Ren veered in the direction of an adolescent titan, so about the size of a thousand-year-old redwood. Standards were different here. He zipped up the side of the tree in a gravity-defying display of skill and magic.

  Before he could leap across the frondescense, Ren pulled himself onto a branch, pausing… listening to the same message playing out across the world. Mitzy sat inside his hood, blowing a bubble as she too listened.

  The pair sat in silence when Ren’s stomach jumped into his throat – Mitzy had lost track of her bubble, exploding it all over her face.

  Before he could complain, their perch shook. He and Mitzy shared a glance as she blinked at him through a sticky pink film. Ren sighed, if any of that got on his new hoodie. He kicked off, floating toward the waiting swamp, which jiggled like a bowl of Jell-O. His eyes moved along the wall of vegetation at the water's edge.

  The visibility was poor, as it often was, which was why he didn’t notice when the Mire came alive, a titanic foot lifting, before it crashed down in a tide of bog. A long groan, like a den of snakes – Ren’s eyes trailed up, following the living jungle, as it disappeared into the misted canopy.

  Ren’s heart raced as Mitzy used a special arm attachment to clean her face, “You ready, Mitz?” She cursed under her breath as she vigorously worked to clean herself – that was close enough for Ren. He fired off a few shots of bombastic bass drop – they did little. He ran backwards as he fired off more shots, hoping to draw its attention.

  That’s when it happened – the shambler froze, as the aether around it shimmered and condensed – reality warped and twisted as its form blurred, before vanishing with a pop, leaving behind a cloaked figure – eyes burning deep within their hooded visage.

  “Yoo! Sweet hoodie – I got one too?” Ren pointed in the general direction of his gnomish passenger.

  Eldrin extended an arm that stretched for too long before pointing a finger at Ren, “[Marked for Growth].”

  Ren raised an eyebrow. That didn’t sound like the worst thing – rushing water drew his attention – vines raised from the water, twisting and snaking – searching… “Not good, not good.” He pointed an open palm in the direction of the stranger, “[Bombastic Base Drop]...” Firing more notes in their direction, as he dodged around the grasping tentacle vine thingies.

  “Ren, this guy’s super savory – well over [50].”

  “Yeah, that bells and whistles thing is blaring so loud I can barely think – dudes vibes are totally unchill.”

  “Danger sense.”

  “What?” Ren asked as he spun around, firing off more useless shots.

  “It's called danger sense, the bells and whistles thing – surprised you don’t know that.” Mitzy gave Ren a quizzical look.

  “Ah, totally – like spidey sense, I’m down for sure.”

  Mitzy pressed Rivetlock’s tip into his hood, anchoring herself, before back flipping. She split the nearest vine like a hair as she ran along its spine, dancing back and forth amongst the tangle, turning the attacks into a trim job made easy.

  She thumbed Rivetlocks' retraction switch just before she hit the water, and like a skier was pulled along behind the [Echo Runner], a smile showing from ear to ear.

  “Ren, what’s going on?”

  He needed to get used to the whole comms thing, “Uhh, evil bad guy – powerful, he’s sicced the Mire on me…I’m running for my life, headed your direction…over.”

  Pat jumped out of their recliner, hovering at the viewscreen – as DG arced away from the train, their link with Ren guiding them like a missile.

  “Be careful, DG, this sounds bad – can you fly any higher? Better safe than sorry.”

  Pat stared intently at their monitor, scanning the area, when Ren emerged from beneath an exposed root, sending up a wake as he shot toward them. DG4 expressed their pride over Ren’s flight ability, as the dirigible adjusted course to follow Ren from overhead.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “Yoo Pat, I’m gonna lead this dude away – his vibes will kill our whole scene…Mitzy’s–.”

  Before he could finish, Mitzy hopped up onto his shoulder, a grin on her face and Rivetlock in hand.

  “Incoming, pull up, pull up – evasive–”

  Mitzy’s shot anchored into Pat’s head. The mecha-gnome flipped off Ren’s shoulder, flaring her boots as she zipped through the air – it all happened in a flash. Pat was still screaming about evasive maneuvers, while Mitzy grinned victoriously from atop DG’s balloon, her claw hand gripping a jade fin, “Ok, team – onward!”

  Pat was having a meltdown, sure that Mitzy was going to take them to the ground or drain their mana – but DG4 only let out a beep of excitement as they zoomed back to the wagon train.

  Ren stood arms akimbo, the swamp eerily silent, save for the quaking of the colossus. His danger sense was a five-alarm fire, his nerves on edge.

  “Ohh, to be ignorant again, those were the good ol’ days.” Ren adjusted his hoodie as he reminisced over his arrival in this world. He’d been terrified, confused, disoriented – and had ignored his danger sense. He wasn’t sure how he’d ignored it in retrospect – it was so obvious now. Perhaps it had grown stronger? He didn’t know.

  Meeting new people, trying cool things, and not dying – that seemed to be his life now. Ren didn’t have too many complaints. There was a lot he still didn’t know, and he missed his old life – not as much as he thought he should. Perhaps it was the System brainwashing him? He didn’t even know what the System was; it didn’t seem like anyone did. To him, it was obvious, it was a god – though he hadn’t seen any System churches…

  Movement caught Ren’s eye – the foliage shook as if in a breeze. The carefree DJ from another world adjusted his stance, as casual as ever.

  A tunnel opened in the brush, revealing movement within.

  Ren cleared his throat and called out in the way only a young Earther could, “Helllloooooo! What’s good – I’m Ren, nice to meet you. I think we got started on the wrong foot.”

  A pair of glowing eyes moved toward him. Ren could feel their attention. The aether grew oppressive. A weight pressed on him from all sides. He grimaced as a bead of sweat ran down his face.

  Ren’s knees buckled – an intense pain erupted at the base of his skull, and he let out a whale of agony.

  Eldrin walked across the swamp – a bed of vines stretched up to meet him as he trode along the surface of the water, his eyes taking in the surroundings. He made his way over to Ren, stopping before the weak, simpering human – not bothering to look down.

  “It has been many years since I’ve walked the surface – much has changed – and much has not.”

  Ren gritted his teeth as he tried to force himself to his feet –

  “Hm, still struggling – that is…interesting.

  Eldrin twisted his hands, commanding vines to restrain Ren.

  “What level are you, child? What is your class? You smell like…”

  Eldrin leaned in to Ren’s exposed form – lashed arms and legs wide, the leather of his hood pressed against his face. The [Dread Druid] sucked in through his nose.

  “You're not of the Mire, perhaps I should look deeper – hmm?”

  The [Dread Druid] extended a gnarled, bony finger. Ren struggled. A marble-sized sphere of power swelled to life. The [Echo Runner] panicked. “My guy – please, this is a brand new hoodie, nooo.”

  Eldrin froze, hovering, his face inches from Ren, his eyes sliding up. “Hoodie?”

  “Uh, yeah, hoodie.”

  “I’m about to rip your chest cavity open, and you're asking about–

  Eldrin stepped back, looking Ren up and down, as a butcher might a fresh kill – they lingered on his footwear.

  “I don’t have time for this – free of my cage…revenge…Murkspire.”

  Ren seized on the sudden interruption – now wasn’t a great time to have his chest cavity explored.

  “Well, it's in bad shape, there’s a dragon worm – that’s what I’m calling it – rampaging on the city, one district is down already, I wouldn’t be surprised if–”

  Eldrin’s face, a blank mask – pinched with rage – this was it. Ren was D E A D. Instead of a killing blow, beams of light shot into his attacker – lifting him off the ground. The colossal shamblers collapsed into themselves, their power returning to the source.

  A disturbance at his feet, Ren looked down to see Camo poking his head up. His tongue flicked out over an eye – in a gesture that reminded Ren of a wink. The camouflage frogkin produced a small sack, pinching its contents onto Ren’s bindings.

  Ren, the smart guy, tested his restraints – ignoring the searing pain of peeling flesh.

  “I don’t believe we’ve formally met – I’m Ren, and you’re my new best friend.”

  Camo smiled and waved as he slipped back below the surface, his task complete. Ren struggled and flailed like a fish out of water, heedless of the damage he was causing. Tearing one arm free, he pointed a palm at his ankle strap, “[Bombastic Base Drop].”

  After much shooting, flesh rending, and fighting, Ren broke free. He turned his attention to the strange old orc, his eyes narrowed.

  “The best defense is a good offense.” Ren nodded once before breaking into a run, his eyes locked on the ghost buster situation, “This is gonna hurt soo good.” A gallows grin split his face as he stepped into the flows of power.

  Ren’s head snapped back, his eyes wide – burning like a toxic sun – and a scream of agony tore from his throat, and perhaps a hint of pleasure.

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