In Porter’s arms was double dagger girl, blood-soaked and barely hanging on, except for the small lump under her tattered robe that she clung onto with a death grip. Her signature twin rusted over daggers were nowhere to be found. If she didn’t get help soon, death would be gripping her.

  Jack took one look at her and immediately ran back into the ‘Employee Only’ room to grab some basic first aid supplies. He came sprinting back with Pepper in tow, navigating through the pillars of Skate Goat.

  “Port!” Colby yelled. “What happened! What are you doing here? What is she doing here?”

  “I’m sorry, Colby. I really am,” Porter said, gently placing her weak body on the ground. “I didn’t know where else to bring her.”

  “What about a doctor? Or a medic?”

  “They’re not strong enough. You’re the strongest person I know. Please help her. I need to go.”

  “Oh no, you don’t, Port,” Colby said, grabbing his shoulder before he could [Dash] off. “One minute won’t get anyone killed. Explain, now. What’s going on?”

  “She’s being chased by some huge dog monster thing.”

  Dog monster thing? Farmer Hound?

  “Then why can’t the Knights protect her?” Colby asked.

  Porter blushed, rubbing his hands together. “Well, I made a promise to her friends. They didn’t want any Knights or Arcanists involved.”

  Friends? Porter must be talking about the dull duo.

  “Port, that’s insane! Wait, where are they?”

  “They’re holding it off, for now. I need to get back there and help. I promised her.”

  “Oh no, you’re not. You are not going back out there alone.”

  Colby turned to his mother, who was tending to double dagger girl’s wounds, and yelled way too loudly. “Mom! I need the milk.”

  Despite the unnecessary, ear-piercing shout, she simply nodded and opened her Inventory rather than scold him. Bottles of Daisy Cow and Skate Goat milk were transferred to Colby’s own Inventory, giving him the necessary resources to cheese his way out of any situation.

  “Colby,” his father said, looking up from double dagger girl. “Are you insane? You want to go out there? Now? Why?”

  Colby turned to his father, and the usual goofy expression slipped from his face. His jaw clenched hard, and his lips pressed thin. For the first time, he looked completely, unmistakably serious.

  “Dad. If something happens to Porter and I didn’t do anything to help him, I will never forgive myself.”

  “He’s a Supply Runner. You’re not. He can run away from danger. You can’t. You’ll only slow him down.”

  “Yeah, Colby,” Porter said. “It’s not safe. Stay here.”

  “Porter always helps me. It’s time I return the favor.”

  Jack turned to his wife, who was still transferring bottles of milk after bottles of milk into Colby’s Inventory. “And Pepper! Why are you encouraging him? You of all people?”

  “Because I know what Colby’s up to. Is it stupid? Yes. But he’s going to go out there either way. I’d rather he save his strength and spare me the heart attack of finding out he snuck off without us knowing.”

  “Fine,” Jack said, standing up. “I’m coming.”

  “No,” Pepper said. “You need to find someone to help that girl. I need to stay here and make sure Brie is safe.”

  Jack grumbled, looking down at the bloodied and barely conscious double dagger girl. “I hate that you’re right.”

  He turned to Colby and grabbed his shoulders, staring him straight in the eye. “First sign of danger, run. Got it?”

  “Running’s what I’m planning to do, right, Port?”

  The smaller boy nodded quickly, legs bouncing up and down in restless bursts of nervous energy, as his fingers danced over themselves.

  “I’m sorry, Colby, but can we go? It’s a pretty big biggie.”

  “We can.”

  “Great!” he said, flashing a huge beaming smile before turning around and offering his back to Colby.

  After a moment without any weight settling on him, he glanced over his shoulder.

  “Save your strength, Port,” Colby said.

  A [Cheese Helmet] materialized over his head, while [Cheese Gloves] covered his hands. Trailing from the palms were multiple sets of [String Cheese] connected to a [Cheese Chestplate] over Thornelius’ body.

  “Let’s go.”

  Porter [Dashed] out of the shop, running towards the edge of town. Colby had expected to head towards the beach and not towards whatever had managed to destroy the barrier. Maybe it wasn’t Farmer Hound. Or it was Farmer Hound who had destroyed the barrier.

  Whatever the case, he followed close behind, being pulled by Thornelius, teeth rattling from the bumpy cobblestone road.

  Despite how fast they were going, Colby could tell Porter was holding back. Thornelius was fast, but not Supply Runner fast.

  “Porter, you can—”

  His words were cut short as the ground trembled beneath him, nearly knocking him off his feet.

  “Colby!” Porter yelled. “Are you okay?”

  “No, I’m Colby,” he chuckled, before shaking his head. “I mean, what was that?”

  “I hope it’s Mr. Goodsell and not the monster.”

  “Monster? Singular. So that big wolf thingy destroyed the barrier?”

  Porter shook his head. And Colby breathed a sigh of relief.

  Farmer Hound had not destroyed the barrier, which meant that he didn’t have to somehow protect his friend from something strong enough to do that. But that begged the question, what did manage to break the barrier?

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  “It’s…” Porter paused. “It’s better if you see for yourself.”

  Colby nodded.

  After that tremor and that ominous sentence, there was no way he was letting Porter go off on his own.

  Soon, the huge wall that surrounded Brinebrook came into view. Along the top, robed figures hurled spell after spell into the distance.

  At the gate, Knights rushed back and forth in a constant stream. Some charged out to join the fight, while others hurried in, carrying stretches with wounded comrades. They brought them toward a cluster of makeshift triage tents set up just inside the entrance. Healers moved quickly from injured to injured, utilising a litany of spells that Colby couldn’t comprehend.

  But Knights weren’t the only ones in attendance. Mixed among the signature steel armor were ‘A’ words. They were brave enough to join the foray, only to be swiftly sent back via stretcher. Many of them bore long, ragged claw marks across metal and leather alike—eerily similar to double dagger girl.

  Amongst the injured, there weren’t a pair of large, bald, and dull-looking men. The dull duo weren’t here. So, where were they?

  “Stay close to me, Colby,” Porter said, running towards the gate.

  Adventurers and Knights gave quizzical looks to the boy rolling past on a pair of cheese skates, pulled along by a Thornwolf wearing a cheese harness. Still, no one stopped him or tried to pull him back from heading into the fray.

  As they passed through the gate, Colby saw a Knight standing directly in front of the entrance. right in front of it. Dressed in dull silver armor that matched his equally gray hair, the man rested his hands atop a cane. He stood motionless, eyes fixed on the calamity befalling Brinebrook.

  That was Mr. Goodsell—General Goodsell.

  Looming beyond the gate was a gigantic green sphere. It towered over the treetops, rising higher than the forest itself. From its underside, spilled large, thick tendrils that spread outwards, branching again and again, spreading through the battlefield in all directions. Entangled within its reach was what the remaining Knights of Brinebrook defended against: monsters.

  Alive, half-alive, and long dead. They were being puppeted by the massive green sphere.

  Even the Knights-in-Training weren’t spared from the call.

  Colby spotted Elaine, Helena, and Noelle working together to defeat the skeletal remains of a group of monsters that he had no idea the name of.

  Elaine had spotted them as well.

  “Colby! Porter! What are you doing here?” she yelled.

  “I’m helping someone!” Porter yelled back.

  “And I’m helping Port!”

  They ran along the perimeter of the wall, ignoring everything else as they beelined to presumably where the dull duo were.

  And Colby’s presumption was right.

  Two large bald men with dull swords hanging heavy in their hands. They panted, shoulders rising with every breath. Their leather armor was torn, covered in dirt, and only slightly bloodied. Still, they held their ground against the beast.

  Fear rose in Colby’s heart as his suspicions were confirmed. That was Farmer Hound.

  It was a hulking, brown wolf-like monster, standing upright on two feet. It was massive, claws flexing as it leaned forward with a low, rumbling growl that made Thornelius whimper in fear.

  And unlike the other monsters on the field, this one had no green tendrils trailing from it.

  Thick strands of saliva dripped from its fangs, splattering onto the floor, as another low growl rumbled from its chest. The dull duo quaked in their torn leather boots, dull swords trembling in unsteady hands as they locked eyes with Farmer Hound—who was now more hound than farmer.

  All of a sudden, his nose twitched, and his ears flicked backwards. He snarled at the dull duo before dropping onto all fours. Without any warning, he charged away from them—towards Colby.

  Colby felt his heart slam into his stomach and almost out of the place where the sun don’t shine as Farmer Hound sprinted past him, close enough that he felt the rush of air in its wake.

  Even after he was long gone, Colby’s heart refused to settle back into his chest—mostly because he still didn’t really know how to break.

  “Port! I don’t know how to slow down!” he yelled, as he zipped past the Supply Runner.

  The scrawny boy grabbed the back of his shirt and planted his feet into the ground, being dragged along until Colby finally slowed to a crawl and then stopped.

  His Inventory opened beneath him, allowing him to go back to the safety of boots that did not roll, while also depositing the gloves and the cheese harness over Thornelius.

  “Thanks, Port,” Colby said, closing his Inventory. “But why did that thing run away? I thought you said it was after those three. Also, you do know those three were the people who tried to rob me twice.”

  “Twice? I thought it was once.”

  “Long story. Not really. I met them again, and they tried to rob me. Moving on. What’s going on?”

  “I’m pretty confused, too. Let me go ask.”

  They approached the dull duo, who were doubled over and gasping, leaning on their swords as they caught their breath. Their eyes lit up the moment they spotted Porter. Then their swords rose when they saw Colby.

  “Please don’t hurt my friend,” Porter said.

  “Yeah, please don’t hurt me,” Colby said.

  “Is Abby okay?” Lefty of the dull duo said, lowering his dull sword.

  “Is she?” Right echoed.

  “I don’t know,” Porter said. “You didn’t let me bring her to the medical tent.”

  “No!” they both shouted.

  “I know. That’s why I brought her to my best friend’s place. He’s the best. And so are his parents. They’ll help her. Just like how they helped me.”

  “Thank you,” they said, looking at Colby.

  “Welcome. You’re lucky I didn’t refuse to help her after the three of you tried to rob me. Twice!”

  “Sorry,” they said, looking down.

  “I’ll need to be compensated for the emotional damages you’ve caused, the cheese I’ve wasted, and the medical help my parents are presumably giving to double dagger girl.”

  “You mean Abby?” Lefty said.

  “Yeah, what did I say?”

  “You said—”

  A loud growl echoed out.

  Colby was pretty sure he never growled at them.

  Without looking back, Colby already knew that Farmer Hound had returned.

  The large beast reared up onto his hindlegs, chest heaving as a string of growls, snarls, and howls spilled from his throat.

  Farmer Hound lunged at them.

  Colby threw up his hand, about to fire a [Cheese Shot], when he was suddenly slammed from the side, knocking him onto the ground.

  “Watch out!” Porter yelled.

  The huge beast sailed over them, brandishing those dagger-like claws as he slashed at the dull duo. They raised their swords in a desperate bid to defend themselves. Claw sliced through metal like it was cream cheese, as Farmer Hound shoved both of them onto the ground.

  With a paw on each duo, he pinned them in place. Then, its digits began to curl. Slowly, it closed its paw, digging through their worthless leather armor and into flesh. Lines of red decorated their body as they screamed, hands pushing uselessly as they tried to pry the claws away.

  “Stop it!” Porter yelled, getting up and [Dashing] straight into Farmer Hound, only to bounce off.

  While he did little to no damage—other than to himself—he did draw the ire of a certain houndish farmer.

  He lifted up a hindleg, reaching out to kick him with those dagger-like claws.

  “Port!” Colby yelled, shooting out cheese from his palm.

  Congratulations! [String Cheese] has reached Level 3!

  Congratulations! [Cheese Shot] has reached Level 9!

  Congratulations! [Stickious Cheesious] has reached Level 7!

  [String Cheese] latched onto Porter’s tattered clothes as Colby yanked him back just in time, narrowly avoiding more holes in his clothes, or worse. Thank Gouda, that Porter was small—unlike him.

  Porter tumbled onto the ground, leaving Farmer Hound to his own devices—which was sharpening his claws on the dull duo.

  There was no cheese that could save them. Not that he wanted to, it was more for Porter. But hopefully Farmer Hound hadn’t been completely taken over.

  Colby rushed up to Thornelius, who had been shivering, shaking, and shedding his leafy fur in fear. He gave the Thornwolf a quick wink before drawing his leg back and kicking.

  “Take this!”

  Farmer Hound’s ears twitched as he snapped his head towards Colby. He howled, revealing those dagger-like teeth, and lunged at him—which was exactly what Colby was hoping for.

  Purposely missing Thornelius, the kick sent him straight to the ground, which didn’t hurt that much because he was now fully kitted up in [Cheese Pillow] cheese armor. In that split second, he grabbed the shaking Thornelius and held him up.

  Farmer Hound growled, his claws stopping an inch away from slicing into Thornelius, which made the poor Thornwolf tremble in fear even more.

  “I’m sorry, boy,” Colby whispered, giving him a kiss on the forehead. “Just a little bit longer.”

  “Colby!” Porter yelled, [Dashing] towards Farmer Hound in another hopeless attempt to shove him away.

  “Don’t, Port. Get those two to my place. I’ve got this.”

  “But, Colby!”

  “I’ve got this, Port! You have to trust me! Please! It’s no biggie!”