Anton appeared in the doorway as Enoch closed the lid of his sketchy bucket, sealing the pink light of the Drone Cores. The healer had seen it. Didn’t help that the Mana leaked from several bad welds. Ally entered the room calmly, stopped at melee range. Tetsuo still in the corridor, protected by an angle.

“How did you reach this spot?” said Enoch.

“A corridor from the boss lair,” said Anton, “we’ll need the Cores. Tetsuo lost an arm.”

The scout stayed silent. His full helm concealing his emotions. Even Choo read the room, for once, and edged toward the outer wall.

“I can see your point,” said Enoch, “I hope you can see mine.”

The chat commented in his peripheral vision.

“It’s going down.”

“Time for a showdown.”

“He doesn’t stand a chance.”

“Play with the pros, die from the pros.”

Anton waved his hand with a pained expression. The bubble materialized with a crescendo of emerald pixels. It protected his friends. Pushed Enoch.

Ally blurred for a strike. The Blink Blade did its magic. The scout, the golem core, and the huge, malformed bucket appeared under the castle. In the empty air. Still way too high. They held for a fleeting instant then the game engine got hold of them and they plummeted down.

The Golem Totem crackled into existence. Enoch cradled it with his right arm. Awkwardly. Sword in hand. His left arm held the bucket, searing hot from trapped energy.

He braced himself. Omnilegs poised for the landing. He smiled behind his visor when the derelict mess of the animated shield came under him, slowing his descend by a fraction. That good old crap.

The chat let loose.

“He’s falling down. It’s the end.”

“Down, down to the ground.”

“It’s over.”

“You all need help.” Tag | Little Bro.

All in all, the fall was cool. He came in hard. Impacted the stone plain. The tubes, the springs and the coils toiled. [-45 Health]. Easy.

Enoch looked up. His Perception revealed three heads poking out of a window up there in the canopy of the Hollows Castle, or what was left of it.

He let go of Choo’s totem, said “thanks buddy,” and raised his sword in a salute. The ethereal blade bright, fully deployed.

Two of his former allies waved back. Fair enough.

He looked around to orient himself and strode forward. Fast.

***

A few random turns in the exit tunnels and Enoch carved his way to the mechanical chamber of an elaborated trap. On his fourth stack of Fatigue, he managed to plug out the entry hole with the cut stone blocks. One long sight and up to his obsidian moon.

One deep breath of the thin, cold air. The debuff vanished. Clarity returned. He sat where he was. A few feet from his Skill Tree. Zoned out, he closed his eyes.

He came to Choo hovering uncomfortably close to his face. Sat up. Blinked. Moved on to his skill selection.

Hard game for the brain. Real life seemed a lifetime ago. Had he exterminated a gremlins’ lair a couple of days ago? Visited a village, true to his awkward self? Fought a Mutants attack. Forced marched a group of survivors in endless tunnels? Most of them had died. He lived. For now. If he died, he would wake up in an hotel room full of VR pods. Presumably. He wasn’t sure anymore.

The quick panic washed over him. He came back. Looked at his options. He boosted his existing Skills. Picked one point of Intellect for Choo, one point in Totem Golem and one point in Tower Golem.

***

The bar almost empty. The three players stopped talking and turned to him. His second place beacon morphed to an orange crown with an overblown visual effect. No need to signal his location up here in Haven Square.

Enoch zombie walked to the black board. Nine players left. A weight lifted from his shoulder. He could keep Choo no matter what.

A double take confirmed that Art Delver weren’t here. They hadn’t arrived or had already left. His favorite window empty, he went for the bar. Stopped. Took a look at the recent kills list. No mention of the players killers. He grinned.