Tyler ran as fast as he could through the undergrowth, twigs snapping underfoot, sickly branches scratching at his face as he clawed as many as he could out of the way, a trail of disfigured leaves floating to the floor in his wake. His eyes were firmly on the boil-ridden roots that spread across the ground. He didn’t want to trip. He didn’t want to make it harder on the women than he already had. Alina was ahead of him, Imanie to the right, Emelyn behind, like a triangular defence, tearing through the gaunt trees, sometimes catching the sickly bark with a stray arm to reveal the amber pulp inside.

  The three women kept pace with him. Which meant they were running slower than they could. He knew that. He was nothing but a liability to them, and yet he was a commodity to others. Hunted by the Riftborn. Hunted by the demons. He wondered what the shapeshifters planned to do with the other two Alina had found. What would they do if they – or the ones that chased them now – got hold of him.

  He pushed a branch too strongly, felt it whip back and smack him in the face. His cheek puffed up, that annoying rawness tugging at his skin. He followed Alina, and for now she was heading north, moving quickly in her armour. The endurance buff ensured she wouldn’t get tired, but being able to move as she did with it on was all her own strength. His movements on the other hand were a little stiff from the drying blood on his linen clothes. Other than the slight discomfort, he wasn’t feeling any fatigue at all. Not from the running anyway. The situation he found himself in? That was exhausting.

  It had all seemed so simple when he said yes to coming here, but it hadn’t even been a day yet, and he’d barely had the time to process what was going on. The Gamesmaster, Alina, Demons, Riftborn, Outworlders, Nexus Prime. It was all too much. This was not a game at all. He couldn’t recall a game that didn’t start you in a beginner area. True, he couldn’t remember playing a game to begin with, but he was definite they started easy. They came with rules, instructions, manuals. Some even had cheat codes from the off.

  Everything in life started in a beginner area, not just games. The only similarity to life on earth that he could think of was having a woman with him to help him take his first steps. Or several in this case. He stumbled, and almost fell, but gathered himself and kept on. Did you just compare Alina to…your mother? He shook his head at the notion. That was not a comparison he either wanted nor enjoyed.

  One thing he was becoming more confident in – a feeling he couldn’t shake – was that the more he learned about this world, the more he realised the Gamesmaster had sold him a dud. Like he’d gone into a second-hand car showroom and walked out with a…well, he wasn’t sure what he would walk out with because he’d never done that before, but whatever it would be, it wasn’t good. That’s what the Gamesmaster had done. Sold him something he didn’t want and didn’t need. And he had no way to give it back. He was stuck here now, caught in a fight that was far beyond what he had expected it to be. Glancing at his companions, it seemed to be a fight far beyond what they had ever known too.

  As if the world had come full-circle, from the corner of his eye, the rotting remains of a person without a head was slowly being absorbed into the decaying earth, along with the pockmarked leaves that littered the forest floor. Sunlight struggled to break through the canopy but it wasn’t due to the trees themselves. Something else was blocking the light. A ghastly scream sounded above their heads. Tyler wanted to take a look, but was afraid he would lose his footing as he jumped over blackened roots.

  “Alina, they’re onto us,” Emelyn shouted. Behind them, far enough away to not be an immediate concern, but close enough that it needed to be dealt with came the low hums of growls, and the rhythmic thundering of hooves.

  “How many?”

  “Not enough that we can’t finish them before the buffs wear off.”

  “There’s a clearing up ahead. We’ll make our stand there.”

  Suddenly, Alina shifted to the right, and Tyler turned to follow. A few seconds later, they broke through the trees, into a small clearing. Alina continued to the other side, before turning. Tyler ran up alongside her, Emelyn on Alina’s left, and Imanie on Tyler’s right. Sunlight shone into the clearing, across the rusty red grass dotted with specks of green. The demon above them – a miniature version of the Demon Prince, but one that still towered over them hovered in the air, waiting for its brethren to arrive.

  “We need to be quick. We need to be nasty. Only got a couple of mins on these endowments. Let’s make it count,” Alina said. She looked at Tyler with a gentle smile. “I think we need you to do what you did back there by the stream. Just try not to lose yourself this time.”

  He grinned at her. She was trusting him. He’d earned that. The trust of a princess. It was a start. The three women began chanting quietly to themselves, and he began to suspect it was necessary for the power element against multiple opponents. Earlier, none of them had needed it against one, two or even three opponents, but he suspected they needed to charge their power up in some way before attacking more numbers than that. He’d need to ask them about it, but he recalled Halo had done the same thing. Although, she was a mage. It seemed that it would make more sense for her.

  So many questions to answer. Since he’d got here, just so many questions. And every time he was thinking he might have some answers, the answers only led to more questions. It got him thinking though. Maybe somebody had all the answers. Maybe even knew of outworlders being sent here. Knew of the Riftborn, and The Nexus Prime. Maybe even had tried to warn others or talk to them at least, but nobody had been listening. Nobody wanted to listen. Everybody just lived their lives the way they always had. Because that’s what everyone did. That’s how life worked. Why change what works?

  What was it Halo had said earlier? “They don’t have a clue how their world is kept safe. All they care about are their petty squabbles, and who owns which bit of rock.” She wasn’t wrong. Earth worked much the same way.

  “Hey, Princess,” Tyler said, loosening his shoulders, and jumping on the spot and kicking his legs out. It felt like the right thing to do.

  “Yes?”

  “You guys didn’t know about all this? The Riftborn? The Demon hierarchy?”

  “No,” Imanie said, from his other side. “I doubt anybody in the Kingdom knew about this. I’ve seen a lot of things in my time, but this is a first.”

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  Tyler looked at her, the elderly woman almost of a height with him. “Have you travelled far? Outside of the Kingdom? Do you think it’s true for the whole world?”

  “There isn’t an empire or kingdom that I haven’t travelled to on this side of the Rift, but I’ve never even heard whispers of Riftborn, or Demon hierarchies.”

  “Maybe in the Great Library?” Emelyn offered.

  “Maybe,” Alina said. She turned to Tyler, face hidden behind her helm. “Maybe it’s something we need to look into, once we survive. Don’t forget, Tyler Smith. You’re still mine. They haven’t taken you yet.”

  The way she had said he’s still hers. It had sounded so firm. Almost matter-of-fact. A claim to his person, like she was collecting on a debt. But what did she mean? In what way was he hers? In what way was he hoping he was hers? Maybe she was simply making extra effort to keep his bloodlust away, or maybe she only meant it in the sense they had already discussed. Of her using him. But he was sure she knew what she was doing with a statement like that. But did she? She could have just meant it exactly as she said it. Better to think that way, he thought to himself. He was glad she had her helm on, because she was proving to be just as distracting with it. He wasn’t sure he'd be able to handle seeing her face at the same time.

  Alright, shut up. Get in the game. They’re coming. Focus.

  “I’d like that, Princess,” Tyler replied. Then he had a thought. Go on then. Say it. You may as well. What do you have to lose? “Keep me alive, and I’ll stay yours.” He winked at her. What the hell? That wasn’t part of the plan. The corners of his mouth turned up in an awkward smile.

  [+1 CHR]

  A snarl from the other edge of the glade saved him. All eyes turned to the mini-demon princes entering the clearing. There were seven of them, including the one that still hovered in the air. It flew down when the others arrived. All of them stood almost twice as tall as Emelyn, and all had the same wolf-heads as their master. Tyler wondered for a moment if the wolf-head he had killed earlier was also somehow related to the Demon Prince, but if it was, it had none of the menace of the ones standing in front of him now.

  Alongside the winged one, four of the other six had eight extra arms extending from their torsos, each extra arm with serrated blades along their edges. The other two had flaming runes across their bodies, almost like the tattoos that Halo wore.

  “Never seen these types before. Looks like two mages, four melee, one ranged,” Alina said. The two other women nodded their heads in agreement. “How do we want to approach this?”

  “We probably need to assume one, or both mages might be able to heal?”

  As the women discussed the tactics, Tyler wondered why the caution, and quietly whispered, “Vitals.” The green and orange bar had faded into view in the top-left, with the large circle still displaying 39. The xp bar appeared at the bottom, but this time, three symbols surrounded by a metallic amber halo showed to the right of his health bar, with little timers beneath them. Two had just over two minutes on the clock, whilst the other showed just over twelve.

  He looked at the demons opposite, as they edged closer, the two mages lingering behind. Their bars showed clearly, larger than his own, in the top-right of his vision, the one he focused on being the most prominent on the display. The winged one and the four spider-like ones had red health bars and brown bars beneath that, but the two with runes had purple bars beneath. All seven had the number 103 in the top-right circle that overlapped their bars. Three higher than the one hundred levels Alina had told him there was. Yet another question.

  “I’ll take the mages,” Tyler said. “Keep the others off me, and I can take them down.” He turned to Alina. “You said mages need distance. They look intimidating, but I doubt they’ve had to deal with close-range fighters much. Especially ones immune to damage. I might not be much, but I can sure swing the shit out of this.” He hoisted the club.

  All three women looked at him, then at each other. The surprise was clear on both Imanie and Emelyn’s face but it was mixed with something else. Wonder maybe? Or admiration? Alina’s expression was hidden behind the helm but she said, “It could work. Are you sure?”

  “Sure as I’ll ever be. Let’s do it. We’re running out of time.”

  The women said nothing, but all turned to face the oncoming demons. Alina put her hand out. “Hold my hand.” He hesitated. Why right now? What was she trying to tell him? She turned to look at him. “I’m going to [Dash] you over there. We don’t have time.” Her tone was firm. He took hold of her gauntleted hand.

  “Now, Imanie,” Alina said. From the corner of his eye, Tyler could see Imanie unleash several arrows that arced through the air. As they approached the demons, all except one arrow exploded in a shower of golden light, blinding the approaching horde. That final arrow continued on its trajectory, striking the shoulder of the winged creature, stopping it from taking flight.

  Immediately after the burst of light, both Emelyn and Alina dashed forwards. Tyler felt his skin trying to remain where it was, whilst his body left it behind. In a flash, he was standing in front of one of the mages, Alina on the other. Behind them, Emelyn was dealing with the four others for now, with support from Imanie.

  Tyler wasted no time. He smashed his club at the runed demon’s side, and struck an invisible barrier, shock vibrating down his arm. Small red lightning fingers splayed out from the point of impact. The damn thing had some sort of shield. The timer on his buffs was down to a minute and forty. He had no choice. He struck again and again and again. The demon was trying to move away. Tyler’s guess had been right. It wasn’t used to fighting in close quarters. In the Riftlands, it probably never had the chance to. Never thought it would need to.

  Tyler wasn’t about to let it escape. He smashed the club down again and again and again. That damn shield would break at some point, or Tyler would die trying. The princess to his left was having a better time of it, though the runed demon was doing its best to fight back with small fireballs that seemed to have sucked the light from the air. It might as well not have bothered. Alina’s violet armour wasn’t even marked.

  An arrow whistled over his head and struck the shield nearer to the head, but the red lightning was larger, as if the force it had endured was far more. Several more arrows followed. Imanie. He continued hitting the demon in the sides, trusted in Imanie’s skills. The runed demon was doing its best to locate the source of the arrows, and to either side of its shoulders, black fireballs formed, growing ever larger. It was too late, however. Imanie’s arrow pierced through the barrier, struck into the demon’s cheek, causing it to howl in fury. With the barrier down, Tyler was ready. One minute left on his damage buffs.

  He smashed and he smashed and he smashed at one of the legs. Smashed again. Imanie’s arrows still continued hitting the demon’s heads. He was aware that Alina had already managed to finish hers. He suspected these two had low hp, and with the buffs and the barriers down, they took short work. Alina must have gone back to help Emelyn some. Tyler pulled the club back as far as he could and smashed. Over and over. Again and again. Eventually the leg gave. The demon dropped to one knee.

  Tyler smiled gleefully. The head was within range. He wasn’t done. He hadn’t drawn blood. He swung the club with all his might at the side of the demon’s face, then into the other side. Thirty seconds. Cheeks ripped. A lip split. He smashed again into the demon’s eye, and again into the same eye. Fifteen seconds. Aware he was running out of time, he smashed with his fist, and pummelled with the club, felt the demon’s flesh stop resisting, its skull cracking beneath the blows until the buffs ran out.

  Before he could see the artwork he had created this time, a gauntleted hand yanked him away, and back to the safety of the others. He still smiled. He hadn’t bloodlusted this time. He’d enjoyed it. Enjoyed feeling the demon’s head give way to his blows. But he didn’t lose himself. He could control it.

  What did it matter if he enjoyed it some too?