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“We might as well get going.” Snaky punk says. I hear him climb to his feet. “It’s almost big enough to climb through now.”

I roll the fire opal in my hand again, singeing my fingers and – frankly – not caring. The world’s still a little funny…

“Do you need help getting to the opening or can you just stumble along reasonably?” Snake-Punk is smirking – I can hear him smirking. It sounds like Oscar.

… welp, at least Oscar’s not here talking about getting me ‘actual, professional help!’ or grounding me.

I’m in my twenties. I should be too old to ground, but when you’re injured… well punks, let’s just say that parents (adopted or bio) tend to not take that nicely.

(Pretty sure Grimm killed all those punks… Equally sure they deserved it before I got caught in the crossfire.)

Hm. Do I need help? Actually that’s a good question.

“I mean, if ya got a spare boot in my size hiss-priss punk.” I mutter. I wonder if he hears me. I don’t care.

I’m on my feet – it’s not the first time I’m half-barefoot and it won’t be the last but I sincerely hope it’s the last time my feet get hurt – and shamble to the opening.

“HEEEELLLLOOOOO!” reverberates off the walls.

Heh. Yeah. It takes a few years for that to get old.

And – ya’know – a bunch of Shad attacks ‘cause they’re attracted to noise, but hey, who’s counting?

(Grimm was. Grimm was counting.)

 

More banging. I open my mouth but ya know what? He’s banging metal – that’s unlikely to lead to a river. So I let the Ax-Punk bang metal.

 

A ladder. Great. That’s gonna be fun on my foot.

I hook Umberuin onto my back – Drake designed this harness after my last one broke. Grimm designed the first one. – and pull myself up by my arms, resting my weight on my good foot every few rungs. No point in exhausting myself when there could be …

… actually, now that I’m thinking about it, where are the Shads? Like, even if there aren’t Cold Shadows in this realm, shouldn’t there be some other dangerous thing haunting every step you take?

Like, it’s been a bit abnormal there. Aside from an Abyss-locked genius loci that had his brains eaten by Shads it’s been … like, crazy peaceful! Like, no one has died. I think I’m the only one that got hurt (of course, how embarrassing, this has never happened before… yeah punks, I think ya got the idea…) anyway, peaceful.

… I should really watch my step – the ladder’s slick with water and more is tumbling on my head. Caleb sprung a leak with his extra hammering but doesn’t look like it’ll turn into a flood yet. I’ll have strong words for him when I get out of here…

He sticks his big hand over mine. Okay fine. He can touch me this once just. But only this once cause it’s wet.

Out of that tunnel …

… what …

What is this? Why is there so much space? Where is the ceiling? Where are the walls? What is happening? Why? What is this place? Why? Where is the ceiling? Why is there water dripping everywhere? How big is this place? What’s going on?

I want to go home. NOW.

I’m gonna kill the evil genius loci and go home.

 

What’s squeaking? What is that?

Why is there so much water? It’s pulling my smoke down!

I pull what I can back to me and swing Umberuin back out. I feel the ground. Solid – firm – unnatural. Some Overlander nonsense.

What is with all the water? Where is the ceiling? Where are the walls? Why is everything so oPeN?

 

Wind. Okay, that’s familiar.

Okay. Think. This is just a stupidly big chamber – seen some before just not this big. So there are lots of houses. Must be farmland under an Orb. They have their sprinklers going.

Yeah, okay. That makes sense. What does not make sense is why the sprinklers are over the homes. But, ya’know what? This isn’t my home and I’m not gonna judge this poor planning.

Heh, Oscar’s gonna have a…

… what the crumbling orb is that? What the shattered tunnels? What the Abyss? What?

“Off the road!” screams Ax-Punk.

This. Isn’t. A. Road.

You know what? Who cares?

I’m in a ditch now beside ‘I decided to coat my body in metal scales’ punk.

The … things go away.

Are they … this place’s Shads? Well, no. otherwise, we’d be dead. Because I don’t know how to even fight that.

THINK YOU IDIOT!

Metal. Machine.

Oh. More Hiver nonsense.

Hey, Search says that nonsense is spelled ‘non’ and ‘sense’ because it’s not science? I love calling all Hiver junk nonsense just on principle ever since she said that.

I mean, I was calling it that before…

Focus!

It’s not as watery now.

 

Wait, where are you going? You are NOT leaving me in this strange unnatural place!

 

Okay. This is better. There are walls and a roof. This is good. I can work with this…

Metal-Punk is getting a lot of unnecessary attention.

I think I’ll hold off on the fire opal. Like, everyone is smoking in here anyway. Just … use Umberuin as a staff a bit more than ya need to, okay?

“What’ll it be?”

“A soda.” Ax-Punk says.

Clink. “Strange folk you brought.”

“I just hope this is a dream and I wake up soon.” Ax-Punk be speaking everyone’s secret wish right now. Unfortunately I can’t dream up whatever the flying-Shad THAT is outside.

“You’ll need something stronger than that.” I’m guessing that dude is a bartender. I make this educated guess on location, the smell of alcohol and the shape of the, ya’know, bar.

“No this’ll do.” Ax-Punk you are crazy that will not do.

“I’ll take something stronger.” Snake-Punk says.

“You got any money?”

“Of course.”

I hear the coin hit the wood.

“Pay up.” Why’s the barkeep smell like snakes?

“Gladly.” Clinking of coins.

Do … I have any money?

I swipe at my pouch. It’s gotta hole, but it’s always had …

… well. That is a new hole.

Of – Abyss – course.

Okay. What do I actually have available?

 

Knife. Check.

Smelly socks and a shirt. Check.

Pants. Check. Okay, so far so good.

5 fire opals. How many did I think I had earl … who cares. That makes it six if I count the one I slipped back in its pouch. 2 of them are grenade form.

Better not let those show.

Uh – oh look! That piece of pottery I was gonna give Search!

And … the tiny doll for Vi. It’s kinda cool, it’s smaller than the palm of my hand – could barely fit the Abyss-doomed thing in anyway. I ain’t pulling that out. (I bet it’s hideous. Cause punks would totally do a blind guy dirty like that.)

And my coin pouch… do they use the same currency?

I mean, technically, they could rob me blind anyway since I can’t see…

…

That … is horrible and I have spent too much time around Search’s dad…

…

… still can’t believe someone murdered the punk. He was actually a nice guy.

Sooooooo. Back on topic. Coins. Currency. And the fact that I don’t know how it works here.

“Hey Ax-Punk. Which of these coins will buy me whatever Snake-Punk’s having?”