We appeared in my empty living room. It definitely shouldn’t have been empty. My initial reaction was anger. All furniture, just gone. The only thing left was a stack of about seven large boxes. I checked all of the other rooms, having to contort through the door frames to enter, my head actually grazing the ceiling on occasion.

Each room was like the last, empty.

As I came back into the lounge, Joel and Lierin had come through the portal. I ignored them for a moment. Going back over to the boxes to check the labels.

Tenants' personal effects. I was about to go off on a rant when it occurred to me. I didn’t actually care.

When I’d taken on the flat, it had come fully furnished, but I’d replaced all the tatty, old shit with decent quality furniture over the few years I’d lived here. The landlord had obviously taken full advantage and sold what he could.

Sania grabbed my arm to get my attention. “It feels horrible here, Clive. I feel unwell,”

I’d been so pumped about my return and subsequent empty flat surprise, that I’d barely acknowledged the empty feeling. Sania was right. It did have an ominous feeling to it. A bit like eating spam after only knowing Wagyu. Although honestly, I preferred a nice slab of Angus.

I turned my thoughts away from food to focus on the unpleasant feeling. “What is it?” I finally replied. It wasn’t unbearable, but I felt like I had a mild hangover from it. “It’s the lack of Neuma here, isn’t it?” She replied. “I can feel its absence. In Falritas, it permeates everything around us in abundance. I hadn’t really understood that before now.”

“I think you’re right. Natom once told me that when we use the power of our cores, we’re quickly refilled by the air and the land. I get the feeling if we used powers here, we’d be waiting a hell of a lot longer for them to refill. That probably explains why I never saw Hakan do anything particularly impressive.”

“Whatever it is. This is a dark and unnatural place that you lived, Clive. There is no vibrancy. No connection to the world.”

“That could just be my shitty flat. Outside might be better.”

She walked over to the window and peaked out at the terraced street I lived on. I followed and looked out over her shoulder. It was grey and overcast as it so often was, and did a piss poor job of advertising Earth.

“I don’t think it’ll be any better outside Clive. I think, I’ll be glad to go back to Falritas.”

Oddly, I felt a little hurt at her dismissal of our world, yet I couldn’t disagree with her. It felt like a pale shadow of Falritas. I thought back on if I’d noticed a difference when we’d gone the other way, but we’d been running for our lives and crapping ourselves in fear. We’d also been deposited in the Forsaken Lands, so it was probably a gradual change.

I looked down to the street below. “Bastards! Someones took my bloody car as well!” I turned to Joel. “Sorry dude, looks like you're walking home after all.”

“That’s okay, mate,” he said with a worried smile. Funny, I probably would have gotten a taxi in the past, but after all the walking we’ve done for the past couple of months, the thought of needing transport to travel the distance to my house is ridiculous. We can be there in fifteen minutes or less.”

We all got a momentary surprise when Grimstrom jumped through the portal. I’d actually forgotten that we were supposed to have an escort. I was happy that it would be him.

He looked around with an amused expression but said nothing.

The only one missing was the reluctant Grigor. As I thought about him I realized his emotions and presence were blocked from me despite the bond still leading away from my core into the portal

“Hey, Grimstrom. Was Grigor okay when you came through?”

“Aye, lad. I think he was enjoying the quiet of his own mind.”

“I can understand that.” I acknowledged. “Now, I was only gonna take back what I needed, but I might as well just chuck all these boxes through and sort them on the other side. I still want to pop down the retail park and grab a few bits, though. But after that I’ll be ready to head back.”

Sania was pacing uncomfortably as I spoke casting looks to the portal as if she was ready to jump through immediately. “That’s good to hear, Clive. I find I don’t much want to remain here any longer than absolutely necessary.”

I nodded understanding. “Hey, Joel, Lierin we’ll walk with you as far as Pallion.”

“That’ll be nice. Thanks man. I’m just hoping the landlord hasn’t done this to my house, too. If someone’s took my fucking van, I swear to God, I’ll be eating that Minted Venison of Strength and kicking the ever-loving shit out of them.”

I laughed at the sentiment. “You won’t need to eat it, mate. You must be at least three times stronger than when we left here. Now come on let’s get these boxes through the portal. I’m gonna have to leave the door on the latch when we go out and I don’t want someone nicking what’s left of my gear.”

At my words, Grimstrom grabbed one of the boxes and threw it unceremoniously through the portal. I couldn’t hear if anything smashed over in Nuinaer, and right now, I didn’t really care. Grabbing a box myself, I threw it into the swirling blackness and into another world. Sania and Joel followed suit, carelessly hurling all my worldly possessions through. They both had slight grins as they did it. I think they enjoyed the act for some reason. When Lierin went to grab a box. I was half inclined to tell her not to bother. She’d been filling out a little with our high meat diet of late, but she was still painfully thin. Of course, she was also level 18, which was over twice our level on entering Falritas. She compounded my thoughts by hoisting the large box up with ease and tossing in through like the rest of us.

“Can we go and buy these clothes, then?” Sania asked impatiently. “Is that the door out of this place?”

“Yeah, it is, and sure we can go. But I just need to go and grab some money. Providing the removal people never found my stash,” I said. A pang of fear that I might not even have the money to buy anything.

Back in the bedroom again, I made my way over to the far corner to pull up the carpet. As it peeled back I knelt down by the loose floor board and pried it out with the claw on my demonic index finger I saw the brown envelope containing my pathetic stash nestled in amongst the insulation. A wave of relief washed over me as it appeared to be undisturbed.

As I pulled it out a shadow fell over me, I looked up to find Grimstrom leaning over my shoulder. Inspecting the notes with intense scrutiny as I leafed through them counting.”

“Is that money here?” He asked, a glint in his eyes.

“Yeah, sure is. Just over eight hundred quid.”

“Can I have one of them?”

“Er, yeah, why not,” I said handing him a tenner. “I doubt I’ll spend it all anyway. I’m not expecting this shopping trip to be overly relaxing considering how I look. And there won’t be many options either.”

“Will we stand out a lot?” Sania asked.

“You will a little with your height, and your ears, but I’ll probably draw the most attention. We’ll blag it though. If you see me walking funny, it’s because I’ll be pretending that I’m walking on stilts okay? It’s all part of the ruse, so don’t worry.”

Of course, I then had to explain what stilts were.

The walk through the streets was amusing if anything. I hadn’t been sure exactly what to expect, but apart from having to explain what the cars and busses were to the Falritas natives, the interaction with passers-by was mainly just them pointing and laughing. Some tossed the occasional good-natured insult our way or to Grimstrom’s consternation, a film quote, as one guy shouted over the road, “No one tosses a dwarf! Great costumes, guys!”

I saw Sania looking just as baffled by the whole thing. “What is going on Clive? I thought people would either run in fear or try to attack us. They do not even seem to be fearful of your demon limbs.”

“This is what I kind of hoped for. They all just think we’re dressed up for something. Remember, we don’t actually have real monsters here. It’s all just humans and animals and stuff.”

When we crested the hill that overlooked the retail park, I felt the mood shift a little.

“What is that place?” Lierin asked a little awed.

“That’d be the retail park,” Joel answered. “We can come back once we’re settled at my place.”

“What is the wavy, golden pattern that glows?” Grimstrom asked. His eyes sparkling again.

“That my dear dwarf, is McDonalds. It’s a fast-food restaurant,” I answered laughing.

“Is the food any good?” Grimstrom replied.

“That depends on your definition of good. It’s certainly addictive.”

“We should try it,” Grimstrom said firmly.

“I’m game. I could kill for a burger,” Joel added. I didn’t even bother to ask Sania. She was always ready to eat.

Ten minutes later, we sat in McDonald’s, being watched by very amused customers. As no one knew what to order other than Joel, I settled for buying everyone a Big Mac meal with a chocolate milkshake. I had to order another for Grimstrom, Sania and me minutes later as we were all still hungry. I added a few boxes of nacho cheese bites this time just to make sure there was enough.

“This is very tasty food, but I feel unwell now. My stomach feels… dirty,” Sania said.

Grimstrom nodded. “Aye. It was nice enough, but I don’t think I’d eat it again,” he said rubbing at his chest. Gave me a touch of indigestion.

“Yup, that tends to be the effect of fast food. Come on. Let’s get out of here, before we get hungry again.”

“I don’t think so,” Sania said, following me out.

“You’ll see,” I replied knowingly.

Once everyone was back out into the carpark, the moment I’d been dreading and managing to put off finally came. Joel was leaving. Now it was here. It hurt more than I thought it would. I embraced him in a long hug, unable to talk. When I let up, I gave Lierin a gentle hug, too. I found I could speak to her more easily. “Will you look after him for me Lierin. Keep him out of trouble.”

She nodded sadly and I wondered how she was feeling about everything now she was here. I couldn’t ask, though. It was too late. Now was a time for goodbyes alone.

“You take care of yourself you hear me?” Joel said. His eyes were watery, but he held back the tears and I pretended not to notice.

“I hope you manage to meet back with Mal, and let him know that I hope he gets crazy strong and him and Boris can kick some serious arse.”

“I will, mate. I promise. IF there ever comes a time, I can come back though and see you, I will, too.”

“I’d like that.”

After a few more farewells and an awkward drawn-out parting, I stood and watched the two of them walk off hand in hand.

“The end of another chapter then,” I sighed. “Let’s go get me some 6Xl shorts and t-shirts and get the hell out of here.” I said to the two of them.

We headed over the carpark to Sport and Soccer, which was about the only place on the park that I thought I’d get what I needed. The main issue, other than finding stuff to fit, was me fitting between the racks, and ducking under the advertising bunting.

Grimstrom and Sania were uninterested by the clothes, which didn’t surprise me. Grimstrom had his own style going on, with well-made handcrafted clothes from Nuinaer and nothing here would fit Sania unless she was going to wear clothes designed for average height men who’d spent too much of their time in the restaurant we’d just came from.

Once I had ten pairs of tent like shorts and t-shirts, I also grabbed about a hundred tennis balls and ten footballs. Sania had looked at me like I’d lost my mind.

“What are those for. I can’t see any useful purpose for carrying those back with us.”

“They’re for the kids, back at far reach. They’re just for them to play with,” I said defensively. Trust me, they’ll have fun.”

Sania raised an eyebrow but said no more. I didn’t care. I’d have taken tons more stuff if I could. I’d been eyeing the mountain bikes hanging up on the walls, but I couldn’t afford one after everything else I’d spent.

After we’d paid at the desk. I found a quiet spot outside to store all the gear I’d bought in Sania’s robes of holding. I wanted to get changed into fresh clothes too, but my current costume of raggy, bloody, hemp trousers and the deerskin poncho added to the costume effect in a way oversized shorts and t-shirts just couldn’t.

With that done, we set off across the carpark once more heading for home.

“Well, Clive, as much as I’m glad I came to your world for a look about and it is an interesting place. I’m looking forward to getting back to Nuinaer. The lack of Neuma here makes me feel on edge. Still, amazing that you’ve achieved so much with so little energy filtering down from Onnerak.”.

Sania responded before I could speak. “Me too, Grimstrom. I can’t wait to get out of here. Though it’s certainly been interesting and nowhere near as bad as I thought when we first arrived.”

“Well, I’m glad you both saw some positives. But like you both, I’m more than ready to go back. Being here just makes me realise how much I don’t belong here anymore.”

Our conversation was cut short when a portal appeared in the centre of the carpark.

No lesser demons this time. A ten-foot plus Pit Demon, similar to the one I got smashed off in the Grobbler tunnels a lifetime ago jumped through, landing right on top of an orange Ford Focus, crushing the roof almost flat with the bonnet. It locked eyes on us immediately and jumped towards us as, yet another Pit Demon emerged through the portal.

I hadn’t noticed the lack of identifiers on the everyday folk of my home town, but rued the lack of them as yet more Pit Demons appeared. Within a minute, there were five of them. Their glossy black skin stretched over massive muscles and extra-large spikey protrusions.

At the sight of the portal and the demons, the people going about their shopping business, finally reacted. Screams rang out across the place, and they all started to run for somewhere to hide.

Feeling the calm, determination from Sania through our connection. I turned to Grimstrom to see the expression on his face was verging on disinterest. That was until two more creatures slipped out behind the demons. I had never seen their type before and with no identifiers I had no idea of their names or levels. They appeared to be made from shadow and they recoiled from the light and merged into the shadows of the nearby cars, I understood why Grimstrom would be worried.

“Shadar! We need to run,” he yelled.

I wanted to disagree, in case any of the shoppers nearby got hurt. But that was a stupid thought. The safest place for the shoppers was as far away from me as possible. So we ran.

Grimstrom and Sania both stretched out an early lead being far faster than me. It was frustrating to still be at such a disadvantage, as had pumped speed a fair bit, and I considered myself to be pretty damn fast now.

Both of them, independently of each other began to slow up their pace so that they ran alongside me. It was a small thing, but after everything that we’d been through, it meant a lot to me.