Total Settlement Destruction: 18.5%

Remaining oomukade [43 / 70]

Percent vanquished: 38.57%

This go-around with the oomukade had been a little more perilous, but between Frida, the egg boys, the tiny blue stranger, and myself—the fight was…pretty much over with the moment I stepped back out into the street.

I’d scanned my notifications to learn that the majority of the monsters ranged in Levels between eight and eleven—which I figured had to be the case considering that not a single one had offered up an Esper Node. Those floating magical baubles only appeared when I killed something at least five Levels higher than what I was and changed color in exponential increments of five as they got stronger. Apparently it happened only occasionally with the normal, in-world-bred residents of Regaia, but as one of the lucky few individuals from outside, my sojourner powers unlocked them with a suspicious regularity. I’d racked up experience from combat, but not nearly enough to warrant Leveling up again.

Those of us outside the mending house reconvened once the bugs were annihilated, and I hastily explained to Frida what the little girl had told me.

“Why’d they leave?” The Guardian asked, wiping her ax blade free of blood with the leather portion of her gauntlet.

“Dunno,” I said. “But, we should probably catch up. Whatever their reasoning, they aren’t exactly stupid—well, Jes isn’t, as far as I know. There’d have to be something majorly obscene for him to hobble off into danger like that. And Stinky wouldn’t just volunteer to help. He’s not much of a participator.”

“Ye mind is mine,” Frida said thoughtfully. “Should make haste then.”

“Definitely,” I said. “Since it looks like the mischief is managed ‘round these parts, it’s probably safe to kick rocks. Let’s goose it.”

I paused, though, looking at the little man who was slowly walking back toward the mending house without saying a word to us.

“Hey, blue Yoda,” I called. “Thanks for the help! I wouldn’t have made it inside if you hadn’t force lightning’d that one big bad into a seizure. Appreciate it.”

The man turned and gave me a nod.

“It was no issue,” he said. “This is my mending house, and the onus is on me to defend it. I should be thanking the six of you, instead.”

“You own this joint?” I asked. “So, you’re what, like the chief of medicine here?”

He gave me a curious look and then nodded.

“Yes, though that is not the term we use here.”

I balked.

Wait a second…

“Loon,” Frida said, pointing off to the north—I think. “Let’s beat. Ah need to chop more o’ these filth to ribbons, an’ Jes is a frolickin’ toad out there.”

“One sec,” I said, and looked back at the man, but he’d already gone. I frowned, turning back to my friend.

“Well, hm,” I muttered thoughtfully, and then switched gears. “Yeah—alright, Frida—damn! Let’s get goin’ already!”

We made quite the scene as we continued on into the night, choosing speed over an unhealthy display of violence as we purposely bypassed several instances of oomies moving through the town on their own, only stopping if it looked like they were attacking folks or doing more than cursory damage to the structures. We were now in a time crunch, and that meant we couldn’t just drop the smackdown on every single monster we came across. So, as much as it pained me to do so, we mostly left the creatures to exact petty delinquency in whatever way they saw fit.

It took us nearly ten minutes of full-on dusting it to get near enough to see the entire water tower. Once we had, I slid to a stop. My lungs were pounding and my Stamina bar was nearly depleted—which was doing wonders for my self confidence. Despite having an actual, quantifiable metric at my fingertips with which to gauge my progress, I was still vastly out of shape. To make matters worse, it was now very clear that anyone close to the tower was going to be boned, as at least two dozen of the oomukade swarmed around the base. I could see a cluster of tense fighting as they attempted to climb up the huge structure.

But, at that moment, I couldn’t even try to push it to the limit. My heart was thundering and felt as though it was gonna explode. I crashed against a wall dramatically to take a quick rest.

“Loon, are ye well?” Frida asked, peering at me from a dozen feet away.

“Uh-huh…” I wheezed, totally not selling it. “Just need’ta…grab…a quick…time…out. Gonna be…good…in a sec.”

The woman just watched, as if expecting me to keel over even more than I already had. The roe seemed a bit winded as well, leaning against one another and puffing out their cheeks—something I didn’t know they even had.

Weird. They use their bounces to propel them forward. It must take a lot outta…ah, shit.

As I cleared my throat of phlegm, the roe did the same, and I suddenly realized that they weren’t worn out at all. They were copying me.

Fakers! I razzed in my mind.

Fake. Copy. Mimic. Pretend. They returned.

“If yoor square an’ good here,” Frida said, glancing away from me and up at the tower and the battle taking place. “Then ah’m goin’ ‘head. Ah donnae think that bunch can spare t’manpower. Ye’ll be good if I pace et?”

I waved her away.

“Go…ahead,” I huffed. “I’m right…behind you.”

She took off without another word, faster than she’d been moving than when I was alongside her. Apparently, she’d been slowing her pace for me, which sort of made me feel bad. I pushed it out of my mind.

Her Stamina is probably five times mine. Catch your breath you heap of pudding, and then make up for it with untold decimation of your enemies.

Internally, I spoke to the roe.

Stay near her unless you see Jes, then help defend him. You guys remember Jes, right?

They bounced up and down excitedly as I knew they would. For some reason, they were obsessed with him, and probably liked him even more than they liked me. They were a curious bunch.

Good. He’s probably still pretty hurt, so try to keep anything from attacking him. Now go. Do me proud!

They sent out a feeling that they would do their best, and then shot off toward the water tower after Frida. I still didn’t know what Stinky was thinking—dragging Jes up here like that. I guessed I’d get to the bottom of it once I wrangled in a spare breath or two. In fact, I was already starting to feel like I could probably hop back up and join the fight in another few moments.

So, of course that was when I was very abruptly greeted by a familiar face. It smirked at me under a tangle of curls.

“Good evening, Gabriel.”

The woman from the train.

I hadn’t seen her in a few days, but it seemed like a lifetime ago. Which, now that I was thinking about it, was my first day in this world. She’d also been the one to usher me from my old world by appearing on the train I’d been riding on just before it flew off the tracks and brought me to Regaia.

Man, she really sucked. When last she’d shown her face, she was dressed in more “modern American” clothing. Now, however, her style was much more en vogue with the current environment. A leathery combo of thick jacket and pants, both lined with animal fur and covered in an assortment of belts. She also had on a pair of too-large gloves and clunky boots, trimmed with fur as well. Wherever she’d just come from—or was heading to—it was probably very cold. She looked like she’d just finished vacationing in a Dark Ages ski resort.

“A bit warm for that get-up, isn’t it?” I greeted her.

She chuckled, but the humor didn’t reach her eyes. Those remained deadly cold. Unfortunately, she was still smokin’ hot, which was as baffling as it was frustrating to my sensibilities.

“I see you are acclimating to the world well,” she returned, nodding her head to my own clothing. “A kilt? That is a very bold look. I see someone is attempting to make a statement.”

“What do you want?” I shot back, not willing to pretend her presence was anything short of infuriating. She was the whole reason I was here, and every time she appeared things had gone to shit shortly afterward. I could only imagine what would follow this encounter.

“My, you do enjoy cutting straight to the point, do you not? I’d have assumed you would try to stab me at the very least.”

“Yeah, well, you were wrong,” I said. “I exhausted myself a couple days ago kicking your lackey’s dick inside out and still haven’t fully recovered. Oh yeah, and then I killed him.”

I knew she’d had something to do with Ocho, the illusion-obsessed assassin I’d fought on top of a giant bird statue in the dungeon. He’d been trying the best he could to injure me to the point that he could take me back to his home base and turn me into sojourner butter, but we’d bested him. Unfortunately, not before he’d killed most of Frida’s companions.

My friends.

I pushed that back deep inside my brain. Rather than making me angry, it made me extremely sad, and I couldn’t afford to feel that way right now. I’d gotten very good at blocking out painful memories back in my former life, and I’d successfully adapted to that here so far as well.

“As I recall, you were not the one to land the final blow,” the woman said, waving a hand to the water tower. “I believe that honor belongs to your companion.”

She was referring to Stinky. He’d been the one to hurl the broken haft of Frida’s ax into Ocho’s stupid chest.

That’s a worrisome comment. Is she planning to get revenge?

“Yeah, Stinky put him out of his misery after I pounded him into a fine mist. And trust me, that was more mercy than he deserved.”

“Yes, of course,” she said, her tone clear about what she’d decided on the matter. “Regardless, I am not here to twist the knife about what transpired between you and Frey in the Crypt—though, I am interested to learn the full detail of accounts…eventually. I am here on business of a different matter.”

“Spit it out, already,” I said, standing up. “Lemme guess? You’re here to finish the job that he couldn’t complete and drag me back to your lair. I will literally kill myself if you try to do that, and then you’ll have to try again. But, guess what? I’ll kill myself again. It’ll be an endless cycle of seppuku and you’ll be pulling your perfectly curled hair out trying to keep track of it.”

I didn’t mention that I’d already signed a contract with some devil-like creature that dictated if I died, I’d have to spend the rest of eternity as a prisoner—but she didn’t need to know that. Or maybe she already knew, and didn’t care about what I’d said. I wasn’t sure which was worse.

She shook her head.

“No, Loon,” she began, wielding my name like a cudgel. “You misunderstand. I do not want to whisk you off to some far-reaching fortress of tormented agony. Contrary to what Frey may have indicated, doing so now would be premature. That man is so irksomely impatient. It is fortunate he failed. Would he have been successful in acquiring you, I would have been forced to destroy you anyway.”

“Was,” I said.

“Pardon?”

“He was impatient. He’s dead, remember?” I smirked.

She wrinkled her brow but then a smile crossed her lips.

“Ah, yes,” she agreed. “He was impatient. But as to that point, you are not suited to our necessity as you are now. A lifeforce as fragile as the one you are currently displaying is less than worthless to the designs we seek to achieve. My goals are only met once you have grown far, far stronger.”

“Wow,” I said. “Stellar comment. A-plus. Really. It’s good to know that villains are the same on every plane of existence.”

“What do you mean?”

“What do you mean, ‘what do you mean?’ You’re telling me you’ve been to my world and you haven’t watched any movies?”

“Ah,” the woman said, tapping her index finger on her chin. “Unfortunately, I did not have the occasion. I saw an episode or two of a…television program? In passing. I recall the name was ‘Young Sheldon.’ It was...”

She raised a hand to give a so-so gesture. I snorted despite myself.

“Yeah, you really fucked up, there. Not the best introduction to a representation of our media. Wait—shut the fuck up. Don’t try to distract me! Why are you here?”

The woman raised a single eyebrow and then gestured toward the climactic fight I was missing out on. Behind her I could see bright flashes of light and hear a whole lot of screaming from both monstrous and humanoid throats.

Ah, diss. That looks fun as fuck.

“That,” she said, still indicating the water tower throwdown. “Is not an endeavor you’ll be participating in.”

“The fuck I won’t be,” I spat. “You can’t tell me what to do, lady. I’m an adult.”

“Hardly,” she said. “But your level of physical maturity is irrelevant to this affair. You will not be joining the defense of the water tower because you are needed elsewhere.”

“Listen—” I said, jabbing a finger at her. That was a mistake, because she snatched the tip of my digit instantly and with seemingly zero effort, twisted it to the side. She grasped my elbow in her other hand and forced me to turn my body to stop the wrenching pain.

“Agh! Fuck! Ow-ow-ow-ow!”

“You will be the one to listen,” she said calmly, her icy glare boring into my soul. I could feel power wafting off her like a stink. It was overwhelming. For the first time in a long time, I was afraid. I gritted my teeth, but the pain was nearly unbearable. She hadn’t broken the arm or finger, but she didn’t need to. To make matters worse, because I had to curl my body to the side to not only stay level with her movement, but also remain standing, I wouldn’t even be able to attack her if I wanted to. I was totally and completely powerless.

“Fine—fucking—agh! Jesus! Tell me what you’re talking about and let me go!”

She released me instantly, and I tucked my whole arm to my chest, cradling it like a wounded bird.

“You’re prepared to hear me out?” She asked, though I doubted she cared about my answer.

“Just tell me how you think you can convince me to abandon my friends, so I can tell you to fuck off and then go join them anyway.”

She seemed to consider my words and then sighed.

“You will not be joining your friends, because you’ve another that needs your assistance much more desperately.”

“Huh? What the hell are you talking about?”

The woman pulled an object from…nowhere, and I realized I’d seen it before. It was a small copper clamshell. It fit neatly in her palm and I couldn’t help but think of how closely it resembled an antique makeup mirror, complete with little clasp in the front. I recalled she’d been peering into the same item right before she’d summoned the blue lights that somehow threw the train off the tracks. I cringed.

“Here,” she commanded, and the top of the clamshell popped open with her command, revealing a blue light within.

Nothing good can come from that thing

I wanted to recoil but restrained the urge and forced myself to lean forward to look into the swirling blue patterns. Slowly, they shifted and formed a solid image. A building. Based on the way it was designed, it had to be a structure here in Regaia.

“Where’s this?” I asked, but as soon as the words left my mouth, I saw an oomukade slithering by. I realized with a start that this building wasn’t just in Regaia, but here in Tallrock.

At least it’s not a long trip.

“When you say friend…” I began, but the woman cut me off.

“One of your fellow sojourners is here in the city. In that building, to be ineffaceably precise. And yes—as you will likely think I am drawing your lead in a ploying orchestration—it is one of those of whom were on that outworn rail carriage with you. You will find speed is most critical, as you will need to reach them before—”

Suddenly, three oomukade returned to the scene inside the mirror. As if by some compelling force, the monsters began slamming themselves against the outside wall of the building. The foundation began to crack, and one of the windows shattered. Despite the fact that the woman was looking at me and not the mirror, she seemed to know exactly what I was seeing.

“You had something to do with this attack, didn't you?” I demanded. “Gah. I fucking knew this wasn’t a regular...monster…attack. It’s hard to tell what qualifies as normal in this godforsaken place, but this ain’t it.

She shrugged.

“I wish that I were able to tell you I had the prescience to concoct these machinations,” she admitted. “But, alas. I am not the architect of this scheme. I simply saw the opportunity and struck out to capitalize on it.”

I glanced at the skirmish by the water tower. It was hard to make out finer detail, but it looked like one helluva hooplah. Then I turned back to the woman and glared at her.

“What’s in it for you?”

Shit! I just engaged in the predictable ‘what’s in it for you?’ trope. I’ve fallen right into her contrived, cliched designs! Curse my loveable, yet inquisitive mind!

“It is in both of our best interests for all of the sojourners to gather together. This individual can assist you in rejoining the rest of your lot. And before you ask: dying—in this particular ordeal—will do more to place your companion within that building in peril than to benefit them. If you choose to ignore the danger posed to them, and they were to expire and return to their place of origin, they would suffer. Fantastically so. And at the fingertips of a hand far crueler than even what you consider mine.”

She’d done it. I didn’t think she’d be able to, but she goddamn did. She’d presented me with a compelling argument for abandoning my friends. It was alright, though. Despite my reservations, they’d likely be just peachy pressing back the oomukade and defending the water tower from literal impregnation. At least for as long as it took me to get back to them. I sighed.

“What do I need to do?” I asked, defeated.

“Well, Loon,” she said, leaning forward with something resembling excitement. “How do you feel about assisting in a prison break?”