Joseph to examine. Clearly he wanted to be freed of this imprisonment, and Joseph saw no reason to deny the unspoken request. He knelt down beside the man, placing a hand to his chest.

    ¡°Joseph.¡± He said, ¡°And you can¡¯t understand me, can ya?¡±

    The dwarf¡¯s frown deepened, and he simply shook his head, ¡°Mashak un maned Joseph?¡± He asked, pointing a broad finger.  ¡°Et ou Touvolder? Ou on espek Faesh darag, ton angras fo ou et espek Touvolder.¡±

    There was that word again, ¡®Touvolder¡¯, like what Morla had called him before, along with ¡®Faesh¡¯. He felt like those words were of particular importance to their lexicon, he¡¯d need to learn what they meant as soon as possible. Maybe the dwarf could somehow inform him of their meaning? It was unlikely, this guy didn¡¯t know a lick of English and he didn¡¯t know a lick of whatever gobbledegook he was speaking.

    ¡°Joseph.¡± He said again, pointing to himself.

    The dwarf then pointed a thumb to his chest, ¡°Varig, oushe la Ugals.¡±

    ¡°Varig.¡± Joseph said, pointing to him.

    Varig nodded in reply, and once again lifted the section of chain closest to his neck. Joseph simply nodded, rummaging in his tool belt and pulling out his locksmithing tools. He was by no means a master lock picker, but he could certainly get this padlock opened. The wastes made some things essential to learn, especially if one wanted to break in somewhere without making too much noise.

    It took him a few minutes, but eventually he got it, undoing the clasp and freeing the dwarf from his imprisonment. Varig stood with a groan, popping his back and stretching before offering a hand to Joseph. Varig was only head-height with his stomach, but his rough hands were wide paws that looked like they could bend steel with ease. If Joe took that hand, Varig might just be able to get an advantage on him if he turned aggressive. Joe simply took a step back and bowed, resulting in the dwarf retracting his hand. Varig simply repeated the motion, taking a step back and bowing before turning to leave.

    Before he passed into the tunnel though, he stopped, back still facing Joseph before he said, ¡°Ugals delbinded ot Joseph, lit et nagai.¡±

    He had no idea what that meant, but he had a feeling it meant well. Joseph gave a quick wave, ¡°Safe travels.¡±

    Varig nodded, turning away and finally passing into the tunnel. He was a free man again, and Joseph didn¡¯t want to force the dwarf into a conversation he didn¡¯t want to have. With how quickly he left, it was likely that he had somewhere important he had to be¡­ and he¡¯d not keep Varig from whatever business that might be. There would be other locals he could learn the language from around here somewhere, he¡¯d just have to find one that could afford to spend the time on him.

    Now, it was time to strip this place of all that it was worth!

 Chapter Six: Wrong Stars

    As it turned out, there wasn¡¯t much of worth at all in that dank cave, save for a scant few metal tools which he owned better versions of in his workshop. Still, the metal could be melted down and repurposed later, so he packed them away in his bag. He doubted he¡¯d be able to trade these for much, they were little more than blades affixed to sticks, if that. How had the goblins managed to smooth these walls with such meager tools?

    Ah well, it didn¡¯t matter now, they were dead and their cave looted, if there were any survivors that had been out and about during his rampage, the gore-strewn scene that Joseph left would hopefully send them fleeing. The dwarf certainly didn¡¯t seem interested in hanging around here either, based on his speedy departure. Hmm, perhaps they had used Varig to smooth their walls somehow?

    The question was how? He didn¡¯t look like he had any tools on him. Joseph shook his head with a sigh, again it wasn¡¯t like it mattered now how they did it, not unless he wanted to learn how to do it himself. Maybe he did, now that he thought of it. What if he wanted to carve out an underground lair for himself someday? Knowing how to smooth stone with primitive tools might come in handy.

    Yet, he¡¯d not trade the comforts of Betty for a cave, even a nice smooth one.

    It was beginning to get dark now, the daylight fading as his travel dragged on. Finding the trail once again had been no hassle, the problem was how long the damn thing went on. This was no mere hiking trail, this likely went all the way through the forest. The ground of the trail had been carved out by the footsteps of hundreds of survivors passing through these parts, meaning that it had to lead to somewhere important.

    Maybe there was a settlement at the end of this path, one worth making the dangerous trip through the forest for? If so, that was the best-case scenario for Joseph, assuming the denizens weren¡¯t hostile. There could be mutants, bandits, slavers, monsters from beyond, who knew? He pursed his lips at the thought. It just didn¡¯t seem likely that all this footraffic would be going to such a dangerous place as that¡­ at least unless they were slavers.

    If they were slavers, then he¡¯d torch the place and save whoever he could. His teeth clenched at the mere thought of those cretins, the corners of his vision going red as he remembered all the things he¡¯d seen back in the wastes. Men, women¡­ children, all bought and sold for any and all purposes.

    Any and all.

    His breathing became ragged and he slowed his walk, fists at a white-knuckled clench. Eventually he stopped his stride, hissing through his teeth in the center of the trail. The world became a blur and he knew that if anything approached him now that he would kill it. He needed to reign himself back, he wasn¡¯t like how he used to be! He wouldn¡¯t allow himself to fall into a blind rage again¡­ not until it was the proper time and place.

    Slowly, he regained his composure, his breathing stabilizing as he let his shoulders go slack. Who knew that regaining his youth would re-ignite his long dormant wrath? In truth, he supposed that it had never really left him. He just got too old to lash out anymore, but now that he was strong again¡­ it was like an old muscle, flexing itself and regaining power. Had he forgotten how to keep it under control?

    He¡¯d need to work on that, the entire world wasn¡¯t his enemy, only the majority of it was. There were still good folks out there that needed his help, and he couldn¡¯t do that if he approached them as a stark-raving madman. Perhaps he could use that intent to help control the horrible hate welling up within him? The cool waters of kindness might be just the thing to douse the flames of his rage¡­ at least until it was time to give in to that wrathful beast. There would be a time and place for it to emerge, but now was not that time.

    Once he was completely stable again, he continued his trek, making sure to steer his thoughts away from slavers. Did Varig happen to go this way, or in the other direction? He could have just wandered into the forest, but Joseph doubted it. The dwarf had not been wearing any shoes, the soft dirt of this well-worn trail would be greatly preferable to the brambles and rocks of the untrodden woods.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    It hadn¡¯t taken him that long to clear out the cave, so why hadn¡¯t Joseph caught up with him yet? It must have meant that Varig went the other way¡­ and if that were the case, then perhaps the settlement that he sought was back that way as well. He¡¯d already put a good bit of effort into traveling this direction though, might as well see it all the way through. He wasn¡¯t concerned about food and water, Joe could survive off the land just fine, especially when the land was so verdant and filled with life.

    There was no real need to trek back to Betty for food, the only reason he could think of to go back early was to drop off any excess loot he found. Well, he¡¯d cross that bridge when he came to it. Another hour passed of walking before the sun was nearly completely gone, and it was then that he decided to set up camp. He moved off the trail a good distance, trying to find a good natural shelter he could utilize.

    Thankfully it didn¡¯t take him long, as he found a tree with a sizable gap between it and the forest floor. Its thick roots held it above the dirt, making a man-sized entrance beneath it. It was only wide enough for him to crawl under, but it¡¯d do. It was better to blend in with the environment if you could, setting up his tent could make him a target for both local wildlife and otherworldly monsters.

    That didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d have to be uncomfortable though. He unslung his pack from his shoulders, unzipping the top and rummaging through the contents until he found his rollmat and sleeping bag. He unceremoniously unrolled the mat, sliding it into the undercarriage of the tree before untying his sleeping bag, laying it on top of the mat. He then slid his bag under as well before crawling inside, unslinging his rifle and leaving it by his side.

    He¡¯d not need to remove any of his clothing to sleep, all the gear was warm enough to keep him at a comfortable temperature during the night. Plate armor wasn¡¯t exactly the best stuff to sleep in, but he¡¯d grown used to doing this years ago. The sleeping bag would just be extra padding to insulate him from the ground. As he lay down though, he found himself frowning at the exit to his tree-shelter. His feet were still sticking out somewhat, and there wasn¡¯t enough room for him to lay horizontal¡­ well, in that case, it was time to lay out a few traps.

    He didn¡¯t have anything fancy like bear traps or the like, they were far too heavy to carry in his rucksack. No, he had rudimentary things that would alert him should something wander into his campsite. Bubble wrap and some bells tied to strings, that would be sufficient. He laid out the bubble wrap between a few bushes that something could scuttle through, burying it in a thin sheet of dirt before getting to work tying the string bells between some trees. If something tripped those then he¡¯d wake up in an instant, ready to blast the interloper to hell with his rifle.

    Now he could sleep, after an hour of watch of course, to make sure that whatever was potentially tracking him didn¡¯t try and kill him in his sleep. Once that hour passed and the darkness of night was in full effect, he finally fell asleep, his rifle at his side.

    He awoke to the sound of a bell ringing, and he immediately grabbed his rifle, taking aim at the mouth of his shelter, tucking his feet in as far as they would go. His breathing slowed, his gun steadied, his mind still. A shape emerged, bounding past quickly on four hooved legs. Joseph¡¯s finger nearly squeezed the trigger before he could realize what it had been. The bubble wrap had spooked it away, but he¡¯d seen what kind of creature that was before.

    He¡¯d nearly been killed by them a few times before The End, though it had never been a purposeful effort on their part. He crawled out of the trunk quickly, flicking on his light and seeing the back of a retreating white-tailed deer. Joseph smiled, flicking off his light before returning to his den. How long had it been since he¡¯d seen a normal deer? Had to be Yellowstone again, back in the day. This place was a wonder¡­ wait a second, would he be able to see the stars right now?

    It had been a good few years since he¡¯d seen the stars, having been locked away in the Betty. It¡¯d be nice to get a good view of them. It seemed the moonlight could seep through well enough, meaning the sky wasn¡¯t occluded by toxic gas or portal storms. Just a glimpse before bed, what could be the harm? He emerged once again, tilting his head up to see a dazzling display.

    It was like a diamond-studded tapestry, laid out across infinity to be appreciated by all living things in creation. The stars were so bright, so untainted¡­ Tears began welling at the corners of his eyes as he stared up at the heavens, grateful to be witness to such beauty. That was, until he tried to find the North Star¡­ only to see that it wasn¡¯t where it was supposed to be. The Little Dipper was nowhere to be seen, neither was Orion, or any other constellation for that matter. There was no arrangement of stars he could recognize in the sky above, and most notably¡­ the moon.

    Or moons, there were two of them. He sat, dumbfounded as this alien sky stared down at him. Both celestial bodies were equal in size, but one glowed a brilliant gold while the other one was sterling silver, both full. The scarring on their individual surfaces was nothing like the moon that he knew! Just what the hell happened to him? This wasn¡¯t something as simple as him returning to youth and getting sent to another country.

    The stars were wrong, the moons were wrong¡­ the language was wrong¡­ was this world¡­? Could it also be wrong?

 Chapter Seven: Mutual Interest

    Joseph hadn¡¯t been able to sleep for the rest of that night, his mind having been set racing by this new revelation. He was still wide-awake by time the sun rose over his campsite, rifle in his lap. It just didn¡¯t make sense, this had to still be Earth¡­ all the wildlife he¡¯d seen was from the Pre-End era! Deer, squirrels, even horses for crying out loud! Was it possible that he¡¯d been swept up in a particularly strong portal storm? He¡¯d never heard of it happening before, but what if those portals worked both ways? What if he got taken by one and deposited here, and somehow had his youth restored in the process?

    It seemed so far-fetched, the portal storms never took, they only gave¡­ unfortunately. Yet he couldn¡¯t think of any reason aside from divine intervention as to how he came to be here. Maybe he had wound up in the far future of Earth instead? There were still mutants prowling about after all, the goblins were proof of that, as was Varig the dwarf¡­ But then, where were the other breeds of freaks? Where were the hordes of the dead, the beasts that mimicked human speech, the interdimensional aliens? Back in the day he could hardly walk a mile without encountering some form of monstrosity, but here the battles had been sparse¡­ at least thus far.

    Perhaps it was the distant past? Maybe a sort of mythological era where dwarves and goblins existed? Maybe that could explain the similarities between this place and the Earth he knew? That hypothesis didn¡¯t sit right with him either, maybe if there was a single moon and the scarring had been correct on at least one of them. No¡­ a portal storm had to have taken him from his resting place at the Snake River, depositing him here in this forest on a completely alien planet. It would explain why the characters on the coin appeared illegible to him, they didn¡¯t have roots in Latin or any of the eastern languages¡­

    Well, the only written word he¡¯d seen here was on the face of a coin, maybe those symbols weren¡¯t letters at all. He¡¯d need to find a real example of the written word here, but even then, would that really change things? The moons were different, no constellation was the same, there were goblins and dwarves, medieval wagons, well tailored people that dressed for style rather than protection¡­

    The only thing that he could say was the same was the flora and fauna. Maybe this really was a different planet, but the life here was seeded from Earth. After all, those people he¡¯d saved had been human, that horse had certainly been a normal animal, so was the deer from last night. Right as he had that thought, a cricket leaped out from behind a bush, and he pointed at it sharply.

    ¡°You¡¯re a cricket!¡± He declared to the insect.

    The bug didn¡¯t seem to understand what he was on about, and continued about its business, hopping away with nary a care in the world. Even the bug life was the same here as back on Earth. It couldn¡¯t really be a different planet¡­ right? If it were, then Joseph¡¯s arrival spelled horrible news for this place¡­ if a Portal Storm really did bring him here¡­

    Then The End was coming for this world, as it had for his.

    Joseph shook his head. He didn¡¯t know any of this for sure, it didn¡¯t do any good for him to agonize about it. He needed to gather more information, blundering around in the dark like this wasn¡¯t doing him any favors. He stood finally, stretching his limbs as he thought on what he should do. He could head back to Betty for a proper sleep or continue on his trek to see where the trail took him.

    When he finished packing all the tools he had deployed around his camp, he made a decision. He¡¯d keep following that trail, for at least another day or so before returning home. There had to be something that way, those travelers had been intending to head this way before, there had to be something of worth at the end of it. As he found his way back to that dusty road, he found himself praying that it would be a settlement.

    There was much he needed to learn, and a good safe place to do it wouldn''t go amiss. Joseph would still need to move Betty out of these woods at some point, best if he did it sooner, rather than later. It was unfortunate, but no matter what he did, some trees were going to be destroyed. Hopefully he¡¯d only inflict minimal damage, even if this was another world, he didn¡¯t want to ruin any more trees than was necessary.

    So on he went, eyes growing heavy as the sun rose ever higher in the sky. His mind was still a whirl and there wasn¡¯t anything he could do to quiet the dozens of different theories that crossed his mind on how he came to be here. Alien planet, far future or distant past, separate reality, heaven or hell, among several others. It was still blundering in the dark, but he had to admit, there was a strange joy he felt as he let his imagination go wild. This same feeling was usually reserved for the workbench, when he was drawing up blueprints; it was not an unwelcome feeling.

    Sure, there was just a tinge of cosmic dread beneath all of it, but it wasn¡¯t a feeling he was unfamiliar with. Best to just ignore it like usual.

    It was when the sun was in the middle of the sky that he was finally drawn out of his thoughts. Joseph quickly ducked behind a nearby tree, drawing his binoculars and praying that they hadn¡¯t spotted him. He leaned out slightly from behind his cover, peering through his binos to make out the finer details of the strangers. There was a group of travelers ahead, marching this way with a covered wagon drawn by two sturdy horses. A tired looking man lazily flicked the reigns forward from atop the coach, eyes glued to the earth between his beasts.

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    The wagon itself carried only a single passenger it seemed, though he only could catch glimpses of dark hair past the driver. Four men wearing plate armor walked alongside the carriage, each wielding a crossbow. Finally he had found some more locals! If they weren¡¯t too busy, he¡¯d love to talk with them. The only way to learn the language would be to convey that he didn¡¯t know it, maybe someone there would take a mutual interest in his own alien tongue?

    A mutual learning experience would be the best-case scenario, worst-case¡­ well, then those guards would fire off those crossbows as soon as they saw him. How to approach them? After a few seconds, he decided on his course of action, stepping out from behind the tree and casually approaching. Once they spotted him, the guards took aim, but didn¡¯t fire. The coach slowed the wagon, his tired eyes narrowed as they looked Joseph over.

    He was a gaunt and wiry man, with graying black hair and deep wrinkles. He could potentially be the grumpiest man that Joseph had ever seen. If he were to don the hood of that black cloak he wore, he¡¯d be a spitting image of the grim reaper. The horses halted, and he turned his head to speak to the passengers of the wagon in a rushed whisper. Joe raised his hands, palm-outward as he waited to see what would happen.

    It seemed whoever was riding in the back was in charge of this convoy, so how this encounter ended was ultimately up to them. After a moment, the coachman groaned, gesturing for him to approach. Joseph did so with a smile, hoping to make a good first impression on these folk. Of course this could be a ploy to lead him closer so those guards could fill him with bolts, but Joseph had heard no orders yelled out from the wagon for them to do so. They would assume that Joe could speak the same language as they did, so ordering something like that openly wouldn¡¯t have made sense¡­ unless somehow they knew that he couldn¡¯t understand them.

    That was basically impossible, but they would find out as soon as he opened his mouth. Best stay ready to dive for cover if things go awry, though it might be easier to simply raise his rifle and gun them all down. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t seem like that would be necessary. A head popped up from behind the grumpy coachmen then, a young man¡¯s face, contrasting the wrinkled crankiness of the coachmen. Kid couldn¡¯t have been more than eighteen at most, with baby smooth skin around green eyes and long dark hair that looked like it should have belonged on a rockstar. Glamrock to be precise. Kids these days; back in his day they made fun of fellas for rocking that kind of cut. Then again, this was potentially a different dimension, maybe that haircut was seen as manly round¡¯ these parts?

    Well, Joe wouldn¡¯t be growing his hair out to fit in, not again.

    ¡°Agdaler, hasht ou eb dule?¡± The young man asked the coach with a slight shake of his head, to which the man grumbled in reply. Was Agdaler the grump¡¯s name? The young man then stood, placing a hand to his chest and saying, ¡°Ei un Prolo Pienturshuld, und ou?¡±

    Und seemed to be their equivalent of ¡®and¡¯ while ¡®ou¡¯ seemed to be ¡®you¡¯. It felt like that was the correct assumption but he¡¯d never know until he properly learned the language. It sounded like an introduction based on his tone, Ei seemed to be ¡®I¡¯. So I am Prolo Pienturshuld, right? Alright, so this fella¡¯s name was Prolo. The tone in which he said his last name had sounded weighty, so Pientershuld must have been a big deal around here. Combine that with his personal escort and fine clothing¡­ yeah, this dude was a big deal, or at least his family was.

    ¡°My name¡¯s Joseph, and I¡¯m guessing you can¡¯t understand a word of what I¡¯m sayin¡¯.¡± He said honestly, putting a hand to his chest.

    Strangely, Prolo seemed excited by his words, quickly exiting out the back of his wagon before approaching Joseph, a keen smile on his face. The guards made an attempt to reason with him, based on their tones, but Prolo waved a hand dismissively. They grumbled, but didn¡¯t try to argue with their boss. Despite that, their eyes were all now firmly affixed to Joe, even the coachman seemed interested in him now¡­ and he did not like the way ol¡¯ Agdaler was eyeing him up. There was something greedy in those eyes of his, and the coachman did nothing to hide it.

    Even some of the guards had a tinge of greed in their eyes, and that made Joe¡¯s trigger finger itch. Did they think they could rob him? He¡¯d like to see them try. Things haven¡¯t escalated yet though, and their (presumably) leader had left the safety of his wagon to get up close to Joe. Things could still go smoothly¡­ assuming they didn¡¯t try and take his stuff. Now that the young man was up close, he could see that Prolo was of a lean build, not scrawny, just a type of speedy athletic.

    Eying the thin sword tucked away in his belt, Joseph could surmise that Prolo had practiced a lot with that blade. He readied himself to break the boy¡¯s wrist should he try and draw it.

    ¡°Ou on¡¯t keap lou Faesh?¡± Prolo asked.

    Faesh again eh? Just like Varig and Morla. Did they think that was his name? No, they understood that his name was Joseph, Faesh meant something else.

    ¡°Yeah, no idea what you just said pal.¡± Joe replied, ¡°You should get a haircut.¡±

    ¡°Ish oust eb Touvowlder!¡± Prolo exclaimed excitedly, ¡°Keap ugun!¡±

    And the other word too, Touvolder.

    ¡°...So nice weather out today huh?¡± He asked after a brief pause.

    Prolo then looked back to the coachman, a wide smile on his face, ¡°Joseph all eb shari, ut eas¡­¡± He hesitated, looking back to Joseph with a creased brow, ¡°Woul ou acro?¡± He then pointed to Joseph, then to the wagon, ¡°Taw sa ou?¡±

    It seemed that he was asking if Joseph wanted to come with him¡­ he had no idea as to where the boy was intending to go, or what he had planned for him, but this was the best chance he had at learning the language so far. Best to just play along. If Prolo was taking him somewhere where he might be more easily restrained, then Joseph would just have to kill his way out of there.

    Joseph nodded.

 Chapter Eight: Touvolder

    It seemed Prolo was as well off as Joseph initially expected. After a few hours of riding in that wagon, they had reached a fork in the trail, taking the path that led to the left took them all the way to a large manor, at least ten thousand square feet worth of home if his estimations were right. The forest bordered the whole property, its long branches reaching almost longingly toward the manor. It seemed like they wanted to reclaim the property for the wilds, reaching over those tall stone walls to get at the manor.

    As always he kept on guard, Prolo seemed to be an agreeable sort, but the most dangerous of individuals always were. The young man continued to babble at him in his own tongue, despite the established language barrier. He supposed that this was better than just awkward silence, after all, part of learning a language was listening to a native speaker. It would take time of course, but it wasn¡¯t like Joseph had a tight schedule to adhere to. If he wanted to dedicate his time to learning something, he would.

    He wouldn¡¯t be fluent in it for quite a long time, but if he could at least grasp the basics, he¡¯d be better off. Hopefully Prolo understood that, but only time would tell. As the wheels of the wagon rolled past the gate, he found himself worrying after Betty. He knew deep down that there was nothing that could breach her interior¡­ not unless this seemingly feudal society had access to welding equipment. He doubted it, but the thought of all his hard-fought gear getting stolen made him mildly upset.

    He squashed the thought, turning his attention back to Prolo. The young man still seemed at the peak of his excitement, with wide eyes and animated gestures as he spoke. Joseph smirked at the kid, enjoying this joyful display. Back home people didn¡¯t normally get this excited about anything, it was refreshing to see. A couple guards shut the barred gate behind the wagon once it finally passed into the plaza, their expressions the epitome of boredom.

    Joe supposed that meant that this place wasn¡¯t under constant attack, if it were they¡¯d look more stressed, more alert. Those half-lidded gazes screamed ¡®I want to go home¡¯, he¡¯d seen that same face on many a security guard before The End. When finally the wagon came to a stop, Prolo stood quickly, urging Joseph to follow as he rushed out the back, basically jumping from the wagon bed and landing on the cobblestones with a strange hyperactive grace. He winced at seeing the landing, already feeling ghosts of pain in his joints.

    Then he blinked, remembering that he had been de-aged. How old was he biologically now? Twenty? Maybe twenty-five? Hard to say, but his joints could handle such strain now as well¡­ Yet, in his old (mentally) age, he¡¯d attained wisdom. That wisdom was preserving your joints, as such actions normally came back to bite in the future.

    And so, he carefully climbed out of the wagon, easing down gently onto his feet. It was a slow, sort of embarrassing display, but if he could save himself from knee pain in the future that was far more preferable. Prolo stared at him beneath furrowed brows, clearly confused as to why he was moving like a sloth. Young fellas simply didn¡¯t understand¡­ but Prolo would in time, most likely after it was already too late.

    Too late being about thirty or so.

    The plaza they¡¯d been deposited into was a wide open space of cobbled stone, with two small, rectangular gardens sitting by the far wall. Didn¡¯t look like anything was in bloom, but this was Autumn. The large fountain in the center caught his eye as well, burbling with crystal clear water. It looked plenty drinkable, meaning it was a struggle for him not to run over and fill his canteen to the brim with the stuff. It would be inappropriate, or perhaps even insulting to go and do that on what he assumed was Prolo¡¯s property.

    At least, he couldn¡¯t do it with anyone watching.

    He shook his head, either way the stuff would need to be boiled and they likely already had a clean source of water for drinking.

    ¡°Elcow ou Pientershuld namor!¡± Prolo shouted, gesturing to the wide manor before them, ¡°Joseph, ou et Touvolder, ei plor ou ot ste und usty Faesh!¡±

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    ¡°Sure is buddy.¡± Joseph replied, giving a thumbs up.

    Prolo practically jumped with joy as his words, ¡°Faesh.¡± He repeated, sticking out his tongue and pointing to it, ¡°Faesh.¡± He said again, the word slightly slurred by the protrusion.

    ¡°Tongue? Is that what Faesh means?¡± Joseph asked, sticking out his own tongue and pointing to it, ¡°Faesh?¡±

    Prolo shook his head, then put both his hands up, clapping the tips of his fingers together as if he had a sock puppet, ¡°Faesh.¡± He repeated, making one hand match his words. Prolo then pointed to Joseph, ¡°Und ou?¡±

    What could the kid be trying to say? Faesh wasn¡¯t clapping fingers or a tongue, and clearly he was trying to ask him something¡­ wait a moment. Joe then lifted up his own hands, mirroring Prolo.

    ¡°English.¡± He said, pointing to himself and mouthing the word with his hand. He then pointed to Prolo, ¡°Faesh!¡± He yelled excitedly, mouthing the words with his hand again.

    Prolo clapped, jumping again as he nodded his head emphatically. So Faesh was the name of the local language here? Good to know. Did that mean that Prolo had offered him the opportunity to learn Faesh here? If so that was a dream come true, that¡¯s exactly what he wanted, and yet¡­

    What did Prolo have to gain from this? Teaching a complete stranger their language would be a massive undertaking, so why go through with it?

    The young man smiled and repeated, ¡°English.¡± Giving a firm nod.

    Could it be that his reasoning was exactly the same as Joe¡¯s? Did he just want the chance for new knowledge? Could he indeed have the same joy for learning as Joseph did? It was possible, and if that were the case, then he would be glad to teach Prolo his own language. Prolo basically skipped toward his manor, beckoning him to follow along.

    And he did, but he wasn¡¯t going to be skipping. The Wrath doesn¡¯t skip.

    The retinue of guards that had been following the wagon had seemingly dispersed, going over to the fountain to sit on the stone benches surrounding it. Prolo had spoken to everyone that had been with him when he¡¯d met Joe, in a tone that brooked no argument. It had seemed at the time that they had been trying to suggest other plans for Joe to their lord, but Prolo had dismissed them and indeed seemed to reprimand them.

    Those same men started staring at him again, and Joseph glared back. He¡¯d not be intimidated by a buncha boys playing knight. Besides them, the grim-looking man that had been driving the wagon busied himself with the horses, untethering them before leading them off towards a small stable in front of the manor. He spared a glance for Joseph as he moved along, and then smiled widely before entering the stable proper. He decided right there that Agdaler, or whatever his name was, wasn¡¯t to be trusted. The guy was a total slimeball, especially with that smile. At least there were other, more pleasant things to look at, such as the other animals in the stable. Joe could spy at least five more horses in there, wonderful beasts from old times in a new world.

    At least, it was most likely a new world. He hadn¡¯t completely given up on the theory of time travel just yet. A couple of guards stood posted in front of the manor doors, their eyes a tad bit sharper than the gate guys. They stopped Prolo in his tracks, glaring at Joseph before chattering at him in Faesh. Their sharp eyes then went to the gun slung across his shoulders, and the various weapons on display at his belt. They seemed to be demanding that he relinquish his weaponry.

    ¡°No.¡± He said sternly, forcing his arms to stay by his side.

    Prolo raised his hands to the guards, ¡°Ees os Joseph¡­¡± He hesitated, ¡°et un¡­ et un Touvolder.¡± He finished in a whisper.

    The guards both gasped, and their glares became awed stares.

    ¡°Touvolder!?¡± One man asked, tone baffled, ¡°Ew oust llet Owld Pientershuld unu!¡±

    Prolo¡¯s face went from cheerful to deadly serious in an instant, ¡°Ou liw ton.¡± He said in a borderline threatening tone, ¡°Ey liw ecut ou fi os.¡±

    The guards face went pale, and he backed away, resuming his position nervously. Prolo continued to glare at him a moment before his smile returned, beckoning Joseph to hurry inside. What had just transpired between the two men? Was Joe¡¯s life in danger? Well if it was, Prolo clearly was letting him keep his weapons¡­ a sign of trust between them, perhaps? It seemed he was warning the guard not to say anything about Joe¡¯s arrival. Whatever the word ¡®Touvolder¡¯ meant, it applied to him.

    Best to find out what it meant soon.

 Chapter Nine: Study

    Before Joseph knew it, a week had passed since his arrival at Prolo¡¯s manor. A lavish room had been provided to him, along with the softest bed in creation. He hadn¡¯t intended to stay quite this long without at least one trip back to Betty, but the progress he¡¯d made in learning this new language made it hard to pull away. It wasn¡¯t as if Prolo was forcing Joe to stay here anyhow, the young man had indicated that he may leave the manor whenever he liked. His guards only followed Joseph when he was exploring the manor, but they didn¡¯t accompany him once he was out on the grounds. That, and the fact that the gate guards had prepared to open the gate for him whenever he had drawn close to it.

    Joe was not a prisoner, he was a student¡­ and a teacher. Both roles thrilled him as he both learned Faesh from and taught English to Prolo. The kid had a sharp mind and picked up on words quite quickly. Joseph, likewise, was learning Faesh fast. Sure, they didn¡¯t know quite enough to hold a proper conversation yet, but some basics had been established.

    ¡°Knife!¡± Prolo shouted, pointing to the blade in Joseph¡¯s tool belt, ¡°Tou ou knife!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Joe shouted back emphatically, nodding his head before pointing at Prolo¡¯s long black locks, ¡°Ralsh hrai!¡±

    Prolo reached over the table to pat Joseph on the shoulder, nodding to show that he was indeed correct. Ralsh meant ¡®long¡¯, hrail meant ¡®hair¡¯. They were both making very good progress here, and once more he gave thanks to God for guiding him to this friendly fella. Because of that chance meeting¡­

    He now had a loose idea of what ¡®Touvolder¡¯ meant. It was a rough translation that Joseph had possibly misunderstood, but it seemed to mean ¡®Otherworlder¡¯ or ¡®Outworlder¡¯. Prolo had drawn a few sketches depicting the definition for him, or at least, Joseph assumed that was what he had been doing. The sketch lay between the two men, lost somewhere within the bundle of papers they had both accumulated in their study together.

    This atrocious paper-pile lay stacked on the table the two shared, an abundance of quills and inkwells scattered beside it. It took a lot of ink to get this much mutual learning done, after all. He reached toward the pile, shuffling through it until once again he found the sketch Prolo had made. It depicted a circle, and another, rougher circle that almost appeared like a clenched fist. These images sat closely together, with an arrow drawn between the two circles with a tiny stick figure between the images.

    The still-alien script of Faesh was scrawled above the sketch, more resembling shapes than letters. Prolo had pointed to it, and had repeated the phrase ¡®Touvolder¡¯ numerous times upon finishing his drawing. Joe was pretty sure the stick figure was supposed to be himself, with the clean circle being Earth and the rough circle being this world.

    This did end up closing many of his previous hypotheses, but in turn it opened up new ones. Since the word ¡®Touvolder¡¯ existed, did that mean that other people from Earth had been here before? Was it common to see people such as Joseph, or was he an incredible rarity? He had a feeling that it was the latter, based on how Prolo had reacted to meeting him.

    Strange though, that Prolo would assume that Joe was an Outworlder at a glance. Was it because he spoke a different language? That couldn¡¯t be, surely there were other languages on this world besides Faesh. Assuming he was an Outworlder based on his differing tongue wasn¡¯t likely. Maybe it was his gear and clothing? That could be it, considering this civilization was far behind Pre-End Earth in tech.

    ¡°Joseph, are¡­¡± Prolo struggled to say, leaning back in his chair as he paused to think, ¡°Joseph, are¡­ you¡­ okily?¡±

    Joe grinned and nodded, ¡°Sure am bud, congrats on yer first sentence in Engllish, but ya screwed up saying ¡®okay¡¯. Close enough though, honestly.¡±

    Prolo grinned back leaning his elbows on the table with a satisfied sigh. The bright light from the open window behind the young man was seemingly being absorbed by that pitch black hair of his. The studying continued throughout the day, until finally night fell. Even then the two continued their work, until their eyes became puffy and every sentence was spoken in yawns. Just as they were both about to call it a night, a man pushed his way into Prolo¡¯s study, holding a large tome in his hands.

    The fella looked a bit tired himself, and based on the wear on those boots and tears in his cloak, he¡¯d been traveling for a while. A courier maybe? What was in the book that he needed to bring it to Prolo this late? The man bowed deeply before approaching, presenting the book to Prolo who took it with eager hands.

    Joseph nearly stood from his seat as he saw the cover of the book, his eyes going wide as he read and understood the letters. The title of the book was simple but it made his heart nearly skip a beat.

    All exhaustion left him as he rounded the table, leaning over Prolo as he read aloud, ¡°English to Faesh.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes, here it was before him, the key to understanding the people of this world. Now both he and Prolo could learn at an even faster rate than before!

    ¡°English book!¡± Prolo shouted excitedly, flipping a gold coin to the weary courier, the gleaming coin seeming to erase the man''s frown.

    ¡°Oooh buddy,¡± Joseph said, rubbing his hands together, ¡°I don¡¯t know how ya did it but you are the best!¡±

    The courier¡¯s eyes narrowed, glaring daggers at Joseph. It seemed as if he were suspicious of something. Did he think he was going to rob Prolo? He¡¯d never seen this man before, but he was apparently in Prolo¡¯s employ. It wasn¡¯t strange to be a tad suspicious.

    ¡°Joseph ou esty English, on au Touvolder.¡± The lad said firmly, ¡°Ou et ton gared Joseph en ouch ei law, osterban?¡±

    ¡°Sa ou lem, Res Pientershuld.¡± The man replied hastily, bowing deeply.

    It sounded like a reprimanding from Prolo followed by an apology from the courier, based on those tones. Prolo dismissed the courier, who bowed and muttered assumed apologies before hurrying out of the chamber. Joe had seen this repeated with other staff in the household whenever he¡¯d talked to them. Those eyes would narrow at him, as if considering something before Prolo would shut them down, sometimes in a tone that bordered on threatening. Was he protecting him from them? Ah well, he¡¯d be able to find out soon after he read this book.

    His eyes found the smaller text beneath the broad title, nearly having a laugh as he read aloud, ¡°For unlucky world hopping idiots, by Craig Teller¡­ published in the year of our Lord¡­¡± Joseph paused, ¡°Nineteen twenty-four?¡±

    This book was over a hundred years old, and apparently had been written by a man that had come here well before The End. Portal storms didn¡¯t happen until the late twenty-twenties, so how was it that Craig had gotten taken here? Maybe Portal Storms had always existed, they were just few and far between in the old days. That could explain mysterious disappearances, such as the missing crew of the Marie Celeste or the Roanoke colonists. It was either that, or there existed yet another means of travel between the worlds.

    His brow furrowed as he considered the possibility of returning to Earth. Would he really want to? This planet seemed just fine, perfectly livable¡­ though that may change in the future if The End came for it. He¡¯d worry about whether or not he would go home if that opportunity ever presented itself to him, for now though, he¡¯d focus on learning Faesh. Then after that, he¡¯d try and warn the locals about the fate of his world and how they can prepare for it. That sounded like a good goal to him, but he would need to keep in mind that most folk simply wouldn¡¯t believe him.

    Maybe his status as an Outworlder would lend credence to his claims? He¡¯d need to discuss it with Prolo when they both became more fluent. He flipped open the book carefully so as to not tear the aging parchment, his eyes widening as he read the note Craig had left on the first page.

    ¡°If you were lucky to meet one of the more friendly locals of these lands, good for you,¡± It read, ¡°I had no such fortune when I arrived. We Outworlders are usually just a means to an end for the natives of Faenor. If one has not immediately tried to sacrifice you to be a vessel for one of their gods, you can trust them, but be wary of anyone else! Do not let your true nature of being an Outworlder slip, or your life will become a living hell. Learn the language and become fluent in it, as all people of this land speak one single language, which as you have read on the cover, is Faesh. Hearing any sort of foreign tongue will out you as an Outworlder, so read this book and learn quickly, for your own sake. I have also written a sort of ¡®Survival Guide¡¯ for our kind here, hopefully you found that book along with this one, if not, just remember my warning.¡±

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Joseph lifted his eyes from the pages to stare at Prolo, who stared back grinning, innocent as a puppy. Well¡­ Prolo hadn¡¯t tried to sacrifice Joseph the instant the two met, and indeed he was helping him to learn Faesh. Could it be because Prolo knew all this already and wanted Joe to survive? If so, he was a good kid with a better heart, nearly brought a tear to this old man¡¯s eye. He owed Prolo an even bigger favor now, and he¡¯d make sure to repay it by teaching him every lick of English he could.

    This warning meant that those strange stares he¡¯d been getting were a lot more dangerous then he had thought. Prolo had seemingly quashed any such notions once they arose, but that didn¡¯t mean that he was out of the woods yet. Any of these folk could go behind his back to try and yoink Joe. Well, he¡¯d like to see these bumpkins try. Joe was incredibly hard to yoink and kept himself armed and armored at all times, even when he was sleeping. He¡¯d need to put extra barricades on the windows and doors of his chambers from now on.

    Besides that, he now knew that gods existed here in Faenor, and that they wanted Outworlders as vessels. Well, he wasn¡¯t gonna let no fourth rate deity make itself cozy in his head, there was only room for one God in his life and he wasn¡¯t planning on adding any more. Now, the question here was why these gods wanted Outworlders in particular. Wouldn¡¯t any mortal body be good enough for possession? There were potentially millions of options to choose from, so why go out of their way for someone like Joe?

    He¡¯d need to find that survival guide too, perhaps the reason could be found there. Of course, Joe could always ask Prolo once he fully learned Faesh. In fact, that just might be the safest way to find out, if he asked a different native why their gods needed Outworlders, that question in and of itself might rat him out. Prolo already knew what he was, so there¡¯d be no risk of sacrification.

    His brow furrowed. Was sacrification a real word? Eh, it didn¡¯t matter.

    Should he pull an all-nighter studying or should he get some rest? Prolo would probably stay awake with him if he did but the kid had been running himself ragged with these long studies. He was a growing boy and needed his beauty sleep. He patted Prolo¡¯s shoulder and grinned before letting out a loud yawn.

    ¡°Bed time.¡± He said, eyes growing heavy.

    ¡°Bed time.¡± Prolo repeated, nodding before rubbing at tired eyes.

    Right after they said that , a dim orange light could be seen through the window. Curious, Joe peeked out of the window to see a series of torches being held aloft by guards. These men were dressed in the same livery as the other guards posted here at Pientershuld manor, but there were around twenty of them in total, leading a large dark wagon forward through the gate.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Joseph asked, looking to Prolo before pointing out the wagon.

    Prolo frowned, standing to peer out into the plaza. As soon as he saw the wagon, his face became deathly pale, ¡°F-fasha et cabk om Relias!?¡± He exclaimed, backing away from the window, ¡°Joseph et danger!¡±

    Fasha? Morla had said that in reference to the man that had appeared to be her father. Did that mean that this stranger was Prolo¡¯s old man? Well, if the kid was reacting like this to daddy dearest coming home, then that was bad news. Especially with Prolo saying that Joe would be in danger. He saw that old coot, Agdaler, move up to the wagon, dry washing his hands with that horrid grin on his face.

    That bastard was about to rat Joseph out to Prolo¡¯s dad! He¡¯d kill Agdaler if the opportunity presented itself, but for now he needed to escape. Sure, he could kill the guards easily enough, but he¡¯d rather not leave a horrible mess in his wake. This was where Prolo lived, and he didn¡¯t want the young man getting in more trouble because of Joe. Before he could scramble out of the room though, Prolo put a hand on his shoulder, indicating a nearby shelf.

    Prolo then moved, going to the bookcase before pulling free a large tome. He then brought it back to the table quickly, setting it down before beckoning him over and opening it to reveal that all the pages within were blank. Joe stared, perplexed for an instant before Prolo pointed to the book in his hands.

    ¡°Copy book,¡± He said, tapping the empty paper, ¡°Give me other timm,¡± Prolo said, ¡°You need veale. Ei ton lostrol Fasha.¡± He finished, pointing at the doorway the courier had left through.

    Joseph¡¯s eyes widened before he nodded. Daddy Pientershuld¡¯s return had compromised his stay here, meaning that the manor was no longer a safe place for him to be. It seemed that Prolo wanted him to copy the contents of the book into this blank one, then to return it once the job was done. For all his help, it was the least Joe could do for Prolo. He¡¯d do what was asked and copy the book for him, and bring it back when it was clear.

    Joseph nodded, offering his hand to Prolo, who clasped it with his own. The two men gave a single firm shake before Joe said his farewells, leaving Prolo behind in his study. He walked quickly through the wide halls of the manor until finally he reached his bedchamber. He stopped to listen at the door before entering, but he heard nothing. He quickly rushed inside, moving over to his rucksack that sat by the foot of the plush bed. He¡¯d kept it ready to grab in case he needed to get out of here quickly which, based off Prolo¡¯s earlier tone, needed to happen now.

    He slung on his bag before he snuck back into the room, shutting the door silently behind him before checking the hall. Once he saw that it was clear, he crept down the hall, toward the opposite end of the manor. There was a back entrance he could take that would lead to the gardens, from there he¡¯d scale the wall and make way for Betty. Poor girl was probably lonely without him.

    It was after he turned the corner that he heard yelling in Faesh, coming from his bedroom. Not familiar voices those, it looked like he got out just in time. He didn¡¯t understand why he couldn¡¯t just tell his men to lay off and leave Joe alone, they had been listening to him up until now hadn¡¯t they? He shook his head, with daddy Pienturshuld back they had no reason to listen to Prolo any longer.

    Well, he wasn¡¯t gonna let himself be sold, eaten, or turned into a vessel for some two-bit god. He¡¯d listen to Craig¡¯s advice and be more cautious from now on. He had been so wonderfully lucky this far, hopefully that luck would hold out until he got home. He finally turned the corner, rushing the backdoor before pushing his way through it. The one guard posted in the garden jumped at his presence, bearing his spear at him before he saw who he was pointing it at.

    ¡°Et ou Joseph? Lou es nut masl dur.¡± He said with a relieved sigh.

    You can¡¯t slam the door was the rough translation, this guy hadn¡¯t been instructed to catch Joe yet. Well, he wouldn¡¯t let him look bad for daddy Pienturshuld. If Joe got away while he was posted back here in the garden, he could get in serious trouble¡­ guess he¡¯d have to do the guy a favor. Joseph walked over to him quickly, the guard¡¯s brow furrowing in confusion at his speed.

    ¡°Et rea lo-¡± He began before Joe hooked him in the jaw.

    The guard fell to the grass, his brain properly rattled. He¡¯d be out for a while and he wouldn¡¯t get in trouble for letting Joseph go unscathed. At least, he hoped that was the case. He rushed past the downed guard, approaching the tall rear wall. The stone was too smooth to scale, and with how loaded down he was, Joe doubted that he¡¯d be able to jump high enough to grasp the ledge. That was fine, he had other options at his disposal.

    Hanging from a loop in the back of his tool belt was a grappling hook, with a sharp steel hook at the end of its thick rope. He pulled it free, unfurling the hook before throwing it over the wall, pulling the rope until no slack remained. Now that it was secure, he began climbing, his feet braced against the wall on either side of the rope. It was always a bit nerve-wracking to use this thing, he¡¯d never fully trusted climbing tools¡­ but perhaps that was just because he was scared of falling.

    It was when he reached the top that he heard shouting from within the manor, growing closer. He grunted as he heaved himself onto the ledge, tossing the grappling hook into the soft dirt on the outside of the wall. He¡¯d loop it up properly when he was out of sight. He then hung down from the wall, gently easing himself down before finally releasing. It was a decent drop, but not enough to where he¡¯d break anything¡­ but when he became old again his knees would get their revenge.

    They seemed to absorb the shock well, but he lost his balance and fell back on his rear, cursing silently before standing. He retrieved his grappling hook and moved deeper into the woods, directly away from the manor. Once they found out that he wasn¡¯t on the property, they¡¯d likely assume that he would return to the trail, best to wait them out until morning. A couple miles into the woods and a night behind a rock or under a bush and he¡¯d be scott-free.

    This was assuming they didn¡¯t send men scouring the woods for him¡­ maybe he should move a bit further away than that. He¡¯d move around ten miles or so before looping back toward the trail, by then the men after him would be spread thin, allowing him an easier time avoiding them.

    Once he returns to Betty, he¡¯ll have a lot of studying to do.

 Chapter Ten: Pursuit

    Getting back to Betty had been easy enough. As Joe had suspected, they had spread their forces thin throughout the forest in an attempt to find him. He¡¯d had to hide from a lot of dangerous creatures in his time, ones that made these guys look like teddy bears in comparison, so it was comparatively easy. Still, there had been a lot of them out there, moving in pairs through the forest. He hadn¡¯t wanted to kill or harm any of them though, for doing so would indicate that he was still nearby in the woods. He wanted Prolo¡¯s dad to think he¡¯d vanished like a fart in the wind.

    And he managed to do so, it just had taken all night to get back here. The early gray of the morning greeted him as he finally moved into the clearing, his eyes heavy. Thank goodness, now he could get some shut eye¡­ He pursed his lips. What if those men found Betty out here? Would they try and break in? Would they know that it belonged to him? Well, if they did, there would be a nasty surprise waiting for them. Joe would worry about that if it happened¡­ He¡¯d be taking his nap, he knew there would be no way for anyone to breach her hull, not unless they had welding equipment or a rocket launcher.

    He groggily thumbed the garage-door opener, Betty¡¯s airlock door lowering to reveal its inner door. He then walked up the ramp, did his secret knock, and stepped inside, shutting both the airlock and door behind him before letting out one of the biggest sighs of his life. Joe slung off his backpack, leaving it next to the door before getting to work removing his armor. He¡¯d need to take a shower before hitting the hay, he was covered in the thickest layer of sweat and grime imaginable, as he had not bathed at the Pienturshuld manor. He simply was not comfortable letting himself be so vulnerable in unknown territory.

    Now that he was back at Betty, he could relax and get himself cleaned up. Once the armor was off, he moved through his pink-carpeted front-room and into the bathroom adjacent to it, shrugging out of his clothes before opening the glass door to his shower. He stepped inside, turned the valves, and just sat down to let the hot water pour over him. He let out a bigger sign than before as he felt the yuck slide off him and pass into the drain, ready to be recycled.

    That didn¡¯t mean that he drank the same water he showered with of course; he had a miniature water treatment plant all the pipes in Betty led too, cleaning the water and readying it for re-use. It was probably time to clean it though, well past time. There was likely an intense build of hard-water and other detritus that needed to be cleared out. The water distiller he had should still be operational, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to do a bit of maintenance. Hmm¡­ now that he thought of it, it was probably high time that he empty the septic tank too. He didn¡¯t look forward to it.

    He popped his back as he made way toward the cockpit, yawning as he went.. He wanted to check around the exterior before getting his jammies on, just to make sure that nothing was prowling around outside. He flicked on the cameras, checking the screens to see a single man, standing right outside Betty¡¯s sealed airlock. He seemed to be inspecting the ground, looking at the smushed grass where Joseph¡¯s feet had been.

    He wore a hooded cloak it looked like, but the pixelation made it hard to make out the details of his face. The man then stood quickly, looking directly at Betty before running off into the woods. Joseph paled at the sight, realizing that daddy Pienturshuld had sent someone to track him. He must have been good too, being able to find Joe¡¯s trail like that¡­ this was bad, extraordinarily bad.

    If that guy had any brains he¡¯d assume that Joe was here, as that was where his tracks had ended. Should he gear up and give chase? It wasn¡¯t likely that he¡¯d be able to catch the guy in time before he could report back to the manor. He was already taking off in a sprint and Joe was still naked, by time he got the armor back on he¡¯d be a good distance away. He could have gunned him down with one of the rear turrets perhaps, but he was already well within the trees and there was no guarantee the shots would hit. He hadn¡¯t wanted to kill any of these guys when he was sneaking back to Betty, but now that they knew where he was there was no reason to hold back now. It was a him or them situation once again, and he would always choose himself.

    Still, there was the potential for more dire consequences later if he killed Pienturshuld¡¯s boys. It could rally more people to come after him than before, justified by both his otherworldly heritage and his killing of locals. Sure, he could try killing all comers but¡­ No, he needed to concentrate on the now. The best thing to do in this situation was to get out, meaning that Betty would need to knock down a few trees after all. It was unfortunate, and he definitely didn¡¯t want to harm these woods, but it had to be done. He¡¯d try not to kill anyone but it¡¯d be no skin off his back if it happened.

    First though, he¡¯d be slipping into his jammies.

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Prolo glared at the man as he reported his findings to father, who stared down imperiously at the bowing tracker. If only he were brave enough to defy father, he could cut down this man before he gave his report. Yet, even if he were, the hunter was just following his lord''s orders, killing him would be an act of evil, would it not? Even if it would save the Outworlder he befriended, it would not be right.

    ¡°He seems to have taken shelter in a large cabin made of steel, Lord Pienturshuld, the Outworlder was unaware of my presence. He should still be there if you set out with a party to capture him.¡± The hunter said.

    ¡°Very good.¡± Father replied, running a hand through his short dark hair, white winged at the temples, ¡°We¡¯ll set out immediately with riders, and apprehend it.¡±

    ¡°Joseph is not an it, father.¡± Prolo said through clenched teeth, ¡°He is a man like you and I.¡±

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°It is a tool, Prolo.¡± HIs father replied, turning to him, ¡°And you will refer to me as Lord Pienturshuld whilst you remain under my roof.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Lord Pienturshuld.¡± Prolo replied after a moment.

    He clenched his fists as he forced himself to look his father in the eyes. Ragas Pienturshuld was a cold-hearted man, and his hard stony face reflected that perfectly. Even his garb seemed carved out of rock, the gray silk cloak and dark shirt beneath it making him nearly look a statue. A long, thin sword was sheathed at his belt, a mirror of Prolo¡¯s own.

    ¡°What were you thinking, entertaining such a creature without sending word? Did you really think that our servants wouldn¡¯t have reported this to me?¡± Ragas asked, face flat and expressionless, ¡°Foolish boy, you don¡¯t seem to understand the gravity of letting the Outworlder free.¡±

    ¡°He is a good man-¡± Prolo began before Ragas cut him off harshly.

    ¡°It is a wish waiting to be granted, think of it boy. The Ban can be circumvented with the body of an Outworlder, and any of the Overseer¡¯s children would reward us handsomely for one. I know what I will ask for, and you will weep when you see it.¡± He finished, finally turning away from Prolo before shouting, ¡°Gather riders and surround his steel cabin, we ride immediately. My heir will remain here and be confined to his rooms.¡±

    Prolo clenched his fists, teeth grinding as two of the guards escorted him to his chambers. Joseph will have hopefully left this strange building behind, whatever it was. More than anything though, he hoped his father failed to catch him. He had been so close to learning English, one of the thousands of tongues from the Outworld¡­ He mustn''t give up yet, the book still existed and Joseph seemed to be a hardy man. One way or another he would learn English¡­

    And find a way to go to the Outworld.

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Ragas Pienturshuld sat straight-backed in his saddle as he and his men galloped down the trail, following after the hunter as they went. His foolish boy had nearly cost the Pienturshuld family the world, but there was still time to rectify this error. The Outworlder, Joseph, had taken refuge in a small home of metal, according to the hunter. They¡¯d surround it and wait for it to come out, and once apprehended, he¡¯d take the creature to be given to whatever deity gave Ragas the best offer.

    Normally he wouldn¡¯t go out on a mission like this himself, but the value of an Outworlder was worth more than anything on Faenor, and this was the first one found in over twenty years. They had become far less common in this century for some reason, almost as if they were going extinct. They had always been rare, in truth, but the scarcity of them nowadays made them nearly mythical.

    What happened in the Outworld that caused such a lull in their appearances? Had something happened to their planet that reduced the human population? He frowned, whipping the reins to his horse and turning his thoughts away from the subject. It didn¡¯t matter what had happened to them, there was one here now, and he belonged to Ragas. The hunter then slowed to a stop, forcing Ragas to slow his own horse to prevent a collision.

    ¡°It is a mile this way, Lord Pienturshuld.¡± He said, indicating the forest, ¡°The trail he had left seemed erratic and was well-concealed, I suspect that this means he won¡¯t be expecting us.¡±

    ¡°Good, then let us-¡±

    The roar of a beast then echoed through the woods, the scream sounding more like a dragon chewing rocks rather than a standard monster. What manner of creature could make that sound? Ragas drew his blade, his men, twenty in all drawing their own weapons in turn. The monster seemed to be in the same direction as the Outworlder! He could not let Joseph die like this, it¡¯s destiny was to be a vessel, not a meal!

    ¡°Men, prepare crossbows, we must slay whatever beast lay within the woods if we¡¯re to safely secure the Outworlder.¡± Ragas ordered, his men sheathing their weapons to draw their crossbows.

    Whatever it was, it drew closer, that rock-chewing scream beginning to deafen his ears. Then, much to his terror, the ground began to shake slightly, the horses rearing back as the sound of crunching wood grew ever closer. And then, through the trees, he spotted it. It was a massive block-shaped mass of darkness, with a row of sharp steel teeth sticking out of its mouth. It knocked down a dozen trees as it advanced toward them, roaring with wrath as the forest bent to its will, crushing trees under massive¡­

    Wait, those were not feet¡­ those were some kind of wheel, two extraordinarily long ones. This was no beast, it was a contraption! A vehicle of some sort, but what beast pulled it? There were no horses in the world that could pull such a thing, and larger beasts would likely struggle to move it even an inch. Yet nothing pulled the massive thing as it finally breached the trail in front of them, a trail of flattened trees left in its wake. It had carved a new trail through Everfall forest, the dark steel mass seeming to drink in all the light.

    Then the thing turned toward them, its bulk taking up the entire trail before it shot forward, sending the horses into a panic as it continued to roar. His beast and the hunter¡¯s ran in the opposite direction of the thing, still in the path of its charge.

    ¡°My lord!¡± The hunter yelld, barely audible, ¡°That is the steel cabin I saw!¡±

    If that was true, then by The Overseer, the Outworlder was within. He was tempted to try and rear his horse around, to try and board the thing and find an entrance¡­ but he knew that would be folly. The reward was great, but his death would be guaranteed¡­. For now, the Outworlder would have to go free. This wasn¡¯t a complete loss of course, for with how massive this vehicle was, it would leave a trail that was impossible to lose.

    ¡°Return to the manor men!¡± Ragas shouted as loudly as he could, ¡°This is not a fight we can win!¡±

    He¡¯d not throw the lives of his men away in a foolish attempt to breach the Outworlder¡¯s vessel. They needed to survive for their own families, as well as his own. Their horses all bunched together, fleeing the path of the beast with whinnying terror. They shot their crossbows, the bolts plinking off the hardened black exterior without leaving even a dent.

    Then it began to gain on them.

 Chapter Eleven: Curiosity

    ¡°Wooooo!¡± Joseph shouted, eyes wide as he chased down the men on horseback.

    He had forgotten how fun it was to chase people down with Betty, crushing them beneath her treads with reckless abandon. That was if they deserved it, of course. Clad in his red and white polka-dot onesie, he stepped on the gas, further terrorizing the horsemen as Betty roared just behind them. Try and chase him would they? This ought to teach em¡¯ a lesson! The temptation to run them down here and now nearly forced the pedal to the floor, but he held back, remembering his earlier caution.

    It wasn¡¯t like these guys were punk raiders or scummy slavers anyhow, at least to his knowledge. They were going to try and sacrifice him though, so in that sense Joe was completely justified in killing them all. He could activate the front turrets at any time, set them to ¡®fire at moving¡¯ and just let them get to work. He wouldn¡¯t do this, but it could be that easy if he so chose. Prolo¡¯s dad was also likely with that group somewhere, maybe even Prolo himself if he had been forced to come along.

    No matter what, killing wasn¡¯t an option right now. He didn¡¯t know the relationship Prolo had with his pa, but killing him could be devastating to the kid. Scaring them off wouldn¡¯t have been his first choice in the wastes, but here in this world it should be fine to leave some survivors. Maybe.

    He continued to chase them for about a mile, until all the horsemen had galloped off into the trees and off the trail. After this, he slowed Betty down to a crawl, turning the wheel and pulling off what felt like a sixteen-point turn. It was arduous and miserable, but with how bulky Betty was and the countless trees surrounding her, it was the only option. Especially since he still didn¡¯t want to knock down too many of them. Sure, this world was still vibrant and alive compared to Earth, but destroying nature still didn¡¯t jive with him.

    Once he was fully turned around, he began driving in the direction opposite of the Pienturshuld manor, grinning as Betty charged forth, widening the trail as she went. Controlling his death-machine made him feel the purest sense of invulnerability, even more than when he was within his power-armor. Her reinforced treads could crush whatever got in her way, and the steel spikes jutting out of her jaw could puncture nearly anything with Betty¡¯s mass behind them.

    Time to get out of these damn woods and out into a field, maybe he could even do some mudding if it rained soon, it¡¯d been eighty years since he¡¯d last done it! So on he went, taking occasional turns to use the wider paths in the trail. It took a few hours to do it, mostly because he kept running into dead-ends, but eventually he managed it, emerging out of the forest and onto a cobble-stone road.

    The path split a wide field of grass in half, stretching out all the way to the horizon on either side. He could see no significant landmarks anywhere, but the cameras could be hiding them with pixelation, he supposed. Even if he stepped out to be sure, he had a feeling that there was nothing but long grass as far as the eye could see. He maneuvered Betty to where she was on the left side of the road, not wanting to ruin the cobbles for future travelers. She was just too heavy for the primitive path to handle, displacing the stones and making it uneven.

    After a few minutes of driving forward, his eyes became heavy again, and Joseph slowed, turning Betty before he began driving away from the road. He continued like this for about half-an hour, until he was a good distance away before parking. The long grass had been flattened beneath Betty¡¯s bulk, carving a very clear trail to her location. He should be far enough away that he could rest easy¡­ he rubbed at his eyes, standing from the seat.

    Even if they did reach Betty before he woke up, she was all but impregnable. Prolo¡¯s pa was hopefully rattled enough by Joe¡¯s chase that he¡¯d just give up, but things never seemed to work that way. When he checked the cameras tomorrow, there better not be a siege waiting for him outside.

    And if there was¡­ it would not end well for them.

    But enough worrying, it was time to hit the sack. He basically collapsed into the recliner in his living room, kicking it back and near-instantly falling asleep. When he woke up, he felt refreshed and ready to get going. He popped his back, heading into the kitchen to brew the first proper cup of coffee he would have in years. He had one more sealed container of the good stuff left, with a French press ready to use. He had to search nearly every shelf and drawer in his tiny kitchen before he could find the dang thing. Once the grounds had properly infused into the boiled water, he gripped the handle, pressing down on the French press slowly to force all the grounds to the bottom. Before he poured it though, he gasped, scrambling out of the kitchen and through the cockpit door before flicking on the cameras.

    He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw no one outside Betty, smacking himself on the back of the head for being so lax. Joe was getting complacent already, he needed to check outside first thing in the morning every day; brewing coffee could come after that! Though, it was closer to midnight, rather than the morning. He had passed out during the day after all. He was so thankful that none of his buddies had been around to see that blunder¡­

    His face became grim as he remembered his old friends, all taken by The End in one form or another, leaving him alone to pilot Betty. There used to be a bunch of sleeping bags on this tacky pink floor, now it was empty. He shook his head, wiping his face as he moved back to the kitchen and his liquid dark savior, eager to distract himself from bitter old memories. The dark coffee served to bring him back to the present, and he smiled, moving over to his recliner to kick back and enjoy the caffeine.

    Now, what was on the itinerary today? There were a couple things that needed doing, emptying the septic tank, de-rusting some of his tools, and most importantly, learning Faesh. The book was safe within his rucksack, which he had left in his workshop. He had to learn it quickly if he wanted to have safe interactions with the locals here, and he owed Prolo that favor of copying the tome. That was gonna take a long time, but thankfully for Prolo, Joseph didn¡¯t really have anything going on.

    Still, this wasn¡¯t something he¡¯d want to do all day every day, he¡¯d dedicate some time to it here and there, try and get it done before the end of this year. Hmm¡­ speaking of which, what year was this? He couldn¡¯t go by Gregorian years on this planet after all. Once he learned Faesh he¡¯d need to pick up a few more books to read. Historical ones would come first, he needed to blend in as much as possible, and not knowing important events of the past would rat him out as an Outworlder.

    He could see it now: ¡°Have you heard of the Bleebening of Blorb?¡± They would ask.

    ¡°Uh, can¡¯t say that I have, sorry pal.¡± Joe would respond.

    ¡°What, how could you not!? Help, guards, this man is an Outworlder!¡± They would exclaim, pointing at him.

    He nodded to himself sagely, that was exactly what would happen. Well, it wasn¡¯t too late to learn about the Bleebening of Blorb, so he¡¯d best get to studying. He retrieved the book from his workshop, seating himself within the cockpit so he¡¯d be able to keep an eye on his cameras.

    <hr>

    ¡°Just think about it, what manner of creature could have left tracks like this?¡± The halfling, Gerad asked her as they followed the path of flattened grass, ¡°This is no creature, it''s some kind of wagon, a big one.¡±

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    ¡°That may be.¡± Sera replied, ¡°I am still curious to see it with my own eyes.¡±

    ¡°Elves.¡± Gerad remarked, crossing his arms.

    She put a hand to one of her pointed ears, drawing her lips to a line, ¡°What about them?¡± She asked him before ruffling his head of brown hair.

    He snarled and batted her hand away, ¡°I¡¯m not a child Sera! I¡¯m thirty eight!¡±

    It was hard for her to remember that, considering his stature and baby-smooth face. Halflings all looked like human children, at least to her. It wouldn¡¯t be until he reached his sixties that he¡¯d begin to look more like a tiny man, rather than a boy of twelve. In regards to halflings, Gerad was still a teenager¡­ but thirty-eight years was still thirty-eight years, mental age did not always match physical form.

    ¡°You¡¯re a child compared to me.¡± She said with a small shrug, ¡°It''s hard for me not to treat you like one.¡±

    ¡°Look, you¡¯re forming a party right?¡± Gerad asked, adjusting his rucksack, ¡°If you want to keep it together, you gotta respect your members. That wasn¡¯t respecting me at all.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Sera asked, running a hand idly through her long blonde hair, ¡°I didn¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because elves don¡¯t know anything.¡± Gerad replied flatly.

    ¡°Well, now you¡¯re the one being disrespectful.¡± She said, ruffling his hair once again.

    ¡°Gah!¡± Gerad shouted, ¡°By The Overseer, woman!¡±

    ¡°It is ahead of us now.¡± She said, narrowing her eyes at the horizon.

    ¡°Wait, you can see it? I don¡¯t see a thing¡­¡± Gerad said, putting a hand over his brow to block out the morning light.

    ¡°I have good eyes.¡± She said with a grin.

    It seemed to be exactly what Gerad had claimed earlier. The thing in the distance was a massive dark block, and while she couldn¡¯t make out any other finer details, she was certain that it was no living thing. What manner of beast could pull a wagon like that? Well, since they were already here, may as well go and investigate. Her curiosity was getting the better of her once more, but by The Overseer she didn¡¯t care.

    She wanted to know what that thing was.

    <hr>

    Joseph stared at the cameras, perplexed by the shifting grass outside Betty. He¡¯d made good progress through Craig¡¯s book, and had picked up on some new words, but before he could continue, he had noticed a patch of long grass shifting toward him. There was a good wind out here, but this was no gentle sway, this grass was being split and flattened by something crawling. Was a wild animal creeping around? He supposed that it wasn¡¯t too strange, this was a functioning ecosystem after all¡­

    But what kind of animal was it? Surely any predator wouldn¡¯t think that Betty was prey, unless there were a lot of them. Maybe if it was a massive pack of wolves? No, not even then. Perhaps those two shifting patches of grass were people, not animals. Could they be more of Pienturshuld¡¯s trackers, ready to report back to their lord?

    Well, since they were all out in the middle of nowhere, maybe it would be fine to kill them. The gunshot would echo across these plains but Joe would be gone well before anyone would come to investigate. At the same time, the chance of rallying folks against him for slaughtering fellow locals might be worse than simply driving away. Pros of killing these guys were that they wouldn¡¯t report back to Pienturshuld, giving him more time to sit here and learn Faesh. Cons were that he¡¯d turn them into martyrs and turn the whole world against him.

    Then again, according to Craig, this world, Faenor as the book claimed, was already against him. Everyone save for Prolo was a potential enemy that wanted to give his giblets to their dark gods. If he killed enough people that tried to kidnap him, maybe they¡¯d eventually just leave him alone. He also needed to acknowledge the fact that these could simply just be curious travelers, trying to find out what cut that trail through the grass.

    He decided his course of action right then and there. If they looked like Pienturshuld¡¯s men, he¡¯d just gun them down and be done with it. If they didn¡¯t bear Pienturshuld livery, he¡¯d let them live, but he¡¯d not interact with them. He didn¡¯t speak Faesh fluently yet, and he didn¡¯t want any more folk after him.

    For now, he just watched them, moving a finger over to the button that would enable the turrets. The shapes continued to creep through the grass until finally they came to a stop, about twenty paces away from Betty¡¯s teeth. After about five minutes, the two shapes peeked their heads out from their hiding spot, and Joe breathed a sigh of relief.

    It was a girl with long hair and some twelve-year-old kid. He doubted that Pienturshuld sent these guys after him. Even if they were from the manor, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to shoot a kid, no matter what. He removed his thumb from the button, but kept an eye on the strangers. He¡¯d still need to drive off if they started knockin¡¯. Hmm¡­ actually¡­

    <hr>

    ¡°What a sight.¡± Sera said, eyes wide, ¡°Do you think it can move on its own?¡±

    Gerad squinted, his sharp eyes seeming to try and discern tiny details on the vehicle, ¡°I¡¯d say so. No animal could pull that thing, at least nothing you¡¯d find on a farm.¡± He remarked, rubbing his chin, ¡°They got things sort of like that in the bigger dwarf holds, takes a lot of steam apparently but that¡¯s all I know. Those stubborn rocks wouldn¡¯t tell me how they worked, but I think this is like that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of those contraptions.¡± Sera said, ¡°I heard they need hot coals. This one must take a lot to get going.¡±

    ¡°Might be a company of dwarves in there, best thing to do is leave em¡¯ alone Sera.¡± Gerad said, sinking back down below the grass line, ¡°They don¡¯t like to talk with folk outside their own race on the best of days, and with you here¡­ They might just try and kill us on sight.¡±

    ¡°I believe that even the dwarves would be hesitant to slaughter us without first asking us our business.¡± She said with a slight nod.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Gerad said flatly, ¡°They¡¯ll just kill us right after that.¡±

    Sera wagged a finger in front of the halflings face then, ¡°Nuh uh, you know about my special trick, we¡¯d be alright.¡±

    ¡°Joining you was clearly a mistake, do I still have time to back out of the contract?¡± Gerad asked in a suffering tone, face a grimace.

    Sera smiled warmly before replying, ¡°No! You know that.¡±

    She stood then, and approached the massive wagon, intent on finding its entrance. Sera wasn¡¯t intending on breaking in, she merely wanted to sate her curiosity, to meet whoever resided within the contraption. However, before she could get within ten paces, the vehicle¡­ it Screamed at her, and she fell back on her rear, eyes going wide with terror before the massive thing backed away, turning around before fleeing toward the horizon.

    Had it advanced to crush her, she would have had to use her special trick. Thankfully it had not been needed. Gerad rushed forward, gently helping her up from the ground while they both kept an eye on the retreating steel wagon.

    ¡°That answers that, it moves on its own.¡± Gerad said shakily, ¡°Now let''s head back to the road, we still have to stop by Shian for that quest.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes.¡± Sera replied, dusting herself off, ¡°If we ever find that thing again¡­ I want to see if there is a way we can interact with its owner, if possible.¡±

    Gerad paled at the words, ¡°Just give it up already woman!¡± He exclaimed, exasperated, ¡°Whoever or whatever that was, they wanted nothing to do with us. Just leave it be.¡±

    She¡¯d not be able to, even if she wanted it. Her cursed curiosity had peaked, and the desire to learn about the machine had grown nearly unbearable. This pressing need would not be sated until she accomplished this task. It would haunt her dreams if she left it a mystery. She looked down to Gerad, and once again smiled warmly.

    ¡°No.¡± She replied.

    <hr>

    Joseph stared, perplexed that the girl was willingly approaching his death-machine. Maybe he shouldn¡¯t be so shocked, she had no idea that he was able to see her via the cameras. It was hard to tell from the pixelation, but she was a pretty woman, with long pointed ears and wearing garb that was not suited for Autumn weather. She wore a skirt that ended just above the knees, disconnected from her long sleeved tunic that left her midsection totally exposed.

    Wearing something like that in the wasteland would have been suicide, but here things were different. It was still strange considering the weather, it wasn¡¯t exactly warm outside, especially since it was still early in the morning. She was apparently an elf, considering the long ears, so maybe cold didn¡¯t affect them that much? Then again, he had known plenty of folk back on Earth that would wear shorts during the winter, compared to that she was dressed appropriately.

    Well anyway, he wasn¡¯t going to let her get any closer. He started up Betty, enabling the noisemaker to dissuade further pursuit from these two. He¡¯d done the same thing to Pienturshuld and his boys, making Betty louder than she actually was. Being powered by the mini reactor actually meant that she was relatively quiet when driving. This had been perfectly fine in most cases, but when he needed to scare something off he enabled the noisemaker, which played from a retractable stereo system he¡¯d installed beneath Betty¡¯s hull.

    He¡¯d drive for a couple more miles before stopping again, he¡¯d go farther if he thought it was necessary but he really wanted to get back to reading.

 Chapter Twelve: A Short Stroll

    Joseph yawned as he copied more words into the empty book Prolo had given him. It had been about a month now since he¡¯d arrived in Faenor, and he hadn¡¯t left this field since he had driven Betty into it. Autumn was still going strong, though the treetops were beginning to have less leaves than the ground beneath them. Winter would be coming soon to Faenor, at least if its rotation was the same as Earth¡¯s. There had been more curious travelers after that first pair, and he had to do the same thing to them, scaring them and periodically driving away before being able to get more work done.

    His schedule had been strictly spent studying, repairing Betty, and scaring off strangers. All in all, it was pretty enjoyable. Reminded him of the old days, when he had been stockpiling books to read in his spare time when things weren¡¯t out to kill him. He had learned so much from those old books, and they still sat within a sealed glass shelf, ready to read again if he so desired. Those books had been a big reason as to how he had built Betty in the first place, he appreciated them more than almost anything here.

    He knew metalworking, tank maintenance, sewing, among countless other skills due mostly to his collection of tomes. Sure, they didn¡¯t give him first hand experience, but they had set him on the right path when he was trying new things. Once this Faesh book was copied and fully learned from, it would take a place in that shelf along with the others. It stood tall, bolted to and taking up most of the wall beside his recliner. It was his own personal library, preserving them for future survivors had been oh so important to him back on Earth¡­

    But now? No one could read the damn things except himself, and the people of his world needed it far more than Faenor did. Sure, there could be a few Faenorans that could understand it, if they found a copy of Craig¡¯s book maybe. It wasn¡¯t likely, and he frankly didn¡¯t want to share them with the locals. It would open up questions that may lead to Joe getting sacrificed.

    No, for now he¡¯d stay selfish and keep them locked away. Suddenly feeling tired of his work, he shut the copied tome, his eyes shifting over to the original version. English to Faesh. The single most important task on his bucket list was learning Faesh. He¡¯d say he was getting close to knowing every word in the book, after all, he¡¯d been spending the majority of his time this past month studying from it.

    Wake up, study for ten hours, take two hours for something else, sleep. This has been the daily ritual he¡¯d been following. Craig had done a fantastic job in his translation, everything had been written down cleanly and clearly. He had left another note part ways into the book, urging the reader to have conversations with themselves in Faesh and to create their own flashcards.

    Joseph followed the advice to the letter, and had done a decent job at it, at least he hoped so. His pronunciation could use some work, but Craig had thankfully written down how to say all the words. It had been surprisingly easy to pick up on it, but he¡¯d not know the results of his practice until he spoke with another native. Another chunk into the book and he had found yet another note from Craig, explaining that Faesh was not strictly a tonal language.

    Thank God for that, if it had been tonal the learning process would have been a lot more miserable. Well, miserable in the sense that practice time would take far longer than it already did. He only realized it now, but he was beginning to feel somewhat antsy from staying cooped up here in Betty for the past month. A small break to wander through the woods would do wonders for his mental state.

    He¡¯d still need to gear up though, of course. He¡¯d bring his trusty Benelli with him this time, seeing as it was now fully functional again. Time hadn¡¯t been kind to the shotty, but Joseph had restored it to its former glory in his spare time. He slung it over his shoulder with a grin, donning his gear before stepping outside. His plate armor felt less stuffy than the last time he¡¯d worn it, a boon granted by the approaching winter. It was late in the morning, but that chill still lingered in the air.

    He had parked Betty right next to another section of the forest, where it rimmed the grassy field. The once long and green grass was slowly beginning to lose its luster, turning pale yellow as Autumn progressed. He¡¯d just take a short jaunt through the woods, enjoy the wildlife, just relax. Faenor wasn¡¯t half as dangerous as Earth, he could perhaps get away with a bit of laxyness. Hmm¡­ Laxyness wasn¡¯t a word either, but seeing how he was potentially the only man on Faenor to speak English, it was now.

    He whistled a tune as he went, his eyes peeled despite his earlier intent to relax. It was hard to turn it off, these instincts had kept him alive since The End; they were second nature to him now. This wasn¡¯t a bad thing of course, he honestly shouldn¡¯t be lazy when he was out on foot, even if Faenor wasn¡¯t as deadly as Earth. He needed to remember that this was an alien planet, anything could be out there. If he let himself become arrogant now, he was going to die.

    As he continued deeper into the woods, he found himself smelling¡­ smoke? Yes, in fact, he could see some smoke flooding the canopy overhead. He had only just begun his walk, it felt, and while regrettable, It was time to leave. His armor was tough but it couldn¡¯t withstand a forest fire. He turned quickly, and began jogging back the way he had come, following trees he had marked with his trench knife. Thankfully the spread wasn¡¯t faster than he was and he made it back to Betty in one piece.

    He may have to evacuate the field if it spread to the grass, he wasn¡¯t keen on letting Betty become an oven. She¡¯d be relatively fine, but he¡¯d boil to death if she got surrounded by fire for an extended period. He sighed as he thumbed the button to open Betty¡¯s door, the ramp slowly lowering to allow him entrance.

    ¡°So,¡± A feminine voice said suddenly, ¡°You aren¡¯t a dwarf!¡±

    He brought the Benelli to bear, swinging around to aim it at the speaker. Much to his surprise, it was the long-haired elf girl he had spotted sneaking up on Betty a month ago. Now that he could see her in color, he saw that the yellow-trimmed robe she wore was green, and her hair was blonde. Somehow she¡¯d managed to sneak up on him! It was a tad bit humiliating that he¡¯d let someone get the drop on him, he really had gotten rusty. She stood just at the rim of the forest where he had come from, a hand on her hip and a smirk on her face. Just how long had she been following him?

    She had been speaking in Faesh, thankfully his practice had paid off and he could understand her. Unless he was mixing up the words of course, but he didn¡¯t think so.

    ¡°Get outta here.¡± He said in Faesh, ¡°I don¡¯t know what yer plannin¡¯ but I don¡¯t appreciate being followed around.¡±

    She then knit her brows together, putting a hand on her chin before saying, ¡°What a strange accent, are you from the Fog-Gate then? From a far off land?¡±

    Good, she didn¡¯t immediately assume he was an Outworlder, but what was this about a Fog-Gate? Well, whatever it was, it was the perfect excuse. She was staring very intently into his eyes, it was a look that mildly infuriated him. It was like she was trying to read him, treating him like an open book.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Joseph said, flipping down the mask of his helmet to conceal his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m not going to warn you again. Leave.¡±

    He really didn¡¯t want to shoot this woman, but she was clearly dangerous. She had not only managed to sneak up on him of all people, but she had also been stalking him for God knows how long. She was a threat.

    The elf then put up both her hands, palms forward, ¡°I really don¡¯t mean any harm, I just wanted to meet you is all.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re a stalker freak.¡± Joseph said with disgust, ¡°What¡¯s your angle? There more of you behind them trees?¡± He said as he spotted some movement, ¡°I see you there! Come out right now before I put a hole through yer friend!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Gerad!¡± The elf yelled in an annoyingly bubbly tone, ¡°He doesn¡¯t actually want to hurt me, come out!¡±

    How the hell could she tell that? This girl really had been reading him like a book¡­ maybe she was thousands of years old and could just do that. She was an elf after all, if fantasy conventions were being followed to the letter, then she was basically immortal. Biologically immortal anyway. A shotgun slug didn¡¯t discriminate between mortal or immortal flesh, it would put holes in both.

    A kid, the same one from last month, stepped out from behind the tree then, wearing a suffering expression, ¡°Please don¡¯t kill us.¡± He said, adjusting his backpack, ¡°She¡¯s shockingly dopey and innocent, she really means what she says.¡±

    Joe eased slightly, seeing the boy avoid looking directly at him. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to shoot the kid if he turned hostile¡­ He would just have to knock him out instead. He wore a deep brown wool jacket and trousers, matching his tied back head of hair. There were some steel plates sewn in at the shoulders but not much else for protection. He was about a foot shorter than the elf woman, and about a thousand times less irritating.

    ¡°Just get her out of here and we¡¯ll both be on our way kid.¡± Joe said, not lowering his shotgun, ¡°I don¡¯t trust people I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t know either of ya. Now git.¡±

    ¡°Kid?¡± He asked, exasperated ¡°I¡¯m thirty-eight!¡±

    Joe blinked, looking the boy back over. If he was really thirty-eight he¡¯d have some silver in his hair, some wrinkles, be complaining about his knees or something like that. Was this some strange attempt at a joke? Was he trying to defuse the tension? It was a poor attempt, but right now that didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°Forest is on fire.¡± Joe said, ¡°You folk best get out of dodge before it reaches us.¡±

    His brain felt hot trying to recall all these words on the spot like this, but it was quite literally a matter of life-and-death. He couldn¡¯t let himself be outed as an Outworlder, especially since he didn¡¯t want to kill these two. Maybe tomorrow he¡¯d just sit back and relax, have a good ¡®do nothing¡¯ day.

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    ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here, actually.¡± The elf said, ¡°My name is Sera, and you see, we happened to run into you here as coincidence.¡±

    Joe narrowed his eyes at her, ¡°Uh huh. My ass, what are you gonna fight the fire with? Yer hands?¡± He asked, indicating the woods with his head, ¡°Get out of there boy, go stand with your friend, I wanna keep both of ya¡¯s in sight.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a boy, but fine.¡± He replied sullenly, moving to stand beside Sera.

    Neither of them seemed to have any ranged weaponry, so he held the edge here. The kid, Gerad, had a sword sheathed at his belt, and Sera didn¡¯t have anything at all besides the clothes on her back, if those could even be called clothes.

    ¡°As a response to your question,¡± Sera began with that horribly happy tone, ¡°I can summon water, I ate a decent book a while back that allows it.¡±

    Joe stared, not saying anything. He wasn¡¯t questioning the existence of magic on Faenor, after all it was a fantasy world, why not have a few spells? But what was all this about eating a book? His eyes widened a fraction as he came to a sudden realization. He couldn¡¯t just let these folk leave, he could talk to them and find out more about Faenor! It was tough being on the spot like this and remembering all these words, but if he could capture them he could learn all he wanted before dropping them both off somewhere far away¡­

    He grinned beneath his mask¡­ yes¡­ they would probably infer that he was an Outworlder based on his questioning but it would be worth it in the end. He¡¯d interrogate them for a month or two before letting ¡®em go. It would be safer if he just killed them afterward¡­ but that just didn¡¯t sit right with him. The Big Guy Upstairs wouldn¡¯t be too happy about that, He knew the difference between killing in self-defense and outright murder. It would be a huge pain in the ass to keep them restrained for that long though¡­ he would need to feed them and supervise restroom time, which sounded hellish but he didn¡¯t want to let this opportunity slip.

    ¡°Change of plans, both of ya get on yer knees.¡± He ordered, pumping his shotgun, ¡°You¡¯re coming with me.¡±

    For some reason, Sera smiled, dropping to her knees without hesitation. Her eyes shifted over to Betty¡¯s door, and there was a gleam in her eyes that he didn¡¯t trust¡­Maybe bringing her would be a bad idea, she could apparently summon water, right? What if she flooded the interior? Maybe this wasn¡¯t a good idea, he¡¯d have to settle on taking just the kid.

    ¡°Not you actually, just him.¡± He said, ¡°I ain¡¯t lettin¡¯ you mess up my home with no magic crap.¡±

    As expected, her eyes turned back onto him, looking shocked and incredibly disappointed. Gerad on the other hand¡­

    ¡°No way.¡± He said, remaining standing, ¡°I¡¯m not going with some halfling fetishist. I¡¯d rather die.¡± He finished casually, ¡°Not gonna be your toy, weirdo.¡±

    Joe nearly groaned in despair at those words. He should have known that they¡¯d think he was a pervert. Wait a second, did he say he was a halfling?

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re a halfling?¡± Joe asked. It was a word that had been translated in Craig¡¯s book after all, there of course had to be a Faesh application for it on Faenor. ¡°So you¡¯re actually thirty-eight?¡±

    Gerad sneered, ¡°Not interested anymore? Maybe you were gonna sell me in Relias huh? Not me, I¡¯d rather die.¡±

    ¡°Just calm down,¡± Joe said quickly, ¡°It¡¯s not like that, I need information, a lot of it.¡±

    Some of which would be the location of this ¡®Relias¡¯ place. If people were being sold there, then Joe would head over there and put a stop to it, brutally.

    ¡°Information.¡± The halfling replied flatly.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Sera yelled excitedly, ¡°I know way more than Gerad does about anything! Take me! I won¡¯t use magic at all, promise.¡±

    ¡°Sera.¡± Gerad said with a groan, ¡°You can¡¯t go with this guy, and don¡¯t be so rude!¡±

    The halfling would rather die then go with him, and taking Sera was too big of a risk¡­ plus, they were horribly annoying.

    ¡°Just forget it,¡± Joseph said, frustrated with the conversation, ¡°This ain¡¯t worth it, just get going!¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we negotiate?¡± Sera asked, ¡°You said you wanted information, yes? I can tell you whatever you would want to know, I¡¯ve been in this Shard for years, I know a good deal about it.¡±

    ¡°No way.¡± Joe said, ¡°You said you can summon water, you can flood Betty if you do that, and who knows what else ya got up yer sleeve.¡±

    ¡°Still such a strange accent¡­ Like your tongue is broken.¡± Sera noted, ¡°Almost as if you just started learning to talk.¡±

    Damn, was his cover blown? Perhaps his way of speaking Faesh wasn¡¯t as fluent as he hoped. Sera¡¯s eyes narrowed as she stared at Joseph, and after a brief moment of hesitation, she asked.

    ¡°Are you perhaps a-¡±

    Joseph¡¯s finger itched to pull the trigger of his shotgun.

    ¡°Sigoid?¡± She asked.

    Joe paused for a long while, ¡°And what if I am?¡± He asked her, ¡°Got a problem with Sigoids?¡±

    Joe had no earthly idea what a damn Sigoid was, but it was the perfect out. He thought that Sera had figured out he was an Outworlder. He still shouldn¡¯t outright claim that he was one, in case this was some kind of scheme to out himself.

    ¡°Ah well, you see¡­¡± Sera said, ¡°I¡¯ve had a long interest in meeting one of your kind. In my Shard, you are known as ¡®Sigoids¡¯ and I think-¡±

    ¡°So you really do think I am one then?¡± Joe asked, keeping his tone neutral.

    ¡°Honestly? I do, I really do.¡± Sera replied, her features hardening, ¡°Your speech, to my ears, is broken, the weapons you wield are alien, and that wagon of yours emits no steam and is pulled by no beast. Fear not, I do not wish to sacrifice you, if you happen to be one, but I assure you that all I want is to learn about your world, and in exchange, I will teach you about mine.¡±

    Joe¡¯s lips tightened. Wherever Sera was from, Sigoid meant ¡®Outworlder¡¯. There was no translation for it in Craig¡¯s book, so clearly he hadn¡¯t been to her part of the world yet. Either that, or it was a word she had made up on the spot to give him a false out. What should he do? Should he kill her now or try to refute the claim? Simply denying it and shooing her off might spread rumors of an Outworlder being in this world, rumors that could come back to bite him. Killing her seemed to be the safest option, yet she was outright saying that she merely wanted to learn from him¡­ she could be another Prolo, willing to help him out.

    ¡°What the hell is a Sigoid?¡± Gerad asked her, ¡°Are you saying he¡¯s an Outworlder?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a word I made up.¡± Sera sighed, ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a Sigoid, I was merely testing to see how he would react to it. Based on what he said¡­ I think he is one.¡±

    Well, letting her go wasn¡¯t an option anymore, same with the kid- halfling. They didn¡¯t know for sure that he was an Outworlder, but they were at least suspicious. There were only two options now, kill them here or take them captive¡­ the latter seemed infinitely more dangerous, a risk to be sure, but with the potential of a great reward. Sera could be able to teach him how to properly speak Faenoran, and his gut was telling him that would be the right choice. It had rarely been wrong before, but Gerad? The halfling he didn¡¯t trust one bit¡­ and he had to either take them both, or kill them both. Damn it all, he hated making decisions like this.

    ¡°If I was an Outworlder, I could just kill ya from right here and go about my day.¡± Joe pointed out, indicating his shotgun, ¡°Why the hell would you let me know that you suspect it? You dumb?¡±

    ¡°Elves can read a lot about a person through eye-contact sir.¡± Sera said, ¡°Emotions mostly, but I can tell that you are a man of good character. I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m in danger.¡±

    So that was why she was staring at him like that earlier. It was good that she couldn¡¯t see his eyes right then, she might have changed that opinion if she saw them now. The internal debate to kill or capture was still warring in his mind, despite his gut feeling about Sera. Truth was, did he really need to take her with him to learn? Once the book was complete, he could return to Prolo and learn- He frowned, clicking his tongue at the thought. Pienturshuld manor wasn¡¯t a place he could comfortably study at. The staff there would know who and what he was, it was not a safe haven anymore. Sure, he could try and hide, but where? What was he gonna do, sleep under Prolo¡¯s bed?

    He couldn¡¯t just kidnap Prolo either, mostly because Joe knew and liked him. Forcing him out of his own manor to help him learn a language probably wouldn¡¯t have a positive affect on their friendship. Joe could ask Prolo if he¡¯d want to come with him, and maybe the boy would agree to it¡­ but it was hard to say.

    He looked between his shotgun, and his two captives. Very hard to say¡­ Silence stretched for a long while as Joseph mulled on what to do. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t allowed the time to reach a decision. He heard the sound of something flapping overhead, something incredibly heavy, if his ears were right. His head craned upward to see a long, serpentine red line trailing through the air above him. It landed right beside Betty, turning its draconic horned head toward him with a snarl. By God those teeth were longer than his gun, those crimson scales looked impenetrable, its horns looked capable of putting a hole through power armor¡­

    This was an honest to God dragon, wasn¡¯t it? He whirled, aiming his shotgun at the thing. His back was turned to Sera and Gerad, but he¡¯d much rather have his back to them, rather than to this thing. Right as he was about to pull the trigger, it began to speak, once more in Faesh.

    ¡°I have come to rend this land and turn it into my domain.¡± It said, its voice cold and rumbling, ¡°My hoard will grow, and the treasure¡¯s in your wagon will-¡±

    Joseph pulled the trigger, blowing out a large section of the wyrm¡¯s throat and sending it reeling back, coughing up blood. He was not giving this overgrown lizard a damn thing beside a surplus of lead. Its limbless serpentine body slithered away, taking flight despite its lack of wings. He had no idea how it was something this big could get air with no wings, but Joe just assumed it was magic.

    Joe pulled the trigger again, the slug impacting the dragon¡¯s flank and sending it crashing back down to the ground. Bones and organs were visible now, the shotgun having left a sizable hole in its flesh. Joe sprinted around the beast quickly, making sure to stay just out of its reach. He didn''t want to get caught by a tail whip or get gnawed on by those teeth. Still the thing tried to crawl away through the grass, moving quickly as it continued to cough.

    A small trail of blood and spilling gore followed it as it made its way through the grass, and it screamed, ¡°Stay back, mortal!¡± It gurgled, ¡°I will turn your entire family to ash if you persist!¡±

    As soon as he finally got a clear shot on its head, he took aim, but just before he could pull the trigger, the monster quickly exhaled, sending out a torrent of hot orange flame. Joe¡¯s instincts took over, and he leapt, rolling onto his shoulder before quickly coming back to his feet. The fire engulfed the spot where he had just been standing, igniting the grass. He quickly took aim once more and fired, not wasting time trying to aim anywhere in particular.

    Another hole opened up in the dragon¡¯s throat, on the opposite side of the first one he¡¯d created before. The beast collapsed to the grass with a gurgling roar, its blood nigh invisible against its crimson scales. It inhaled again, barely managing to lift its head from the grass before it exhaled once more. Joe rolled yet again, but found out that it had been unnecessary.

    Instead of it¡¯s mouth, the fire had escaped from the dual holes in its neck, lighting up the field on either side of it instead of flying toward Joe. Presumably frustrated, the wyrm launched forward, mouth wide open to chomp him in half. It never got the chance. One final slug left the barrel of the Bennelli, impacting the roof of the dragon¡¯s mouth and blasting its brain out of the back of its head.

    It didn¡¯t matter how tough something was, nothing could live with swiss cheese for a brain. The wyrm collapsed, surrounded by its own, quickly spreading fire. Joe briefly wondered if the thing was edible, he¡¯d need to sharpen his butcher knife to pierce those scales¡­ actually, those scales could be useful. He assumed they were flame retardant, and-

    No, he needed to focus, the fire was spreading and it was time to get out of dodge, he¡¯d come back here another time to see if anything could still be salvaged from the body. Right as he was about to sprint around the flames to reach Betty however, the sunlight became distorted. He looked up to see that a large sheet of water had formed in the sky overhead, seeming to cover the sun with its width.

    Then, it came crashing down to Earth- er, Faenor. He only had time to tuck his shotty beneath his trenchcoat before it impacted, drenching his coat and nearly knocking him to the ground with its weight. His armor may have been watertight, but his coat would need to be dried thoroughly later. Had Sera done that?

    He raised his head, seeing only wet burnt grass and a steaming dragon corpse. That, and Bettty of course, now covered with a fresh coat of water. However¡­ he couldn¡¯t see Sera or Gerad anywhere. He tried to turn around, to see if they had come up behind him, but strangely enough, his body disobeyed him¡­ in fact, he couldn¡¯t move it at all! Panic welled up within him when he felt a dainty hand touch his shoulder.

    ¡°I got you now, Outworlder.¡± Sera said in a happy tone.

 Chapter Thirteen: An Arrangement

    ¡°It''s no use,¡± Sera said as she felt the man struggle against her spell, ¡°This magic is potent enough to restrain a bear.

    ¡°I¡¯ll end you,¡± He snarled, ¡°You made a big mistake missy, you ain¡¯t sacrificing me!¡±

    ¡°Good job Sera!¡± Gerad said excitedly, ¡°Now we can get a wish, where should we go to do the ritual?¡± He asked, approaching the Outworlder with an appraising gaze.

    ¡°Ritual?¡± Sera asked him, ¡°Whatever do you mean? I¡¯m not going to sacrifice him.¡±

    Gerad groaned then, and the stranger¡¯s struggling ceased, ¡°He¡¯s a wish, you could get anything! Bring someone back from the dead, become wealthy, sky¡¯s the limit! Are you really going to throw that all away for this guy!?¡± He shouted, ¡°He probably eats babies or something, let''s just get the wish!¡±

    ¡°I already told you no, Gerad.¡± Sera said, locking eyes with the halfling, ¡°Do not suggest it again.¡± She finished in a cold tone.

    ¡°Y-yes.¡± Gerad stuttered, bowing his head.

    ¡°If ya ain¡¯t gonna kill me, let me go!¡± The Outworlder shouted, continuing his futile struggle.

    ¡°But I¡¯m curious about you.¡± Sera said innocently, ¡°And I know you¡¯re curious about our world, again, I¡¯m proposing an offer¡­ but first, what is your name?¡±

    He froze again, ¡°It¡¯s Joseph, and what happens if I say no?¡± He asked.

    Sera smiled, rounding Joseph to face him head on, she then brought her face close to his helmet and said, ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°That right?¡± Joe asked her, "Fine then, no.¡±

    Sera frowned, she had been hoping that this display would only reaffirm that she was trustworthy¡­ oh no, had it had the opposite effect on him!? Sera stepped away from him, releasing the spell before sighing.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought that if I had you in the palm of my hand and still let you go, that it would get you to trust me.¡± Sera said honestly.

    ¡°Nah.¡± Joe replied, ¡°That just pissed me off, I oughta blow both of yer heads off.¡± He continued harshly, ¡°Dontchu ever do that again.¡±

    Sera¡¯s ears visibly lifted at that, ¡°Again?¡± She asked hopefully.

    ¡°...You kept yer word.¡± Joe said simply, ¡°Ya didn¡¯t try to force it. That¡¯s the only reason I changed my mind. If you wanna come with me, that¡¯s fine.¡± He said, his tone bitter, ¡°Ground rules, you¡¯ll be restrained, both of ya, no magic in there either, ya hear?¡±

    ¡°Very well, if that is what it takes. Gerad don¡¯t argue.¡± She said quickly as she saw the halfling¡¯s mouth open, likely to complain, ¡°We don¡¯t have time, there¡¯s still that fire we need to put out in the woods over there. Will you accompany us, Joseph?¡±

    The Outworlder took a moment to consider.

    ¡°No.¡± He said flatly, ¡°Go by yourself, I¡¯ll wait an hour and if ya ain¡¯t back by then, I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    ¡°Okey dokey!¡± Sera said, skipping off toward the forest, ¡°Come on Gerad, we have a time limit!¡± She shouted excitedly.

    <hr>

    Joseph stared at the retreating backs of Sera and Gerad, pondering if it would be better to simply leave them behind. His gut told him that they¡¯d definitely be back, so he wasn¡¯t concerned that they were going to run off and let everyone know what he was. If Sera was restrained, that likely wouldn¡¯t stop her from being able to use magic. What if she only made that offer because she needed him to get inside Betty? No, if that were truly the case she could have forced him to reveal how with that paralytic spell she had used.

    A spell she had willingly dispelled in order to prove that she was being genuine. Sera had been right, if she¡¯d wanted to sacrifice him, she could have done so with relative ease. Sera, whatever her true intentions were, did not mean him harm, at least it seemed. Maybe she really was more like Prolo?

    That Gerad guy though, he was bad news, tried to convince Sera to sacrifice him anyway. The restraints would be doubled for that little prick. It would be better if he didn¡¯t have to bring him at all, but they seemed like a package deal, and killing him at this point wasn¡¯t an option, at least if he wanted to learn from Sera. He had a feeling that blowing the halfling¡¯s head off wouldn¡¯t sit right with her.

    He had around an hour, if that, to truly decide on whether or not he would bring those two with him. Since he had the free time to think about it, he¡¯d also make use of that dragon¡¯s carcass. Those scales might be useful, and the horns could likely be very valuable. He wasn¡¯t sure if they were ivory or some other material, but the hacksaw ought to remove them easily enough.

    As he approached the body, he mulled over Sera¡¯s offer. If she was truly as well intentioned as Prolo, then having her come along with him would be a God send for learning about Faenor. Perhaps that¡¯s exactly what the Good Lord intended? Maybe¡­She was dangerous and acted like a total freak, but again, she had him in the palm of her hand earlier, and still chose to let him go free, after he had told her no.

    He sighed, the benefits outweighed the risks, he¡¯d be taking her with him. Gerad on the other hand¡­ he¡¯d not be coming with them. That would be the next condition he¡¯d discuss with her on their return. Joe was willing to restrain the punk and drop him off by the road, but after that it would just be him and Sera. Once their mutual interests were satisfied, he¡¯d drop her off at a place of her choosing, unless she gave him reason to distrust her.

    Of course, that was if it could be assured that Gerad would keep his mouth shut about Joe. If not¡­ well, they¡¯d cross that bridge if they came to it.

    Sera n¡¯ Gerad could come up with a rendezvous point and continue on their little adventures after her trip with Joe was done. With his mind made up, he went to work on the dragon¡¯s carcass, trying and failing to drive his knife through the tough scales of the creature. It was like he was trying to puncture steel with a sewing needle. It wasn''t long before he gave up, sheathing his knife with a sigh.

    There has got to be a way.

    His eyes then found one of the wounds he¡¯d inflicted with his shotgun, an opening in the flesh. On closer inspection, he saw that the bone within was completely unmarred by the shell that had opened up this hole. He wiped sweat from his brow, placing both hands on his hips as he considered his options. Clearly the bone was stronger than the scale, but if he couldn¡¯t even pierce those, then the bone may as well be tungsten. It may be better to simply give up and save the hassle¡­

    And yet, the possibilities of their application intrigued him greatly. If the bone was lighter than steel and stronger, he could replace some of the plates in his armor, or even enhance Betty¡¯s hull with it. How the hell was he going to harvest it though? He had intended to saw off its horns, but the hacksaw may not be sharp enough to separate them.

    Well, he could always just tow it along with him until he figured out what to do with it, or alternatively, he could hide it in those woods somewhere. He frowned, shaking his head. Hide it in the woods? By hand? Not happening, the corpse would just have to settle on being dragged through the grass for a bit. With that, he entered Betty, and shifted her around to the head of the corpse.

    After that, he went back outside, and opened a small compartment beside Betty¡¯s door. Inside lay a thick retractable steel hook, more than capable of pulling the dragon. He grabbed it, and grunted, pulling the thing toward the dragon¡¯s skull. He knelt down on the snout, and drove the hook deep into the creature''s slitted eye, pulverizing the organ and hooking it firmly in place. It wasn¡¯t the most secure way to do this, but right now it was all he could think of. There was another hook he could use as well, one that sat in an identical compartment on the opposite side of Betty¡¯s door. He retrieved that as well, and drove it through the other eye, latching the hook firmly into the socket.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    He then slapped the head of the dragon, ¡°That isn¡¯t goin¡¯ anywhere.¡±

    Joe still had some time left before Sera and her servant got back, so he used it to try and remove the horns. Much to his frustration, the horn remained intact, his saw refusing to find a foothold within the bone. If only he had installed one of those laser cutters before he got sent here, this wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    Pah, as if he would have been able to install it at his great age. Well, sure he could now, but Earth was a dimension away and he wouldn¡¯t be getting back any time soon. He left the dragon then, climbing the ladder that led to Betty¡¯s roof. He then sat down at the edge, keeping an eye on the forest as time passed. When the hour had nearly ended, he saw Sera basically skipping toward Betty, humming a bubbly tune as she went. Gerad, for his part, was covered in soot and looked utterly miserable.

    ¡°Guessing, ya¡¯ll did it.¡± He said, standing up, ¡°I got another condition for ya.¡±

    ¡°Well aren¡¯t you greedy?¡± Sera asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Just you can come along, we ain¡¯t bringing him with us.¡± Joe said, pointing at Gerad, ¡°I don¡¯t trust either of ya really, but him especially. I¡¯ll take ya back to the trail and drop ya off, figure out where you¡¯ll meet up once we¡¯re done. Non-negotiable.¡± He finished, moving back over to the ladder, ¡°And he better not go blabbing about me, or there¡¯ll be serious problems. You control him right?¡±

    Sera grinned, ¡°Absolutely! We have a contract- if either of us breaks it, there¡¯ll be serious repercussions.¡± She cleared her throat before looking at Gerad, ¡°If you go talking about Joseph, I¡¯ll break our contract and doom us both.¡±

    Gerad seemed to pale at that, ¡°You would go that far?¡± He gulped, ¡°You aren¡¯t serious are you?¡±

    ¡°Deadly serious, but you¡¯re a good boy, you won¡¯t talk about Joe, yes?¡± She asked him, pointing to Joseph.¡±

    Was this some sort of magical contract? Would they both be immolated or cursed if they broke it? Sounded like mutually assured destruction, if that was truly the case then Sera really meant everything she had said earlier. Did she have a way of knowing if Gerad went back on his word? With all the magic crap going on nowadays, it wasn¡¯t an impossibility.

    ¡°Elves are insane!¡± Gerad exclaimed, ¡°You would ruin your life to throw a wish away!?¡±

    Sera shrugged, ¡°I gave my word.¡±

    Gerad¡¯s fists clenched, and begrudgingly he said, ¡°I won¡¯t say a thing, I swear.¡±

    Joe had been around long enough that he could tell when someone was genuinely afraid. The thought of breaking this contract clearly uneased him, Joe doubted he¡¯d rat him out now¡­ at least not until this contract was fulfilled.

    ¡°Okey dokey!¡± She replied, flashing a thumbs up, ¡°Gerad, how about we meet up in Shian in a year or two?¡±

    ¡°Woah!¡± Joe and Gerad yelled at the same time.

    ¡°A year or two?¡± Joe asked, ¡°The hell are you on? A month or two tops, girly.¡±

    ¡°Elves.¡± Gerad groaned, ¡°You realize that our contract becomes void after a year, right? And I might not be inclined to renew it if you go galavanting off with weirdos.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Sera placed a thumb on her chin, looking to the sky, ¡°Is that a long time? The years don¡¯t seem to last all that long to me.¡±

    ¡°It''s a long time for me.¡± Joe said, descending the ladder, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s likely.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to have me around for a long time?¡± She asked, knitting her brows together, ¡°Did I become ugly this past week, Gerad?¡±

    The halfling muttered a half-hearted reply.

    ¡°Look,¡± Joe said, ¡°A month or two is all I need, after that we can part ways. I¡¯ll tell you what you wanna know and you tell me what I wanna know, it shouldn''t take years to get that done.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll just see what happens!¡± She said, clapping her wrists together, ¡°Alright, this was your condition, right?¡±

    He nodded as he approached her, pulling out two zip-ties from his pouch.

    ¡°What are those?¡± She asked, ¡°They look dainty¡­ I think I could break those easily.¡±

    ¡°Doubt it.¡± He said, closing the two zip ties around her wrists, ¡°Go on, try.¡±

    Sera then strained against the bindings, looking perplexed by their resilience. Just as her face began to go red, she sighed, ¡°What are these made out of?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Plastic.¡± He told her honestly, ¡°Lightweight and stronger than you¡¯d think.¡± He then turned, looking to Gerad before pulling out two more zip ties, ¡°Your turn.¡±

    Gerad then shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ll just go on foot. There¡¯ll be work in Shian that can tide me over while I wait.¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Joe replied, putting the zip ties away, ¡°If you lay a trap for me when I drop her off, I¡¯ll kill ya. Now git.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon Gerad!¡± Sera said, wiggling her fingers at him, ¡°Ta-ta!¡±

    The halfling merely muttered in response, and moved back into the forest. Why go that way? Was there a trail in that section of the woods as well? Perhaps he just didn¡¯t want to be out in the open?. He looked to Sera, who was staring at the hooked dragon corpse.

    ¡°I wanna harvest the scales n¡¯ bone off of it if I can.¡± He explained, ¡°I don¡¯t have nothing that can cut it manually, so I¡¯ll try usin¡¯ a power tool later.¡±

    ¡°A power tool?¡± She asked, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what that is, but if you want to harvest the bone you¡¯ll need something imbued with magic. The scales are a different story, if this ¡®power tool¡¯ is as sharp as I assume, then it may be able to saw through them.¡±

    Imbued with magic huh? ¡°Can you imbue magic into a knife or something?¡± He asked her, drawing his blade.

    She shook her head, ¡°The only race of people that can do that are the dwarves, and they aren¡¯t likely to provide one to you, if they even decide to have an audience with you in the first place.¡±

    ¡°I talked with a dwarf around when I first got here. I couldn''t speak Faesh then but I remember his name was Varig.¡± He said, ¡°He got captured by goblins and I set him free, maybe that¡¯d earn me some brownie points with em¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Brownie points?¡± She asked.

    ¡°It''s a saying.¡± He replied, ¡°But if I can find that guy or some of his friends, think they¡¯ll give me one for saving him?¡±

    Sera shrugged, ¡°It''s hard to say, you¡¯d need to go to one of their holds and ask for him specifically, and again, they¡¯re more likely to chase you away if you approach for anything but trade. Dwarves are a solitary race.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll put a pin in that then,¡± He said, ¡°Let''s get going, wanna get away from here in case yer boy-slave comes back here with friends.¡±

    He seized her hands with one of his own, and pulled her toward the ramp. She put up no resistance, quickly following after him with that same skip in her step. How could anyone be so chipper about getting tied and kidnapped? Well¡­ this really wasn¡¯t kidnapping, she had wanted to come with him after all.

    He had been so lucky meeting so many folk that didn¡¯t want to sacrifice him. Morla, Varig, Prolo, and now Sera, he had to be running out of luck now. Then again, Morla and Varig had not been in any position to apprehend him, even if they had wanted to. Prolo and especially Sera had been in more advantageous positions, with Sera almost literally having him in the palm of her hand and despite that, she had let him go willingly. Maybe he shouldn¡¯t be so harsh with her, he¡¯d pulled those zip ties as tight as they could go. After he did his secret knock, he repositioned her, letting Sera move in first so he could keep an eye on her.

    ¡°Wow!¡± She exclaimed, her head turning this way and that as she was moved to the center of the room, ¡°Look at all these gizmos! What is that thing over there?¡± She asked, staring at a tire iron hanging above his workbench.

    ¡°Tire iron.¡± He said, ¡°Hold still, gonna loosen your ties.¡±

    ¡°Loosen them?¡± Sera asked, blinking innocently, ¡°Do you trust me more already?¡±

    Joe grumbled as he loosened the zip-ties, purposefully not answering her question. The truth was that he did, but he didn¡¯t want her to know that yet. That, and the circulation to her hands were being cut off. It¡¯d be alright to leave some slack, those thin arms of hers weren¡¯t gonna break the ties.

    ¡°Also, just wanna get this out of the way now,¡± Joe said, ¡°I ain¡¯t gonna try anything weird with ya.¡±

    Sera smiled, ¡°I appreciate that, but you wouldn¡¯t be able to, even if you wanted.¡±

    He didn¡¯t reply, pushing her toward the door that led to his living room and pushing it open. Sera went through, again assaulting him with a barrage of questions. He sat the chatterbox down on his recliner, backing away before crossing his arms. She didn¡¯t even give him time to answer anything before she was already onto the next question.

    ¡°Slow down woman!¡± He yelled, ¡°Yer givin¡¯ me a headache.¡±

    She blinked again before saying, ¡°I apologize, this is just all so exciting. Did you build this wagon? How did you bring it with you?¡±

    ¡°Yep, took me a long ass time. As to how I got here, I don¡¯t gotta clue.¡± He said honestly, ¡°I was gonna ask if you knew anything about that.¡±

    ¡°You were either summoned by someone, or you ¡®Slipped¡¯.¡± Sera explained, crossing her legs, ¡°Seeing as you¡¯re here and not possessed, I¡¯m guessing it was the latter.¡±

    ¡°I woke up in the forest here, no one was there to say hello so yeah, I guess I Slipped.¡± Joe said with a nod, ¡°What I don¡¯t get is why I¡¯m young again.¡±

    ¡°Young again?¡± She asked, ¡°You can¡¯t be a day over twenty child, I saw your face, that beard can¡¯t hide your baby skin.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a hundred n¡¯ two years old.¡± Joe said flatly, ¡°Back on my world I looked like it too, but for some reason I ain¡¯t old no more.¡±

    For some reason, Sera stiffened, a frown appearing on her face, ¡°Come again? You¡¯re how old?¡± She said in a monotone.

    ¡°A hundred n¡¯ two.¡± He repeated flatly, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t believe me, it''s the truth.¡±

    ¡°It''s not that I don¡¯t believe you,¡± She mumbled, hanging her head, ¡°But that means you''re a year older than even me. You¡¯re my senior.¡±

    Joe barely held back a snicker, for some reason he found that funny, ¡°What, you mad ya can¡¯t pull off the ¡®wise old elf¡¯ thing with me?¡±

    ¡°As a matter of fact,¡± She said, her head lifting to stare into his mask, ¡°I am.¡± She finished, her face and tone mildly pouty.

    ¡°Well grow up,¡± Joe said, trying to keep his voice flat, ¡°Kids like you oughta respect yer elders.¡±

    She then stuck her tongue out at him, and he blinked in surprise. What kind of retort was that? She really was a kid.

    After a moment of silence, Sera spoke again, ¡°You mentioned pulling off the ¡®wise old elf¡¯ thing, but you¡¯re a newcomer to our world, how would you come to understand that trait of my race?¡±

    ¡°Cause yer fictional, back where I come from. Dwarves, elves, all of ya aren¡¯t real over on Earth, just in stories.¡± Joe told her, ¡°That¡¯s a common trope for y¡¯all.¡±

    ¡°Fictional¡­¡± She said, lifting her bound hands to scratch her nose, ¡°Do you think that one of your people came to Faenor, and somehow returned to your world, Earth as you call it? Spreading tales of our people when your world was still young?¡±

    Joseph shrugged, ¡°Not sure, makes sense to me though. Stories about elves go back a long way, can¡¯t tell ya off the top of my head how far though¡­¡± Joseph paused, his brows knitting together as the gears in his head spun, ¡°The word ¡®elf¡¯ is the same in Faesh as it is in English.¡±

    ¡°Is English your tongue?¡± She asked, receiving a nod from him, ¡°That is curious, I believe we¡¯re onto something!¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± He said, "Not sure if ¡®elf¡¯ is said differently in other languages or not, could still be a cosmic coincidence.¡±

    ¡°Other languages?¡± She asked, ¡°You have more than one?¡±

    ¡°Oh, thousands.¡± He said, ¡°I read in a book that y''all only got Faesh, why is that?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± She paused, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, that¡¯s just how it''s always been. The Overseer¡¯s tongue is our own and there has been no deviations since.¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Joe said, ¡°Before we keep goin¡¯, I wanna get out of here. Get cozy, I¡¯ll be driving for about half n¡¯ hour.¡±

    ¡°Could I watch you drive?¡± She asked, ¡°I want to know how it is you get this in motion, is it powered by steam?¡±

    Joe grinned beneath his mask, ¡°I¡¯ll tell ya, follow me, I can¡¯t really leave ya alone out here anyway, who knows what you¡¯d do.¡±

    ¡°Be bored!¡± She replied, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t touch anything without permission, I see now that this is not just a vehicle, but your home.¡±

    The conversation carried on for a long while, for the entirety of the drive and well into the night.

 Chapter Fourteen: Movie Night

    ¡°No,¡± Sera said with a giggle, ¡°There was never an event known as the ¡®Bleebening of Blorb¡¯ , what a silly thought.¡±

    Joseph nodded to himself, satisfied. He was already pretty sure that there was no such thing, but he had just wanted to confirm that. Sera leaned back in his recliner, adjusting her wrists against her bindings. The temptation to simply remove them had been nagging at him since he decided that Sera meant no real harm¡­ but he¡¯d been burned by people he had trusted like that before.

    Still though, if they were going to be working together for the next couple months, those bindings were going to make things inconvenient. What was he going to do when she inevitably needed to use the restroom? Was he going to wipe her himself? He nearly shuddered at the thought, no way. His gut practically screamed at him to let her go, that the ties were unneeded, but his brain reigned it in, erring caution.  He had only just let her in a few hours ago, he couldn¡¯t give her free reign¡­ at least, not yet. He¡¯d decide after he talked with her for a bit longer, just to see if he could spot any red flags.

    ¡°I have another question for you,¡± Sera began, ¡°See, Outworlders have always been a rarity on Faenor¡­ but you¡¯ve all basically become myth this past century. The last one seen before you was twenty years ago now, would you know why that is?¡±

    Joe exhaled audibly, pulling down his hood and removing his helmet. It was getting far too stuffy to keep wearing the damn thing, his head was slick with sweat. He sat down cross-legged before meeting Sera¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t say anything for a long while as The End replayed itself in his mind. Sera looked somewhat taken aback by the eye contact, again apparently reading him like a book.

    ¡°It ended.¡± Joe told her in a low tone, ¡°My world ended, most of my people died.¡±

    Sera put her bound hands over her mouth, eyes still locked on his, ¡°Truly¡­?¡± She asked after a moment, ¡°You aren¡¯t joking¡­¡± She said, seeming to confirm this to herself.

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± He said, ¡°There used to be billions of us- not no more though. I¡¯d reckon there¡¯s only about a million people left alive back home¡­ naw, half that, a quarter even.¡±

    ¡°Billions?¡± She asked, ¡°I-I don¡¯t know if there are even one billion on our world now¡­ so many people died because of this event?¡±

    ¡°Most folk who lived called it The End, and when I got sent here things weren¡¯t looking much better.¡± He explained, ¡°The worst of it was during that first week¡­ God I barely even remember what happened durin¡¯ that time, it¡¯s all a blur.¡± He continued, shaking his head.

    ¡°Do you know what caused this?¡± She asked, ¡°Did a powerful demon invoke some sort of ritual?¡± She asked, ¡°Did your Overseer punish the world for some misdeed?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes I wonder¡­¡± Joe said, putting a hand over his brow, ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t think He did. It felt more like a cosmic car-crash, an accident.¡± He explained, ¡°It was too chaotic and random, and there were survivors. If God wanted humanity wiped out, he could have done it in a more absolute way, but that ain¡¯t what happened. There were things from other dimensions coming out of those portals, sometimes they seemed just as confused as we were, but usually they just wanted to kill us and each other.¡± He paused for a long while, trying to recall the different things he had seen in that first turbulent week.

    ¡°Please, continue¡­ unless you would rather not, I¡¯ll understand.¡± She said, ¡°Still, this explains why your kind haven¡¯t had the presence that they used to.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell ya how it happened exactly, but I know what brought the problems in. We call em¡¯ Portal Storms.¡± He explained, sitting back up, ¡°Anything can come out of one, building sized monsters, rivers of magma, entire lakes worth of water- that¡¯s just to name a few. It wasn¡¯t just monsters that they brought, at least in that first week. After a while, the storms seemed to get weaker, but they never left. They became a standard weather pattern, smaller in scale but still dangerous. Sure, they didn¡¯t spit out lava quite as often or dump entire oceans on folk, but they still brought in new monsters. That¡¯s why we could never recover, The End never stopped.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s horrible.¡± Sera said in a sad tone, ¡°I¡¯m guessing that is why you constructed Betty, yes?¡±

    ¡°Exactly right.¡± He said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy, I¡¯ll tell ya. Took four years worth of scavenging to put her together, but she can take pretty much anything thrown at her. This is my life''s work right here.¡± He said with a smile, glad to change the subject, ¡°I could practically live here forever if I wanted to, save for when I gotta get food.¡±

    ¡°She basically is a siege engine,¡± Sera said, ¡°If you have schematics, you could likely sell them and live a life of luxury.¡±

    Joe snorted and shook his head, ¡°Ya¡¯ll are a bit too far behind to be replicating Betty, and even if you could there¡¯s no way I¡¯d share it.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Sera replied, ¡°Are you getting tired yet? We¡¯re well into the night now.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± He told her honestly, ¡°What about you?¡±

    She blinked before grinning, ¡°Ah¡­ you aren¡¯t aware. Elves only need around two hours of sleep a week on average, we aren¡¯t lazy like the other races.¡±

    Joe stared at her for a long while, trying to figure out if she was messing with him.

    ¡°Enraptured by my beauty already?¡± She asked, ¡°I thought that was going to take longer.¡±

    ¡°You messin¡¯ with me? Two hours?¡± He asked, ignoring her previous statement.

    She smirked, ¡°Not at all, but you need sleep. Shall I spend the night outside so you feel safe to rest?¡±

    Joe frowned then, pausing for a long while before he shook his head. His temptation to undo her bindings had won out, that and he couldn¡¯t sit right with leaving a lady out in the elements, especially when she wasn¡¯t dressed for the weather. In fact, she didn¡¯t even have a backpack when she¡¯d boarded Betty. Was Gerad carrying all of their camping supplies? Well¡­ if she only needed to sleep for two hours a week, carrying her own tent wouldn¡¯t be all that necessary.

    He shook his head, ¡°Naw, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be a problem.¡± He told her, undoing the zip ties, ¡°Just don¡¯t touch anything without my say so, you could break something.¡± He told her, ¡°Especially nothing in the cockpit.¡±

    ¡°Aye aye cap¡¯n.¡± Sera replied, flashing a thumbs up, ¡°So, does that mean you¡¯re letting me stay inside as well? Even if that means you¡¯ll be at my mercy when you rest?¡±

    Joe hesitated before he answered, ¡°You had me dead to rights earlier, if ya wanted me dead you coulda done it there and then, but ya didn¡¯t.¡± He said, ¡°So, I¡¯m gonna take a risk and trust ya.¡±

    ¡°Why that¡¯s so-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sleepin¡¯ in the cockpit and lockin¡¯ the door.¡± He said, cutting her off, ¡°It won¡¯t be cozy but I¡¯ve slept in worse places. You can relax on the recliner there, and there¡¯s a couple blankets packed away in the shelf next to the T.V., if you get cold.¡±

    ¡°I thought I couldn¡¯t touch anything?¡± She asked, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°I just gave you permission to touch the shelf and the blankets in it,¡± He told her flatly, ¡°Were you listening to a word I said earlier?¡±

    ¡°Oh I was, I just wanted to annoy you a tad.¡± She said, standing from the recliner, ¡°Just a bit of fun before I¡¯ll be bored for the night.¡±

    That¡¯s right, she wasn¡¯t going to be sleeping at all tonight. Sera would be spending hours out here alone with nothing to do. He moved over to the entertainment center, and turned on the television. Sera trailed right behind him, squatting beside him as he rummaged through the dozens of dvd¡¯s he had collected over the years. What would she enjoy watching? Maybe something like Lord of The Rings? Or perhaps a nature documentary, seeing as she¡¯s an elf n¡¯ all¡­ She then suddenly put her chin on his shoulder, looking down at the collection of dvd¡¯s.

    Joe shrugged out of the sudden intrusion, looking back at her with brow furrowed, ¡°Ya ever hear of personal space?¡± He asked her, mildly irritated.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± She apologized, ¡°I¡¯ve never had a good sense for that kind of thing, I merely wanted to look at those strange books there.¡±

    Joe eased slightly, picking up one of the dvd cases and opening it for her to inspect, ¡°They ain¡¯t books, these are called discs, the things holding them are cases. They¡¯re very fragile but they can hold video-¡± He paused, ¡°I¡¯ll tell ya about what video is tomorrow, but I was gonna play one of these for ya while I sleep, so ya won¡¯t be bored. Just trying to pick which one to put on, ya won¡¯t be able to understand anything that¡¯s bein¡¯ said, but it''s better than just sittin¡¯ there.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­¡± She said, ¡°How about¡­ this one here?¡± She asked, pointing at The Thing.

    Joe grimaced. ¡°No, not that one. That might be too much for ya.¡± He said, shaking his head.

    Her face scrunched up, apparently she was offended by what he had said, ¡°There is nothing in this world that is too much for me.¡± Sera said, indignant, ¡°I¡¯ve seen it all.¡±

    Joe scoffed, ¡°This ain¡¯t from this world, you won¡¯t be able to deal with it.¡±

    Sera scowled, ¡°Play this video and I¡¯ll prove you wrong! Go to bed right afterward and you¡¯ll see that I¡¯ll be just fine when you awaken.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it''s a good idea-¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re scared of it,¡± She said, jabbing him in the chestplate with her finger, ¡°Will hearing it in the other room keep you awake?¡± Sera asked, face becoming smug.

    Joe sighed and shook his head, ¡°Ya don¡¯t get it, I¡¯m not puttin¡¯ that one on cause-¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re frightened.¡± Sera said flatly before crossing her arms, ¡°I am brave.¡±

    Joe drew his lips to a fine line, ¡°You know what? Fine.¡± He said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll put it on for ya. Also, this is important for you to hear, the story that¡¯s going to play on the screen is fictional, meaning that it was played by actors, ya know, thespians.¡±

    He didn¡¯t want her thinking that The Thing was based on real events¡­ then again, with Earth having succumbed to The End, shapeshifting monsters weren¡¯t too far fetched. In fact, now that he remembered it, he had killed one such creature himself, but it hadn¡¯t been like The Thing. Thank God for that.

    ¡°Like a play?¡± She asked, ¡°I don¡¯t see how something like that would be scary.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see, Ms. Brave.¡± He said snidely, sliding the disc into the dvd player.

    He set the movie to start before retiring to the cockpit, locking the door and curling up behind the chair, falling asleep relatively easily despite the gear he still wore¡­ however his sleep was soon interrupted by a loud knocking on the cockpit door. He sat up, wide awake and reaching for his knife, but he eased as he remembered where he was.

    ¡°Joseph, please come out here!¡± Sera shouted from the other side, ¡°Please!?¡±

    He opened the door with a groan, seeing the elf standing right outside, eyes wide and hands clutching her arms.

    ¡°Can you please sleep on the recliner, I¡¯ll be quiet I promise.¡± She said in a pleading tone, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone after watching that travesty you call a play.¡±

    ¡°That was one of the best movies of all time.¡± He told her with a yawn, rubbing at his eyes, ¡°Not a travesty at all.¡±

    ¡°Are all these discs like that!?¡± She gasped, turning her head back to the entertainment center, ¡°These movies are all like that?¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°Naw, there are different genres of film, you just insisted on watching a horror.¡± He shrugged, ¡°You shoulda watched somethin¡¯ else.¡±

    ¡°Look, just sleep out here. I won¡¯t do anything to you, I just need to have someone present.¡± She said, grabbing his wrist and attempting to pull him out of the cockpit.

    Joe nearly laughed out loud, but controlled himself¡­ instead letting out a snicker. Sera glared at him beneath a furrowed brow, not pleased to hear it.

    ¡°Did you watch the whole thing?¡± He asked her, shaking his wrist out of her grip before brushing past her.

    ¡°I did¡­¡± She said, putting both hands over her eyes, ¡°I watched it all.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up before?¡± He asked, seeing the credits rolling, ¡°I coulda changed it to somethin¡¯ else.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t look away.¡± She admitted, ¡°I was fascinated as well as disgusted, I could not tear my eyes away no matter how grotesque it got.¡±

    That made sense, she¡¯d never seen a movie before after all. She probably equated it to magic or something like it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on the recliner,¡± He told her, receiving a grateful nod in response, ¡°But I¡¯m gonna put on another movie to help ya detox.¡±

    Sera paled then, and shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see another.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t just got horror movies,¡± He said, kneeling down by the entertainment center once more, ¡°I got all kinds of flicks, adventure, romance, action- the works. I got even more on my computer but I ain¡¯t lettin¡¯ you touch that.¡±

    ¡°As long as it isn¡¯t another horror film, I may be alright¡­¡± She said after a moment, ¡°But you still need to stay here.¡±

    For all her dangerous magical abilities, Sera was kind of a pansy. It was hard not to trust her, if he was being honest with himself. She reminded him of one of his old friends from back in the day, and her bubbly demeanor and curious nature made it hard to be grumpy. His gut told him that it¡¯d be fine to remove the armor and get some proper sleep on the recliner. If she were going to try and steal Betty, she¡¯d have done so by now.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna put on a classic, it''s called Lord of The Rings, it''s got elves n¡¯ other stuff in it too, not scary at all.¡± He said, popping the disc into the dvd player, ¡°Classic fantasy adventure.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in the movie?¡± She asked, ¡°Sorry I mean- My people are depicted in the movie?¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡± He confirmed, ¡°Not sure how close they are to Faenor elves, but they¡¯re in there alright. They¡¯re played by humans since we ain¡¯t got no real elves, but I think they did a good job. Anyway, I¡¯m gonna go take a shower, I¡¯ll be out in a bit.¡±

    ¡°You have a shower!?¡± She exclaimed, excited, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of them, can I see it?¡±

    ¡°Not while I¡¯m usin¡¯ it.¡± He said, shaking his head, ¡°There¡¯s showers here too?¡±

    Sera nodded, ¡°It''s another thing the dwarves tried to keep secret from the other races, but humans have figured out how to replicate it. Only human nobility seem to have access to these, but they may become more common soon, at least that is what I¡¯ve heard. Water flows through pipes and comes out of a faucet, yes?¡±

    ¡°Byeah.¡± He replied, ¡°Pretty much.¡±

    ¡°Can I see it once you¡¯re all done?¡± She asked, ¡°Or even use it myself?¡±

    He didn¡¯t really see any harm in it, so he agreed to the request, on one condition, ¡°You gotta have me teach you how the water works, if ya don¡¯t, you might make the water too cold or too hot.¡±

    ¡°I can boil my own water,¡± She told him, ¡°You don¡¯t need to teach me that.¡±

    ¡°No, listen.¡± He said, ¡°There¡¯s valves you can mess with to change how hot or cold it is, ya don¡¯t boil the water yourself.¡±

    This opened him up to another assault from Sera, prodding him about how that was possible. After a lengthy explanation of how water-heaters worked, he played Lord of The Rings, ditching her in the front room and readying himself for his shower. Once he was finished, he emerged, clad in his mighty white and red polka dot jammies. Sera barely noticed him step out, her eyes glued to the tv screen.

    ¡°I have been to such a place before,¡± She said, ¡°But the halflings there were war-like and savage, these ones seem so¡­ pleasant in comparison. I think I would like to meet these folk one day-¡± She paused, ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ I forgot for a moment that these people aren¡¯t real. Movies are a strange sort of magic.¡± She finished, finally turning to look at him. ¡°Is that some kind of pajamas?¡±

    ¡°Byeah.¡± He replied, moving over to the recliner and kicking back, ¡°Real men wear polka-dot.¡±

    ¡°I think it looks strange.¡± She said, ¡°Almost like something a baby would wear.¡±

    ¡°Goodnight.¡± He said, ignoring the jab and shutting his eyes.

    ¡°I thought you were going to teach me how to use the shower?¡± She asked, ¡°And I can¡¯t go in there until this movie is done.¡±

    ¡°You can pause it with the button that looks like two lines right next to each other, and ya can play it again with the sideways triangle button.¡± Joe groaned, pointing to the remote, ¡°And hot water is the red valve, and cold is blue. Ya adjust them to get yer preferred temperature and just scrub yourself down.¡±

    ¡°But what about-¡±

    Joseph pretended to snore, cutting her off. She huffed, and he heard the movie pausing and her stepping into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Before he drifted off to sleep he heard her let out a terrified squeak, but he didn¡¯t move to investigate. He wasn¡¯t gonna go barging in on her and she could figure the shower out by herself. It felt oddly calming having someone else in Betty with him for a change¡­ maybe these next couple months wouldn¡¯t be so bad after all?

 Chapter Fifteen: Bandit Clearing

    ¡°So this ¡®George Washingtub¡¯ became the first president of your nation?¡± Sera asked as he brewed the day''s coffee.

    ¡°Washington,¡± Joe corrected as he finished pressing the coffee, ¡°And yeah he was our first one. A new one was elected every four years till The End happened.¡±

    Joe then poured the pot into two separate mugs, handing one to Sera who stood just outside the cramped kitchen. She took it cautiously, smelling the brew and curling her nose.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say I enjoy the smell.¡± She said, ¡°Does it taste good?¡±

    ¡°It''s an acquired taste,¡± Joe said, ¡°I¡¯d say most folk use milk n¡¯ sugar to make it sweet, its normally bitter.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯d prefer it sweet.¡± She told him, moving over to the recliner and easing back in the seat, ¡°I¡¯ll try it but I¡¯m not expecting to enjoy the flavor.¡±

    Joe moved out of the kitchen after her, leaning against the doorframe and casually sipping. It was the morning after she had watched The Thing, and she truly didn¡¯t seem any more tired than she did last night. If only he could get away with sleeping for two hours a week¡­ what a super power. Her face scrunched up when she finally took a sip of the coffee, shaking her head.

    ¡°This is liquid trash.¡± Sera said in a disgusted tone, ¡°How can you drink this stuff?¡±

    ¡°Gets the day started.¡± He said with a shrug, taking another sip, ¡°Makes tea look like baby stuff, you¡¯ll be bouncing off the walls.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean that literally?¡± She asked, holding the cup further away from herself.

    He snickered again, getting yet another indignant glare, ¡°No, you¡¯ll just have a lot of energy.¡±

    ¡°That sounds all well and good, but with this flavor it is basically undrinkable.¡± She said, swirling the mug, ¡°Do you have any milk?

    ¡°Haven¡¯t had milk in seventy years,¡± Joe said, ¡°I barely remember what it tastes like. I got sugar and that¡¯s about it.¡± He continued, heading back into the kitchen and beckoning her to follow.

    When was the last time he''d even seen a cow? Maybe fiftyish years ago give or take. He took her mug and put in a few spoonfuls, stirring it up before handing it back. She took the mug back, taking a cautious sip at the sweetened brew. She still grimaced, but her reaction was much less exaggerated this time around.

    ¡°Still nasty, but bearable.¡± She said with a nod, ¡°I appreciate you sharing this with me, sugar is a valuable commodity and I assume coffee is just as difficult to procure?¡±

    ¡°It''s no problem.¡± Joe replied after another drink, ¡°But yeah, coffee became real scarce after The End, I knew folk that would kill for a bag of it.¡±

    ¡°Kill for it eh? Is this substance addictive?¡±

    Joe nodded, ¡°Yeah, but the withdrawals ain''t as bad as some other stuff.¡±

    ¡°I wonder if there is a Faenoran equivalent out there?¡± She asked, more of herself, ¡°It could be a valuable commodity, assuming these withdrawals are as mild as you claim.¡±

    Joe shrugged, ¡°I just get a headache, that and I could get crabby.¡±

    ¡°That''s it?¡± She asked, surprised, ¡°Your people killed each other over that? How barbaric¡­¡±

    Again Joe shrugged, ¡°Armageddon is a barbaric time, I mean, I''ve killed for less.¡± Sera¡¯s eyes widened a moment before he put a hand up, ¡°They always tried to kill me first, alright.¡± He clarified quickly, ¡°Like, here¡¯s an example, one time I was scavving in a grocery store right? That¡¯s basically a market, for your information. Anyway, I grabbed a bag of chips at this store right, and a guy tried to bash my head in cause ¡®he saw it first¡¯, that¡¯s the kinda thing I¡¯m talking about. That¡¯s just one example, I¡¯ve fought over a slice of bread, a can of tuna, half a rotted banana, you name it. An intact bag of chips was basically gold back then, and I saw em¡¯ first.¡±

    ¡°That still seems like an overreaction,¡± Sera said after a moment, ¡°What are chips exactly? Are they of high value?¡±

    ¡°They''re dried up pieces of a potato with some seasoning.¡± Joe told her simply.

    She stared at him for a few seconds before she asked ¡°So¡­ you and another man entered into a life or death battle over¡­ a potato?¡±

    Joe nodded, ¡°I saw it first.¡± He repeated.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just relent and part with the tato?¡± Sera asked, ¡°Was it worth killing him for?¡±

    ¡°When ya haven¡¯t eaten in four days, yeah absolutely.¡± He replied flatly, ¡°And don¡¯t start with that ¡®sharing¡¯ crap, I tried to tell that guy we could split it but he wanted it all to himself. It was a family-sized bag man, he didn¡¯t need all that to himself.¡±

    ¡°I still think conflict could have been avoided, surely there were other chips in this store?¡±

    ¡°No, that was the last one. Look, bottom line is, I didn¡¯t end folk if they didn¡¯t give me a reason to, alright? I don¡¯t go out of my way to kill people-¡± He hesitated, ¡°I don¡¯t go out of my way to kill people that don¡¯t deserve it.¡±

    Surprisingly, Sera nodded, ¡®I¡¯ll take your word for it, if you were truly savage you would have tried to kill me and Gerad on sight.¡± She moved back to the recliner, sitting down before crossing her legs, ¡°And besides, I¡¯ve had to do much the same out there on the road, not for dried potatoes of course, but I¡¯ve killed all the same. This Shard of Faenor is rife with bandits and I don¡¯t give them any quarter.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t let em¡¯ live either.¡± Joe said with approval, ¡°You let folk like that go and they¡¯ll just hurt someone that can¡¯t defend themselves later.¡±

    ¡°Exactly my point!¡± Sera exclaimed, ¡°Banditry is a vile ¡®trade¡¯, and most who enter it never change their ways. You know how many people I had slain after you drove away from me last month? Twenty, I¡¯ve killed twenty bandits who would have either had their way with me or sold me in Relias, probably both.¡± She ranted, ¡°Can you imagine what damage those twenty men could have done to innocents had I let them live?¡±

    ¡°Again, I feel that same way¡­ hey, question for you.¡± Joe asked, finishing his cup and setting it on the counter, ¡°What is Relias and where can I find it? We can go wipe it out together if you want. I-¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t destroy Relias!¡± She said quickly, wagging a finger, ¡°It is the capital city of this Shard and not everyone within is evil.¡±

    ¡°So it ain¡¯t a slaver camp? Gerad made it sound like it was.¡± Joe replied, ¡°He thought I was gonna sell him there, and you just said that you¡¯d get sold there too.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t the city,¡± She told him, shaking her head, ¡°It''s the criminal underworld that infests it. I haven¡¯t been there myself, but everyone in this Shard knows about it. Thievery, drugs, human trafficking, all is present in Relias¡¯s underground, and from what I¡¯ve heard, the guard will do nothing about it.¡±

    ¡°Probably bribed n¡¯ bought off.¡± Joe said, ¡°Bigger the city, the worse its people act.¡± He said with a sneer, ¡°Maybe I should go do something about it.¡±

    Sera¡¯s finger trailed the rim of her cup, ¡°You can¡¯t take out their underground by yourself, Joseph. There are people in Relias¡¯s underbelly that make my magic look paltry in comparison, the best thing you can do is stay away.¡± She finished, eyes becoming distant, ¡°I knew a man like you once¡­ Twenty years ago, when I first came to this Shard, he was another human like you, with that same exact ambition. He told me that he¡¯d clean up that city for good, but when he delved into its depths, he never returned.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that he¡¯s dead.¡± Joe told her, trying to sound sympathetic, ¡°He could still be fighting them now, dismantling a crime empire don''t happen overnight.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you''re right, it''s a pleasant thought. Still I don''t have high hopes.¡± She said, sighing before sinking back in the chair, ¡°He was a good lad, like the younger brother I never had.¡±

    They both fell silent for a long while until Sera finally broke the ice, ¡°If you''re up for it, I''ve heard rumors of a bandit camp operating in this area¡­ would you be interested in taking it out?¡±

    Joseph grinned, ¡°Absolutely. Just got a couple more questions and we can head out.¡±

    ¡°What do you wish to learn about?¡± She asked, finishing off her coffee.

    ¡°What¡¯s a Fog-Gate, and what exactly do ya mean when ya say Shard?¡± Joe asked.

    ¡°Ah yes,¡± She said, standing up before handing him the coffee mug, ¡°See, a Fog-Gate is what links the Shards of our world together. I¡¯ve heard that your world is an orb, yes?¡± Joe nodded in reply, ¡°Faenor is not like that at all, it is dozens of planes linked together via Fog-Gates, our world is vast, and the only way to travel its endless horizons is to pass through a Fog-Gate.¡±

    ¡°Wait, how big are we talking about here?¡± He asked, setting her mug on the counter, ¡°Bigger than Earth?¡±

    She nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve traveled dozens of Fog-Gates over the years¡­ I would say it is almost a certainty. There is also the fact that I¡¯ve not once passed through the Gates and found myself back in a place I¡¯d been before.¡±

    ¡°What do ya mean by that?¡± He said, brow furrowed, ¡°These ain¡¯t region based?¡±

    She shook her head, ¡°Not in the slightest. Our world may be stitched together with these Fog-Gates, but it doesn¡¯t matter which one you pass through; they will deposit you in a completely random Shard with every single pass through. It is technically possible to come back to a Shard you¡¯ve been to before¡­ I never have though, and again, I¡¯ve passed through them dozens of times. I haven¡¯t seen my birthplace in over eighty years worth of traveling.¡±

    Joe put a hand on his chin, trying to digest all this new info. If he left through one of them Fog-Gates, he¡¯d never be able to find his way back to this Shard?

    He asked this very question, and Sera shrugged, ¡°It isn¡¯t impossible, it''s just very unlikely. The Shards are practically innumerable, you¡¯d have to be very lucky to wind up back where you started.¡±

    ¡°Damn.¡± Joe said, ¡°I guess I can¡¯t leave till I get that book copied¡­¡±

    She tilted her head in response, ¡°I met another Faenoran that didn¡¯t try to sacrifice me before you. His name was Prolo, just a kid but he really seemed to want to learn English from me, and I wanted to learn Faesh from him.¡± He then regaled her about the time he had spent with Prolo, all the way up until she learned his family name.

    ¡°Pienturshuld!?¡± She shouted, ¡°You didn¡¯t mishear him right? That was what he said?¡±

    ¡°Byeah.¡± He replied, ¡°They a big deal?¡±

    He kinda already assumed that was the case, but hearing it from Sera confirmed it.

    ¡°That family has a lot of influence in Relias, apparently their patriarch even has the king''s ear.¡±

    Joe¡¯s heart sank, ¡°The king, huh? Did I tell you that Prolo¡¯s dad is probably that patriarch? And that I almost ran him over with Betty cause he found out what I was?¡±

    Sera paled, ¡°W-wait, calm down.¡± She said, seemingly to herself, ¡°There¡¯s no way that he would tell the king about you, that¡¯s a wish he¡¯d be throwing away. No, he¡¯d keep that knowledge to himself.¡±

    Joe nodded along with her words, ¡°Makes sense to me, let''s not worry about it for now. How bout¡¯ we relax and go beat up some bandits? You wanna see Betty in action?¡±

    Sera lit back up immediately, ¡°Oh yes!¡± She exclaimed, ¡°So I can go in the cockpit with you?¡±

    Joe hesitated a moment before nodding. She rushed over to the door, eagerly waiting for him. He shook his head with a smile, stepping into the cockpit and sitting in the seat. He popped his knuckles, seeing that Sera had moved to sit right next to his chair, eyes on the multiple screens in front of him.

    ¡°I got cameras attached outside that show me what¡¯s around her,¡± Joe explained, ¡°It¡¯s how I saw ya getting close to Betty before.¡±

    ¡°How fascinating,¡± She said, ¡°That clears up a good chunk of the mystery, but I don¡¯t know how these cameras work.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell ya on the way.¡± He said, turning Betty¡¯s key, ¡°Where do I need to go exactly?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Jareed finished off the last of the drink, gasping after the last of the burning liquid found its way down his throat. It had been well over a month since he had gotten beaten up by Morga and thwarted by that metal ogre. Madame hadn¡¯t been pleased with his poor performance, and had decided to relegate him to mere banditry out here in the sticks. It hadn¡¯t been his fault that some monster had shown up out of nowhere; the plan would have gone off without a hitch otherwise.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    He could be in Relias now, a high member in the ultimate underworld. But now, he was managing a bunch of illiterate fools in the middle of nowhere, holding up trade caravans and stealing their gold. The only comfort he had found in this work were the women accompanying those trading caravans. They were a good way to let out his stress before he tossed them to the men under his command.

    They¡¯d fetch a price in Relias later, not much as they had been ¡®tampered¡¯ with beforehand, but at this point Jareed barely cared. It would be years before he could get back into her good graces, may as well enjoy himself. Unfortunately there hadn¡¯t been any more women on the road as of late, and all the others had been carted off to be sold a long while ago. He was getting frustrated again, he wanted to bend unwilling flesh to his will, surely there would be another caravan coming soon?

    He was glad to have escaped Morga¡¯s beating- even if it was just barely. Perhaps he could head off to the fat bastard¡¯s manor and take his daughters? He wouldn¡¯t even sell them, just keep them for himself. Hearing them scream might make him feel better about the walloping he¡¯d gotten¡­ and they were good-looking girls to boot. A trip away to take them shouldn¡¯t take so long, and the thought of humiliating Morla got him oh so excited.

    As he began formulating plans to breach Morga¡¯s estate, one of his subordinates barged into his tent, a panicked look on his face. Like many of the other fools beneath Jareed, this man was possessed of an ugly face and a low-brow, with the intellect to match their looks.

    ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t know ow¡¯ to say dis,¡± He got out, panting, ¡°There¡¯s a giant cube comin¡¯ dis way.¡±

    Jareed stared, ¡°A giant cube.¡± He said flatly, rising from his cot and marching past the big man.

    The camp seemed to be in an uproar, with the rapscallions all darting to and fro to prepare to face off with the ¡®giant cube¡¯. Whatever it was it shouldn¡¯t make it past the sharpened stakes surrounding the area. Anything attempting to charge over them would be impaled, and if it tried to make its way to the open space that led into the camp, it would be riddled with crossbows.

    If this cube was as big as he said, there would be no missing it, especially out here in the grasslands. The flat terrain let one see far, so far that Jareed never would have set up a camp this size out in the open like this, but with patrolling guards being properly bribed by Madame, it was no issue.

    Jareed quickly scaled the watchtower, shouting orders to organize his rabble. From this distance, it looked exactly like what was described, a big cube, slowly growing closer. How strange, it seemed like a vehicle of some sort, perhaps a caravan? Why would a caravan leave the ¡®safety¡¯ of the road to rough it through the grass? No, this was something else.

    Whatever it was, there better be at least one woman coming along with it. He ordered his men to ready their crossbows, his concern growing along with the cube. The closer it got, the more massive it appeared, with sharp steel spikes adorning the front of the dark metal construction. What was worse was how eerily quiet it was, smashing the grass in front of it and leaving a trail just behind-

    Jareed¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his skull when he saw what was being dragged behind the thing. A massive red serpent dragon was being pulled with it, two hooks driven through its eye-sockets to hold it in place. Once the strange contraption reached the sharpened stakes, it began rounding their camp, like a shark. The men began murmuring, panic entering their voices.

    ¡°Calm down!¡± He yelled, ¡°Whoever these are, they¡¯re clearly trying to scare us. That means that they can¡¯t take us in a head on conflict, just hold your ground!¡±

    As he said that, one of the two hooks in the dragon¡¯s eyes came loose, the other quickly following suit. The hooks snapped back inside of the vehicle with a terrifying speed; Jareed suspected that being caught in the path of them could shatter bone into powder. The beast then roared, not the corpse, but the cube, a metallic scream that drowned out all other noise.

    His men flinched, but began firing their crossbows at the thing. The bolts plinked uselessly off the hull, falling harmlessly to the grass. That was when all hell broke loose. It suddenly turned, speeding up and smashing through the stakes with ease and scattering his men like rats. Two compartments opened up toward the front of the thing, just above the spikes.

    Two glowing blue silvery devices could be seen within, expanding out of their confines. Other silvery implements then stuck out from the cube, from the sides and the roof, and they all seemed to rotate to point toward his men. Then, a thin, bright blue beam of light shot out from the implements, each one putting a burning hole through flesh. Jareed screamed as one of these beams impacted with his arm, punching a hot hole through his bicep and leaving the wound completely cauterized. He fell backward out of the watchtower, hitting his head before the blackness claimed him.

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡°These are called lasers!¡± Joe shouted excitedly, as he drove over five men, ¡°I found a buncha them where I got my power armor, I got em¡¯ to run off Betty¡¯s power supply so they can fire as much as I want!¡±

    Sera didn¡¯t feel bad for the bandits being killed, again it was something that needed to be done. They were waste that needed to be removed, but Joe took a strange and somewhat disturbing pleasure in it. His face had twisted up in a horrid toothy smile, eyes as wide as they could go as he went. She knew people back home who were like this, people who had been hurt or have had someone taken from them by people like these¡­ So the question was, what did bandits take from Joseph?

    ¡°Hah!¡± Joe laughed as the laser shot through a man¡¯s temple, ¡°Take that!¡±

    ¡°Remember to keep an eye out for captives.¡± Sera told him, patting his shoulder.

    Suddenly his face became stony and serious, the smile (thankfully) leaving his face, ¡°Yer right, gotta shut off the lasers for a sec then.¡± He then flipped a switch, and the barrage ceased, but the damage was already done.

    Only two or three bandits were left standing, the rest had been turned into what Joe had referred to earlier as ¡®Swiss cheese¡¯. What marvels had Earth managed to invent before their apocalypse took place? These laser guns looked almost exactly like the matchlock guns she¡¯d seen from the Draga Shard, and that was fifty years ago. Had the men of Draga reached these heights yet, she wondered?

    ¡°Try to keep one alive,¡± She said, bouncing her leg as the coffee¡¯s power flooded her, ¡°We can question them for the whereabouts of other bandit camps. If you¡¯d like, we can make expelling banditry a hobby during our stay together.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good to me, lemme just run down this guy right here real quick¡­¡± He said, turning Betty and speeding up to catch the straggler.

    He had made it out of the camp and was running as fast as he possibly could, but he couldn¡¯t outrun Betty. Like the others, he was impaled upon her sharp teeth before being eaten by her treads, flattening him. She kept her gaze away from the rear camera, not wanting to see the bloody result.

    ¡°Gonna have to shoot the last guy manual.¡± He said, flipping another switch, ¡°Gonna be tricky but can¡¯t leave it to the A.I for this.¡± He said, more to himself than her, ¡°Ah right, I got a simple artificial intelligence that can operate the turrets for me, they just fire at anything that moves, they ain¡¯t smart enough to distinguish targets.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why you turned it off,¡± She said with a nod, ¡°Captives would have been killed for sure.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, I¡¯ll tell ya more about A.I after we¡¯re done here. This is gonna be a pain.¡± He said, slowing down behind the last fleeing bandit, ¡°Gonna aim for his legs, the laser should cauterize the wound so he won¡¯t bleed out before we get our answers. Just so ya know, I¡¯m killin¡¯ him after that.¡±

    ¡°No argument here.¡± She said, ¡°Just make it seem like you¡¯ll let him live, yes?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± He said in a tone that bordered on offended, ¡°Ain¡¯t the first time I interrogated someone.¡±

    Sera¡¯s drew her lips to a line, ¡°I will not participate in torture, Joseph. Get your answers and do away with him quickly.¡±

    He pressed a button, the first shot missing the man barely, ¡°I don¡¯t like torturing actually.¡± He said, pressing the button again. The blast didn¡¯t hit him in the leg, but it did impact with the bandits foot, incinerating the limb and sending him falling to the floor, ¡°The threat of torture is more effective. Just play along.¡±

    ¡°You want me to come out with you?¡± She asked.

    He nodded, ¡°Yeah, you got a better command of the language than I do. If he don¡¯t wanna tell you what you wanna know, tell him he¡¯ll have to deal with me. I¡¯ll just be next to ya lookin¡¯ scary, sound good?¡±

    ¡°Solid plan, let''s do it.¡± She said, ¡°Let''s go out now-¡±

    Joe raised a single finger, ¡°Naw, I gotta get suited up first. Keep yer eyes on the cameras for me, I¡¯ll try n¡¯ hurry.¡±

    She did, but the man didn¡¯t manage to crawl very far before Joseph came to get her. The two then exited Betty¡¯s confines, with Joe clad in his powered armor. They walked toward the downed man, who tried to scramble away faster at the sight of them.

    ¡°Ay now!¡± He shouted, ¡°Lemme go, I ain¡¯t done nothing to you!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll let you go.¡± Sera lied, ¡°As long as you tell me what I want to know. If you don¡¯t-¡± She continued, nodding toward Joe, ¡°He will have his way with you.¡±

    She was trying her best not to fidget as she stood over the man¡­ The coffee was so overpowering, she wanted to run, to jump, to climb, just something physically taxing. Doing so would no doubt make her less intimidating though.

    ¡°He looks cute boss.¡± Joe said in a dumb voice to mirror the bandit¡¯s own, ¡°I could keep em¡¯ chained in the back yeah?¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes went wide with terror. Joseph must have looked absolutely horrifying at that moment, being both wider and taller than most men and clad in armor that looked like it could fit an ogre. This fellow must have been dreading becoming his toy. Of course, this was a lie meant to scare the answers out of him, but the bandit didn¡¯t know that.

    ¡°Yeah alright,¡± He said with a nervous nod, ¡°I¡¯ll tells ya everything, just don¡¯t touch me.¡±

    ¡°Are there more camps around here? Also, are there any captives in your base?¡± She asked him.

    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s about thirty of em¡¯ along the road here, all the way to Relias. We¡¯re capturing folk for Madame and her slave trade.¡± He said, ¡°And uh¡­ no, we don¡¯t got no captives, we¡­ we sold em¡¯ already.¡±

    She could see Joe stiffen in her periphery, becoming eerily still as he stared down at the ruffian.

    ¡°Who is Madame?¡± She asked him, ¡°Be quick.¡±

    ¡°She runs things in Relias, they call her the True Queen. Most of the guard are in her pocket and so is most everyone else. She can pretty much do whatever she wants.¡±

    ¡°So this lady,¡± Joe said with a snarl, ¡°She does the trafficking too, right?¡±

    The man¡¯s face became a grimace, ¡°A-Aye. She¡¯s the one what sent us out here.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s in Relias, right?¡± He asked, ¡°Where can I find her?¡±

    Sera¡¯s eyes widened, was Joseph truly considering¡­?

    ¡°I know she¡¯s there,¡± He said, ¡°I don¡¯t know where she is though-¡±

    Joseph rushed forward, kicking the man in the face with a massive armored boot. The head practically exploded on contact, and the body fell lifelessly to the ground, brain matter coating Joe''s boot. The strength of that armor was not to be underestimated, Sera realized with horror. Not horror for what Joseph did, just how powerful this armor was. Sera supposed that she had gotten all the answers she would have needed from him. Still, he needed to learn more restraint than that, these may be scum, but she¡¯d need to remind him to calm himself when they needed more answers.

    He seemed to hate these types more than even she did, based on that snarl. Why did he hate them so much? Had slavers taken someone from him, a friend, a wife? It might be prying but¡­ she became curious, and it would not be sated until she got an answer. She¡¯d need to be more tactful about it, she¡¯d ask and if he didn¡¯t reply or gave a vague answer, She¡¯d drop the subject until a better time came.

    ¡°You seem to hate the slave trade,¡± She said, ¡°I think that is a normal thing of course, but you seem actively ready to storm Relias and kill this ¡®True Queen¡¯ of theirs. Most folk wouldn¡¯t be willing to take on a crime empire that size, what have they done to you?¡±

    ¡°We should get going.¡± Joe said, ignoring her question, ¡°Gotta make sure the rest of em¡¯ are dead, don¡¯t want anyone telling Madame that we were here.¡±

    Very well, he wished to leave the subject be, so Sera would let him. She certainly didn¡¯t want to provoke his anger, not because she thought he would harm her, more because she didn¡¯t want to ruin the good rapport they had built thus far. Joseph would perhaps open up to her more once they grew closer, right now they were just acquaintances after all. Pursuing the subject further would be inappropriate.

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Jareed gasped as consciousness came back to him, his head felt like it was going to explode, and most of his left arm had gone numb. What had happened? He struggled to sit up from the ground, groaning slightly as he rose. He looked to his left arm, eyes widening as he saw that there was a burnt hole that went straight through it!

    It all came back to him then, the strange dragon pulling vehicle, the beams of blue light, his camp being destroyed. It seemed that not much time had passed since then, the daylight was as it had been when he fell out of the watchtower¡­ meaning that the cube was still somewhere around here. It was a struggle, but he managed to turn his head, spotting a massive metal ogre and a woman strutting into the camp. Jareed gave a small curse, ducking his head as he watched the creature approach one of Jareed¡¯s downed minions.

    He prodded the body with an armored boot, receiving a groan in return¡­ Jareed had seen this creature before! Back in the forest, it had thwarted his raid on Morga¡¯s wagon!

    The ogre then stomped on the body''s skull, caving it in like it were an eggshell. Jareed¡¯s eyes widened, and the rat within him urged him to scurry away before he ended up like that. He needed to report back to Madame- and let her know that the camp had been taken out.

    He¡¯d get punished again, but that would be better than what would happen if he didn¡¯t report to her. Jareed could always move through the Fog-Gate of course, out of Madame¡¯s reach¡­ but did he really want to leave another life behind again? No, he was settled in this Shard and wouldn¡¯t flee, not again. He got on his hands and knees, crawling toward the stakes as the ogre and elf moved through camp, casually murdering the survivors.

    He was just about to pass between some of the stakes and disappear into the grass when he heard the man speak¡­ this time though, it was in some rough, alien tongue. His fear dissipated, his head turning back to look the stranger up and down.

    ¡°You said that in your mother tongue.¡± The elf told him, ¡°Look over there, he¡¯s running!¡± She said suddenly, pointing somewhere away from Jareed.

    Indeed, one of his men had survived the initial slaughter and was sprinting off toward the distance. The ogre raised some long staff, aiming it at the minion before pulling the trigger on the device. The air exploded, and for some reason the fleeing man fell to the ground, screaming in agony. Jareed and the elf both clasped hands over their ears, a horrid ringing drowning out all other noise. It was just like the other weapon the monster had used back in the Everfall forest¡­ could it be?

    Ogre¡¯s weren¡¯t intelligent enough to wield weaponry like that, and they certainly didn¡¯t speak anything other than Faesh¡­ could this, in fact, be an¡­ an Outworlder!? If it was, then that metal ogre was just a suit of armor¡­ that made sense if so, and he had just spoken in another language. Advanced weaponry, different language, strange accent in Faesh¡­ by the Overseer, this really was an Outworlder! There wasn¡¯t a single doubt in his mind now. He quickly scurried into the grass as they went to finish off that bandit, the pain in his arm and skull forgotten.

    He¡¯d need to make some preparations, and then a wish would be his! Either that, or he could report this finding to Madame, no doubt putting him back in her good graces. Jareed would attempt to capture the Outworlder first, he decided. If he failed, then he could take the information to Madame instead.

    He had to hold back a cackle as he crawled through the grass, favoring his good arm as he went. Jareed¡¯s body was a rictus of agony, but his mind hardly paid it any attention, too busy formulating the plans he¡¯d need to capture the Outworlder.

 Chapter Sixteen: Booze Buyinâ€™ Nâ€™ Face Punchinâ€™

    Joe watched with wonder as Sera immobilized the bandit, freezing him in place with apparently nothing but a stare, ¡°It requires them to have their backs directly to me, after this, only I can release the spell, unless they have a countermeasure of course.¡±

    ¡°Lemme go!¡± The man screamed.

    ¡°How many spells do ya know?¡± Joe asked, approaching the man and drawing his knife, ¡°I saw ya cast this one and summon water, but is that all ya know?¡±

    He glanced back at her, seeing a smirk on her face, ¡°I know about five in total, but I can¡¯t tell you about one of them. It¡¯s my special trick, if I need it one day I¡¯ll show you.¡±

    Joe impaled the man through the nape of his neck, and he collapsed to the dirt. The idea of learning magic had been something he¡¯d been pondering lately. If there were people that could disable him the same way Sera could¡­ he¡¯d be screwed. Maybe she could teach him a counterspell to paralysis or something, that or some offensive spells of his own. There was still plenty of time left in the day, after all the sun was just beginning to rise over the plains. He looked over the remains of the camp he¡¯d run Betty through, nodding to himself when he saw that none of the corpses attempted to rise.

    This bandit camp was cleared now, this would be the third one they¡¯d taken out this week, none of them had captives. According to some of the scumbags they questioned, travel on this road had dropped considerably as of late, likely due to their banditry. The caravans had all been taking the longer, safer route to reach Relias as a result, leaving pickings sparse. Joe and Sera would make this path safe again, it would just take some time. By now those other camps had likely gotten word that these others had been wiped out, but they wouldn¡¯t know by what.

    He and Sera never left survivors after all.

    He wiped his blade clean on the man¡¯s body, sheathing it before turning back to Sera, ¡°Can you teach me magic?¡± He asked her, ¡°I don¡¯t want to get killed by spells like yours.¡±

    Sera shook her head, ¡°It isn¡¯t something that can be taught.¡±

    His shoulders slumped, ¡°Is it something ya gotta be born with?¡± He asked her.

    Again, she shook her head, ¡°No, you need to find a Tome.¡± She explained, ¡°After you find it, you have two options¡­ you can either study properly from the book and learn the spell contained within over time, or you can learn it instantly by¡­ hmm.¡± She paused, ¡°I¡¯m not sure how else to put this, but you can immediately learn the spell by¡­ eating the book.¡±

    Joe stared for a long while before approaching her, putting a hand on her shoulder before he said, ¡°You screwing with me?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡± She said, ¡°And just so you know, I do mean quite literally you have to eat it.¡±

    Joe released his grip on her, looking up at the sky for a long while before he said, ¡°That¡¯s retarded.¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be slow at all actually-¡±

    ¡°No I mean, it''s dumb.¡± He said flatly, ¡°What the hell?¡±

    This gave a whole new meaning to ¡®readers digest¡¯ if this was true. Why would he have to eat the book to learn the spell? How did Faenorans even find out that it was an option to do that? Someone had to eat the book first after all, so who had done it first?

    ¡°I¡¯ve eaten one book myself, the one that allows me to summon water.¡± She told him, rubbing her jaw, ¡°I was sore for weeks after that, I had to chop it up and eat it bit by bit, and all tomes are hardcover, so I had to chew through that as well.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just¡­ eat the pages?¡± He asked, ¡°The knowledge ain¡¯t in the cover.¡±

    She sighed, ¡°The whole Tome holds the magic required, if you don¡¯t eat it all, the spell won¡¯t be yours.¡±

    ¡°You have got to be kidding.¡± Joe said, pointing at her, ¡°You¡¯re messing with me again, you gotta be.¡±

    ¡°I am not!¡± She yelled indignantly, ¡°That¡¯s the shortcut every would-be mage can take to avoid learning it the old fashioned way.¡±

    He turned away from her, crossing his arms, ¡°Yer telling me that I gotta eat books to learn magic?¡± He huffed, shaking his head again.

    It just didn¡¯t make any sense! Was magic actually digestible? Did it get integrated with your body after consumption? Would that mean that these Tomes were biological, rather than magical? The parchment maybe, but the cover?

    ¡°No, it''s an option.¡± She said with emphasis, ¡°You can read from the book if you would rather, but the spell within cannot be cast unless you have a perfect understanding of how it would work. After that, the book will disappear, just like if you were to eat it.¡±

    ¡°You saying the book don¡¯t come out the other end?¡± He asked her, turning to face her again.

    ¡°As soon as it hits your stomach that piece of the book disappears, but after that you must eat the whole thing, learning from it won¡¯t be an option after your first bite.¡±

    ¡®I¡¯m just going to learn from em¡¯.¡± He told her, ¡°I can¡¯t eat a book, I ain¡¯t never been that hungry.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t totally true of course, starvation could make almost anything look desirable, but he didn¡¯t think a book would have caught his eye, at least, not in that way.

    ¡°Well,¡± She said with a sigh, ¡°You have to find one first. Nobody makes the tomes by the way, they simply materialize and drop wherever they appear. There could be dozens in this field and we wouldn¡¯t even know it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so now they appear out of thin air too.¡± He said with a groan, ¡°I ain¡¯t gonna go picking through all this grass for some magic, I¡¯d be in my hundreds again before we found anything.¡±

    ¡°A lot of people do just that on a regular basis.¡± She told him, heading back toward the center of the ruined camp, ¡°The spells contained within them can make a king out of a peasant, depending on the spell of course. Some spells are more utilitarian than others. There¡¯s one I know of that you might be interested in, if you ever find it.¡±

    He followed after her, ¡°What might that be?¡±

    ¡°Mend.¡± She told him, ¡°It can fix anything with just a touch, I can imagine that you¡¯d be willing to eat that one.¡±

    Well damn, maybe. If he could fix anything with just a touch, Betty and his gear would always be in top condition.

    ¡°Of course, the problem would be finding that particular Tome. They can appear anywhere without rhyme or reason, my people think that it is the Overseer sending down material from his own personal library for mortals to borrow, others think they are a natural phenomena. Frankly, books appearing from nowhere is far from natural, so I believe the former.¡±

    ¡°There a library for these things?¡± He asked her, ¡°Not of the divine persuasion mind, something down here with us.¡±

    Sera giggled, ¡°Ah yes, a mortal library filled with Tomes, that anyone can just take as they please.¡± She said sarcastically, ¡°Any such place would be selling them for a king¡¯s ransom Joseph, not giving them out for free.¡±

    ¡°I never said it would be free.¡± He said, letting irritation creep into his tone, ¡°I just said that we might find something.¡±

    If there was such a place and he couldn¡¯t afford the Tomes he wanted, he would just steal them. He¡¯d pay back the owner one day of course, but his survival in this world as an Outworlder would eventually depend on the spells he learned. If people could paralyze him like Sera could, he¡¯d be doomed.

    ¡°If we find anymore Tomes out on our adventures together, then how about we agree to split them?¡± She asked, ¡°I¡¯ve only found five Tomes in my whole life, if we find more I cannot just let them go lightly.¡±

    He supposed that was fair, ¡°Only if I get the first one we find, you can have the one after that and so on, deal?¡± He asked her, offering his hand.

    Apparently she misunderstood his intention, for instead of clasping his hand, she instead rushed in for a hug, ¡°It¡¯s a deal!¡± She said excitedly, pulling away from him.

    ¡°What the hell was that all about?¡± He asked, ¡°I was trying to shake yer hand.¡±

    ¡°Elves don¡¯t make deals like that, we hug instead.¡± She told him, ¡°It makes the agreement more binding that way.¡±

    ¡°Elves hug huh?¡± He asked, shaking his head, ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t be shocked.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, look lets just loot this place n¡¯ get going, they got some barrels n¡¯ chests I wanna go through.¡±

    With that, he got to work, lifting lids and picking locks to find whatever may lay within. It ended up being quite the haul too, with one of the wooden chests half full with gold coins. Maybe he could afford a Tome with all this moolah, plus what he¡¯d collected from the other camps of course. More valuable than that though, was the barrel with all the dried provisions in it. Mostly jerky of course, but this would have bought him a high-roller Zoner home back on Earth¡­ not that he would have wanted to live in a Zone of course.

    As the ramp lowered, he found himself agonizing over the dragon¡¯s corpse. He had decided to leave it by the rim of the forest, as he had nothing to cut through its bones. Oh he¡¯d been able to get some of the scales off, those were in his workshop right now, but he hadn¡¯t been able to use them. He had to pry them off the carcass one by one, unable to sheer them off with his knife. He had hundreds of scales sitting in a bag, waiting to be threaded into his trenchcoat¡­ if only he had a magical sewing needle that could puncture them.

    He sighed as he rolled the barrel up into Betty¡¯s workshop, turning his mind from the dragon scale. He was excited for the extra stores of food. He removed the gold from the chest, storing them in a duffel bag before shoving the sack under his workbench with the others. He wasn¡¯t sure how much these coins would be able to buy him in civilization, but he had a feeling that it would be a lot. In fact¡­ now that he thought of it.

    ¡°Sera,¡± He said, removing his helmet after Betty¡¯s door was sealed, ¡°Where¡¯s the nearest town? I wanna see if I can buy anything with the cash we got from them bandits.¡±

    She had been in the middle of inserting another disc into his DVD player, and she didn¡¯t answer him until the disc was firmly in the tray, ¡°Besides Relias?¡± She asked, ¡°It would have to be Letsher, it''s a sizable community a few miles west from here, the main road branches off toward it. If you want to go there, I suggest not bringing Betty along with us. It may raise a few eyebrows and we may not even be allowed inside.¡±

    ¡°Alrighty.¡± He said, ¡°Do I speak Faesh well enough now that folk won¡¯t look at me weird?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve improved quite a bit, our lessons together have clearly stuck with you. However I¡¯d still say that you should limit your words to what you know perfectly, at least as much as you can. If they question your accent, say that you¡¯re from the Fog-Gates and you should be clear.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good, let''s head there now-¡±

    ¡°You should also go without wearing your hood and helmet.¡± She said, ¡°A hooded man trying to gain entrance while wearing a mask would draw attention we don¡¯t want.¡±

    Joseph grimaced, it was true, but the thought of having his head exposed like that to strangers didn¡¯t sit right with him. He¡¯d have his helmet off to get in, but after they were inside Letsher, he¡¯d be putting it back on. If he got some weird looks then oh well, he¡¯d just say he was a knight or something if they asked. He told this to Sera, who seemed to think that it would be strange but acceptable. He needed to claim one of the houses as his patron though, and besides the Pienturshulds he didn¡¯t know of any others.

    ¡°Well, it would draw some more stares and maybe leave a bad impression about you, but you could just say that you are looking for a new house to serve.¡± Sera said, ¡°Free knights around here are usually treated with suspicion, as most are simply bandits with shiny armor.¡±

    ¡°As long as I can keep wearing my gear I don¡¯t care if folk don¡¯t like me.¡± He said with a shrug, ¡°I¡¯d rather not have my head get popped with a bolt.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough.¡± She said, "If you''re ready we can head out, but again we need to leave Betty somewhere where Letsher¡¯s watchtowers can¡¯t see it.¡±

    Easy, he¡¯d just leave it parked a few miles away. The plains were remarkably flat so it would need to be a significant distance, but he didn¡¯t have a problem with going on a long walk. In fact he relished the thought, beside stepping out to finish off some bandits, he¡¯d been cooped up in the Betty all week with Sera. She seemed ready to get going as well, based on how she was stretching her legs.

    He followed her directions until they were close but not visible to Letsher, then parked. Joe double checked all his gear to make sure it was in top condition before the two of them set off toward Letsher. Oddly, Sera kept trying to walk faster than he did the entire way. Not to be outdone, he upped his speed whenever she passed him by, overtaking her with ease. She really shouldn¡¯t be walking in front, she wasn¡¯t wearing any armor whatsoever. Yet whenever he tried to take the lead, she would walk faster, a strange glint entering her eyes.

    It wasn¡¯t hard for him to overtake her with his longer legs, and eventually she gave up, huffing and puffing just behind him as they went. Had she tried to go any faster, she¡¯d be jogging. With the impromptu competition over, they eased their paces to a casual stroll, conversing all the way up until they reached Letsher. It was a sizable town, he¡¯d say, with high stone walls that stretched out far to either side.

    An iron palisade lay shut, the cobbled road leading into the town. Two men with halberds and full plate-armor stood guard just outside the gate, with another man standing just within the gate next to a lever. The halberds caught Joe¡¯s interest, a good weapon with great reach¡­ maybe he should make his own? As they drew closer, Joe removed his helmet hesitantly, lowering his hood and letting Sera take the lead.

    ¡°Halt.¡± The guard said in a bored tone, ¡°What is your business?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re looking to purchase goods.¡± Sera told them.

    ¡°An elf wanting to peruse our town eh?¡± The man asked, ¡°Not often does your kind seek anything from us, we¡¯ll be keeping tabs on you. You planning on staying overnight?¡±

    Sera then turned back to Joe, who shook his head, ¡°No, just here for the day.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re in charge then. ¡±The guard¡¯s eyes then found Joe¡¯s, ¡±I assume it is the same for you? Which house do you serve?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a free knight.¡± Joe replied, ¡°I¡¯m looking for a new master.¡±

    The guard sneered at him, ¡°You both may have entry, but we¡¯ll be keeping an eye on you. Cause trouble ¡®free knight¡¯ and you¡¯ll spend the rest of your natural life in the mines, we¡¯ve had enough trouble from bandits as of late.¡± He then gestured for the man within to pull the lever, who did so.

    With the gate raised, Sera and Joe headed into the town. It was bustling with activity, men, women, and children, all going about various day-to-day tasks. It was nice to see so many people living happily together, at least relatively. It was still a community after all, and all communities had problems that may not be visible on the surface. He donned his helmet once more as they made their way through the streets, the both of them drawing stares once they were noticed.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe he thought you were in charge.¡± She said bitterly, ¡°Am I not graceful enough to be viewed as a leader?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me.¡± Joe told her, ¡°You looked at me when he asked if we were staying.¡±

    ¡°He should have assumed that I was seeking your opinion. You do have a servant''s face after all.¡± She told him casually.

    ¡°Servant¡¯s face?¡± Joe asked, ¡°How about shut up?¡±

    She gasped, ¡°Joseph, that was rude!¡±

    ¡°You fired first.¡± He said with a chuckle, ¡°You reap what you sow.¡±

    The stares unfortunately didn¡¯t cease as they made their way into a square. Perhaps it was because Sera was an elf, or Joe¡¯s strange armor, or maybe a combination of both. He hoped dearly that no one would ask them any questions, he just wanted to part with some of these coins in return for goods and get out of here. The stares made him uncomfortable, but he at least could enjoy the architecture of the town itself.

    It looked just like something out of those medieval history textbooks, wooden and stone buildings here and there, functioning wells, along with some decorative statues here and there to spruce the place up. He and Sera rushed to find a business, any business to get out of sight. Thankfully it didn¡¯t take long to find one.

    A wooden sign hung down just above the doorway, depicting an armored man holding a sword. If that wasn¡¯t a blacksmith shop then Joe was a bird. He urged Sera to follow after him, finally escaping the stare¡¯s and shutting the door behind them.

    ¡°Welcome.¡± A deep voice said from behind the counter, ¡°What can I help you with, strangers?¡±

    Joe turned, seeing a wide man standing behind the desk, arms crossed. He looked like a human-sized version of Varig, with a long dark beard. Only thing different besides the height was that this man was bald.

    ¡°We¡¯re browsing.¡± Joe replied, ¡°If ya got something good I¡¯ll take it.¡±

    ¡°Depends on what you need,¡± He said, gesturing to a wall behind him, ¡°I got arms and armor ready to go, but most of my work is made to order. I also have a specialty item, completely useless if you ask me, but one of my blades turned magical recently.¡±

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    A magic sword? And this guy was willing to part with it? That sounded like something he¡¯d be interested in for sure.

    ¡°We-¡± Sera started before Joe cut her off.

    ¡°Absolutely, what can it do? Is it a flaming sword, can it return to me if I hold my hand open-¡±

    Sera put a hand on his arm, shaking her head, ¡°Magic items are granted their powers randomly, just as Tomes appear from nowhere, and their abilities are even more varied. Most of them are useless, sometimes even ruining the tools original purpose.¡±

    The blacksmith shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s true, I think the enchantment given is useless¡­ Why were you explaining that to him?¡± He asked, narrowing his eyes, ¡°That¡¯s pretty common knowledge. Anyway¡­ I heard that there is a new Outworlder in our Shard¡­¡± He said, grabbing a hammer from atop his desk, apparently just to inspect it, ¡°Just rumors of course¡­ So where are you from, stranger?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m from the Fog-Gates.¡± Joe replied, resting a hand casually but visibly on his short sword, ¡°If I were an Outworlder, I wouldn¡¯t be speaking Faesh.¡±

    The two glared at one another for a long while before finally the man put his hammer back on the counter, ¡°Apologies, you don¡¯t match the description given. Apparently this new Outworlder has flesh made of steel, but you¡¯re just wearing armor.¡±

    Flesh of steel? Were these rumors not actually about him? Sera did say that Pienturshuld wouldn¡¯t go spreading his true nature around, so unless his men had then he was safe.

    ¡°What else have you heard about this guy?¡± He asked, staying by the door, ¡°I think I want a wish for myself is all.¡±

    A lie of course, but he wanted more information.

    ¡°Well, besides the metal skin, I heard he has glowing red eyes made of glass and a staff that can cast blue beams, but that¡¯s about it.¡± The blacksmith said, ¡°But enough of that, let us do business, I¡¯m sorry for my earlier suspicion.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡¯ Sera said, ¡°What is this magical blade of yours?¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t be useful in a fight, just so you know.¡± The blacksmith said, pulling out a normal looking sword and laying it on the counter, ¡°I had it appraised last month, and this blade is now only capable of slicing through cabbage.¡±

    ¡°Cabbage.¡± Joseph said, staring at the sword, ¡°Why-¡±

    Sera then nudged him with her elbow, mouthing ¡®Ask later.¡¯ That¡¯s right, this was apparently common knowledge, if he kept asking questions like this, it would raise suspicion. He¡¯d need to keep his curiosity to himself, at least until he and Sera were alone again.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, it turned into a cabbage slicer.¡± The man sighed, ¡°Useless, but magical items are sometimes sought after by collectors, even if their enchantment is useless.¡± He then leaned on the counter, ¡°I¡¯ll part with it for a hundred gold.¡±

    ¡°Not a chance.¡± Sera sneered, ¡°We are not these ¡®collectors¡¯ you seek.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to get nasty, now.¡± The smith said, putting the blade away.

    ¡°You threatened my friend, I find it difficult to be polite at this time.¡± She said flatly, ¡°Joseph, see if there is something you want, and then let¡¯s go.¡± She finished, crossing her arms and turning away from the counter.

    Friend huh? It had only been a week, could she really call him a friend already? Sure, they had good rapport and she was great fun to talk with, but a week wasn¡¯t a lot of time. Anyway, Joe did see something that he wanted from this man. He pointed to the long polearm that dominated the shelf behind the counter.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that poleaxe.¡± Joe said, ¡°How much are you asking?¡±

    It was a fantastic weapon, with an axehead for slashing, a spearpoint for stabbing, and a hammer on the back for smashing. It was a gorgeous weapon and he would have it.

    The man grinned, ¡°One hundred gold.¡±

    Joe nodded, approaching the counter with Sera trailing right behind him. When he went to put the duffel bag on the table, she put a hand on his shoulder, glaring at the smith.

    ¡°You¡¯re charging double?¡± She asked him, ¡°You expect me to believe that this weapon is worth a hundred gold?¡±

    Was that a lot? He wasn¡¯t sure how valuable coins were on Faenor. If this guy was scamming him, then he may as well just steal it. No that wouldn¡¯t be good, there was no way he¡¯d be able to sneak that out of here without the smith seeing him. He could just knock him out right now and take it, but that would cause more problems than the poleaxe was worth. Becoming public enemy number one in this town wasn¡¯t on his to do list.

    ¡°Its the standard price I¡¯m afraid.¡± He said, narrowing his eyes at her, ¡°For outsiders, that is.¡±

    ¡°Drop it down to ten coins or we walk.¡± Sera said, crossing her arms.

    ¡°Ninety.¡± The smith replied.

    ¡°Twenty.¡± Sera shot back.

    The smith glared, ¡°Eighty.¡±

    ¡°Sixty, or we walk.¡± Sera said, pointing to the door.

    The smith seemed to mull over this for a moment before he huffed, ¡°Very well, sixty coins it is.¡±

    Joe shrugged, lifting the duffel bag and setting it on the counter. He didn¡¯t open the sack all the way, he didn¡¯t want this guy seeing just how much coin Joe had on his person. Instead he just pulled out each individual coin, laying them out on the table as he thought of this other potential Outworlder. If he had steel skin, glowing glass eyes, and a ¡®staff with blue beams¡¯, then they could be a cyborg. Bionics had become incredibly popular just before The End had taken place, but installing bionics after that would be exceedingly difficult.

    It wasn¡¯t possible that they were enhanced before The End, at least it wasn¡¯t very likely. Whoever this was, they were enhanced after The End, not before it. This was a top notch survivor like himself, at least if they really were an Outworlder, there was a chance that this was a rumor and nothing more. Once he counted sixty coins, he pushed them to the smith, who tested them to see their legitimacy.

    Once he was satisfied, he handed Joe the poleaxe. It was a hefty weapon, and from what he could eyeball it was about seven feet in length.

    It was so damn cool.

    With their business concluded, he and Sera left the shop, Joe using his new weapon as a walking staff. The stares still continued unfortunately, but he tried his best to blend in. They really couldn¡¯t stay in town for much longer than this, Pienturshuld was sure to have spies or other folk here that would report Joe¡¯s location back to him.

    ¡°You got a good mind for haggling.¡± Joe stated, still staring at the head of the poleaxe.

    ¡°That thing was worth sixty at most,¡± Sera said with a huff, ¡°He was trying to pull one over on you, and you nearly fell for it.¡±

    ¡°Like I know how valuable things are in this world,¡± He whispered, leaning down to speak in her ear, ¡°Gimme a break.¡±

    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s fair,¡± She said with a nod, ¡°Remember, if you have questions only ask me, and wait until when we¡¯re alone.¡± She continued with a whisper, ¡°Likewise, I¡¯ll remember not to explain things to you out in the open again, I¡¯m sorry for that.¡±

    ¡°It''s alright.¡± He told her, ¡°Now, there¡¯s another thing I wanna get that I¡¯m all out of.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± She asked, ¡°Some kind of tool, a type of food, books?¡±

    ¡°You know, books wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea.¡± He said, ¡°But I want to get some booze. You know how long it''s been since I¡¯ve gotten drunk?¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°Forty years, I¡¯ve been dry for forty years and I wanna fix that.¡± He said excitedly, ¡°I ain¡¯t gonna buy a barrel of the stuff, I ain¡¯t walkin¡¯ that all the way back to Betty, but there¡¯s gotta be something strong I can buy around here.¡±

    There had been barrels of some kind of alcohol at the bandit camps that he could have taken¡­ but he just didn¡¯t trust them. They had smelled vile and had a whole helping of floaties in em¡¯.

    ¡°There¡¯s a tavern in every human town I¡¯ve ever been in,¡± Sera said with a grin, ¡°I¡¯m sure we could get some good drinks there.¡±

    ¡°Alright but I ain¡¯t gettin¡¯ drunk here.¡± Joe told her, ¡°Gotta stay sober outside, best way to stay alive.¡±

    With that, they continued to move through the cobbled streets, with people continuing to stare with both wonder and a tad bit of fear at the two of them. They must not be used to seeing elves strutting about, based on how their eyes kept drifting to her ears. Sera seemed to pay it no mind, apparently she was used to the gawking. Joe however, was not so comfortable with the attention. He felt horribly exposed and stayed tensed up until finally they found the tavern.

    It looked no different from many of the other buildings around here, the only thing indicating that it was a tavern being the sign hanging above the door. It depicted a mug of what was presumably ale, with the text below it reading ¡®Alestrum¡¯. It sounded busy inside, the shouts of rowdy men and the giggles of tavern girls audible even from the outside.

    ¡°Lets just buy what we need n¡¯ then we¡¯ll go get some books.¡± He told her, opening the door to let her go through first.

    ¡°How kind.¡± She said with a smile, passing through the open doorway, ¡°Let us, as you say, ¡®get her done.¡¯¡±

    He followed after her, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves as the tavern went silent, all eyes within turning to stare at them. Several small circular tables took up the center of the chamber, with an empty stone fireplace sitting on the far wall. A counter split off a fourth of this main room, a row of occupied chairs lined up before it. The people here didn¡¯t look particularly rowdy or rough, just normal folk taking some time off to relax. He rushed over to an empty space before the counter, where a fat man cleaned out an empty mug idly with a rag.

    His eyes went wide when he saw the two of them, stumbling over a greeting before he asked, ¡°W-what can I get for you two?¡± He asked nervously, ¡°We have a spare room with a large bed-¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°I just wanna buy some drinks from ya. To go.¡±

    ¡°Ah, well in that case, I have this.¡± The man said, lifting up a heavy jug out from beneath the counter, ¡°It¡¯s my own recipe, I make the best mead in this whole Shard, I¡¯ll part with this jug for ten gold.¡±

    Sera looked to Joseph and nodded. Apparently that was a fair trade, he¡¯d take her word for it. He leaned on his poleaxe before he began rifling through his bag, setting ten coins on the counter before taking the jug and storing it in his rucksack.

    ¡°Thank you much.¡± Joe told him, ¡°I¡¯m hopin¡¯ it''s as good as ya say.¡±

    ¡°Oh absolutely it is.¡± He said, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be coming back for more soon- but ah, if you don¡¯t mind me saying, please don¡¯t bring that thing in here next time.¡± He continued, pointing to Joe¡¯s poleaxe, ¡°I thought you were going to rob me with how you were rushing up here with that.¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°Naw, I ain¡¯t like that.¡±

    He then turned to leave, but Sera looped her arm through his. He was about to ask why she was doing that, but soon saw the answer. Three men were very clearly staring at her, speaking to one another between drinks. He didn¡¯t stare for too long, but he heard a few choice words from their table. ¡®Pretty¡¯ ¡®An elf¡¯ ¡®Go talk to her¡¯. They each seemed to be trying to goad the other to come speak to Sera. When they saw her clinging to Joseph however, their goading died out.

    ¡°We want to just leave, right?¡± Sera asked, ¡°If those boys come over here we¡¯ll be stuck here for a while longer, if I make it look like I¡¯m taken they¡¯ll lose interest.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense. Let''s go.¡± He said, again making way for the door.

    However, he found himself stopping again, this time due to a few new people coming through the door. They were three men in total, with a young pompously dressed man standing in the center, blocking the path. He had long dark hair and his clothing was made of fancy colorful silks, looking more like pajamas than anything to be worn out in public. His two companions were rather wide and rough of face, contrasting the lean frame and softer features of pajama boy.

    ¡°Well,¡± The man in the center said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you, free knight yes?¡±

    Joe nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. If you¡¯ll excuse us.¡±

    Sera drew closer to him as they attempted to walk past the trio, but they moved to intercept, blocking the path, ¡°I am in need of a knight, if you seek a new master I will allow you to serve me, I am Hec Letsher, the heir to this township.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Joe said, ¡°But I¡¯m not interested at this time.¡±

    Hec gave a chuckle, shaking his head, ¡°I am not asking you, I¡¯m telling you. You can either serve me, or you can go work the mines.¡±

    ¡°Get lost, punk.¡± Joe growled, ¡°This ain¡¯t a fight you want.¡±

    The tavern had become eerily quiet after these three arrived, he noticed. People were averting their gazes, and the tavern girls seemed to be trying to keep themselves out of sight. This kid and his cronies must have been a constant nuisance, a rich boy with his goons making life harder for normal folk¡­ maybe he should make it easier for everyone by killing this guy right here and now. He¡¯d need to flee immediately after that, but this situation didn¡¯t seem like it would have a peaceful outcome no matter what he did.

    He wasn¡¯t gonna serve this punk or work in his mines, so the best course of action would be to knock his block off and clear outta here. If he just beat Hec up right here he¡¯d probably be too humiliated to return¡­ either that, or he¡¯d become even worse, taking out his anger on these people in Joe¡¯s absence. No matter what he chose, getting the hell out of Dodge would have to come immediately afterward.

    Hec¡¯s eyes then found Sera¡¯s, who stiffened under his gaze. He seemed to consider something for a long while before he grinned, ¡°Very well, I will allow you to stay a free knight, but only if you let me take this elf home with me. You can have her back in the morning and be on your way, but never return to Letsher after that again.¡±

    Right as Joe was about to smash his face in, Sera gave a sigh, ¡°If that¡¯s what¡¯s needed to end this peacefully, then very well.¡± She said shakily.

    Joe looked down to her with shock, seeing that her cheeks had gone pale. She tried her best to keep a straight face, but he could feel her shaking on his arm. Clearly she was terrified about the prospect, but from her perspective there must not have been that much of a choice. If that really was how she saw this situation, Joe couldn¡¯t understand. She could kill this guy just as easily as Joseph could, so why was she considering this?

    ¡°If you fight him-¡± Sera said, putting a quivering hand to her brow, ¡°If you fight him, it will cause too many problems to deal with. The entire city guard will come after us and we¡¯re too far away from Betty to escape¡­¡±

    ¡°Not gonna happen.¡± He told her firmly.

    ¡°It is not your choice to make,¡± Hec told him flatly, ¡°It¡¯s hers. Now, shall we go?¡±

    ¡°I-¡± She stammered, ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t move however, still clutching to Joe¡¯s arm firmly.

    ¡°You¡¯re nervous?¡± Hec asked, ¡°You¡¯re an elf, your kind are long-lived, surely you¡¯ve had carnal experience already?¡±

    Sera averted her gaze and said nothing.

    ¡°Oh boy, what a treat!¡± Hec exclaimed, clapping his hands together, ¡°An untouched elf? Maybe I should keep you instead-¡±

    ¡°Hey, you said your name was Hec, right?¡± Joe asked, keeping his tone neutral.

    Hec shot him a withering glare, ¡°That¡¯s right, I am Hec Letsher, heir to-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna kick your ass.¡± Joe said, cutting him off.

    ¡°How dare you-¡±

    Joe¡¯s armored fist then crashed into Hec¡¯s teeth while he was mid-sentence, shattering them and knocking him to the ground. The back of his head impacted with the floor, rebounding and sending Hec headfirst into dreamland. Shards of shattered teeth scattered on the wooden floor like broken glass, leaving Hec with a nigh-toothless and bloody maw. The silence was cut by a chorus of gasps from the tavern goers, and Hec¡¯s goons stared at him with wide eyes.

    ¡°Get in my way now and I¡¯ll just kill you.¡± Joe threatened, remaining perfectly still, ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are.¡±

    The men raised their hands, stepping aside to let Joe and Sera through the door. They walked quickly, Joe pulling Sera along as they went.

    ¡°W-we¡¯re going to be hunted down, we have to leave now!¡± Sera whispered quickly, ¡°Why did you do that? Conflict could have been avoided if-¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Joe cut her off, ¡°You think I was gonna let you go be some rich brat¡¯s toy? He¡¯s lucky I didn¡¯t just kill him. Never do that again.¡± He continued harshly, ¡°You were really going to let him do whatever he wanted to ya? You didn¡¯t mean that right? You could end a guy like that no problem, I know you could.¡±

    Her head hung, ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to be- I-¡± She stammered, ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to draw more attention to yourself¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Joe shook his head as they rushed through the streets, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯ve been through worse.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± She said, hesitating, ¡°Thank you, Joseph.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, but here¡¯s a new ground rule you need to understand while yer with me.¡± He told her, ¡°We don¡¯t negotiate with assholes, got me?¡±

    She clung to his arm more tightly, ¡°I got you.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long for them to reach the gates, the same guards from earlier spotting them, ¡°You weren¡¯t here for long, that weapon the only thing you bought?¡± The lever man asked.

    ¡°I bought some mead too.¡± He replied casually, ¡°But we gotta get going, lots of stuff to do.¡±

    ¡°Aye, stay safe out there, thank you for behaving yourself.¡± The guard said, raising the lever.

    Joe said nothing in reply. Once the palisade was raised, they walked out, maintaining a casual gait until they were a good distance away from Letsher. They didn¡¯t want it to be obvious to the gate guards that they were fleeing, hopefully the news about Hec¡¯s beating wouldn¡¯t spread until they were already back at Betty. Both he and Sera broke out into a run when they saw the gate open again, an entire retinue of guards pouring through and shattering that hope.

    He considered his options as they ran through the grass, trying to cut through the field and straight to Betty. They¡¯d be able to catch up with them eventually, there were still miles left to go and he was sure that they¡¯d send out men with horses as soon as they were ready. He could just kill a few of them and scare em¡¯ off, but killing these guys didn¡¯t sit right with him. He¡¯d still do it if necessary, but if it could be avoided, that would be the option he¡¯d take. He didn¡¯t want to increase the orphan population in Letsher either, he was certain that at least some of these men were fathers.

    He couldn¡¯t fight them all off in melee either, there must have been over fifty men coming after them on foot. If he decided to kill them he¡¯d have a better chance, but at that point he¡¯d just pull out his gun. As he had the thought, the men on horseback he¡¯d predicted rode out after the foot soldiers, ten of them in all. It wasn¡¯t long before the horses closed the distance, the soldiers taking aim with crossbows.

    Joe dropped the poleaxe, raising his rifle before firing at the feet of the beasts. The animals whinnied in terror, rearing back and sending some of their riders falling to the grass. Sera raised her hand, a large sheet of water appearing over the other soldiers heads and falling atop them, washing the ones that had kept a handle on their saddles off and successfully sending the other horses scattering.

    If only they could get on one of those horses, they¡¯d be able to get back to Betty in a jiffy. As he had the thought, he saw Sera raise her hand again, looking directly at the back of one of the fleeing beasts. The horse was effectively paralyzed where it stood. No words were exchanged as Joe swiped up his poleaxe, he and Sera sprinting toward it.

    ¡°Halt!¡± One of the horsemen shouted, struggling to rise from the ground, ¡°You are to be judged in a court of law for your actions!¡±

    ¡°Get bent!¡± Joe shouted, handing his poleaxe to Sera before lifting her up onto the saddle, ¡°I¡¯d do it again!¡±

    ¡°Bastard, die!¡± The man yelled, raising his crossbow.

    Joe quickly lifted his rifle and fired, the bullet tearing through the plate armor and blasting through his shoulder. The soldier dropped with a scream of agony, rolling around in the grass as his compatriots finally stood. He hopped up onto the horse with ease, grasping the reins right as Sera released the paralysis. She sat toward the front of the saddle, grasping the horn with a white knuckle grip while the poleaxe lay across her lap. Joe was right behind her, flicking the reins and raising his body as much as he could to protect her from any stray bolts.

    The animal needed no encouragement to run, breaking off into a sprint toward the horizon. He heard the crossbows loose behind them, and he tensed up as some impacted the dirt around them. Two bolts unfortunately plinked into his back, tearing through the trenchcoat and denting the thick armor beneath it. He let out a curse as he felt pain spreading through his back. It may not have pierced his flesh, but the force had still been strong enough to dent the breastplate. If they had been closer than this, there would have been a real chance that the bolts could have penetrated the metal. They were basically in the clear now though, the guards wouldn¡¯t be able to catch up with them on horseback unless they quickly caught their own.

    ¡°We did it!¡± Sera yelled excitedly, ¡°My goodness, how invigorating!¡±

    ¡°Home free now,¡± Joe said with a grin, ¡°We ain¡¯t gonna be able to go back there but knocking that guy out was worth it.¡±

    They rode that horse all the way back to Betty, quickly dismounting before setting the animal on its way. He quickly lowered Betty¡¯s ramp and the two rushed inside, both letting out a sigh of relief once the door was sealed behind them. Joseph unslung his duffel bag and rucksack, leaving them by the door before taking the poleaxe back from Sera.

    ¡°It''s good work, but I got an idea to make it better.¡± He said, laying it on the workbench, ¡°Not right now, we gotta get out of here, but later I¡¯m gonna supe this bad boy up.¡± It was a bit of an exaggeration on his part, but it would be an improvement nonetheless.

    He made way for the cockpit, Sera opting to collapse onto the recliner instead of following after him. He got in the chair, twisted the key, and rode off toward the horizon. He drove at a comfy speed of forty mph for about an hour before he decided to come to a stop, satisfied with the distance he had put between Letsher and himself. There was a chance that they¡¯d find them of course, but he could have Sera keep watch on the cameras while he slept. He stood from the chair and moved back into the front room, seeing Sera still sitting there with a hand on her chest.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re now wanted criminals in this Shard for assaulting a noble, but on the plus side¡­ that was a lot of fun!¡± She said with a smile, sitting up, ¡°I¡­ I thank you for standing up for me, Joseph.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He said, ¡°I¡¯m still surprised that you were gonna go through with it.¡±

    She frowned, hanging her head, ¡°It seemed like the only way to avoid bloodshed and the unwanted attention it would have brought you, I didn¡¯t want to make your life harder than it already would be as an Outworlder.¡±

    ¡°Make my life harder?¡± Joe asked with a chuckle, shaking his head, ¡°Girly, I went through an apocalypse, nothing in the universe is harder than that.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right.¡± She said, standing from the chair.

    ¡°Byeah.¡± He replied, ¡°I¡¯ll put the booze in the kitchen, can¡¯t drink tonight in case those fellas catch up with us-¡±

    She hugged him suddenly, cutting him off.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t makin¡¯ a deal.¡± He told her, confused at the contact.

    ¡°This is a normal hug, fool.¡± She said, releasing him, ¡°I¡¯m grateful.¡±

    ¡°Alrighty then.¡± He said, giving a thumbs up, ¡°Settle in n¡¯ relax, I gotta get everything squared away.¡±

    Sera smiled, ¡°...Of course.¡± She said after a moment, ¡°Say, would you teach me some English tonight?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± He said with a nod, ¡°It¡¯s only fair¡­ actually, I got one more question for ya, I remember back when I killed the dragon that you said only dwarves could imbue magic into items, but today ya told me that things could become magic randomly, what¡¯s the difference?¡±

    ¡°Dwarves have figured out a way to increase the chances of an item becoming magical.¡± Sera said, ¡°The only thing I know about it is that imbuement isn¡¯t nearly as potent as when it happens naturally. They would be more likely to have what you¡¯re looking for though.¡±

    ¡°I need a sewing needle to puncture them scales, and I need something that can saw through dragon bone.¡± He said.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to come by even then, but you can always try.¡± She said, sitting down in front of the entertainment center.

    ¡°Welp, in that case, I know where we¡¯re headed next.¡±

 Chapter Seventeen: Dwarfhold

    It took an incredibly long time, but Joe and Sera had finally gotten out of the grasslands. Having traveled the plains for as long as he did, he was certain that they were hundreds of miles in diameter. They hadn¡¯t immediately left after Joe decided to head for the mountains, there were still the bandit camps to take care of after all, so they both ended up wiping out the majority of them before they left. It took a couple weeks, but that road should be much safer to travel now.

    The dwarves might have something he could use to harvest dragon bone, which Sera confirmed was stronger than steel. The scales may not have been as durable as the bone, but if he could sew those into his trenchcoat it would make it significantly sturdier. That, and it would be rad as hell. He dearly hoped that Varig would be around to talk to, for he would be Joe¡¯s ticket into the Dwarfhold.

    It shouldn¡¯t be much longer before they reached the nearest one, all Sera knew about it was that it was called Ugals, the name of which sounded a tad familiar to Joe, though he couldn¡¯t quite place where he¡¯d heard it. Sera knelt next to his chair, gripping it as Betty traversed the rocky terrain. This was exactly why all the furniture was bolted down the way it was, when the ride got rough you wouldn¡¯t want all your things falling down.

    It had been about an hour now since they left the grasslands, and they had been steadily going upward since, the terrain becoming rocky and dotted with hills. He felt his ears pop periodically as they went, the eternal sign of a good road trip. Since the air was clean, he was alright with depressurizing Betty and letting in the air from outside via a retractable fan and vent on Betty¡¯s roof. Old girl could get musty sometimes, getting some fresh air would be good. The dirt trail they followed was not wide enough to accompany Betty¡¯s width, so keeping her completely on it was all but impossible. He was thankful at least for her cameras, for otherwise the sun would be directly in his face as it rose over the towering mountains on the horizon.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this Shard called again? Was it Everfall?¡± Joe asked.

    Sera shook her head, ¡°Everfae, Everfall is the forest.¡±

    ¡°Gotcha, so do dwarves call it something else? Will I offend them by calling it Everfae instead of Rockchew or something?¡± He asked.

    Sera giggled at that, ¡°No, from what I understand everyone calls this Shard Everfae, and it is doubtful that the dwarves would call it something else, and even less likely that they¡¯d take offense by it.¡±

    ¡°What does a dwarf hold look like exactly?¡± He asked, ¡°Lots of stone carvings n¡¯ statues?¡±

    Sera shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ve never been in one. I¡¯m not allowed.¡±

    ¡°Right, yer an elf.¡± He said with a short nod, ¡°Hey why do elves and dwarves not get along on Faenor?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a complicated question.¡± She replied with a sigh, ¡°The dwarves keep track of debts owed from all the races and peoples they¡¯ve interacted with¡­ apparently, elves owe them a great debt for something that happened right after Faenor¡¯s birth¡­ but none, save for the dwarves, can remember what is owed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that was a bajillion years ago.¡± Joe told her, gently swerving to avoid a boulder, ¡°But shouldn¡¯t there be at least one elf alive from then that could remember? Even if there ain''t, why won¡¯t the dwarves tell you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to say if any elves from that era remain. There could be one in any of the Shards perhaps, but if they exist they haven¡¯t repaid that debt.¡± She said, ¡°As for why the dwarves won¡¯t tell us, it is a cultural matter. They always remember their debts and will go out of their way to repay them no matter the cost, they also hold others to this standard. If you owe a dwarf a debt and cannot repay it, the dwarf will refuse to speak with you until you repay them.¡±

    ¡°That seems like overkill.¡± Joe stated, ¡°People don¡¯t got perfect memories, and this elf debt was basically pre-history.¡±

    She shrugged, ¡°Dwarves do have perfect memories, they can remember the slightest of details from events that had happened hundreds of years beforehand. Whatever this debt is, they remember, while we do not.¡±

    ¡°Wait one second,¡± Joe said, shaking his head, ¡°What if the debt did get paid already? You say these Shards are basically infinite right? Who¡¯s to say that an elf somewhere out there didn¡¯t already get this figured out? The dwarves could be waiting to be repaid for something that had already been resolved in another Shard.¡±

    ¡°That is a possibility.¡± Sera said, ¡°But if that happened, news hasn¡¯t spread from the other Dwarfholds, at least not yet. It could be centuries before dwarven messengers could reach the rest of their people.¡±

    ¡°Is that why they¡¯re so secluded?¡± Joe asked, veering back onto the trail, ¡°Does everyone owe them something?¡±

    Sera nodded, ¡°That¡¯s exactly right, they¡¯ve cut off basically everyone else for forgotten debts that they won¡¯t tell anyone about. It is infuriating.¡±

    ¡°So they base this off of historical racial debts?¡± He asked, ¡°Not individuals?¡±

    ¡°I heard that individuals of other races carry their own part of these debts, and as long as they find a way to pay it off, they¡¯ll be in the clear to interact with the dwarves¡­ at least somewhat. I heard that human merchants just pay a tithe of gold, as that is the racial debt owed by humanity to them. Basically this means your kind holds a monopoly on trade with Dwarfholds, as your debt is simple compared to that of other races.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I would count as owing them anything,¡± Joe said, ¡°I ain¡¯t exactly from around here.¡±

    ¡°Oh, well in that case just tell them you¡¯re an Outworlder. I¡¯m sure that will go over well.¡± She said sarcastically.

    Joe bit his cheek, ¡°I didn¡¯t say I¡¯d tell em¡¯ about that.¡±

    ¡°You sure made it sound like it.¡±

    ¡°Whatever.¡± Joe said, giving a dismissive wave of his hand.

    He had to veer off the trail again, seeing a merchant wagon rolling just ahead of them. The guards all scrambled frantically to mount a defense against Betty, drawing crossbows and readying them to fire. Joe didn¡¯t blame them for doing this, it wasn¡¯t as if they were going out of their way to capture him or anything, they were just frightened. Betty had been scaring plenty of travelers during this trip, mostly human merchant caravans.

    He always swerved off the trail to avoid them of course, but Joe still felt a pang of guilt at giving these poor folk a heart attack. When he was ahead of this particular caravan, he spotted someone he thought he recognized dismounting from the front wagon. It was hard to tell due to the pixelation¡­ but that sort of looked like Morla, the first person he¡¯d ever met here on Faenor. Joe didn¡¯t stop, still moving forward with no hesitation. There was no reason to stop and say hello, it was enough to see that the girl was safe.

    ¡°Do you see someone you know? Is it this Prolo you¡¯ve spoken of?¡± She asked, scanning the screens.

    ¡°No,¡± He said before explaining his encounter with Morla.

    ¡°I see, well you did good saving her.¡± She nodded, ¡°Maybe she¡¯s heading for Ugals like us?¡±

    ¡°If she is and we see her, I¡¯m gonna pretend I never met her before.¡± He said, ¡°I spoke English to her before I knew better, so she knows that I¡¯m an Outworlder. Good thing is that I wasn¡¯t wearing my normal gear when I went out there, so she won¡¯t recognize me.¡±

    ¡°Very well, I will do the same.¡± Sera said.

    The rest of the trip went smoothly¡­ well, smoothly in everything but the terrain. If Betty had normal tires instead of tank treads, they would have probably burst by now. They rode up higher and higher into the mountains, until finally they hit snow. Tall snow-capped pine trees loomed high over the rocky crags, set firmly into whatever dirt their roots could reach. A heavy white sheet of clouds blocked out the entire sky above, large snowflakes falling gently down to the earth.

    It was gonna be hell for those wagons back there to get through this thick snow, so Joe made it a point to flatten as much of it as possible with Betty¡¯s treads. It wouldn¡¯t clear the whole trail of course, but it was better than nothing. Another hour of this passed until finally they reached Ugals, the Dwarfhold.

    Two massive statues of long-bearded armored warriors stood just outside massive intricate carved stone gates, facing one another and wielding double-headed axes over their heads. They looked as if they were going to swing at one another, but the faces looked serene and calm. As Betty drew closer, Joe could see that the big stone gate was preceded by a smaller barred gate set into a shorter stone wall. So, he needed to get through a gate to get through the gate, just great. Well thankfully the palisade looked like it was wide enough for Betty to pass through, but first it needed to be raised.

    He pressed a button, a megaphone emerging from Betty¡¯s roof. He then grabbed the microphone from a compartment beneath the chair, unfurling the wire as Betty drew closer to the sealed gates.

    ¡°What is that thing?¡± Sera asked him, ¡°Will it let you communicate without having to step outside?¡±

    Joe smiled, and ruffled her hair, ¡°Exactly right.¡±

    Sera slapped his hand away with a scowl, ¡°Do not do that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m proud of ya sport.¡± He said, still grinning as he plugged the microphone into the dashboard.

    ¡°If I am right about something, don¡¯t pet me.¡± She told him with a huff, ¡°It is demeaning.¡±

    Joe, letting the goblin in his mind briefly take control, immediately leaned over and ruffled her hair again.

    ¡°Stop!¡± She yelled indignantly, slapping at his arm.

    ¡°Sorry I couldn¡¯t help it, yer kinda funny when you¡¯re mad.¡± Joe told her, retracting his hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll correct that view soon enough.¡± She said sharply, her cheeks red with either rage or embarrassment, ¡°Just test me, Joseph.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m quivering.¡± He said flatly, as he parked Betty right outside the palisade.

    Squat figures made themselves visible on the wall above, aiming down with¡­ Joseph squinted at the cameras. Were those¡­? Sera leaned forward, trying to make out the long slender weapon in the dwarve¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Those are rifles!¡± Sera shouted, ¡°Like what you have!¡±

    ¡°No no,¡± Joe said, shaking his head, ¡°They¡¯re rifles all right, but these ain¡¯t as advanced as what I have. Naw, those right there are called muskets.¡±

    Dwarves had invented guns, and based off Sera¡¯s reaction, they must have been a recent invention. How fascinating, he wondered if their bullets were round or conical, probably round but who was to say? He itched to find out.

    ¡°Pretend you are alone and that I am not with you.¡± Sera whispered to him, ¡°If they find out an elf is with you, they won¡¯t grant you entry no matter what you say.¡±

    Joe nodded, lifting up the microphone before saying, ¡°Greetings, I am a human come looking for trade. This here is my wagon, I got a lot of things you might be interested in if you let me through. Also, I can speak to you from in here but I won¡¯t be able to hear you talking to me. If you¡¯re interested in trading with me, simply open your gates and I will enter, if not, I¡¯ll leave. Also I rescued a dwarf by the name of Varig, but I didn¡¯t get his last name, I would like to know if he is here. Beside that, I have gold I can use to pay my portion of humanities debt. I¡¯ll give ya some time to decide.¡±

    The dwarves slowly lowered their rifles, with a few disappearing from atop the wall. The others still stood there, watching Betty like hawks. Curious hawks, based on the tilted helmets. Betty was probably something dwarves would take great interest in, now that he thought of it. If they had guns they could also have access to coal engines. Maybe they were wondering why Betty wasn¡¯t exuding any steam?

    He unplugged the microphone and leaned back in his seat, ¡°Now we wait, I¡¯m hopin¡¯ they¡¯ll let us in.¡±

    ¡°What if they search Betty and they find me?¡± Sera asked, ¡°What will we do if I¡¯m discovered?¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°I ain¡¯t lettin¡¯ no one but you in here, if they wanna search us then we¡¯ll just leave.¡±

    ¡°No one but me huh?¡± She asked, smiling.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± He replied, ¡°You¡¯re in here aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± She replied, still smiling.

    She had a sort of ¡®knowing¡¯ look in her eyes. He didn¡¯t know why but he wasn¡¯t gonna press the issue. They both chatted as they waited for the gates to raise, but nothing happened. It seemed as if they made their choice, it had been an hour now and they hadn¡¯t come back. It was a shame, but it would be back to the grasslands now-

    Suddenly, the gate began to raise a retinue of heavily armored soldiers waiting within. Some wielded axes and shields, whilst others boasted muskets, the shield wielders sitting just in front of the gunmen. Their armor looked to be made of a sturdy dark steel, the helmets concealing their faces and only leaving their long beards visible. Their slitted visors all faced Betty, the dwarves completely motionless. Another dwarf approached from the crowd, unarmed but still fully armored. He gestured for Betty to come forward, and Joe followed the direction, the dwarf indicating that he should park Betty off to the side of the main gate. He did so, the formation of warriors adjusting so that it would always be facing the vehicle.

    Once he was parked, he took a nervous breath. If he went out there with his normal gear and they opened fire¡­ that could kill him. He didn¡¯t think that the musket balls could easily pierce the kevlar padding, but a couple hits to the head and he¡¯d fall unconscious. He¡¯d need to wear the power armor for this one, at least until he was sure they weren¡¯t gonna kill him. Joe could overwhelm their firepower with the mini-gun, but if he came out with something like that, they may shoot immediately.

    He¡¯d have to don the armor and forgo any weapons, if they opened fire on him then he¡¯d have to kill them with the armor itself. Muskets weren¡¯t going to puncture the T-12, no matter how many times they shot him with it. He wouldn¡¯t feel bad about it either if that was what they planned, they had let him in willingly with the intent to trade, if they betrayed that then he¡¯d be peeling the armor off their corpses for himself.

    He stood, marching quickly to the workshop with Sera trailing right after him, ¡°You ain¡¯t coming out with me, remember?¡± He asked as he opened up the T-12.

    ¡°I know, just¡­¡± She hesitated, ¡°Just be careful, please.¡±

    ¡°Byeah, I will.¡± He told her, stepping into the T-12 and sealing the armor.

    He¡¯d have thirty minutes to establish good contact with these dwarves, otherwise he¡¯d need to leave. Actually, it would need to be twenty minutes at the latest, he didn¡¯t want it to lose power out there.

    ¡°Keep an eye on the cameras, if they try to kill me then open up the door, I can lower the ramp but I don¡¯t wanna do the knock if they get aggressive.¡±

    ¡°Can do.¡± She said with a nod, ¡°Good luck!¡±

    He nodded, lowering Betty¡¯s ramp, grabbing the gold-filled duffel bag before stepping outside, closing the door behind him. All was eerily quiet from the dwarves as they stared at him from across the way. If they were gonna fire, they would have done so by now. He moved forward across the intricately carved stone blocks, duffel bag in tow. He needed to present them with some gold to pay off his portion of humanities debt, thankfully he had plenty more where this came from.

    The dwarf that had directed Joseph on where to park approached him, his armor barely making a sound as he went. As the dwarf drew closer, Joe was able to make out more details about his armor. The first thing he noticed was that several dozen images had been engraved upon the metal, each displaying a dwarf locked in combat with various men and beasts. The most prominent of which displaying itself on his left shoulder plate. It depicted a dwarf and a griffon, the dwarf was making a triumphant pose, while the griffon lay decapitated at the dwarf¡¯s feet.

    Strangely, he noticed the same trend in the stone blocks at their feet. The carvings all wove together seamlessly, but they each showed wildly different events. A dwarf carrying a block melded into another throwing an axe, and so on and so forth. It made him dizzy to stare at it for too long.

    ¡°I, Bilmor Terghast, will hear your offer.¡± The dwarf said, crossing his arms, ¡°But before that, I need your first and last name.¡±

    Joe squinted, ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve read the records on humans that have paid their debts, I will remember if you were on that list and you can keep your gold if so.¡± He explained, ¡°You also have claimed to save Varig, I must hear your name in case you are lying. He did say that a human had saved him, but let me hear your name before we continue.¡±

    ¡°Joseph Haythorn.¡± He told him, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m on your list, I¡¯ve never been here before.¡±

    ¡°Aye, I do believe you¡¯ve not been here before¡­¡± Bilmor said, ¡°Nonetheless, you owe us nothing, Joseph.¡±

    He blinked in surprise, ¡°I don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°You must be speaking truth when you say that you are the human that saved Varig Ugals, yes?¡± He asked, unfolding his arms, ¡°There is no other man on the list with your name, indeed nowhere in the annals of our history have I read the clan name ¡®Haythorn¡¯ before. Varig knew of your first name and had written you down as someone we owe a great debt to.¡±

    ¡°Just for saving one of your citizens?¡± Joe asked, ¡°You saying the whole city wants to pay me back for that?¡±

    Bilmor shook his head, ¡°No, only a normal citizen would be responsible for paying back such a debt, but you saved Prince Varig, and that is a debt that weighs on us all as a result.¡±

    Varig was a damned prince!? What the hell was he doing chained up by goblins and not wearing shoes? What was he on a picnic out in the middle of nowhere and got gobbed in the middle of it? Wouldn¡¯t he have had royal guards or something?

    ¡°I uh-¡± He stammered, ¡°I didn¡¯t know he was so important.¡±

    ¡°...That makes sense, considering your otherworldly origins.¡± The dwarf said after a moment of hesitation.

    A pit formed in his stomach, ¡°You won¡¯t take me alive-¡± He started.

    ¡°Calm yourself.¡± The dwarf said, raising his hand, ¡°We have no intention of sacrificing you. Dwarfhold Ugals is now in your debt, we cannot do such a thing to the one who had saved our prince.¡±

    ¡°That right?¡± Joe asked, ¡°What happens if you pay back the debt? Am I free game then?¡±

    Much to his surprise, the dwarf nodded. ¡°Aye, but I would not fear this. Such a debt is not to be repaid until Prince Varig either saves your life or the life of your child¡­ or unless another dwarf of this hold does so. If that cannot be done, then Hold Ugals will owe your descendants, and we will wait for a day where we can save them.¡±

    ¡°What if I go in there and someone fabricates some danger to ¡®save¡¯ me from, what then?¡± Joe asked, skeptical, ¡°How do I know you ain¡¯t gonna pull something like that?¡±

    ¡°Any citizen that would do such a thing would be put to death then and there¡­ besides, only the royal family and myself know that you are an Outworlder, the general public is ignorant of that fact. All they would know is that you saved our third prince from the hands of lowly goblins.¡±

    ¡°How did he get captured by them, if ya don¡¯t mind me asking?¡±

    ¡°His caravan had been attacked by a red serpent dragon, according to Varig. Our prince fled into the forest after his retinue had been burnt to cinders, shortly thereafter falling prey to goblins.¡± Bilmor¡¯s fist shook slightly, but his voice remained even as he continued, ¡°They forced him to smooth stone, him, a prince.¡±

    Ah, well maybe he should get to explaining why he was here then. Maybe if he told them that the dragon had passed away from fatal buckshot disease it would put the dwarves more in his debt. Assuming it was the same dragon of course, but how many red serpent dragons would really be hanging around the woods? He¡¯d lead into the subject gradually.

    ¡°Is that beneath ya¡¯ll?¡± Joe asked curiously, ¡°The stone smoothing, I mean.¡±

    ¡°No, it is an honorable profession¡­ for commoners. Varig is a prince, his hands are only to be hardened by the forge, or battle¡­ but enough of that.¡± Bilmor said, ¡°Varig would have an audience with you, if you would be so inclined. Also, I must ask what you have come to trade with us for?¡±

    ¡°Tell Varig I¡¯ll think about it, I can¡¯t meet him wearing this.¡± Joe said honestly.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°You are the one he owes the debt to, if you do not desire to meet with him you can trade your goods and be on your way.¡± Bilmor said, gesturing toward the gate, ¡°You do not even need to enter the hold if you do not wish it, we can bring out what you¡¯re asking for and do the trade here.¡±

    That was quite generous of them¡­ and quite tempting as well. That would leave minimal risk to himself. A part of him was curious to see what lay inside the Dwarfhold, but if they were willing to give him what he wanted here with minimal contact, then that was what he was gonna do. Still, he did want to see Varig again, to at least give the dwarf a proper conversation.

    ¡°I would prefer to do the trade here,¡± Joe said, ¡°If Varig would like to come out and meet me here, I would be happy to.¡±

    ¡°I will send word, he will come down as soon as he hears the request, I have no doubt.¡±

    ¡°Cool. So, I heard you dwarves have magical items right?¡± He asked, receiving a nod from Bilmor, ¡°Remember that dragon you mentioned just a second ago?¡± Bilmor nodded again, ¡°I killed it and I wanna harvest the bone, thing is, I can¡¯t cut through-¡±

    ¡°You did what!?¡± The dwarf shouted, ¡°Preposterous, show me proof. You¡¯d put us in more debt than we already are? You better not be lying.¡± He finished, pointing a broad finger.

    Joe glared, ¡°Oh I did it alright. You know what? You want proof? Fine, I got some of its scales right in there, wait here and I¡¯ll show you.¡±

    ¡°Very well. I will know if they are fake.¡± Bilmor said with a huff.

    Joe was irritated with Bilmor¡¯s tone, but also understood the skepticism. Dragons were probably both rare and incredibly dangerous after all, and here he was, a single man saying that he killed it? Well, Joe was gonna prove him wrong. As he approached the door, it opened, Sera staying out of sight as Joe moved past her.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She asked, ¡°They didn¡¯t attack you.¡±

    ¡°He don¡¯t believe that I killed that dragon.¡± He said, ¡°I¡¯m gonna show em¡¯ these scales to get him off my back. Also that Varig guy I saved? He ended up being a prince, so Ugals apparently owes me big time now.¡±

    Sera¡¯s brows raised at that, ¡°Well how about that¡­ so we get access to the hold then?¡± She asked, tone becoming excited, ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to see what it was like inside one, I¡¯ll have to stay in Betty unfortunately but I can at least see it through the cameras-¡±

    ¡°We ain¡¯t goin¡¯ in.¡± Joe told her, switching the duffel bag for the large sack filled with dragon scales, ¡°Too risky, Varig knows what I am and so does the royal family. We¡¯re just gonna trade n¡¯ go.¡±

    Sera slumped, ¡°Please?¡± She asked, clasping her hands together, ¡°Pretty please?¡±

    ¡°No way.¡± Joe said, shaking his armored head, ¡°Just gonna trade n¡¯ go.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s no fair.¡± She said, crossing her arms and glaring up into his helmet, ¡°We came all this way, let¡¯s at least take a gander-¡±

    ¡°Sera I can¡¯t, that¡¯s a huge risk for me to take. I don''t know these folk. What if someone in there knows what I am and don¡¯t care about repaying debts?¡± He asked her.

    Sera opened her mouth, likely to argue, but whatever she was about to say died in her throat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Joseph, you¡¯re right. My curiosity gets the better of me most days, when it burns its brightest I hardly think of anything else.¡±

    ¡°It''s alright.¡± He told her, patting her shoulder gently, ¡°Maybe one day, but not now.¡±

    ¡°One day implies our partnership will last longer than another month.¡± She stated, raising an amused eyebrow.

    Joe didn¡¯t reply, instead taking the scales and stepping back outside, shutting the door behind him. Bilmor stood, arms crossed and waiting. Joe walked up to him, rifling through the sack and gripping a scale, presenting it to Bilmor, smirking beneath his helmet. The dwarf took the scale tenderly before he attempted to bend it with his massive hands. After a moment of struggling and failing to bend it, Bilmor sighed.

    ¡°Yet another debt to be owed by avenging the destruction of Prince Varig¡¯s retinue.¡± He said bitterly, ¡°Your name will carry more weight in our annals now, you have paid the equivalent debt of at least ten-thousand humans with your actions.¡±

    ¡°That right?¡± Joe asked, ¡°What if I said there was a way you could repay that debt right now?¡± He asked, turning to look back at Betty.

    ¡°Speak.¡± Bilmor said, handing Joe the scale.

    Joe put it back in the bag, ¡°I want to know what it is that the elves owe you all, I¡¯m curious is all.¡±

    Bilmor fell eerily silent, seemingly refusing to speak.

    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me, can ya?¡± Joe asked.

    Bilmor shook his head, ¡°That is related to a debt their kind owes us, it is not knowledge I can give freely, even if it would satisfy the debts we owe you.¡±

    ¡°So you do remember.¡± Joe said with a nod.

    ¡°Aye¡­ at least some of us do. We keep it from the general public, as we don¡¯t want the knowledge reaching the elves.¡± He said, ¡°I personally know what they owe us, but we will not speak to them until it is satisfied.¡±

    Joe clicked his tongue, ¡°Look, that was a really long time ago, I don¡¯t think none of em¡¯ even remember what it was. Why don¡¯t you tell them so they can get it resolved? I just don¡¯t understand that.¡±

    Bilmor shook his head, ¡°Menfolk never could understand our ways. If we were to tell them the debt, it would be a grave insult to elvenkind, as we would be telling them that their memory is faulty.¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Joe said, lifting his index finger, ¡°I heard that there are none of em¡¯ left alive that can even remember, how is that fair or insulting?¡±

    ¡°This subject will be dropped.¡± Bilmor told him flatly, ¡°I will hear no more questions on this. I will send word to Varig and return with merchants that may have the items you seek.¡±

    Joe nearly gave an irritated huff, but held himself back. If Billy boy here didn¡¯t want to share then he wasn¡¯t going to force him. Still, it would have been nice to know, at least for Sera¡¯s sake. Maybe he¡¯d have better luck when he spoke with Varig? He had no idea how long it would take for him to get down here, but he¡¯d need to put the T-12 away if it took too long. They clearly weren¡¯t going to kill him, at least not until their debts were repaid.

    He watched as Bilmor began jogging toward the massive stone gate, seeming to phase right through the stone. Joe blinked. Was that gate magical? Was it an illusion or would it only let certain people through it? Yet another question he¡¯d have to ask later it seemed.

    While word was being sent to Varig, Joe returned to Betty, swapping out his armor and stepping out once more. He of course brought out his own rifle, just in case the firing line changed their minds. Much to his surprise and relief, those dwarves had dispersed, taking places along the wall and leaving him to his own devices. At least, most of them did, one dwarf remained, musket in hand and staring at Joseph. He supposed that just because they somewhat trusted him didn¡¯t mean that they¡¯d leave him unattended.

    ¡°Why did you swap your plate armor for something completely inferior?¡± The dwarf asked from across the way, ¡°The steel you wear now is nothing compared to what you had on before.¡±

    ¡°You have steam power right?¡± Joe asked.

    The Dwarf, apparently surprised, nodded, ¡°The armor is like that in a way. It needs power to function, and I didn¡¯t wanna waste any battery.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t going to give this guy all the details of course, such as the thirty minute time limit, but he saw no reason to not make conversation. This was going to potentially be a long wait after all. He and the dwarf spoke for around half-an-hour, discussing mostly about their respective armors. The dwarf had been surprised to hear that Joe had crafted his plate armor by himself, stating that most dwarven warriors often did the same.

    He had been in the middle of giving Joe some tips and tricks for forging that he knew, with the most important detail being that dwarven ale, when poured in with the metal, apparently made it stronger. Joe didn¡¯t know about all that, he couldn¡¯t think of any reason that would make it better¡­ in fact, it could make it far worse in quality. Yet, looking at their armor, it did seem better than anything he himself had crafted¡­ maybe dwarven rum had some special quality to it that could harden the metal? He¡¯d buy a barrel of the stuff and see for himself.

    Joe was in the middle of explaining the functions of the electrical forge in his workshop when Bilmor returned, a large retinue of dwarves following after him. Two of them bore tall red flags with a symbol depicting a simplistic drawn dwarf and a barrel. He assumed that it was a dwarf at least, with how stocky it was and the long beard. The dwarf was lifting the barrel over his head, either getting ready to drink right out of it or to throw it at someone. That must have been the house symbol for Ugals if he was guessing right.

    The retinue consisted of around forty dwarves, half of them being armored men and the other half being unarmored fellas pulling wagons. At the front of the group though, was a familiar face.

    ¡°Joseph.¡± Varig said, approaching him, ¡°I see you are well. You have learned Faesh, I¡¯ve heard.¡± He finished in a whisper.

    He was no longer wearing dirty rags and lacking shoes, instead he wore a full suit of plate armor, colored gold and engraved with several images as the others had. A long purple cape hung from his shoulders and only barely touched the ground. He looked every bit of a dwarven prince, even his presence felt different than when he was in the cave.

    ¡°It is good to see you again.¡± He continued, ¡°Peruse the merchant¡¯s wares, they will set up a market in miniature for you to explore. You may take three magical items of your choice, as to repay the debt for slaying that cursed dragon. These are all the merchants that sell magical goods, but they also bring with them some other standard wares, if they suit you.¡±

    ¡°Well thanks.¡± Joe said with a nod, offering his hand.

    Varig stared at it with suspicion, ¡°You did not wish to shake hands back in that cave, why now?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t completely sure about you is all.¡± Joe said, ¡°If I shook hands with ya, you might have been able to pull me to the ground. I know ya won¡¯t do that now, though.¡±

    It was true, Joe couldn¡¯t find it in him to distrust Varig. He knew what Joe was, but still didn¡¯t try and seize him for a wish, even though Joe was horribly outnumbered.

    ¡°That paranoia will keep you alive on Faenor, considering who you are, so do not forsake it.¡± Varig said, clasping Joe¡¯s hand in his own, ¡°I owe you a great debt twice over, now please, go satisfy one of them and select your items of choice. Remember, only three magical items will be parted with, then the dragon debt will be settled.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡± He said, ¡°What happens if they don¡¯t have what I¡¯m looking for?¡±

    ¡°Then you may remain here until we can imbue what you need, though it may take time. I understand that you do not wish to remain here for long, but understand that you have my clan''s protection and may stay under my roof if you wish.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that,¡¯ Joe said, ¡°But hopefully they¡¯ll have what I need. No offense I just don¡¯t wanna be in a place I can¡¯t get out of easily.¡±

    ¡°Again, that is a healthy paranoia.¡± Varig said with a nod, ¡°But if something did happen, I would save you and satisfy our debt.¡±

    ¡°What would happen to me after that?¡± Joe asked, ¡°Wouldja try and sacrifice me?¡±

    Varig shook his head, ¡°No. Even if the debt is settled, I will do no such thing, though we would be again on even footing. I will never forget you releasing me from my imprisonment, Joseph.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Joe replied, ¡°Alright well, I¡¯m gonna take a look at those wagons then and I¡¯ll get back to ya.¡±

    Varig nodded, his eyes finding Betty.

    ¡°I will allow you up to six magic items if you give us the schematics for your wagon.¡± Varig said, his eyes lighting up, ¡°Such a thing would be perfect for hauling work in the mines.¡±

    Joe grimaced, ¡°I don¡¯t want to offend Varig, but frankly you guys don¡¯t have the technology to replicate it, and she¡¯s more of a weapons platform than a cargo truck.¡±

    ¡°It is a weapon you say?¡± Varig asked, putting a hand on his chin, ¡°I see¡­ well, would it at least be alright if I send one of my engineers to look around the exterior of your vehicle? I assume you don¡¯t want anyone inside.¡±

    ¡°Correctamundo,¡± Joe said, receiving a confused stare from Varig, ¡°Will I still get up to six magic items if I let someone look at her?¡±

    Varig nodded, ¡°Our engineers are some of our most gifted minds, and we do not forget things like the other races do. All they would need is to look at it and they¡¯d remember every detail.¡±

    An entire race with the super-power of photographic memory¡­ he found himself oddly jealous. He had always wanted to have a photographic memory, it would have expedited his learning n¡¯ crafting greatly.

    ¡°Alright, but they can¡¯t touch it neither.¡± Joe said, ¡°She¡¯s fragile.¡±

    Varig smiled and shook his head, ¡°A very dainty girl that, just look at her.¡± He continued, nodding at Betty, ¡°She¡¯ll blow away in a strong wind.¡±

    ¡°Come on now she¡¯s obese, a tornado couldn¡¯t get her fat ass off the ground.¡± Joe laughed.

    Varig also broke out into a good chuckle before he waved Joseph off toward the wagons, calling out to them the new deal they had arranged. He headed toward the merchants, several of them staring wide eyed at Betty. They all seemed fascinated by her, but with how their people were, it was no real shock. Already he could see a squat dwarven woman wearing goggles rushing over to Betty, rounding her a single time before reporting to Varig and taking her leave. Was it really that easy for them to recall things like that?

    Joseph approached the first wagon, run by a portly dwarf with a long red beard, ¡°Ah, you made the right choice laddy.¡± He replied, ¡°This is a sample of Ledwi¡¯s emporium! I have utilitarian tools here, recently imbued! Please, take your pick and I will provide it gladly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re Ledwi,¡± Joe said, looking over the various tools in his wagon bed.

    ¡°Aye, that I am! The best tools merchant in Ugals- no, on Faenor! I will have what you seek, surely.¡±

    Joe spotted what appeared to be a kitchen knife and pointed it out to Ledwi, ¡°Can that one cut through anything?¡± He asked.

    Ledwi shook his head, ¡°No, that one is self-repairing, if given enough time, meaning you never have to sharpen or replace it.¡±

    Ooh, that sounded nice. A knife that didn¡¯t need to be maintained and could self-repair? It was tempting, but there were still twenty wagons left to sift through.

    ¡°I might take it after I browse some more, what about that thing there?¡± He asked, pointing to a sphere made of steel, ¡°What¡¯s that do?¡±

    ¡°Ah that. Well, that is worth at least three magic items by itself.¡± Ledwi said, I do not know if Prince Varig explained how magical items are valued, but depending on their utility they can cost double or even triple the price of a standard one. Know that if you take that, it will cost three of the six you¡¯re allowed.¡±

    Joe narrowed his eyes at Ledwi suspiciously, ¡°What if I take that up with Varig right now?¡± He asked, ¡°He¡¯s just over there, maybe I should confirm.¡±

    If Ledwi was fibbing, his reaction would give him away. However, Ledwi simply shrugged, ¡°Go ahead, I understand.¡±

    Hmm¡­ he didn¡¯t seem to be lying or nervous about getting in trouble, but he¡¯d go ask Varig anyway. Joe wasn¡¯t about to be scammed out of three useful tools. However, when he returned to Varig, the prince confirmed what Ledwi had claimed. When Joe came back, he again pointed to the sphere.

    ¡°So, what does it do?¡± He asked.

    Ledwi grinned, ¡°It is a space expander.¡±

    Joe blinked, ¡°Care to elaborate?¡±

    ¡°If you put that inside a room, any room, the size of that chamber is increased by ten times its original size.¡±

    Joe frowned, ¡°I can¡¯t take that one, sounds cool but if I put it in my wagon over there, she might explode.¡±

    ¡°Ah ah!¡± Ledwi exclaimed, wagging his finger, ¡°Not at all, the space outside the room is left unaltered, your wagon would suffer no exterior changes, and before you ask, no, if you have steam pipes or anything else in the walls, they will still function as intended.¡±

    Joe almost bit his knuckle, ¡°Damn. That¡¯s tempting. I wanna see it in action first though, got a way we can test it?¡±

    His workshop, kitchen, or front room could end up being ten times the size without bursting Betty? The possibilities ran wild in his mind.

    Ledwi chuckled, ¡°As long as there is a roof, a floor, and walls, the chamber will be expanded, help me throw this cloth over the wagon, and toss the sphere within, see how massive it becomes.¡±

    And so Joseph did just that, helping Ledwi move a large cloth over his wagon bed and placing the sphere inside. He watched with awe as the space within widened, his jaw dropping as it happened. It was about ten times the size it was before, just as Ledwi had claimed.

    ¡°As you can see,¡± He started, ¡°It does not raise the ceiling whatsoever, it expands the walls. Keep in mind, this is a functional space, not an illusion. I caution you though, if you remove the sphere from an expanded room, everything you have put against the walls will come crashing back to the center as the walls shrink rapidly. So once you expand a room, I¡¯d recommend that it stays there, and also, if walls contain it, the effects will be limited to what is within those barriers, adding extra rooms in this larger space. You can still do so of course,¡± Ledwi explained, ¡°But you must install it in the center of these potential new rooms, and again, if it is ever removed those rooms will be destroyed by the shrinkage.¡±

    That was kind of scary to think about, but if he installed it right¡­ he could set it somewhere on the floor, bolt it in place so it couldn¡¯t be removed easily, and have a larger front room, ten times its original size. From there he could build new rooms, give himself a proper library, a room for exercising, the possibilities were astonishing.

    ¡°Let''s put a pin in that one.¡± Joe said, becoming dizzy as his mind worked, ¡°I gotta find something that can cut dragon bone, do you got something like that?¡±

    Ledwi frowned, ¡°I apologize, but my wagon will not have what you seek. You are interested in the sphere though, yes?¡±

    Joe nodded emphatically, ¡°Absolutely, but I got twenty wagons to go through and I don¡¯t wanna set anything in stone just yet.¡±

    ¡°I understand, please come back to me once you¡¯re finished and we can see what you have decided.¡± Ledwi said, removing the cloth and causing the inside of the cart to immediately shrink.

    ¡°Will do.¡± Joe said, ¡°You still got stuff that I don¡¯t know the function of though, what does this weird ribbon thing over here do?¡±

    ¡°It changes into whatever color the wearer desires!¡± Ledwi shouted excitedly.

    That was lame, he wouldn¡¯t take that over a self-repairing knife¡­ but he supposed that all these wagons were gonna have stuff like this.

    And so on he went, questioning every merchant on the function of every single magical item they had. The process took well over an hour, but the dwarves thankfully didn¡¯t seem to mind. Varig himself had taken to speaking with the guards on the wall, but for what reason he didn¡¯t know.

    After his search was done, he had finally picked the items that he wanted. The first of which was a knife worth two items, which could only cut through bone, but could cut through any kind of bone with ease, including dragons, which was why the price was considerably high. It was exactly what he needed though, and he wasn¡¯t going to turn it down. The second item and the most expensive one by far, was the space expanding sphere. It was a close contest between that, and a cube that could emit a small flame indefinitely at will. The prospect of having what was essentially a lighter that never ran out of fuel had excited him, but he wanted the extra space more.

    The final item, and the other key he needed, was the needle. The kicker was that it couldn¡¯t pierce anything whatsoever, but it was capable of binding anything to cloth without needing to puncture it. It could phase through matter without issue, and the binding it did was strong, requiring significant force to remove whatever was bound. For some reason, this one was only the cost of one item¡­ that merchant had no idea what he was parting with, the applications for such a thing were incredible. The armor he could make with this tool was going to be insane.

    All he had to do now was set the time aside to sew the scales in, and then go back to the dragon¡¯s corpse to harvest the bones. Oh yeah¡­ it was all coming together. Other items had caught his attention too of course, ones that almost made him consider bartering with Varig so he could get more. If he did though, Varig would likely want to send an engineer inside Betty, and that wasn¡¯t an option, not with Sera in there.

    His survivor brain also insisted that he not be greedy, that letting a stranger in would be the death of him. So, he acknowledged it and staved off the temptation to ask for more. Once his choices were decided, he picked out some non-magical goods from the dwarves. He bought a barrel of dwarven rum, dried food, a few dwarf-made tools, ingots of dark dwarven steel, and a few bags of gunpowder. There were some other bits and bobs he collected as well of course, it was hard to hold back from taking more and more, but he felt some guilt at essentially robbing these people. They insisted that it was alright, that they were going to be compensated by the royal family, and in fact tried to pressure him into taking more. Everything he took was essentially a sale in the merchant''s eyes, the bill being footed by Varig. Now guiltless, he indulged his greed, realizing that he was truly going to need the space expander to fit all this crap in there. Once he had all his items selected, the merchants deposited it by the ramp, taking their leave and moving back toward the stone gate¡­Again they just phased through it. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be so hard to get out if he brought Betty in¡­ no, caution.

    ¡°That is our greatest defense.¡± Varig told him, approaching from the wall, ¡°Currently the gate is an illusion, but our king can instantly solidify it at will.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty damn cool, but just the king?¡± He asked, ¡°What happens when you become king, will it be useless?¡±

    ¡°I am flattered, but I will not be king, I am third in line.¡± Varig said with a smile, ¡°As for how the gates function beyond that, I¡¯m afraid that I cannot tell you.¡±

    He seemed happy that he wouldn¡¯t be ruler, based on that tone.

    ¡°Alrighty, I won¡¯t pry¡­ say,¡± He said, suddenly having an idea that could satisfy both his caution and his greed, ¡°You let me get a few more magic items, and I¡¯ll let one of your engineers take a gander at one of my guns.¡±

    Varig¡¯s head snapped sharply to him, ¡°That sounds like a bargain, but you¡¯ve already taken so many¡­ You¡¯d need to show us more than just that.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t let you inside my wagon, sorry Varig.¡± Joe told him.

    Varig shook his head, ¡°I mean I want to see your collection of guns, we only recently invented our own, but the Outworld seems as if it is leaps and bounds ahead of anything we can currently make.¡±

    So he could get some more magical items, as long as he jumped Ugals ahead by a few tech levels. Joe thought of the ramifications of this, wondering if the dwarves would conquer this Shard with their newfound weaponry. Sera said that they were isolationist, not expansionist, and based on their behavior that was clearly the case. Even if they did want to conquer this Shard, what the hell did he care?

    The place was crawling with bandits, rife with human trafficking and corruption, maybe if these dwarves were in charge things would be better. Yet, Joe had a feeling that was not what would happen. They¡¯d just be even harder to dig out of their mountains than ever before, they were cautious people that didn¡¯t want much to do with the outside world.

    ¡°It¡¯s a deal, Varig. I got some things that¡¯ll make your head spin.¡± Joe said with a grin, ¡°But first, let''s talk business, how many magic items will you give me per gun?¡±

    Varig grinned back, ¡°It depends on how powerful the particular weapon you let us study is.¡±

    ¡°Get a few engineers out here and I¡¯ll let em¡¯ take a gander at what I got.¡±

    He dearly hoped that Sera wasn¡¯t going to be horribly bored being by herself, he had a feeling that this was going to take some time.

 Chapter Eighteen: Good Company

    Joseph rubbed at his eyes as he sat back in his recliner, looking over the sheer size of his living room. The space expander had been installed right in the center of the floor, with Joe having forged a steel containment unit specifically for the sphere. It couldn¡¯t be completely sealed, or else the expansion would only work within the space he¡¯d put it in. Using a couple wingnuts, he¡¯d been able to tighten the container so that it would be impossible to dislodge unless those wingnuts were loosened.

    It was awesome seeing how much space there was now¡­ but by the Lord what was he going to do with it all!? His front room had really grown to exactly ten times its original size, making it roughly two-thousand square feet. That was bigger than a lot of houses, and now he had to figure out what to put in it.. His walls were so damn far away now, everything that he had bolted in had joined the walls on the other side of the chamber. His recliner was still in the same place though, but now the entertainment center was way too far for him to see anything from his throne..

    It was too late to remove it now¡­ but would he really want to? With this much extra room he could put anything in here. Sera danced through the open space wildly, excited to run across the expanded space. It felt strange to be sitting in his recliner in the middle of this liminal space, but what was he going to do? He could remove the bolts and move it back to the entertainment center, but that was gonna be a huge pain in the ass. Maybe he should just start building rooms?

    As long as the space expander stayed in the center, it should be alright, Ledwi said so himself. He¡¯d start on the edges, maybe add a second bathroom and some proper bedrooms for him and Sera- he frowned at the thought. What was the point of building a bedroom for her? She was only going to be around for another month, and he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to get around to it for longer than that. He still needed to get the materials together for the walls, not to mention collecting furniture.

    Truthfully, the first room he should build will have to be a storeroom for all the things he¡¯d gotten from the dwarves. His workshop was overloaded now with crap, barrels, stacks of ingots, crates, it was basically impossible to even walk through it now. Yeah, that would be the first thing, he¡¯d build it right next to the door that led to his workshop, and he¡¯d have it be a big room too. Maybe around five hundred square feet, he liked to collect things and he could even build some shelves to enhance the holding of the aformentioned things.

    The thought excited him, and he stood from the chair, moving over to his workshop. It was a far longer walk than it used to be¡­ Sera, seeing him marching off, quickly bounded after him, arms outstretched as she went.

    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Sera asked, ¡°Will you move some things in here? It¡¯s gotten cramped in your workshop.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gettin¡¯ my tape measurer, I wanna get an idea of how big I want a storage room.¡± He said, ¡°I ain¡¯t leaving it like this, it''s way too open.¡± He said, pulling open the door, ¡°It freaks me out.¡±

    ¡°I think its fun!¡± Sera exclaimed, ¡°I¡¯ve been going stir-crazy, getting to run around is fantastic.¡±

    ¡°Well I hate it.¡± Joe stated, ¡°Besides, I need a store room for all that crap I got. That, and I¡¯m makin¡¯ myself a bedroom, a real one, with a real bed n¡¯ stuff.¡±

    He found the tape measurer after weaving through the workshop, re-emerging and moving to the corner of his expanded front room.  Five-hundred square feet of storage space would be more than enough for what was in the workshop and then some. He could keep so many raw materials in there too¡­ Perhaps he should return to Ugals one day to buy a surplus of dwarven steel. From his testing, it was definitely stronger than standard steel, though it was a fair bit heavier.

    Sera followed after him the whole time, watching him measure the width and length before she asked, ¡°Will you make me a bedroom too?¡±

    Joe hesitated, ¡°There ain¡¯t no point.¡± He told her, ¡°I gotta take you back to Gerad next month, remember?¡±

    She frowned, ¡°Ah¡­ yes that is true.¡±

    They both lapsed into an awkward silence then, lasting until Joe said, ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not saying I¡¯d be opposed to it.¡±

    She smiled, ¡°I like that, but I know you distrust Gerad. Our contract demands that I accomplish a great feat with him before it ends. There is a time limit, if we run out then it would need to be renewed, but by then you¡¯d probably have moved on from Everfae to a new Shard. After our time together ends, that will likely be the last time we see one another.¡±

    Joe¡¯s lips pulled to a fine line, ¡°What is with this contract yer talking about?¡¯ He asked.

    ¡°I and Gerad signed a contract to accompany one another until he accomplishes that great feat I just mentioned. It was a halfling contract¡­ ah, you wouldn¡¯t know what that means.¡± She said after seeing his confused expression, ¡°Halflings never adventure with the other races unless a contract is signed between the two parties. They have a strong influence on luck, you see, and for some reason it is bound to the signing of contracts. If one were to break a contract with a halfling, their luck would take a nosedive¡­ often fatally so.¡±

    ¡°Why even sign one then? You couldn¡¯t find someone else to work with?¡± Joe asked, ¡°Seems like a big risk to yourself, I wouldn¡¯t have done it.¡±

    ¡°Its risk and reward, Joseph.¡± Sera told him, ¡°If you fulfill a contract with a halfling, one¡¯s luck increases.¡±

    Was she saying that luck was an actually tangible thing on Faenor and not just a concept?

    ¡°But when we first met you were willing to just stay with me for a year or two, that¡¯s what you said. What woulda happened if yer contract ran out?¡± He asked, ¡°You¡¯d get super unlucky right?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± She said with a shrug, ¡°My luck would stay stable if time ran out, from there we could choose to renew it or officially end it.¡±

    ¡°Alrighty, but again, why¡¯d ya sign?¡± He asked.

    ¡°The luckier I am, the more likely I am to stumble across Tomes.¡± She explained, ¡°That, and I would be more likely to survive unfortunate circumstances, find treasures- everything associated with good luck.¡±

    Joe rubbed his chin, ¡°I think I get it. Is it just a marginal increase in luck or is it a big one?¡±

    ¡°Depends on the contract signed.¡± Sera said, ¡°I signed one with Gerad to accomplish a great feat, something that could be storied¡­ if we had slain that dragon, for example, our contract would have been satisfied.¡±

    ¡°Sorry bout that.¡± Joe said, ¡°Well, not really actually. I was gonna get cooked if I just stood there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not upset about it Joe!¡± She exclaimed, ¡°I¡¯m just using that as an example. There are other things that can be done.¡±

    ¡°Like capturing an Outworlder, right?¡± He asked, keeping his tone neutral, ¡°Maybe that was another reason Gerad was trying to push you to catch me.¡±

    Sera hesitated before nodding, ¡°That too would have fulfilled the contract between me and him, I think.¡±

    ¡°All the more reason I can¡¯t drop you off right at Shian, he could have an ambush set up for me by now.¡± Joe said, standing up.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but I don¡¯t think Gerad would do that¡­¡± She said, ¡°He seems cold but he really is a good boy, I think.¡±

    ¡°How long have ya known him?¡± He asked.

    Sera paused before saying with an embarrassed grin, ¡°Before meeting you? I would say a few months.¡±

    Joe stared.

    ¡°Thick as thieves.¡± Joe said sarcastically, ¡°No way that guy ain¡¯t planning something.¡±

    ¡°If he is, I will berate him for you. Just drop me off on the outskirts of Shian and I will make my way there myself¡­ and Joseph¡­ I was wondering about something.¡± She said, tone becoming nervous.

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    ¡°Shoot.¡± He replied, ¡°Why ya so shaky?¡±

    ¡°When I finish my contract with Gerad, I won¡¯t exactly have any goals set after that point. My plan was to simply wander until I came across more Tomes. So I was wondering if¡­¡± She trailed off.

    Joe put a hand on her shoulder, ¡°Yeah, you can.¡± He told her, ¡°You ain¡¯t bad company. I¡¯ll probably put your room somewhere over there,¡± He continued, pointing vaguely toward the entertainment center, ¡°Whaddya think?¡±

    Sera then squealed, rushing into him and wrapping her arms around his midsection. For such a little lady, she sure could squeeze. He let out a groan of pain as air rushed out of his lungs.

    ¡°Its a deal!¡± She yelled happily, ¡°Oh I can¡¯t wait! Frankly this place needs a woman¡¯s touch.¡±

    ¡°Yeah yeah.¡± Joe said breathlessly, ¡°Alright lemme go, yer killing me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a deal unless you hug back.¡± She said in a mischievous tone.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what happened last time-¡± He coughed, ¡°You just hugged me and let go.¡±

    She didn¡¯t relent, in fact she only squeezed harder as he struggled to pry her off of him. Sera was going to kill him unless he hugged her back, at least that¡¯s what it felt like. Damn, he¡¯d been trapped beneath rubble before and that seemed easier to remove than this gorilla of a woman! Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and squeezed her back.

    She finally released the bone crushing pressure she¡¯d placed around his rib-cage, but didn¡¯t let go, maintaining the hug. They stood there, holding one another for a long while. Joe had been intending to just let her go after the pressure had been released¡­ but it had been so long since he¡¯d had such physical contact like this with anyone. It felt¡­ it felt good. Who was the last person he had hugged before Sera?

    She looked up at him, ¡°The deal has been made, Joseph.¡± Sera said in a playful voice, ¡°You can let go now, unless you don¡¯t want to?¡±

    Joe grinned, quickly slipping his arms beneath hers and squeezing hard. Sera wheezed as Joe lifted her in the air, slapping at his shoulders before he set her down, ¡°That¡¯s payback for crushing my organs.¡±

    Sera glowered at him, hands on hips as she struggled to regain her breath, ¡°That was rude.¡±

    ¡°Well you reap whatcha sew.¡± He said with a shrug, ¡°I¡¯ll do unto you what you do unto me and whatnot.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get you back for that!¡± She said, ¡°I¡¯m small, it couldn¡¯t have hurt you that badly! Look at those ape-arms of yours, you could have killed me!¡±

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t.¡± He said, ¡°Yer just fine, don¡¯t be a pansy. Anway, thank ya¡­ I haven¡¯t hugged someone in a long time. Felt nice.¡±

    Sera¡¯s glower vanished, being replaced instead with a smile, ¡°I can hug you whenever you¡¯d like.¡±

    ¡°Well anyway,¡± Joe said, changing the subject, ¡°We should probably get going, we¡¯re only halfway down the mountain. That dragon ain¡¯t gonna harvest itself, and I wanna start gettin¡¯ some materials for the storage room.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re planning on sourcing lumber from local towns, we¡¯ll need to be careful. News had probably spread about your assault on that noble¡­ uh, what was his name again?¡± She asked, putting a hand on her chin, ¡°Lek or something?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡± He said, ¡°Naw, I¡¯m not gonna get lumber from towns, I want metal for the walls, I think it¡¯ll be easier to bind metal to metal rather than wood to metal, ya know?¡±

    ¡°You want sheets of steel for walls?¡± Sera asked, ¡°That¡¯s unrealistic, you do realize just how expensive that would be, right?¡±

    She was right, getting smiths to make metal wall pieces would cost a pretty penny. Thankfully he was planning on making them himself, he¡¯d just need to get the raw materials. He could always use some of the dwarven ingots he¡¯d gotten¡­ but there just wasn¡¯t enough metal to use from that pile. That, and it might be a waste to use them in that way, if anything he should be thinking about replacing the spikes in front of Betty with ones of dwarven steel, maybe even sections of the hull.

    ¡°Joseph?¡± Sera asked, waving a hand in front of his face, ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Just thinking is all. I¡¯ll have to make the walls myself, but I gotta get the materials-¡± He paused, ¡°I can¡¯t just buy them in town, at least not wearing my normal stuff. Maybe we should go back up the mountain and I can trade more secrets for raw materials. Honestly, I should have done that in the beginning. We¡¯re going back up the mountain.¡± Joe said with a nod.

    ¡°But if you do that, you won¡¯t be able to load in all that metal at once, you¡¯d need to stay at Ugals while you forged all the pieces you would need, that could take a very long time.¡±

    She was right again, damnit. He really wanted to go and harvest the dragon¡¯s bones before someone else got to it. Maybe after that he could come back to Ugals and trade for the materials he¡¯d need, then he¡¯d need to forge those items, but how should he go about making the walls? How thick did he want them, was he going to wire them to have their own outlets, what about insulation? He shook his head, the insulation wouldn¡¯t be necessary, plus it was always an itchy pain in the ass to install. He¡¯d have to get some ventilation for those rooms as well, so he would have to-

    ¡°Joe, are you there?¡± Sera asked, waving a hand in front of his face once more.

    ¡°Quit interrupting my time in la-la land.¡± He told her bitterly, ¡°It helps me figure out big projects like this.¡±

    ¡°Go to la-la land later.¡± She said, ¡°Let''s just enjoy the open space here for now, we¡¯ll go get the dragon bone situation resolved, then after that¡­ Well, by time you get something usable out of those bones, it¡¯ll probably be time for me to go to Shian.¡± Sera said, ¡°At least you won¡¯t be able to return to the mountains with me in tow before I have to meet with Gerad.¡±

    Joe frowned but nodded, ¡°Yeah, that makes sense. I¡¯ll have to move all that crap in here though, we¡¯ll have to stick it in that corner where the storeroom will be. Thankfully I got something that¡¯ll make that easier.¡±

    Sera¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Did you get an item that will allow you to lift all of that with your mind?¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°Nope, I got a sewing needle that can bind anything to cloth. As you can see, we got a lot of carpet here and a lot of crap to put away, so much that I can¡¯t bolt it all down. With the needle though, I don¡¯t have to do that at all, just gotta sew it through the carpet.¡±

    ¡°But why would you-¡± Sera started before abruptly shutting her mouth, ¡°Right, It¡¯s going to be a long drive down the mountain, a long bumpy drive.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Joe said, ¡°I ain¡¯t gonna be having all that stuff flying around here.¡±

    ¡°What other items did you obtain, if you don¡¯t mind me asking? I know about the space expander of course, the bone cutting knife, and now the needle, but you said you managed to squeeze in a few more in your dealings?¡±

    ¡°Well yeah, technically.¡± He said, ¡°I let his engineers look at my guns, I took them apart for them to see and all that, so dwarves are gonna get a lot deadlier soon, but I got another five items from doing it.¡±

    ¡°Wow, so many!?¡± Sera asked, ¡°What are they?¡±

    ¡°Well that¡¯s the thing.¡± Joe said with a sigh, ¡°I put in a request for certain items instead of taking the ones available. They have to be made first and Varig told me it could take months but they¡¯d have it done.¡±

    ¡°So¡­¡± She started, ¡°You basically commissioned them to craft you these items? I¡¯m surprised that you¡¯d essentially give it to them for free.¡±

    ¡°Not for free, they¡¯re gonna be spending a lot of time and resources to make what I asked for.¡± Joe said, ¡°Besides, I didn¡¯t show them everything, and I made sure that they understood that fully well. They¡¯ll be incentivized to finish what I asked for, at least if they want more.¡±

    ¡°I believe they will, I¡¯m just surprised you¡¯d trust them like that.¡± She told him.

    ¡°From what I can tell, dwarves stick to what they say, and this whole ¡®debt culture¡¯ they got going makes me think they¡¯ll get er¡¯ done, they owe me those items for showing em¡¯ my guns after all.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± She said before poking him in the chest, ¡°So what did you order to have made?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it short, I want an armored rucksack that can hold a whole lot without weighing me down, another expansion sphere for either my workshop or my kitchen, a ring that can turn me invisible, a necklace that projects a forcefield around me, and most importantly, a second ring that cancels out spells.¡±

    For some reason, Sera groaned, ¡°Do you think that imbued items would be that potent? They aren¡¯t naturally made, making their powers far less powerful. The expansion sphere may function just as this one does, but the invisibility ring will likely be limited to a set amount of time a day, maybe even just seconds. The forcefield will likely just slow incoming impacts, rather than outright stopping them, and your spell immunity ring? Likely that will only be usable a few times a day, maybe even less than that.¡± She said, pausing a moment before saying, ¡°The rucksack may function just as you intend though.¡±

    Joe wilted.

    ¡°Oh don¡¯t be like that, those are still incredibly useful tools!¡¯ Sera said reassuringly, ¡°I just didn¡¯t want you to be disappointed.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ that makes sense. I asked for other things too, but Varig told me they¡¯d be impossible to make.¡± Joe replied with a sigh, ¡°I wanted things that would make your head spin, but he said ¡®imbuement couldn¡¯t reach those heights¡¯.¡±

    ¡°...Out of curiosity, what was one of the things you asked for?¡± Sera asked.

    ¡°I wanted something that could let Betty fly. Could you imagine if she could?¡± He asked, his mind''s eye imagining Betty with angel wings.

    ¡°A magic item like that has never been documented before.¡± Sera stated, ¡°It¡¯s likely that the dwarves don¡¯t-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know how to make it, yeah that¡¯s what Varig said, it crushed my dreams.¡± He said sadly, ¡°My God, could you imagine what I could do if I could shoot lasers and fly around at the same time?¡±

    ¡°Some things just aren¡¯t meant to be. How about we focus on getting things out of that workshop now, hmm? I¡¯ll help you move some of it-¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°I appreciate it, but those twiggy arms of yours probably can¡¯t even lift an apple.¡±

    She glared, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I was killing you earlier with that hug?¡±

    Joe bit his cheek, ¡°Ya got me there.¡±

 Chapter Nineteen: Ambush

    Joe let out a sigh as he parked Betty next to the dragon¡¯s carcass. It didn¡¯t look like anything but nature had reached it. Flies buzzed about its corpse in droves, a horrid sight to behold. He shuddered as he imagined the multitudes of maggots that no doubt had made a home in its flesh¡­ flesh he¡¯d have to peel away to reach the bones. He shook his head, no way was he going to do that, there was another solution here.

    ¡°Joseph, why do you look pale?¡± Sera asked him, putting a hand to his brow, ¡°Are you feeling sick?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like flies, and if there¡¯s a lot of them here then there¡¯s definitely gotta be maggots. I hate those even worse.¡±

    ¡°You look like you¡¯re going to vomit¡­¡± Sera said, ¡°Maybe we should wait for nature to take its course on the body?¡±

    Joe shook his head, gently pushing her hand away, ¡°Naw, I¡¯m just gonna torch it all. Got a flamethrower in the workshop. I tuned it up a while ago but haven¡¯t tested it in a bit. Gonna just go flame it up and I¡¯ll get the bone after then-¡±

    ¡°You told me about that thing,¡± Sera said, cutting him off, ¡°If you use that, you¡¯ll set the grasslands on fire-¡±

    ¡°Ah ah ah!¡± Joe interrupted, ¡°You can summon water! Just do that if the fire gets out of control-¡±

    ¡°Ah ah ah!¡± Sera mocked, ¡°I can only do that so many times in a day, how long do you intend on frying the body?¡±

    ¡°It should just take a few seconds really, just to get the flies and maggots all cooked away. Really, if anything you should only have to do the water thing once.¡± He said, standing from his chair, ¡°Yer limited with that magic stuff?¡±

    Sera nodded, ¡°All mages are, it depends on the spell and the natural potency of the caster.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessin¡¯ yer pretty potent then right?¡± Joe asked.

    Sera nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, but I can only create water so many times before I have to rest.¡±

    ¡°Like spell slots!¡± Joe exclaimed excitedly.

    Sera frowned, ¡°Huh?¡±

    It was official, this was some dnd crap he¡¯d landed in right? Spell slots n¡¯ everything¡­ man o man, he was gonna have to watch it around treasure chests, he didn¡¯t wanna get eaten. Ooh, and maybe there¡¯d be Beholders and¡­ ugh, a Tarrasque. He didn¡¯t think Betty would be able to deal with something like that-

    ¡°What is a spell slot?¡± Sera asked, ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Say, you got Tarrasque¡¯s here?¡± He asked.

    Sera¡¯s frown deepened, ¡°A what?¡±

    ¡°Beholders?¡± He asked again after an awkward moment of silence.

    ¡°Have you gone mad? What do you mean by Beholder?¡±

    ¡°Nevermind. Look, you can only cast so many times a day, right? How many times can you summon water?¡±

    She stared at him for a long while before finally she said, ¡°It depends on how much water I make. If I create a giant sheet of water, say, the width of our front room now, only three times.¡± She explained, ¡°The thickness of the water layer also determines this of course. Now, say I just wanted to create a single drop of water, then I could basically make as many as I wanted, since a drop is easier to create than a sheet.¡±

    She then poked him in the forehead with a grin, and he felt something cold trailing down his face. He shrugged away from her with a scowl, wiping the water free from his brow.

    ¡°That was rude.¡± He told her.

    ¡°You¡¯re rude too!¡± She shot back, ¡°But you do understand what I¡¯m telling you here, yes?¡±

    He nodded. The rules here were somewhat like spell slots but they were dependent on intensity.

    ¡°What happens if you go overboard, cast more than you¡¯re supposed to?¡±

    ¡°What would happen if you sprinted for fifty miles without stopping once?¡± She asked.

    He¡¯d collapse, ¡°I gotcha.¡±

    ¡°Alright well, that dragon isn¡¯t going to fry itself, let''s get out there, yes?¡± Sera said, opening the door to the cockpit.

    ¡°One sec, gonna double check the cameras¡­ make sure there ain¡¯t no one snooping around here.¡±

    ¡°Okie dokie!¡± She said happily, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in the workshop, don¡¯t keep me waiting.¡±

    He gave her a half hearted wave as he checked each of his screens. Besides the buzzing flies and wind rustling the leaves, nothing seemed to be amiss¡­ and yet, something was off. His gut screamed that there was danger here, that he shouldn¡¯t go outside and it had never been wrong before in his life. He checked each camera again, trying to see what it was that unsettled him, but again, he could spot nothing.

    Perhaps there really was a sign out there that something was wrong, but the pixelation of his camera could be hiding it. He had just intended to wear his standard gear but until he knew the problem, he¡¯d have to wear the power armor. With that, he left the cockpit and reached the workshop, Sera stretching before the door that led outside.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t going outside wearing those ridiculous pajamas, are you?¡± She asked, looking him up and down.

    ¡°Real men wear polka-dot.¡± He grumbled, stepping toward the T-12.

    ¡°Is something wrong out there?¡± She asked as he stepped into the armor, ¡°You don¡¯t usually wear that unless there¡¯s a good reason.¡±

    ¡°I got a bad feeling I just can¡¯t shake. I¡¯m goin¡¯ out there by myself first, gonna scout around and see what I can find.¡± Joe told her, stepping toward the doorway after grabbing his rifle.

    ¡°Okay then, make sure that you¡¯re careful.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± He replied, thumbing the door opener.

    Once Betty¡¯s ramp was lowered, he stepped outside, slowly, surveying his surroundings. It was late Autumn now, and winter would soon begin. The skies were beginning to grow grayer and grayer, the air beginning to chill. Unfortunately it still wasn¡¯t cold enough for the flies to all die and go to hell, but that time was getting closer. Like what he saw on the cameras, nothing seemed out of the ordinary at a glance¡­

    He departed from the ramp slowly, closing it once he reached the ground. The flies buzzing was thankfully muffled by the helmet, but it still sickened him all the same. Trying to ignore the feeling, he scanned the immediate vicinity of the dragon¡¯s long corpse. He circled it slowly, keeping his eyes on the trees. Again, something was wrong with this environment, he knew there was.

    It was all about identifying that wrongness, what was not natural about this scene? He looked at the grass, then the flies¡­ then it clicked. The flies seemed to be forming voids around pockets of parted grass, not able to completely pass through those points¡­ but why were they avoiding them? He observed one such parting of grass closely, the one that was nearest to himself.

    Then he saw why his gut had been warning him. The flies weren¡¯t choosing to not pass through these pockets in the grass¡­ they were landing on it, as if they were solid. The wings that landed on the closest void didn¡¯t move, they simply crawled, as if on air. Joe¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he approached this pocket in the grass, making sure not to look at it directly.

    It wasn¡¯t exactly the same as how it worked back home¡­ but if Joe was right¡­

    Once he got within striking distance, he lashed out at the void with a fist. He felt bone crunching beneath metal, and something screamed in agony, flying off and parting even more grass in a continuous line. He knew it, this was a trap! He quickly opened fire on the cloaked ambushers, aiming squarely for the parted grass. Blood seemed to appear from nowhere as he fired, trails of crimson leaking down from nothing before the individual pockets of grass widened, the invisible men¡¯s bodies hitting the dirt.

    ¡°I knew it!¡± He mouthed as he continued to fire, sending more cloaked figures falling.

    Cloaking, he should have figured that Faenor would have an equivalent¡­ actually, this was much more than an equivalent, it was superior to cloaking. A Cloaker could make one appear almost invisible, but you¡¯d always be able to tell, the light would seem warped around someone using it, this was true invisibility.

    Nets appeared from thin air, wrapping around him in multitudes. It was easy to rip them apart with the T-12¡¯s power, but every second he spent removing the nets was another second he wasn¡¯t firing his rifle. These guys surely had more up their sleeves than just nets. Since they were trying this, they wanted to catch him alive¡­ meaning that they likely knew what he was. He flailed violently, shrugging off many of the nets and continuing to fire his gun.

    He didn¡¯t spend too much time aiming, it was hard to get an idea of their numbers.Judging by how many people here were invisible, it was almost impossible that this was due to a magic item. They would each need to have one right? And there was no way the dwarves traded imbued items with all these guys. That meant that there had to be a mage somewhere among them, casting a spell that could make them all invisible.

    If there was a mage at play here, things were a lot more dangerous than he realized. It was a good thing he came out here with the T-12, these nets were little more than a nuisance with it on. Men screamed and died, Joe firing at the spots where he saw grass moving. How long had these people been waiting here for him, days, weeks?

    It wasn¡¯t long before his rifle clicked empty, and he quickly ejected the magazine, reaching for an extra one at the attached compartment on the armor¡¯s thigh. He quickly loaded his gun and shrugged off the last of the nets, scanning his surroundings for any more signs of shifting grass. The only portions that moved were the ones where men lay dying, blood seeming to ooze from nothing.

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    He¡¯d interrogate the survivors and figure out who had sent them, it shouldn¡¯t take long for-

    ¡°Sleep.¡± A voice said from above him.

    Joseph raised his rifle to the sky, but didn¡¯t pull the trigger¡­ for darkness had claimed him.

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Sera gasped as she saw Joseph become completely still, gun aimed toward the sky. What was he doing? Something was wrong, he had gone stiff as a board. She knew that he¡¯d been beset upon by invisible bandits, but it had seemed that he¡¯d kill them all¡­ so why was he doing this? Was there something above Betty that she couldn¡¯t see from here?

    Her eyes widened as she saw a man appear, floating down from above Joseph. He wore long flowing silk robes, wearing a wide-brimmed pointy hat. No way, a mage from Relias!? She couldn¡¯t see the dragon shaped pin due to the camera¡¯s quality, but she was certain that it was there. This was dangerous, far more dangerous than Joseph could deal with, he needed her help-

    Another man appeared from behind the trees then, approaching the two of them with clapping hands. She had no idea who he was, but even from the cockpit she could tell that he was the epitome of grease. She would need to do something about this¡­ She took a deep breath to steady her nerves, and looked to the various buttons and miniature levers on Betty¡¯s massive dashboard.

    Damn¡­ which one was the button that activated the laser¡¯s? If she could turn that on, she¡¯d be able to simply blast these men away. Yet she could not identify which one it could be¡­ it wasn¡¯t that they weren¡¯t labeled, but the symbols were either too alien to understand or were too worn to read.

    She perked up as she had an idea, one that Joseph would likely approve of.

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Jareed laughed with joy as he saw that the Outworlder had been incapacitated. Weeks of planning and days of waiting had finally paid off! He was so happy there had been a massive smashed trail leading straight to the corpse of this dragon, he knew that eventually this ¡®Joseph¡¯ would return! What was even better was that none here save for Jareed knew that this was an Outworlder! The mage, Heiner, breathed heavily, shoulders shaking as he stared at the armored figure.

    ¡°I had not wanted to use that spell.¡± Heiner said, ¡°It is draining, you said that the nets would have worked. Now look, your men lay dead, my casting invisibility had been pointless.¡±

    Jareed shrugged, ¡°Well, not all plans work as intended, that was why I hired you.¡±

    ¡°I expect payment soon.¡± Heiner told him with a glare, ¡°It is demeaning that I even accepted this job from you-¡±

    ¡°Must I inform Madame that you demand your reward this instant?¡± Jareed asked, ¡°I¡¯m not sure that would be such a good idea, remember, this was to break even with her Heiner. Now, there may be a reward for you within that wagon. Defeat the elf mage within and you can take whatever you want¡­ except the girl herself. Leave her to me.¡±

    Heiner glared, ¡°You told me that this would end my debt, and see me rewarded. You¡¯re offering loot as a reward when we agreed on gold when you proposed this offer.¡±

    Jareed combed a hand through his greasy hair, ¡°I will pay you with the gold that I would have given these fools, then you will get the rest later.¡±

    ¡°If you lie to me Jareed I will have your head.¡± Heiner threatened.

    ¡°I am Madame¡¯s messenger!¡± He lied, ¡°You know not what you threaten! Do you truly-¡±

    Whatever he was about to say was interrupted by the sound of the ramp lowering. The wagon¡¯s other occupant must be readying herself to come out¡­ Jareed quickly ran back to the trees.

    ¡°Take care of her! Try and make sure she lives, then put the cuffs on her!¡± He shouted before disappearing behind a tree, peeking out from behind it to see what would unfold.

    Heiner should be able to defeat the elf, he knew a total of ten different spells, all very potent. Unfortunately, he was tired from casting the invisibility spell so many times, along with the sleep spell. He had no doubt reached his limit with the invisibility magic, but his other spells should do well enough for her. It would be dangerous still, but Heiner was a genius, Jareed was certain that everything would work out fine. Once the ramp lowered fully, the door to the wagon opened¡­ but no one stood in the doorway.

    Jareed blinked in confusion. Where was she? Had the door simply opened on its own? Heiner remained standing below the ramp for a long while before he hesitantly moved up the ramp, raising his hands palm outward. Heiner then stood outside the doorway for a long while, clearly hesitant to enter. Jareed himself would be cautious in Heiner¡¯s shoes, she could have any kind of spell at her disposal after all.

    It was clear that this was a trap, but how would Heiner counter it? After a few more moments, the mage raised his hands, a gray glow emanating from them. He then slapped his chest, and just like that, Heiner seemed to become made of stone. His flesh, even his robes had taken on a rocky quality. Genius, that stoneskin should protect from whatever initial attack she may have planned.

    Jareed¡¯s breathing quickened as Heiner stepped into the wagon¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Sera steadied her breath as the Relias mage entered Betty. She was hidden just beneath Joe¡¯s workbench, a pistol in hand. He had shown her how to hold the thing, but she still had never fired one. He had been concerned with conserving his ammunition, at least until he¡¯d received the gunpowder from the dwarves. Joe was going to give her proper lessons in firing these weapons at some point after that, if only those lessons had come before now. She¡¯d wait for an opportunity, paralyze him, then shoot him, and if that failed she would kill him another way. He shouldn¡¯t have any way to escape the paralysis once it takes hold.

    ¡°I am Heiner of Relias, come out and face me now!¡± The mage declared, ¡°Or are the tomes you consumed so pathetic?¡±

    She cursed as she saw his robed legs, stony gray and cracked. He¡¯d managed to find a stoneskin tome¡­ would this gun be able to hurt Heiner with that active? She did still have her trump card, but using it would essentially disable her, and she couldn¡¯t know how many foes remained outside. Still, if she used it, it may restore Joseph to consciousness. She¡¯d need to see what happened. Sera held her breath as Heiner turned away from her position, moving to inspect the opposite side of the workshop.

    She quietly crawled out from beneath the table, and raised the gun, putting her finger on the trigger and aiming it squarely at the center mass of her opponent. ¡®Never put yer finger on the trigger if ya ain¡¯t pointing it at something ya don¡¯t wanna kill.¡¯ She remembered Joe saying. Well, she wasn¡¯t intending on sparing Heiner. She paralyzed him in place now that his back was to her, and then she pulled the trigger¡­ but nothing happened.

    She bit back a curse as she saw that the little safety lever hadn¡¯t been flipped. She quickly did so, but Heiner seemed to blink out of existence before her eyes.

    ¡°Paralysis.¡± She heard him say from behind her, she whirled to face him. He stared at her, apparently amused. ¡°I would have likely lost, had I not been able to teleport, what will you do now?¡± Sera aimed the gun at him, ¡°What foolish contraption is that? Just surrender. If you think that will penetrate my stoneskin, then you-¡±

    Sera fired, the shot impacting Heiner''s gut and sending him sputtering backward. Sera fired again, and again, her ears ringing with each shot. Thankfully she¡¯d grown somewhat used to the noise, in fact, the noise from this gun was nothing compared to the shotgun. Most of her shots frustratingly missed her target unfortunately, impacting with the lockers that Heiner had backed into.

    Only one other bullet managed to land, hitting him squarely in the shoulder and taking out a solid chunk of rock. The gun clicked, completely empty. Heiner screamed and raised a hand, a steel spike appearing in thin air before it. Sera only barely managed to roll out of the way before the spike shot forward, punching straight through Joseph¡¯s toolbox. Another two spikes shot forward from Heiner¡¯s outstretched hand, one impaling the ground at her feet while the other one barely just missed her left arm, cutting a large gash through it before it impacted with the wall.

    Sera raised her own hand, creating water in Heiner¡¯s nostrils and mouth. He sputtered and coughed, his aim being thrown off even more as he shot out more spikes, though they were all way off their mark. The toolbox and lockers were becoming perforated with these spikes, and for an instant¡­ Sera thought of how angry Joseph would be to see it. She would need to pull out a few more of her own spells to stand a chance, reloading the gun might take too long, her hands weren¡¯t as practiced as Joe¡¯s.

    ¡°Take this!¡± Heiner shouted, raising both hands.

    Her eyes widened as a dozen head-sized balls of fire appeared before him, launching them at her with terrifying speed. Instinct took over, and she raised both her own hands, conjuring forth a thick wall of water, letting it hover in the space between her and Heiner. The fireballs impacted, the wall of water becoming occluded as it boiled. She rushed forward in that instant, preparing her next spell as the roiling water concealed her.

    Yet, when the wall of water fell¡­ She saw that Heiner was no longer there.

    She felt something touch her back then, and she heard, ¡°Rupture.¡±

    The flesh of her back seemed to split apart, and warmth cascaded down her back, sending her falling to the ground with a scream. It felt as if she had been flogged with a razor tipped whip, the pain was nearly mind-numbing. Heiner huffed and puffed above her, clearly exhausted from the spells he had cast. The stoneskin was gone, his hands shaking as it clutched his now bleeding shoulder. His other hand grabbed at his stomach, but she saw that the wound had not taken out a big enough chunk to make it life threatening. Damned stoneskin¡­

    ¡°You should be proud¡­¡± Heiner huffed, pulling out a pair of cuffs from his belt, ¡°I haven¡¯t had that much fun in ages¡­ To think I¡¯d need to use teleportation on you¡­ it is a shame you never joined my order, you may have risen high.¡±

    Those were- by the Overseer, those were suppressor cuffs! Casting would be all but impossible if she were bound by them. A head poked through the doorway, the greasy man from earlier. He grinned happily at the sight of them, clapping his hands to come stand over her.

    ¡°Good work Heiner!¡± The man shouted, ¡°Now cuff her and pull that man out of his armor.¡±

    ¡°...Very well.¡± He grumbled, kneeling over Sera. ¡°But after this Jareed, my debt to Madame is paid.¡±

    The pain in her back was excruciating, but she would not allow herself to be captured like this. It seemed that there was no choice. As soon as Heiner¡¯s hand touched her arm¡­ she cast it.

    ¡°Evacuation.¡± She muttered.

    Heiner then became deathly pale, a green ethereal glow exiting through his back. He fell over onto his side, his body still alive, but empty. The ethereal wispy figure that had left Heiner seemed to shoot around in a panic before it tried to re-enter the body it had been forced out of. Her secret spell, the trigger being the word ¡®Evacuation.¡¯ Touch was not necessary, but it made the spell far more effective. With Heiner¡¯s prowess, the contact had been necessary.

    Jareed screeched like a child, jumping back at the sight, ¡°Heiner!¡±

    Sera breathed heavily, her body becoming numb, ¡°I won¡­¡±

    He then cursed, grabbing up the fallen cuffs and flipping her around, holding her wrists together before clasping them on. She couldn¡¯t have cast Evacuation again, doing so may have killed her. She felt a separation then, between herself and the powers she wielded¡­ it made her feel all the weaker. Jareed then flipped her around to face him, a glare on his face.

    ¡°How do I reverse this you witch!?¡± Jareed screamed at her, ¡°Put him back!¡±

    Sera gave a weak laugh, ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ he has to figure that out himself.¡±

    Her cheek stung as he slapped her, snarling, ¡°Fine, if he can¡¯t get back in, I at least don¡¯t have to reward him! Now you and that fool outside are mine!¡±

    His angered glare turned into a sickening leer as he looked her over, ¡°Today has been quite frustrating, how about I take that out on you?¡±

    He knelt down, and then ripped her shirt away, but Sera didn¡¯t react. It was already over, there was nothing that he could do to her now. His head turned back toward the ramp sharply as he no doubt heard the same heavy footsteps she did. She grinned as Joseph appeared in the doorway, looking down at Jareed like he were a bug. The man stammered in an attempt to speak, but Joe overrode him.

    ¡°Why¡¯s my friend naked?¡± Joe asked, voice level, ¡°Why is that?¡±

    Strange, she thought he¡¯d have more heat in his voice¡­ he sounded like cold steel.

    Jareed held up shaking hands, ¡°You misunderstand! I just h-happened to be passing by, I was trying to free her-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you before.¡± Joe continued, ¡°I thought that fat guy had killed ya. Looks like I¡¯ll need to finish the job.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m innocent!¡± Jareed screamed, ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me, this is all a misunderstanding!¡±

    ¡°You still got bits of her shirt in your hand.¡± Joe said, laying his rifle on the table and approaching him, ¡°It''s over now.¡± Jareed scrambled through the doorway and into the living room of Betty, ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± Joe told her, his tone maintaining that icy edge.

    She was too exhausted to care that her shirt had been ruined. Her back still bled profusely and everything was beginning to grow dark¡­ just before she fell unconscious though¡­ she heard a blood curdling scream.

 Chapter Twenty: The Reason

    Sera¡¯s eyes slowly opened, seeing Betty¡¯s ceiling above her, the spider webbed lights above giving off a warm glow. She appeared to be on the floor of the living room, wrapped up in several dozen blankets. She sat up, wincing as she felt a tightness in her back. She reached her hand around, gently prodding to see that she had been bandaged. It seemed that Joe had managed to patch her up while she was unconscious. She was even wearing one of his shirts too¡­

    Which meant that he saw her- no, she¡¯d not be embarrassed by such a thing. He had done what was necessary. Her old blouse had been completely destroyed by that bastard Jareed, hopefully Joseph had stuck his head on a pike somewhere by now. She looked around the chamber, but couldn¡¯t see him anywhere. She stood with a groan, careful not to re-open the wounds on her back. Sweat stuck the oversized shirt to her skin, and she aired it out as she approached the cockpit.

    She couldn¡¯t feel Betty moving, but she wanted to check the workshop last. She and Heiner had made a terrible mess of the place, and she didn¡¯t want to look at what had been wrought upon Joe¡¯s pride and joy just yet. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t in there, nor in the kitchen. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she slowly opened the door leading to the workshop, seeing Joe working away at his table with a hammer.

    He was slick with sweat and cursing like a sailor as he hammered flat a piece of punctured metal, apparently a drawer from his toolbox. She hadn¡¯t seen him shirtless before like this, but for this kind of work she understood. He seemed absolutely absorbed by his repairs, not noticing that she¡¯d opened the door. For some reason she found it hard to break the silence, perhaps it was the guilt for the damage she¡¯d caused?

    It was a mess in here, a mop sat in a bucket off to the left, no doubt having been used to clean up the water Sera summoned. His toolbox lay on its back, the tools within having been laid out so he could more easily pull out the drawers. The ¡®welder¡¯ as he called it sat next to his table as well, and the scent of sweat along with hot metal made itself quickly known. There were other bits of damage here and there¡­ but eventually she found himself focusing just on the muscles in his scarred back.

    It took an embarrassingly long time for her to look away. What was wrong with her? Such thoughts were inappropriate¡­ right? It was a struggle to get her mind out of the gutter, but when she did she finally broke the silence.

    ¡°Joseph?¡± She asked.

    He ceased his work and turned in his stool to look at her, ¡°Ah, yer awake.¡± He said, ¡°I killed them two guys by the way.¡±

    It was an effort to keep her eyes above neck level, ¡°Ah¡­ well I suppose it couldn¡¯t be helped, Heiner was too dangerous to leave alive and Jareed seemed to be the one who orchestrated that attack.¡±

    Joe nodded, his eyes conveying satisfaction, ¡°I don¡¯t gotta deal with him again, and neither does anybody else. Good folk always get hurt by guys like that.¡±

    She found her hands wringing the bottom of her shirt, attempting to pull them beneath her knees subconsciously. Joe looked down at this fidgeting and she froze at feeling his eyes on her legs.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll getcha some pants, it''s probably cold.¡± He continued, looking back up at her, his eyes conveying no desire whatsoever.

    ¡­Why did that disappoint her?

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, do not worry.¡± She told him, ¡°I owe you my life, you saved me from Jareed.¡±

    For some reason, Joseph laughed, his eyes showing genuine amusement, ¡°You saved me from gettin¡¯ worn like a skinsuit! We¡¯re even so don¡¯t worry ¡®bout it.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± She said with a smile, ¡°Would you accompany me? I wish to talk a while, somewhere a tad less¡­ musky.¡±

    Joe¡¯s brows knit together for a moment, before he unashamedly lifted his arm, giving his armpit a sniff. Sera grimaced at the sight, and Joe himself seemed repulsed by his own scent, coughing slightly before he stood from his stool. Popping his back before casually walking toward her. Sera remained motionless in the doorway as he approached, still not moving even when he came to stand in front of her.

    He loomed over her, his eyes showing curiosity. ¡°Uh, scuse me? Gonna go take a shower.¡±

    Her heart seemed to pound in her ears as she looked up into those gray eyes, and a sudden urge nearly forced her to wrap her arms around his shoulders and- She broke eye contact, covering her reddening face with her hands.

    ¡°Are you crying?¡± He asked, concerned, ¡°It¡¯s alright now, bad guys are gone.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m not!¡± She stammered, ¡°I¡¯m stunned by your odor.¡±

    ¡°Well move then.¡± He told her, irritated, ¡°Can¡¯t get the stink off if you keep standing there.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how many times you shower,¡± She said with a hearty laugh, ¡°You are-¡±

    Joseph¡¯s wide hands then grabbed her by the sides, and he lifted her up off the ground, setting her aside before passing through the doorway, ¡°Quit being a weirdo.¡± He muttered as he rushed toward the bathroom, leaving her standing there, stunned.

    Sera gripped her shoulders, leaning against the wall as her heart threatened to burst from her chest. An irritating desire to be picked up once more welled within her, and she covered her face despite no one being there to see her embarrassment. When Joe passed into the bathroom and closed the door, she let out a long sigh, sliding down to the carpet and placing her cheeks in her palms.

    This could not be happening¡­ she was just suffering the effects of blood loss, that was why her heart had been beating so fast. She shouldn''t have stood up so quickly from her makeshift blanket roll. Who was she kidding? Clearly this was something else, something she¡¯d not felt before. The thought made her grimace, and her head hung as she accepted reality.

    Joseph was intelligent, thoughtful, handsome albeit in a brutish way, kind but not to a fault¡­ was she actually, for the first time in her life, really falling for somebody? She had met men that she had found attractive in her time, but she¡¯d never pursued anything with them before, she had not wanted to, knowing that her travels through the Fog-Gates would see them left behind forever. She had not wanted to deal with abandoning someone she had fallen in love with, so she¡¯d kept them at arm''s reach, keeping them as good friends but nothing more.

    With Joseph, it was different. If they traveled together, she¡¯d not be leaving him behind, but rather accompanying him into the Shards beyond this one. A lifelong adventure¡­ Sera had so much fun talking with him, much more than anyone else she¡¯d ever known. He was both an earnest student and wise teacher, with every conversation imparting new knowledge unto each of them. These two months they¡¯d spent together had been the most interesting time of her life. She supposed this newfound adoration hadn¡¯t started this way, these things never did. It happened slowly, growing from mild attraction to something much more.

    She smiled, fully accepting that she had fallen in love with Joseph Haythorn. A part of her screamed that it was ridiculous, that they had only known one another for a short time. She acknowledged that logic, but it didn¡¯t change how she felt¡­ the problem however, was that she didn¡¯t think these feelings would be reciprocated. Joseph seemed to be numb to that sort of thing. He never looked at any woman that way during the time she¡¯d known him, not even the scantily clad tavern harlots in Letsher. He, as a man, didn¡¯t care for physical appeal.

    Reading his eyes earlier had confirmed it, he didn¡¯t see her in that way. Physical attraction was the gateway to courtship was it not? Perhaps it was due to his de-aging? He was used to being an old man with no sex drive after all, but now that he was young again those dormant feelings should have re-awakened. Maybe they needed a catalyst to activate?

    It was hard to say¡­ but this could also have something to do with his past. Maybe a lover had been killed or enslaved by bandits back on Earth? That would explain his hatred for them, and his lack of interest in the opposite sex. Maybe he would be more willing to open up about his past now? It had been a while since last she asked him about it, and they now had a very solid rapport.

    She¡¯d wait for him to get out of the shower, then ask him again the reason for his hatred. If he opened up and needed a shoulder to cry on, she¡¯d be there. She hummed happily as she awaited him to finish his shower. Of all the men to pick, it just had to be an Outworlder¡­ She briefly wondered as to what it was he was doing in there? She could no longer hear the shower running, but he was still within the bathroom. Had he fallen down by mistake!?

    ¡­

    ¡­

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡­

    Joseph blew a massive booger out of his nose, black with dirt. His poor sink had seen many a booger like this in its time, and it certainly wouldn''t be the last. He rinsed it down the drain, never to be seen again. Once his nose was clear, he stepped out of the bathroom, clad in his manly polka-dotted pj¡¯s. Sera stood just outside the door, her hand having been reaching for the doorknob.

    He stared, ¡°What the hell were-¡±

    Sera shook her head, ¡°I thought you fell down! You were in there for so long.¡± She interrupted quickly.

    ¡°Maybe ya should go lay back down, yer shaking.¡± He told her.

    Poor girl¡¯s knees were shaking and her cheeks were a bright red. Clearly she wasn¡¯t ready to be walking around on her own.

    ¡°I can put ya back in there if you want.¡± Joe told her, ¡°You don¡¯t look so good.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ if you¡¯re offering.¡± She said, twirling a finger through her hair.

    Boy, she sure must be embarrassed, having to get put to bed. She was usually more strong willed than this. He¡¯d have expected her to insist that she could remain standing, or that she could do it herself. Joe shrugged, she¡¯s a friend in need, what else was there to do? He scooped her up gently, and moved over to the blanket nest he¡¯d created for her. She then sighed and rested her head against his chest, her breathing becoming shaky.

    Poor thing, he had some ibuprofen if she was getting a fever. Hmm, that might not be a good idea, the effects of modern medicine on elf biology was a total unknown. Maybe he could cook up some chicken noodle soup instead? He set Sera down in the blankets, eliciting yet another sigh from her.

    ¡°You feeling feverish?¡± He asked her, ¡°Ya ain¡¯t actin¡¯ right.¡±

    Sera shook her head, ¡°No I am quite alright, thank you. Would you sit down with me?¡±

    Joe shrugged, ¡°Sure, whaddya wanna talk about?¡±

    She took a deep breath, and looked him in the eyes. Ah right, she could see emotion with direct eye contact, what was it she was gonna ask him?

    ¡°You do not have to answer this if you wish¡­ but I have been curious about this for a long while. I do not blame you for hating bandits and their ilk, but you take it to a new level. I was wondering, what did they do to you?¡±

    Joe¡¯s breathing became shaky, and he looked away from Sera, not wanting her to see what he felt¡­ but it was too late. She gasped, both hands covering her mouth¡­ he¡¯d been too late in looking away. Should he tell her¡­? There wasn¡¯t really any harm to it, but re-living those memories would put him in a dark mood. Still, he felt it was okay to share this with her. Sera was a friend.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll start by telllin¡¯ ya that they killed or stole everyone I ever loved.¡± He said, trying to keep his voice level.

    He could still change the subject now, he didn¡¯t have to go back to those times, but despite the thought he said, ¡°My big brother survived The End, and we had met each other on the road by chance after that first week. I had thought he was dead, seein¡¯ him alive after all that was a ray of sunshine. Ricky was his name, he helped me think about how to build Betty and the things we¡¯d need to build her.¡± He paused, ¡°She was halfway done when he got shot up by a bandit. There was nothing I could do to save him, and he didn¡¯t want to die slowly¡­ so he asked me to kill him. I did, and I made the bastard that shot him pay.¡±

    ¡°Joseph¡­ I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Sera said, placing a hand on his shoulder, ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep going if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    He opened his mouth to confirm that he¡¯d like to change the subject, but the words that spilled out instead were, ¡°My buddy William worked with me in the same mechanics shop when The End happened. I thought he died but I found him shortly after I found Ricky, he was always better than I was with a wrench¡­ Me n¡¯ him went out scavving after Ricky died, and we ended up getting separated by a mob of zombies. I didn¡¯t know if he was alive or dead, and I didn¡¯t find out until a year later that he¡¯d been enslaved by a local bandit clan.¡± He explained, fists clenching on his lap, ¡°He wasn¡¯t even lucid when I broke him out, he didn¡¯t know who I was. I tried to treat him, get him back on his feet, but when I got back to our base¡­ I found him hanging, he¡¯d been reanimated at some point too.¡± He continued, his eyes widening as the scene replayed itself, ¡°His body was still swinging, Will was still kicking around as if he didn¡¯t die¡­ and I thought that-¡± He gulped, ¡°I-I thought that he had just kicked the chair, so I ran over to try and lift him up out of the rope, but he kicked me in the face and I got knocked out. When I woke up, the rope had worn the skin around his neck to the bone.¡± Joe finished, ¡°I killed him properly after that.¡±

    ¡°Joseph¡­¡± Sera whispered, scooting closer to him.

    ¡°After Ricky n¡¯ William died, I was on my own for a bit, but then I found a group of other survivors, three people, Lamar, Jen, and Boris.¡± Joe continued against his will, ¡°Things were going well, they were good folk and they helped me finish building Betty. We drove her around for a long time, lived pretty well for the circumstances.¡± He laughed bitterly, ¡°We found a slaver camp we wanted to raid and we got overconfident. Betty didn''t have her lasers then, so after we broke through their walls we had to resort to running them all down. There were still survivors though, holed up where we couldn¡¯t reach em¡¯, so we all geared up and headed out there to finish em¡¯ all. We did it, but we didn¡¯t take into account that they¡¯d have scav teams coming back. Boris died first, took a bullet to the head before we could even react, Lamar got shot right after that, followed by me.¡± He took a deep breath, ¡°I got shot in the leg, n¡¯ Jamal got gutshot¡­ he bled out by time the slavers came by. Me n¡¯ Jen spent a year as slaves¡­ but poor Jen, by God, she got the worst of it. They had me doing hard labor, but Jen? They had her in their tents, every night. I still hear her screaming sometimes.¡±

    He felt arms wrap around his shoulders, but he barely noticed, ¡°I got lucky one night and managed to break free, not only that, I managed to get Jen free too. She wasn¡¯t the same as she used to be, but she was on board with getting out of there. We snuck into tents, stabbing the sleepers to death and gettin¡¯ our hands on some guns. We freed the other slaves and had a big ass prison break, in fact it was a total sweep, we killed every slaver there. Jen still wasn¡¯t right but I think she felt a bit better after killing them guys¡­ but before we could get back the keys to Betty, the slaves started to fight over the rations n¡¯ other supplies left by the slavers. Jen was- She was beaten to death by the very bastards we freed. Once I got back in Betty, I ran down as many of them as I could and left. I never looked back. But the worst of all, the thing I will never forgive them for¡­ is Hannah.¡±

    ¡°Hannah?¡± Sera asked, holding him tighter.

    Joe choked on the words that tried to pour from his mouth. He wasn¡¯t ready to talk about that¡­ not now, not ever. The corners of his vision were beginning to turn red, his wrath bubbling to the surface as he, for just a brief instant, re-lived that day. He steadied himself, silently praying to the Lord that his rage would die down. After a few moments, he felt relatively stable again.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to dump that on you.¡± Joe told Sera, ¡°Sorry, I meant to stop, but I just couldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve never talked about this before, have you?¡± Sera whispered, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I think it¡¯s good to get these sorts of things off your chest. Sharing these stories lessens the weight they hold on your heart.¡±

    ¡°Yer a good pal.¡± Joe replied, ruffling her hair, ¡°I appreciate it. Once ya get done hanging out with that jerk Gerad, we¡¯ll need to meet up somewhere so I can pick ya up.¡±

    Sera pulled her head out from under his hand, glaring, ¡°I told you not to do that.¡± She said, though there was no heat in her voice, ¡°But I agree¡­ I think we should meet at Shian, after my time with Gerad is done. If time runs out before we can complete the contract, I will simply end it and wait for you there.¡±

    ¡°Yer wanted just like me cause of what went down in Letsher. Maybe staying in a town ain¡¯t such a good idea?¡±

    ¡°If I conceal my ears and hide my hair it will be no issue. Besides¡­ I¡¯m not going to be wearing the same garb either, seeing as it''s been ruined.¡± She told him with a sigh, leaning her head on his shoulder, ¡°I suppose it''s time for a new wardrobe anyhow, I¡¯d been wearing that for ten years.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s yer other clothes?¡± Joe asked, ¡°You weren¡¯t carrying anything on you at all when I metcha in fact.¡±

    Sera shrugged, ¡°I prefer to travel light, an extra pair of clothes means I have to bring a backpack.¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°Come on. You said you were a traveler, right? What kinda person just goes around with one set of clothes for a decade!?¡± He asked, bewildered, ¡°How the hell didja even survive for this long? What would you do if ya ran out of food woman, didja think about that? What about shelter? If ya don¡¯t got a tent, yer gonna die from exposure-¡±

    ¡°I know five spells.¡± Sera interrupted with a huff, ¡°One of which creates water, so I¡¯ll never dehydrate, the other I know is paralysis. Do you know how easy it is to hunt game when all you have to do is look at their backs to have a free meal? As for shelter, I normally would stick around the towns here in the grasslands and rent a room, I rarely ever roughed it, and money was never an issue as I could return the game I¡¯d hunted to the townships I frequent.¡±

    ¡°Still ain¡¯t no reason to not be prepared.¡± Joe scolded her, ¡°At least take a backpack with you, that won¡¯t kill ya.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t necessary-¡±

    ¡°Fine, then I won¡¯t let you leave till you do. I¡¯ll make ya one myself, but you ain¡¯t goin¡¯ out on yer own unprepared.¡± He told her with a huff, ¡°Puttin¡¯ my foot down.¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡± Sera laughed, ¡°How funny, you really think you could stop me from leaving if I really wanted to?¡±

    The truth was that he couldn¡¯t, but he didn¡¯t want a friend going out into the unknown so woefully unprepared, ¡°Let''s make a deal then.¡± He said, ¡°I¡¯ll make you some new clothes, but in exchange you gotta take one of my spare backpacks when I drop you off in Shian.¡±

    Sera frowned, but relented, ¡°Very well.¡± She said with a smile.

    ¡°Great,¡± Joe said, clapping his hands, ¡°Well, no time like the present. Lemme get your measurements right quick-¡±

    ¡°Excellent!¡± She declared, releasing her hug to stand, ¡°I will wait for you to get your measurer.¡±

    ¡°You can measure yerself if ya wanna, I don¡¯t gotta do it.¡± Joe told her, ¡°Don¡¯t wanna put my hands somewhere you don¡¯t want.¡±

    Sera frowned, ¡°It''s fine, I cannot read that tool anyhow. You must do it yourself.¡± She insisted, ¡°Or I¡¯ll leave for Shian with just this shirt-¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Joe said, throwing up his hands and standing up, ¡°Just come on.¡±

    Why did she seem so excited by this? She must have really wanted some new clothing, not too surprising. Of course she¡¯d want the measurements to be as exact as possible, having Joe measure her was the right choice.

 Chapter Twenty-One: The Shards

    Joseph let out a sigh as he finally scribbled down the last word from Craig¡¯s book, closing the copied version and rubbing at his face. It took him months, but he had finally done it, Prolo¡¯s copy was finally ready to be given back to him. He leaned back in his chair, the workbench in front of him dominated by the two massive books, his laptop sitting open right next to the pair.

    He had a proper tower PC in the entertainment center, but the laptop was simply far more convenient to use for this sort of thing. It was nice to have a physical copy, but it would be nice to also have it stored on a USB. After a few minutes of staring with tired eyes, he rose from his chair, stretching before heading back into the living room. He saw Sera sitting far away, in front of the entertainment center. He couldn¡¯t see what she was watching exactly from this distance. He made his way over to her, yawning loudly as he went.

    She had made herself completely at home during this time that they had spent together, having quickly learned how much of the tech inside Betty operated. She had insisted that she learn some more of Betty¡¯s controls after the incident with Jareed and the mage. She now knew which switch activated the laser¡¯s, and the switch that enabled the A.I that controlled the auto-fire. As he got closer, he saw that she was wearing one of his shirts again¡­ where were the clothes that he had made her?

    ¡°Why are you wearing that?¡± Joe asked her, frowning, ¡°Ya got yer own clothes again.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She asked, ¡°I washed them, they¡¯re drying right now.¡±

    ¡°Wait a sec¡­¡± Joe said, rounding her, ¡°Yer wearing my pants too?¡±

    She sighed, ¡°Usually I just pick out one of your shirts and just sit in it until my garb finish drying, but it felt strange being naked in one of your shirts, so I thought your pants might make it feel more normal.¡±

    Joe narrowed his eyes, ¡°You¡¯re naked under those clothes?¡± He asked flatly.

    Sera met his gaze, her green eyes narrowing right back at him, ¡°Of course I¡¯m naked under clothing, aren¡¯t we all?¡±

    Joe bit his cheek and shook his head, ¡°Ya got me there. Ya coulda at least asked for permission first.¡±

    ¡°And here I was thinking you¡¯d be excited at seeing me like this.¡± She said in a somewhat offended tone, ¡°I¡¯m not the kind of woman to do this purposefully, mind you, but I expected at least some mild attraction from you.¡±

    Joe scoffed, ¡°Woman, I¡¯m an old man; fellas my age don¡¯t go around chasing tail¡­ at least I don¡¯t.¡±

    Sera tapped her temple, ¡°Ah ah ah, mentally you¡¯re old, physically you aren¡¯t. Young men are supposed to have wandering eyes, I¡¯ve caught dozens staring at me over the years, but you haven¡¯t even glanced at me once, at least not in that way.¡± She continued, resting her chin on her knees, ¡°I thought you¡¯d at least look.¡±

    Why did she sound so sulky? It wasn¡¯t that she was ugly or anything, far from it, but his mind was preoccupied with more important things. Copying the book, maintaining Betty, killing bandits, learning from Sera, there was simply too much happening to take interest in that sort of thing.

    ¡°I got more important things on my mind.¡± He told her honestly, ¡°If ya haven¡¯t noticed, I got a lot goin¡¯ on.. Look, I¡¯m flattered and all, but-¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t propositioning you!¡± Sera exclaimed, cutting him off, ¡°It was merely an observation.¡±

    ¡°Well yer making it sound like you want me to look.¡± He told her, crossing his arms, ¡°Young lady, I¡¯m a whole year older than you are, stick to men in your age range, and species for that matter.¡±

    ¡°Oh a whole year.¡± She said in a slightly mocking tone, ¡°Wow that¡¯s so much.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m messin¡¯ with ya,¡± He told her with a sigh, ¡°But I am a different species, doesn¡¯t make sense to be attracted to each other, I mean, biologically speakin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Pah!¡± She laughed, ¡°You haven¡¯t met a lot of elves then, I saw it all the time back in my Shard, human-elf marriages are not unheard of, and they can even sire children. Biologically it does make sense.¡±

    ¡°Well those kids are probably mules then.¡± He said, waving a dismissive hand, ¡°Unless y''all really are just humans with pointy ears.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re just elves with round ones.¡± She said, ¡°With way too much hair. I bet you¡¯d look strapping if you shaved that thing on your face.¡±

    Joseph grimaced, shaking his head, ¡°Not a chance. Back on the topic, are half-elves actually mules?¡±

    She paused for a moment before answering, ¡°I wouldn''t say so. It¡¯s incredibly hard for them to have offspring, but I¡¯ve seen it before.¡±

    ¡°What about those ones? The quarter elves I mean, or I guess they could be quarter human too.¡± He said, watching as Sera paused her movie before turning to face him directly.

    ¡°They have it easier for some reason, can¡¯t say I know exactly why.¡± She said, putting a finger on her chin, ¡°Perhaps it has something to do with the diluted blood.¡±

    Joe shrugged, ¡°I ain¡¯t got no idea, but hey, I got another question for ya. I honestly shoulda asked you when I picked ya up, but what exactly is the Overseer? He¡¯s yer God right?¡±

    Sera nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, he is the one holding our world together as we speak. It was he who stitched Faenor together, as well as creating his children, the Faelords.¡±

    ¡°Are they those gods everyone wants to sacrifice me to?¡± Joe asked, sitting down on the recliner and leaning back.

    For some reason, a mischievous glint entered her eye then, and she stood, his shirt hanging down past her knees. His brow furrowed as she awkwardly shuffled over to him, still wearing his jeans.

    ¡°Uh, what?¡± He asked her with a frown, ¡°Do I got something on my fa-oof!¡± He spat as she planted her rear on his lap.

    His hands squeezed the armrests as she adjusted herself, turning to straddle him. Her face was mere inches from his own now, and she grinned.

    ¡°You messing with me?¡± He asked her, avoiding eye contact.

    She had taught him that elves could read the emotions of others through eye contact¡­ she¡¯d not let her have the satisfaction of seeing how embarrassed he was.

    ¡°Still feel like an old man?¡± She asked, poking a finger into his chest.

    ¡°As a matter of fact I do.¡± Joe grumbled, ¡°Now get off.¡±

    Sera shook her head, ¡°If you want to learn about the Faelords, then I¡¯ll need to be up close like this- otherwise I won¡¯t tell you.¡± She finished in a playful tone.

    Joe grumbled at this but relented. He didn¡¯t know why she was acting so weird lately.

    ¡°Fine, shoot.¡± Joe said.

    She smirked, clearly satisfied with her victory, ¡°When the Overseer stitched Faenor together, he also created the Faelords, the minor gods of Faenor. The Overseer is stretched thin because of the power he actively uses to keep Faenor together, to combat this, he made the gods to control certain aspects of reality. To keep things more stable, you see.¡± Sera explained, ¡°To do this task adequately though, The Overseer gave the Faelords free will, but they could never directly touch the world. This angered the newly-made Faelords; they desired to interact with the Shards in person, but they cannot manifest themselves on Faenor¡­ at least until a loophole was found.¡± Sera continued, resting her head on his chest, ¡°The Faelords could manifest themselves by controlling a mortal vessel. It wasn¡¯t as powerful as their true divine forms of course, but they could now walk Faenor directly. This required sacrificing a mortal Faenoran and exorcising their souls to make room for them, for two souls cannot exist in one body.¡± She paused to take a breath, ¡°These new mortal gods caused great turmoil and strife however¡­ as their different aspects often opposed one another. The Shards all ran red with blood as the Faelords waged war with one another, long brutal struggles that engulfed every Shard in existence. This angered The Overseer greatly, and after failing to convince his children to leave their mortal coils, he banned them from taking Faenoran bodies. That became what is known as ¡®The Ban¡¯.¡±

    Joe nodded, ¡°I get it. I get why they want Outworlders now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, The Ban does not apply to you, as you are not of Faenor. This is why your kind are hunted so relentlessly.¡± She confirmed.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t Mr. Overseer just ban them again?¡± Joe asked, ¡°He did it once for Faenorans, why not Outworlders?¡±

    ¡°His power cannot touch Outworlders. I¡¯ve heard theories that it is because your Overseer would become enraged by this, and it is not a conflict ours would want.¡± Sera said, ¡°I¡¯ve also heard that it is simply because of your otherworldly nature, he can¡¯t change what doesn¡¯t exist on his plane and whatnot. There are other theories too of course, the one I subscribe to is that The Overseer is simply too overworked to do so. Maintaining both Faenor and The Ban may eat up far too much of his power, invoking another Ban may be impossible.¡±

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Well, I can say that God probably wouldn¡¯t take too kindly to a divine neighbor messing with His creation¡­ See, God¡¯s an artist, I think yer Overseer is one too. They probably don¡¯t want their respective paintings getting messed with.¡± Joe said with a shrug.

    ¡°But then why did you appear here?¡± Sera asked, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be your God flinging paint on the Overseer¡¯s creation? You said so yourself, you weren¡¯t summoned here like normal Outworlders, you just appeared.¡±

    ¡°Portal Storm.¡± Joe said, ¡°That¡¯s all I can think of.¡±

    ¡°Yes I remember you telling me about them, but we don¡¯t have such things here.¡± She said, ¡°Your God either sent you here, or the Overseer stole you. No other Outworlder from my knowledge has ever had their age reverted to youth, it seems like a blessing to me.¡±

    Joe bit his cheek, ¡°I don¡¯t know why God wouldn¡¯t just de-age me and leave me on Earth. I still had work to do, was gonna go kill more slavers n¡¯ help more folk, Him sending me here just doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ it could have been an arrangement between them, who is to say?¡± Sera asked, ¡°Maybe The Overseer came to your God and asked if he could borrow you?¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡± Joe laughed, ¡°You saying I¡¯m a cosmic cup of sugar!? That¡¯s rich!¡± He continued to laugh for a solid minute before it died down¡­ it was just too funny to imagine.

    ¡®Hey God can I borrow your slaver mower for a bit?¡¯ ¡®Yeah just make sure to top off the gas when you¡¯re done¡¯ Joe shook his head. It was ridiculous but since his life had become even more insane, it was not out of the question. Joe would ask God about it when he finally died, clear up any confusion.

    ¡°If you¡¯re done laughing?¡± Sera asked, looking up at him, ¡°Do you remember my explanation of the Shards?¡±

    ¡°Sorta.¡± Joe said, ¡°Their bits of worlds right? Some of em¡¯ are bigger, some of em¡¯ are smaller.¡±

    ¡°Let me go into more details-¡±

    ¡°Can ya get off my lap first-¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Sera cut him off, ¡°You laughed at me saying that The Overseer spoke to your God, but it wouldn¡¯t be the first time something like that has happened. Do you wish to know the true nature of the Shards?¡±

    ¡°Shoot.¡± Joe said.

    ¡°They are the pieces of thousands of different worlds, all taken by The Overseer by the creators that made them. Even Everfae, the Shard we¡¯re in now, is just a small piece of a planet it had been separated from.¡± Sera explained, ¡°The Overseer is a collector, he goes to each of these realms creator¡¯s and makes a deal with them to take a section of their world. New Shards are added all the time because he is constantly expanding Faenor.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ ah,¡± Joe blinked, feeling dizzy, ¡°That¡¯s a lot to take in. Does he have a Shard of Earth?¡±

    Sera shrugged, ¡°I can¡¯t say for certain, but I think not. Every Shard is tied to its own Outworld, but there aren¡¯t really pieces of Outworlds stitched into Faenor, at least I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°Every Shard is tied to its own Outworld huh?¡± Joe said, rubbing his chin, ¡°Wait¡­ so does that mean that each one can only summon Outworlders from that version of Earth? And why wouldn¡¯t Mr. Overseer want pieces of the Outworlds?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ well this is where we get into speculation.¡± Sera said, taking another deep breath, ¡°It is possible that all the Outworlds are controlled by the same being, and that being won¡¯t give The Overseer a single bit of his worlds.¡±

    ¡°You saying that God¡¯s made a whole buncha other Earths?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea.¡± Sera said honestly, ¡°Like I said, we¡¯re in speculation territory now, but we do know that Shards can only summon people from the Outworld they¡¯re tied to. It¡¯s hard to say if they are all just a slight variation of ¡®Earth¡¯ or if they have massive differences beyond that, but there is one thing that stays consistent with the summonings- every Outworlder is a human, there have been no other cases where it''s a different species. Thousands of years worth of summoning have gone by, but it''s still just humans. That makes me believe that these worlds simply are variations of Earth. You said so yourself, Earth only has humans on it, no orcs, no elves, nothing of that sort.¡±

    Joe felt sick, ¡°That¡¯s a lot, can ya give me a sec¡­¡± He felt dizzier as he considered the possibilities, ¡°Oh sweet Lord¡­¡± He was going to puke.

    He was gonna hork all over the carpet if he didn¡¯t get a second.

    ¡°Joe, you don¡¯t look so good.¡± Sera said, concerned, ¡°Try to relax, don¡¯t think about it too much-¡±

    ¡°How is it that you know about all this crap!?¡± Joe asked, grabbing her by the shoulders, ¡°I doubt it¡¯s super common knowledge.¡±

    In response, Sera wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and he quickly released her, averting his eyes, ¡°My home Shard is home to a great library, likely the largest of all the Shards. You can read about practically anything there. I spent a good amount of time studying Outworlders, as well as the Faelord wars. Meeting you has both affirmed and discredited hundreds of the books I read about your kind.¡±

    ¡°So a lot of folk don¡¯t actually know all this, yer just a super-nerd.¡± Joe said, resting his head against the back of his chair.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means but I assume a nerd is someone who is booksmart. In that case, yes, I am a super-nerd.¡± She said, ¡°But do keep in mind, Joseph, even some of the things I told you could be completely off the mark. The people who wrote those books may not have accurately described these things. Please don¡¯t overthink it or you¡¯ll go insane.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already crazy.¡± Joe muttered, But I guess this means that other Shards probably get more Outworlders than Everfae. If this Shard is tied to my version of Earth, there ain¡¯t really a lot of folk left to be summoned¡­ Alright, ya can get off me now.¡±

    Sera remained planted in his lap. It wasn¡¯t that it felt unpleasant or anything, but this was just wildly inappropriate.

    ¡°You have to take me to Shian soon.¡± Sera told him, changing the subject ¡°In two days actually. I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ve been keeping track of time.¡±

    ¡°I thought it was next week.¡± Joe said honestly.

    ¡°I have, I don¡¯t want to leave but I must try and finish my contract with Gerad.¡± She said, ¡°For now though, I want to spend more time with you, until we reunite. We have two days left to go, let¡¯s make the most of it.¡±

    ¡°...Okay, do you gotta be on my lap for that?¡± He asked her.

    ¡°Perhaps.¡± She giggled, ¡°I was thinking that we could drink that mead you bought back in Letsher?¡±

    Joe gasped, ¡°I totally forgot about that! Yeah, should we drink it now?¡±

    ¡°We could watch that show you like, did you say it was¡­ Hell¡¯s Kitchen?¡± She asked him.

    He grinned, ¡°I guess yer English is good enough now that you should be able to appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°I am curious about it, you said it was a cooking show?¡± She said, ¡°That sounds nice, something relaxing should help take the edge off while we drink.¡±

    Joe chuckled. ¡®Relaxing¡¯ yeah, sure.

    He managed to get Sera off of him, much to her disappointment. She really did like messing with him, didn¡¯t she? They both then made the long trek over to the kitchen, Joe procuring the mead and cups they would be using. Should he start her on season one? The winner might make her angry but it would be funny to see her reaction to it. Joe popped in the disc, and sat down next to Sera, pouring the drinks and watching Gordon Ramsay do his thing on the screen.

    ¡°Joseph why is he so mean!?¡± Sera asked, shaking his shoulder, ¡°He could be a bit nicer, they¡¯re trying so hard!¡±

    ¡°Look,¡± He said, sipping his mead, ¡°These guys show up, tellin¡¯ Gordon that they¡¯re professional chefs, then give him raw chicken during service. A screw up like that deserves it.¡±

    ¡°I do not agree with his ways.¡± Sera said with a huff, ¡°He should be more gentle with them, that would increase their productivity, would it not?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s given¡¯ them lots a chances to come back but they keep screwing it all up!¡± Joe exclaimed, ¡°I¡¯d do the same thing, they deserve it.¡±

    ¡°I do not like this show.¡± Sera replied, crossing her arms.

    ¡°Well fine, I can change it-¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Sera cut him off, ¡°I need to see what happens next.¡±

    ¡°That means you like it.¡± Joe told her flatly.

    ¡°No.¡± Sera told him with a huff, ¡°My chosen contestant will win, I am sure of it. I must see this through.¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°Aye aye aye, fine.¡±

    They continued to drink as the show progressed, reaching the finale. They were both well into the drink now, Joe¡¯s mind pleasantly distracted from existential terror. It was hard to think about infinity when you could barely count to ten. The mead had hit Sera much much harder though.

    ¡°What!?¡± She screamed at the television, ¡°No! Not him! Why did he win!? Gordon is truly a fool!¡±

    ¡°Muh.¡± Joe replied wisely, ¡°He picked¡­ he uh, yeah.¡±

    ¡°Gordon!¡± Sera screamed at the t.v, ¡°Its not too late to change your choishe!¡± She slurred, putting her face right in front of the screen.

    ¡°Shera he, hmm¡­ He can¡¯t hear ya.¡± He told her, pulling her back from the screen.

    ¡°I¡¯ll never fergive im¡¯!¡± Sera shouted, ¡°Itsh inmjusticsh!¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Joe said, ¡°Hmm, season two?¡± He asked her.

    ¡°Jusht put in da damn dishc!¡± Sera yelled, standing up and pointing to the dvd player.

    Her oversized jeans then fell down to the carpet, but she hardly seemed to notice.

    ¡°Well, eschcuse me prenscess¡­¡± He muttered, crawling over and swapping the discs.

    He crawled back over to sit in front of the entertainment center, crossing his legs as season two began. Sera remained standing for a long while, stepping out of the pants and walking over to him. She wavered beside him for a long while before she crawled into his lap.

    ¡°Shtop messin¡¯ with me.¡± Joe grumbled as she adjusted herself, ¡°Why ya doin¡¯ that?¡±

    ¡°Shh.¡± Sera told him, ¡°The shmow ish starting¡­ and uh¡­ I¡¯m not meshing with you.¡± She said hesitantly, ¡°I like sitting with you.¡±

    ¡°Yer not wearin¡¯ pants-¡± He told her.

    ¡°Itsh fine¡­ yer old right? Shouldn¡¯t matter to you?¡± She asked, putting a finger on his chin, ¡°Right?¡±

    Joe continued to grumble¡­ but didn¡¯t force her off his lap. She settled into him happily as they continued to watch the show¡­forcing him to acknowledge certain aspects about her. Aspects he¡¯d never considered before now¡­ Old instincts he thought were dead re-awakened as the show continued to play. How could someone be this soft? Dammit all, this had to be the drinks fault somehow.

    Well in any case, he didn¡¯t feel like an old man after that.

 Chapter Twenty-Two: Mugged

    Sera sighed as she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. Joseph had gone above and beyond with his needle-work, he could get a solid tailor shop running had he so desired. He had made her new pants, a shirt, and a coat like the one he so often wore, complete with a hood. The shirt she wore was a simple undyed cotton, with the pants and coat being a deep shade of umber. All she was missing was the armor and she¡¯d look like a miniature version of him¡­

    Even still there were armor plates sewn into certain sections of the coat, just beneath the cloth. He had told her that the coat would be able to shrug off smaller blades with ease, and that when she returned he would armor it up even more. Joe had lamented that he had no more time to work on it, as she needed to meet with Gerad today. He had even managed to cobble together a pair of boots for her, again a smaller version of what he wore.

    How could one man learn so many talents in just a hundred and two years of life? Many elves couldn¡¯t do this much¡­ but maybe that was because her species had a horrible problem¡­ Procrastination. Humans had limited lifespans, unlike the elves. If she wanted to learn something, she could take as long as she needed to learn it. Sera could afford to after all, she¡¯d never die from old age.

    Humans though? They were always in a hurry, always rushing to learn or work, rarely putting anything off unless they were lazy. Joseph seemed to be on the more extreme end of this spectrum of humanity, and his natural intellect seemed to make picking up new skills a breeze. He could now speak Faesh fluently, and he had only appeared on Faenor a few months ago. Well, it should have been expected from someone that had won her heart.

    Sera would need to hurry and finish her contract with Gerad, she didn¡¯t want to be separated from Joseph for longer than necessary. Especially now that she¡¯d been catching him staring at her like a man his (biological) age should be. Who knew? Maybe they could progress things once she returned¡­ would he make the first move, or should she? Maybe-

    A loud knocking cut off her thoughts, ¡°Hey! You alive in there?¡±

    ¡°Yes, just making sure everything is fitted right!¡± She replied, moving over to the door and pulling it open.

    Joe had his hands on his hips, ¡°For fifteen minutes?¡±

    ¡°So what?¡± Sera asked, copying the motion, ¡°I want to make sure I look elegant.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s made to keep you alive, not make you look elegant.¡± Joe told her, ¡°Now come on, it¡¯s time I see ya off.¡±

    Sera pursed her lips, ¡°You won¡¯t come with me to Shian after all then?¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°No way, Gerad could have got a trap set up fer me remember?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯d do that.¡± She said, ¡°But I understand your reasoning.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, but I got a gift for ya before you head out.¡± Joe told her, ¡°See that thing attached to your belt?¡± He said, pointing to it.

    ¡°It¡¯s a holster, right?¡± She asked, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to put-¡± Joe grabbed her hand then, lifting it up before producing a pistol from his belt.

    ¡°This is yours now, I packed you a couple extra mags for it too, you¡¯ll find em¡¯ in your backpack. It¡¯s a good pistol, uses 9mm for ammo. Hopin¡¯ that you don¡¯t really need to use it.¡±

    ¡°But we only went shooting yesterday¡­¡± She said, though she didn¡¯t hand it back, ¡°I¡¯m not ready.¡±

    ¡°Not ready?¡± Joe asked her, cocking a brow, ¡°You shot that mage fella well enough, that was without some practice. I ain¡¯t taking it back by the way, that¡¯s yers now. Don¡¯t worry, I got like ten spares in one of my lockers.¡±

    ¡°You have ten of these?¡± She asked, awkwardly putting the weapon in its holster.

    ¡°They were pretty common back on Earth. I got other guns too but I don¡¯t think yer ready to use a rifle yet.¡± He told her, moving toward the workshop, ¡°C¡¯mon, we¡¯re about a mile outside of town right?¡±

    ¡°...Yes.¡± She said, following after him, ¡°My contract with Gerad ends in three months time, if it expires I won¡¯t renew it, and wait for you in Shian. It won¡¯t be necessary for you to come into town, it is an unwalled settlement, simply drive Betty around and honk a few times, then I¡¯ll come to you.¡±

    Joe opened the door, allowing Sera through first, ¡°That¡¯s a bad idea.¡± He said, ¡°Think about it, I¡¯d be scaring folk for no reason other than to get yer attention. I¡¯ll come in and find ya.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re sure.¡± Sera said with a smile.

    Joe then opened the door that led outside, the chilled air hitting her bare face. Morning frost covered the browning grass, and the sky was a deep gray and overcast. She found herself grateful for the clothing Joseph had made for her¡­ it seemed this winter would be a cold one. She turned to Joe, who picked up a large strapped bag that had been laying by the door. He offered it to her with a smile.

    ¡°This has everything you need to rough it in the wild.¡± Joe said as she took it from him, ¡°Good luck, see ya in three months.¡±

    She frowned; just like that? No tearful goodbyes or even a hug? She crossed her arms after slinging on the backpack, glaring up at him sullenly.

    He frowned, ¡°You alright?¡±

    ¡°You seem pretty happy to be rid of me.¡± Sera told him, frustrated.

    ¡°You keep havin¡¯ an attitude like that and yeah.¡± Joe told her, crossing his own arms, ¡°Look, I don¡¯t like long goodbyes¡­ the sooner yer out there the quicker you can get yer work done. I¡¯ll stop by Shian once a month to check if yer done yet alright?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with long goodbyes.¡± Sera told him, ¡°And are you really going to make me ask?¡± She said, opening her arms.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Joe sighed, shaking his head before he gave her a hug. She felt so wonderfully warm, no longer noticing the frigid cold leaking in from outside. She wanted to be held like this forever¡­ and soon, she just might be able to do that. All she needed to do was finish her contract with Gerad. She¡¯d been taking their work slow before, but that was going to change now that she had a reason to quickly finish it. She looked up into Joseph¡¯s eyes, wondering if she should take the initiative then and there¡­ but she instead released the hug.

    She did not want to be left craving the touch of his lips for potentially three months, she would exercise patience¡­ for now. Once they were reunited however¡­ she¡¯d be a lot more aggressive with him. Maybe. She descended the ramp slowly, turning to wave goodbye to her (hopefully) future lover.

    ¡°Git!¡± He yelled, making a shooing motion.

    She frowned, and stuck her tongue out at him. He smiled, waving goodbye in proper. Once Betty¡¯s ramp closed fully¡­ she turned, making her way into Shian. There was an old legend she had heard about, about a monster beneath the mountains of Ugals. Killing it would surely count as a great feat¡­ it would be a treacherous journey, as she¡¯d need to travel through the Dark-Wastes in order to find the beast.

    <hr>

    Joseph sighed as he entered the frontroom¡­ it was a lot colder now for some reason. Maybe it was all the open space and the chill of the outside air? He shook his head. Betty¡¯s temperature almost always stayed stable. Perhaps it was because he¡¯d gotten used to having company again. Without Sera here, it seemed a lot more¡­ lonely. He moved over to the cockpit, started Betty up, and drove off in the general direction of Pienturshuld manor.

    He had made a promise to Prolo and by God he was going to keep it. He should be able to sneak in easily enough, he knew the layout pretty well. There was also a real chance that the kid wouldn¡¯t be there either, perhaps having gone out on the road somewhere. It was how they had first met after all, Prolo had been out n¡¯ about.

    If he was gone, Joe would simply sneak into his room and deposit the book somewhere obvious¡­ but he hoped Prolo would be home. It¡¯d be nice to talk to the kid properly now that Joe knew Faesh. He drove south, toward the other end of the grassy plains where Betty had first emerged. It took several hours, and by time he reached it it was already nighttime. He¡¯d not be taking Betty with him, he didn¡¯t want to maneuver through the woods again and he wanted to be as clandestine as possible when he got there.

    It would take him a while to actually reach the manor again on foot, but that was fine. He¡¯d pack up his normal gear and bring his poleaxe along for the ride. He hadn¡¯t gotten to use the damn thing once since he¡¯d bought it back in Letsher. Hopefully he wouldn¡¯t have to, but it would make a good walking stick at least. He parked Betty far away from the cobbled road, not wanting her to be in sight of strangers. If someone decided to follow the flattened grass, they¡¯d find Betty for sure¡­ but they wouldn¡¯t be able to get in.

    He¡¯d need to be ready in case a veritable siege had built itself around her in his absence, so he packed a couple grenades into his belt. Better safe than sorry, just one of these would be enough to scare away anyone trying to catch him. Hell, they might think he had explosion magic or some crap like that. He stood from his chair, and went to the workshop, armoring himself up before he grabbed the poleaxe.

    He hadn¡¯t done all that much to it in truth, but its wooden haft was now shod with iron. It would be a fair bit harder to swing with the extra weight, but the shodding should both protect the wood and provide yet another bludgeon for him to use. Sure, it could have been used for that already, but that wouldn¡¯t have been good for the shaft. That, and the hammer side of the poleaxe had made it unnecessary to use it that way. It might be situational, but it was neat regardless. It was awesome and he loved the work he had put into it, but damn was it heavy. Thankfully his newly restored youth made it easier to carry, he couldn¡¯t imagine swinging this thing around when he had been in his fifties.

    He opened the ramp, and said, ¡°C¡¯mon, let''s go.¡± To nobody.

    That¡¯s right, Sera was gone now, had to remember. She had better not die out there. He moved out, closing the door and sealing Betty. He could sleep till the morning and then head out but¡­ he wanted to be out and about. With Sera gone it was far too cold in there, roughing it in the woods for a bit sounded far more palatable then his recliner.

    He¡¯d be able to find the trail again well enough, all he had to do was follow the path Betty had carved in the grass. Once he reached the mouth of the road, he entered the forest. It was a cold night, making wearing his gear far less miserably hot than it normally was. As walked across the trail, he kept his eyes peeled for any shadows moving through the trees. Something was off about the woods, it was far too quiet¡­

    He could not hear insects, no animals, nothing. It was a void of silence. This wasn¡¯t a good sign¡­ and after some consideration, he decided to return to Betty for the night. His gut screamed at him to get out of those woods before it was too late. He saw no real reason to ignore this warning, so he turned on his heel and quickly followed the trail out of the woods. Right as he was about to leave however, he heard something rustling in the bushes next to him.

    Joe whirled, readying his poleaxe. He saw a long shadow emerge from the bush, and he clicked on his flashlight to see a humanoid form emerge. Joe gasped as he saw the shiny steel flesh, the glowing red eyes of glass, and the glowing blue gun aimed directly at him.

    ¡°Drop it.¡± The robotic voice demanded in English, ¡°Don¡¯t argue or you die.¡±

    The cyborg! Joe dropped his poleaxe to the dirt, hesitantly raising his hands above his head.

    ¡°You understood me¡­¡± The cyborg said, ¡°And that gear, you¡¯re from Earth, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡± Joseph replied in English, ¡°I heard about you a while ago, one of the locals thought I was you.¡±

    The cyborg slightly eased, removing his finger from the trigger, ¡°I¡¯m Henry.¡± He said through clenched metallic teeth.

    His whole head looked like a metal skull, there wasn¡¯t a scrap of flesh anywhere to be seen on his frame in fact. How did Henry eat? There still had to be fleshy bits on the inside right? The man gleamed from head to toe, his steel plated skin protecting him from the elements. He wasn¡¯t even wearing clothes, but when you were this deep into cybernetics, it wasn¡¯t like there was anything to hide anymore. Henry¡¯s red glowing eyes remained locked on him, seeming expectant.

    ¡°Joseph.¡± He replied, ¡°What happens now?¡±

    ¡°If this were the wastes, I¡¯d strip you for all you were worth and leave you for dead.¡± Henry replied honestly, ¡°But we aren¡¯t in Kansas anymore, so to speak. I need to gather more intel on where we ended up.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a long story¡­¡± Joe said, slowly lowering his hands.

    ¡°Keep them up or I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Henry replied, his eyes flashing red, ¡°I don¡¯t trust you, you think just because we¡¯re from the same world that we¡¯d be friends?¡±

    Joe glared, ¡°Of course not.¡±

    It made sense, this guy was a survivor just like he was. This type of interaction was not uncommon back in the wastes. Joe wouldn¡¯t have let Henry lower his hands if the roles were reversed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask the questions.¡± Henry said, ¡°How did you get here?¡±

    ¡°Portal storm I¡¯m guessin¡¯¡± Joe told him, ¡°Either that or God dropped me off.¡±

    ¡°You weren¡¯t summoned?¡± Henry asked, ¡°I believe that was what happened to me. I was¡­ absorbed by a glowing green oval, then I ended up in some kind of castle. The locals chanted at me in some weird language and it looked like they were getting ready to kill me, so I killed them and escaped. It wasn¡¯t easy, even with my bionics.¡±

    ¡°I ended up in these woods, just me, my gear, and my backpack.¡± He lied.

    Joseph already knew how this was all going to end, he didn¡¯t want Henry knowing about Betty.

    ¡°Give me your backpack and all your guns, extra mags too.¡± Henry demanded, ¡°I¡¯m a nice guy, I¡¯ll let you keep your armor and that weapon there,¡± He said, indicating the poleaxe, ¡°After that, I¡¯ll ask you some questions and let you go, sound good? And don¡¯t forget those grenades.¡±

    Joe tried to keep the rage from showing on his face, ¡°Fine.¡±

    He disarmed himself, tossing Henry his bag and leaving his guns on the ground, kicking them over to the cyborg, ¡°Good,¡± Henry replied, ¡°Now sit down, I have a few questions for you, then you can be on your way.¡±

    They ended up talking well into the early hours of the morning, with Joseph imparting everything he¡¯d learned about Faenor to Henry, who kept his laser rifle trained on Joe the whole time.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite a lot.¡± Henry said, ¡°Thank you, now get out of here. I¡¯ll be keeping the book in this bag too, I need it more than you do.¡±

    Joe grumbled but didn¡¯t reply, retrieving his poleaxe before moving to leave.

    ¡°And be careful out there.¡± Henry told him, ¡°There¡¯s some kind of giant snake monster on the prowl in those grasslands, it''s been destroying a lot of campgrounds around here from what I¡¯ve seen.¡±

    Joe grinned, but didn¡¯t reply. This bastard had no idea about Betty, that was good¡­ if he got him out in the open he¡¯d be able to run him down or shoot him to death. Truthfully though, it might be slightly difficult to justify it in his mind. Henry¡¯s behavior was far too nice for a wastelander. Most other folk would demand everything Joseph had, even the clothes off his back. Maybe it was because this environment was far easier to survive in?

    Ah well, he¡¯d be getting his revenge on Henry in one way or another. Still¡­ why did he bother telling Joe to be careful, especially after he had just mugged him? Maybe Henry had been hesitant to kill Joe because he was the only person he could talk to? It was hard to tell what he¡¯d been thinking with that metal skull face of his. That could also be the reason he didn¡¯t take everything Joe had¡­ maybe he wanted to speak with Joseph again at some point and didn¡¯t want to reduce his odds of survival more than what was necessary?

    Well, Henry should have thought about that before deciding to mug him. That laser rifle of his would work well as an extra turret for Betty. Joe returned to Betty after he was sure Henry wasn¡¯t following after him, entering and sealing the door behind him. He would not be caught lacking like that again! He should have brought up his rifle first, not his damn poleaxe. He¡¯d gotten too lax these past few months, he¡¯d need to correct that.

    He had been putting off upgrading his gear for a while now¡­ surely Prolo wouldn¡¯t mind waiting just a bit longer for his book? He¡¯d properly stitch in those scales to his trenchcoat and some of the bone he¡¯d taken from the dragon. It would take some time to forge the new armor from those materials, but he¡¯d get it done.

    Then he¡¯d kick Henry¡¯s ass and get the book back. Sure, he could always give Prolo the original copy, Joseph no longer needed it after all¡­ but his seething anger demanded that he go after Henry for revenge first. Besides, he had put months worth of work into copying that damn book, he wasn¡¯t just gonna let it go. There were also the guns he had stolen from him as well, but again, all these things would eventually come back to him.

    Joe grinned, Betty no longer felt cold and lonely, for the heat of spite fueled him. Henry would get his alright¡­

 Chapter Twenty-Three: Return To The Manor

    It¡¯s been half a month now since Joe had been mugged, and the first snows of winter have begun to fall. It wasn¡¯t anything crazy yet, but Joe was sure that the flakes would get larger later on. Right now there was a layer of snow half an inch thick covering the ground. Most of the leaves on the treetops had fallen down by now, buried beneath the freshly fallen snow. The wide open field of white was a sight to see¡­ brought him back to his childhood years on the farm.

    Betty stuck out like a sore thumb though, a giant dark metal cube contrasting the snow surrounder her. Even still she should be hard to find, she was far out into the fields now, and no new tracks had been made that can be followed to her, at least not as easily. He double checked his gear before he closed the ramp, ensuring that everything was safe and secure. His Benneli was strapped just fine, as was his magnum, the weapons he¡¯d be using to punch holes through Henry¡¯s metallic exoskeleton. His coat was now a deep shade of red, the dragon¡¯s scales having been sewn into the fabric from hood to hem. He¡¯d tested it out and it was essentially stab-proof, lightweight too. His steel plate armor had been replaced with dragonbone from the neck down. His pauldrons, cuirass, greaves, and even his boots were made of the stuff.

    The only thing unaltered was his helmet, he had been having trouble crafting the bone to be a mask. He still wanted to do it, but turning it into a gas mask on top of that was proving difficult. Hell, it was hard getting the dragon bone to be shaped like this in the first place. It wasn¡¯t like he could melt it down and fill a mold with it, it was harder than steel but it was still bone. Maybe he should use a marker to mark out the outline he¡¯d need for the mask first¡­ yes, that sounded like it would be easier. He¡¯d do that once he got back.

    He ended up repurposing most of the dragon¡¯s skull for his armor, mostly the breastplate, as the top of the skull had already been in an adequate shape. The rest of it however needed to be sewn on in small accordion-like sections with his magic needle. There was still kevlar beneath it all, just in case, but he doubted that anything would be able to penetrate that deeply. He also managed to salvage the nomex underlay from his old suit, and had merged it with this new one.

    He¡¯d love to see someone try and mess with him now! Henry was gonna pay, and his rucksack would be reclaimed! Sure, he had a spare, as he had spares for everything, but that had been his favorite rucksack. It would be his once again, but now he needed to track down Henry¡­ first though, he¡¯d be taking this book back to Prolo. It had been two weeks since he¡¯d lost the copied version, so he¡¯d opt to return the original for the kid to use.

    He could try and find Henry now, but the trail wouldn¡¯t be easy to follow at this point, especially after all this time had passed and snow had fallen. He¡¯d busy himself with finding Pienturshuld manor first. Once more he entered the woods, keeping his eyes peeled for any movement. He spotted some wildlife here and there, but only what would stay out during the winter months.

    He eventually came across the portion of the road where he¡¯d been mugged, and moved to inspect the bush that Henry had been hiding in. As expected, there were no tracks left to follow beneath the snow. He stood, using his poleaxe for assistance and sighed. He still wanted to get back at Henry, but now that he was thinking about it¡­ Joe wasn¡¯t sure that he wanted him dead. The cyborg had been extraordinarily kind in his robbery, other wasters would have just shot at Joe or stripped him of everything.

    So Joe would plan on robbing him next time, maybe even trapping him to humiliate him further. If none of that worked, killing him was still an option¡­ he valued his rucksack more than Henry¡¯s life after all. He continued deeper into the woods, the sun completely occluded by a sheet of white clouds overhead. Snow crunched beneath dragon-bone boots as he went, checking behind himself often to see if anything was following after him. He mostly stuck to the trail, as they were his only real way to find Pienturshuld manor.

    He knew that these paths would lead to it eventually. Things went by uneventfully until sometime in the afternoon, when a group of five men appeared on the road ahead. They had emerged from the bushes, clad in heavy furs, with three men wielding axes while the other two wielded longbows. Joe considered pulling out the Benneli and blasting them away right there, but those longbows weren¡¯t going to punch through the scale, much less the bone. He needed to conserve his ammo¡­ it was time for the poleaxe to get some spotlight.

    ¡°Drop any gold you might have, along with that coat n¡¯ armor.¡± One man said, ¡°Looks expensive.¡±

    ¡°It is.¡± Joe said, ¡°Real expensive, so I ain¡¯t givin¡¯ it to you.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s how you wanna play it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna kick your ass.¡± Joe warned.

    The bandit growled, ¡°Shoot ¡®im.¡±

    The two men with longbows loosed the same time Joseph shot forward, rearing back his poleaxe. Only one of the two arrows struck him, but the one that hit simply glanced off his breastplate. Made sense, not even his shotgun could dent dragon bone, an arrow had no chance in hell. He swung on the first bandit, catching him in the throat with the axe blade before yanking it free with a spray of crimson.

    The bandit dropped his axe to the snow and clutched his half-ruined throat, collapsing shortly afterward as blood fountained from the wound, staining the snow red. He quickly stepped out of the way of another axe swing, the man stumbling past him as he missed his mark. Joe swung at his leg, chopping through the meat of his calf and sending him screaming to the ground. He felt two more arrows impact with his back, but they felt like mere pebbles as they bounced right off his scale coat.

    This had got to be one of the best upgrades he could have ever done. He should have sewn some of this into Sera¡¯s clothing¡­ why hadn¡¯t he thought of that before? He ducked out of the way of the last axe man, the one who had given the order for his men to fire.

    ¡°Alright look, you can go, just leave us alone!¡± He shouted, ¡°Just go!¡±

    Joe swung with the butt of his poleaxe, hitting him in the temple and sending him crashing to the snow, unconscious. The two bowmen backed away, wearing their terror on their faces.

    ¡°Get on yer knees if you wanna live, now!¡± Joe screamed.

    The two bowmen dropped to their knees, discarding their weapons and holding up their hands. Joseph approached them, looming over them like an executioner.

    ¡°Where is Pienturshuld manor?¡± He asked, ¡°Got some business with them.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a day''s travel west from here, just follow the trail!¡± One shouted, ¡°Can we go-¡±

    Joseph split his skull in twain with the axe blade, leaving it embedded to draw his knife. The other bandit scrambled to flee, but Joe managed to grab a hold of his arm, driving his blade through his back and puncturing a lung. Joe stabbed him twice more before letting him slump to the ground. Joe immediately whirled and walked over to the surviving bandit, the one who¡¯s calf he¡¯d split apart, and killed him as well. He couldn¡¯t let people like this just go free¡­ but something in this act had made him feel slightly sick.

    He didn¡¯t feel guilty about killing them of course, it was him or them¡­ but still, something about this didn''t feel right. He ignored the feeling, ripping his poleaxe from the split skull of the bowman before moving to their leader, who was still out like a light. Joe raised his boot, and stomped on his skull twice, feeling the bone crunch beneath the force. He then began looting the corpses, coming up with thirty extra gold coins for the effort. It at least felt refreshing to be looting again, that never got old.

    They also had the furs they wore, along with their axes¡­ but his gear was far superior and he didn¡¯t really have a need for their weapons. His brow furrowed as he thought about gear¡­ why did he feel like he had forgotten something super important? Something involving Sera¡­ His head hung as he realized the mistake he had made. There had been one more item he¡¯d wanted Sera to have, but it had apparently slipped his mind.

    Maybe it was because he hadn¡¯t used them in years, considering that he had been solitary for so long. He really should have given Sera a walkie talkie, he had a few pairs of long distance ones after all. They might not even work anymore but when he got home he¡¯d need to check them. Dammit all, why had he forgotten about them!? He kicked the snow in a burst of anger.

    He could have still been able to talk to her now and then! He exhaled sharply through his nose. It could have been a good way to find out when she¡¯d finished her contract too¡­ perhaps he should try and track her down as well to give one to her? After his business with Prolo and Henry were done of course. He dragged the bodies off the trail and a ways into the woods, burying the bloody snow to cover what had happened here.

    These guys could be part of a larger clan, Joe didn¡¯t want to be pursued by a potentially massive gang. When he was done, he moved on, his coin purse a fair bit heavier than when the day started. He kept moving until nightfall, nothing else of note happening for the rest of the day. He moved off the trail, finding a secure place to rest and laying out his bubble wrap traps and bells.

    He was still warm in his armor, so he saw no need to make a campfire. All it would do was draw attention to his location. The night passed by without issue, nothing disturbed the alarm traps. He gathered everything back up and ate some dried rations for breakfast, setting out once more. He continued following the trail west until finally, he reached the fork in the road where he had met Prolo. Soon after that, he found the smashed trees he had driven Betty through. Damn¡­ that felt like it had happened years ago, but in actuality it had only been a few months.

    Some of the downed trees looked as if they had been hacked at with axes, likely being harvested as firewood by the locals. Made sense, why let a perfectly good tree go to waste when it had already been knocked down by someone else? A few more hours of walking passed after that, before eventually he found the road that led to Pienturshuld manor.

    He moved off the trail, creeping between the trees to keep out of sight of the guards that were no doubt posted out front. There should be a few guys patrolling outside that wall too if memory served. He didn¡¯t get too close to the manor, instead circling it to see who was on the perimeter. As he suspected, two pairs of guards moved lazily around the walls, chatting and only occasionally looking into the forest surrounding them.

    It was almost sunset now, but Joe waited for it to become pitch dark. The guards then rotated out with new ones, the fresher men lighting torches and assuming the route. Joe hid on the west side of the forest, and waited for the patrol to pass. Once they did, he moved silently past them. Once they rounded the corner, he used his grappling hook to reach the other side of the wall.

    Thankfully, no one noticed him crawling up and over. Once he retrieved his grappling hook, he began sneaking toward the manor. Prolo¡¯s room was on the west side, if he got to the garden and took the backdoor, that would put him just down the hall from Prolo¡¯s chambers. As he reached the door however, he came across a roadblock. It was locked. He cursed, fishing out his locksmithing kit and immediately getting to work. Being out in the open like this wasn¡¯t good, and opening a window would be risky, as those made more noise when they opened compared to a door.

    Right as he got the lock open though, he heard, ¡°Halt!¡±

    He bit back a curse, and stood, turning around to see the very same guard he¡¯d knocked out when he¡¯d escaped the manor months ago. Joseph didn¡¯t waste time with words, immediately charging him.

    ¡°Intruder!¡± He screamed right before Joe¡¯s fist crashed into his chin.

    He fell to the ground in a heap, and Joseph immediately dragged him off toward the manor, opening the door and quickly dragging him inside. He deposited the body in a nearby closet that the maids had used, knowing no one would be inside. This poor guy just couldn¡¯t catch a break¡­ He closed the door, cursing silently as he saw torches appearing out in the gardens.

    He quickly ducked down, and crept down the hall, toward Prolo¡¯s room. It seemed there was a light on within¡­ maybe he was in there right now? Right as his hand touched the door, he heard the alarm bells ringing. Dammit all! He¡¯d hidden the guy hadn¡¯t he? They must have heard the shouted ¡®intruder¡¯ and rang the bell just to be safe.

    He pulled open the door and crept inside, seeing a weary looking Prolo sitting at his desk, wide-eyed in shock. His long dark hair had gotten even longer in the time they¡¯d been separated, coming down well past his shoulders. It looked like he was getting ready for bed, based on those silk jammies he was wearing. Prolo then stood from his chair, drawing his rapier from its scabbard.

    ¡°Intr-¡± Prolo began.

    ¡°It¡¯s Joseph!¡± He hissed, cutting Prolo off, ¡°Shut up or you¡¯ll get me caught!¡±

    Prolo gasped, ¡°Joseph? By the Overseer, you¡¯re the cause of those bells! Uh- Quick, crawl beside my bed, opposite the door, hurry!¡±

    Joe didn¡¯t argue, quickly rushing over and curling up beside Prolo¡¯s bed, sliding his poleaxe partially beneath it to keep it out of sight. He could hear Prolo taking deep breaths to calm his nerves. He drew his magnum, aiming it toward the space someone would have to walk to in order to see his hiding spot. It wasn¡¯t long before there was a rapping at the door.

    ¡°Lord Pienturshuld!¡± A voice shouted, ¡°Are you alright!¡±

    ¡°I am!¡± Prolo shouted, ¡°Find the intruder, I will defend myself here!¡±

    ¡°I will post guards outside your windows and door milord.¡± The man said, ¡°May I search your room?¡±

    ¡°Do you imply that I¡¯m blind!?¡± Prolo shouted in anger, ¡°I would have seen someone come in here fool! Go and find the interloper now!¡±

    ¡°Yes milord, I apologize!¡± He shouted back, ¡°We¡¯ll find him!¡±

    Joe sat up slowly from the ground, flipping up his mask and smiling at the young man, ¡°Sorry for the stress bud.¡± He whispered.

    ¡°It is nothing¡­¡¯ Prolo whispered back, rounding the bed to sit by Joe, ¡°You speak Faesh very well now, I suppose that means you read everything in the book.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I also got some help from an elf that didn¡¯t wanna sacrifice me.¡± Joe said, ¡°I brought the book back for ya by the way. I had the copied version¡­ but long story short, it got stolen from me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re giving the original version back?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°Very well¡­ but are you sure you don¡¯t want it anymore?¡±

    Joe shrugged, ¡°I got it all copied on my laptop too- uh,¡± He stammered, remembering that Prolo wouldn¡¯t know what that was, ¡°It¡¯s somethin¡¯ from the Outworld that can copy words fast.¡±

    Prolo squinted, ¡°If you have such a device, why did you copy the book by hand in the first place?¡± He asked, ¡°You could have simply put it in this ¡®laptop¡¯ in a fraction of the time and brought back the original copy.¡±

    ¡°I like having physical copies of books too.¡± Joe said, ¡°But I made you a promise to bring you the book back once it was done, and I lost it. So, I¡¯m bringing back the original for ya.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite kind of you, you have it now, I assume?¡± Prolo asked.

    ¡°Sure do.¡± Joe said, slinging off his rucksack and producing the tome. He handed it to Prolo, who took it gingerly, staring at the cover with a smile.

    ¡°I would ask you to stay and help me learn English more fully¡­ but with how we left things off last time- well, I¡¯m sure you understand that you can¡¯t stay.¡± Prolo said, sounding a tad bit miserable.

    ¡°Yup, ain¡¯t no way I can stay here.¡± Joe replied, ¡°Yer daddy¡¯s got it out for me and I ain¡¯t tryin¡¯ to get caught.¡±

    ¡°Enough of all that,¡± Prolo said, ¡°Let us catch up and have a proper conversation, after all, you aren¡¯t going to be able to leave for a while yet.¡±

    Joe nodded, ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth. Well, how¡¯ve you been?¡±

    Prolo sighed, ¡°Not well Joseph, not well. Father has returned to Relias for business but I fear he may be taking a vile path to riches.¡±

    Joe frowned, ¡°Whaddya mean?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve read correspondence between him and a figure known only as ¡®Madame¡¯. I¡¯ve not heard flattering things about her, and it seems she¡¯s offering my father a smuggling job. Smuggling.¡± He said with emphasis, shaking his head, ¡°It is shameful.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard nothin¡¯ good about her neither.¡± Joe said, ¡°You heard of those bandit camps that got destroyed?¡± He tested.

    Prolo nodded, ¡°Ah yes of course, word has spread quickly across Everfae, as we aren¡¯t the largest of Shards. Uh, you know what a Shard is by now I suspect?¡±

    ¡°Yup, sure do.¡± Joe said, ¡°Also, what are people saying about it? The dead bandits I mean.¡±

    ¡°Ah, well most normal folk take it as good news, but are fearful that whatever caused it may come for them. I¡¯ve heard that it could be a giant snake monster, a dragon, or a giant moving cube. Who knows what really-¡±

    ¡°It was me.¡± Joe said.

    ¡°What?¡± Prolo asked, turning to face him.

    ¡°I killed ¡®em, the big metal square thing is true, that¡¯s my,,, lets just call it a wagon. I¡¯ve been taking them out as a pass time with that elf girl I mentioned.¡± He said.

    The cube rumor must have spread by the merchants that had been on the way to Ugals, for they were the only ones who had seen it fully and survived. At least he hoped that was the case. He supposed that Prolo¡¯s dad and his guards had seen it as well, now that he thought of it.

    ¡°Father did say that you chased him off with a metal monster, but I had no idea you were the one taking out Madame¡¯s men¡­ you¡¯ve made a powerful enemy Joseph.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna kill her too, eventually.¡± Joe said casually.

    Prolo¡¯s face hardened, ¡°Don¡¯t be ludicrous, such a thing cannot be done. She owns the guard, the mage¡¯s guild, some say even the king himself is in her pocket. You may wield powerful weaponry Joe but- Wait just a minute.¡± Prolo paused, pointing to Joe¡¯s coat, ¡°What is all this? You were clad in steel last I saw you.¡±

    Joe smirked, ¡°Killed a dragon.¡±

    ¡°That was you!?¡± Prolo questioned, grabbing Joe by the collar, ¡°You¡¯re joking.¡±

    Joe pushed the kid back, ¡°No way, I did it. Shot it dead, I got extra scales n¡¯ bone in my wagon too. I can show you if you want-¡± Joe paused, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m guessin¡¯ that you can¡¯t exactly visit me, huh?¡±

    Prolo sighed, putting his head in his hands, ¡°Father has had me cooped up in here ever since the incident in Letsher¡­ I¡¯ve rarely left this room, and whenever I do it is under strict supervision. If the guards see me out and about, they escort me back here and insist that the servants can bring me what I need¡­ I may go mad.¡±

    ¡°You ordered ¡®em not to come in here,¡±Joe pointed out, ¡°Why not just tell ¡®em to screw off and leave ya alone? And how do you know about Letsher?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°I was in Letsher of course, I was the one who killed Hec Letsher in a duel. That is why I haven¡¯t been allowed to leave. Father fears I will be targeted by the Letsher family if I step outside the grounds. As for your other question¡­ It is because they fear my father more than me. They aren¡¯t going to defy direct orders from him. They were told keep me in my room, so that is what they are going to do¡­¡±

    ¡°You killed that guy?¡± Joe asked, snickering.

    Prolo frowned, ¡°...I did, what of it? What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    ¡°I knocked his teeth out a while back.¡± Joe said, patting him on the shoulder.

    Prolo snickered as well, ¡°That was you? I wondered why he only had gums. He said that it was a free knight who had done it, but I didn¡¯t think it would be you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten around quite a bit lately.¡± Joe said with a smirk, ¡°I even met with the dwarves in Ugals, I saved their third prince.¡±

    ¡°You saved Prince Varig?¡± Prolo asked, eyes going wide, ¡°What is it you haven¡¯t done in the time we¡¯ve been separated!?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t burnt down Relias yet I guess.¡± Joe replied casually, ¡°But anyway, why didja kill that Hec brat?¡±

    Prolo sighed, ¡°He used to be a boyhood friend of mine. He had been decent back then, but something about him changed. When I went to visit him after years of no contact, he¡¯d become a demon.¡± Prolo sneered, ¡°He would abuse his future subjects right in front of me without care, despite my clear disapproval. I attempted to dissuade him from acting like this, but the evil had clearly settled into his soul. The last straw was when he tried to take a woman back to his castle¡­ At her own wedding no less. He was threatening to kill her new husband if she didn¡¯t comply- and that was my last straw. My old friend was dead, Hec was a monster, and monsters are meant to be slain. I challenged him to a duel right then and there, apparently he thought he could defeat me. I took his life at that wedding.¡± Prolo said, clenching his fists, ¡°I took full credit for killing him, and as it was a duel between nobility, it was technically legal. Yet, Lord Letsher, Hec¡¯s father, only saw it as murder. You aren¡¯t the first person to break into the manor as of late¡­ assassin¡¯s have been coming for me near constantly, it is hard to sleep nowadays.¡±

    That was why he looked so tired. It made sense now. In fact¡­ back when he¡¯d first come here, there weren¡¯t nearly so many guards moving around the walls.

    ¡°Well, these guys know that you¡¯re here, maybe you should just say ¡®screw dad, I¡¯m leaving¡¯ and go on yer way.¡±

    ¡°I cannot defy father.¡± Prolo said, hanging his head, ¡°It is impossible.¡±

    Joe sneered, ¡°Yer a man, aintcha boy?¡±

    Prolo¡¯s head shot up, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I said, yer a man, aintcha?¡±

    ¡°Obviously.¡± Prolo said flatly.

    ¡°Then stand up for yourself and get the hell out of here.¡± Joe said, crossing his arms, ¡°You don¡¯t wanna be here? Then get up and go, someone tries to stop you? Kick their ass, it''s simple.¡± Joe told him.

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°I can¡¯t kick the ass of every man under father¡¯s authority.¡± Prolo replied, incredulous ¡°But I know what you¡¯re trying to say. The problem is that I have no other prospects aside from serving as heir to my father¡¯s wealth. I have no other connections really to rely on, no one I know outside the manor would give me shelter. I do not know how to survive in the wilderness either, and the assassins would still be hunting me. My only option, if I want to live, is to stay here-¡±

    ¡°Cut the crap,¡± Joe cut him off, ¡°You wanna leave? No one will take you in? Fine, come with me then. I¡¯ll teach ya to live off the land n¡¯ be independent, and I can show you how to deal with stalkers.¡±

    Prolo stood suddenly, ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous Joseph.¡±

    Joe¡¯s gut was screaming at him to get this boy out of here. Maybe it was because he owed Prolo so much, maybe it was because the kid didn¡¯t deserve to be a prisoner in his own home¡­ or maybe it was just because Prolo was a good guy in a bad situation. Either way, he¡¯d try and convince Prolo to come with him.

    ¡°You wanna stay here then?¡± He asked, standing.

    ¡°...No, I don¡¯t. But I have responsibilities here.¡±

    ¡°Screw ¡®em.¡± Joseph said, shrugging, ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be your own man. What did you do when Hec was bein¡¯ bad?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, ya took matters into yer own hands.¡± Joe told him, putting a hand on his shoulder, ¡°You can handle anything life throws at you however you want, there ain¡¯t nothing keeping you restrained here but yerself. You wanna come with me? What does your gut say?¡±

    Prolo didn¡¯t say anything for a long while, staring down at the ground before finally he said, ¡°I want to leave.¡±

    ¡°Alright then.¡± Joe said, ¡°Start packing some valuables, don¡¯t bring too much, we still gotta sneak out of here. Get a coat too, we¡¯ll have to rough it for a day before we get back to Betty.¡±

    ¡°Betty?¡± Prolo asked.

    ¡°The big metal cube you heard about.¡± Joe said with a grin, ¡°But yeah, pack up some stuff and we¡¯ll get out of here, but you gotta follow my lead.¡±

    ¡°I-I uh,¡± Prolo stammered, running two hands through his hair, ¡°Alright.¡± He finished, taking a deep breath, ¡°Alright,¡± He repeated, moreso to himself, ¡°I¡¯m really going to leave then? Strange¡­¡±

    ¡°You know what¡¯s great about that bud?¡± Joe asked.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°It was your decision, yer a free man.¡± Joe said, poking him in the chest, ¡°You can still tell me no if you wanna stay, but I think you don¡¯t.¡±

    Prolo hesitated before answering, ¡°I want to leave. I¡¯ve made up my mind. You¡¯ll need to stay hidden for a while however, at least until the guards have searched the manor-¡±

    Another loud knocking interrupted him, ¡°Lord Pienturshuld! We found him!¡±

    Joe and Prolo both looked to one another, eyebrows raised, ¡°You did?¡± Prolo yelled back.

    ¡°Aye sir!¡± The guard shouted back, ¡°A Letsher assassin by his own word, shall we kill him?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Make it quick and let me get some rest!¡± Prolo shouted back, flashing Joe a thumbs up.

    That sure was some good timing, who¡¯d a thought that Joe would pick a night one of those killers would invade? That was some good luck, now they wouldn¡¯t be searching for Joe, at least not unless that guard he¡¯d clocked woke up. Even then, there was a chance he wouldn¡¯t have recognized Joseph with his new gear. They waited for a few hours, Prolo packing his stuff in a pillowcase before he got on his winter gear. A heavy wool cloak covered the fancy silks beneath it, a hood pulled up to cover his hair. When he was all set and ready, he took a shaky breath.

    ¡°There should still be a guard posted outside my door, we may have to knock him unconscious to escape.¡± Prolo whispered, putting a hand on his chin, ¡°Killing them is not an option by the way. These are good men, I will not make their wives widows.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡± Joe replied, ¡°Is there just one out in the hall right now?¡±

    ¡°We can look through the lock to see but I¡¯m assuming it is so. There will be men outside my windows as well, but that would be a worse option for our escape.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I got an idea. Tell the guy to come in here, I¡¯ll stand behind the door, then when he¡¯s in, I¡¯ll choke him out n¡¯ lay him on the bed. Sound like a plan?¡± Joe asked.

    Prolo nodded, indicating to Joe to stand in position. He did so, and Prolo looked through the keyhole, his brow furrowing.

    ¡°There is¡­ there is no one there?¡± He said, confused, ¡°They shouldn¡¯t have assumed safety because an intruder has been caught. Sometimes there is more than one, it''s rare but it has happened.¡±

    ¡°Let me take a look.¡± Joe said, leaning down to peer through the keyhole.

    He was right, the hall was completely empty¡­ but he saw something strange. A blur rounded the corner of the hall, quickly approaching the door. Joe stood and drew his magnum, urging Prolo back.

    ¡°Get yer sword, we might need it.¡± Joe said, ¡°It ain¡¯t a guard, there¡¯s something moving over here.¡±

    ¡°Something?¡± He asked, drawing his blade.

    ¡°It looks like a blur, quick, stand in that corner of the room over there, I¡¯ll be behind the door again.¡± He whispered.

    The two men then readied themselves, waiting for something to happen¡­ then the door creaked open. Joe pressed himself against the wall, readying to fire. The blur solidified then, and the lean figure of a man appeared, dressed in black from head to toe. He reared back a blade, readying to throw it at Prolo, who lifted his cloak to defend himself. The blade was never thrown.

    Joe grabbed the wrist and flung the smaller man backward and into the wall, twisting around and slamming his shoulder into that assassin¡¯s forehead. The back of the killer¡¯s head rebounded off the wall, his head hanging for a moment before shooting back up, eyes focused. Now that he was in front of Joe, he could see that this assassin was dressed almost exactly like¡­ well, he was a ninja. Only his eyes were visible through the mask, looking pained as blood seeped down his injured forehead. Sure, it wasn¡¯t exactly a one-to-one ninja outfit, it didn¡¯t look like eastern garb at all, just a one piece cotton onesie essentially. A dollar-store ninja.

    Joe pressed the magnum to his temple, and growled, ¡°How many of you are there?¡±

    ¡°Blur!¡± The ninja shouted.

    Just like that, Joe lost his grip on the man as he turned into a blur once more, phasing right through Joseph and speeding toward Prolo. The kid gasped and thrust his blade into the figure, but the blade phased right through it.

    ¡°Keep your sword in there!¡± Joe yelled, ¡°I think if he materializes again with it in him he¡¯ll be impaled!¡±

    Prolo nodded shakily, keeping the rapier well within the center of the figure. It moved erratically from side to side, trying to get into a good position. It seemed as if Joe¡¯s assumption was right, if that wouldn¡¯t kill the ninja, he would have turned back to normal by now. He moved forward and drew his knife, also sticking it into the blurred assassin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he can keep it up forever, just hold it until he has to pull back!¡± Joe said quickly, ¡°Don¡¯t freak out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Prolo said, ¡°I¡¯ve- I just don¡¯t know how to deal with this!¡±

    ¡°I just told ya!¡± Joe yelled, ¡°Wait until he solidifies then let¡¯s fill him with holes.¡±

    They did this for a few more seconds until suddenly the blur leapt up onto the bed and rushed into the hallway. Joe sheathed his knife and picked up his poleaxe, ¡°Lets go, I got a feeling yer guards are busy.¡±

    Prolo froze, ¡°You think they¡¯re dead?¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡± Joe told him, ¡°Now let''s go, keep yer eyes peeled!¡±

    With that, they entered the hallway, cautious. Joe indicated the door to the garden, urging Prolo to follow him. He did so, basically hiding behind Joseph as they moved toward the door. Joe saw something flash in the corner of his vision, and he rushed toward it. A throwing knife plinked off his shoulder, having been aimed for Prolo. The ninja had blended in with the darkness and had tried to get the drop on them.

    However, Prolo was not left unscathed.

    Joe heard a scream of pain, and he whirled to see Prolo ripping a blade free from his arm, clutching the new wound to stall the bleeding. Dammit all, there really was more than just one after all! He drew his magnum, aiming at the ninja who¡¯d first thrown the knife, and fired.

    ¡°Blu-¡± He couldn¡¯t get the trigger word out fast enough, and the shot blew a gaping hole in his chest, knocking him down to the ground and painting the hall a fresh shade of crimson.

    Prolo kept his blade drawn despite his gashed arm, rushing beside Joseph. No doubt his ears were ringing horribly by now. Joe whirled, spotting the next ninja and opening fire. The bullet collided with his kneecap and practically blew the leg clean off, only a few scraps of flesh and bone keeping it attached. The ninja fell down with a scream, clutching the leg and curling in on himself.

    Joe considered finishing him off right then and there, but with a leg wound that huge he¡¯d bleed out in just a couple minutes, and they needed to get out of here now. That knife could have been poisoned for all they knew, they needed to clean it out immediately and head for Betty. He pulled out his canteen and poured the contents onto Prolo¡¯s wound, flushing it before he tugged him toward the garden door.

    ¡°Stay behind me!¡± He shouted, ¡°We gotta climb the wall-¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± Prolo shouted.

    That¡¯s right, his hearing was going to be impaired for a while yet. He ran for the door, yanking it open before rushing through before Prolo, the kid following right after him. He slammed the door behind him before continuing to follow. The wall was so close now¡­ but there was a problem. Eight ninjas stood atop the walls, aiming down at them with what appeared to be hand-crossbows. Five guards all lay scattered around the gardens, dead with no obvious wounds.

    ¡°Bastards!¡± Prolo shouted, ¡°I will make you all pay for this!¡±

    Then they fired. Joe rushed in front of Prolo, every single bolt bouncing ineffectually off his scale coat and bone armor. He returned fire right as several Pienturshuld guards stormed the garden from the left, a bullet blasting the head off a ninja before the rest blurred, all floating down from the wall and rapidly closing on their position. The guards shouted in confusion, the ninja¡¯s unblurring as they surrounded him and Prolo. Damn, he could¡¯t block all these shots at once! Joseph grabbed Prolo, wrapping him in the trenchcoat block as much of the boy as possible, but despite that two of the bolts still managed to hit their marks, one of them impacting with Prolo¡¯s shoulder, and the other hitting him in the thigh.

    ¡°Damn!¡± Joe shouted, releasing Prolo before firing again at the assassins.

    He only managed to hit one of them before they all blurred again, floating up the walls surrounding the garden before solidifying to reload. Joe flung off his rucksack before also removing his coat and throwing it onto Prolo, who kneeled on the ground, teeth clenched. The bolts flew at him, bouncing off either Joseph or Prolo. The kid would have to wear that trenchcoat for the rest of this if he wanted to live.

    He fired again, killing another ninja before the rest blurred and descended, coming toward Prolo. Joe looked to the dozen guards that stared on in horror and screamed, ¡°Surround Prolo! Keep your lord safe!¡±

    The guards, shaken from their shock, complied wordlessly with the order, but the blurred forms got to him first. Joseph readied his poleaxe, swinging wildly as the forms surrounded Prolo on all sides. When the guards reached them, they thrust their swords into the blurs, keeping them away from Prolo.

    ¡°Who are you!?¡± A guard shouted.

    Good, they didn¡¯t recognize him, ¡°I¡¯m a friend! Keep them distracted, I have to get lord Pientushuld out of here!¡±

    ¡°Off the manor grounds!?¡± He shouted, ¡°It is too dangerous-¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t treat him here, I know a safe place I can take him!¡± Joe shouted, ¡°Bring me a horse and I¡¯ll get him out of here safe!¡±

    ¡°Whatever he¡¯s telling you, do it!¡± Prolo shouted, drawing the hood over his head, ¡°Now!¡±

    ¡°Yes milord!¡± The guard shouted, sprinting off in the direction of the stable.

    Yet, as soon as he ran off, a dozen bolts pin-cushioned him, and he fell down screaming. There were even more than Joseph realized! Even now he could see the rooftops becoming a blur, the walls were becoming distorted as more forms appeared. Joe cursed and quickly got on his rucksack, grabbing Prolo and heaving him over his shoulder with a curse.

    He didn¡¯t fight against this, the bolt in his leg had crippled him, Prolo wouldn¡¯t be able to escape on his own. He rushed toward the manor once more, kicking down the door as the fighting continued outside. The blurs would solidify occasionally to fire with their bows or throw knives, but the attacks thankfully bounced off the bone and scale uselessly. One of them hit Prolo in the head though, the force traveling through the trenchcoat¡¯s hood and causing him to go limp.

    Damn, he kept getting hit! He wouldn¡¯t be able to take much more of this- he had to hurry! He rushed down the hall, bursting through the front doors to see a massacre. The bodies of ninjas and several more guards littered the grounds. Still others fought, Pienturshuld¡¯s men on the losing side. The alarm bells had apparently been cut at some point, for the ropes leading to them were split.

    Another few bolts collided with Joseph and Prolo, but the kid didn¡¯t even make a sound, still unconscious. He spotted a few of the horses, whinnying with terror as¡­ Wait a second- that bastard Agdaler was there, trying to grab one of the horses to escape! Joe ran into the barn and shouldered him down to the ground, throwing Prolo atop the horses saddle and climbing on. Agdler stared up in horror as Joseph rode right past him, the horse not needing much encouragement to escape. Killing Agdaler would have to wait for another day, getting the hell out of Dodge came first. Yet, when he came upon the gate he realized that escape was not going to be so easy.

    It was still sealed! More assassins were pouring in by the second, ascending the walls to join the battle against the guard. Many of them didn¡¯t seem able to blur any longer, perhaps reaching their casting limits. It was strange, how could so many people have gotten the same exact tome? Statistically it was impossible¡­ right? Could it be that there was merely one caster that had granted this ability to them?

    That seemed more likely, but there was no time to think about it now. He swung his halberd, striking a ninja in the arm and sending him to the ground, minus one arm. If he couldn''t get out of the gate he needed to clear out these bastards as much as he could. He rode around, keeping Prolo secure beneath his elbow as he gripped the horn of the saddle. With his other hand he swung his halberd, splitting skulls and backs as he went.

    Not controlling the reins meant that he had no control over the beast however, and it ran about wildly, seeking an exit that just wasn¡¯t there. Joe placed the halberd in his lap as he had an idea, pulling out a grenade from his belt. He didn¡¯t want to have to use this, but it might be the only way out of here. He awkwardly flipped up his visor, pulling the pin on the grenade with his teeth right as the horse neared the gate.

    He then threw it, the frag rolling right up to the gate and exploding. The fighting ceased as everyone looked away from one another and to the gate, stunned by the sudden explosive. The damn gate still wasn¡¯t open yet, but the latch at least had been destroyed. He grabbed the reins and forced the horse in that direction, pulling his foot out of the stirrup as they drew close.

    The animal seemed smart enough to understand that Joe was trying to get them both out of there, considering how it had readily given him control. Once they approached the broken gate, Joseph kicked open one side with his foot, opening it just enough for the horse to pass through. The horse whinnied as a bolt narrowly missed its head, and it charged through the opening and out onto the trail¡­ leaving Pienturshuld manor behind.

    It galloped as fast as it could go, and before he knew it, the manor was out of sight. He hoped that the guards could pull through, though with their target gone, the assassin¡¯s had no reason to remain at the manor. All he needed to do was get back to Betty, get inside, n¡¯ treat Prolo¡¯s injuries. He was mostly concerned about that bolt in his leg, hopefully it didn¡¯t hit an artery.

    It would be hours before he could reach Betty though, and a leg wound could bleed out well before then. He¡¯d need to get the horse to stop so he could stitch up Prolo as best he could. After a few more minutes of running, he forced the horse to slow down, disembarking and tying it to a tree. He pulled Prolo down and immediately got to work, pulling out his first aid kit and surveying the damage.

    There were two bolts embedded in his flesh, one in Prolo¡¯s shoulder, the other his thigh. There was a gash on his arm that went deep, it bled profusely. He no doubt had some head trauma as well from the bolt bouncing off his head, but there wasn¡¯t anything Joe could do about that. He brought out his flashlight and inspected the leg wound, the one that needed immediate treatment.

    The bolt thankfully didn¡¯t appear to have lodged itself too deeply in the skin, meaning it hadn¡¯t collided with the femur. Let''s see¡­ What was the procedure for this? He remembered that he needed to straighten out the shaft as much as possible, pulling it out at an angle would tear through more tissue and veins. Removing it at all could prove to be dangerous as well¡­ but if he left it in during the long ride back to Betty, that might just exacerbate the injury.

    He decided that it would need to be removed now.

    The wound didn¡¯t seem to be bleeding too much, but that may change once it was removed. He readied a tourniquet in case he tore an artery¡­ straightened the bolt gently¡­ and pulled. Thankfully it hadn¡¯t gone too deep, pulling it out was easy¡­ but now came the tough part. Blood began seeping from the wound, and he quickly began stitching it up. It would scar for sure, but that was better than bleeding out. Once it was fully stitched, he poured some disinfectant on it, and bandaged it tightly.

    He repeated the same for the shoulder bolt, pulling it out carefully before stitching it up. He finally got to the last injury, sealing the arm wound and bandaging that as well. He then checked Prolo¡¯s breathing, satisfied that he had not died. This was supposed to be a simple escape, the kid wasn¡¯t supposed to get hurt like this. Oh well, at least now they were out of the woods- er, out of the manor.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He heard Prolo groan, ¡°Joseph?¡±

    ¡°Yeah I¡¯m here bud. We got outta there but ya got banged up pretty bad. Don¡¯t put weight on yer right leg if you can stand.¡± Joe told him, ¡°I stitched ya up, but don¡¯t go re-opening it, alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ won¡¯t.¡± Prolo replied, ¡°What was the state of the manor?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Bad, but they should be leaving to come after us. So come on, saddle up.¡± Joe said, pointing to the horse.

    ¡°Help me rise?¡± Prolo asked, offering his hand.

    Joe took it, gingerly, helping the young man to his feet and supporting him as they moved over to the horse. Joe struggled to lift Prolo up onto the saddle, the boy had been eating his burgers, that was for sure. Joe climbed up as well, and they went into a gentle gallop. Hopefully the ninja¡¯s wouldn¡¯t be too close behind, but it was hard to say. One never knew with ninjas.

    ¡°So what was with the ninjas?¡± He asked, as they turned with the trail.

    ¡°The what?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°A ninja? That is an Outworlder term for certain, I¡¯ve never heard that before in my life.¡±

    That made sense¡­ what were they called then, if not ninja¡¯s? He asked this, and Prolo shook his head.

    ¡°I have no clue.¡± He said, ¡°But Lord Letsher must have paid a fortune to hire those men¡­ you seem to have picked the right night to stop by. I¡¯d be dead without you.¡±

    ¡°The good Lord works like that sometimes.¡± Joe shrugged, ¡°Either that or it was a lucky coincidence for you.¡±

    ¡°Lucky for me, but not the guardsmen¡­¡± Prolo said miserably, ¡°They are dead on my account-¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Joe told him, ¡°You didn¡¯t kill ¡®em, the ninjas did. Hec got what was coming to him, dontchu think you did wrong by doing right boy, ya got me?¡±

    ¡°You are much ruder than I had thought you were when we had the language barrier.¡± Prolo remarked, ¡°But I suppose you¡¯re right, Hec did get what he deserved, and I would not take back my actions.¡±

    ¡°There ya go.¡± Joe said, ¡°Ya can¡¯t blame yerself for the bad things bad people do.¡±

    Prolo remained silent for a long while before finally he said, ¡°Is this elf girl at your wagon now?¡± He asked.

    ¡°She¡¯ll be out for a few months I¡¯m afraid. Great girl, her name is Sera. Stick with me for a while longer and you¡¯ll probably meet her.¡±

    ¡°I would like that.¡± Prolo said, ¡°I¡¯ve never had the company of an elf before, they are not native to Everfae, the only ones that appear here are simply passing through, for the most part.¡±

    ¡°Yer pretty talkative for a guy that got knocked out.¡± Joe pointed out.

    ¡°Conversation distracts from the headache.¡± He replied, ¡°Trust me, I feel awful.¡±

    ¡°Yeah-¡± Joe started, hearing something whistle past his ear.

    A bolt impacted with the snow just ahead of them, and Joe flicked the reins, ¡°Getcher head down!¡± He shouted.

    Prolo folded in on himself, making himself a smaller target as more bolts flew toward them. Most bounced off the back of his armor, but the horse did not escape unscathed. A bolt hit the beast in its rear, and for its credit, this only made it run faster.

    ¡°Make sure the poleaxe don¡¯t fall down!¡± He yelled, handing the shaft of the weapon to Prolo.

    He took it awkwardly, sliding it under him as Joseph drew his magnum, turning to see three horsemen riding toward them. The ninja¡¯s had taken some of the animals for themselves apparently, and were in hot pursuit. He felt terrible doing it¡­ but he took aim and shot the lead animal in the head, killing it instantly and sending it crashing to the ground. The other two horses tripped on the dead one, sending their riders crashing to the snow.

    He couldn¡¯t afford to let the horse or Prolo take any more shots like that, and the quickest way to be rid of them had been to take out the lead horseman¡¯s ride. He made a mental note to return here later and harvest the remains, it would be disrespectful to let the creature go to waste.

    ¡°I stalled ¡®em!¡± Joe shouted, ¡°But we gotta keep goin¡¯ till we reach Betty, no stopping, not even if them stitches open you hear?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Prolo shouted.

    The two of them rode through the night, hours passing by until they finally broke out of the forest. The poor beast was worn down from carrying both men at such a sustained speed, and by this point could only lightly gallop. That was fine though, they were almost there now, just one more mile to go, and he¡¯d yank out the bolt in this horse¡¯s ass and send ¡®em on his way. When they reached Betty, he did exactly that, dismounting and quickly removing the bolt.

    It was too exhausted to even gallop at that point, simply walking off into the distance. If he had the space- no, no he couldn¡¯t afford to keep and feed an animal like that. He opened Betties ramp, and Prolo looked on in shock as it lowered.

    ¡°So this is your, I struggle to call it wagon, by the Overseer¡­¡± Prolo whispered as they both hobbled up the ramp, ¡°How did you even manage to build it? How does it even move?¡±

    ¡°Tell ya about it once we¡¯re inside.¡± Joe said, knocking the rhythm and opening the door to his workshop.

    ¡°Hold it right there.¡± A deep voice said from behind them.

    Joe threw Prolo inside and slammed the door shut, turning around to see a man standing at the bottom of the ramp. It was yet another damned ninja, but this one was different. He wasn¡¯t wearing cloth, but a dark plate armor that seemingly blended in with the night. The man¡¯s visor glowed red as he stared up at Joseph, drawing twin daggers from his belt. The blades were serrated, made for tearing moreso than cutting.

    ¡°You ruined our mission, we weren¡¯t supposed to have any casualties.¡± The man said, ¡°After I kill you, I¡¯ll end the boy and take whatever lay within as compensation.¡±

    Joe drew his magnum and fired- but the bullet phased right through him! The armor blurred around the point of impact, kicking up nothing but snow. He fired again, and again, but the armored ninja merely laughed.

    ¡°Weapons are useless against me. You¡¯re better off giving in. I¡¯ll make it quick.¡± He said, darting forward with daggers ready to slash.

    Joe cursed tossing his poleaxe to the snow before he dove off the ramp, rolling on his shoulder with a curse. He stood, picking up his poleaxe and taking a deep breath. He needed to figure out how this guy''s abilities worked¡­ was it magic, or was it that armor? Ninja knight laughed and leapt after him, daggers upraised to impale Joseph. He backpedaled, avoiding the stabbing motion before he thrust with the spearhead of the poleaxe.

    Again the weapon phased right through the ninja knight, who rushed forward and struck. Joe tried to backpedal to avoid them, but he was too slow. The blades impacted with the plates on his arm, bouncing off and leaving Joe unscathed. This guy had been aiming for the chink in his elbow, had Joe not pulled back, this guy would have hit his mark.

    ¡°This cheap crap ain¡¯t gonna save ya!¡± Joseph shouted, ¡°You think a spell¡¯s enough to beat me!?¡±

    ¡°You clearly don¡¯t know who I am.¡± The man said, shaking his head, ¡°I am Yugo, the assassin mage!¡±

    A brief instant of silence passed before Joseph said, ¡°Never heard of ya, but I¡¯m gonna kick your ass.¡±

    This cocky bastard just gave Joseph the fight by telling him his stupid title. Yugo didn¡¯t reply, rushing forward again with his blades. Joseph dropped the poleaxe and backpedaled, reaching for one of his recently acquired tools¡­ one which Sera had won for him during her battle in the workshop. Yugo slashed again, his left dagger slicing clean through his gas mask. It fell away in two pieces, leaving his face exposed. Good God, those things could cut steel like butter! They would be his! He gripped his secret weapon in his right hand, and waited for the next swing¡­ when it came, he rushed into the blow, the sudden force knocking Yugo¡¯s arms off balance as they struck his breastplate. Joe then brought them out, cupping one end of it with his hand and clasping it firmly on Yugo¡¯s gauntlet.

    ¡°Suppressor cuffs!?¡± Yugo shouted.

    Joe reared back his fist and punched Yugo right in the helmet, knocking him down to the snow with a curse. He didn¡¯t relent, rearing back his boot and sending it crashing into Yugo¡¯s helm. The force dazed the assassin, and he fell to his back, hands still gripping the daggers. He rushed forward and kicked the helmet again, and then Yugo¡¯s hands went limp. Joe quickly kneeled and flipped him over, completely binding his wrists together with the suppressor cuffs.

    ¡°I told ya!¡± Joe yelled, ¡°I told ya I¡¯d kick your ass man!¡±

    He could not believe he pulled that off; maybe Joseph himself was a ninja. He¡¯d thought he would miss with those cuffs, that Yugo would have recognized them and dodged¡­ but the assassin must have been expecting another weapon that he was immune to. Yugo¡¯s arrogance had given Joe the win, both in revealing his title and his lack of caution in attacking.

    He¡¯d have to kill this guy for sure, a second fight like this might not go the same way, now that Yugo learned his lesson¡­ but not yet. Joe still had questions for him after all, and the suppressor cuffs would make sure that he was all but useless. He¡¯d tie him up further with some rope, just to be safe, then he¡¯d interrogate him properly inside.

    He needed to know why the ninjas had come in such great forces to kill Prolo, why they could all blur like that, and of course, who had hired them. He already knew that it was most likely Lord Letsher, but he wanted to confirm it, just to be safe. After confirmation, he¡¯d be stopping by Letsher to kill that guy, if no one could pay the ninjas to kill Prolo, the ninjas wouldn¡¯t come, simple as that.

 Chapter Twenty-Four: The Black Hand

    Yugo awoke with a groan, his head felt like it was going to split open¡­ where was he? All he could see was darkness. He was¡­ naked? Yes, he felt cold and bare from head to toe. His helmet had been removed, and some sort of cloth had been put over his eyes. As his eyes adjusted, he could see light seeping in through the dark cloth. He strained his arms, but found that he had been securely tied with a strong rope. His ankles had been bound as well, as were his knees and calves, strangely enough. Even each of his individual fingers had also been tied, and testing the restraints was painful. If he wanted to try and dislocate his joints, he would end up breaking his fingers in the process.

    He was laying on a cold hard floor, tapping his head gently on it, he could conclude that it was made of steel. This stranger that had defeated him was wealthy indeed to have a floor made out of the stuff. Was he in that giant metal cube that the stranger had thrown his target into? Perhaps, but his situation was dire, he could think about all this when he was free.

    Well, at least he hadn¡¯t been killed. He could still escape with his life, it would just require him forfeiting his pride to do so. Keeping his mouth shut, he chomped down on his teeth multiple times in the pattern he had been taught¡­ Once the beat was finished, he slumped like a corpse. Questioning couldn¡¯t begin if they thought he was unconscious, now he just needed to wait until he was warped out of there-

    ¡°Wakey wakey?¡± He heard the stranger ask, ¡°I saw you movin¡¯ yer mouth around there.¡±

    Damn, he was in the room with him after all. No matter, it shouldn¡¯t be too much longer before he was warped out. Still, it would take some time for the warping to cast¡­If he needed to part with sensitive information to avoid torture, he would. After all, Yugo¡¯s loyalties lay with his clan, not with his employer.

    ¡°Well I know yer awake.¡± He said, ¡°I wanna know why you ninjas were trying to kill Prolo. Don¡¯t try and shift around on the floor neither, yer surrounded by a buncha bear traps. You get too frisky and it¡¯ll be hard to pull ¡®em off ya.¡±

    Yugo¡¯s brows knit together. Ninjas? What on Faenor was a ninja?

    ¡°Joseph,¡± He heard his target ask, ¡°Perhaps we should exercise more caution in speaking with him? What if he can still cast?¡±

    ¡°Suppressor cuffs are still on, kid.¡± The stranger, Joseph said, ¡°He can¡¯t cast, and if he tries to do some dislocating crap I¡¯ll kick his teeth in. Make sure you stay back too, I¡¯m wearing my gear so if he spits on me I won¡¯t get no diseases. You ain¡¯t wearing nothin¡¯ to protect you from that.¡±

    ¡°Just ask me what you want to know, and let me go.¡± Yugo said sufferingly.

    It was true that he could no longer cast, but the warping spell would not be his own work. He just needed to hold out until it could be done. He had done the signal exactly right¡­ hadn¡¯t he?

    ¡°Alrighty then.¡± Joe said, ¡°Who hired you to kill Prolo?¡±

    ¡°Madame of Relias.¡± He answered honestly.

    Yugo heard Prolo gasp audibly at that. It must have been truly disconcerting to hear about that. He himself would not want Madame as an enemy, though divulging this information may do so. Again, he cared not, his clan could not be attacked by her as it was a war she couldn¡¯t afford. He supposed that he could try lying, but if this man had an equivalent to the Truth Rod, he¡¯d know Yugo¡¯s words were false. Joseph had so many strange implements at his disposal already, he couldn¡¯t write off magical items. He¡¯d tell him nearly anything to avoid torture.

    ¡°...Why?¡± Joe asked.

    ¡°From what I understand, Lord Letsher offered Madame¡¯s gang permission to operate borderline-freely in Letsher¡­ all that had to be done was executing Prolo, so my clan was hired to accomplish that. Lord Letsher had been hiring fools to come kill him, so Madame sought my clan for aid, with the promise that we would be given a fortune.¡± Yugo said.

    Where was that warp?

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Alrighty, now what is your clan''s name?¡± Joe asked.

    Yugo remained silent.

    ¡°I can just kill you if you don¡¯t wanna talk.¡±

    Yugo cursed, ¡°We are known as The Black Hand.¡±

    ¡°Y¡¯all gonna keep coming after Prolo?¡± Joe asked, approaching footsteps making it clear that he had moved closer to Yugo.

    ¡°...Perhaps.¡± He replied.

    Pain exploded up his shoulder as Joe¡¯s boot stomped down on it. Was the bear trap claim a lie!? Surely he would have triggered one of them based on that approach? Still, Yugo remained still, not flinching from the pain just in case the traps really were there.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Yugo shouted, ¡°We will track him down until he dies!¡±

    Where was that damned warp!?

    ¡°I don¡¯t like torturing folk pal.¡± Joe said in a low voice, ¡°So I¡¯ll cut you a deal, I won¡¯t hurt ya again, so the next time you give me some vague shit, I¡¯ll just kill you.¡±

    ¡°Joseph?¡± Prolo asked, concerned, ¡°It is not honorable to kill a defenseless man.¡±

    ¡°Look kid,¡± Joseph said, ¡°This guy don¡¯t play fair either, and we gotta find out what we can from ¡®em.¡±

    ¡°Very well but¡­ you will do as promised and release him afterward, right?¡± Prolo asked.

    Joe didn¡¯t reply to the question, instead asking, ¡°If I kill Lord Letsher will you guys back off? You won¡¯t get paid if Madame don¡¯t get paid.¡±

    ¡°We were paid to kill Prolo already, and we aren¡¯t known for doing refunds.¡± Yugo said, frustrated.

    Had he really clacked his teeth in the wrong rhythm? He had practiced it thousands of times, it shouldn¡¯t have been possible for him to get it wrong. The warp should have activated by now, were they not listening?

    ¡°Alright then.¡± Joseph said with a sigh, ¡°How can I find the Black Hand?¡±

    Yugo¡¯s lips tightened. That was not something he would tell this man, not even if he were killed for it. The warp was coming, it had to be. Just in case, he subtlyclacked his teeth in that rhythm, repeating it again and again instead of answering Joseph¡¯s question.

    ¡°Stop being a freak and tell me.¡± He demanded.

    Yugo simply kept clacking his teeth together, ignoring the order. Joseph sighed, and Yugo heard the sound of metal sliding on metal before he felt himself being quickly dragged away.

    ¡°What are you doing Joseph?¡± Prolo asked him, ¡°You¡¯re taking him outside?¡±

    ¡°Well yeah,¡± He replied, dropping him to open a door, ¡°I don¡¯t wanna make a mess in here. Listen to him chatter his teeth, he could be eating a cyanide pill. Well, maybe not that but an equivalent or worse, maybe he¡¯s gonna blow himself up. I ain¡¯t having him finish whatever it is he¡¯s doing in here.¡±

    ¡°Wait! At least duel him if you intend on killing him!¡± Prolo pleaded, ¡°This is dishonorable!¡±

    ¡°I ain¡¯t a fancy pants noble.¡± Joseph replied, ¡°This is how we do things on Earth.¡±

    Yugo stopped clacking his teeth in shock, Joseph seemed to take note of this, and sighed again, ¡°That¡¯s just the Shard I¡¯m from.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Yugo yelled, moreso to himself than Joseph.

    His mouth clamped shut, and he internally berated himself for speaking so openly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you believe it or not, that¡¯s my Shard.¡± Joe told him nonchalantly, ¡°I might just leave you out in the snow if you tell me what I wanna know¡­¡±

    The clan¡¯s records had always referred to the Outworld as ¡®Earth¡¯. Yugo thought he had come from another Shard with that drawling accent of his, but his true nature made so much more sense. His weapons were far too advanced to be from Faenor. He needed to be warped now. Cold air greeted his skin as he was thrown down a ramp, rolling into some snow before coming to a standstill.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make it quick, but I warned ya not to waste my time.¡± Joe said, squatting down and pressing something hard to Yugo¡¯s temple. ¡°Actually, that¡¯d be a waste of ammo. I¡¯ll just stab ya.¡±

    Yugo¡¯s blood went cold as he felt a blade prick the flesh of his neck, ¡°Alright, one last chance, I¡¯ll leave ya out here alive if you tell me where the Black Hand is. If ya don''t¡¯, I¡¯ll kill ya and leave yer body instead.¡±

    He needed to buy time! If the Hand could capture an Outworlder then all of Everfae could be theirs for the taking! Though it pained him to betray this information to a stranger¡­ it needed to be done for the good of the clan. Best case scenario, Joseph would come to try and fight The Black Hand, then they could apprehend him. A wish would be theirs!

    ¡°You have heard of Ugals, yes?¡± Yugo asked, trying to inch his head away from the knife point.

    ¡°As a matter of fact, I have.¡± Joe replied, keeping the blade point at his throat, "What about it?¡±

    ¡°Our hideout is at the base of a mountain near the Dwarfhold, five miles to the west. We are secluded in such a way that not even the dwarves can find us, but that is where we reside.¡± He said, ¡°Now please, let me go.¡±

    ¡°Oh I¡¯ll let you go alright.¡± Joseph said, ¡°Let you go straight to hell, see ya later.¡±

    Right as the knife began digging into his neck¡­ he finally warped. Yugo grabbed at his bleeding throat, falling to the stone floor. He sputtered, holding the wound shut as cloaked men rushed toward him, bandages in hand. His ears popped painfully from the sudden change in elevation, but compared to his bleeding neck it was hardly noticeable. He grinned devilishly, already planning on how to capture the Outworlder.

 Chapter Twenty-Five: Planning and Gossip

    Joseph breathed heavily as he looked at the empty indent in the snow where Yugo had just been. He¡­ he had just been right there! Now all that was left was the dark blindfold that had been tied over his eyes. He sheathed his knife, putting his hands on his head as he looked around. His breathing quickened as he thought about where Yugo could have gone, terrified that he had escaped knowing what Joseph was. Yugo had said that he didn¡¯t believe Joseph¡­ could he know that Earth is the real name of the Outworld? He sheathed his knife, a cold chill running up his spine as he considered.

    He needed to get rid of the gear he stole from Yugo. What if there was some sort of magic tracker in the armor? He couldn¡¯t afford to have it onboard Betty! He¡¯d need to toss the knives too, there was no telling what would happen if he kept them.

    Dear sweet Lord¡­ he had ninjas after him now. He scrambled back inside Betty, quickly grabbing up the armor and blades before tossing them outside, ignoring Prolo¡¯s questions as he shut the door and ramp. Joe then ran through his front room and to the cockpit, jumping into the chair and starting up Betty, driving away from where he¡¯d left the armor. This was serious, this was seriously bad, a magic ninja clan knew what he was and was gonna come after him!

    He needed to make a plan- He needed to figure out what to do. After he was a good distance away from the armor, he parked Betty again, running a hand over his face as he considered his options. He had been too lax again. Bringing a magical ninja onboard had been a horrible mistake- even with the suppressor cuffs which clearly didn¡¯t always work. Yugo had teleported out after all, Joe had seen it with his own damned eyes!

    From now on, magical individuals he came across, if captured, would be interrogated using different methods. What if Yugo had decided to magically nuke himself once he found out that he¡¯d die? These were things that needed to be taken into account for the future¡­ Now how had Yugo done it? Either the suppressor cuffs didn¡¯t work¡­ or it had something to do with how he was clacking his teeth. Did he have a magical teleportation tooth? It was possible, nothing was off limits at this point. He shook his head, he needed to check on Prolo and get him seated on the recliner. He could think about this more after that. He stood, and moved back to the workshop, opening the door to see Prolo sitting there, eyes wide and hand over his mouth.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°You seemed to be in a panic¡­ did he escape?¡±

    Joe nodded, ¡°He just vanished, I don¡¯t know how, but he did.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a dead man.¡± Prolo said, ¡°And now you are too.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be talking like that.¡± Joe told him, ¡°I ain¡¯t intending on dying.¡±

    ¡°Madame herself is after me, and you made enemies with the Black Hand, which now know what you are.¡± Prolo said shakily, putting a hand to his brow, ¡°I may be safer with you, but I¡¯m not sure by much.¡±

    ¡°Get it together kid.¡± Joe told him, helping him rise, ¡°Let''s get you in a chair, don¡¯t put weight on that leg.¡±

    ¡°You really were going to kill him like a dog¡­ weren¡¯t you?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°You lied to him even¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Joe said, ¡°I was. The Outworld ain¡¯t a good place right now. There¡¯s no room for duels or honor, nothing like that. You try and pull that in the wastes, you won¡¯t last long.¡±

    ¡°Is it really so terrible there?¡± Prolo asked as Joe helped him into the recliner. He sounded a tad disappointed.

    ¡°Yeah, absolutely. There¡¯s no knights or nothing back there, just different flavors of scumbag, at least from your perspective.¡± Joe told him, pulling down his hood to remove his helmet.

    Now that the mask was officially broken, he¡¯d need to get to work on a replacement. That was fine, as he wasn¡¯t going to be leaving Betty for a long time yet.

    ¡°...I don¡¯t believe that you¡¯re a bad man, despite your behavior. But I must ask, what was your life like back on Earth? What made you this way?¡±

    Joseph sighed, ¡°I can tell you about it, but first, I wanna keep driving. You keep tight, just lay back in that chair n¡¯ get some sleep. I wanna be far away from where I tried to kill that feller.¡±

    ¡°That is fair¡­¡± Prolo replied, rubbing at his bloodshot eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever been this exhausted in my life¡­¡±

    ¡°That happens when yer on an adventure.¡± Joe said reassuringly, ¡°We¡¯ll talk more in the mornin¡¯ alright?¡±

    ¡°That sounds well and good.¡± Prolo said, ¡°Please, take us far away from here.¡±

    ¡°With gusto.¡± Joe said, turning and approaching the cockpit.

    Now that he had some time to think more clearly, Joe came to the conclusion that he wasn¡¯t in immediate danger. The ninjas first had to gather their forces, then they would send out scouts, once they found Betty, they would gather and then try to mount an attack. Then again, would the ninjas really try and attack Betty directly? Surely they wouldn¡¯t be so dumb as to try that, unless they had spells they could use to infiltrate or disable her.

    He didn¡¯t want to wait for the ninjas to come to him, the best option would be to go attack them first at their stupid little hideout. He¡¯d storm it with Betty, then head inside and clear out any survivors with the T-12. This plan was better¡­ but it was still flawed. What if they had casters that could paralyze him? He¡¯d already encountered two such mages that had done so, would it really be a stretch to assume that the Black Hand wouldn¡¯t have such capabilities as well?

    No, he couldn¡¯t storm this place by himself, it was far too risky. Yet he also couldn¡¯t let himself be hunted. These were ninjas. They would wait until they had a prime opportunity to take him out, Joe wouldn¡¯t be able to walk freely for fear of an ambush. He continued to ponder this as he drove along, shifting course in the general direction of Ugals. That¡¯s when it hit him.

    Surely Varig would not take kindly to a bunch of ninjas hanging out right next to his house. If he let the dwarves know, they might want to take matters into their own hands and force the ninjas out of their mountains. This could also be a good way for them to repay the debt that Varig owes him, getting rid of the ninjas would make things square in his book. He¡¯d still take part in the attack on the Black Hand, after all, there was bound to be good loot in their hideout.

    Still, there was a chance that the dwarves wouldn¡¯t see it that way¡­ but there still was someone that he could ask for help, though he would need to find her first. Sera taking out an entire ninja clan might be a big enough accomplishment that it could fulfill her contract with Gerad. With her abilities and Joe¡¯s brutality, they could likely get the job done, but there was a single problem with that plan.

    Gerad.

    That little punk had wanted to sacrifice Joseph to a Faelord, probably still did. They couldn¡¯t just ditch him either, as she needed him to complete their contract. If they didn¡¯t finish it together, then it was void, or maybe the contract would be broken. If he found Sera and Gerad, he¡¯d have to bring the little punk with them¡­ but he would be restrained if Gerad wanted to accomplish that great task so badly.

    There were other options he could consider as well. Joe could be a ninja himself and potentially sneak into the compound. All he would have to do at that point was plant some C4 and boom, no more ninjas. Yet, this plan put a lot of risk on himself as well, what if he got caught? He supposed that he could also try and bug bomb the place with some homemade mustard gas, but he wasn¡¯t sure he had enough supplies for that to work. The compound they were in could just be too large for it to poison everybody.

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    No, the best plan was going to Varig and requesting his help in destroying the Black Hand. If he had an army of dwarves at his back he would feel a lot better. He grinned as he remembered what he¡¯d given them last time he¡¯d visited. Dwarves with AK¡¯s and Benneli¡¯s might be backing him up, that changed things. Ninja¡¯s weren¡¯t bulletproof after all, unless they did that stupid blurring crap.

    Still, a part of him really did want to go find Sera first. It had only been a couple weeks, she couldn¡¯t have gotten too far from Letsher, right? Having her with him would make him feel safer, she¡¯d saved his ass before, after all. It¡¯d also be nice to simply be in her company again, he admitted.

    Well, in any case, Joe¡¯s revenge on Henry would have to take a backseat for now. He continued driving for about an hour before he finally decided to stop, yawning as he put Betty in park. Let the ninjas try and catch up with him now! He stood from his chair, popping his back before going into the front room. He saw Prolo, sitting far away in the recliner, leaned back. On further inspection, Joe could see that he¡¯d completely passed out. That was good, Prolo was a growing boy and needed his sleep.

    Joseph did too. He may not be growin¡¯ no more but he was old, and old folk needed naps. He moved over to the entertainment center, and simply curled up on the carpet, not bothering to remove his gear. He felt groggy and slightly cramped as he awoke, sitting up and looking over to Prolo. The kid was still asleep from the sound of it, and he didn¡¯t react to Joe rising at all.

    He checked the watch he had built into the armor of his wrist, seeing that seven hours had passed. Well, that explained the crick in his neck. Joe stood with a groan, moving over to the cockpit and checking the exterior cameras. Scanning the snowfield, he saw no blurring shapes or ninjas. They could be invisible, like those guys that had ambushed him at the dragon¡¯s corpse¡­ but it didn¡¯t even look like there were footprints in the snow. They could be standing in the trail Betty had made but he doubted it.

    Joe had driven very far away, it was unlikely the Black Hand would catch up any time soon. Groggily he removed his cloak and armor, storing it away before he grabbed up his pj¡¯s. He headed to the bathroom, it was high time that he took a shower. Lotta grime had built up during the time he was out, it was time to get it all off. When he was done, he stepped out with a tired sigh, wiping the fog away from the mirror and simply staring at himself.

    He still looked and felt tired even though he¡¯d slept seven hours. As ritual demanded, he blew a few boogers into the sink before drying off and donning his polka-dot jammies. Stepping out of the restroom, he could see that Prolo had awakened, and was looking around curiously. When he spotted Joseph, he waved.

    ¡°Sleep good?¡± Joe asked, approaching.

    ¡°Surprisingly, yes.¡± Prolo said, his eyes wide as he looked around the front room, ¡°Why is this space so¡­ so massive? It shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡±

    ¡°I got a nifty little trinket from the dwarves. They called it a space expander, look over there.¡± Joe said, indicating the sphere set into the center of the floor, ¡°That thing increases the space of a room it''s in by ten times. It used to be a lot more cramped before.¡±

    ¡°Ah that makes sense.¡± Prolo said with a nod, ¡°I hate to ask this of you, but might you be able to get me a glass of water?¡±

    Joe smiled, ¡°Of course, ya can¡¯t really get up n¡¯ do it yerself.¡±

    He quickly moved over to the kitchen and to retrieve the glass, bringing it to Prolo who chugged it all back in one go.

    Prolo then looked down to his injured leg and grimaced, ¡°How long do you think until I can walk on it?¡±

    ¡°Just to be safe, I¡¯d say a couple weeks. You don¡¯t gotta worry about it gettin¡¯ infected, I got modern medicine on my side, modern Earth medicine. You¡¯ll be right as rain in no time.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, I just hope this will not affect how I walk.¡± Prolo said with a frown.

    ¡°Well, it might be okay.¡± Joe told him reassuringly, ¡°It didn¡¯t hit the bone and it didn¡¯t go too deep, ya got lucky boy.¡±

    Prolo frowned deeper, looking up to glare at Joseph, ¡°Why do you keep calling me boy? You are hardly any older than myself.¡±

    ¡°You a hundred n¡¯ two?¡± Joe asked.

    Prolo seemed taken aback for an instant, looking at Joe as if he¡¯d cracked a joke. After a prolonged silence, Prolo asked, ¡°Do Outworlders really live for so long?¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°Naw, not unless they got mutations or bionics. I got neither, I was old and witherin¡¯ away when I was back home. For some reason I¡¯m a spring chicken again, and hey, I ain¡¯t complainin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°How did you escape your summoning?¡±

    ¡°Oh boy¡­ Well, that¡¯s a long story. First off, I didn¡¯t escape anything, I just sorta showed up.¡±

    With that, Joseph began his tale, starting with how he¡¯d awakened young, to his meeting and travels with Sera, all the way up to delivering Prolo the book. A couple hours had passed before he was finished, and Joe felt exhausted from the re-telling.

    ¡°That was¡­ quite the tale.¡± Prolo said, rubbing a hand over his face, ¡°So, this Sera woman¡­ you do realize that she most likely¡­¡± He continued, rubbing a hand through his hair, ¡°That is to say, and I¡¯m sure you know but, it sounds like she¡¯s infatuated with you.¡±

    Joe laughed, ¡°Yeah, she is a good pal huh?¡±

    Prolo shook his head, ¡°A ¡®pal¡¯ doesn¡¯t just drop in your lap while you''re both drunk and insist on constantly hugging you, fool!¡± He yelled, sounding slightly irritated.

    Joe waved a dismissive hand, ¡°She was just doing that to mess with me, she don¡¯t like me that way.¡±

    ¡°And what if you¡¯re wrong?¡± Prolo asked, leaning forward in his seat, ¡°What if she does? More importantly, how do you feel about her?¡±

    Joe groaned, ¡°C¡¯mon, what is this high school? I guess ya are just a kid so I guess it makes sense that ya wanna gossip.¡±

    ¡°High school?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°Wait, save that, I must make you understand that Sera¡¯s behavior was not merely to tease you¡­ at least not completely. I¡¯ve known several women in my time, and when they behave like that it is because they, in one form or another, desire you.¡±

    Joe shook his head and laughed, ¡°Funny guy, think you know more about women then I do huh?¡±

    Prolo stared.

    ¡°You try livin¡¯ a hundred n¡¯ two years and not learn a thing or two. Whippersnapper.¡± Joe said, shaking his head.

    ¡°Whipper-what?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°Nevermind. The point is that I am right, and you are wrong.¡±

    ¡°I like how this is what yer fixating on.¡± Joe said, crossing his arms, ¡°Ya don¡¯t wanna hear about Henry the cyborg, or the dwarves, or even Earth, you wanna gossip about girls.¡±

    Prolo threw his hands up in frustration, immediately regretting that motion as he clutched his damaged shoulder with a wince. ¡°I do want to hear about all those things, believe me.¡± Prolo said, ¡°But I also want to convince you about Sera.¡±

    ¡°Look buddy,¡± Joe sighed, ¡°I ain¡¯t the kinda guy someone should love. Sera ain¡¯t that kind of gal neither¡­ I don¡¯t think.¡±

    Prolo pointed at him, ¡°That¡¯s right, you aren¡¯t sure.¡± He stated, ¡°That¡¯s how you know that they like you!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what that means at all.¡± Joe said flatly, ¡°What the hell type of girls do you talk to that makes ya think that?¡±

    ¡°Noblewomen, the most dangerous of all.¡± Prolo said in a miserable tone, ¡°See, I learned that when a lady wishes to court with you, that they will toy with your feelings, so you are left uncertain as to what they want. If a lady does not have any interest in you, they make it well known to you and all their friends, usually they turn it into a spectacle to further humiliate you. This acts as a deterrent to future attempts at courtship. A woman that is interested will play with you like a cat toys with a mouse-¡±

    ¡°That ain¡¯t how the women I knew acted.¡± Joe cut him off, ¡°Look, I think maybe you need to look outside the nobility, especially if yer wanting to get a nice girl. Have you considered lookin¡¯ for a nice country gal?¡±

    Prolo fell silent for a brief moment before he said, ¡°I¡¯ve considered it¡­ but father would never let me marry into the lower classes-¡±

    ¡°Who cares?¡± Joe asked with a snicker, ¡°Yer a runaway remember? Ya came with me to learn to survive on yer own, that means you wanna give up fancy livin¡¯ right? Get yerself a country girl, that¡¯s old folk wisdom.¡±

    Prolo laughed, ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right, but do you want to know some young advice?¡±

    ¡°Shoot.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Prolo asked.

    ¡°You know, shoot yer advice.¡±

    ¡°Since you¡¯re mentally old, you might not realize it, but physically you aren¡¯t any more. Women will find you attractive again, think about that.¡±

    A shudder went down Joseph¡¯s spine at those words. It was hard to accept but maybe Prolo had a point there¡­ and if women actually did find him attractive again did that mean that Sera? He put a hand on his chin and furrowed his brow. Could she actually¡­?

    ¡°But anyway,¡± Prolo said, cutting off his thoughts, ¡°I would like to hear about Earth now, if you¡¯d like.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be glad to tell ya, but first I got some stuff I gotta do. I need to figure out how to make a new gas mask outta dragon bone, and that¡¯s gonna be a bitch to do, so it¡¯ll need all my attention. How about while I do that, I put on a documentary for ya?¡±

    ¡°Documentary?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°Is that a book?¡±

    ¡°Naw, I¡¯m gonna show you what Earth looked like before The End.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Six: Return to The Mountains

    A few weeks had passed since Prolo¡¯s rescue, but despite the long search, Joseph had been unable to find Sera. She hadn¡¯t been in Shian, at least he didn¡¯t think so. He hadn¡¯t left the confines of Betty in order to search the town. The ninjas could be anywhere after all, and he didn¡¯t want him or her being ambushed. So, he had settled on going to the root of the problem, the mountains of Ugals.

    He¡¯d speak with Varig and tell him the situation, after that, he and a battalion of gun-wielding dwarves would erase the ninja threat forever. At least, that was the hope. Prolo¡¯s leg and shoulder had recovered marvelously in the time they¡¯d spent searching for Sera, and was now able to move around on his own. He had a few gnarly scars now, but the kid seemed unbothered.

    They hadn¡¯t spent all their time just searching of course. He¡¯d been giving Prolo a crash course in English, and he was a fast learner. Things were expedited thanks to Joseph¡¯s own fluency in Faesh, but Prolo still had a long way to go. Joe found himself wondering why Prolo wanted to learn the language¡­ it was dangerous for him to do so, for what if he ended up being accused as an Outworlder? He must truly be a scholar at heart¡­ either that or there was another reason. Joe would ask about it after the ninja business was concluded.

    They were on the trail up the mountain, Betty once more gracing it with her treads. Again merchant wagons were terrified at seeing her approach, a reasonable reaction to seeing her in action. The metal cube rumors must have come about from the first merchants he¡¯d scared on the way up to Ugals all those months ago. Well, them and curious strangers he scared away in the grasslands. Joe yawned and leaned his head back against the chair, briefly wondering if his magic items had finished being crafted by the dwarves.

    Varig had said that it would take months to do, and that implied several months. It hadn¡¯t been quite that long yet, but it would be nice to check. Maybe at least one of them had been made? That would be nice, especially before his assault on the Black Hand. Joseph continued up the rocky trail, humming a tune as he went. After a long while, when the sun was beginning to set, he arrived at the gates of Ugals.

    The dwarves atop the gate waved at Betty, and Joseph grinned. It seemed they were happy to see him! It wasn¡¯t long before the gates opened and he was allowed inside, parking Betty where he had last time. It seemed they decided to forgo the firing squad this time, for only Bilmor (at least he assumed it was) stood outside, waiting to greet him. Joseph stood and walked out into the front room, seeing Prolo completely transfixed by a World War One documentary. He walked over to speak with him, but the kid didn¡¯t seem to notice Joe¡¯s presence.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Pah!¡± Prolo jumped, eyes going wide, ¡°Don¡¯t sneak up on me like that, by The Overseer¡­¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t try to sneak.¡± Joe said, ¡°You just weren¡¯t listening. You can¡¯t drop your guard like that once we take the fight to the Black Hand.¡±

    Prolo waved, ¡°I know that, I just¡­ wow, this is fascinating.¡± Prolo said, pausing the film, ¡°This ¡®Europe¡¯ seems to wage war constantly, do your people really hate one another so much?¡±

    ¡°I ain¡¯t European.¡± Joe said with a shrug, ¡°I mean, genetically yeah I am, but I¡¯m an American, or¡­ I guess ¡®was¡¯ an American would be more accurate. Earth don¡¯t really got proper countries no more.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes, The End yes?¡± Prolo asked.

    Joe nodded, ¡°Yup, but anyway let''s pause the small talk, we¡¯re at Ugals, so sit tight and I¡¯ll be right back. I¡¯ll pay for your portion of the debt-¡±

    Prolo raised a hand to cut him off, ¡°It¡¯s already been paid, fear not, my family owes no debts to the dwarves.¡±

    ¡°...Alright then, do you want to come out?¡± Joe asked.

    Prolo shook his head, ¡°I want to keep watching this. I¡¯ll come out if the need arises, I must find out who wins this conflict.¡±

    ¡°Ah well it was-¡±

    ¡°No spoiling the story!¡± Prolo said sharply.

    Joe raised his hands, ¡°It¡¯s history not a story.¡±

    ¡°Well I want to see it play out for myself, I can somewhat understand what Ser Narrator is saying so I am not at a loss. Now begone!¡±

    ¡°Nerd.¡± Joe said snidely, leaving him to the documentary.

    He quickly got suited up in his dragonbone plate and scale cloak, equipping the newly made helmet gas mask combo. It had been extraneous but he finally got it done, now he was decked out head to toe in some very durable gear. It was strange seeing the grainy bone on the interior of the mask, but he¡¯d get used to it. He couldn¡¯t wait to wow Bilmor with this gear, guy was gonna go nuts seeing the craftsmanship.

    He opened Betty¡¯s ramp, then the door, stepping out to greet the dwarf who he now knew for sure to be Bilmor. The engravings on his armor were exactly the same after all.

    ¡°Hey there Billy boy.¡± Joe said, ¡°How¡¯ve things been?¡±

    ¡°...Billy boy?¡± Bilmor asked in an irritated tone, ¡°No matter, we welcome you, Joseph Haythorn. We¡¯ve completed only a single item thus far, I assume you would like to take it?¡±

    If Bilmor cared about Joe¡¯s new gear, he didn¡¯t show it in his voice. His helmet did tilt up and down though, seeming to look over the armor.

    ¡°Oh yeah, absolutely.¡± Joe replied, ¡°By the way, I have something I want to talk to you guys about. I know how you can repay yer debt to me.¡±

    Bilmor perked up, ¡°Yes? Are you in some sort of danger?¡±

    Joe nodded, ¡°The Black Hand is after me.¡±

    Bilmor stiffened, ¡°Them?¡±

    Joe nodded, ¡°They know what I am and there ain¡¯t no way they¡¯re gonna let me go off the hook.¡±

    Bilmor nodded, ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, they won¡¯t. Your only hope would be to either flee this Shard, or to kill them all¡­ so that is what you want our help with then?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Yup.¡± Joe said, ¡°Do you know where they are, by chance?

    Bilmor shook his head, ¡°Not in the slightest, I assume they operate out of Relias, we don¡¯t-¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re five miles west of here, from what I learned.¡± Joe told him.

    Bilmor fell eerily silent for a long while before finally he said, ¡°You¡¯re certain? This is a serious matter Joseph, you have to know for sure.¡±

    ¡°That was what I got out of the feller I caught, he said they¡¯re at the base of a mountain.¡±

    ¡°The mountains to the west of here are far too sheer and rocky to accommodate human assassins¡­ this can only mean that they are¡­¡± Bilmor put a fist to his armored forehead, ¡°By The Overseer, they¡¯re in the abandoned Dwarfhold, at least if what you claim is true.¡±

    ¡°It depends on if the guy was lying to me or not. I don¡¯t think he was, but to be honest with ya, I can¡¯t say for sure.¡±

    Bilmor ran a hand through his long beard, contemplating for a long while, ¡°This would repay the debt for certain but¡­ to return to the cursed Hold? This is not a decision I can make. I will go to Prince Varig, will you accompany me?¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°If he could meet me out here I¡¯d rather do that.¡±

    ¡°Very well, I will return with the prince and the item we¡¯ve created.¡±

    Joe opened his mouth to thank Bilmor, but the words died in his throat as he noticed something moving in the shadow of the gate.

    ¡°Awesome, first thing though¡­ look over by the gate.¡± Joe said, ¡°Don¡¯t be obvious, don¡¯t tilt your head, just your eyes.¡±

    Bilmor fell silent for an instant, before saying, ¡°They follow you even here? This trespass must not go unpunished.¡±

    Bilmor then raised his hands, pointing to the gate before forming an X with his forearms. Almost immediately after the signal, Joseph heard gunshots from atop the gate, AK wielding dwarves shooting down at the trespasser. The perforated figure then fell to the ground, not even able to scream.

    ¡°Hot damn!¡± Joe shouted, ¡°Y¡¯all are quick learners.¡±

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Let us investigate the body, keep your eyes peeled!¡± Bilmor said, rushing over to the body.

    The guards on the walls scanned the courtyard, all wielding dwarf-steel replicas of Joe¡¯s own AK. Joe followed after the dwarf, easily keeping pace with his longer legs. When they came upon the body, Joe saw exactly what he suspected. A damned dirty ninja, filled with holes and already dead. How long had this guy been following them? Wait a second, how could he have been following them? Betty was moving way too fast for this dude to keep up just by running, right?

    Joe then looked to the gate¡­ and came to a horrifying realization. Betty¡¯s roof very nearly could scrape the top of it¡­ the ninja had to have been riding atop Betty for that trip, and had only had to dismount when it was time to pass through the gate. How had the gate guards not seen him though? Could they really blend in that well? It was hard to say, and he wasn¡¯t gonna get any answers from this guy now that he was Swiss cheese.

    The ninja could have gotten on Betty at any time these past few weeks, Joe hadn¡¯t gone outside at all while Prolo recovered¡­ Now that he thought of it though, it was unlikely the ninja had been on for that long. He had no supplies with him besides some weaponry at his belt, it was more likely that Betty had been spotted by them as he¡¯d gotten closer to their base of operations. This one was probably just a scout, trying to glean secrets about Betty before returning to his evil ninja senseis or whatever they were called here.

    ¡°You truly are in danger then. I advise that you return into your wagon and await our return. We will bring a retinue of guards with us as well.¡± Bilmor said, ¡°Guards, remain on high alert!¡± He shouted to the dwarves on the wall, ¡°Patrol the walls and make sure no more of these scoundrels remain!¡±

    Joe saw no reason to argue with him, heading back into Betty while he waited for Varig to arrive. When Joe closed the door behind him, he paused, turning around and narrowing his eyes at the door. If there were still ninjas around they could have listened to his secret knock¡­ oh that would not do. Joe rummaged through one of his footlockers, coming up with a large bear trap, setting it in front of the door and placing the welcome mat right on top of the things teeth, mostly obscuring it¡­

    Hmm, this wasn¡¯t enough, he¡¯d need to do something else. A good ninja would see this trap from a mile away, it would need to be more stupidly complicated to get the most dangerous ones. Of course it was preferable that none hear his knock at all, but that was easier said than done. He supposed he could just patrol Betty a few times, going to the roof and around her perimeter, just to make sure that no one was there before coming inside.

    Damn, perhaps he should have done that before coming back inside. Oh well, the dwarves were on high alert so he doubted that there would be any more ninja trouble today. Just in case though, he¡¯d be overtrapping his front door. He looked at the concealed bear trap and cringed, he could do waaay better than this! He then began to properly booby trap the door, making it completely ninja proof.

    Any moron coming in here without his permission would pay the ultimate price. He just needed to make sure Prolo understood just how dangerous this was in case he decided to go outside. He informed Prolo of the situation while waiting for Varig to arrive. He was concerned that the Black Hand was beginning to hover around Betty, but he was soon sucked back into the documentary.

    Joe left him, keeping his eye on the cameras until finally he spotted Varig emerging from the giant stone gates, phasing through with a retinue of guards behind him¡­ all of them wielding Benneli¡¯s. They really did work fast, hot damn! Maybe he should get one of them dwarven Bennelis for himself? He shook his head, there¡¯d be time for that later, he needed to get out there. Joseph quickly disarmed the trap at the door, stepping through before shutting the door once again, sealing the ramp just to be extra safe.

    Varig stood in the center of the courtyard, wielding his own Benneli and clad in the armor he was wearing last time. Now however, he had emerged with a helmet, his long dark beard spilling down to his gold colored breastplate. Joe waved and jogged over, keeping his eyes peeled for any more ninjas. It seemed the guards were doing the same, several patrols moving through the courtyard and along the walls.

    When he got close to Varig, the two shook hands, ¡°Joseph¡­ I understand that you have a problem.¡±

    Joe released the shake, ¡°That¡¯s right bud. The Black Hand is after me, if you can help me kill ¡®em all, we¡¯ll be square.¡±

    Varig nodded, ¡°Very well, we will resolve this together. Bilmor told me that they reside in the abandoned section of the hold¡­ yes?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just what he told me, I don¡¯t know for sure.¡± Joe said honestly, ¡°But I¡¯m glad you wanna help me out. So how are we gonna get there?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ that is the problem, Joseph.¡± Varig said, ¡°You will not be able to drive your Betty to it, the tunnels are too cramped to accommodate her girth, that, and you will need to pass through Ugals in order to reach them.¡±

    Joe frowned, ¡°You saying I can¡¯t reach it overland then? I figured that much but they have got to have a secret entrance out of their base, right?¡± He asked, ¡°I doubt they go through your gates every time they need to leave.¡±

    ¡°Aye, the old tunnels are sealed, they¡¯d not be able to go through Ugals proper to reach the outside world. If I were to hazard a guess, they have a different entrance somewhere, but you finding it would be next to impossible. The tunnels we guard are guaranteed to lead to the cursed hold, that is your best bet.¡±

    ¡°Damn¡­¡± Joe said, putting a hand on his armored brow.

    If he couldn¡¯t bring Betty to the assault, that also meant he wouldn¡¯t be able to use the T-12 at all. He could try and pull it on a wagon but that seemed impractical, especially considering the terrain he¡¯d have to be pulling it through. Running through those tunnels with the armor was also a bust, as it would take far longer than thirty minutes to reach this ¡®cursed hold¡¯. Speaking of which¡­

    ¡°Why is it called ¡®the cursed hold¡¯?¡± Joe asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡±

    Varig sighed, ¡°Misfortune befell it long ago when an abomination rose up from the depths, a beast known as Jilamaka. We suspect that it has made the hold its lair, and we¡¯ve not dared return for fear that it will learn of Ugals.¡± He explained, ¡°The beast could be long gone by now, returned to Everfae¡¯s depths, but if we¡¯re wrong, we could bring its attention to the new hold¡­ yet, if The Black Hand truly made their nest within it, perhaps Jilamaka has left, for the beast sees all life as food, I doubt it would give the Black Hand any quarter.¡±

    ¡°Jilamaka huh?¡± Joe asked, ¡°Sounds scary if it could take out a Dwarfhold, but I doubt it¡¯s shotgun proof.¡± He said, indicating Varig¡¯s Benneli, ¡°If we do run into it, I think we might be fine. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m not interested in going out of my way to find it, but if it finds us¡­ well, I like our chances.¡±

    ¡°So then, you are interested in finally entering Ugals?¡± Varig asked, ¡°You speak as if you are ready to embark.¡±

    Joe looked to the gates and hesitated. It was going to be hard to get out, some of the dwarves knew what he was, he¡¯d be outnumbered and, thanks to Joseph, be outgunned. Yet, the dwarves sense of paying back debts and the good rapport they had built helped to ease his paranoia¡­ but only slightly. His dragon-gear would be able to stop the bullets, at least the bone would be, but if the dwarves were truly going to try and attack him, they¡¯d want him alive for their wish. He doubted they would open fire on him if that was what they wanted. More likely they would try and capture him with nets or beat him unconscious.

    That was if they really did want to capture him. He decided to leave this decision up to the wisdom of his gut.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m ready to go.¡± Joe nodded, ¡°Just¡­ I got to get ready first. How long do you think it¡¯ll take to reach it?¡±

    ¡°A day or two at most.¡± Varig said, ¡°Assuming the trip goes well that is.¡±

    ¡°Really? But it¡¯s only five miles away.¡± Joe pointed out.

    ¡°The tunnels leading to it are hazardous and twisting, going through them will take us longer.¡±

    ¡°And there isn¡¯t really any other option.¡± Joe sighed, ¡°I get it. So can I bring Betty inside or do I need to leave her out here?¡±

    ¡°Actually Joseph,¡± Varig said, ¡°There is another option, but the journey would take you even longer and you¡¯d still need to leave Betty behind. On the other side of our mountain are the Dark-Wastes, with another tunnel that leads to the old hold¡­ I do not recommend going that route.¡± Varig explained, ¡°It would take you weeks to reach the old Ugals through that route, and you would have to contend with hordes of Black-Eyed orcs.¡±

    ¡°Black-Eyed orcs?¡± Joe asked.

    ¡°You know them.¡± Varig said insistently.

    Joe nodded, ¡°Yes of course¡­¡± He then looked to the dwarf guards standing behind Varig, their expressions hidden beneath their helmets, ¡°I just didn¡¯t know that they were in the Dark-Wastes.¡±

    ¡°You are from another Shard.¡± Varig nodded, ¡°That makes sense.¡±

    Joe had no damned idea what Black-Eyed orcs were, but he needed to pretend to know in front of Varig¡¯s guards.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be going that way.¡± Joe said, ¡°So can I bring Betty into the fort?¡±

    Varig shook his head, ¡°You can, but you won¡¯t be able to drive too far into the hold. The inner gate is considerably more narrow than the exterior, as will be the tunnels. I also insist that we take some time to prepare before leaving, I have some things that must be taken care of.¡±

    Joe lifted a brow, ¡°You¡¯re coming too?¡±

    Varig nodded, ¡°Aye, as Third Prince it is not necessary for me to survive, and I have been craving the chance to use this blunderbuss. That, and accompanying you will make it more likely that I will repay that debt in battle.¡±

    Joe shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t mind but just helping me clear out the Black Hand would be enough to make us square in my eyes.¡±

    ¡°Very well, but I will still seek out that opportunity¡­ a part of me, an insane part, hopes we encounter the Jilamaka.¡± Varig said, his tone becoming excited, ¡°If we were to slay it, we could reclaim the old hold. We would become storied heroes for such a great feat.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge if we come to it.¡± Joe said, ¡°I¡¯m hopin¡¯ that we don¡¯t. How big is that thing anyway?¡±

    ¡°Big as a house, based on our records, covered in a patchwork of fur and scale with the body of a lion and the head of a rat. Its blood is acidic and its breath is sickening to the stomach. Our records also indicate that it has near-human levels of intellect.¡± Varig stated casually, ¡°Our guns should be enough to slay it though, yes?¡±

    Joe wanted to scream, he had no intention of fighting something like that. If this Jilamaka showed up, he was just gonna get the hell out of there. This thing was up there with some of the worst creatures that roamed the wastelands, and that was just based on a short description. He¡¯d normally be more skeptical, but these were dwarves, their records were made by people with perfect memories¡­ meaning that it was almost if not completely accurate. He considered just giving up right there and dealing with the ninjas as they came¡­ but doing so would make life here in Everfae all the more difficult. He found himself internally praying to God that he wouldn¡¯t run into Jilamaka, and that if they did, they¡¯d be able to escape it.

 Chapter Twenty-Seven: Ugals

    Joseph donned the magical necklace that he¡¯d commissioned, a thin chain of silver that would slow oncoming impacts, but not stop them outright. This had apparently been the easiest thing to craft, so the dwarves had gotten to work making it first. They still hadn¡¯t entered Ugals yet, as Prolo needed the proper permissions in order to enter.

    Once he had told Varig of Prolo¡¯s presence aboard Betty, he informed Joe that he¡¯d need to speak with the king about it first. While Varig was gone, Joe focused on trying to convince Prolo to stay behind and sit tight, but the kid wasn¡¯t having none of it.

    ¡°I am tired of waiting for them to come after me,¡± Prolo said, ¡°I will wait no longer. My leg and shoulder have recovered fully, and I¡¯m itching for a fight.¡±

    ¡°I get that, but it ain¡¯t gonna be easy to keep ya alive down there.¡± Joe told him, ¡°I got some of the craziest armor ever, you got clothes, which do you think the ninjas will throw their lil¡¯ stars at first?¡±

    ¡°Stars?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°Nevermind, the point is that I refuse to stay here while you take the fight to our mutual foe. I am a skilled swordsman and can hold my own.¡±

    ¡°What happens when they start firing bolts at ya again?¡± Joseph asked, ¡°Them clothes of yers ain¡¯t bulletproof, and I ain¡¯t got nothing better for you to use¡­ at least nothin¡¯ that¡¯ll fit.¡± The truth was that Joe did have some sets of spare plate armor, but letting Prolo know that would make it harder to convince him to stay behind. ¡°Yer not that much shorter than me but unless you eat fifty cheeseburgers right now ya won¡¯t put on the muscle to fit into my gear.¡±

    ¡°Cheeseburgers? That sounds quite delicious, whatever it is.¡± Prolo said, ¡°Surely you must have something that I can wear?¡±

    Joe sighed, ¡°You aren¡¯t gonna stay behind are ya?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Not a chance. I am my own man, unless you intend to keep me prisoner?¡± Prolo asked, narrowing his eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Joe said, ¡°But it ain¡¯t gonna be safe and you¡¯ll probably get hurt again, is that good with you?¡±

    ¡°Better than staying cooped up here like a coward.¡± He replied, ¡°Now, do you have anything sturdy I can wear? Your workshop is loaded with all sorts of armaments, perhaps there is something within you¡¯ve forgotten about?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Joe considered, ¡°I do got some armor I stole off some caravan guards.¡± Prolo frowned, ¡°I didn¡¯t kill ¡®em!¡± Joe insisted, ¡°I found ¡®em like that, just didn¡¯t wanna let their gear go to waste. If yer gonna come with me, ya gotta wear some metal, no matter where it came from. That bother you?¡±

    Prolo shook his head, ¡°Not at all, but first, I wish to shake off some of the rust¡­ you wouldn¡¯t happen to have any practice blades laying about do you?¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°Naw, sorry. I do got a couple cool sticks I found a long time ago. Can¡¯t remember where I put ¡®em but I can try n¡¯ find ¡®em.¡±

    ¡°That works I suppose.¡± Prolo said with a sigh, ¡°I just wish I hadn¡¯t dropped my rapier back at the manor¡­ such a shame.¡±

    ¡°I can make ya a new one.¡± Joe said, ¡°My work would probably be better too, not to toot my own horn.¡± He said, most definitely tooting his own horn.

    Was it wrong for a man to be proud of his craftsmanship?

    ¡°While it would be nice to have another blade, you cannot forge it in time before we have descend to old Ugals.¡±

    ¡°I know that.¡± Joe said with a wave of his hand, ¡°Just saying I can do it is all, just after we get back.¡±

    ¡°Very well, I do assume though that you have a spare sword or two I can borrow for this adventure, yes?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°I can use most blades proficiently¡­ not to toot my own horn, as you say.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Joe laughed, ¡°Yeah I do, got quite a few actually¡­¡± He paused.

    Prolo narrowed his eyes, ¡°From the same caravan guards I take it?¡±

    ¡°Well, gotta get finding them sticks.¡± Joe said, changing the subject, ¡°Guessin¡¯ you want to spar with me then, huh? Don¡¯t blame me if ya get hurt.¡±

    Much to his irritation, Prolo scoffed, ¡°No offense Joseph, but I doubt that you will put up much of a contest, you¡¯ve had no formal training.¡±

    Joe glared, ¡°I was gonna hold back, but that smug attitude of yers is pissing me off.¡±

    Prolo shrugged, ¡°Change my mind then.¡±

    The two glared at one another for a long white before Joseph left, finding the two arm-length sticks at the bottom of a footlocker before returning to the front room. He tossed Prolo a stick, and held his at the ready. Prolo expertly swung the branch through the air, testing its balance before looking Joe over with a critical eye.

    ¡°That stance is all wrong, you look like a baboon.¡± Prolo told him, ¡°You should narrow your stance and make yourself a smaller target.¡±

    ¡°I knew fellas that went to prison, they always came out sayin¡¯ they liked boys with hair like yers, it''s a lot to grab onto they¡¯d tell me.¡± Joe said with a smirk.

    Truth was he didn¡¯t, but he wanted to get Prolo riled up for calling him a baboon.The kid only only frowned, narrowing his stance and bracing his hand against his back, wielding his stick with the other.

    ¡°Let me prove to you just how outmatched you are.¡± He said, taking a step toward Joe.

    The two circled one another for a moment, before Joe lashed out with his stick, looking to whap Prolo on the hand. The boy parried it easily, stepping into Joe¡¯s guard before thrusting the tip of the stick into Joe¡¯s breastplate.

    ¡°Dead.¡± Prolo said with a sigh, ¡°Like I told you, you have no formal training, there¡¯s no way you¡¯d be able to stand up to me in a fair swordfight.¡±

    Joe narrowed his eyes, ¡°Alright then, how about we do this again. Don¡¯t hold back on me, and I won¡¯t hold back on you, I¡¯ll treat this like a fight back in the wastes. Or are you scared?¡±

    Prolo laughed, ¡°Very well, if you wish to be humiliated once more I will not object.¡±

    They both backed away, circling one another before Joe lashed out again, in the exact same manner. Prolo batted the stick away and stepped into Joe¡¯s guard once more. Joe, with his other hand, then grabbed Prolo by that pretty princess hair of his and threw him to the ground with ease, pointing the tip of the stick right at Prolo¡¯s throat.

    ¡°Dead.¡± Joe said with a smirk, ¡°That hair of yers ain¡¯t gonna do you no favors, you should cut it.¡±

    ¡°That was dishonorable! How is that fair?¡± Prolo questioned, batting the stick away.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Joe confirmed with a nod, ¡°It ain¡¯t honorable, but the wastes don¡¯t care about that kinda thing. You fight to win, this ain¡¯t some fancy tournament, it¡¯s life or death.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a hair-pulling sissy!¡± Prolo accused.

    ¡°YOu¡¯Re a hAiR-pUlliNG SiSsy.¡± Joseph mocked, pitching his voice higher.

    ¡°One hundred and two? Yeah, maybe minus one hundred.¡± Prolo said, frustrated.

    Joe offered him a hand, but Prolo refused, standing on his own.

    ¡°Look, if it makes you feel better, there¡¯s really nothin¡¯ more fair than an unfair fight.¡± Joe told him.

    Prolo glared, ¡°What kind of twisted logic is that?¡±

    ¡°Think about it. We¡¯re the most intelligent creatures in creation right? So how smart ya are in a fight is being fair. I told ya I¡¯d treat it like a fight in the wasteland,  I saw a weakness of yours and I exploited it, that¡¯s fair in my book.¡± He said with a shrug, ¡°Folk we¡¯re after ain¡¯t gonna fight you fair bud, they¡¯re gonna be dirty too, you can even the odds and make it fair by bein¡¯ dirty yourself. If a guy is laying on top of ya and stranglin¡¯ you to death, wouldn¡¯t it be fair to jab yer thumbs in his eyes?¡± Joe asked, ¡°You¡¯d probably get him to stop choking ya and you¡¯d win. Winning is all that matters when you¡¯re fightin¡¯ for your life.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t understand, Joseph.¡± Prolo said with a huff, ¡°But it goes against every fiber of my being to fight that way.¡±

    ¡°So if a guy pulls yer hair just like I did now, you¡¯d just let him stab you because of some dumbass sense of honor? Unless it¡¯s a tournament yer in, leave that crap at the door, survival comes first.¡± Joe told him, ¡°Trust me, it will get you killed.¡± He finished in a serious tone, ¡°I toldja I¡¯d teach ya to survive on yer own, this is part of that.¡±

    Prolo fell silent for an instant before he sighed, ¡°I suppose that you have a point. Still, I don¡¯t think it will be that easy for me to change my behavior in battle.¡±

    ¡°Hey, it''s your life.¡± Joe said, ¡°Just remember, nothing is more fair than being unfair, there¡¯s nothing shameful about using both body and mind to win. If you need to fling sand in someone¡¯s eyes to get an advantage you should do it.¡±

    ¡°Okay I get it!¡± Prolo exclaimed, flinging his hands up, ¡°I will learn these vile tactics, but in exchange I demand to teach you proper swordsmanship. Your form is garbage.¡±

    ¡°Yer kinda rude about it.¡± Joe said, ¡°But fine, wanna go again?¡±

    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t pull my hair.¡± Prolo huffed, smoothing down the ruffled patch Joe had grabbed, ¡°If I get a bald spot from that so help you¡­¡±

    ¡°Do something about it.¡± Joe egged him on mockingly, ¡°I dare ya.¡±

    With that, the two began to duel, awaiting Varig¡¯s return while whapping at one another with their sticks. It was incredibly frustrating¡­ but the kid had a clear talent for this swordsmanship stuff. Fighting him fair with a sword just wasn¡¯t optimal, Prolo was fast and dextrous, and Joe struggled to land even a glancing blow on him. His instincts screamed for him to kick him in the leg or grab his hair again, but that would ruin the point of this swordsmanship training. He would check the cameras between bouts, half-an-hour passing before he saw Varig returning, once more with his retinue of guards.

    ¡°Time to go see if you can come along.¡± Joe said, ¡°Ya better come out with me.¡±

    Prolo nodded, wiping sweat from his brow, ¡°You¡¯ve improved quite a bit already just from that short session, I say that you have a knack for it¡­ though you¡¯ll never reach my heights.¡±

    ¡°You know what?¡± Joe asked, heading for the workshop, ¡°Next time we do some sparing, I¡¯ll get out the gloves and we¡¯ll do some hand-to-hand.¡±

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Prolo paled, ¡°I¡¯ve never-¡±

    Joe grinned, ¡°I know.¡±

    With that, the two left Betty, disarming the trap before approaching Varig, ¡°This is young Pienturshuld then? It is nice to meet you, I understand that you wish to accompany us to old Ugals.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right my lord.¡± Prolo said bowing deeply, ¡°The Black Hand are after me as well, I would take the fight to them.¡±

    ¡°Very well. My father, King Relun Ugals, will grant you entry, on the condition that you wear a blindfold.¡± Varig said, ¡°Joseph needs no such thing, but for you young Pienturshuld, this is what the king demands.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Prolo said, ¡°I do not have a problem with this, but why must I?¡±

    ¡°We would prefer as few humans as possible knowing the interior layout of our fortress.¡± Varig told him, ¡°We owe Joseph a great debt, it would be insulting to take such precautions with him, especially as we have already offered him shelter before.¡±

    ¡°Very well, allow me to don some proper armor and I will comply with this order.¡± Prolo said with another bow, ¡°Shall we, Joseph?¡±

    ¡°Byeah.¡± Joe replied, turning back to Betty, ¡°We¡¯ll be right out, can¡¯t have the kid wandering down there with just some clothes.¡±

    ¡°Aye.¡± Varig replied.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Joe found a set of looted plate armor that almost fit Prolo perfectly, giving him a broadsword and a crossbow. He had considered giving him a pistol instead, but thought it might be better to let him use something he¡¯d be more familiar with. Still, just to be safe, he gave a Glock to Prolo, briefly instructing him on how to hold it before the kid nervously tucked it away in his holster.

    ¡°Remember, safety switch is on the side, it won¡¯t fire unless ya flip it, just remember that.¡± Joe instructed before the two men left Betty¡¯s confines.

    Prolo was now clad head-to-toe in armor, wearing a helm with a slotted visor that left his jaw and mouth unprotected. It wasn¡¯t the best but it was better than nothing. Prolo then removed the helmet, allowing himself to be blindfolded.

    ¡°You can take Prolo in, I¡¯ll drive Betty through the gate. Don¡¯t want to leave it out here where ninjas can see it.¡±

    Varig agreed with the sentiment, and it wasn¡¯t long before Joe was in the cockpit, driving right behind the retinue as they made way for the gates. Again the dwarves phased right through the gate, with Prolo in tow. Joe found himself wondering if this thing would allow Betty through or not, and gingerly approached the gate. At the high speed of one mile per hour, he eased her through the gates until finally she breached the other side, completely unscathed.

    Joe found himself dazzled by what he saw through the cameras. Even with the pixelation, he could see just how magnificent Ugals truly was. The ceiling reached higher than he could see, the walls conforming to the exterior of the mountain. Massive beams of solid metal supported the high ceiling, stretching out to lend their strength to the walls. Ahead of him stood another, smaller gate, the entrance only wide enough for three men to pass through. He parked Betty before it, and triple-checked his gear, ensuring that he was bringing everything with him that he¡¯d need.

    Once that was done, he stepped outside and goggled at what lay before him. He had thought that the ground was smoothed stone, like outside, but while it was just as engraved, it was made of dwarven steel. The inner-wall too was made of solid steel, and he marveled at it. How much steel did these little guys have at their disposal? It was ludicrous!

    Now that he was outside, he could clearly see the ceiling now¡­ it came to a single point above, narrowing the higher it went. He understood now why they needed those massive steel support beams¡­ the whole mountain had been hollowed out. He nearly convulsed at seeing this, trying to rationalize how they had even managed half of this feat.

    ¡°I see that you are in awe.¡± Varig said proudly, lifting his helmet, ¡°This took us thousands of years to accomplish.¡±

    ¡°...Uh, I¡­¡± Joe muttered, ¡°I- wow!¡± He exclaimed, ¡°Wow!¡± He repeated excitedly.

    Prolo sighed, tone disappointed, ¡°You don¡¯t need to make it sound so amazing, it makes me want to take a peek.¡±

    The guards all then looked to him, but Prolo didn¡¯t remove his blindfold. Would they kill him if he did? It seemed more than likely, thankfully Prolo seemed to understand that it wouldn¡¯t be wise to break his oath.

    ¡°We have a long trip ahead of us, the tunnels are far below.¡± Varig said, ¡°Let us go.¡±

    Joe fell into step quickly, walking beside Varig as they passed through the gate. He just had to see what else lay within. How was it even possible for them to have done all this? He couldn¡¯t wrap his mind around it. Even with modern tech he could not picture how he would hollow out a mountain. Granted, it was just this upper section of it, but it was impressive nonetheless.

    He was proven wrong as they  approached the edge of a sheer cliff, and Joe nearly fainted from what he saw. It wasn¡¯t just this upper portion that was hollow¡­ but rather the entire mountain itself. Joe¡¯s eyes went wide as he looked down upon a city of gleaming metal. Betty-wide bridges connected the sides of the mountain, leading to wide open doorways that went into the stony walls. These bridges descended down the wide open space like spiraling stairs, and he could see dozens of people moving across them, going about their business like what lay below them was nothing special.

    The city itself lay at the bottom, hundreds, no, thousands of shining buildings, illuminated by even more floating orbs of light, fluttering about like fireflies. Even from up here, Joe could hear the sound of industry echoing up from Ugals depths, ringing steel and bellowing laughter audible even all the way up here. How was it that this place didn¡¯t get filled with smoke? He asked this very question to Varig, who pointed to the nearest floating orb of light.

    ¡°These creatures are known as Fumu, they were discovered here in the tunnels long ago, feeding on various pockets of gas and emitting that light of theirs. They are unique to this Shard, normally lighting a dwarf fortress is a more tedious effort, as is dispelling the pollution of industry.¡± Varig explained, ¡°We gathered them here in the hollowed mountain, where they can freely float about as they wish, consuming our pollution in exchange for their light.¡±

    So that means they can live off smoke? Maybe co2 as well, there were a lot of dwarves down here after all. Unless they didn¡¯t exhale co2, but that wasn¡¯t likely.

    ¡°This is so damned cool.¡± Joe said, ¡°How do you get air down here though?¡±

    ¡°If you look closely, you can see those large empty brown squares between the buildings.¡± He replied, pointing them out, ¡°Those are our farms, many of which host a plethora of mushrooms. There is a particular species of mushroom that puts out air in vast quantities, they are known to the laymen as, ¡®fatheads¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Goofy, alright.¡± Joe nodded, ¡°Why fatheads?¡±

    ¡°If I take you on a proper tour you will see.¡± Varig replied, ¡°But enough of all that, let us set off. Step into the wide cart over here and we¡¯ll all ride straight to the bottom.¡± He finished, pointing to a wide mine-cart. It looked big enough to hold twenty men shoulder to shoulder, and it was attached to a railway.

    Joe followed the tracks with his eyes, seeing something he hadn¡¯t noticed until now. The railway followed a spiraling trail of smoothed stone, starting here at the top and ending somewhere down there in Ugals proper. The group of them all piled into the oversized minecart then, Joe being cramped up against the front corner with Prolo in the back.

    ¡°Hold onto the sides, we dwarves will be fine for the ride down, but this cart wasn¡¯t made for humans in mind.¡± Varig told him.

    Joe hesitantly released his Benneli, holding onto the sides of the cart and turning his head to see that Prolo did the same.

    ¡°You saying this is gonna go fast?¡± Joe asked, ¡°How fast we talkin¡¯?¡±

    It would probably be slowed down somehow, it may take around¡­ fifteen minutes to reach the bottom at a comfortable speed he guessed.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± Varig replied, ¡°Pull the lever Bilmor!¡±

    Joe¡¯s head whirled around to see Bilmor standing right behind them, hand on a massive lever attached to the tracks, ¡°Safe travels!¡± He shouted before he pulled the lever.

    Joe heard a click toward the front of the minecart, looking down to see a pair of metal stoppers retracting to allow the wheels to pass. Joe paled as the minecart began to move, and he squatted down out of instinct, coming to head height with Varig. The dwarf laughed and patted him on the shoulder, not gripping the sides of the cart at all.

    ¡°This is my favorite part!¡± He shouted excitedly, ¡°Hold on!¡±

    ¡°I wanna walk!¡± Joe screamed, but by then it was far too late.

    He heard Prolo yelp as the cart picked up speed, the wind blowing back Joe¡¯s hood as they went. Joe grit his teeth as the world became a blur around him, the only thing he could hear being Varig laughing and Prolo yelping. Joe never did well with roller coasters, but this was so much worse. There wasn¡¯t even a damned safety bar! The light of the Fumu became smears, and that was when Joe shut his eyes, silently praying to the Lord that he would survive the trip to the bottom.

    After what felt like eternity, the cart finally began to slow down. By what means, Joe had no idea but frankly he was more concerned with his roiling gut. Relief filled him when the cart came to a gentle stop, and he took a breath, standing on shaky legs. His hands were sore from gripping the cart, each finger feeling stiff.

    ¡°For such a large man, you sure to quake like a child.¡± Varig said, removing his helmet to show a smirk, ¡°Very strange to see.¡±

    ¡°Just get me off this damn cart.¡± Joe said bitterly, seeing that Prolo had apparently fainted.

    The little door to the cart opened, and Joe squeezed himself out, holding back from gagging as he went. He had not been expecting it to go quite that fast¡­ he¡¯d need a sec to get his gut to behave itself. He heard the guards pouring out of the cart behind him, their footsteps ringing out across the steel floor. Again he found that the ground was heavily engraved, depicting stories of heroism and tragedy, at least he assumed that much. He resisted the urge to put his hands on his knees, remaining upright as the guards formed around him. What was going on, were they going to ty and seize him!? His finger quickly found the trigger of his shotgun-

    ¡°Welcome to Ugals!¡± They all shouted in unison before immediately falling back into formation.

    Joe blinked in shock, seeing Varig with a wide grin on his face, ¡°I told them to do that.¡± Varig said with a chuckle, ¡°It helps keep their sort humble, royal guards often get big heads, so I seized an opportunity to bring them down a peg.¡±

    Joe looked back to Prolo, who wobbled on shaky legs, his face still pale. Now that his nausea was gone, he found himself focusing more on his surroundings. More fumu¡¯s floated about, like specks of dust, casting a warm glow across the solid steel floor. Yet another gate barred entry to Ugals, but it was quickly being raised as the guards on the wall beckoned them to enter. Even outside these walls, Joe could see the steel buildings towering over them, some looming as tall as a skyscraper.

    ¡°Is this all steel?¡± Joe asked, ¡°How did you manage to make so much of it?¡±

    ¡°This mountain was rich with flux stone and iron¡­ as were the surrounding ones.¡± Varig said, passing through the gate.

    ¡°You saying you¡¯re strip mining the other mountains around here too!?¡± He exclaimed, ¡°Sweet Lord, are there more Dwarfholds there too?¡±

    Varig shook his head, ¡°The other Dwarfholds in Everfae are located to the south, and they may as well be living in caves by comparison. Millenia ago, our wealth and prosperity caught the eye of the dwarf king at the time, my ancestor Drumor Hegrak. He then declared this the new capital of dwarf kind, at least in this Shard, and changed our clan¡¯s name to Ugals.¡± Varig said, ¡°Come, let us go, do not mind the stares¡­ we don¡¯t normally allow anyone this far into the fortress, so your presence will be a novelty.¡±

    That made sense, but that wasn¡¯t going to make the experience any more comforting. He preferred less attention, not more. The group all then moved through the gate and into the city of Ugals. It was a city seemingly made of solid steel, the only things made differently were the stone streets and some tools made of wood the citizens carried. Dwarves moved about slowly through these streets, some with longer beards than others. Businesses were set in the steel buildings, with wooden signs advertising their trade in Faesh hanging above their metal doors.

    The streets were engraved of course, depicting more stories, but what shocked him is that even the buildings themselves were covered from top to bottom with these carvings. The time they must have sunk into this city must have stretched back millenia¡­ and this was supposedly the ¡®newer¡¯ Ugals. Old Ugals had to have been abandoned several thousand years ago, there¡¯s no way that Jilamaka could still be alive¡­ right? Varig had talked about it as if it were more than likely still around. Well, they¡¯d cross that nasty bridge if they came to it. Like Varig said, the hundreds of dwarves paused in their busy work to stare at Joe and Prolo. Joe did his best to remain calm, reminding himself that the general dwarf population did not know of his true nature.

    ¡°Why are there so many engravings everywhere?¡± Joe asked to distract himself from the staring eyes.

    ¡°It is one of the ways we record our history.¡± Varig said, ¡°We dwarves have memories that never fade¡­ but what happens if all who knew of those tales fall? These engravings are for our future generations, so that they may look at them and remember what we knew. Our annals are the engravings put into writing, both of them together ensures the past will not be forgotten.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the annals be enough?¡± Joe asked as the crowd parted before them, ¡°If ya got it in writing, why engrave?¡±

    ¡°It increases the value of our fortress of course.¡± Varig said, ¡°You see, the capital of dwarven civilization is in whichever Dwarfhold is the most extravagant. This is why we build things primarily of our steel, and is the other reason we create such artistic renderings.¡±

    ¡°So Ugals is the capital of yer race on Everfae¡­ because it¡¯s more¡­ expensive?¡± Joe asked.

    Varig nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. In fact, I would go as far to say that Ugals is most likely the most expensive fortress in all the Shards, not just Everfae. If the Shards were united, I truly believe that we would be the capital of the entirety of our kind.¡±

    ¡°Honestly? I believe it.¡± Joe replied, ¡°This place is insane.¡±

    Varig chuckled, ¡°More than you see, I would say.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asked.

    ¡°The tunnels are this way,¡± Varig deflected, ¡°We have supplies that will last us the journey waiting for us there.¡±

    Joe didn¡¯t press the issue, but he found himself wondering just what Varig meant by that.

 Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Elven Debt

    Joe triple-checked everything in his bag, along with his equipment to ensure that everything he needed was there. While he did this, Varig shrugged on a bag of his own, his guards also packing their own belongings. There were about twenty dwarves that would be accompanying them to the Black Hand¡¯s hideout, all armed to the teeth with AK¡¯s and Benneli¡¯s. Joe wanted even more than this, but apparently Varig¡¯s papi didn¡¯t want to send out too many dwarves on this mission.

    Varig had said that with all their firepower, sending more dwarves would be unnecessary. Still, to be safe, the king had also seen fit to send a mage with them. He was a stout, grumpy looking dwarf, standing by the tunnel entrance with an eternal frown. His long white beard was braided and nearly brushed the floor, and his matching eyebrows nearly brushed his cheekbones. Joe hadn¡¯t gotten his name yet, but apparently he was a big shot, but only knew one spell.

    Well, whatever it was, it had better be good. When Joe finally got his name he¡¯d ask about the spell. The grumpy old dwarf looked so out of place here, especially wearing that long fancy red silk robe. The tunnel to old Ugals was rough, just a wide stony path, contrasting the old dwarf who looked like he should have been in the richest of all nursing homes. Joe looked back to the gate they had passed through, set into a wall that stretched from floor to ceiling. The fear of Jilamaka had made the dwarves greatly reinforce this section, and even now dwarves could be seen manning kill-boxes.

    Jilamaka sounded horrible and all, but those killboxes and the thickness of this gate made breaching it look near impossible, even for a kaiju freak. Those kill-boxes were probably made with crossbows in mind, and if Jilamaka was as intelligent as dwarven annals claimed, it would expect crossbow bolts from them¡­ not a barrage of thousands of bullets. Maybe they could kill it if they lured it here¡­ but the fact that they hadn¡¯t spoke of how terrified of Jilamaka they still were.

    Joe still dreaded the thought of encountering the beast, but remained optimistic that it wouldn¡¯t happen. Varig however, seemed excited by the prospect, going on and on about how they would be remembered in the annals if they accomplished slaying it. Joe had no intention of becoming a legend, he just wanted to go in, kill all ninjas, and get out.

    ¡°Prolo can take off that blindfold now right?¡± Joe asked, ¡°We ain¡¯t in the city no more.¡±

    Varig nodded, ¡°Aye, young Pienturshuld, you may remove it.¡±

    Prolo breathed a sigh of relief, removing the cloth, ¡°Ah, so this is the tunnel then.¡± He said, ¡°Shall we go?¡±

    ¡°Potor, are you ready?¡± Varig asked the old dwarf, who merely grumbled in reply.

    ¡°Great, then if everyone has their gear in order, let us go.¡± Varig ordered, ¡°To old Ugals.¡±

    With that, everyone gathered into formation, with Joe walking just behind Varig to his left. He insisted that Prolo remain in the back in case any ninjas tried to get shots off on him, to which the boy barely protested. He clearly remembered the knife and bolts he had taken last time, and wasn¡¯t keen to do so again. The tunnel was wide enough for about half-a-Betty to move through it, so the column didn¡¯t have to cramp together too tightly. Jilamaka was apparently as big as a house right? This tunnel was big but he doubted that something that large would be able to squeeze through it.

    Jilamaka did apparently have the body of a lion¡­ could a giant lion move through anything it could fit its head through? Joe wasn¡¯t sure. They pressed on through the abandoned mines,, the dwarves all producing lanterns that held a small fumu within, giving off a warm glow that illuminated these old eerie tunnels. Deciding to save his flashlights battery, Joe left it off.

    ¡°I see you did good work with the dragon you slew.¡± Varig noted, ¡°Some of the best work I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±

    Joe grinned, ¡°Well thank ya, it took forever but I couldn¡¯t have done it without that magic needle I got from ya.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes, I remember.¡± Varig nodded, ¡°Is that how you managed to get the scales attached without puncturing them? I see no stitching.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly right.¡¯ Joe replied, ¡°Makes it look like I ripped it straight off the body don¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°How many scales do you have left?¡± Varig asked, ¡°I¡¯d be willing to buy a cloak like that, as well as some armor.¡±

    Joe considered the offer. It would be a pain in the ass but there was definitely good money to be made here¡­ or maybe even more magic items. Then a thought struck him.

    ¡°What would you be willing to give me for a set like this?¡± Joe asked.

    Varig laughed, ¡°Basically anything. Such armor is hardly seen anywhere in creation, I intend to make it a family heirloom for the Ugal line. Just name your price.¡±

    ¡°Alright, you mind if I whisper something to ya?¡± He asked.

    Varig shrugged, and Joe leaned toward him as they walked, and said, ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t get all mopey and offended if I ask for something?¡±

    Varig¡¯s eyes found his, and they locked for a long while before Varig sighed, ¡°Very well. Ask your question.¡±

    ¡°If I make you a set of dragonbone plate n¡¯ armor¡­ would you tell me what the debt of the elves is?¡± He whispered.

    Varig¡¯s eyes widened for an instant before turning into a sharp glare, ¡°How dare-¡±

    ¡°Come on man, you promised.¡± Joe said sufferingly, ¡°If ya can¡¯t tell me then just don¡¯t. But remember, you said ¡®anything¡¯ right? I¡¯ll make ya that armor if you tell me.¡±

    ¡°Why would you want to know such a thing?¡± Varig asked, ¡°It bears no importance to your kind.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± Joe said honestly.

    That, and he wanted to let Sera know. If the elves knew what the debt was, they would be able to repay it and end this millenia long silent treatment. Varig however, shook his head, remaining quiet for a long while.

    ¡°You will make me the armor once we return to Ugals, you will not be allowed to leave until it is done. In exchange, I will tell you the elven debt, but you must not share it with anyone.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay in Ugals.¡± Joe nodded, not wanting to promise the second part openly.

    He felt like a scumbag doing it, but he really wanted to be able to tell Sera what the debt was.

    ¡°Tell me that you will not share it with anyone else.¡± Varig said with a glare, ¡°If you don¡¯t give your word to me then the deal is forfeit.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯ll tell no other man about it.¡± Joe said¡­ feeling like garbage for twisting his words.

    Varig stared for a long while, ¡°Wait until we set up camp, then I will tell you of the debt.¡±

    Lord forgive him for manipulating Varig and taking advantage of his trust. He questioned why he was going through so much effort to get this information¡­ but all he could come back to was Sera. He really wanted to tell her what it was because¡­ he couldn¡¯t rationalize why, but he just thought that it would make her happy. Was that why he was doing this? Just to see her smile?

    What a joke.

    As they continued moving through the tunnel, Joe found himself more and more regretting his actions. Something like buyer¡¯s guilt plagued him as he thought about the armor he¡¯d need to craft for Varig¡­ it was going to take weeks at least, and he¡¯d need to get the guy¡¯s measurements and get the proper pieces made¡­ was it worth it just for this secret? Well¡­

    potentially, he didn¡¯t just have to tell Sera. If he ever met any elves that would be interested in the truth, he could sell it to them for a decent price. Then again, they might not even believe that he knew. Sure, Sera would believe him for sure, but he had no idea what other elves would think of him.

    After a few hours of travel through these twisting tunnels passed, the dwarves seemed ready to set up camp for the night. Varig ordered a cease to their marching, to which Potor seemed grateful, knuckling the small of his back as his bedroll was laid out for him by a guard. Prolo moved toward Joe, waving to get his attention- but Varig shooed him away, telling the boy to give them a moment. Prolo seemed mildly irritated by this, but said nothing of it, crossing his arms and waiting for their talk to conclude.

    Varig and Joe moved a decent distance away from the group, urging his guards to remain behind as he discussed ¡®tactics¡¯ with Joseph. They did not object to the order of their prince, continuing to set up camp.

    ¡°Alright Joseph.¡± Varig said, ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    Joe hesitated for a moment, considering going back on the deal, but his curiosity got the better of him, ¡°Yeah. Spill the beans.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Varig asked, ¡°Is that some sort of Outworlder saying?¡±

    ¡°Byeah.¡± Joe replied.

    ¡°Ah, alright then.¡± Varig nodded, taking a deep breath. ¡°Our relationship with the elves had always been amicable in the past, before the debt was incurred anyhow. That all changed however, only a few centuries after Faenor was created.¡± He explained, ¡°In the distant past, the elves had a curse placed upon their race, dooming them to an early grave. We did not wish to see our friends die, and so we devised a way to save their race¡­ a second ¡®curse¡¯.¡± Varig said, air-quoting the word, ¡°It cost a great sacrifice, but within a decade we were able to create a proper curse to place upon the elves¡­ eternal life.¡±

    Joe blinked, ¡°How is eternal life a curse? I don¡¯t get it.¡±

    ¡°The curse placed upon the elven race was a ¡®quickening¡¯, done by a vessel of Shenra before The Ban was implemented by The Overseer.¡± Varig explained, ¡°He is the Faelord of Trickery and Cruelty, and on a whim had cursed the elves¡­ Had we not intervened, the longest an elf would live to would be about ten years of age, as they would have rapidly gone through their life cycles, becoming physically ancient at the end of the decade. Originally, The Overseer had blessed them with already near-eternal life, and Shenra took it upon himself to alter his father¡¯s design. Elves nearly went extinct from this, and it broke our hearts.¡± Varig said, his head hanging, ¡°To some, eternal life is a curse¡­ but to elves, that was what is normal.¡±

    ¡°A Faelord did this?¡± Joe asked, ¡°I guess that¡¯s why ya couldn¡¯t just un-curse them, huh?¡±

    ¡°Aye, not even another Faelord could undo such a thing.¡± Varig nodded.

    ¡°But you could put on a second curse¡­¡± Joe said, tapping his fingers together as he thought, ¡°With another Faelord.¡±

    Varig nodded, ¡°Our king at the time, Garick the Humble, sacrificed his body to Kagor¡­ Faelord of War and Wrath.¡±

    Joe¡¯s brows knit together, ¡°Why? Why did Garick have to sacrifice himself, and why would a god of war be able to put a curse of eternal life on something?¡±

    ¡°Before The Ban, the Faelords could afford to be more picky about who they inhabited. Kagor demanded the King of the Dwarves and no less, and Garick obliged him, sacrificing himself to save the elves.¡± Varig explained, ¡°As for why he could use such a curse¡­ something that lives forever can fight forever, and he was the only Faelord strong enough to counteract Shenra, his hated brother. Still, so strong was the curse that it took Kagor ten years to make his more powerful than Shenra¡¯s.¡± Varig said, ¡°It was after this that The Ban was put in place, when the Overseer realized just how much he¡¯d underestimated his children''s influence on creation¡­ At least, that is what we assume.¡±

    ¡°...Couldn¡¯t the Overseer just undo the curse?¡± Joe asked, ¡°I¡¯m guessing he¡¯s stronger than Shenra right? Why didn¡¯t he just fix it himself?¡±

    ¡°The Overseer can only view one Shard at a time, when he discovered what had happened it was too late¡­ that, and Kagor had already essentially fixed the problem himself. Our annals claim that he just left the two curses in place, to save the effort of reversing them¡­ but the truth is, we don¡¯t know for sure.¡±

    ¡°I thought your history was a hundred percent accurate?¡± Joe asked, ¡°You just said you don¡¯t know for sure and that you ¡®assume¡¯ that¡¯s why The Overseer did The Ban.¡±

    ¡°It is, but that does not mean that our recorders are omnipotent. It is merely speculation as to why he didn¡¯t remove the curses, and the recorders made this plain. Think about it Joseph, would we have been able to ask the Overseer why he made this decision?¡± Varig asked.

    Joe bit his cheek, ¡°Yeah I guess not.¡±

    ¡°So now you know why the elve¡¯s debt is impossible to repay.¡± Varig said with a sigh, ¡°One of their rulers must sacrifice themselves to save our race from extinction¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a tall order, especially since you won¡¯t tell ¡®em nothin¡¯.¡± Joe said with a frown. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s going a bit far? They were your friends, why not just wipe the slate and forgive the debt? Or at least let them know what it is they owe you at least?¡±

    ¡°Telling them the debt would insult their memory.¡± Varig said, ¡°We would not rub salt into the wound that way, it is shameful. We cannot forgive the debt either, if we were to do that, what would stop us from forgiving the rest of the races for what they owe us? Doing that would let everyone know that the dwarven race can be taken advantage of, and we cannot allow that.¡± Varig said, crossing his arms.

    ¡°Varig.¡± Joe said, shaking his head, ¡°There ain¡¯t no elves alive from that time that can even remember that stuff¡­ probably anyway, and even if there were, they don¡¯t have rock solid histories like you, they probably lost it all. Have a heart.¡±

    ¡°Have a heart?¡± Varig growled, ¡°King Garick had a heart, and he gave it to the elves, how dare you imply that we¡¯re cruel to them. We want this repaid more than the debt of any other race, but it is impossible.¡±

    Joe raised a hand, ¡°Calm down.¡± He said softly, ¡°I ain¡¯t sayin¡¯ that. What I¡¯m sayin¡¯, is put yerself in their shoes. Think about it from their perspective. Ancestral friends just given¡¯ ya the silent treatment, not even telling ya the reason? I¡¯m sure they¡¯d love to know why, I don¡¯t think they¡¯d be insulted by you reminding them.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to understand.¡± Varig replied, shaking his head, ¡°To remind someone of something is one of the gravest insults a dwarf can do to someone, it implies stupidity and incompetence-¡±

    ¡°For a dwarf that don¡¯t forget nothing.¡± Joe cut him off, ¡°Yeah for sure, but humans, elves, orcs and whatever else is out there, they forget things. I don¡¯t even remember what I ate four days ago, reminding folk of something they forgot ain¡¯t insulting when they ain¡¯t a dwarf. Our minds ain¡¯t steel traps like yers, just think about that.¡±

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Varig fell silent for a long while, glaring up at Joseph the entire time. Eventually though, his features softened, and he sighed, ¡°Perhaps¡­ perhaps there is merit to your words. Yet, this is not something I can compromise on, it goes against every fiber of my being.¡±

    Joe wanted to groan. Damn fantasy people and their dang ol¡¯ cultural hang-ups. Well, the thought was in Varig¡¯s head now, maybe it¡¯d eat at him enough that he¡¯ll be able to let this big secret loose on his own. Maybe.

    ¡°Ya know, the king fella, Garick the Humble, he¡¯s a good guy for doing that. He must have loved the elves a lot to sacrifice himself for ¡®em.¡± Joe told Varig.

    ¡°He did.¡± Varig nodded, ¡°His people pleaded with him not to do this, as he was beloved by all dwarves that knew him at that time.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a good guy in my book. I got a verse I wanna share with ya, it¡¯s from The Bible, a book of faith from my world.¡± Joe said, clearing his throat, ¡°John 15:13: There is no greater love than this: that a person would lay down his life for the sake of his friends.¡±

    ¡°King Garick loved the elves as if they were his own kindred.¡± Varig nodded, ¡°That is a good verse, I think it applies to the old king well.¡±

    ¡°God rest his soul.¡± Joe said, ¡°Now let¡¯s head back, we¡¯re gettin¡¯ weird looks.¡±

    ¡°Aye.¡±

    The two then went back, slinging off their rucksacks and getting to work setting up their sleeping areas. Prolo approached, looking like he wanted to ask a question.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell ya.¡± Joe stated, ¡°Sorry, hands are tied.¡±

    Varig looked up and nodded at Joseph before going back to work. Prolo looked somewhat dejected, but shrugged.

    ¡°Very well then, I will not press the issue.¡± Prolo said, ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t involve us searching for Jilamaka.¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°No way.¡±

    Prolo sighed in relief, ¡°Thank The Overseer, I thought that Varig was trying to convince you to hunt that beast. Anyway, how do you plan to take on the Black Hand once we reach their fortress?¡±

    ¡°I packed some stuff called ¡®c4¡¯, if we ain¡¯t seen I¡¯ll plant a few around their base and cause a cave in.¡± Joe said.

    ¡°I thought you wanted to loot them? You said so yourself.¡± Prolo pointed out, ¡°Unless you plan on mining through thousands of pounds worth of crumbled rock?¡±

    ¡°I will loot it, if the c4 thing don¡¯t work out.¡± Joe explained, ¡°I was just thinkin¡¯ that it might be better to avoid any risky confrontations, if possible anyway.¡±

    ¡°At the expense of amazing loot?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°I¡¯m shocked that you would shirk such an opportunity.¡±

    ¡°Our lives are more important, kid.¡± Joe said flatly, ¡°Trust me, if the c4 plan don¡¯t work, we¡¯ll kill ¡®em the old fashioned way.¡±

    ¡°You may want to discuss this plan with Prince Varig.¡± Prolo pointed out, ¡°He may not want you to bury old Ugals, what if they want to excavate it eventually?¡±

    That was a good point¡­ Varig might not want to do this the safest way possible.Not for glory in battle or to claim riches from the Black Hand, but to preserve their history.

    ¡°I¡¯ll talk with him about it.¡± Joe assured, ¡°You get yer bedroll set up?¡± Joe asked, ¡°Did you eat today? You drank some water right?¡±

    ¡°You sound like a grandmother.¡± Prolo said flatly.

    ¡°I¡¯m old enough to be your great-great grandmother.¡± Joe retorted, ¡°Did you eat?¡±

    Prolo groaned, ¡°Yes grandmother, I did.¡±

    ¡°This pleases granny.¡± Joe laughed.

    The rest of the night passed by uneventfully, with everybody save for old Potor taking watch in shifts. The guards tried to assure Varig that he didn¡¯t have to do so, but the prince insisted. Coincidentally, he and Joseph ended up on watch together, and during that time Joe discussed his c4 plan with him. As Prolo suspected, Varig was against the plan, wanting to preserve old Ugals if possible. Varig did say however that if the odds were impossible, that blowing it up would be unavoidable.

    Well, they would have to see about that in the next couple days. The rest of their shift was spent discussing c4 and how it worked, and Varig expressed interest in learning how to create it. It seemed like every time he and Varig got to talkin¡¯, the conversation would inevitably end up moving toward business. He¡¯d tell ¡®em how to make c4, but only if he agreed that the dwarves would forge for him metal walls in the dimensions that he requested. If he wanted to get making those extra rooms in Betty, he¡¯d need walls to do it. It would take a few months after the commission was made, but Varig would see that they got done.

    Honestly, he could probably drain the dwarves dry with all the things he could show them¡­ maybe he should? He could teach ¡®em how to use electricity, show off more guns, show ¡®em some movies, really Joe could get whatever he wanted from the dwarves if he kept trading info.

    And that was exactly what he was gonna do while he made Varig his armor, but negotiations on all that stuff could wait until after this Black Hand business was done. Once everyone had rested, they set out again, and Joe took the time to talk with old Potor, who only grumbled when asked what spell he knew. One of the guards only said that it would be used if needed, and left it at that. What, was it rude to ask what spells could be used or something? He supposed it was at that, he remembered that Sera had told him something similar to that before.

    Well whatever it was, it better be good. It was the third day when they finally left that long winding tunnel, coming to an old, destroyed dwarven gate, the twin of the one back in new Ugals. However this ruined one had no killboxes, and only reached halfway up to the cavernous ceiling. The old gate had been torn through like a can of soup, and long rends could be seen in the stone.

    ¡°The claws of Jilamaka¡­¡± Varig breathed, ¡°They had to have been incredibly sharp indeed to leave such an impression.¡±

    ¡°Strong too.¡± Joe noted, pointing to the peeled gate, ¡°Just to be able to tear right through that thing.¡±

    ¡°It was unstoppable, our crossbows did nothing to it¡­¡± Varig whispered, looking down at his shotgun, ¡°But this, this may be able to do something.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope we don¡¯t gotta use ¡®em.¡± Joe replied, ¡°Just the thought of seein¡¯ this thing makes me nervous.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see what happens.¡± Varig said, putting on his helmet, ¡°Let us see the home of our ancestors.¡± He continued to his men.

    The guards all raised their shotguns, clearly ready to get to work. Potor seemed a tad less grumpy as he looked at the entrance to old Ugals, his eyes seeming to light up with excitement. Prolo seemed nervous, but determined, his face hardening beneath his salet. Joe himself¡­ well, frankly he just wanted to get this done and get out of there as quickly as possible, just in case Jilamaka was still kicking around somewhere.

    They all passed through the ruined gate, seeing the remnants of old Ugals. Ancient buildings made of stone blocks lay ruined, having caved in by lack of maintenance or from being crushed by presumably Jilamaka. Shattered bricks lay everywhere, and rusted bits of steel could be seen in the glow of the dwarve¡¯s fumu lanterns. There were even wild fumu that floated about aimlessly through old Ugals, illuminating the ancient smoothed streets. Seeing the carnage that had been wrought upon the ancient city, Joseph found himself wondering if extravagance was the only reason that new Ugals had been made out of solid steel.

    Claw marks were everywhere¡­ but even more numerous then that was the stout skeletons that had been left behind. As they moved through old Ugals, they came across thousands of them, with cracked skulls and shattered ribcages. Armored skeletons lay strewn everywhere, their armor having been clawed apart or crushed like soda cans. Joe felt spikes of wrath whenever he saw the smaller skeletons¡­ Children that had been running for their lives but couldn¡¯t escape.

    Varig and his men seemed enraged by this as well, some of them exclaiming that they would take revenge if Jilamaka appeared. Joe couldn¡¯t knock them for their desire to get back at the creature¡­ if he saw it at this point he might take a crack at it himself. No matter how tough it was, a block of c4 would humble it. He gripped his poleaxe tightly, trying to make himself see reason. A monster like this was to be avoided, it had decimated an entire city of dwarves and had barely taken a scratch. Then again¡­ Joe had already slain a massive legendary monster, all it had taken was a few slugs and that dragon had died. He was with a team of twenty dwarves that all had arguably better versions of his Benneli, Jilamaka might be toast if they ran into it.

    Not to mention the mage and Prolo, who had a gun of his own, though being a glock it wouldn¡¯t have as much punch as a shotgun. They continued through the ruined streets at a good pace, keeping their eyes peeled for anything suspicious. The Black Hand¡¯s base was in here somewhere, the question was, where? Everything from the tallest towers from the lowest stone hut was empty, that was if they weren¡¯t completely destroyed. Hours passed of them combing old Ugals, but still nothing could be found¡­ that was until Joe heard a rustling behind a pile of debris.

    Joe raised his hand, calling attention to the debris silently. The others all raised their shotguns to the mound of rubble, ready to blow whatever it was to hell. Remembering the lesson that Henry taught him, he leaned his poleaxe down into the crook of his arm, lifting his own shotgun and taking aim. Before anything else could happen, the source of the noise emerged¡­

    Wielding a club and clutching a large rat by the tail, emerged a goblin. Its yellow goat-eyes went wide at seeing them, snarling for a moment before it realized how outnumbered it was. The goblin looked to the group of dwarves, then back to his club, then back up again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give ya me rat if ya let me go.¡± The goblin bartered, ¡°Okay, half-a-rat and no more. A quarter actually¡­ can I just give you the tail?¡± It asked, ¡°Half the tail, a quarter-¡±

    ¡°What are you doing down here in our ancestral home?¡± Varig questioned, tone offended.

    The goblin lifted up the rat, ¡°Huntin¡¯, was ¡®ungry.¡±

    ¡°How many of you are ¡®round here?¡± Joe asked, keeping his gun level, ¡°Tell the truth.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ clans about¡­ hmm¡­¡± The goblin considered, ¡°About one bunch.¡±

    Joe¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°How much is a bunch.¡±

    The goblin dropped the rat, and began picking its long nose as it thought, ¡°Hmm, a billion? That¡¯s a big word.¡±

    ¡°A billion goblins?¡± Prolo said, shaking his head, ¡°Are there more of you then there are of us?¡±

    It shrugged, ¡°Probably.¡±

    ¡°Look pal,¡± Joe said, surprised at the goblin¡¯s reticence to attack, ¡°We¡¯re doing something important right now, is your clan gonna be a problem?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think so, nest is back a ways, long ways, just me here now.¡± He replied, ¡°You here to talk with the cave-folk?¡±

    Joe and Varig looked to one-another before the prince addressed the question, ¡°The cave-folk? Do you refer to your own kind?¡±

    ¡°Naw.¡± It said, waving its hand dismissively, ¡°The humies that live in this cave. I¡¯ve seens them around before, bein¡¯ all sneaky like. Humies always bring ratties with ¡®em, so their cave¡¯s a good huntin¡¯ ground. They let the clan come and so we can take their ratties away.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re here to see them.¡± Joe said, ¡°We got a lot of things to talk about, but they didn¡¯t give us good directions. You know where to go pal? What¡¯s yer name?¡± He asked, trying to be polite.

    This one was different than the goblins he¡¯d met on the surface, it seemed better able to reason, though Joe hadn¡¯t been able to communicate with those first ones. Well, time to see how this interaction would go.

    ¡°Nine!¡± The goblin replied proudly, ¡°I¡¯m Nine, ninth bornteded or whatever. Now erm¡­ the humie place, uh¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you lead us to it?¡± Prolo asked.

    Nine frowned, ¡°They said they don¡¯t wants us getting close or they¡¯d string us upside down n¡¯ beat us up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make it worth your while.¡± Joe said, lowering his Benneli and rifling through his rucksack.

    Nine¡¯s long ears peaked, ¡°You knew it was my birthday?¡±

    Joe paused, ¡°Uh, yeah. Happy birthday sport. Anyway, I got this thing here,¡± He said, presenting a chocolate bar, ¡°This is the most delicious thing in the world, and I¡¯ll give you a piece of it if you lead us to ¡®em.¡±

    Joseph had to tear off the exterior wrapper before he brought it along, if any dwarves read the alien text on it they would have suspected him.

    Nine considered, ¡°I need to¡­ words words¡­ ah! I need to sample it! What if you¡¯re trying to feed me poop?¡±

    Joe scoffed, ¡°It ain¡¯t poop, look.¡± He said, opening the bar, it¡¯s chocolate.¡±

    ¡°Sure looks like poop to me, I ain¡¯t falling for that trick again.¡± Nine said, shaking his head.

    Falling for it again? Joe shook his head, ¡°Just take a sniff then, you¡¯ll see.¡± He said, snapping off a square before tossing it to Nine.

    The goblin eyed the square suspiciously for a long while before he knelt down before the chocolate, leaning down to give it a tentative smell, ¡°Doesn¡¯t smell like poop¡­ Maybe just a nibble.¡±

    Nine then picked up the square, squeezing it to test its firmness before popping it in his mouth, chewing lightly before his yellow eyes widened. Voraciously Nine chewed through the sugary block of goodness, looking up greedily.

    ¡°More!¡± He demanded, ¡°I¡¯ll give you this whole rat for more, a half actually, a quar-¡±

    ¡°Not interested.¡± Joe cut him off, ¡°Take us to where our friends are, and I might give you the rest of the bar. A half, a quarter, maybe another square.¡± Joe said.

    He didn¡¯t exactly have infinite chocolate bars at home¡­ and he¡¯d been looking forward to eating this one after the fighting was done.

    ¡°Peas in a pod.¡± Prolo remarked.

    Joe ignored the jab, ¡°Also, you know if there¡¯s any big scary monsters around here?¡±

    ¡°Naw.¡± Nine said, ¡°Just us, humies, and ratties.¡±

    Nine paused, ¡°Can I get chocolate for that?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Joe replied, ¡°Now where do we gotta go?¡±

    ¡°You just have to-¡± Nine paused, ¡°Wait a minute, give me the chocolate first!¡± He yelled, holding out his hand, palm up.

    Joe sneered, ¡°Take us to our friends first.¡±

    Nine grumbled, ¡°A square now, another square once we get there.¡±

    ¡°Half a square, then the other half once we get there.¡± Joe countered.

    He was not going to part with more chocolate than what was necessary. While Nine thought of the offer, Varig approached him, keeping his gun level on Nine as he went.

    ¡°Why are we negotiating with this creature? Threaten to end its life and it will obey you.¡± Varig whispered, ¡°I plan to kill it once it outlives its usefulness anyhow.¡±

    They could do that, just threaten Nine until they got what they wanted, but his gut told him diplomacy was the right approach.

    ¡°That ain¡¯t nice bud.¡± Joe said, ¡°Look at him, he¡¯s just a little guy, he ain¡¯t done nothin¡¯ wrong.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so foolish.¡± Varig said harshly, ¡°Did you forget where we met? Where I was, what these things forced me to do?¡±

    That was true. Goblins had taken Varig hostage after that dragon destroyed his convoy, forcing him to do manual labor. It was no shock that he¡¯d want Nine dead.

    ¡°Look, if he thinks he has something to gain from it, he won¡¯t lead us astray, right?¡± Joe reasoned, ¡°If we threaten him, he could give us wrong directions or lead us straight to his nest where all his ¡®billions¡¯ of friends are. Plus, you remember what he just said, he¡¯s the only goblin out here right now, if he dies and doesn¡¯t come back, they might send more to find him. We don¡¯t want that. Givin¡¯ him the chocolate will incentivize the little freak to take us to the right place.¡±

    ¡°Or he¡¯ll take us to his nest anyway to have his kindred seize the chocolate from you by force.¡± Varig argued, ¡°And so what if one goblin dies? I doubt that they would care if he never came back.¡±

    ¡°No no,¡± Joe said, shaking his head, ¡°Think about it, if he tells his pals about the chocolate, then they¡¯re all gonna want a piece. This guy ain¡¯t gonna wanna share Varig, think about it. And frankly, you don¡¯t know if these gobs won¡¯t care that Nine¡¯s gone missing, maybe they would. That¡¯s not a risk we should take, I don¡¯t wanna be fighting ninjas and goblins at the same time.¡±

    Varig sighed, ¡°While it is insufferable to think about letting this wretched thing live¡­ I will go along with your plan. However, if this thing does anything suspicious, I will end it on the spot.¡±

    Joe nodded, ¡°Fair enough.¡±

    ¡°We will go with you, creature.¡± Varig declared, ¡°For the agreed fee made between you two. Now let us be off!¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Nine: Forgotten Beast

    ¡°Then I says to me brotha, ¡®you can¡¯t mix rat tail and crab legs raw¡¯ and then he told me, he says ¡®that I don¡¯t know fin dinning¡¯¡± Nine exclaimed as he picked his way forward through the ruined streets of old Ugals, ¡°Cans you believe that? I know fin dinning! I make da best cave crab rat kebab in the whole everthing!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡± Joe replied half-heartedly.

    ¡°Right!?¡± Nine exclaimed, ¡°So I bonked him on the head and da screamed at me fer it! He was askin¡¯ for it he was!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡± Joe repeated again.

    ¡°Right!?¡± Nine exclaimed again, launching into yet another tirade.

    Nine was an absolute critter but damn he did not ever shut up. This was not how he thought running into goblins down here would go. He thought that it would have been a shotgun genocide frankly, but apparently not. Maybe the deeper into the earth goblins went, the more¡­ he struggled to say ¡®civilized¡¯ they became. Then a thought struck him. If Faenor consisted of Shards from other planets fused together through the use of Fog-Gates¡­ How deep would the Shard go? Did it have a molten core at the bottom or could you dig your way into outer space?

    ¡°Hey Varig.¡± Joe said, getting the Prince¡¯s attention as he walked just beside him, ¡°How deep do Shards go?¡± He finished in a whisper only the dwarf could hear.

    If Nine noticed that his story was being ignored, he did not show it.

    Varig considered for a moment, his eyes not leaving Nine¡¯s back the whole time, ¡°That is a difficult question. We¡¯ve never dug to the bottom of this Shard, nor would we want to. Our annals warn us against digging too deep, for there are horrible beasts to be found in the depths. Forgotten Beasts, such as Jilamaka.¡±

    ¡°You saying that there are even more of them things running around down here?¡± Joe asked, eyes widening, ¡°Rat-headed lion things?¡±

    Varig shook his head, ¡°Not exactly, Forgotten Beasts come in all shapes and sizes¡­ some are far less dangerous than Jilamaka, but others are far worse. Our annals describe beings that can fly, breathing poison and bleeding acid, while others record monsters no bigger than you or I, but with claws that can rend stone and eyes that can paralyze any that look into them. Some are just made of fire, while others can be composed of nothing but clay. Their existence is an anomaly, and they follow no set pattern in the forms they take. None know where they come from or what goes into creating one, but they are present in all Shards, not just Everfae.¡±

    Joe paled at hearing this, not just because the prospect of facing more of these creatures was horrific¡­ but because he¡¯d seen such monsters in the wasteland before. He¡¯d seen beasts made of fire, he¡¯d killed what he had called mutants with acidic blood and paralyzing eyes, he¡¯d fought a dozen freaks with Betty that were like that¡­ could the Portal Storms have been bringing in creatures from Faenor?

    Were all the strange creatures that had invaded his world been from Faenor? Joe shook his head, that wasn¡¯t possible. If it were so, he would have seen elves, dwarves, and all manner of other fantasy creatures back on Earth. Still, the thought didn¡¯t leave his mind¡­ after all, the Storms had brought self-proclaimed demons with them as well¡­ which begged the question.

    ¡°Do demons exist on Faenor?¡± Joe asked, taking a shaky breath.

    Varig nodded, ¡°Aye, if you go deep enough, though there is speculation that they are just a more intelligent variant of Forgotten Beast, as their shapes and sizes as well as abilities vary widely.¡±

    Joe released his breath. Well that was a relief, the demons he¡¯d encountered on Earth had all been spectral in nature, only able to possess weak-willed survivors. After that thought, the form the human body would take would mutate to fit the demon¡¯s aspect. He was thankful that no such creature¡¯s existed in Faenor in that sense, on Earth, only a demon¡¯s physical form could be destroyed, but it would linger around after that¡­ harassing whoever killed it¡¯s body in the hopes that they would be easy to take over.

    The demons he killed had never been able to take him over. Oh sure, they would try, but Joe wasn¡¯t gonna be some sock-puppet for some demonic loser. Whenever he had to deal with a demon, the best way to get it off his back was to both mock it and pray to God, that usually got the job done.

    ¡°Now Daemons,¡± Varig said idly, ¡°Those ones are more of an active threat.¡±

    ¡°...What?¡± Joe asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re rare, but they seek out those of weak wills and possess their bodies, twisting them into the shape of their ethereal forms.¡± Varig explained, causing Joe¡¯s blood to run cold, ¡°Thankfully most of these creatures disappeared almost eighty years ago, though we do not know the cause.¡±

    Joe remained silent as his thoughts ran wild, ignoring Nine¡¯s chattering as he thought of the implications of this new knowledge. The demons he had encountered on Earth seemed to work the same as these Daemons from Faenor. Nearly eighty years ago? That matched with when The End took place¡­ By God¡­ The Portal Storms really have been bringing in monsters from Faenor!? He was grateful for the mask he was wearing, for Varig might have suspected that he had gotten sick. In fact, he really did feel sick.

    The demons had been from Faenor this whole time? It couldn¡¯t be, Everfae didn¡¯t have skyscraper long monsters or rapidly expanding mind-controlling fungus. He asked Varig if they had anything similar, but Varig shook his head, saying he¡¯d not seen such a thing before, at least not the fungus. Big monsters could be found across all Shards, but this talk of sapient mushrooms seemed ludicrous to the dwarf.

    He then asked if they had zombies, but unlike Earth, who¡¯s zombies were revived on their own, Faenoran corpses could only be revived via use of a necromancy tomes or a magical item. They also didn¡¯t have giant carnivorous plants or any of the other alien beings he had described, no Shoggoths, no Mi-Go¡­ nothing. In fact, the only thing present on Earth and Faenor had been Daemons¡­ and possibly these Forgotten Beasts. Was it all just a coincidence?

    Before he could think on it further, the column came to an abrupt halt, with Nine placing his hands on his hips before smirking triumphantly, still clutching his rat and club. The Goblin stood atop a large boulder that sat between two collapsed pillars, creating a wide chokepoint that led into an abandoned plaza surrounded by ruined buildings. The roofs looked eerie, and Joe found it difficult to pull his gaze away from them. Perfect hiding spots for ninjas. Joe stood on his toes, looking over Nine¡¯s head to see an ancient ruin beyond the plaza, a squat, wide stone building with a domed roof and a wide open entrance. Like the rest of old Ugals, it bore engravings that had faded with the passage of time, but despite looking abandoned¡­ Joe could see a dim light beyond it. Yet he couldn¡¯t see any ninjas posted outside on watch.

    They could be invisible or out of sight completely, but Joe was certain that Nine had led them to the right place. He pulled out the chocolate bar, snapped off a square, and tossed it to Nine, who leapt forward to meet it, catching it in his mouth like an eager dog. After Nine finished devouring the chocolate, the goblin sighed.

    ¡°Wells, time for me to gets goin¡¯. Have fun talking with ¡®em! Don¡¯t tell them I brought ya here though, or I¡¯ll need another square of choccy to forgive you!¡± He exclaimed, ¡°Two squares, four, the whole bar, no, two bars-¡±

    ¡°Would you get out of here?¡± Varig said, shooing Nine away, ¡°We¡¯re done with you, now begone.¡±

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    Nine grumbled, but picked his way past the dwarves, dragging his rat behind him as he went. Joe wasn¡¯t sure why¡­ but his gut told him that he¡¯d be seeing the little freak again. He was thankful that they had finally reached the base of the Black Hand, it would keep his thoughts away from The End. He popped his back, turning to Varig and the rest of the party.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think no one would be able to see us from here, but just in case lets all crouch down, no reason to make it easy for ¡®em, and just in case they already spotted us, keep yer heads on a swivel. If they know we¡¯re coming, they¡¯ll probably wanna stab us in the back, Prolo move to the center of the column since yer armor is a bit squishier than ours, and the back three there, stay turned around and walk backward with us.¡± Joe said, gesturing with his hands.

    ¡°Potor, move to the center with young Pienturshuld, ready yourself to cast, and when the need arises, do so.¡± Varig ordered, ¡°Keep your throats guarded, these types will go for the weakest spot of your armor, especially if they can catch you by surprise. Do not let them, as Joseph said, keep watch all around us.¡± Varig continued, pointing to the building, ¡°Joseph, as you have the strongest armor present, I suggest that you take point, keep an eye out for any traps as well¡­ you know how to spot traps I assume?¡±

    Joe nodded, ¡°I do.¡±

    He didn¡¯t want to be the first one in, but Varig did have a good point. There was nothing the ninjas could do to get through his armor¡­ unless they had a magic bone-cutting knife as he did. He¡¯d take point, but he¡¯d not be arrogant and simply let the ninjas attack him. Joe reminded himself that overconfidence is a slow, and insidious killer.

    ¡°I want everyone to keep this in mind too.¡± Joe said, ¡°I had the thought before we got to old Ugals, but they might be ready for us already. There was a Black Hand fella on Betty when I pulled into the gate, if any other ones were around that saw me come into new Ugals, they might have reported that I did.¡± He cleared his throat then, ¡°So Prince Varig, I want to plant c4 on that there temple, and blow it to hell.¡±

    Varig considered, but shook his head, ¡°We don¡¯t know how deep it goes, nor if there are any other entrances to their lair that they themselves have carved out. It could be like burying just one mound of an ant hill, not to mention the loss of our history. I say that we must go in despite the risks.¡±

    ¡°Why do that?¡± Prolo asked from the center of the column, ¡°They want me and Joseph, could we not lure them out into a firing squad with our presence?¡±

    Joe considered, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, but if they¡¯re smart they wouldn¡¯t fall for that. They won¡¯t be expectin¡¯ shotguns sure, but they might think crossbows¡¯ll be at the ready.¡±

    ¡°Remember the manor?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°If they can do that again they won¡¯t care about the trap, they¡¯ll blur right up to us and start stabbing.¡±

    ¡°Well if they do that, then the firing squad plan won¡¯t work.¡± Joe pointed out.

    ¡°Fair point.¡± Prolo said with a sigh, ¡°So what are we going to do then?¡±

    ¡°Actually.¡± Potor piped up, his low voice raspy, ¡°I say try with young Pienturshuld¡¯s plan¡­ this blurring will not work with me present, I assure you.¡±

    Joe looked to the old dwarf, ¡°Wanna elaborate on that?¡±

    Potor didn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°Do not be stubborn, old man.¡± Varig scolded, ¡°This is important, if you will not tell him what it does, then I will-¡±

    Varig was cut off when he heard Joe gasp, and they all turned to see an army of blurring figures rapidly approaching their position. Damn it all, the Black Hand did know they were here! The dwarves all ran forward, kneeling on either side of the boulder before raising their shotguns, aiming them down at the horde of blurs. There had to be a hundred ninjas pouring out of the entrance to the temple, all closing in on their little group and fast. Prolo drew his pistol, holding it awkwardly toward the crowd but holding his fire. In fact, none of the dwarves fired, realizing that their shots would all phase right through. Joe raised his shotgun regardless, hoping that whatever Potor had up his sleeve would work.

    He turned his head to see the old dwarf standing tall, clapping his hands together three times in rapid succession before he screamed, ¡°Cancellation!¡±

    A translucent orange bubble then formed around Potor, and expanded rapidly, engulfing Joe and everyone else in its field. Still it expanded, reaching the now retreating ninja¡¯s as they were caught inside it. Joe watched with awe as the blurring dissipated, like the bubble forced the fog free from their bodies. The sphere expanded further, Potor breathing heavily as the entire temple became engulfed too by his spell.

    ¡°Fire!¡± Joe screamed.

    The damn ninjas had gotten arrogant, and would now pay the ultimate price for it. Shotgun slugs flew forward, blowing off limbs and opening backs, sending the ninjas to the ground, screaming in agony if they didn¡¯t just outright die. Prolo too shot his gun, but Joe couldn¡¯t tell if he had hit any of the ninjas with it. His ears rang as he and the dwarves unleashed hell onto the Black Hand, turning the plaza before the temple into a bloodbath.

    The firing line advanced into the plaza, continuing to gun down the Black Hand in droves as they retreated back into the temple. They hadn¡¯t been expecting Potor¡¯s magic, in fact, if the old dwarf hadn¡¯t been present¡­ their plan of attack may just have worked. Joe didn¡¯t advance on the firing line, loading in new slugs before he turned, checking to see if any were sneaking up on them¡­ and to his horror, there were. Their blurring had been dispelled as well, but they had crossbows trained on the backs of the dwarves firing on their fellows.

    ¡°Turn around!¡± He shouted, but it was too late.

    A dozen crossbow bolts flew forth, and while most of them plinked off the dwarves'' armor uselessly¡­ three embedded themselves into Potor¡¯s back. The old dwarf stumbled, but remained upright, keeping the palms of his hands pressed together despite the harrowing wounds he¡¯d received. The bubble flickered at these injuries, and Joe rushed over to him, blocking a dozen more bolts before they could penetrate.

    Damn, if Potor died here, the Black Hand would likely win this fight! The three dwarves that had been keeping watch in the back had not done so once the Black Hand had emerged from the ruin, having hastily joined the firing line despite Joe¡¯s instructions. There would be time to scold them later. He fired at the ninjas, blowing holes through them right alongside Varig¡¯s dwarves, the warriors turning to fire into the new threat. There had only been a dozen of them, the Black Hand attacking their flank quickly turned to chunks of bloody mist as gunfire underlit gleaming dwarven plate. Potor fell to one knee, keeping his hands together even as blood began seeping from his mouth.

    He heard a gurgling scream as one of the twenty guard-dwarves fell, clutching a bolt that had sunk into his neck. Three more Black Hand men had found a vantage point on a rooftop overlooking them, and Joe raised his shotgun, the slug clipping one ninja¡¯s skull and sending the body falling limp to the stone floor. The other two scattered, ducking out of sight before Joe could get another shot off on them. The dwarf that had been shot gave a bloody growl, giving up on staunching the bleeding before raising his shotgun, running toward the temple even as blood fountained from his ruined throat.

    More bolts flew from the rooftops surrounding the plaza, and the guard was riddled with dozens of bolts, another hitting his throat before he fell forward again. Why had he done that? Was it to reveal the trap the Black Hand had set up on the roofs? Well whatever the reason, he wasn¡¯t going to let it go to waste. Joseph, Prolo, and Varig all let loose on the rooftops, the guards following their example and blasting the ninjas atop them to hell. Another dwarf fell, but not from a bolt.

    A Black Hand had managed to sneak up on him in the confusion, wrapping steel wire around his neck before wrenching on it with all his might, dragging him off into the darkness. The dwarves hesitated to shoot¡­ but Joseph had no such proclivities, he could already tell the guard was dead based on how limp the body was. Joe fired, the slug punching through the dead dwarf¡¯s helmet and shredding through the ninja¡¯s chest. He then continued firing at the rooftops, the ninjas returning fire with their inferior yet more numerous weaponry.

    When the roof ninja¡¯s were driven off, Joe noticed a black armored figure emerging from the entrance of the temple, with a dozen more Black Hand goons accompanying him. That was Yugo! He had gotten his armor back, either by tracking it or because he had known where it had been left, but right now the specifics didn¡¯t matter. Joe fired on the figure, but the slug seemed to warp around him, quickly orbiting Yugo¡¯s body before flying straight back at Joe! It impacted with his chestplate, knocking the wind out of him and nearly sending him sprawling backward. Joe dug his heel into the stone and remained upright, but breathing was difficult now¡­ at least his armor was still completely intact. Thank God he had killed that stupid dragon!

    Why wasn¡¯t the cancellation stopping that crap!? Did it only work on spells and not magical items? He¡¯d need to figure out a way to deal with him before he reached the firing line, if those daggers he was wielding were the same he fought Joseph with, then they¡¯d peel right through the dwarves here with little issue.

    ¡°You are mine!¡± Yugo shouted, ¡°I am invincible now, and you won¡¯t be able to put those cuffs on me again. I¡¯ll kill the rest of these and drag you below!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna kick your ass!¡± Joe shouted, lowering his Benneli and bringing up his poleaxe, ¡°Don¡¯t fire at that guy, it won¡¯t work!¡± He warned, ¡°Just leave him to me!¡±

    Truth was, Joe wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d be able to take Yugo on in melee, especially now that the bastard could just reflect things right back at him¡­ He just needed to hold on until the rest of the ninjas were gunned down. Just a few more seconds really, once everyone was finished, they could all pin down Yugo and remove his armor-

    ¡°The dwarves have returned?¡± An impossibly loud voice asked, its presence putting a stop to the incoming battle.

    Everyone froze in place, Joseph, Yugo, the dwarves and ninjas, everybody as they heard this horribly loud, gravelly voice. Cold terror welled up within him as the voice continued to speak.

    ¡°I have not smelled dwarf blood in ages¡­ I warned you to never return. I know you did not forget it.¡± The voice continued, seeming to weigh down on all of old Ugals. So heavy in fact that none could move beneath its weight. ¡°I must have killed the dwarf I told by mistake¡­¡±

    Everyone still remained frozen, and Joe found himself inwardly screaming in horror at his lack of motion. He wanted to fling c4 and blast lead all over the creature, wherever it was, but his damn feet¡­ they just wouldn¡¯t move! A massive head then rose over the domed roof of the temple, shaped like that of a rat. Fumu that floated by it illuminated a patchwork hide of fur and scale, its body like that of a lion. A long tail whipped about behind it, a wagging silhouette that knocked over more ancient buildings.

    Eventually, Joe forced himself to take a step back¡­ but froze again when a fumu drifted by its face. He saw a flash of a grinning¡­ human like mouth, and deep black cavernous eyes that sucked in all the light surrounding them. It¡¯s teeth were bigger than Joe was, and each came to a sharp point, deeply yellow in hue. Massive claws that gleamed like steel gripped onto the roof of the temple, digging deep furrows into the ancient stone.

    ¡°Men are here too?¡± It asked, ¡°So much blood¡­ I have slept for so long, and my stomach has become empty. You will all make a good appetizer.¡±

    Jilamaka had found them.

 Chapter Thirty: Separation and Reunion

    Jilamaka leaped from the roof, its impossibly large body casting a dark shadow across them all, blotting out the fumu that glowed above. Joe grit his teeth, and shook himself free from his paralyzation right as Jilamaka impacted with the plaza. The world seemed to tilt after it impacted, shattering the ground beneath its weight as it brought itself to its full height. Varig had said that Jilamaka was as large as a house¡­ but it seemed to have grown in the millenia since old Ugals fell. This creature was large enough, that its unsettlingly human mouth could have swallowed Betty whole, had it so desired.

    Joe rushed over to Prolo, grabbing him by the shoulders and pulling him along toward Varig. Once Prolo began moving on his own, Joe let him go, repeating this with Varig. Jilamaka stared down at them, grinning with apparent amusement¡­ its teeth, despite its yellow coloration, seemed to gleam in the darkness. The ninjas hadn¡¯t broken free of their paralysis, still staring up at the monster with wide eyes. Yugo, for his part, seemed to snap out of it, and moved to rescue his comrades¡­ that was when Jilamaka made its move.

    With a lazy paw, it swatted at the nearest crowd of assassins, sending bodies flying. Any those paws struck died on impact, not even screaming as their corpses traveled through the air, impacting the stone buildings with a sickeningly wet splat. Joe had no illusions that his dragon-plate would save him from that type of raw force¡­ The armor itself might be fine, but if Jilamaka hit him, it would turn his insides into jelly.

    ¡°Shoot it!¡± Joe shouted at the paralyzed dwarves, shaking Varig, ¡°Shoot it now!¡±

    Joe released Varig then, raising his Benneli and resting his poleaxe in the crook of his arm, firing at the monster. The slug impacted with the things neck, biting deeply into the flesh and sending steaming blood falling to the stone. Joe watched with horror as the stone began to disintegrate where the blood fell, creating deep pockets in its surface. What was worse though, so much worse¡­ was the fact the wound he¡¯d inflicted was already beginning to seal.

    Jilamaka barely seemed to notice the injury, its eyes locking onto Joseph with interest, ¡°New tricks? Men are surprising¡­ but I have new tricks too.¡±

    It was a regenerator, but Joe didn¡¯t despair yet, regenerators were always limited in how much damage they could recover from. Normally it was based on their metabolism, if he and the dwarves here could hurt Jilamaka enough, it would turn into an emaciated husk. Varig then raised his own shotgun, his breathing shaky as he pulled the trigger. The next slug struck Jilamaka in the paw, and it winced, lifting the injured limb with a sigh.

    ¡°That actually hurt! My turn!¡± Jilamaka shouted, rearing its paw back.

    Joe¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Take cover!¡± He shouted, he and Prolo rushing Varig over to the nearest building, the dwarven guards following their example and running to take cover behind various chunks of debris.

    However, some dwarves weren¡¯t fast enough.

    Jilamaka swung it bloody paw, spattering massive droplets of acidic crimson across the plaza. Joe watched at a large spattering impact with a dwarven helmet, eating straight through the metal without issue and sending the guard into a panicked frenzy, trying to rip off his helmet before the tainted blood could reach his skin¡­ but he wasn¡¯t fast enough. The disintegrating metal melded with his flesh, Jilamaka¡¯s blood stripping the skin off the bone. Joe didn¡¯t stop to watch the rest, hearing the screams of other dwarves and ninja¡¯s, all having been struck with the spattering of blood.

    He, Prolo, and Varig found shelter behind one of the toppled pillars, the screaming behind him intensifying. Right now, he had to assume that old Potor was dead, the three bolts in his back and that spattering of acid meant it was unlikely he survived. The other dwarves, from the sound of it, had begun firing their shotguns. Jilamaka let out a bellowing roar that shook the entire cavern, and Joe quickly peeked out from the pillar, taking a shot at the massive beast.

    Massive wounds were punched through Jilamaka¡¯s mishmashed flesh, boiling blood fountaining from dozens of wounds. Varig and Prolo emerged as well, firing with their own guns. Jilamaka screamed as the slugs tore through its rapidly regenerating flesh, and as Joe suspected, the monster became just a tad bit thinner as it regenerated. Matter could not be created nor destroyed, unless Jilamaka ate something it would starve to death.

    Yugo joined in on this, directing his surviving men to fire on Jilamaka, bolts and knives impacting the beast''s flesh along with the shotgun shells. Jilamaka howled and lunged forward, mouth agape before it gobbled up three men at once, not even bothering to chew them before it swallowed. Joe cursed as he saw Jilamaka begin to put weight back on near instantaneously, of course it would have rapid metabolism! Damned regenerators!

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    ¡°Use the c4 Joseph!¡± Varig shouted as he loaded in another shell, ¡°Throw it and shoot it!¡±

    ¡°That ain¡¯t how it works!¡± Joe shouted back, loading another shell of his own, ¡°I gotta plant ¡®em and activate ¡®em with an electric detonator, they don¡¯t blow up if ya shoot ¡®em!¡±

    ¡°Damn!¡± Varig shouted, firing again as Jilamaka continued to eat the unfortunate ninja¡¯s.

    ¡°I got these though!¡± Joe shouted, removing a grenade from his hip.

    He hastily removed the pin, and hucked that little green bastard right at Jilamaka. The grenade rolled right next to its rear paw, detonating as it swallowed up another helping of men. Unfortunately, the limb wasn¡¯t completely blown off as he had wanted, but a sizable chunk had opened up in its ankle, bleeding profusely. Shrapnel had also found purchase in other parts of Jilamaka¡¯s leg, and that limb buckled beneath the beast''s weight.

    That didn¡¯t stop it though.

    The monster thrashed violently, killing dozens more ninja before Joe hurled his second grenade. Blasting a hole in its guts and letting its now-shredded intestines spill out onto the floor. Jilamaka continued to howl, its limbs all flailing wildly, one claw colliding with the temple and caving half of it inward. They could do this, they could win-

    Jilamaka¡¯s eyes then locked on Joseph, and it snarled, ignoring everything else as it scrambled quickly toward him. Pure instinct took over, and Joe ran, not sure if Varig and Prolo were following behind. Jilamaka must have seen him lob that second grenade, and had identified Joseph as the biggest threat. Joe caught a glimpse of old Potor on his way out of the plaza, seeing that the old man still had his hands clasped together, but he was now prone, the three bolts still sticking out of his back.

    Joe didn¡¯t run to save him, there was nothing he could have done. Joe took a sharp right, hearing Jilamaka still in hot pursuit, rocky rubble flying past him as the Forgotten Beast¡¯s body crashed through the ruins.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Jilamaka screamed, its voice rapidly closing the distance.

    Joe began sprinting faster, trying to make it to the end of this street to take another turn.

    ¡°Lord, please help me get out of here!¡± Joe prayed as he ran as fast as his legs could take him, ¡°Please Lord!¡±

    He didn¡¯t have time for a more complicated prayer unfortunately, but frankly he didn¡¯t have air to spend on it. Joe took a sharp left, cutting through the corner. Joe briefly turned his head to see that Jilamaka had flung itself forward, smashing through another street and sliding right past the one Joe had entered. Taking advantage of the fact that he was out of sight, Joe dipped into an alleyway, but didn¡¯t stop running, moving between the stone houses sporadically in the hopes of escaping.

    He hoped that Prolo and Varig had cleared out of the way as he had, along with the other dwarves of course¡­ He couldn¡¯t herd them every time there was danger, they had been snapped out of their paralysis, surely their survival instincts would have kicked in¡­ right? A pit began forming in his stomach as he ran, wondering if maybe¡­ just maybe, they hadn¡¯t managed to get out of the way. Could they be dead? He needed to run back and check, rendezvous and come up with a plan of attack-

    ¡°Fool!¡± He heard Jilamaka shout, its voice echoing, ¡°I will trample this whole cursed city to find you! There is nowhere to hide!¡±

    Joe ran harder as he heard buildings being flattened behind him, veering left through the narrow alleys in the direction of the plaza. His lungs burned as he sucked in air in lungfuls, lifting his gas mask as he ran. The cavern air was stale, yet clean thanks to the fumu. Sweat poured down his face as he stomped down the streets, hearing Jilamaka slowly gaining on him, the beast''s wild thrashing flattening everything in its path. Hopefully it hadn¡¯t eaten anyone else and was still bleeding out, but he wouldn¡¯t know until he got back together with everyone.

    He huffed and puffed, his legs and the bottoms of his feet growing hot from the sprint through old Ugals. Once he returned to the plaza, he saw a massacre¡­ Old Potor was dead, though it seemed that he had succumbed purely from the arrow wounds, he hadn¡¯t been killed by Jilamaka¡¯s charge¡­ however, ten of the dwarven guards that had accompanied them had been smashed, their armor crumpled and gore spewing from every chink in their armor. The right pillar had been completely crushed, which was where most of the guards had fled¡­ It was a grisly sight, but thankfully he didn¡¯t see Prolo or Varig among them. However, they weren¡¯t here anymore¡­ not even the ninjas remained. The plaza was completely empty, save for the corpses created by Jilamaka and the brief battle that had taken place between the dwarves and Black Hand.

    He considered firing off a flare¡­ but doing so would reveal where he was, not just to Jilamaka, but any surviving ninja. Just because they worked together for a moment to fight a bigger threat didn¡¯t mean that he could trust them. In fact, Jilamaka¡¯s presence might make them more desperate to capture Joseph and wish the Forgotten Beast away. He ducked behind a pillar as he heard Jilamaka tear its way through the city, screaming what it would do to Joseph when it found him.

    He took deep breaths, catching his wind as he formulated a plan. He didn¡¯t know where the others had gone, and he only had one more grenade to his name. He had to assume that he wasn¡¯t going to find Prolo or Varig any time soon, they could have run anywhere and they aren¡¯t going to go announcing themselves. Joe needed to just assume that he would be on his own from here on out¡­ but that was okay, this gave him time to formulate a plan. All he needed to do was set up the c4, he had four bricks worth of it, he¡¯d lure Jilamaka with a flare, and blow it to hell. He couldn''t set it up right now though, he needed to be a good distance away from the monster, otherwise it might see him setting it up. The last thing he wanted was for this freak to catch him in the act, Joe might not walk away from that one alive.

    He was lucky that he even managed to get away from Jilamaka on foot, even when seriously injured it was fast, mostly due to its massively long legs. Should he spread out the c4 or bunch it all together in one spot? Spreading it out might injure more of the beast, but if it was concentrated, it could blow off an entire limb¡­ hmm¡­  He decided what to do. Joe stood tall, popping his back after he finally got his wind back. His chest still hurt like hell from getting hit with that slug, but he¡¯d survive. It was time to go find the perfect trap zone-

    Off to his left, he caught a glimpse of something yellow, standing perfectly still in his periphery. Joe raised his Benneli¡­ only to see something shocking. Standing there, clad in the gear he had made her, was Sera.

 Chapter Thirty-One: Second Phase

    Joe rushed over to Sera, seeing Gerad peeking his head out from a doorway next to her, ¡°What in the hell are ya doing here!?¡± Joe questioned, grabbing her by the shoulders, ¡°How the hell are you here?¡±

    ¡°I could say the same thing to you.¡± Sera said, ¡°Come on, we must be away.¡±

    She then nodded to a nearby alley, where Joe could see a small brown-haired head peering at him from behind the corner. Joe glared at Gerad for only a brief instant before Sera began pulling him along, grabbing his hand to get him going. With Sera here, Gerad wouldn¡¯t be able to pull off any trap on Joe and get away with it¡­ plus them finding him here had to have been pure happenstance, Gerad couldn¡¯t have been counting on this.

    The halfling barely even seemed to notice Joe as he and Sera passed into the alley, knees shaking as he said, ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would actually be here¡­¡±

    ¡°You should be glad, it is the whole reason we came after all.¡± Sera replied, releasing Joe¡¯s hand as soon as they entered the alley.

    That¡¯s right¡­ they needed to accomplish a great feat, and what greater than killing a Forgotten Beast? That explained why they were down here, but Joe still didn¡¯t understand the ¡®how¡¯ of it. They couldn¡¯t have gone through Ugals to get here, that was impossible. Then he remembered something that Varig had told him.

    ¡°Did you get here through the Dark-Wastes?¡± Joe asked her.

    Sera nodded, ¡°It was the only way, we couldn¡¯t go through the Dwarfhold for obvious reasons.¡± She explained, a finger tracing one pointed ear, ¡°I heard the legend of Jilamaka years ago from a human merchant, I figured we could come down here and kill it to fulfill our contract¡­ that doesn¡¯t explain why you¡¯re here though.¡± She finished, wrapping her arms around him, ¡°I see you finished your dragon project.¡±

    ¡°We ain¡¯t got time for hugs woman!¡± Joe said quickly, grabbing her by the shoulders, ¡°Thank God you¡¯re here, this is gonna make killin¡¯ that thing a whole lot easier.¡±

    ¡°Remember, it has to be Gerad that does it.¡± Sera pointed out, ¡°He has to land the killing blow or it won¡¯t count.¡±

    That was fine, he could just hand the little prick the detonator when it was time to trigger the trap.

    ¡°Sounds good, remember that c4 I told you about?¡± Joe asked, receiving a nod in return, ¡°We¡¯re gonna use that and blow Jilamaka to hell. If we got time, I can plant a few on them bodies over there, it might get hungry and go to eat something soon, I blew a hole in its gut earlier.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be hungry after that.¡± Gerad stated, still observing Jilamaka from the alley mouth, ¡°It¡¯s thrashing further away now¡­ maybe we should just leave?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a regenerator boy.¡± Joe pointed out, ¡°It gets hungrier the more it heals damage, when it¡¯s done with that tantrum it¡¯s gonna go find somethin¡¯ to munch on, and there¡¯s lots of bodies in that there plaza, as you can see.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t planning on setting it up there initially, but with Jilamaka moving further away it would be relatively safer to do so. It would come back here to feed on its own, but he¡¯d use a flare to draw it here once the trap was fully set, and with Sera, the beast could be paralyzed in place if need be¡­ in fact, with that being the case, he may be able to plant the charges on the monster directly, as long as Sera maintained the spell of course. He explained the plan, but Sera seemed to turn pale as he went on.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Joe asked her.

    ¡°It is one thing to paralyze a man Joseph¡­ but a Forgotten Beast?¡± She said, putting a hand to her chin, ¡°I just don¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯ve never been tested like that before.¡±

    ¡°How else didja plan on killing it?¡± Joe questioned.

    ¡°...I was just going have Gerad shoot it in the head with the gun you gave me.¡± Sera admitted, ¡°I had no idea it could regenerate though.

    Joe shook his head, ¡°That little thing probably wouldn¡¯t have managed to get through its skull even if it couldn¡¯t heal itself. We have to use c4, but if you can¡¯t paralyze it, I can still make it work.¡±

    ¡°If I can hold the beast in place, it would only be for a few instants, maybe enough to save your life if it came down to it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll have to do. By the way, if its stomach is still open could you create some water inside of it? Waterlog the bastard a bit maybe- Wait, can¡¯t ya use that one thing?¡± Joe asked, remembering Sera¡¯s other spell.

    ¡°Evacuation is already draining enough on a human sized opponent, I may simply fall unconscious if I even attempt it on Jilamaka.¡± Sera said, shaking her head.

    ¡°Alright, you can create water, use Evacuation, Paralyze¡­ you said you knew two other spells? What are those?¡± Joe asked her.

    Gerad gave a shaky sigh, ¡°They won¡¯t help. One can clean any dish instantly, while the other kills fleas and head lice.¡±

    ¡°A tome is a tome.¡± Sera said, tone offended, ¡°You did not seem so unimpressed when I saved you from your infestation.¡±

    ¡­Well that explained why the dishes she put away in the sink were always spotless. He had thought she was just licking everything off the plate.

    ¡°Alright look,¡± Joe said, ¡°I¡¯m gonna go set up the c4, I want you two to keep an eye on that freak and let me know if it¡¯s coming back. Once I got everythin¡¯ set up, Gerad will blow the fuses and we¡¯ll see if that kills it. If not then we got some other things we can try. Sound like a plan?¡±

    ¡°Yes but why are you down here?¡± Sera asked him, ¡°I still don¡¯t understand, were you treasure hunting?¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°Assassins called ¡®The Black Hand¡¯ are after me, they know what I am so I figured me n¡¯ the dwarves could settle our debt by wiping them out.¡±

    Sera gasped, ¡°The Black Hand?¡± She asked, her eyes beginning to scan the rooftops, ¡°They¡¯re down here?¡±

    Joe nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, I came down here to kill ¡®em all so they¡¯d stop comin¡¯ after me. You know ¡®em?¡±

    Sera sighed, ¡°I had an old friend of mine fall in with them a decade back. I¡¯ll tell you more later, let us set up the trap.¡±

    Joe nodded, rushing back out of the alley with Sera following quickly behind, Gerad maintaining a good distance behind them to keep an eye on Jilamaka. Joe hastily piled three corpses together, setting up the c4 quickly as Jilamaka continued to rage. Hopefully it had crushed Yugo and his ninja buddies by now, but only time would tell. Then, inspiration struck him¡­ he could shape the c4 into a few of these breastplates, creating a few makeshift claymores. A few thousand shards of metal shrapnel wouldn¡¯t hurt¡­ at least it wouldn¡¯t hurt him, hopefully. Quickly he ran over to the dwarven corpses, dragging them closer to the center of the plaza and stuffing their armor with a decent amount of the c4. Varig wouldn¡¯t be happy with this, but they needed to hurt Jilamaka as much as possible and this was the best way to do it. Varig was a rational guy, he¡¯d understand.

    ¡°Is the explosive going to shatter the armor? Is it that strong?¡± Sera asked, not tearing her gaze from the distant Jilamaka.

    ¡°Oh yeah.¡± Joe said with a grin, ¡°We gotta hurt as much of this thing as possible, and this will get the job done.¡±

    Once he was satisfied with the bomb''s positioning, he grabbed Sera by the wrist and ran back to Gerad, the three of them taking up position in the same alley as before.

    Hiding in a house was not an option, if Jilamaka continued to tantrum it could crush their hiding place and turn everyone in it into paste. At least here in an open alley way they¡¯d be able to retreat if Jilamaka drew close. He underestimated just how damn mad he¡¯d made the creature though. It continued to scream threats and thrash about, only stopping after another ten minutes had passed. If Joe had to guess, Jilamaka had never been so seriously injured before, and being presented with its own mortality likely strained its mental state.

    Gerad held the detonator in his hand, eyes locked on the plaza. The halfling didn¡¯t even blink, completely locked in on the c4, thumb hovering just over the button.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Remember, try to wait until it tries to eat them.¡± Joe told him, ¡°But if it puts one of it¡¯s big ass paws on there, hit the trigger. We blow off a limb, there¡¯s no way it can regenerate all that damage, it would have to eat a ton of food to regrow something like that.¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah.¡± Gerad said, eyes bloodshot, ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Take cover before you hit the button,¡± Joe said, You don¡¯t want shrapnel hittin¡¯ ya in the eyes or anywhere else. ¡°I¡¯d be fine, but not you.¡±

    Joe could tell the punk was terrified, but this was what he had wanted, to accomplish a great feat.

    ¡°Blowing off the limb probably won¡¯t kill it outright, so if that happens, we¡¯ll have to pump it full of lead.¡± Joe said, ¡°You¡¯ll run out in front of it with my shotgun, and hit it in the head a few times, that should do the trick.¡±

    ¡°In front of it!?¡± Gerad questioned, finally blinking, ¡°Where it can see me?¡±

    ¡°Think about it kid.¡± Joe said, ¡°We blow off a limb, its regeneration is gonna turn it into a shriveled husk trying to keep up with the damage. It¡¯ll hardly be able to move after that. Trust me, I¡¯ve killed things like this before.¡±

    ¡°Easy for you to say.¡± Gerad said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be where it can see me.¡±

    Joe sighed, ¡°Then ya ain¡¯t gonna get it done, not as quickly anyway.¡±

    Everyone fell silent, hearing that Jilamka had ceased its thrashing and rambling. Instead, they all heard loud footsteps, slowly approaching their position. Joe tried to picture the direction it was coming from¡­ cursing when he realized that Jilamaka was approaching from behind this building. Quietly, he urged Sera and Gerad to follow him, rounding the building as Jilamaka drew closer. He froze as he rounded the corner¡­ seeing who else but Yugo standing there, daggers drawn and staring right back at him.

    His low crouch indicated that he was trying to sneak this way¡­ was he trying to get the drop on Joseph? His buddies weren¡¯t around from what he could see, that was a relief. However, they couldn¡¯t get to killing each other just yet.

    Neither of them moved as Jilamaka passed by the building, Sera and Gerad rounding the corner and also freezing when they saw Yugo. Yugo, strangely enough, seemed to flinch at seeing Sera, but still said nothing. Joe heard Jilamaka finally enter the plaza, and he urged Gerad forward silently, still clutching the detonator. He raised his hand, palm forward to Yugo, trying to indicate a pause to their fighting. Yugo nodded, kneeling down and keeping an eye on the halfling, who peered out from beside the armored ninja.

    Joe couldn¡¯t see what was going on, but after a few seconds, Gerad gasped, darting behind the building just before pressing the detonator. A massive explosion rocked the plaza, causing Joe¡¯s ears to ring as all other sounds save for Jilamaka¡¯s pained scream, which nearly made Joe try to clutch his ears through his helmet. The plan had worked! Now all they had to do was finish it off and then kill Yugo, then it was smooth sailing from here.

    Joe ran toward Gerad, giving Yugo a wide berth. When he came upon Gerad, he saw that Jilamaka¡¯s rear paw had been blown completely off, leaving an acidic bloody stump in its place. The entire plaza seemed to sizzle with splattered blood, eating holes through the stone. The hole that Joe had blasted through Jilamaka¡¯s gut was no longer there. However, the beast''s ribs were now visible against its furred scaly flesh. The regeneration had forced it into emaciation, and with the c4 having blown off a limb¡­ Jilamaka was essentially helpless now. Not just that, the improvised claymores had done their parts marvelously, its mutant flesh was perforated with metal shrapnel, dwarven steel embedded into the monster from neck to foot. Acidic blood seeped down the entire creature, and it wobbled for a moment before finally it collapsed, shaking the plaza and convulsing as it tried to heal itself.

    Joe handed Gerad his shotgun and urged him toward the monster, drawing his pistol and keeping an eye on Yugo all the while. If Joe hit him with his poleaxe, would it reflect back at him? Shooting him wasn¡¯t a real option, but his instincts screamed for him to put a bullet through his head regardless. He ignored the feeling as he considered how to kill him. With Sera here, it would be easy, all she had to do was paralyze him, then Joe could remove his helmet and end him that way.

    Gerad didn¡¯t move, clutching the shotgun in his hands nervously as he stared at the still form of Jilamaka, not even thrashing as its body struggled to regenerate. Joe let out an irritated huff before saying, ¡°Hold on tight, aim the hole at the end toward it, and pull that there trigger, and boom, dead monster. Now git!¡± He said, slapping the halfling¡¯s back.

    Gerad gasped, running forward with the large shotgun clutched awkwardly in his grip. The little guy was probably gonna get put on his ass from the kickback, but with how screwed up Jilamaka was, it may take only one or two more blasts to end it. Joe looked to Sera, and drew a thumb across his neck, pointing to Yugo. Sera seemed confused only for a brief instant¡­ before she paralyzed Yugo, who¡¯s eyes were still locked onto Jilamaka.

    ¡°Good job Serry,¡± Joe said, approaching the ninja, ¡°Gonna kill this punk and make sure there ain¡¯t none left, then we¡¯ll be done.¡±

    ¡°Serry?¡± She asked, glaring at him, ¡°Are we using pet names now?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Joe replied, grabbing Yugo¡¯s helm in both hands.

    Strangely enough, Yugo didn¡¯t say anything. The paralyzation didn¡¯t stop you from talking, just from moving. He should be screaming or pleading for his life¡­ maybe he was just taking his defeat with dignity? Still, there was something strange about this, why did Yugo even avert his gaze from them at all? Was this a trap?

    Joe¡¯s hands froze before he pulled off the helmet, sparing a quick glance at Gerad, who was slowly creeping around to the skull of Jilamaka. The monster was still breathing slightly, but it was on its last legs, a shotgun blast anywhere at this point would kill it, but the brain was always a safe bet.

    He turned back to Yugo, who whispered, ¡°Just don¡¯t let her see me¡­ I cannot bear the shame.¡±

    Why did he sound so distraught? Don¡¯t let Sera see him? Was he the friend that Sera had mentioned to him earlier? If so, that explained why he had just let himself be snuck up on like this. Maybe Sera had some dirt on him that he¡¯d rather Joe not know about? Something he could use to get info out of Yugo?

    ¡°I don¡¯t owe you any favors pal.¡± Joe told him with a sneer, ¡°Sera, do you know this guy?¡±

    ¡°Bastard!¡± Yugo shouted, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you for this!¡±

    ¡°Yugo!?¡± Sera gasped, rushing toward him, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing here young man!?¡±

    The way she scolded him reminded Joe of his grandma, he raised a hand to Sera to stop her approach.

    ¡°He knows what I am and was trying to capture me.¡± Joe explained, ¡°You know anything about him I can use? For blackmailing I mean, I wanna know what¡¯s in his base.¡±

    ¡°Blackmail?¡± Sera asked, ¡°No, he was always a good boy.¡±

    ¡°I will tell you nothing.¡± Yugo spat, ¡°Just kill me.¡±

    ¡°Alright then, well I ain¡¯t got time to interrogate him. Don¡¯t release the spell, I¡¯ll make this quick, got a whole lot more of ¡®em to kill after-¡±

    ¡°I cannot let you kill him Joseph.¡± Sera said, right at a shotgun blast echoed through the air.

    Joe quickly removed the helmet and threw it far away, looking to see that Gerad had finally done it. Blood seeped down from the top of Jilamaka¡¯s skull, exposing shattered and perforated bone beneath. Now that Yugo¡¯s helmet was off, all he had to do was execute him. Joe aimed the pistol at Yugo, who shut his eyes tightly.

    But Joe¡¯s finger wouldn''t pull the trigger.

    ¡°Sera. Let me go.¡± He said sternly, ¡°Now.¡±

    Yugo stood slowly from the ground, and sighed, turning to face Sera, his hard features softening, ¡°I had hoped never to see you again.¡±

    ¡°Am I so horrible?¡± Sera asked him, glaring.

    Yugo shook his head, ¡°Not at all. I just didn¡¯t want you seeing me¡­ at work.¡±

    ¡°You call killing people in the dead of night¡­ ¡®work¡¯?¡± She questioned, crossing her arms, ¡°You¡¯re done here, Yugo. I demand you leave the Black Hand this instant.¡±

    ¡°Let me go Sera.¡± Joe growled, ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±

    ¡°Only if you two promise me that you won¡¯t kill each other.¡± She growled back, turning her glare upon him.

    ¡°I promise, but I cannot leave the Black Hand. I will not.¡± Yugo said, ¡°No matter how much you glare at me.¡±

    ¡°I promise.¡± Joe lied.

    As soon as he was free, he¡¯d put a bullet right through the back of Yugo¡¯s skull. Sera might get mad at him but she didn¡¯t understand the consequences of letting a ninja live to get revenge. Yugo had to die today.

    Sera glared harder at Joseph, ¡°Swear to your God that you won¡¯t try to kill Yugo.¡±

    Damn it all.

    ¡°Just let me go Sera!¡± Joe shouted, ¡°This guy and his goons are gonna be chasin¡¯ me all over Everfae if I let him live!¡±

    ¡°Not after I¡¯m done speaking with him.¡± Sera said, ¡°Now swear to your God or get comfortable standing there.¡±

    How was she so certain that he was lying? Sure, he was, but making him swear to the good Lord was going overboard¡­ and it was also the only way to make sure he wouldn¡¯t go back on his word. Gerad was hurrying back, still clutching the shotgun.

    ¡°It¡¯s dead! Sera, the contract is fulfilled¡­ but what is going on here?¡± He asked, looking between all of them, ¡°Did you change your mind about sacrificing Joseph?¡±

    ¡°Not in the slightest, Gerad. I¡¯d be careful if I were you, do not try to bring harm upon Joseph or you will suffer. This goes for you as well, young man.¡± She threatened, looking between the two of them, ¡°Now Joseph, your word.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± He sighed, ¡°I swear to God above that I won¡¯t cause trouble¡­ as long as he don¡¯t start trouble first.¡±

    And this time he meant it. He wasn¡¯t about to go back on a promise to God. The paralyzation was released, and Joe begrudgingly holstered his pistol, ripping his shotgun straight out of Gerad¡¯s hands. The halfling glared up but didn¡¯t say anything, crossing his arms before letting out a sigh, pulling out a blank piece of paper. Gerad then frowned deeply.

    ¡°This can¡¯t be right!¡± Gerad shouted, looking back to the giant corpse, ¡°It isn¡¯t even breathing!¡±

    ¡°Wait, are you saying that the contract isn¡¯t fulfilled?¡± Sera asked, ¡°That was a great feat!¡±

    ¡°No, it is for sure¡­ this could only mean that Jilamaka still isn¡¯t¡­ still isn¡¯t dead.¡± Gerad replied, hands shaking, ¡°We need to go finish it off!¡±

    It was then that Joseph heard a horrid squelching, coming from the direction of the corpse. Everyone fell silent as they turned, seeing something¡­ something breaching out of Jilamaka¡¯s flesh. It emerged like a pillar, long and gaunt from Jilamaka¡¯s ruined throat. The slender silhouette was backlit by a passing fumu, only revealing the creature''s frame. Joe stared in shock as the thing spread out long humanoid arms, a single long claw emerging from each individual finger.

    ¡°It took eons to build that body¡­ and look at what you¡¯ve done to it¡­ it is useless now.¡± The thing said, its voice raspy, ¡°I will need to spend days eating what¡¯s left of it¡­ but first, I will consume all of you.¡±

    Joe raised his shotgun and pulled the trigger, but the figure which had to be Jilamaka leaped high, the slug missing it completely¡­ and that was after Joseph had pulled the trigger. He cursed, quickly reloading before he aimed high, the thin silhouette descending quickly toward him. This thing was damn fast, but now that it was in the air, it wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge this one! Joe pulled the trigger, but to his horror, the creature somehow managed to shift itself to the left, its long claws held forward, diving toward Sera with a horrifying screech.

    On instinct, Joe shouldered her to the ground and out of the way of Jilamaka¡¯s claws¡­ Just before impact, Joe managed a glance of its horrific features. Pale wrinkly flesh covered a face that was only a massive gaping mouth, filled with shark-like teeth. Two large red eyes were set into its shoulders, the iris slitted and staring at him with hate. Then the claws his his shoulders, ripping straight through the scales of his coat but failing to penetrate the dragonbone.

    Despite that, the wind was knocked out of him as he fell to the ground beneath the Forgotten Beast, the world blurring when the back of his head hit the stone. Pain wracked his shoulders and it felt as if spikes were driven into his skull. His thoughts were muddied, but he knew that he¡¯d die here if he didn¡¯t kill this thing first. A dark blur came from the left, and a dagger plunged itself deeply into Jilamaka¡¯s left eye.

    It wailed in agony, a nictitating membrane sealing over the punctured eyeball as it leapt back away from him. Joe blinked, seeing who else but that bastard Yugo, the dagger in his hand turning to slag at contact with Jilamaka¡¯s blood. He tossed it at the beast, receiving another yelp of agony from the monster before he quickly heaved Joseph to his feet.

    ¡°We¡¯ll settle this later!¡± Yugo shouted, ¡°We¡¯ll die if we don¡¯t stand together!¡±

    Joe nearly puked in his helmet, wobbling on his feet as he tried to aim his shotgun at Jilamaka. It still wailed in pain, clutching at its ruined eyeball as it retreated toward a body, gaping mouth already open. It seemed far less resistant to pain in this form¡­

    Sera then moved to him, grabbing him in an attempt to stabilize his balance, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    She asked. He didn¡¯t waste words, aiming the shotgun at Jilamaka¡¯s retreating back and pulling the trigger. His aim was horribly off, as the world seemed to tilt in his eyes, but at least some of the shot had managed to hit its hand, blowing it completely off. It roared again, but with its free hand impaled the corpse of a fallen ninja, leaping high into the air before disappearing onto a nearby rooftop with the body.

    ¡°Chase it-¡± Joe gasped, ¡°Can¡¯t-¡± He huffed, ¡°Can¡¯t let it eat!¡±

 Chapter Thirty-Two: Desperate Scheme

    Joseph cursed under his breath, his shoulders and skull aching somethin¡¯ fierce. Jilamaka had managed to disappear with that corpse, and with this smaller form, regenerating would require a lot less food. Joe struggled to hold his shotgun aloft, the muscles in his shoulders protesting as he aimed toward the rooftops. Sera, Yugo, and Gerad all kept their eyes peeled, with Sera having her pistol drawn and ready to fire as well. Joe quickly drew his own sidearm, handing it toward Gerad.

    ¡°Use this if-¡± He coughed, ¡°If it comes at ya.¡±

    Gerad took the gun hesitantly, sheathing his sword at his belt and gripping the gun awkwardly.

    ¡°The safety is on Gerad,¡± Sera noted, quickly flipping the little switch for him, ¡°Hold it like I¡¯m holding mine, that¡¯s it.¡± She explained, showing the halfling her grip, ¡°Wait for us to bring it down, then finish it off if you can.¡±

    Yugo said nothing, darting over to his discarded helmet before kneeling down and sliding it back over his head. Joe¡¯s eyes blurred as the world began to tilt in the other direction, struggling to keep his feet planted. This was not good¡­ with his aim thrown off like this, he¡¯d be practically useless if Jilamaka came back here immediately. Forget chasing it, he couldn¡¯t take a single step forward without nearly falling over. Again Sera stabilized him, moving beneath his arm to act as a pillar for him to lean on.

    He scanned the ground for his poleaxe, quickly spotting it just a few feet away. He wasn¡¯t going to be able to kneel down to get it right now, he¡¯d just need to remember where it had fallen so he could retrieve it later. Joe huffed and puffed, shaking his head in a vain attempt to clear his vision. He¡¯d gotten hit pretty hard by plenty of big beasties in his time, but this had to be one of the worst concussions he¡¯d suffered.

    Joe felt another wave of nausea wash over him, and his knees buckled. Why did his head hurt¡­? Something important was happening but the details seemed to have slipped away for an instant.

    ¡°Joseph, I don¡¯t think you can fight like this!¡± A voice¡­ Sera¡¯s voice told him in a concerned tone.

    It came back to him then, the Black Hand was after Joe, he had to get up and get to work- He shook his head, no, Jilamaka was the current issue, he remembered. Damn, he was going to be completely useless for this fight unless he got his feet under him. He grit his teeth, standing shakily with heavy breaths. Just how hard had his head hit the ground? Joe shuddered as he imagined what would have happened had he not been wearing his helmet or even if he weren¡¯t wearing his magic necklace.

    ¡°Gotta-¡± He gasped, ¡°Gotta go after it.¡±

    ¡°How do you plan on doing that like this?¡± She asked, still supporting him, ¡°Another hit like that and you might die¡­¡±

    ¡°Better than lettin¡¯ you die.¡± Joe remarked, ¡°I got one grenade left-¡± He huffed, ¡°We hit it with that, we win.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say such things!¡± Sera yelled, slapping his breastplate ¡°And you saw how fast it was, there¡¯s no way we¡¯ll be able to catch it in the blast.¡±

    ¡°Fine then, let¡¯s lure it somewhere.¡± Gerad said, hands still shaking on his pistol, ¡°Somewhere where it can¡¯t get away.¡±

    ¡°Beneath the temple.¡± Yugo said, ¡°If we draw it beneath, the halls become narrow, the chambers confining. Out here in the open, it has the advantage.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t hit you.¡± Joe pointed out, ¡°You got that armor on, can¡¯t you just go up n¡¯ stab it to death?¡±

    Yugo shook his head, ¡°No, it may be powerful enough to punch straight through the reflection field, and it has already been weakened after it reflected that shot back at you earlier.¡±

    That was good to know, ¡°It¡¯ll just phase right through you though.¡± Joe said, ¡°That¡¯s what happened last time-¡± He took a deep breath, ¡°The last time we fought.¡±

    ¡°That was a different enchantment, it has long worn out by now.¡± Yugo said, ¡°I can still blur, but I will have to solidify to strike it¡­ and with that speed, it may kill me as soon as I do. There is also a limit on how long the spell can last, I can¡¯t distract it forever.¡±

    ¡°Be a ninja and sneak up on it then you dumbass.¡± Joe said harshly, glaring at him.

    Yugo stiffened, ¡°How dare you-¡±

    ¡°Enough.¡± Sera said, ¡°This arguing will get us nowhere. We know that it will return once it¡¯s healed, it wants all of us dead now, especially Joseph. Now that it¡¯s in this smaller form, all we need to do is have it¡¯s back facing to me. I suspect that it will be easier to paralyze it now that it¡¯s in this state.¡±

    ¡°Then we can throw the grenade.¡± Joe nodded, ¡°We¡¯ll have the punk throw it.¡± He nodded to Gerad, ¡°It might be enough of a boom to kill it outright.¡± He huffed, knees wobbling, ¡°How good are you at throwing, kid?¡±

    ¡°Good enough, just tell me how it works.¡± Gerad said, his face hardening, ¡°I want to get this over with.¡±

    Joe reached down to his belt with a shaky hand, pulling out the grenade and handing it to Gerad, ¡°See that pin in the top?¡± Joe asked, ¡°You gotta pull that out before you throw it. It¡¯s timed so don¡¯t hold it longer than three seconds after pulling it, or yer dead.¡±

    Gerad audibly gulped as he stared at the frag, as if it would blow up right then and there, ¡°W-we got to have it see us move down into the temple, or else it might not follow.¡±

    ¡°If it sees us moving down there,¡± Joe huffed, ¡°It¡¯ll catch us before we can set anything up, it¡¯s faster than ten cheetahs combined.¡±

    ¡°Why not simply paralyze it out here?¡± Sera asked.

    Yugo shook his head, ¡°If we¡¯re all out here, it won¡¯t focus on me, it could charge any one of you once it realizes that it¡¯s attacks phase right through me, that includes you Sera. If you happen to be the one Jilamaka chooses to attack, we lose. We have to minimize risk by trapping it in a room. The damage from the explosion will also be more effective within an enclosed space, no?¡± He asked, not waiting for a reply before continuing, ¡°We must move below and prepare, find a chamber of your choice and ready the trap.¡± Yugo said, ¡°I¡¯ll await it here and then blur. When it returns, I will make a show of a panicked retreat into the temple.¡±

    Joe nodded, that could work, but there was still a problem, ¡°How do we lure it into the room?¡±

    A brief lapse of silence before Sera said, ¡°Simple, Yugo and you will be our bait. Yugo will lure it in, and Joe will stand at the far end of the chamber, Yugo will run toward Joseph so Jilamaka gives chase¡­ I will be standing in the corner, on the opposite wall. Once Jilamaka comes in, I will paralyze it and then after we leave the chamber, Gerad will throw in the grenade and shut the door.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t break eye contact with his back.¡± Joe huffed, ¡°If ya do, we¡¯ll be screwed, it¡¯s fast enough to dodge bullets, it might be able to break out as soon as you let go of that contact.¡±

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°No, I never said that.¡± Sera said quickly, ¡°It¡¯s as soon as I lose sight of them completely, that is when it¡¯s broken, but still, what do you suggest?¡±

    ¡°Easy, scrap the grenade plan for now, you paralyze it, we¡¯ll shoot it in the legs, then have Gerry boy throw in the frag, and if that ain¡¯t enough, then we¡¯ll have him shoot it till it dies.¡±

    ¡°Alright, that sounds good but let''s go now!¡± Gerad exclaimed, ¡°It could be back any-¡±

    A loud screech tore through the air, a shotgun blast ringing out from somewhere amongst the ruined buildings. Either it was one of the dwarven guards, or it was Varig, but it seemed they had run into Jilamaka, and hopefully had gotten a shot off on it. Joe tried to run in that direction, but fell to his knees instead, the world shifting after he took that first step. Whoever fired that shot was in danger and needed help, if Jilamaka was wounded from that then they could finish it off.

    ¡°You cannot push yourself like that!¡± Sera scolded, kneeling down beside him.

    Another shotgun blast rang out, closer this time, accompanied by distinctively low pops. Pistol fire. Prolo was over there too, and if that was the case, the owner of that shotgun definitely had to be Varig. Joe grit his teeth and stood shakily, taking slow, deliberate steps toward the approaching gunfire. Sera easily stopped him, putting herself in his path before turning him around.

    ¡°Whoever they are, they¡¯re coming this way, let''s head to the temple and Yugo will urge them to follow. Remember the plan.¡± Sera urged, guiding him away.

    He found it hard to argue with her logic, but there was no way Varig or even Prolo would be able to outpace the Forgotten Beast. Not unless they had specifically targeted its legs. They may have done just that¡­ but his reasoning felt muddy after he¡¯d taken that hit. Maybe it would be best to just let Sera lead the way for now, he¡¯d pray that Prolo and Varig would be safe.

    <hr>

    Varig pumped his dwarven legs as hard as he possibly could, hearing the strange shoulder-eyed beast clawing after them from behind. He did not know where it had come from, but it was clear that it was another Forgotten Beast, of the smaller variety. Young Pienturshuld was running just ahead of him, back toward the plaza where Jilamaka had gone, where they¡¯d heard the explosions. Joseph must have laid out that c4 of his as a trap, and had lured the monster back there to be killed.

    Considering that Jilamaka¡¯s rampage had ceased, it was safe to assume that it was dead, or at the very least, critically injured. He and Prolo had been on the way back to investigate, and had happened across this vile monster, devouring a human carcass. As any good dwarf would, he opened fire on the fiend, blasting a gaping hole in its back. That should have been the end of it but¡­

    ¡°Eat you!¡± It shouted, drawing ever closer despite its harrowing wounds, ¡°Eat you!¡± It repeated.

    The hole had completely sealed over, and while the beast was now thinner, it was still horribly fast. The only thing keeping him and Prolo alive was firing behind themselves when it drew close. He knew that this was not sustainable, the only way they would live was to return to the plaza and rendezvous with Joseph, as well as any other survivors of their expedition.

    He heard claws scratching stone behind him, and Varig quickly turned, opening fire and sending the Forgotten Beast skitting back to avoid it. How could it be so fast as to avoid gunfire? At least with Jilamaka it was impossible to miss! This tall willowy monster was thin and fast, making it difficult to hit.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there!¡± Prolo shouted, ¡°Just a bit longer, keep up!¡±

    Varig grit his teeth, ¡°I¡¯m trying!¡±

    His squat form was not built for this, his race was meant to stand their ground, not flee. Prolo¡¯s long legs outpaced him easily, leaving Varig in the dust as he sprinted toward the plaza. The only reason he hadn¡¯t been caught by this beast was by firing at it to force it back. Prolo¡¯s pistol had clicked empty, and the boy knew not how to reload it nor did he have any ammunition left. It was up to Varig and his shotgun to keep them both alive¡­ at least until they reached Joseph. The Outworlder surely must have something up his sleeve for such a speedy beast.

    He fired again as they finally entered the plaza, seeing the massive corpse of Jilamaka laying in the center. Bodies lay strewn everywhere, of man and dwarf, some melting into puddles of ooze as Jilamaka¡¯s blood pooled around them from the corpse. A small instant of relief filled him once he saw that his people¡¯s enemy was dead, at long last. He only regretted that it hadn¡¯t been him to deal the final blow¡­ That and the lives of the good dwarves that had been lost.

    Prolo didn¡¯t cease his sprint, heading straight for the half-ruined base of the Black-Hand¡­ and standing there at the entrance, was a tall dark-armored man, the one that Joseph had been about to duel before Jilamaka had made itself known. Oddly, he saw Joseph hobbling into the ruin,a smaller figure supporting him beneath the shoulder. A woman¡­? Where had she come from?

    It didn¡¯t matter, all he knew was that he needed to reach the same ruin or he was done for. He¡¯d ready a blast for the assassin should he prove aggressive. Prolo reached it first, rushing right past the armored man who didn¡¯t seem to pay the boy any mind. Then suddenly, the man blurred, just as his compatriots had done earlier, and he rushed forward. Varig twisted and fired off another shot right as the beast reached his heels, but again it dodged the shot¡­ but he suspected that he figured out the pattern.

    It wasn¡¯t that the monster was dodging the shot, rather, it moved just before Varig pulled the trigger. It was anticipating the shots, not necessarily dodging them after they were fired. However, earlier it seemed as if it had been. Was the creature slowing down? He didn¡¯t risk a shot, instead immediately turning to run toward the ruin, Prolo urging him along as the armored assassin charged toward the Forgotten Beast. Joseph and the stranger stood further back, the woman now with a hood pulled over her head.

    Varig¡¯s chest felt like it was going to explode from all this damned running, and his short legs felt as if they had become fire. He was going to fall if he kept this pace, but what other choice did he have? After he passed the threshold, he turned his head, the blurred figure of the assassin dodging around the beast, its claws passing through his body as if he were air. He slowed his pace, approaching Joseph, the man¡¯s head seeming to hang slightly as the hooded woman supported his weight.

    ¡°We need to kill this new beast-¡± Varig huffed, ¡°Do you have a plan?¡±

    ¡°We gotta lure it down into the chambers below n¡¯ blow it to hell.¡± Joe said, his voice faint, ¡°I¡¯ll be the bait, my friend here has magic that can paralyze. Once we do that, the halflin¡¯ here will throw in a grenade n¡¯ kill it.¡± Joe finished, pointing to a figure even shorter than Varig.

    He blinked as he saw the halfling, already standing back by an archway. No doubt it would lead deeper into the ruins¡­ but wasn¡¯t this the Black Hand¡¯s base? There could be a trap, why would Joseph, the most paranoid human in the world, desire to head into the belly of the beast? Well¡­ Varig supposed that it was either this belly, or the new monster¡¯s. He knew which one he would pick.

    ¡°That¡¯s Jilamaka by the way.¡± Joe said, clearing his throat, ¡°It had a smaller body in the big one.¡±

    Varig¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°I¡¯ve not heard of such a wretched ability- but no matter, let us draw it below!¡± He urged, moving past them toward the halfling.

    ¡°Boy!¡± Varig pointed, ¡°Lead the way!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Gerad!¡± The halfling yelled as he ran into the archway.

    Varig paused before passing through, urging the others to go ahead of him. He explained that he¡¯d keep his gun trained behind them for once Jilamaka¡¯s new form appeared, in case they couldn¡¯t lure it into the trap. Joseph didn¡¯t argue, nor could he in his current state. The Outworlder had clearly taken a severe blow to the head, and his scaled coat was now torn at the shoulders. Dragon bone had saved his life.

    They moved deeper into the darkness of the Black Hand¡¯s base, Prolo helping him stay on track as he followed them backwards. They passed thousands of engravings, each one attempting to draw his eye. A large part of him wanted to give in and begin studying the artwork, to see a portion of Old Ugals history, but there would be plenty of time for that after Jilamaka was slain.

    The halls, unsurprisingly, were lit by captive Fumu, no doubt utilized by the Black Hand. They were trapped in glass spheres, set into iron sconces. They would dissipate if they could not feed, but that would take months. He grit his teeth in frustration; trying to distract himself from the terror he felt would not make it go away. He needed to focus on the here and now.

    They had been moving for only a few minutes before the blurred figure of the assassin appeared, darting down the hall quickly with the gaunt figure of Jilamaka on his heels. The beast let out a horrid shriek as it saw them, dropping to all fours before running straight for them at dizzying speed. The assassin¡¯s blur seemed to be fading quickly as his long legs carried him quickly to them. Cleary he was privy to the plan¡­ Varig held his fire, the hall was far too narrow, he¡¯d end up killing the man if he unloaded now.

    But that also meant that Jilamaka wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of the way¡­ His finger went to the trigger and he shouted, ¡°Get down!¡± Aiming his shotgun.

    The man seemed to understand, and leapt forward, metal grinding on stone as his breastplate skidded across the ground. Then Varig opened fire, the shotgun blast tearing through stone and flesh both. Jilamaka flew backward with a scream of agony, and Varig grinned madly running forward as opportunity presented itself. The Forgotten Beast scrambled to its feet, attempting to flee. If it reached the outside, it would be able to feed again and regrow its wounds, he could kill it now and avenge Old Ugals!

    However, that wouldn¡¯t come to pass. Jilamaka¡¯s hands slapped the ground, sending its body flying up to the ceiling. It twisted its wretched form mid-air, sinking its claws into the ceiling before it began skittering overhead, right in Varig¡¯s direction. Not to be dissuaded, he opened fire once more, but unfortunately, it dropped right as he pulled the trigger. The slug blew a crumbling hole in the ceiling where it had been, but now the beast was falling toward him.

    Instinct took over, and he rolled out of its path before running for his life, his confidence washed away in a flood of cold terror. He heard it hit the ground and ahead, he saw Joseph and the others disappearing into a room¡­ the plan they had previously discussed. All he had to do was make it to that chamber, and he would survive. The assassin was ahead of him already, moving quickly into the chamber after them. Varig hastily reloaded his shotgun, turning to fire off a shot-

    Blood, his blood, flooded his mouth as he was sent flying back down the hall, his vision blurring as his backplate slid across the stone, illuminating the ground with sparks as he went. By the time he stopped, his vision was going dark¡­ All he could bring himself to do was raise his head to see what had happened to him. There was a massive dent in his breastplate now¡­ and based on that crunching sensation in his torso, his ribs were broken. All of them.

    Had it been a kick¡­? Blood fountained out of his mouth, the edges of his vision going dark. His attempt to rise only served to cause him worse agony, and the back of his helmet hit the ground. Was this¡­ the end? The last thing he heard before the world vanished was an explosion¡­ it seemed distant, his ears only barely able to pick up on the sound, yet the ruin he occupied shook the ground he lay upon.

    As his eyes shut, he found himself praying to the Overseer that the plan had worked, at the same time, cursing himself for his arrogance.

 Chapter Thirty-Three: Fall of the Beast

    Jilamaka roared, charging after the armored man with its claws outstretched. He would impale and eat this one for wasting its time! Rage fueled Jilamaka¡¯s actions, the need to slaughter overwhelming all other thoughts as it dove into the room after the human, seeing another one of his soon to be victims standing on the far wall.

    To kill that one would be most sweet, the one that had ruined its previous body! It didn¡¯t matter how strong that armor was, Jilamaka would peel it off him piece by piece before feasting on the flesh within. It leapt forward like a panther, claws aimed for the black armored humans back- yet something was wrong¡­ Jilamaka couldn¡¯t move! Paralyzed in place, the eyes set into its shoulders rolled around in their sockets, finding a hooded woman standing in the corner of the cramped chamber, a young black-haired human and halfling standing by her side. She was staring right at Jilamakas back with an intensity that froze it solid.

    Magic¡­? No matter, a mere mage could not contain Jilamaka¡¯s raw power! It shook its arms and legs with great fervor. The woman gulped as Jilamaka struggled, sweat beading at her brow as she struggled to keep Jilamaka in place. It wouldn¡¯t be long before it broke free-

    The ground rose up to meet Jilamaka as its knee disintegrated, blasted apart by one of the other human¡¯s strange implements. Blades sunk into its shoulder-eyes, turning the world black and sending him writhing in agony, feeling its second knee get blown apart. Finally Jilamaka felt the paralysis break, and it lashed out with its claws, hearing a scream and feeling metal being parted by its claws.

    ¡°Yugo!¡± The woman¡¯s voice shouted.

    She sounded shaky and exhausted, easy to kill. It scrambled away wildly, lashing out with its claws and feeling them tear through cloth and flesh alike. Unfortunately, the woman¡¯s pained screams afterward meant that the blow hadn¡¯t been fatal. Another blast rang out, and Jilamaka felt its arm disappear, leaving it with only one.

    ¡°Sera get over here!¡± A deep voice yelled urgently, ¡°Prolo stay outta arm¡¯s reach!¡±

    Jilamaka twisted about, propelling itself forward toward the voice and colliding with something large, no doubt the human that had ruined its body. Jilamaka¡¯s left eye regenerated after the collision, and it could see that this was indeed the case. The weapon the man had used to remove its limbs had been flung away after they had collided, leaving him unarmed. Jilamaka opened its mouth and clamped down hard on the man¡¯s neck, its teeth failing to pierce the thick armor around his throat.

    Jilamaka applied more force, compressing the hard material to strangle its prey. The man choked and sputtered, its hands attempting to pry Jilamaka off of him to no avail. This was it! Jilamaka had won-

    The man then drove its fingers into Jilamaka¡¯s shoulder eye, blinding it to the world once more as the human¡¯s hands began ripping the tender flesh out piece by piece. Ignoring the pain, Jilamaka continued to apply pressure to his throat¡­ just a bit more and-

    Snap.

    Jilamaka felt its neck snap as something impacted the back of its neck, breaking its hold on the human beneath it. Its right shoulder eye regained function, revealing the dark armored human it thought it had killed. A massive bleeding rend in the armor revealed itself, running across the man¡¯s torso. The human had driven his elbow into the nape of Jilamaka¡¯s neck, breaking something in the process.

    The second human beneath Jilamaka then wriggled quickly out from beneath it, kicking it squarely in the head and knocking it backward, its neck crunching painfully from the motion. In Jilamaka¡¯s remaining eye, it saw the halfling and dark-haired man running forward, swords drawn. It attempted to get away, but Jilamaka wasn¡¯t fast enough, as the two drove their blades deep into the eye, blinding Jilamaka once more.

    It tried to raise its arm to slash wildly¡­ but exhaustion was beginning to take over. It had taken too much damage, it¡¯s frame felt frail and weak-

    A foot stomped down on its elbow, shattering the bone before being followed by more stomps, the foot crushing the elbow in further and making the limb useless. Dozens of blows from multiple sources assailed Jilamaka, cracking bones and rending flesh. Eventually though, the attacks stopped, and it heard its prey scrambling out of the room, despite Jilamaka¡¯s harrowing injuries. A blessing that they were foolish enough to flee despite having the advantage¡­ it heard something rolling into the room, coming to a stop beside it. When it''s right eye regenerated for the final time, it saw that the object was a small green orb.

    One of the very ones that aided in destroying Jilamaka¡¯s main body.

    The door to the room slammed shut- before the little green orb exploded, sending Jilamaka into a realm of eternal darkness.

    <hr>

    Joe clutched his agonized throat, coughing before he kneeled down, struggling to catch his breath as the world continued to whirl. He¡¯d need to redesign the armor again¡­ and uh¡­ his mind was a fog. Breathing heavily, he used his poleaxe to stand back up, leaning on it heavily as he looked at the door where they had sealed Jilamaka. Gerad had thrown the grenade in, and hopefully that would have been enough to end it.

    Sera stood over Yugo, inspecting the horrid rend in his armor as the man lay with his back against the wall, breathing heavily and trying to staunch the bleeding. The wound was deep, and Joe wasn¡¯t sure that the guy would make it¡­ in the back of his mind, he hoped that he¡¯d pass from the injury, it¡¯d be another loose end tied up after all. Sera herself sported a gash across her back, the coat he¡¯d made for her torn from Jilamaka¡¯s claw. Thankfully though, the wound barely went deeper than that, just a few red lines across her already scarred back.

    He looked around, spying Prolo staring at the door with wide eyes, his face deathly pale. The boy looked fine from what Joe could see, no external injuries he could make out. Mentally though, it might have left a mark, Jilamaka had been a terrifying foe. Now¡­ where was Varig? Joe didn¡¯t see the dwarf standing anywhere, and he hadn¡¯t been in the room with them either.

    That was when he spotted a squat form, lying prone on its back at the far end of the hall. Joe gasped and limped over as quickly as he could, still using his poleaxe to support himself. No one followed after him as he went over to Varig, either tending to wounds or being frozen in shock. As Joe approached the body, he saw a massive dent in the breastplate.

    Joe hung his head. There was no way anyone could survive something like that. The dent looked like a footprint almost, implying that Jilamaka had kicked him square in the chest. Varig had been a good guy, definitely didn¡¯t deserve to go out like this¡­ It¡¯d be hard to deliver the news to Ugals, but they had to know. At least they could take solace in knowing that their prince had helped bring down Jilamaka.

    Joe frowned, wasn¡¯t he giving up too quickly? He should at least check Varig¡¯s vitals before giving him up for dead. That damn brain fog was making him jump to conclusions too apparently. He knelt down, carefully removing the helmet to see Varig¡¯s blood-caked beard, his eyes shut, face a pained grimace.

    But he was breathing.

    Somehow, Varig had survived all that, but unfortunately Joseph didn¡¯t think he¡¯d have long. He was certain that several of the dwarf¡¯s ribs had been shattered, who knew what the pieces were poking into? Well¡­ considering the fact that blood had exited his mouth, it was safe to assume one of his lungs had been punctured.

    It looked grim, but maybe there was something about dwarven biology that would help Varig survive, Joe wasn¡¯t sure. Knowing he was alive though, Joseph refused to leave him here to die. It would be a huge pain in the ass to get him back to Ugals, especially in his current state, but he had to try. He¡¯d need something to use as a makeshift sled, he couldn¡¯t drag Varig by his ankles after all. If there was a cart he could use, that would be better.

    Maybe there was one, somewhere in the ruins. If it was made of steel it would have lasted from Old Ugals ruination till now. It would be too risky to take the time searching for it though, it would have to be a happy accident to run across one. Best not take that chance. Besides, now that he thought of it, he did have something durable that he could use as a sled, one that he could fit Varig onto perfectly. Joe groaned as he removed his scaled trenchcoat, leaning his poleaxe against the wall before laying it flat on the ground.

    He then took up his poleaxe again, and moved back to where the others stood, shaking Prolo by the shoulder, ¡°Hey, Varig¡¯s in bad shape.¡± He breathed heavily, ¡°Help me load him up on my coat, we¡¯ll try n¡¯ drag him back.¡±

    Prolo blinked for a few seconds before he nodded, ¡°Of course, let¡¯s see to it.¡±

    It was a struggle to load Varig onto the coat, he was far heavier than his short stature would have suggested, and with everything aching it made the task fall heavily onto Prolo. They did manage to get it done though, with the dwarf laying face up on the coat. Joe then grabbed the sleeves, using them as handles as he pulled Varig back toward the other end of the hall.

    Once they reached the others, Sera took her eyes off Yugo to look at Gerad, who still stared at the door with apprehension, ¡°Is it done, Gerad?¡± Sera asked hopefully.

    Gerad hesitated, ¡°...The contract hasn¡¯t been fulfilled yet.¡±

    ¡°You have got to be kidding.¡± Joe huffed, ¡°Open the door, go in there, and finish it off then.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± Gerad questioned, ¡°By myself!?¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t even be able to move anymore after all that kid, trust me.¡± Joe said, ¡°I¡¯ve killed things like that before, if it¡¯s alive, it¡¯s comatose.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Gerad hesitated, ¡°Alright then, fine. Sera, may I borrow your pistol again?¡±

    Sera proffered it immediately, ¡°Be quick, we cannot remain here for much longer, Yugo and that dwarf both need help as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°I will be fine.¡± Yugo said breathlessly, ¡°These cuts are not as dire as they seem.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t argue with me, young man.¡± Sera scolded, pointing at Yugo, ¡°We need to get that armor off and wrap you up tighter than a Yuloni mummy.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Yugo asked.

    ¡°Just let me help you get that off.¡± Sera said, ¡°I have bandages in my pack.¡±

    Gerad held the pistol nervously as he approached the door, and Joe drew his own, realizing he¡¯d forgotten his poleaxe at the other end of the hall, ¡°Prolo can you go grab that for me?¡± He asked, indicating the weapon.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Wordlessly, Prolo ran over to it, quickly swiping it up and bringing it back, ¡°How about you carry it, I¡¯ll drag Varig for you. You aren¡¯t in any shape to be lugging him all the way back to Ugals.¡±

    ¡°Thanks kid, ¡®preciate it.¡± Joe said sincerely before he moved up behind Gerad, ¡°I got your back, just open the door a crack and look inside, if it''s moving, shoot it from here, if it ain¡¯t, still shoot it from here.¡± Joe said, ¡°Can¡¯t be too careful.¡±

    ¡°What if it jumps at me?¡± Gerad asked nervously, hand on the rusted handle of the door.

    ¡°Just shut the door.¡± Joe snapped, ¡°There ain¡¯t no way it has the energy to do that, trust me. Let¡¯s just get it over with.¡±

    ¡°A-Alright then.¡± Gerad said nervously, opening the door a crack. ¡°It¡¯s just laying there, but it¡¯s still breathing.¡±

    ¡°Well, make it not breathe.¡± Joe urged, ¡°Just hurry up.¡±

    Gerad, after a few seconds of hesitation, pulled the door open a tad bit more, taking aim with the pistol and opening fire. After three shots, Gerad stopped, letting out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Sera, the contract is fulfilled.¡± Gerad told her, ¡°You¡¯ll be a bit luckier now, it¡¯s been a pleasure.¡±

    ¡°You say that like you¡¯re leaving straight away.¡± Sera said, turning to him, ¡°We have to leave the way we came, Ugals will not let you, and especially not me, through its gates.¡±

    ¡°Just keep yer hood up and you can probably make it through with me.¡± Joe said, ¡°It¡¯ll be a long trip back for you if ya go back the way ya came.¡±

    She seemed to consider for a moment before she shook her head, a pained look on her face. ¡°I would love to, but it is too risky.¡± Sera said, ¡°Who knows what would happen to us if they found out you brought an elf into their hold?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t seem against it last time.¡± Joe pointed out.

    ¡°I would¡¯ve been hidden inside of Betty,¡± She sighed, ¡°With this I¡¯d be out in the open, all it takes is for one dwarf to see my ears and we would be done for. We can be patient Joseph, I¡¯ll meet you back in Shian, I will wait for you there, and if you happen to get there first, wait for me.¡±

    ¡°I got business to take care of before I can head there, it¡¯ll take a bit.¡± He said, looking down at Varig, ¡°If he survives I gotta make him some armor, and I ain¡¯t leaving him here, we had a deal.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Sera said, her tone a tad disappointed, ¡°Well, again I can be patient.¡±

    ¡°Alrighty, I can too.¡± Joe nodded, eyes narrowing before he turned his head toward Yugo, ¡°But I still got one more thing to take care of before I go-¡±

    ¡°You will leave Yugo to me.¡± Sera said firmly, ¡°I will not let you kill him, if that is what you intend.¡±

    ¡°He knows what I am.¡± Joe told her.

    ¡°So do I.¡± Sera replied flatly.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t out to sacrifice me, he is.¡± Joe said, pointing to the still slouched man, ¡°He¡¯s a foot in the grave already-¡±

    ¡°I can still fight, Outworlder.¡± Yugo threatened, standing from the ground, ¡°I will not die like a dog.¡± He said, immediately leaning against the wall to support himself.

    Joseph himself didn¡¯t feel all that capable at the moment¡­ but just one bullet should do the trick.

    He reached down to his holster, only for Sera to grab his wrist, glaring up at him with deadly intent, ¡°You will not.¡± She told him in a dangerous tone, ¡°I will resolve this matter for you, trust me.¡±

    ¡°Move.¡± Joseph ordered back, shrugging out of her grasp to grab his pistol.

    ¡°Is your oath to your God so flimsy?¡± Sera questioned, jabbing a finger into his breastplate.

    Joe¡¯s jaw clenched in frustration. In truth, he had forgotten about the promise he¡¯d made in all the chaos, getting his brain rattled may have had something to do with that. His instincts screamed for him to kill Yugo and beg God for forgiveness afterward, but¡­ a promise was a promise, especially when it was to the Good Lord. That didn¡¯t mean he had to spare any other members of the Black Hand he came across though. If he saw any survivors crawling around he¡¯d kill them.

    ¡°How many of yer cronies are still around.¡± Joe said frustrated, hand leaving his pistol.

    ¡°We all mustered to capture you.¡± Yugo said, ¡°I¡­ I am the only one left.¡± He continued, apparent realization hitting him, ¡°By the Overseer¡­¡±

    ¡°All the more reason for you to leave!¡± Sera scolded, a deep frown on her face.

    Before Yugo could answer, Joe said, ¡°If you are the last one, leave Prolo and me alone. If I ever see you again after today, there won¡¯t even be a stain of you left when I¡¯m done, understand?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the last¡­¡± Yugo said, ¡°No¡­¡± He continued, hands going to the sides of his helmet.

    Joe looked to Prolo, who still clutched Joe¡¯s coat sleeves, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here, we don¡¯t got any more time to waste.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye, Joseph.¡± Sera said, ¡°Thank you for showing restraint, I will see you again soon.¡± She finished in a hopeful tone, turning her attention back to Yugo, who continued to mutter.

    Gerad, for his part, merely leaned against the wall, looking tired. The halfling could become a problem in the future as well, but Joe had the feeling Sera wouldn¡¯t let Joe kill him either¡­ or rather, that Sera would come to despise him if he did. His hand went to his pistol once more, drawing it before aiming it squarely at the halfling¡¯s head. No one noticed¡­ Prolo¡¯s back was to him as he dragged Varig, Yugo was in shock, Sera was trying to bandage him, and Gerad himself was staring at the wall, sitting cross-legged by the door that led to Jilamaka¡¯s tomb.

    He considered Sera¡¯s reaction, as well as Prolo¡¯s. They would think it monstrous for him to do this, but Gerad was a threat to him. There was no guarantee that the halfling wouldn¡¯t gather up a posse to capture Joe in the future. He had only promised that he wouldn¡¯t kill Yugo¡­ he didn¡¯t say anything about Gerad. He could live with Sera¡¯s anger and Prolo¡¯s shock, but he couldn¡¯t live with Gerad remaining alive. Joe pulled the trigger- but inexplicably, the gun merely clicked, with no round being fired. Instantly he holstered the weapon, but he had been noticed.

    While Sera, Yugo, and even Gerad hadn¡¯t apparently noticed the click of his gun¡­ Prolo had, turning his head just in time to see that Joe had been aiming it right at Gerad. The boy¡¯s eyes went wide with shock, jaw hanging agape. If he ratted Joe out, he¡¯d just kill Gerad anyway. Prolo however, didn¡¯t say anything, shaking his head and turning away.

    After they left the ruin, Joe spoke, ¡°He knows what I am.¡± He reasoned.

    ¡°You were going to murder him like a dog, even though he fought beside us against that beast.¡± Prolo said flatly, ¡°He was not the threat Yugo was, I would have understood if it had been him you took aim at.¡±

    Joe bit his cheek, ¡°I¡¯m what the wastes made me, kid.¡±

    ¡°You make me sick.¡± Prolo replied, refusing to look at him as he continued to drag Varig.

    ¡°He knows what I am.¡± Joe repeated.

    ¡°So do I, so does Sera, will you try to kill us next?¡± Prolo pressed, voice gaining heat.

    ¡°Of course not!¡± Joe shot back, ¡°You ain¡¯t a risk, he is.¡±

    ¡°Will you kill Varig¡¯s family because they know what you are?¡± Prolo pressed, ¡°Best to eliminate all risks, right? If Varig dies on the way back, they might want their Third Prince back from the Overseer¡¯s clutches, will you shoot them at their son''s funeral, when they are all gathered together to mourn him?¡±

    Frustration heated his face, why couldn¡¯t Prolo understand why he¡¯d did what he did? Or at least tried anyway¡­ he wasn¡¯t wrong for it¡­ But¡­ what would God think? Even with his mental faculties hampered, Joe could not reason that the Lord would have approved of what he did. It was one thing to kill someone in self-defense, it was different if it was outright murder, which was what he¡¯d attempted. God knew the difference. Had Joseph made a bad call¡­? He had been going to kill Gerad, he¡¯d fully intended to, after all. His thoughts still felt muddy, was his reasoning skewed because of it? Perhaps, but even if he hadn¡¯t been concussed he would have still tried to kill Gerad.

    He would need to pray later, when his thinkin¡¯ was clearer.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you rat me out?¡± Joe asked.

    Prolo didn¡¯t reply as they moved through the shattered ruins of Old Ugals, an awkward silence filling the air between the two men, with only Varig¡¯s pained breathing to break the quiet. The dwarf was in rough shape, and if Joe was being honest with himself, he doubted that Varig would survive the journey back. It had taken three days to get here after all. Then again, that was if they stopped to rest¡­ if they pushed on until they got back, they could cut that down significantly. Could they do it though? Joseph was struggling to merely walk, and Prolo would get exhausted dragging Varig through those winding tunnels. Damn it all, it seemed there was no good solution here, and Joe was no surgeon. If Sera knew how to help, she no-doubt would have offered.

    It still felt strange to simply leave her back there¡­ but she¡¯d been right. The best thing for her to do was go back the way they had come. Joe stopped in place then, gritting his teeth in frustration as he realized that he couldn¡¯t quite remember the way back. Any of the dwarves that had been with them would have had the path memorized easily, but Joe, especially in this state, only knew the general direction they had to go. Varig let out a low groan of agony as Prolo slowed, coming to a stop behind Joseph.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°Why did we stop, is there trouble?¡±

    ¡°...Do you remember how to get back?¡± Joe asked, ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Did the dwarves bring a map?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°Maybe there¡¯s one on Varig?¡±

    Joe turned around, crouching down awkwardly beside him before unceremoniously rifling through the pouch at his belt. All he found was a few coins, a lavender gemstone, and a note that read ¡®If you have found this corpse, know that I was Third Prince Varig of New Ugals, I pray that my efforts in slaying Jilamaka have been successful, and if not¡­ it is up to you now, if you have the heart to take up the task.¡¯

    Joe put everything back, shaking his head, ¡°Nothing like that on him, lets head back and search the others-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s yoo!¡± A voice suddenly shouted from above.

    In an instant Prolo dropped the sleeves and drew his sword, just as Joe drew his pistol, taking aim only to see the goblin, Nine standing there proudly, another rat in his clutches by the tail, ¡°Ya got that big thing good you did! I¡¯ll trade you two of me rats for it, maybe even one!¡±

    Joe lowered his pistol, hopeful as he asked, ¡°Do you know how to get to Ugals?¡±

    ¡°Orals?¡± Nine asked, rubbing his chin, ¡°That one¡¯s where the beardies live eh?¡±

    Prolo looked to Joseph, before looking back to Nine, ¡°The very same.¡± He replied.

    ¡°Yeh, I know where it is.¡± Nine replied.

    ¡°Can ya lead us there?¡± Joe asked, ¡°I have an idea of where to go but that¡¯s it, and my friend here needs help as soon as possible.¡±

    Nine squinted down, looking over Varig with a critical eye, ¡°He¡¯s ¡®alf dead already eh?¡± The goblin asked, ¡°Just leave em¡¯ here.¡±

    ¡°Not gonna happen.¡± Joe replied.

    ¡°Fine!¡± Nine yelled happily, ¡°But he¡¯s gonna die before ya get there.¡±

    ¡°He will if we keep wasting time standing around.¡± Joe said, frustrated.

    ¡°Well he don¡¯t gotta¡­¡± Nine said, scratching his chin, ¡°The Shaman can help him, for a price. Has magic hands he does, ate a big book once. Saw him do it I did, tried to take a bite out of it meself but he slapped me!¡±

    If this shaman had a healing spell, that may just be the thing that saves Varig¡¯s life. As much as he hated to admit it, Nine was right.. Varig would die on the trip back. Even now he could hear the dwarf¡¯s breathing becoming more pained, weaker, and with every cough, fresh blood came with it. There wasn¡¯t a chance he¡¯d survive the trip back to Ugals, the dwarf needed help now.

    Joe could neither morally allow himself to abandon Varig, but the survivor in him also refused this outcome. If he returned to Ugals with the corpse of their Third Prince¡­ there was a real risk that Varig¡¯s family, who also knew what he was, would attempt to sacrifice him in order to bring Varig back to life. With Betty being at their gates and with them packing firepower similar to Joseph¡¯s own, there wasn¡¯t a chance of forcing his way through either¡­ they had to take a risk and travel with Nine to see this ¡®Shaman¡¯.

    He supposed that he could leave Varig and travel with Sera out the way she came, but doing that would mean abandoning Betty, which Joseph would not do under any circumstances. The thought was tantalizing but Varig didn¡¯t deserve to die like this, if there was even a chance that the goblins could save him, Joe would take it. It seemed that, as he was thinking this through, Nine had continued to prattle on.

    ¡°Then my ma tells me that the Shaman ate me mushroom! So I slapped ¡®im good I did, left a bruise on his stupid face-¡±

    ¡°How long would it take to reach your Shaman?¡± Joe asked, cutting him off.

    ¡°We gots a huntin¡¯ camp pretty close, Shaman¡¯s there now in case any of us gets a boo-boo.¡± Nine said with a nod, ¡°I had a pretty big boo-boo last week, was chasin¡¯ a rat n¡¯ twisted me ankle, let me tell you-¡±

    ¡°Get to the point.¡± Joe ordered through grit teeth.

    Nine¡¯s ears perked, and he frowned, ¡°Sorry¡­ you don¡¯t ¡®ave to be so mean.¡± He said in a sulking tone, ¡°We is closer to our place than to Orals, much closerest, you make deal with us, we save the beardy!¡± Nine offered, ¡°Maybe half the beardy actually-¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± Joe said, ¡°But if this is a trap I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    ¡°Joseph,¡± Prolo said, eyes wide, ¡°This is a goblin, you aren¡¯t thinking clearly, you hit your head.¡± He reasoned, placing a hand on his shoulder ¡°We cannot go with him, they¡¯ll try and throw us into a stew.¡±

    ¡°I can fight them off if they try.¡± Joseph whispered confidently.

    Prolo¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°In your condition?¡± He questioned, ¡°You¡¯d be lucky to fight off one of those dead rats he has.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ll have my shotty at the ready.¡± Joe said, ¡°A blast from this will send ¡®em running, trust me.¡±

    Prolo grimaced, looking from Varig to Nine before he said, ¡°This is a bad idea.¡±

    ¡°Oi!¡± Nine yelled, ¡°Are ya gonna come with me or not!? I gotta get a third rat if yoo say no so hurry up!¡±

    Joe took Prolo¡¯s words into consideration for a moment before he decided on what to do.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, shorty.¡± Joe confirmed, ¡°Take us to the Shaman.¡±

 Chapter Thirty-Four: Your Slave

    Joseph breathed heavily as he followed after Nine, with Prolo just behind, dragging the still unconscious Varig on Joe¡¯s dragonscale coat. While Joe would have preferred this be a quick and silent trip, Nine would not allow the latter.

    ¡°Me woman then told me that I can¡¯t throw a rock at a cave roaches, tolds me that is bad luck, pah!¡± Nine said, exasperated, ¡°I don¡¯t wanna splat ¡®em with me club, hittin¡¯ them with rocks stops the gooey stuff from getting all over me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡± Joe replied for the fiftieth time.

    ¡°Right!?¡± Nine agreed, ¡°It is crazy, why would throwing rocks at bugs be bad luck? Reminds me of this one time-¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡± Joe replied for the fifty-first time.

    ¡°Right!?¡± Nine agreed.

    Joe let out a suffering sigh as the goblin continued to prattle on. He had already gleaned all the useful info that was possible from the little freak. Joe knew how many goblins were in the camp, the weapons they had, as well as where they kept their food and water supply, among other things¡­ and Joe hadn¡¯t even asked about that stuff. He had been intending to, but Nine just put it out there in the open without any prodding whatsoever.

    ¡°I would really prefer if you¡¯d stay quiet.¡± Prolo said, straining to sound polite.

    ¡°Why do you gotta be mean to him?¡± Nine asked, ¡°Joey hasn¡¯t said too much of nuthin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t talkin¡¯ to me.¡± Joe pointed out.

    ¡°The beardy hasn¡¯t said nuthin¡¯ at all!¡± Nine exclaimed, ¡°Ya can¡¯t be mean to someone what can¡¯t talk back!¡±

    Joe and Prolo then both sighed.

    ¡°How much farther?¡± Joe asked, cutting Nine off from another rant, ¡°Varig ain¡¯t got much longer.¡±

    It was true, this past hour had been hellish for the dwarf, if the pained cries and ragged breathing were an indicator. Joe himself was having trouble keeping up with Nine due to his own injuries, the ache in his shoulders, the pounding of his head, and his muddied thoughts making this ¡®short¡¯ trip feel like it lasted an eternity. Prolo, while not as worse for wear, was still dragging a heavy dwarf across the entirety of Old Ugals, sometimes having to hoist Varig over some rubble to continue on their path. His breathing was strained but the boy didn¡¯t relent, fully intent on saving Varig just as much as Joe himself was.

    ¡°Probably ten minutes, or maybe fifty, An hour, two maybe.¡± Nine said confidently.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Joe questioned, ¡°What kind of math is that!?¡±

    ¡°Dunno what that means.¡± Nine replied, ¡°I just knows it won¡¯t take much longer.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a big difference between ten minutes, and two hours pal.¡± Joe said between heavy breaths, ¡°A big one.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what a minute even is?¡± Prolo asked, voice strained as he continued to drag Varig, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to be rude, I¡¯m genuinely curious.¡±

    ¡°Minutes like¡­¡± Nine paused, ¡°Phew, ¡®bout sixty hours?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Joe shook his head despite the ache, ¡°Not even close, that¡¯s totally wrong.¡±

    ¡°Sixty seconds, Nine. Seconds.¡± Prolo emphasized.

    ¡°Seconds?¡± Nine asked, a gnarled hand cradling his warty chin, ¡°But we ain¡¯t even had firsts yet.¡±

    ¡°...Wha-¡± Joe began before Nine cut him off.

    ¡°Hadn¡¯t had dinner yet.¡± Nine nodded, ¡°Can¡¯t have seconds without firsts. That¡¯s just silly.¡±

    Joe let out a heavy sigh. Talking to Nine was more exhausting than the fight with Jilamaka. At least in the moment it felt like it. After a few more minutes of Nine¡¯s gabbing, they finally reached the edge of Old Ugals, to which Nine pointed to a small, inconspicuous tunnel.

    ¡°That¡¯s the one what leads to the huntin¡¯ camp.¡± Nine declared proudly, ¡°It¡¯ll be a tight fit for you tallers- ah sorry.¡± Nine said quickly, raising a single warding hand, ¡°Talls I mean.¡±

    Joe stared at the tunnel, which was half his height. He and Prolo would have to crouch down in order to pass through it, but someone of Nine¡¯s height would be able to walk through no problem. Joe groaned but didn¡¯t voice a complaint aside from that, bitching about the tunnel wouldn¡¯t make it bigger¡­ he just had to get this over with. Prolo stared at the tunnel with similar apprehension, but other than that, said nothing.

    Nine led the way, with Joe and Prolo right behind, hunched down as they followed after the little green freak. Joe¡¯s legs burned keeping this pace with the goblin, and Prolo¡¯s breathing became more labored as he maintained the same squat, still dragging Varig. During the rest of the miserable trip, Nine continued to talk, much to Joe¡¯s irritation. Thankfully he didn¡¯t have to suffer Nine¡¯s stories for too long, as they soon emerged into a tall cavern.

    Joe¡¯s quads screamed in agony at their poor treatment, but it was paltry compared to the pain of his skull, which had only worsened with the effort of moving through the tunnel. Ahead, Joe could see a series of tents, illuminated by Fumu in glass jars. It looked just like Nine had described, from how the tents were arranged in a circle all the way down to where they smoked the rats. There were around twenty tents in all, and the number of goblins occupying the camp seemed to be half that number. The hunters must have still been out and about.

    ¡°Camp sweet camp!¡± Nine declared, urging Joe and Prolo forward, ¡°Shaman is this way, follow!¡±

    ¡°Is he gonna want somethin¡¯ for fixin¡¯ up our pal?¡± Joe asked, putting most of his weight on his poleaxe as they went.

    ¡°Yeah I told ya that already!¡± Nine shouted, ¡°Keep your brain-ears open bigger.¡±

    ¡­Had he told Joe that? It was hard to recall amidst both the brain-fog and Nine¡¯s ceaseless chatter.

    ¡°What would be the price for such magic?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°Surely it won¡¯t be something as simple as gold.¡±

    ¡°Gold shmold.¡± Nine said dismissively, ¡°That stuff is useless! We use rat-tails for current-see, lasts a longerest time but still rots away event of lee.¡± Nine nodded as the other goblins began to take notice of their presence. ¡°Cause of that we don¡¯t get¡­ uh¡­ enfatshion? Yeh, no enfatshion.¡±

    Joe, despite his grumpy mood, cracked a half-smile, just for an instant. Thankfully with his mask on, there was no way for Nine to see it. If the goblin did, that might have encouraged him. Nine led them further into the camp, his fellow goblins looking on-edge as they stared at the new arrivals. What would they have done if Nine hadn¡¯t been leading them?

    ¡°Hey!¡± Nine waved to his kindred, ¡°It¡¯s all good.¡±

    The goblins then all nodded their heads emphatically, losing the edge in their stare and approaching the group of them. Nine urged them to a halt as they reached the center of camp, the dozen goblins coming to surround them. Was this a trap? Joe¡¯s hand tightened on his poleaxe, but much to his surprise¡­ and chagrin, they all began yapping.

    ¡°Ooh is a humie!¡± One shouted, ¡°I met a humie once, shoved my head in a ladderine or whatever it was called, stinky!¡±

    ¡°Two humies and a beardy.¡± Another said, holding up four fingers, ¡°Five in total yeh?¡±

    ¡°No! Stupid idiot!¡± Another reprimanded, ¡°Clearly das two.¡±

    ¡°Two is my older brother!¡± Nine shouted, ¡°These ain¡¯t me brothers!¡±

    ¡°Not Two, I said two!¡± The same one replied, crossing thin green arms.

    ¡°...Wha?¡± Nine asked, scratching his chin.

    ¡°Da number!¡± A goblin offered.

    Nine considered, before snapping his fingers, ¡°Ah I gets it. Yoo are all slow-in-the-minds though, they is three.¡± He finished, gesturing to Joe and the others.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    A round of gasps then emanated from the small gathering, hands going to chins or slapping faces.

    ¡°Nine is so smartest.¡± One stated, tone somewhat envious.

    ¡°Ya know,¡± Nine started, ¡°That reminds me of-¡±

    ¡°Where is the Shaman?¡± Joe said quickly, cutting Nine off, ¡°We don¡¯t got much time, our friend here needs healing, and me too.¡±

    ¡°Probably cost you extree for that.¡± Nine replied with a shrug, ¡°And remember I ain¡¯t doing this for free neither.¡±

    Joe glared, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I want chocolate!¡± Nine shouted, ¡°Gimme a square or five!¡±

    ¡°No way, you should have been up front with me about this.¡± Joe said, shaking his head.

    ¡°Joseph¡­¡± Prolo whispered, ¡°He did mention it.¡±

    ¡°He did?¡± Joe asked, squinting.

    ¡°That¡¯s right I did!¡± Nine yelled again, exacerbating Joe¡¯s headache.

    He felt a bit of heat in his face as a mote of anger was drawn out.

    ¡°Half a square.¡± Joe said sufferingly, reaching into his pack.

    ¡°I said a square or five!¡± Nine yelled again, driving the spikes of pain deeper into his skull.

    ¡°If you yell again I¡¯m gonna kick your ass.¡± Joe threatened, his anger bleeding into his tone.

    Nine¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°I don¡¯t have a donkey¡­¡± He shrugged.

    Joe exhaled sharply out of his nose, ¡°Just don¡¯t yell at me again, or there¡¯s gonna be problems. You¡¯ll get a single square, and that¡¯s it. I¡¯m being generous here, but you gotta bring us to the Shaman first, or you ain¡¯t gettin¡¯ it. Understand?¡± Joe asked.

    Nine nodded, the other goblins chatting amongst themselves, apparently trying to ascertain what ¡®chocolate¡¯ was.

    ¡°Fine¡­¡± Nine pouted, ¡°Don¡¯t got a donkey you can kick but whatevers.¡±

    ¡°Shaman, now.¡± Joe demanded, fist clenching.

    ¡°Alright jeebz¡­¡± Nine whined, turning around before approaching the largest tent in the camp.

    It, like the rest of the tents, appeared to be made of a patchwork of animal skins, some patches still having hair on them. It was sloppy work, Joe could stitch a far better flesh tent if he had the desire to. He frowned at the thought, why would he ever want to do something like that? They stopped just outside the tent, Nine going in by himself before emerging with an old and knobbly goblin.

    Shorter than even Nine, the wrinkled creature before Joseph looked just as he himself did before he was de-aged¡­ if Joe had been warty and green anyhow. A wispy white head of hair stretched down to the Shaman¡¯s stooped shoulders, the rat bone mask he wore keeping it from his eyes. The two prominent teeth of the mask were a deep yellow, sticking out just past the Shaman¡¯s long nose.

    ¡°I¡¯m Shaman, whaddya want.¡± It asked in a scraggly grumpy tone, ¡°My fifth nap of the day has been smack-re-riced to speak with yas.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase.¡± Joe started, ¡°My buddy the dwarf there got hurt bad, I heard ya got magic hands, so can ya heal him?¡±

    Shaman nodded, ¡°Yeh.¡±

    ¡°Oh, well great.¡± Joe said with a smile.

    A moment of silence passed, Prolo dropping the sleeves to knuckle the small of his back in the meantime.

    ¡°Are you gonna do anythin¡¯?¡± Joe asked, gesturing at him with his free hand, ¡°Yer just standing there.¡±

    ¡°I need some chores done first,¡± Shaman said, ¡°Go and clean the lateriney cave and pick me fifty glow-caps from Old Orals, after that, I need yas to go give a nice rock I found to me nephew in the camp what¡¯s south of here, after that I¡¯ll heal your buddy, now lemme go get the rock. It¡¯s real shiny-like.¡± Shaman concluded, turning away.

    Joe expected to have to give something in return for this service, but these errands that Shaman wanted to send them on would take far too long, Varig could very well pass on while they were out doing these things. He needed to get Varig healed now, not later.

    ¡°Woah pal.¡± Joe said quickly, ¡°I ain¡¯t saying no, but you gotta heal our friend now before I do anything for ya.¡±

    ¡°Nah.¡± Shaman said, ¡°He¡¯ll probably be alright, he¡¯s just sleepin¡¯¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s unconscious cause of how hard he got hit.¡± Joe said with a sigh, ¡°He¡¯s gonna die unless ya heal him right now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m da Shaman here,¡± He replied sharply, ¡°If he was gonna die he¡¯d be super quiety like, listen to the beardy.¡± Shaman pointed to Varig, who let out rattled breathes between pained groans, ¡°He¡¯ll probably be fine till you get the chores done, I gotta finish my fifth nap-¡±

    ¡°How about I give ya something instead of doin¡¯ those chores?¡± Joe asked, ¡°Ever hear of chocolate?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Shaman asked, ¡°Can¡¯t say that I have.¡±

    ¡°Nine, tell him how good it is.¡± Prolo gestured, ¡°Quickly please.¡±

    ¡°Ah yeh.¡± Nine nodded, ¡°I only brought him here to get another square of it, tastes real good like, super sweetly.¡±

    Shaman then ran a hand through his wispy beard, ¡°Sweetly eh? Well that does sound nice-like, that reminds me of the time-¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Joe said quickly, cutting Shaman off, ¡°I can give you a square of it if you heal our friend right now, and if you heal me after him, I¡¯ll see about gettin¡¯ those chores done for ya. Deal?¡±

    ¡°Yeh, sounds good.¡± Shaman said, yawning, ¡°Just gotta finish my fifth nap and I can get around to it.¡±

    Joe¡¯s jaw clenched, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m an oldy, oldies need napsies.¡± Shaman explained, ¡°Should just be an hour or so, maybe two, five, twelvty, who knows?¡±

    ¡°Naw, you said you would heal him now for the chocolate, so get to it.¡± Joe ordered, ¡°This is serious, he ain¡¯t gonna last that long. Just heal him up and then ya can take that nap.¡±

    ¡°Magic don¡¯t work too well without me nap laddy.¡± Shaman shrugged, ¡°Just be patent.¡± He said, wagging his finger.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to heal him now.¡± Joe said, eyes going wide as his anger rose.

    ¡°Listen, sir Shaman,¡± Prolo began quickly, stepping in front of Joe, ¡°He won¡¯t last till the chores are done, I beg of you, please heal him.¡±

    ¡°Can I get that square now?¡± Nine asked sheepishly, ¡°Please?¡±

    ¡°Give it a second.¡± Joe replied sharply, ¡°Are ya gonna heal him or what Shaman?¡±

    ¡°Nah, trust me he¡¯ll be fine.¡± The old goblin replied dismissively, ¡°Yer over-re-itching, beardy¡¯s are tough-like.¡±

    ¡°I ain¡¯t asking.¡± Joe said, voice becoming cold as stone.

    ¡°Dontchu take that tone with me!¡± Shaman shouted, driving spikes of pain through Joe¡¯s temples, ¡°Why I oughta!¡±

    That was the last straw. The agony in his head, the shouting, Varig¡¯s dire condition, Shaman¡¯s attitude- it was all too much. His wrath bubbled forth and before he knew it, he shouldered Prolo aside and tackled Shaman, snarling like a rabid animal as he pinned the little freak to the stone, a large hand wrapped around its throat. The goblin stared up at him in shock as crimson began to creep in at the edges of Joe¡¯s vision.

    In a frozen tone, Joe threatened, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you unless you do it, now.¡±

    Shaman sputtered and coughed, unable to reply as Joe hoisted him in the air with a single hand, his aches and pains momentarily washed away in the heat of his anger. Prolo drew his blade as the other goblins approached, clubs gripped apprehensively as they stared with wide-eyes at the scene unfolding. Nine had dropped both the rat tails, using both hands to hold the sides of his head as he watched on in apparent horror.

    Joe then set Shaman down, and gave a swift kick to his rear, sending him scrambling toward Varig with a yelp of pain. Joe then grasped his poleaxe in both hands, and made a point of hovering the hammer-head right over Shaman¡¯s skull. When the goblin turned, mouth wide open and no-doubt ready to shout expletives, he froze, eyes going wide as he looked up at the poleaxe. Audibly, Shaman gulped, turning back around and promptly approaching Varig.

    ¡°Is this wise?¡± Prolo asked, ¡°If we make enemies of the goblins, we may have trouble returning to Ugals afterward.¡±

    ¡°If they try,¡± Joe said with heat, ¡°I¡¯ll kill them all.¡±

    The gathered goblins all then took a step back, with one even fainting.

    ¡°We won¡¯t causes treble, h-honest.¡± Shaman whimpered, ¡°I won¡¯t take my nap just please don¡¯t kill me-he-heeee!¡± He wailed, hands moving to cover his eyes.

    ¡°Get it done then.¡± Joe ordered, ¡°Or I¡¯m gonna paint your camp with a fresh coat of brain.¡±

    Shaman cried as he laid hands on Varig¡¯s brow, the creature shaking as a dim orange light spread out from his hands and enveloped the dwarf¡¯s body. For an instant, he was radiant, the glow around Varig illuminating the entire cavern before it died down just as quickly. Shaman fell back on his rear, breathing heavily as a hand clutched his chest.

    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s a bit betta.¡± Shaman said, ¡°Rest of it¡¯s up to him now¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by a ¡®bit¡¯?¡± Joe asked, ¡°He¡¯s still hurt?¡±

    Shaman flinched, ¡°My magic helps boo-boos not broken bones- that¡¯s the best I can do I swears it!¡± He pleaded.

    Joe glanced the dwarf over again, seeing that his breathing was a tad bit better, but not by much, and his groans were quieter than before. This was still not enough.

    ¡°Do it again.¡± Joe ordered, pointing to Varig.

    Shaman blinked, ¡°Again? But I-¡±

    Joe flipped his poleaxe, bringing the blade close to Shaman¡¯s throat, ¡°Again.¡±

    ¡°Joseph.¡± Prolo urged, ¡°Calm yourself.¡±

    Joe ignored Prolo as he pressed the blade to Shaman¡¯s throat, ¡°Is there a reason you haven¡¯t done it yet!?¡± He shouted, ¡°Do it you ugly freak!¡±

    Shaman yelped and crawled back over to Varig, breathing heavily as he once more laid hands upon him, the glow returning once more, albeit slightly dimmer this time around. Varig¡¯s breathing became more normal again, but it was still ragged. Shaman¡¯s hands shook as he laid down, eyes becoming heavy.

    ¡°That is all I can do.¡± Shaman said, ¡°M-my chest hurts.¡±

    Joe ignored the pleas, ¡°I don¡¯t care, again.¡±

    Shaman¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°B-but if I do it more then-¡±

    ¡°Again.¡± Joe said coldly.

    ¡°Joseph.¡± Prolo urged again, not turning away from the surrounding goblins.

    Shaman then crawled weakly over to Varig, laying hands on him once more, the light barely lighting up Varig¡¯s armor this time, rather than the entire cavern. Shaman¡¯s hands collapsed, and Varig¡¯s breathing again improved, but only marginally. Joe leaned down, grabbing the goblins hands and placing them on Varig.

    ¡°Again.¡±

    ¡°I-¡± Shaman rasped, ¡°I can¡¯tnt do it-¡±

    ¡°Now.¡±

    ¡°Joseph that¡¯s enough!¡± Prolo exploded, his face going red as he half-turned to face him, ¡°You¡¯ll kill him if he keeps this up.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Joe said, his voice still holding its cold edge, ¡°Now heal him again.¡±

    Joe¡¯s world turned on its side as a firm boot pushed him down to the stone. Joe turned his head, seeing Prolo standing over him, a sneer on his face.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Prolo exclaimed, ¡°They may be goblins but this is too far!¡±

    Joe growled, quickly rising to his feet before promptly falling to his knees as the world spun. His wrath made him forget the pain he suffered, but a concussion was still a concussion.

    ¡°He¡¯s gonna die if we leave him like that!¡± Joe screamed, ¡°If he dies I can¡¯t go back to Ugals!¡±

    ¡°Your actions are reprehensible,¡± Prolo commented, his frown deepening, ¡°A good man wouldn''t force a creature to kill itself, no matter what the reason is.¡±

    Joe stood shakily, ¡°Varig¡¯s more important than that little green freak.¡± He said snidely, blinking quickly as a fresh sheen of sweat appeared at his brow.

    ¡°So you will treat him like a tool because you think he is beneath you!?¡± Prolo shouted back, ¡°Do you realize what you¡¯re doing here!? In this moment, you have made this creature your slave!¡±

    Joe¡¯s skin went cold, ¡°You better watch what you say next.¡± He said, the corners of his vision reddening to the point where it appeared that a tunnel of red surrounded Prolo, ¡°You little punk.¡±

    Prolo flinched, but did not take a step back, ¡°I won¡¯t let you hurt them, even if they are goblins.¡± He finished, his free hand going to the pistol at his belt.

    Joe breathed heavily through clenched teeth, eyes as wide as they could go as he stared down the younger man. Just one quick swing of the poleaxe and he could sever Prolo¡¯s head, after that, he¡¯d shoot all the goblins and press Shaman into healing until it died-

    His breath caught, and in an instant shame overwhelmed his wrath. This boy, the one that had taken him in when he first arrived in this world, and here Joe was, planning on how he was going to kill him. Guilt ate its way through its stomach, his grip slackening on his poleaxe as Shaman huffed and puffed at their feet.

    ¡°What will you do, Joseph?¡± Prolo asked in a neutral tone.

 Chapter Thirty-Five: Steel Cage

    Joseph¡¯s grip on his poleaxe slackened as he stared at Prolo, who still had his sword at the ready, anticipating an attack that would never come, ¡°I¡¯m not gonna do anythin¡¯.¡± Joe answered him, trying and failing to keep the shame from his tone, ¡°Let¡¯s just go.¡±

    Prolo¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Truly? You seemed dead-set on murdering these poor creatures a second ago. I know that you hold no fear of me, so what is your reasoning?¡± He asked, lowering his sword slightly.

    Joe¡¯s eyes shifted to Shaman, who groaned and wept on the ground, breathing ragged, ¡°You put some things in perspective is all. Let¡¯s just go-¡±

    ¡°Wait Joseph, let me do one thing first.¡± Prolo said, sheathing his blade as he approached Shaman, ¡°Old one, we do not wish trouble for our journey back to Ugals, therefore, I, Prolo Pienturshuld, promise you that after I return my companions there, that I will return to aid you in the tasks you had previously mentioned, and then some.¡± Prolo continued, kneeling down next to the goblin.

    ¡°Emphafish on ¡®then some¡¯!¡± Shaman shouted despite his condition, ¡°I¡¯ll run ya ragged with work, and I want that chocolate!¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡± Nine yelled emphatically before his eyes landed on Joe, ¡°Uh, if das okay¡­¡± He murmured, ears flattening.

    Joe didn¡¯t make a fuss about it as he brought out the chocolate, offering one square to Nine, who took it sheepishly in both hands before unceremoniously scarfing it down like a rabid animal. Joe then made to approach Shaman, but stopped as he flinched, yellow goat-eyes going wide with terror. Joe instead gave the square to Prolo, who in turn handed it to Shaman. The goblin then took the chocolate in a shaky hand, popping the square in his mouth before chewing it.

    Shaman¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Ooh that¡¯s sweetly¡­ very sweetly, I want more!¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°That was the last one.¡± He lied, turning back toward the tunnel, ¡°We should get going, Nine, take us to Ugals.¡±

    Nine frowned, ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°You know the way, we need to get back as soon as possible.¡± Joe pointed out, ¡°Ya said that right?¡±

    ¡°Dids I?¡± Nine asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like something I¡¯d says.¡±

    ¡°You did.¡± Prolo said, ¡°And I insist on this as well, we need you.¡±

    Strangely, Nine¡¯s ears perked back up, ¡°You needs me?¡± He questioned, ¡°You needs Nine?¡±

    Prolo smiled, ¡°We certainly do, we may not make it back in time without your guidance, and besides, to return to finish my tasks for your Shaman, I will need someone to bring me back. You would be perfect for this task.¡±

    Nine¡¯s lips tightened, his ears coming to a point over his head, ¡°You gots it, won¡¯t let ya downs I won¡¯t!¡± He declared, ¡°I met me rat coatah so I gots free time, less go!¡±

    ¡°Prolo are you sure about that?¡± Joe asked, ¡°Coming back here without me?¡±

    ¡°I can handle myself.¡± Prolo replied curtly, ¡°I am not a child and do not need supervision. You won¡¯t be able to return with me anyhow, not in your condition.¡±

    ¡°Guess so.¡± Joe replied, unsure how to argue.

    The Black Hand was essentially gone now, in truth, Prolo was no longer in danger¡­ at least not from them. Yugo may be a problem but Sera seemed certain that she¡¯d be able to convince him away from that. Prolo was his own man, if he wanted to come back here of his own accord, who was Joseph to stop him? With everything that had happened, Prolo may want a reason to distance himself from Joe as well¡­ and if that was the case, Joe understood.

    When he got back to Betty, he¡¯d take some time and re-read the Good Book.

    Nine then pointed to the tunnel they came here from and shouted, ¡°I think that¡¯s the way!¡±

    Joseph and Prolo both shifted their gazes to the goblin, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®you think¡¯?¡± Joe asked, ¡°You said you knew the way, we already know we gotta take that tunnel to get out.¡±

    ¡°Is jussa joke!¡± Nine insisted quickly, raising his hands palm forward, ¡°Honest!¡±

    ¡°Well, get goin¡¯ then.¡± Joe ordered.

    ¡°On it, I¡¯m super brain good.¡± Nine said with a nod, ¡°Oh yeh, boys!¡± Nine shouted, drawing the other goblins'' attention, ¡°There¡¯s a big meat-bag in Old-Orals, we gots to let da Big-Camp know, it''s enough meat for at least ten gobs!¡±

    The group of listeners took a step back, apparently stunned by this claim.

    ¡°Let me tell ya how it happened!¡± Nine started, ¡°You see-¡±

    ¡°We need to go now, Nine.¡± Prolo said, putting a hand on his shoulder, ¡°If you please.¡±

    ¡°Oh uh, yeh, less go.¡± Nine nodded, features firming.

    Nine then began walking quickly, gesturing for them to follow. He hurried after Nine as Prolo once more began to drag Varig, who now let out only mild coughs as they went. The dwarf¡¯s chances had improved, but Joe could tell that it had only delayed the inevitable. All Varig needed to do was last until they got to Ugals, and then hopefully someone there would be able to fix him up.

    The trip was arduous, with them all needing to rest periodically as they went. Prolo¡¯s breathing grew more and more labored as they pressed on through the tunnels, matching Varig¡¯s own struggling breaths huff for puff. Joe¡¯s feet grew to weigh a hundred pounds each, or at least that¡¯s what it felt like, with each step taking a monumental effort to accomplish. Nine, for his part, seemed far too chipper. His babbling continued the entire trip, which ended up lasting the better part of two days. They couldn¡¯t afford to slow down and sleep, and the rush seemed to have cut the travel time down by two days.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    As they stared at the gates of Ugals, Joe nearly fell to his knees in relief. Instead, he leaned heavily on his poleaxe, staring with heavy eyes at the majestic gleaming steel of Ugals. He needed a multi-day nap after this, no, a self-induced coma. Every fiber of his being was sore, his headache had only grown worse, and now, on top of all that, his vision had almost completely tunneled. Even now he was nodding off¡­ staying still was a bad idea. Miserably he moved forward, Prolo saying something to Nine before following after him.

    This had to be at least the ninth worst day of his life, top ten for sure¡­ at least when it came to his physical condition. The gates opened well before Joe reached them, a retinue of armored dwarves rushing out to greet them. Most rushed past him, crying out Varig¡¯s name as they surrounded the Third Prince. A short stretcher carried by two dwarves rushed forth, quickly transferring Varig from Joe¡¯s coat to the stretcher before promptly carrying him away, the dozens of dwarves that had come out quickly following after.

    He spied Prolo swiping up the coat with a groan, knuckling his no-doubt aching back. Joe turned his attention away from Prolo, looking to the three dwarves that still stood before him, one of them being Bilmor.

    ¡°Joseph¡­ what happened to the expedition!?¡± Bilmor questioned, ¡°Has the Black Hand killed everyone but you three?¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°No¡­ they¡¯re gone, but it wasn¡¯t them that screwed us up this much.¡±

    Bilmor gasped, ¡°Jilamaka!?¡± He questioned, the dwarves at his side tilting their helmets quickly to the tunnel, raising their shotguns to aim at it.

    ¡°Yeah but¡­ well, you don¡¯t gotta worry about it anymore.¡± Joe said, ¡°We killed it, but it wasn¡¯t easy.¡±

    Bilmor froze for a moment before removing his helmet, revealing a head of graying hair and a mildly wrinkled face. His stony gray eyes were wide, jaw agape. When the dwarf gathered himself, he asked, ¡°...Truly?¡±

    Joe nodded, ¡°Sure is¡­ but again it wasn¡¯t easy.¡± Joe continued, gesturing to himself before pointing to Prolo, ¡°But us three were the only fellas left from the expedition, everyone else is dead.¡±

    Bilmor¡¯s head hung, and the dwarves at his side lowered their guns, repeating the motion, ¡°I trust that Potor and the others went down like proper dwarves, then?¡± He asked.

    ¡°They did.¡± Joe smiled weakly, ¡°But Jilamaka¡¯s gone now, ya¡¯ll can go check out Old Ugals now, ya don¡¯t gotta be afraid.¡±

    Bilmor smiled, ¡°We certainly will, but first, we must attend to the Third Prince, tell us, what are the extent of his injuries? Our medical team must know as much as is possible.¡±

    Joe then explained the severity of Varig¡¯s condition, to which Bilmor paled, urging one of his companions to go quickly after Varig and the medical team. Bilmor then urged Joseph to follow him in through the gate, which he did with gusto, Prolo following just behind after tying on a blindfold. The remaining guard guided Prolo, letting him lean heavily on his stout shoulders as they went.

    ¡°Hopefully there¡¯s still time left, it is amazing that he made it this long. I assume that you will wish to return to Betty post-haste, yes?¡± Bilmor asked, slowing his pace for the exhausted humans.

    Joe nodded, ¡°Sure do¡­ I need a few days to recover, Jilamaka hit me pretty darnn hard.¡±

    ¡°It is unbelievable that you even survived such a thing.¡± Bilmor stated, ¡°But with that armor, I suppose it is not so unbelievable. To withstand a blow from such a massive creature-¡±

    ¡°It got smaller after we killed it the first time.¡± Joe said with a sigh.

    ¡°...What?¡± Bilmor asked.

    ¡°Long story, I¡¯ll tell it to ya later, but I wanna go home first.¡± Joe said, ¡°Put me on that cart and send me up.¡±

    ¡°We have to reach the cart first, Joseph.¡± Bilmor pointed out, ¡°After you recuperate, I have no doubt that our king would wish a few words for you.¡±

    ¡°I might pass.¡± Joe said honestly, ¡°No offense but I¡¯d wanna see Varig first.¡±

    Bilmor didn¡¯t respond, not until they reached the cart. Joe squinted as he stared at the thing, the metal a slightly different shade than it had been before. It was darker, but otherwise the same size.

    ¡°Did the other one get broke?¡± Joe asked, pointing to the cart.

    ¡°Ah yes¡­¡± Bilmor replied, ¡°It de-railed when we sent up a few barrels of mushroom wine, so we had to make a few changes to ensure that it would never happen again.¡±

    Joe nodded, ¡°Fair enough, alright let¡¯s get goin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Wait a moment, Joseph.¡± Prolo said, ¡°I must keep my promise to Shaman, and I would rather get it done sooner, rather than later.¡±

    Joe turned to him, ¡°You¡¯re exhausted, you can sleep a day or two in Betty before you get goin¡¯.¡±

    But Prolo shook his head, ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡±

    In an instant, Joe understood¡­ he needed a break from Joe.

    ¡°Alright, but take my coat with ya at least.¡± He told him, ¡°Ya can¡¯t be too careful.¡±

    ¡°I will, thank you.¡± Prolo replied flatly, ¡°Please return me to the gate, I have business I must attend to.¡±

    ¡°Very well, but I insist you rest a while before you leave.¡± Bilmor told him, ¡°You may sleep, under guard, in our barracks. Take a few hours to recuperate, then you may leave the gate.¡±

    Prolo considered for a moment, before nodding, ¡°That sounds splendid, I appreciate your hospitality.¡±

    With that, Prolo was turned around by his accompanying guard, moving back in the opposite direction. Hopefully the kid would be alright with them goblins, but only time would tell.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get goin¡¯ then Billy-boy.¡± Joe said, ¡°I¡¯m hankerin¡¯ for some water.¡±

    ¡°I will send you up, I must go see the Third Prince as soon as possible.¡± He told him, ¡°I will let you know any new developments for his condition.¡±

    ¡°Alrighty then.¡± Joe replied, climbing into the cart, noting that it didn¡¯t wobble even slightly.

    He leaned in the back corner of the cart, gripping the sides as he stared up the glistening tower that was the mountain, seeing the bridges, the Fumu and hearing the industry of the dwarves all around him. Leaning back like this, his eyes already began to shut¡­ but the blackness that overcame him was not unconsciousness.

    ¡°I am sorry.¡± He heard Bilmor say, the sound of the lever flipping immediately after.

    Joe then heard a mechanical hiss all around him, and before he knew it, he felt his arms and shoulders rising, and he quickly scrambled away toward the center of the cart. The rim of the cart had opened, thick sections of solid steel rising quickly over his head, twisting toward one another before coming to meet at the top. Joe stood there, stunned for a moment before his face twisted into a vicious snarl.

    ¡°You bastard!¡± Joe shouted, ¡°I''ll kill you!¡±

    ¡°Like I said Joseph¡­¡± Bilmor said, voice echoing through Joe¡¯s steel cage, ¡°I am sorry.¡±

    ¡°What the hell was all that crap about owing me!?¡± Joe screamed, swinging the hammer-head of his poleaxe into the metal.

    ¡°This is just a precaution, in case the worst happens.¡± Bilmor said, ¡°We prepared this trap after you left, in case the Third Prince didn¡¯t come back alive.¡±

    Joe¡¯s eyes widened. They¡¯d thought that far ahead? He swung his weapon into the surface of the metal again, flicking on his flashlight to illuminate the dark interior, seeing that not even a scratch had been left on its surface. What the hell? This wasn¡¯t just dwarven steel, this was different¡­ more firm, unyielding. He swung again, the clanging reverberating in his ears.

    ¡°It¡¯s useless, just relax, if the prince pulls through, you will be released and heavily compensated for this shameful betrayal.¡± Bilmor said.

    ¡°And if he don¡¯t, what then!?¡± Joe asked, already knowing the answer.

    Likewise, Bilmor didn¡¯t answer the question, ¡°It would be best if you would rest, you will know soon what will happen.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this.¡± Joe threatened, punching the wall, his vision reddening, ¡°I¡¯ll tear you apart!¡±

    ¡°Remove the cart and bring it to the throne room.¡± He heard Bilmor order.

    Joe¡¯s teeth clenched as he desperately felt along the seams of the walls for any part that would give under pressure¡­ but the whole thing felt solid. Leaving the walls, he began prodding at the minecart itself as he felt it lift from the ground, looking for any signs of structural weakness. After a few minutes of traveling and him searching, he found that the walls of the cart seemed ever so slightly bendy now, likely a result of the metal emerging to trap him. He then drew out his crowbar, and jabbed it hard into the corner, gritting his teeth as he tried and failed to force a breach.

    He didn¡¯t have long to get out of here, he had better think of something fast.

 Chapter Thirty-Six: Varigâ€™s Final Plea

    Crusted eyes slowly opened, revealing an engraved stony ceiling above. After a moment, he found that he recognized the carvings, they told a story of his ancestors'' struggles, fighting in vain against Jilamaka before fleeing here, to new Ugals¡­ this was his room, back in the palace. Varig struggled to raise his head, yet found that the effort was in vain. He wasn¡¯t dead¡­ but his entire body ached, and the agony in his chest, while lessened, was still present. It seemed that he had survived the trip back to Ugals, but he doubted that he¡¯d last too much longer. There was no fixing what had happened to him, not unless they had allowed in a mage from Relias with that capability.

    His throat was horribly dry, and even attempting to form words took a massive effort, both from the pain that wracked his whole being and the bone-deep exhaustion he felt. Eventually, he managed to finally say something, right as a Fumu began to float over his bed.

    ¡°Water.¡± He said simply, hoping that a servant would be nearby.

    It wasn¡¯t long before he felt his head being gently lifted from the pillow it lay upon, a stout elderly dwarf woman lowering a cup to his mouth. Varig drank gratefully, thanking the servant before she lowered his head once more.

    ¡°Send word to my brothers¡­ tell them I¡¯ve awoken.¡± Varig rasped, ¡°I want to give them my last words¡­¡±

    ¡°Straight away, Third Prince.¡± She said, bowing deeply before rushing off.

    It wasn¡¯t long before he heard the door open again, two heavy pairs of footsteps entering his chambers. He saw the faces of his brothers, faces that resembled his own. Their long beards threatened to brush his face, and upon realizing this, the Second and First Princes of Ugals held their beards back.

    ¡°Brother, I am glad that you¡¯ve awoken.¡± Second Prince, Garl told him sincerely, laying a gentle hand on Varig¡¯s head, ¡°It will all be alright soon, I promise you.¡±

    His brother, First Prince Husick, then sighed, his stony hard features taking on a grim cast, ¡°One way or another, you will be saved.¡±

    Varig¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°Did you let in¡­¡± He breathed, ¡°A stranger from Relias, to save my life?¡±

    Neither of his brothers replied for a long while, until finally Husick ran a hand through his beard, eyes downcast, ¡°No, brother.¡±

    Varig contemplated for a moment before he asked, ¡°So my injuries are not so dire? That is good¡­¡±

    Again they fell into a silence, both princes drawing their lips to a fine line as their eyes looked elsewhere.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Varig rasped, ¡°How will I be saved? Why won¡¯t you look at me?¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°We will bear a great shame, one that we will never forgive ourselves for.¡± Garl said, ¡°But we have ordered for the Outworlder to be captured¡­ despite the debts we owe him.¡±

    Varig¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± He attempted to scream, the intended shout coming out as an aggressive whisper, ¡°He is a good man, leave him be!¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t up for negotiation, Third Prince.¡± Husick said, voice becoming cold as stone, ¡°This is as I willed, the shame will fall upon me.¡±

    Varig¡¯s jaw fell agape, ¡°This wasn¡¯t father¡¯s doing?¡±

    Husick shook his head, ¡°No, but he will allow this, the people need their Third Prince¡­ we need you Varig.¡± He continued, laying a hand on Varig¡¯s brow, ¡°You are going to die without intervention, and we cannot send word to Relias in time¡­ Joseph will give his life to ensure that you will survive.¡±

    His skin went cold, ¡°You would really bring a Faelord into our realm!?¡± Varig questioned harshly, ¡°Fools, you will kill us all!¡±

    Husick frowned, shaking his head, ¡°No such thing will happen.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that Husick.¡± Varig spat, ¡°Let me die like a proper dwarf¡­ I¡¯ve had a hand in slaying Jilamaka itself, I won¡¯t have my honor smeared in the annals by your refusal to let me go!¡±

    ¡°I told you already, dear brother¡­¡± Husick frowned, eyes glaring, ¡°I will be the one to bear the shame, not you. Now I command you, rest¡­ you will be fine soon.¡±

    Varig struggled to rise, but his cursed brothers held him down, ¡°It will be over soon, the process is already about to begin.¡± Husick said, ¡°Assuming you pass, of course.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Varig screamed, ¡°Don¡¯t do this!¡±

    ¡°If you survive,¡± Husick said quickly, ¡°Then he will be spared, but it is unlikely that you will pull through. Only the preparations are being made, nothing more¡­ not until you either survive or perish.¡±

    ¡°Have you thought-¡± Varig coughed, his chest becoming tight, ¡°Thought about the potential consequences?¡± He questioned, ¡°Any Faelord could come to take him¡­ there is no guarantee that a benevolent god will claim him. What if it''s Shenra, or Overseer forbid, Kagor?¡±

    ¡°We have prepared for that.¡± Husick told him, ¡°The contraption that we trapped the Outworlder in is nigh-unbreakable¡­ as soon as the wish is granted, we will heat the metal from the outside, cooking the Faelord within and killing it before it can enforce its will. They may be gods, but the body they possess is still mortal, our annals show that they can be slain.¡±

    Varig shook his head, ¡°You fool¡­ a metal box won¡¯t be enough to hold back a Faelord, no matter how strong the steel is-¡±

    ¡°It is not steel, brother.¡± Garl told him.

    Varig blinked, ¡°Do not tell me-¡±

    ¡°It had to be done.¡± Husick cut him off, ¡°It was useless, gathering up dirt in our vault¡­ reshaping it for this purpose gives it function.¡±

    ¡°Where is his body!?¡± Varig pressed, ¡°He was a vessel once himself you fools¡­ or have you forgotten?¡±

    Husick and Garl both froze, glaring sharply down at their younger brother. The insult was grave, but given the circumstances, Varig found that he was justified in saying it.

    ¡°The body is dead brother, a Faelord needs the body functional in order to actually use it¡­ don¡¯t you remember?¡± Garl asked with a glare before his eyes widened, averting them from Varig. ¡°Forgive me¡­ but let us just see what happens, there is no guarantee we¡¯ll even need to perform the sacrifice.¡± He said, attempting to sound reassuring.

    ¡°He was our king, the savior of the elves, and you desecrate his crypt¡­ you two-¡± He wheezed, ¡°You two are not my brothers- you are devils wearing their skin!¡± He screamed, outraged. ¡°Let Joseph go, that is my last wish-¡± He coughed again, ¡°You must fulfill this, on what honor you have left!¡±

    Varig then fell into a violent fit of coughing, the taste of copper on his tongue. His eyes widened as he felt something deep within his chest rip. Blood fountained from his mouth and nose, and his brothers yelled for the medical dwarf¡­ but there was nothing that could be done.

    After his world became darkness¡­ Varig passed from this world.

 Chapter Thirty-Seven: Wrath

    Joseph cursed as once again, the crowbar failed to peel open the dark metal. There wasn¡¯t even a scratch left on the material, whatever it was. After he was done killing the dwarves that captured him, he¡¯d maybe try and seize these plates for himself¡­ who was he kidding, there was no way in hell he¡¯d have time for that.

    The cart came to a halt suddenly, before being set down. Joe¡¯s eyes widened, realizing that they had finally reached their destination¡­ where his life would end. He stood shakily, his skin tingling as he anticipated his doom. A doom that, if he had his way, would never come. He went straight back to prying at seams, jaw clenched as he forced down the panic that overcame him.

    ¡°Joseph Haythorn.¡± An unfamiliar gravelly voice echoed through the metal, ¡°I am the King of Ugals, Eram, I must apologize for this grave betrayal of trust-¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Joe shouted, continuing to pry.

    ¡°I understand your lack of respect, so I will not hold it against you.¡± Eram told him, ¡°I will grant you a final request.¡±

    Joe paused, ¡°Let me go.¡±

    Eram did not reply.

    ¡°That¡¯s all I want.¡± He insisted, ¡°Just let me go, please.¡±

    ¡°That is the one thing I cannot grant you, unfortunately.¡± Eram told him, ¡°If there is anything else I can provide-¡±

    ¡°Your head on a stick!¡± He screamed, ¡°And Bilmor¡¯s too!¡±

    ¡°...My circumstances disallow such a gift, but if it is truly what you desire, then Bilmor will be executed shortly after your sacrifice.¡± Eram said, his voice continuing to echo¡­

    Wait, it wasn¡¯t echoing through the metal, it was something else. It almost sounded like it was echoing out of something within the minecart¡­ as if it were from within Joe¡¯s own mind.

    ¡°So Varig died then?¡± Joe asked.

    ¡°I regret to say that it is so.¡± Eram told him, his voice becoming heavy, ¡°As a father, I want my children to live full lives¡­ If you had children, I am sure you¡¯d understand.¡±

    Joe¡¯s jaw clenched¡­ He did understand, all too well¡­

    ¡°Yer jokin¡¯ if you think I¡¯m just gonna let this happen.¡± Joe told him in a low growl, ¡°After I¡¯m out of here, I¡¯m trashing the place and paintin¡¯ it with yer blood.¡±

    ¡°That will not come to pass, Joseph.¡± Eram said matter of factly, ¡°The metal you are encased in is unable to be breached, Jilamaka itself wouldn¡¯t be able to as much as scratch it. I encourage you to relax-¡±

    ¡°I want some booze.¡± Joe said, an idea forming, ¡°Get me some booze as my last request instead.¡±

    If he could convince the dwarves to open up his prison, even by just a bit, he could jam the walls before they could fully close.

    ¡°The cart must not be opened.¡± Eram said regretfully, ¡°But your request does make sense. We intend to kill the Faelord we give you to as it¡¯s trapped within those confines¡­ it will be your tomb, Joseph.¡±

    ¡°I ain¡¯t dying here.¡± Joe insisted, ¡°But If I do, don¡¯t you lay a finger on Betty, leave her alone, ya hear!?¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡± Eram agreed, ¡°If there is nothing else, the process will begin.¡±

    ¡°There won¡¯t be nothin¡¯ of you left when I get out of here.¡± Joe threatened, ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±

    Eram did not reply. Joe sighed, and fell to his knees. This metal wasn¡¯t gonna give, no matter what he did, and shooting it would just make the bullet ricochet. There was only one more option available to him now. He clasped his hands together, shutting his eyes and taking a deep breath.

    ¡°Lord, help see me safely through this trouble I found myself in.¡± He prayed, clenching his hands together tightly, ¡°Let my spirit stay strong so I won¡¯t lose myself to this fake wannabe god¡­ and If I can¡¯t make it, I pray that I might see those I love in the afterlife. I also want to pray for forgiveness Lord, for I have sinned¡­ I treated a creature cruelly, driving it near the point of death to enforce my will. After that, I attempted to murder someone when they weren¡¯t lookin¡¯. I¡¯m sorry Lord, I hope I won¡¯t have to do it again-¡± Joe froze as realization hit him.

    He had known that those things had been wrong in his heart, deep down he had known, and yet he had done them anyway¡­ And here he was, telling God that he hopefully wouldn¡¯t have to do it again. He should be actively trying not to do such things. Some Christian he was, Yet, the Good Lord forgives all¡­ right? He believed that God would only truly forgive someone who both asked for forgiveness, and truly tried to change, to be a better person.

    Ever since he became a Christian, he had not truly changed how he had acted¡­ he had still stolen, murdered and lied, but it was alright¡­ wasn¡¯t it? It had been necessary for him to survive in the new world that God had allowed to exist, it wasn¡¯t wrong for him to have done those things back then. He doubted this thought, but the survivor in him insisted that it was right. Yet the survivor was not God. Still though¡­ There had been times where Joe had been unsure if someone was actually a threat or not, times where he had hesitated, but regardless, had pulled the trigger. How many people had he killed that had never intended him harm, just on the chance they would become a problem later?

    He hadn¡¯t been wrong for that, right? He had been betrayed and stolen from before, back during the first year of The End. His distrust after that point was justified! His hands and jaw both clenched in unison. How was what he did wrong!?

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who let The End happen!¡± Joe screamed suddenly, his frustration reaching a boiling point.

    He had explained his reasoning to Sera before, insisting that God had not had a hand in The End but¡­ but how else could it have happened? He hadn¡¯t asked this question of Him before, but now was as good a time as any.

    ¡°Did you cause The End?¡± Joe asked calmly¡­ receiving no answer. Joe¡¯s lips were pulled to a tight line, of course God wouldn¡¯t answer him¡­ but he felt that he deserved some kind of reply. ¡°Answer me!¡± He screamed, his voice echoing off the metal and right back to him, ¡°Why did you let it happen, you put me, everyone through hell when you could have put a stop to it!¡±

    It hadn¡¯t been Revelations, the prophecy hadn¡¯t matched up with the kind of apocalypse that had happened, and despite how horrid it had been, humanity was still left kicking about the ruins of Earth. Had it been Revelations, then humanity would have been done for¡­ right? He hung his head in defeat¡­ Why did he continue trying to believe?

    He shook his head, taking a deep breath to clear his mind. Hannah had believed, and she had wanted him to believe too, for the longest time¡­ it wasn¡¯t until after she died that he really began reading the Bible. There had been lessons that had resonated with him, long prayers where Joe had simply been talking to Him, laying down his woes, even when Joe hadn¡¯t really believed. Then one day¡­ he decided that he would believe, despite everything he had been through. At first, it was just to honor Hannah¡¯s memory, but over time he had begun to genuinely believe it.

    Whenever a demon tried to possess him in the wastes, he prayed to God and mocked the demon until it left¡­ Was it really just the mockery that made it leave? When he was trying to quit his addictions on his own, it had never panned out, not until he prayed to God to take the temptation away. Whenever he prayed for safe passage through a Portal Storm, Betty would make it through unscathed, whereas before there was always damage to be repaired. There was also what Sera told him before¡­ that there was an Overseer for his world, and that He had multiple versions of Earth to look out for. Was it simply that he had his attention elsewhere at the time of The End?

    It was hard to say, and there were still things he was conflicted about¡­ but Joe would continue to believe. That didn¡¯t mean that he was happy with the Lord, of course. He couldn¡¯t overlook the hell he had gone through back on Earth, he supposed that this anger against God had been building up because of that. However, when Joe did die, he was going to have a lot of questions for God. For now, he¡¯d just put his faith in Him and see how things panned out, good or bad.

    ¡°Please Lord, help me escape¡­ and If I die here Lord, then it is as you willed, If I don¡¯t, I will try and be better.¡± Joe whispered, ¡°And Lord, if this fake god takes over my body, I pray that you will strike me down on the spot.¡±

    With that, he stood, and took up his crowbar once more. He prayed, but that didn¡¯t mean that he would get out of here by sitting on his ass. Ya had to work with God to get results, and by The Lord, Joe wanted results. He jammed his crowbar into the seams once more, and began prying with all his might-A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    But then his skin went cold, and he froze in place, unable to so much as blink as he felt¡­ something trying to worm its way into his very soul. It felt almost exactly like a demonic possession, was there one here in the minecart with him?

    ¡°It is a fine body, First Prince Husick.¡± A deep, horrible voice said, seeming to come from everywhere at once, ¡°I accept your offer, but first, what is it that you wish?¡±

    Joe felt his skull throb as a voice outside the minecart replied, ¡°Our brother, Third Prince Varig, return him to us, and if you would, all powerful Faelord, return to us also the dwarves that perished on his expedition.¡±

    ¡°It will be done, after I take over this body.¡±

    In his mind, Joe replied, ¡°In your dreams!¡±

    ¡°Eternal silence will suit you, Joseph Haythorn.¡±

    He then felt something tear at the very fabric of his being, something deep and indescribable being seized from him forcefully. He fought back as best as he could, holding onto his existence by a hair.

    ¡°A feisty creature you are, you truly do not wish to leave? I will send your soul to your Overseer as an empty shell, now begone!¡± It demanded, severing the thread that held Joseph to his body.

    The mortal¡¯s soul was sent careening into the void, screaming as it went. Kagor grinned, looking down at his new body with satisfaction. It was massive, the largest human body he¡¯d ever possessed. It was clad in dragon-bone plate armor to boot, an accomplished man to have slain such a beast. Quickly scanning through Joseph¡¯s memories, Kagor could see that he indeed did manage the feat, single handedly in fact. Looking back further he could see that the state of the Outworld he¡¯d hailed from had become a hellish place, no doubt that was what had forged this body to be strong enough to accommodate Kagor¡¯s being.

    It was good to be of flesh again, but what was with these surroundings? Encased in metal and- His eyes widened, realizing that he was trapped. A memory surfaced, the dwarves telling Joseph that they would kill this body as soon as the wish was granted. Unfortunately, Kagor must fulfill his end of the bargain regardless of this betrayal¡­ best to get it done quickly. With a snap of his fingers, the corpses of the fallen were resurrected, right where they had died.

    He pressed his hands against the metal¡­ it was magical, the trait the metal had inherited was nigh invulnerability. Ah, the surface was beginning to grow hot, as Bilmor had claimed earlier, they were going to try and cook him within this cursed coffin¡­ And he knew it was a coffin. The metal was familiar to him, he had been trapped within it before¡­

    Back when he had possessed King Garrick the Humble, millenia ago. The treacherous dwarves had trapped Kagor within its confines once before, ironic that he would find himself inside its walls once again. Unfortunately for the dwarves, this trick would not work a second time. During his time back in the Heavens, he had written a new book, one that would allow him to pass through such obstacles.

    Kagor grinned as he directly faced one of the seams. No matter how tough the metal was, there was an empty space between the plates. Invisible to the mortal eye, yes, but to Kagor, it couldn¡¯t be more obvious. The world around him shifted, Kagor becoming so thin that to any outside observers, he would have seemed invisible. He then effortlessly stepped between the metal plates, emerging on the other side with a wide grin on his new face.

    Flames licked the surface of the minecart, ejected from what Joseph would have called ¡®flamethrowers¡¯ back in his world. These ones were primitive however, three massive canisters mounted on the backs of sturdy dwarves wearing protective gear. The flames were intense, and even now Kagor could feel his body¡¯s skin beginning to blister beneath the dragon-bone.

    Still essentially invisible to his foes, Kagor quickly moved out of the flames, regenerating the damage done to his new body. The throne room of these dwarves was impressive, the high ceiling was decorated with thousands of gleaming gemstones, all reflecting the light of a Fumu chandelier that hung beneath them. A long red carpet stretched all the way to a golden gem encrusted throne¡­ where a rotting carcass sat. The king of the dwarves, Eram, was essentially a mummy, wrapped in dozens of thick bandages.

    So that¡¯s how they ran things here in Ugals? Fascinating, he¡¯d not seen this in ages. An Observer King could make any dwarven fortress hyper-efficient, at the cost of its citizens'' privacy. The First Prince, Husick, stood beside the throne, along with his younger brother Garl. Kagor grinned before snapping his fingers, reversing the flames'' paths and forcing them back onto the dwarves igniting the coffin. They caught flame quite nicely, scampering off and screaming in terror as their beards were incinerated.

    Then those canisters on their backs exploded, ending their measly lives in an instant. The two princes gasped in horror, which was when Kagor revealed himself. There were other dwarves here as well, royal guardians wielding powerful magic artifacts, he assumed. Unfortunately for this regiment of golden-armored warriors, there was no chance they could stand up to a Faelord.

    They had barely enough time to draw their axes before Kagor forced their bodies to crumple in on themselves, telekinetically forming the guardians into balls of bleeding metal before leaving them to roll freely on the ground. Kagor approached the throne, still grinning as he revelled in his new form.

    ¡°Good King!¡± Kagor bowed happily, ¡°It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance! However, we must cut our meeting short, you see¡­ and this may be a shock for you to hear, but that is my chair.¡± He declared, standing straight backed, ¡°You two, remove your father from my high seat, this instant.¡±

    Prince Garl¡¯s jaw stiffened, ¡°Faelord or no, I will not-¡±

    Garl¡¯s neck snapped that instant, Kagor¡¯s rage at the boy¡¯s insolence driving him to violence. The body fell lifelessly to the ground, leaving the First Prince staring in shock.

    ¡°Garl!¡± He screamed, rushing over to the body of his fallen brother, cradling his head in his arms, ¡°What have you done!?¡±

    ¡°Please, do not do this my lord.¡± The King¡¯s voice projected, ¡°I will do as you ask, my son, remove me this instant.¡±

    ¡°Father?¡± Husick asked, ¡°You can¡¯t be serious-¡±

    ¡°It is an order from your king.¡± Eram insisted.

    Husick, jaw trembling, laid Garl¡¯s head down, approaching the throne with hesitation before finally scooping up his father¡¯s corpse, stepping away from the throne. Kagor strode up to the throne casually, planting himself in it before projecting his own thoughts to the entirety of Ugals.

    ¡°Mortals!¡± Kagor announced, ¡°This is your new god, Kagor, Faelord of Wrath, War, and Passion. I have demands for you, first of which will be the building of a grand statue in my likeness. It will stand atop your precious mountain and stretch past the clouds, declaring to this Shard that I have returned. Fail in doing this, and the royal family, as well as your own kindred, will die by my hand. I already made an example of poor prince Garl¡­ I do not mind making a few more. Work on this marvel will begin now!¡± He finished with a deep, hearty laugh.

    He then eyed Husick with a grin, ¡°My legs tire, drop that sack of bones and prostrate yourself before me.¡±

    Husick¡¯s jaw clenched.

    ¡°Or do you intend to challenge your new god?¡± Kagor questioned in a flat tone, crimson eyes narrowing.

    The First Prince again hesitated, dropping his father¡¯s corpse before approaching the throne, dropping on all fours. Kagor sighed as he kicked his feet up on the First Prince¡¯s back, leaning back in his seat with a satisfied smirk. After he settled into his new home, he would go about conquering the rest of this Shard, destroying any shrines to his siblings to solidify his grasp here, and once that was done, he would move on. There were millions of Shards out there, and they would all be his.

    He¡¯d always been in too much of a hurry before, but he knew better now to take his time and enjoy the conquest. Rushing had always spelt his doom before. A regiment of dwarves entered the throne room then, all wielding rifles they had crafted from Joseph¡¯s schematics. Powerful tools against anything, save for a Faelord.

    ¡°Kneel.¡± He ordered lazily, all fifty of the dwarves falling to their knees, ¡°Is that enough proof for you? If so, raise your heads and bring me tributes, or perish at my hands.¡±

    The dwarves all rose, many of them trembling, ¡°Bring me women, drink, set up a feast hall, do all these things before my patience wears thin.¡±

    Kagor nearly laughed, but a sharp, sudden headache interrupted him. He blinked as dizziness overcame him¡­ he could not show weakness to his new subjects. He snapped his fingers quickly, teleporting to the only place he knew he would get absolute privacy. Joseph¡¯s own pet project, the Betty. In the front room, Kagor fell to his knees, wheezing as the dizziness intensified.

    What was happening to him? He tried regenerating his body again, but found that there was no new damage that had been inflicted. What then was the cause? No virus could harm Kagor, and the concussion Joseph had suffered had been healed once he¡¯d taken control¡­ so why?

    Joseph blinked, what had happened? He felt confused¡­ He stood from the carpet, looking around before it came back to him. Kagor wrested back control forcefully, shocked that Joseph¡¯s soul had returned. Hadn¡¯t he severed the thread binding the spirit to this body? It was impossible, no force should have been able to bring the Outworlder back¡­ and yet the soul had returned regardless of this fact.

    Joseph growled as he came back to himself, ¡°You ain¡¯t my God pal!¡± He screamed, ¡°Get the hell out!¡±

    ¡°Begone!¡± Kagor yelled, attempting to push the mortal out of the body once more.

    The body¡¯s fists clenched as the two began to grapple for control, and invisible battle that couldn¡¯t be seen. Kagor was a Faelord, to be challenged by a mortal soul was a humiliation that he could not bear! Joseph was not going to give anything to this fake god, this body was his, and his alone! After a few seconds, the carpet surrounding the body¡¯s feet began to ignite, slowly spreading outward and revealing the dark metal beneath.

    ¡°Damn you!¡± Kagor shouted, teleporting once again.

    Perhaps if he shocked the mortal with terror, he¡¯d leave an opening for Kagor to exploit. They both were high up in the air now, falling down towards the mountain of Ugals. Joseph could see what felt like the entire Shard from up here, but he didn¡¯t falter, holding onto his body despite the power of Kagor. The two continued to plummet, forcing one another back, straining and causing the body to catch flame.

    Kagor, upon realizing how dire this situation had become, diverted some attention to regenerating the body, giving Joseph more power. They fell like a flaming meteorite toward Ugals, and again Kagor teleported, bringing them to the center of the city. The surrounding dwarves all stood by, shocked at his sudden appearance. He clutched the sides of his head and let out an ear piercing scream¡­ quite literally, as the eardrums of the surrounding citizens popped, blood leaking down their ears as the shout echoed through the entire mountain.

    ¡°Do you know how long I waited for this return!?¡± Kagor screamed, ¡°You will not take this from me!¡±

    ¡°Lord my God, give me the strength to get this dumbass out of my mortal coil!¡± Joseph retorted, the flame finally dying out.

    The dwarves fled as a red smoke began to pour out from between the armored plates of the body, which was now curling in on itself. This red smoke rusted whatever metal it came into contact with, and as the body began to levitate upward, it billowed out further. Soon the entire city was covered in a thick layer of red, cracking rust, coating everything the two passed.

    ¡°I will be the one who remains, fool!¡± Kagor shouted, ¡°Leave at once, or I will slaughter this city, I will find Prolo, Varig, and that whore Sera, and introduce them to agonies you never knew possible, relinquish your control, and they will be spared!¡±

    ¡°I ain¡¯t losing!¡± Joseph shouted back, his scream sending cracks through the rusted steel of Ugals, ¡°There ain¡¯t nothing you can say punk!¡±

    ¡°I will take you back to that time!¡± Kagor shouted, ¡°I will force you to relive Hannah¡¯s demise, you may deny the truth of what happened, but I know what you are Haythorn!¡±

    As the two floated back up to the top of the mountain, a regiment of dwarves began to open fire on them¡­ only getting off one volley before their rifles fell apart from the red smoke. Soon their armor too began to rust, cracking off their frames as Joseph floated over them and toward the massive gates. Kagor was almost gone now¡­ he could feel it-

    Kagor would not give in so easily! If he focused on pulling up that memory, Joseph would be finished. The mortal had repressed the truth of that day so powerfully, but Kagor would remind Joseph of what really happened to his daughter!

    However, that proved to be Kagor¡¯s final mistake. He¡¯d underestimated just how buried this memory was¡­ and the effort had taken too much focus from retaining control. Joseph overpowered Kagor in that instant, but found himself unable to completely remove the Faelord. Without really understanding how, Joseph locked Kagor away¡­ guided by instinct. He then fell to the ground, the rusted steel beneath his feet crunching with the landing.

    The dwarves at the gate ran from him, screaming in horror that the Faelord would kill them. Joseph, ignoring their cries, fell to his hands and knees, lifting up his mask to retch. His breathing was heavy, his mind foggy¡­ but he no longer felt concussed, just tired. He stood, turning around to take one last look at Ugals. The glorious city was now ruined, the once gleaming steel now completely rusted. Had Prolo already left the city, he wondered? Joe shook his head, lowering his mask before limping out of Ugals.

    He hurried his steps when he remembered the fire that had been caused inside Betty, full on sprinting out of the gate. The dwarves guarding the smaller gate all dropped their guns, hands raised when they spotted him. They must have still thought he was a Faelord¡­ but that didn¡¯t matter. Joe went to Betty and knocked on her door, rushing inside and immediately grabbing a fire extinguisher, opening the door and seeing that the flame had almost completely spread across the carpet. By time he¡¯d gotten it under control, all that remained was the bare metal floor, covered with ash. His chair had been completely destroyed, but his entertainment center was thankfully intact.

    The material on the other side of the chamber was only barely preserved, a small patch of pink carpet just beneath it. Joe hung his head and sighed¡­ He¡¯d dropped his guard too much lately. He told The Lord he¡¯d be better, but he needed to re-think how he¡¯s been approaching people lately. From now on, there were only two people he would trust in this world. Joe blinked¡­ three actually, but Varig may never want to see him again after all this. The only silver lining from this whole debacle was him being revived, but Joe wouldn¡¯t be returning to Ugals ever again. He wished Varig all the best, but it was time for Joe to leave¡­

    He¡¯d be making a trip around the mountain to find Sera.

 Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Rock-Gate

    Joe stared at the bare metal floor of Betty¡¯s front room, losing himself in his own thoughts. It had been a long day of driving, he hadn¡¯t slept a wink since he¡¯d left Ugals¡­ the exhaustion leadened his eyes and slackened his shoulders, but despite all that, his mind kept him awake. He hadn¡¯t thought about it in the moment, but what had saved him from being destroyed by Kagor? All he remembered was being¡­ cut off from himself, flying away without his body. After that, things got fuzzy, something happened that he wasn¡¯t supposed to remember.

    Had God returned him to his body? Did He have a cosmic baseball bat ready to homerun Joe¡¯s soul right back? Or had he simply boomeranged when his soul found out it had nowhere to go? He shook his head, still confused about it all. There was something he remembered from that severing, a name but nothing else.

    Daxhar.

    His lips worked, but for some reason he couldn¡¯t bring himself to voice the name. There was something about it that unnerved him greatly; even the survivor in him knew there would be horrible consequences if he said it out loud. After another hour of contemplation, his exhaustion finally overwhelmed his whirlwind of thoughts. He needed to get some damn sleep, he could think more on this while he was driving tomorrow. He stood slowly, looking to his ruined chair, a pillar of bare metal surrounded by piles of ash and burnt carpet. There¡¯d be no more sleeping comfy for a while, not until he got a replacement.

    That didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d sleep on the bare floor though. The carpet by the T.V was still mostly intact after all, and he had plenty of blankets to serve his needs. He trudged over there, assembling a chaotic bird''s nest of blankets and pillows before he collapsed into them, practically falling asleep the instant he made impact.

    After a dreamless sleep, his eyes slowly opened, a string of drool having slid down his face sometime during the night. Joe sat up and stretched sore muscles, letting out a yawn before he stood. After a well-deserved shower, he emerged, stopping to glance at himself in the mirror¡­

    To his horror, grey eyes were not what stared back at him. They were blood-red now. He stumbled back in shock, blinked, and blinked again, but it was not a trick of his mind. He brought his face closer to the mirror, touching his face with a hand to ensure that this wasn¡¯t a dream. Why had this happened, had he mutated?

    Then he remembered. Joe¡¯s head hung back as he let out a worried sigh¡­ somewhere, in the depths of his mind, resided a Faelord. He hadn¡¯t managed to completely expel the thing, so perhaps the red eyes were a permanent physiological change. This wasn¡¯t good, having Kagor floating around in here could only spell bad news for the future. The red eyes were their own issue, the residents of Faenor may believe that he was possessed, which, as much as Joe hated to admit it, wasn¡¯t too far off from the truth.

    There was at least a silver-lining to all this, at least he thought so anyway¡­ but Joe was pretty sure he wasn¡¯t sacrifice-material anymore. There was already one Faelord taking up residence in his head now, he doubted that another one could cram themselves in here. That reasoning may not hold up if he ever got captured again, and truth be told Joe had no idea if that was even how it worked.

    Maybe Sera would know of a way to get rid of Kagor? If not, then Joe would spend the rest of his life wondering if the Faelord would ever take control again¡­ if that happened, well¡­ then Joe would have to do the right thing before he was taken over completely. Lord forgive him if it came to that, but he couldn¡¯t let Kagor enslave innocent people. It was true that he didn¡¯t owe Faenor a damn thing, but there were still good folk around, Sera and Prolo had proven that to him.

    And Varig, for that matter¡­ he shouldn¡¯t forget him. Hopefully they could meet again one day under better circumstances, but Joe wouldn¡¯t blame the prince if he never wanted to lay eyes on him ever again. Joe, or Joe¡¯s body at least, had killed Varig¡¯s brother, after all. Not only that, but Ugals had been turned into a city of rust, his homeland was ruined. Joe left the bathroom with a sneer as he remembered exactly how that had all happened.

    Joe had been betrayed by the dwarves, Ugals being ruined wasn¡¯t his fault. Those damn bastards had earned his trust before promptly throwing it in the trash, none of the blame landed on Joe. Still¡­ if he had the chance to resurrect his brother, would he not do the same?

    Joe found that he didn¡¯t have an answer to that question, instead opting to ignore it as he brewed himself some coffee. He¡¯d be running out soon, it¡¯d be best to switch back to tea for his caffeine fix. With steaming cup in hand, he went to the cockpit, settling into the seat with a sigh before flicking on the cameras. He¡¯d parked Betty a good ways away from the rocky trail he¡¯d been driving on, not wanting her to be found by any passersby.

    Relief filled him as the cameras came to life, revealing that no one was surrounding her. He¡¯d half-expected a regiment of AK-wielding dwarves to be aiming down the sight on Betty¡¯s door, but thankfully that hadn¡¯t come to pass. Well, it was time to hit the road, he wasn¡¯t sure if Sera was already out of the tunnel, but he doubted she could walk faster than he could drive. He started up Betty, driving back onto the trail while carefully sipping from his mug. It was an art form, balancing the coffee as he drove so as to not spill it. He¡¯d mastered this art years ago, and perfection could not be improved upon.

    The cameras displayed that it was early morning, the distant sun illuminating the path dimly as it ascended over distant mountains. While the trail was wide enough to accommodate Betty¡¯s width, it was rough, with dozens of large rocks littering the snow-topped path. Betty¡¯s treads had no trouble getting over the stones, but he would have to check them later to ensure there was no significant damage. He winced as he noticed the massive tracks being left behind by Betty. If there were dwarves pursuing him, then those would make their jobs a lot easier.

    He banished the thought, pushing on for hours until the trail began to decline, dipping down onto the other side of the mountain. Joe couldn¡¯t see very well due to the fuzzy camera feed, but the land down below the trail seemed almost completely flat, surrounded by jagged mountains. Joe parked Betty, emerged clad in the T-12 (Just in case) and used the HUD on the suit to zoom in on the dry, cracked land below, scoping out what he could from this distance.

    It was a veritable wasteland down there, he could see gathering dust storms on the horizon, he¡¯d seen more than a few of those during his time back on Earth. Sera would be emerging around here? Seemed like a bad idea, but she had managed to make it through here to reach Old Ugals. What had it been called? Ah yes, the Dark Wastes. Apparently there were a whole buncha orcs wandering around down there somewhere, nothing Betty couldn¡¯t handle. Based on where he was on the trail, it¡¯d take him another few hours of driving to get there. He struggled to imagine how long it would take on foot.

    When he was satisfied, he went back inside, got out of the suit, and continued on his way. He needed to reign Betty in during the drive down, it would be pretty hard to stop her if she began sliding. It¡¯d be impossible to stop her if she picked up too much speed¡­ and Joe didn¡¯t want to think about what would happen to both of them if they reached the bottom at that pace- if they reached the bottom at all. Betty could very well slam into a boulder or flip over, bouncing end over end all the way down into the Dark Wastes.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    He¡¯d negate the risk and take it slow, grandma''s speed would keep him alive and he was sure that he was ahead of Sera anyway. So down the mountain he went, at a whopping five-miles an hour, moving his foot off the acceleration to the brake. Any time he felt her begin to slide, he applied pressure to the petal, stopping her in place before she could pick up any more momentum. It was a long, arduous, and stressful few hours, but eventually they did both make it to the bottom alive.

    That wasn¡¯t the time to let out a sigh of relief however, as a new obstacle now presented itself. A large stone wall and gate stood before him, extending between two Betty-sized boulders. The stones making up the wall were in a chaotic mess, essentially just being a bunch of rocks stacked atop one another, with the ¡®gate¡¯ just being a massive slab of stone itself. Joe wasn¡¯t even sure how the thing was supposed to be opened, he could see no mechanisms that would allow it to move, at least not from this side.

    The top of this crudely assembled thing was lined with a rough wooden walkway, where a few hulking figures stood, staring down at Betty with apparent confusion, based on how they all held the tops of their heads. Based on the shapes of their bodies, these had to be orcs. This thought was confirmed when he drew closer, allowing Betty¡¯s eyes to pick up more details on the strangers. With large, burly bodies and jutting tusks, these creatures looked every bit the orc. Their hands were massive, as wide as a dinner-plate and looking more than capable of wringing the life out of a bear.

    This was the only way into the Dark-Wastes that he knew of, had Sera come through this way? If she had, she didn¡¯t need to kill them to do so, so maybe he wouldn''t have to either. It all depended on what the orcs did next. Much to his surprise, one simply descended the rough rocky wall, wringing his large hands nervously as he approached Betty. The orc was clad in a crude assembly of metal, the parts of his armor looking as if they had been bent and hammered into shape. The plates hung off his torso by tight leather straps, his legs similarly covered by the rough metal. Curiously though, he left his arms bare. Not a scrap of hair could be seen on that presumably green head, and his wide eyes looked fearful. Joe''s finger hovered over the button that¡¯d reduce the orc to smoking swiss should he get aggressive.

    However, that didn¡¯t come to pass, as the creature bowed before Betty, his mouth moving. Crap, he was saying something and Joe couldn¡¯t hear a word. His hand pressed the button for the megaphone.

    ¡°Hold on, I can¡¯t hear you.¡± Joe said, ¡°I¡¯m coming out in my armor, if any of you attack I will kill each and every one of you, don¡¯t test me.¡± He said flatly, rising from his chair.

    He didn¡¯t leave the room yet, staring at the cameras for a moment to see if any orcs would try and surround Betty. When none more came, he stepped back into the T-12, curious as to what the creature had to say. He readied his minigun, lowering Betty¡¯s ramp before emerging, shutting the door behind him but leaving the ramp lowered should he need to make a quick retreat. He rounded Betty, keeping his eyes and ears peeled as he neared the orc. Just as Joe suspected, the orc¡¯s skin was a dark green shade, and curiously, he had bright yellow eyes. He was even larger up close, being head-height with Joseph even in his power-armor

    ¡°The Great Green One is here!¡± He shouted to the walls, ¡°Just like the magic man said!¡±

    Joe blinked. The Great Green One?

    ¡°What are ya talkin¡¯ about?¡± Joe asked him, noticing the shocked expressions of the orcs on the wall.

    ¡°Yoos the one what¡¯ll help us beat up the Black-Eyes!¡± He insisted, dropping to his knees, ¡°Bad orcs sir, real baddies, keep eating our babies n¡¯ such.¡±

    Joe squinted, ¡°Eating your babies? What the hell- Okay, first off,¡± Joe began, shaking his head, ¡°Who¡¯s the ¡®magic man¡¯ and what do you mean I¡¯m gonna help you?¡±

    The orc raised his head, blinked, then said, ¡°Uh, dunno, that¡¯s just what the magic man said. It was ¡®bout a month ago now, he came by, a humie he was, real old like. Guess he ate a big book when he was younger what lets him see da future.¡± He explained, ¡°You was in it, n¡¯ the magic man told us you¡¯d help us get rid of the Black-Eyes.¡±

    Joe shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t got time for any of that,¡± he told him, ¡°I gotta go find a friend of mine.¡±

    The orc¡¯s head bobbed up and down before he oddly grinned, ¡°Magic man said that too, said she¡¯d make you do it when you get back.¡±

    ¡°Make me do it?¡± Joe asked, squinting, ¡°This magic man have a name?¡±

    The orc shrugged, ¡°Donneltun.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s his name?¡± Joe asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Naw, that¡¯s my name, but you can call me Donny.¡± The orc said with a smile, standing back up.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for yours.¡± Joe told him flatly.

    ¡°I know but I thought I should at least gives ya a name, thought mine was good.¡± Donny shrugged again, ¡°Don¡¯t know magic man¡¯s name, sorry. Anyways, you got passage, me n¡¯ the boys need to move the big rock first though, so just hold on.¡±

    ¡°...Right, before you do that, did the magic man tell you my name?¡± Joe asked.

    ¡°Yeh, you¡¯re Joeysiph, something like that, and yer friend is named Ser Era or somethin¡¯.¡±

    Joe hesitated, ¡°Did a blonde elf woman come this way at any point this past month?¡±

    Donny put a finger to his chin as he thought, ¡°I think so, had a little man following her too.¡±

    That had to be Sera, unless there were other elf halfling duos wandering around the Dark-Wastes. The orcs here didn¡¯t seem too aggressive, but they seemed to believe that he was going to help him out with these ¡®Black-Eyes¡¯.

    ¡°These Black-Eyes, are they gonna cause me trouble?¡± Joe asked Donny.

    The orc¡¯s face hardened, ¡°Kill ¡®em on sight.¡± He replied, tone low, ¡°Don¡¯t let ¡®em trick you neither, or they¡¯ll eatcha.¡±

    ¡°Got it, anything else I need to watch out for while I¡¯m here?¡± Joe asked, ¡°Big monsters, scary weather, anything real bad?¡±

    Donny nodded, ¡°We got bad bugs called crunchies that come around sometime, got big wings n¡¯ bigger teeth, they¡¯ll eat anythin¡¯ if it can breathe, just hit ¡®em real hard. They make good eatin¡¯ too, N¡¯ don¡¯t go too far north, we got a bad wizard over there and he¡¯d got a buncha skellies on the prowl. We get earth-shakes too, but they ain¡¯t too bad¡­¡± He paused, ¡°And make sure you got water!¡± He yelled.

    ¡°Ya don¡¯t gotta shout man.¡± Joe complained, ¡°Why ain¡¯t ya tryin¡¯ to charge me to get through?¡± He questioned.

    ¡°We usually do,¡± Donny admitted, ¡°We don¡¯t ask people for coin though, ya can¡¯t buy anything here so we just ask for some food, tools, or other stuff before we let anyone in.¡±

    ¡°And if they say no?¡± Joe asked, narrowing his eyes.

    ¡°We don¡¯t move the big rock, simple as.¡± Donny said, ¡°We ain¡¯t charging you cause yoos the one what¡¯ll help us crush the Black-Eyes.¡±

    Instead of refuting this claim, Joe asked, ¡°There a reward in it?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll let you marry into the Arm-Big clan or the Leg-Huge tribe, that''s a big honor.¡± Donny nodded.

    ¡°Not in the mind to marry pal.¡± Joe said, repressing a shudder, ¡°You got anything else?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ not really up to me for deciding, the clan chiefs thought you¡¯d like to marry into one of the tribes so¡­ uh¡­¡± Donny squinted, scratching his cheek, ¡°I dunno.¡±

    ¡°Right, well after I pick up my friend, I¡¯ll come back, and if you have a better offer, then I might consider it, alright pal?¡±

    ¡°Better offer than an orc princess?¡± Donny asked, ¡°Big tall huge order, but maybe they have somethin¡¯ else they can give ya for the job, I gotta tell ¡®em first.¡±

    Joe nodded to himself, ¡°Alrighty then, well, guess I¡¯ll be seeing ya Donny.¡± Joe said, backing away without turning his back to the orc.

    ¡°Ya seeing me right now though?¡± Donny said, his brow scrunching in on itself, ¡°Oh wait, ya mean in the future!¡± He declared, giving a thumbs up, ¡°Sounds great buddy! We¡¯ll move da big rock for ya, just be careful moving that cube through camp, we got kiddos at play!¡±

    Joe flashed a thumbs up before disappearing around the corner, moving up the ramp and stepping into Betty with a sigh. Marrying an orc princess? Sera would probably skin him alive if he did that, assuming that what Prolo said about her was true. She couldn¡¯t possibly have feelings for him right? Surely not.

    By time he was out of the armor and back in the cockpit, the cameras showed that the boulder had been moved partially out of the way. What looked like a couple hundred massive orcs strained against the big rock, slowly but surely sliding it along out of Betty¡¯s path. Joe¡¯s jaw partially dropped at seeing this, both at how impractical it was, and how powerful the orcs were. That big-ass rock had to weigh around eighty tons!

    Once they were finally finished, a dozen of them collapsed, breathing heavily as their less-exhausted companions dragged them out of the way, a dozen more ushering Joseph to drive through. He did so, slowly, still ready to put the petal to the metal should the orcs try to rush Betty. If they could push that rock, they might just be able to flip Betty over if enough of them worked together.

    The orc camp was pretty vast, stretching past what his camera could see in all directions. Dark tents made of what appeared to be chitin and leather made up every single tent, and orcs of all ages moved between them. Like Donny had said, there were lots of orc children at ¡®play¡¯. It sure didn¡¯t look like play to him, they were all rolling around, punching one another, wrestling, or straight up hurling rocks, all with smiles on their tusked faces. Most denizens went about in little more than a loincloth, with the women wearing just enough to cover their modesty.

    It was winter here in Everfae, but the Dark Wastes is still a desert, it probably only got cold around here at night. Most orcs stopped to stare at Betty with shocked expressions, some bowing their heads or raising their fists, mouths open in a silent cheer. He couldn¡¯t hear what was being said, but it was likely that all the other orcs knew about the ¡®magic man¡¯s¡¯ prophecy. They were already treating him like a hero even though he hadn¡¯t done anything yet, but maybe they thought he was heading straight for the Black-Eyed orcs, hard to say. This all went smoother than he thought it would have, but Joe was sure that would change when he left camp.

    And oh boy was he right about that.

 Chapter Thirty-Nine: Wasteland Cruise

    Leaving the camp was much the same as entering it, with another small horde of orcs having to work together to maneuver a second, somehow larger boulder out of Betty¡¯s path. They waved at him as he drove off into the dry, cracked landscape that was the Dark-Wastes¡­ Oddly, this all felt quite nostalgic. Betty hadn¡¯t traversed a proper wasteland in months, it felt almost like he was back on Earth again. The only thing missing were the hordes of the dead and a gathering Portal Storm, then he¡¯d really feel at home.

    Though, based on what Donny told him earlier, the hordes of the dead were just to the north from here. Joe wasn¡¯t sure how far north, but he wasn¡¯t willing to take a detour to see the walking dead, he¡¯d had enough of that in his time. What did interest him was this talk of a wizard, would this guy have a dark tower or was he an underground lair kinda fella? Most importantly, would he know how to expel the Faelord from his mind?

    It was hard to say, this wizard seemed more a necromancer type than an exorcist type. He¡¯d already tried praying it away but the red in his eyes refused to leave. Maybe the Lord was trying to teach him some sort of strange lesson by not ridding Joe of the monster lurking inside him? Well, it wasn¡¯t as if God simply just pushed buttons to accomplish his works. God¡¯s help was more like a cosmic Rube Goldberg machine, one that sometimes needed prayer to initiate. Big chain reactions like that took time, he couldn¡¯t expect instant results.

    Still¡­ he¡¯d like this done sooner, rather than later. Kagor had nearly forced Joe to relive that day, to see once more what had happened to Hannah¡­ He grit his teeth, the corners of his vision briefly going red as a mote of wrath began welling in his chest-

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Haythorn.¡± A voice echoed in his mind, ¡°Embrace it!¡±

    Joe gasped in shock, slamming the brakes on Betty. When he turned his head however, he saw that it was only him inside the cockpit¡­ meaning that voice had truly come from within. That, or they were out in the front room. Joe readied his pistol, opening the door but not leaving through it, instead standing just to the left of the open doorway, gun aimed squarely at it. A minute passed, but no one entered nor tried to shoot through the wall he was hiding behind. He risked a quick peek around the door, seeing no one standing in his front room. After clearing the rest of Betty, Joe was forced to accept that the voice had been internal¡­

    Meaning that it had been Kagor who had spoken. What had been the trigger for the Faelord to speak? Joe considered, realizing quickly what it had been. Kagor was the Faelord of Wrath, War, and Passion¡­ had emotion coaxed Kagor out of his mental prison? No, if he¡¯d escaped then he and Joe would have entered another battle of wills. He had urged Joe to ¡®embrace it¡¯... would his rage make Kagor stronger?

    He paled, that wasn¡¯t good, he needed to be rid of this freak soon. If wrath could rile him into speaking, then would passion as well? Joe felt passionate about a lot of things, particularly his craftsmanship. If he felt that passion, would Kagor grow stronger from that as well? It was hard to say, but at least he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about war, it wasn¡¯t an emotion, after all. Joe would need to focus on reigning in his feelings for the time being.

    He made his way back to the cockpit, hands slightly shaky as he took the wheel. He drove on like that for a while, mind wandering as he followed the mountain''s edge. The tunnel would be along here somewhere, he¡¯d just follow this course until he reached it. Unfortunately though, it proved to be a less than stellar road trip. On his cameras, he could see a dozen large figures approaching Betty from the air. Likely these were the ¡®crunchies¡¯ that Donny had warned him about.

    Joe parked, readying the lasers to fire as the beasts drew closer. Joe sneered as they finally got close enough for him to make out details through the camera. Large, membranous wings stretched out on either side of a broad chitinous body, each wing as long as Joseph himself was. The body resembled that of a wasp, but if the crunchies shared coloration he wouldn¡¯t be able to tell from in here. The worst part though was their almond-shaped heads, or rather, what was at the bottom of them. A set of massive, disturbingly human-like teeth gnashed and chittered in a blur- Joe was more than happy to fry these ugly bastards.

    There were about four of them, with bodies the size of dumpsters. Their great size didn¡¯t serve them well however, all it did was make them an easier target. Betty unleashed her firepower onto the disgusting insects, the lasers burning smoking holes straight through the chitin. They fell to the cracked earth in a heap of burnt gore. Joe considered stepping out to harvest the chitin, but thought better of it. There was no way that their exoskeletons were stronger than his dragon-bone armor.

    Still, they might make for good trade to the Yellow-Eyed orcs. Donny said that they ate these things, as hard as that was to imagine. Four of these might make for a good trade for supplies, though he wasn¡¯t sure what the orcs could really offer him. He¡¯d stop by here on the way back and hitch ¡®em up after picking up Sera. If Gerad or Yugo were with her¡­ they could walk, there was no way he¡¯d let either of those guys into Betty. He smiled, relishing the thought of Sera¡¯s company.

    There was so much he wanted to talk with her about, not just the Kagor stuff but everything he¡¯d been through during their time apart. It had been a wild few weeks, that was for sure. He grimaced as he remembered the stowaway in his mind¡­ would Sera be scared of him if she found out he had a dormant Faelord in him? It was possible, but he didn¡¯t think that she¡¯d be afraid¡­ more concerned. Hell, maybe it wasn¡¯t a good idea to go pick her up after all, Joe could very well be a ticking time bomb, and he didn¡¯t want Sera to be around should Kagor ever take him over.

    He told himself that it would be the right thing to do, keeping Sera at arm¡¯s length¡­ but damn him, he found it hard to summon the resolve he¡¯d need. Before he could continue on this train of thought however, he found himself being shaken violently by an unseen force. He hit the brakes again, discovering that the shaking wasn¡¯t just isolated to him alone. Betty¡¯s entire frame was being rocked to and fro as the very ground itself rumbled. He set his tongue behind his teeth as he braked Betty, remembering that Donny had warned him about ¡®earth-shakes¡¯.

    It would be best to wait out the quake before he continued. Thankfully, it only seemed to last around a minute in total, but had he been outside and not strapped in, that quake could have knocked him on his ass. It would not be fun trying to fend off a group of crunchies in the field, doubly so if  the very earth itself decided to dance. Not to mention the potentially aggressive orcs out here, he¡¯d need to make sure to figure out the difference between the Black-Eyes and Yellow-Eyes, though based on the name of ¡®em it shouldn¡¯t be hard to figure out.

    Still though, he needed to be up close to see the color of their eyes, bullets didn¡¯t know the difference, they wouldn¡¯t veer off track to avoid hitting a friendly. Bullets were like that, they didn¡¯t discriminate, only penetrate. He shook his head, quake was over, it was time to keep moving.

    First an orc camp, then giant bugs, now earthquakes, this day was getting almost as hectic as things were on Earth. His mind wandered as he traversed the wastes, drawing ever closer to the other end of the mountain. He hoped dearly that Sera hadn¡¯t gotten out quite yet, but he was still pretty confident he¡¯d beat her there. Hell, maybe he ought to go into those tunnels himself so he could help guide her out¡­ though if Yugo were there that may make things awkward. She must have understood that he¡¯d not let him onboard Betty, same thing with Gerad. Those punks could walk.

    A full day of driving passed until he reached the entrance of the mountain, shooting down more crunchies in between stops for the earth-quakes. Other than that, things had progressed pretty nicely, surprisingly so. Why did people think this place was so dangerous? He bit his cheek¡­ well it was easy to think this place was baby-town from his heavily armored high-horse. Most folk would have to walk through this place on foot or horseback, without guns, wheels, and crunchies bearing down on them constantly. Add to that the distinct lack of water and constant earthquakes¡­ yeah, Joe could understand the warnings.

    A stone path, roughly carved into an incline, led up into another roughly hewn tunnel, too narrow for Betty to pass through. He parked right at the bottom of the incline, leaning back in his seat as he idly observed the cameras. How was Prolo doing, he wondered? Surely the boy knew about what had happened by now. He wouldn¡¯t blame Prolo if he never wanted to see Joseph again, knowing that he was now carrying a monster within him. There was another complication that was a package deal with the parasite in his head, now rumors would surely spread that a Faelord was walking the world once more.

    He had no idea what the ramifications for such a thing were, but Joe knew that he didn¡¯t want to deal with any of it. On the plus side folk might not want to try to sacrifice him anymore, maybe. On the bad side he might get worshipers he didn¡¯t want, or entire armies coming to kill him. The former he could brush aside easily by just saying that he wasn¡¯t their god, but the armies? Well, Betty could handle just about anything thrown her way, but if he got caught outside by a thousand men there wouldn¡¯t be much he could do about that. Well, if he was out of his power-armor anyway.

    It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d need to kill each and every single soldier, he wouldn¡¯t even want to kill them, if he was being honest. Joe understood wanting to get rid of a horrible thing like Kagor, no matter the cost, to these hypothetical armies of men, they were doing the right thing. Hell, if Joe hadn¡¯t won the war of wills then he¡¯d be in support of it. Kagor didn¡¯t deserve this body, this was a temple for the Holy Spirit and nothing else.

    His mind wandered for a while before he finally decided that it was time to head to sleep. Sera wasn¡¯t out yet and she knew his secret knock, once she saw Betty she¡¯d be able to come in by herself.

    Yet what if a pack of curious crunchies came back to nibble on Betty while he slept? Maybe it would be a better idea to sleep in the cockpit, that way he could immediately flick on the lasers when the time came. There were also the Black-Eyed orcs he¡¯d need to watch out for as well, if they were as strong as the Yellow-Eyes then enough of them together could flip Betty right over. With his mind made up, Joseph took a few blankets, padding the chair with them before collapsing into it, eyes slowly shutting as he observed the cameras.

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    A couple earth-quakes woke him up during the night, but otherwise his rest had been somehow peaceful. He yawned as his eyes opened, sitting up in his seat while rubbing at tired eyes. He popped his back using the armrests of his chair before standing up, grumbling at the emptiness of his gut. He left the cockpit, still palming at his eyes as he made his way to his micro-kitchen.

    Old frozen fish fillets for breakfast, along with a nice cup of coffee to start the day and he was feeling a lot better. Sera still hadn¡¯t gotten here yet apparently, otherwise she¡¯d have come to greet him by now. Oh well, it would be impossible for her to miss Betty¡¯s big ass right next to the tunnel¡­ unless something was delaying her arrival. A pit of worry began forming in his gut as he pondered the possibilities. What if a clan of goblins had attacked her along the way, or worse, a new Forgotten Beast?

    Perhaps he should head in the tunnel with his dragon-bone armor, after he patched up the coat of course. Jilamaka¡¯s claws had punctured through the scales easily, but thankfully he had plenty still left over. It wouldn¡¯t take too long. Nodding to himself, he approached the bathroom, wanting to shower off the grime before he went to work.

    He grabbed the doorknob, twisted it, then pushed it open-

    Only to see who else but Sera, soaking wet from head to toe as she reached for a towel, clad in nothing but her birthday suit. Joe¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, trying and failing to keep his eyes above Sera¡¯s neck. She gasped right as he slammed the door shut, putting a hand to his face from the sheer embarrassment he felt.

    ¡°Sorry!¡± He yelled through the door, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were here!¡±

    Damn idiot, standing there staring at her like some kinda pervert. He was an old man, not a teenager damn it all! Of course she¡¯d want to take a shower first thing on arrival, he should have anticipated this!

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d just barge in!¡± She shouted back.

    ¡°How the hell was I supposed to know!?¡± He yelled back, ¡°I fell asleep with an empty home, why should I knock when there ain¡¯t supposed to be anyone here?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t hear me showering?¡± She asked loudly.

    ¡°How would I have, things ain¡¯t exactly as small as they used to be.¡± He groaned, shaking his head, ¡°Look just get dressed and-¡±

    Sera then emerged from the bathroom, hot steam trailing after her as she approached, clad in nothing but a towel. Joe scrambled back from her, mouth working but failing to produce any words as she stomped right up to him, a hard glare on her brow.

    ¡°Joseph Haythorn!¡± She yelled angrily, right before wrapping her arms around his midsection, pressing herself tightly against him.

    ¡°Are you crazy or something!?¡± Joe screamed, grabbing her bare shoulders before shoving her away from him, ¡°Get some clothes on!¡±

    ¡°Here I thought you¡¯d be happy to see me.¡± She pouted, crossing her arms as she glared at him.

    Joe looked to the ceiling, or else his eyes would betray him again. He was just too old to be looking at women that way! His hands refused to leave her shoulders, holding her at arms length just in case she stepped in for another hug. Joe would have a heart-attack at this rate, at least, he would have were he still in his old body.

    Soft hands grabbed his, sliding them down until they were wrapped around Sera¡¯s lower back. Once again his muscles betrayed him, failing to protest against Sera.The opportunistic girl moved in again, pressing against him with a sigh. He grimaced as those old instincts woke up fully, taking his mind straight into the gutter. It was then he realized, for certain this time, that Prolo was right.

    A woman wouldn¡¯t do something like this unless she was interested in a man. How the hell was he going to let her off easy? He wasn¡¯t someone that deserved love nor could he provide it. Yet here he was, holding her practically naked in his arms, what did he have to do to save himself here!?

    ¡°Joseph¡­¡± Sera giggled, ¡°It seems my towel is slipping.¡±

    ¡°Well unslip it.¡± He grumbled, keeping his eyes firmly on the ceiling.

    ¡°My hands are full.¡± She laughed, pressing her face into his chest, her palms flat on his back, ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so.¡±

    ¡°I missed you too, but this is inappropriate.¡± Joe complained, ¡°Please get some clothes on, for the love of God.¡±

    ¡°Certainly, but before I do, I want you to look me in the eyes and ask.¡± She told him in a playful tone.

    Don¡¯t think about how soft she is, how nice she smells, or you¡¯re done for.

    He looked down, seeing that, as she had warned him, her towel had slipped, exposing her back completely. She looked up at him with a smile, right before she began leaning up toward him. Joe¡¯s eyes widened, but thankfully the kiss never came. Sera gasped as she saw his eyes¡­ right, she didn¡¯t know about that little change yet.

    ¡°Joseph!?¡± Sera asked, putting her hands on either side of his face. ¡°What happened to your eyes?¡± She said, concerned.

    Joe sighed, ¡°It¡¯s a long story Sera, and once you hear the whole thing you¡¯ll probably want nothing to do with me no more.¡±

    Sera frowned, ¡°Not possible.¡± She told him firmly.

    Joe frowned back, ¡°You don¡¯t understand, it¡¯s ain¡¯t good. It could possibly be the seventh, maybe sixth worst thing to ever happen to me .¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what it is.¡± She told him, ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn, now tell me Haythorn.¡±

    Joe sighed, releasing his hold on her before setting her away from him, ¡°Get some clothes on first.¡±

    ¡°Fine then.¡± She said with a frown, turning away from him before striding back into the bathroom.

    He couldn¡¯t help but stare after her as she went. Damn this young body and its stupid hormones¡­ Now, how was he going to tell her about his new condition? He pondered that until she emerged, clad in the shirt and pants he had made her. He bit his cheek as she stood before him, arms crossed as she stared up at him.

    ¡°Do not be afraid to tell me about this change, Joseph.¡± Sera told him, ¡°You can¡¯t know how much this won¡¯t change my mind about you.¡±

    Joe frowned, ¡°Look, you¡¯ll probably run screamin¡¯ out that door there when I tell ya, and that¡¯s fine, I understand-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool.¡± Sera glared, ¡°I will not run away from you.¡± She said with emphasis, poking a sharp finger into his chest. ¡°Out with it.¡±

    Joe took a deep breath before he began telling her the story of what had happened after they had slain Jilamaka. Returning to Ugals, the dwarves'' betrayal after Varig¡¯s death¡­ and finally: ¡°They did it.¡± He said, turning away from her, ¡°I couldn¡¯t get away and they sacrificed me for a wish to bring Varig back to life.¡±

    He could not see Sera¡¯s expression, but he heard her gasp before she said, ¡°But you are still you?¡± She said shakily, ¡°You aren¡¯t out to conquer the world or anything of the sort, was it truly successful then?¡±

    Joe nodded, ¡°It was. It almost took me over completely, threw me out of my body but¡­ but something threw me back. It coulda been God, I¡¯m not sure, but after that me n¡¯ Kagor had an internal tussle, I won.¡±

    ¡°How can that be!?¡± Sera exclaimed, ¡°What man has the will to force a Faelord into submission?¡±

    Joe looked upward then, ¡°I wasn¡¯t alone.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I just¡­ I just know I had help, just a bit but¡­ but I think God had my back. I don¡¯t know for sure but that¡¯s all I can think of.¡±

    There was a brief pause then, before he felt arms wrap around him from behind, ¡°I told you I didn¡¯t care about whatever it was. I have made up my mind about you, Haythorn.¡±

    Made up her mind about him? As in she¡¯s already decided that he was hers?

    He winced, ¡°You¡¯re a good friend.¡± He told her firmly.

    Joe felt her arms tighten for an instant at the word ¡®friend¡¯, hopefully the hint had been effective.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell to do about it, I got no idea.¡± Joe sighed, his shoulders slackening, ¡°I think if I feed him too much he¡¯ll come back again, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll win a second time.¡±

    ¡°Feed him?¡± She asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s the Faelord of Wrath, War, n¡¯ Passion.¡± Joe told her, ¡°I got angry yesterday, n¡¯ he told me to ¡®embrace it¡¯ before goin¡¯ quiet again.¡±

    ¡°I will not lose you to him, I will help any way I can.¡± Sera said firmly, squeezing him tighter.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Joe hesitated, ¡°Do you know anythin¡¯ we can do to get this freak outta me? Exorcists, a spell, object, anythin¡¯ that can force him out?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Please forgive me, but this is likely the only time this has ever happened in all our history. I¡¯ve not read of anything of the sort taking place in Faenor¡¯s past, but we may be able to find something in Relias, among their archives might just be what we need.¡± She said.

    ¡°Well if that¡¯s what we got, that¡¯s what we got.¡± Joe said, ¡°Now, what happened to Gerad n¡¯ Yugo? You didn¡¯t let them in here didja?¡±

    He felt Sera¡¯s head shake against his back, ¡°No of course not. Yugo¡­ he just disappeared after the first day. I couldn¡¯t find him, nor did he come when I called. I fear he¡¯s fallen into a deep despair, yet what was I to do? Wander the endless tunnels for eternity searching for him? No, Yugo is fine, wherever he is.¡± She sighed, ¡°I just hope that I can see him again soon. As for Gerad, well¡­¡± She hesitated.

    ¡°Sera?¡± Joe urged.

    ¡°I told him I¡¯d ask you to give him a ride back to the orc camp. He¡¯s waiting outside right now, in the shadow of Betty.¡± She said.

    ¡°Hell no.¡± Joe sneered, turning to face her, ¡°That little punk can walk-¡±

    ¡°Joseph Haythorn, don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡± Sera scolded, ¡°If he travels the Dark Wastes himself, he may not make it back alive. Do the right thing, tie him up if you need to, but if you don¡¯t drop him off yourself then I suppose that I shall be his escort.¡±

    Joe scoffed, ¡°So much for wanting to help me. You know that little freak wants me for a wish right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a short trip, then you never have to see him again.¡± She said with a glare.

    ¡°I can not see him again right now actually, all I need to do is drive off, no problem.¡± Joe shot back, crossing his arms.

    Sera crossed her own arms, ¡°And what would your God think of this?¡±

    Joe opened his mouth, but words failed him, so he shut it. What would God think of this? He bit his cheek as he thought, Sera glaring at him all the while. Joe would be knowingly leaving someone to die in a hell-desert when he had the opportunity to give succor¡­ and in a way, Joe found himself owing the halfling, what with Joe¡¯s earlier attempt to murder him and all. He didn¡¯t like it, but if he left Gerad here he¡¯d probably die, not only that but Sera would walk with him all the way back to the orcs if he decided to go that route. Yet Joe could not bear the thought of Gerad being in here¡­

    Then an idea came to him.

    ¡°He can come along.¡± Joe said, admitting defeat, ¡°But he¡¯s gonna hate it.