Lord Commander Monroe sat back in his comfortable desk chair, sipping at his steaming mug of coffee before letting out a sigh, enjoying the brief respite from the chaos of the past few hours. The Ruin that had suddenly appeared had sent the entire city into overdrive, everyone scrambling to destroy the damn thing before it grew too large, yet all their efforts had been in vain. It seemed a new danger zone was destined to be born right on the outskirts of Nobilis. "What a mess." Monroe muttered to himself, shaking his head and taking another sip.

"They kidnapped the fourth prince!" Monroe's assistant burst into his office in a panic, causing the man to choke on his coffee, sending him into a coughing fit.

"What have I told you about knocking, Percival!?!" Monroe roared as he calmed down, glaring at his assistant as he flushed and coughed awkwardly.

"My- my apologies, my lord." Percival stammered, bowing with a short, ducking motion. "But they took him! The terrorists kidnapped the fourth prince!"

"Who in their right mind would kidnap that lunatic?" Monroe grumbled, as he wiped spilled coffee off his uniform. The fourth prince, while admirably patriotic and dedicated to serving the public, was entirely too obsessed with the idea of Noblesse Oblige, which in and of itself wouldn't be an issue if the boy would actually deign to work within the system! Instead, he believed his status gave him an authority on par with Monroe's own and repeatedly disrupted the regular operations of the police force, creating legal and jurisdictional messes wherever he went. Monroe paused as he registered the rest of Percival's exclamation. "What terrorists?"

"The ones who created the Ruin!" Percival explained. "They were trying to escape the city when the fourth prince confronted them, and they took him!"

Monroe sighed, rolling his shoulders as he climbed to his feet. "Where are they now?"

"They've made it out of the city and they're currently heading north." Percival replied.

"Prepare a team." Monroe ordered. "We leave in fifteen."

*

"Ma'am, I appreciate your dedication, but I'm pretty sure we've left your jurisdiction." Chris commented, raising an eyebrow at the same policewoman who had passed out on him earlier. She'd apparently had a nap, recovered, and started chasing him yet again. At least she wasn't stabbing him anymore, just following and glaring at him as he continued to make his way north.

"I am an officer of the Empire. I don't have a jurisdiction." The officer retorted.

"Objectively false. Your authority ends where the Empire does." Chris pointed out her flaw in logic.

The officer flushed. "You know what I mean! You're not leaving my sight as long as you're within the Unified Empire!"

"Fair enough." Chris shrugged as they moved to the next location. "But why?"

"You're a terrorist! Even if I can't stop you, I can at least warn others before you hurt them!" The officer declared righteously.

"Would you believe me if I said I wasn't a terrorist?" Chris asked. "Because really, it was all an accident. At least on our end… the World probably meant for it to happen, but that isn't really our fault, now is it?"

The officer blinked. "The World?"

"You know, the thing that decides what this reality should look like and how things should happen." Chris shrugged. "My friends and I are kinda special, so it likes to fuck with us, like turning an innocent dungeon experiment into a Ruin."

"Oh… so you're an insane terrorist." The officer nodded. "Perfect."

Chris paused to frown at her. "You're pretty rude, you know that?"

"You created a disaster that could destroy my home!" The officer retorted.

"It was an accident. Plus, we're going to fix it. We just need to get a bit stronger and learn some space magic." Chris replied.

"How are you going to fix it when the strongest protectors of Nobilis failed!?!" The officer asked incredulously.

Chris paused. "Well, first, because the Ruin is still connected to a dungeon, because we did something fucky, and without destroying the dungeon, the Ruin isn't going anywhere. As for why it has to be us… that's actually a good question. Probably one we would have discussed if y'all didn't automatically assume we were terrorists. Though I suppose we could have talked about it if we hadn't run as well… hell, we can talk about it right now. Not like it's too late or anything. I'll visit at some point and see. Or talk to that one dude."

"You make zero sense." The officer shook her head, before letting out a long, weary yawn. She'd been following Chris for hours now and even after the forced power nap, she was exhausted. How the hell did this man keep going?!? He should be at least as tired as she was, and his Energy reserves should be bone dry!

Chris stopped yet again to give her a look, this one edged with concern. "You're going to pass out again, aren't you?"

The officer glared at him. "I'll be fine! I can go as long as you can!"

"You will literally die first." Chris responded bluntly. "I am eternal. You are finite."

The officer blinked, taken aback for a moment, before scoffing. "You think you're the first mad man with grandiose delusions I've dealt with?"

Chris sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. This woman was going to die out here if he didn't do something. As it was, she was barely keeping up with him, only managing it because one jump of hers could cover four of his, giving her time to recover in between. Plus the fact that he wasn't trying to lose her anymore. If he backtracked and switched direction, she'd be screwed. Unfortunately, he was fairly certain she wouldn't be comfortable resting in his world… though he supposed he could just toss her in there after she passed out again. Either way, he was going to be forced to deal with her at some point. He almost wondered if the World had heard Thomas's comment and forced this to happen, but that seemed overly paranoid. The World wasn't listening to everything they said, right? Chris paused. On second thought, it probably was…

They continued on in silence, the officer sullenly pursuing Chris with dogged persistence, when just as they completed their next jump, several figures fell out of the sky, surrounding them! Four of them cooperated to throw up a formation around them which blocked Chris's next arrow. "Halt!" Monroe declared, holding out his hand, glancing at the policewoman with a slight frown, before refocusing on Chris. "You are under arrest for suspected terrorism and kidnapping! Drop your weapons and put your hands behind your back!"

Chris lowered his bow, frowning at him. "I will give this to you guys. You are persistent."

"Release the fourth prince!" Percival stepped forward to demand angrily.

Chris blinked. "Who? This guy?" He opened a portal, revealing the dude from earlier who was in the middle of tunneling himself deeper into some random planet for some reason. "I've tried to release him four times already and he refuses to go."

The prince looked up at the sound of his voice, catching sight of the others. "Monroe! Quick, join me in destroying this dastardly villain's inner sanctum! I believe I've almost reached the foundation!" He exclaimed, before continuing his tunneling with renewed vigor.

Monroe's expression twisted as he glared into the portal, before turning to glance at the completely unconcerned and slightly confused Chris. "Nevertheless, you are still a suspected terrorist, and I must insist you come with us."

Stolen story; please report.

"I'm going to have to decline." Chris replied with a shrug. "I've been arrested before and I find it gives people a false impression of authority over me. You want to talk? We can talk. But I'm going to continue going north." He then teleported back out of their encirclement and continued to make his way north.

Monroe froze, turning to give the mages who were supposed to be keeping that exact thing from happening a scathing look, before turning to catch up with Chris. Chris wasn't all that fast, so he easily kept pace, barely even dipping into his Energy reserves. "If you do not desist, I will have to use force to stop you."

"Go for it." Chris replied with a shrug.

Monroe let out a frustrated growl. He didn't have the patience for this today! He flashed in front of Chris, grabbing him by the throat. "Listen here you little-" Chris disappeared from his grasp with a roll of his eyes and Monroe lost his last shred of patience. "Fine! Have it your way!" He roared, flattening Chris in a fit of rage!

Chris reappeared a moment later with a thoughtful look. "I think that was the least painful way I've died so far… I barely even felt anything." He'd have to keep flattening in mind the next time he needed to kill someone.

Monroe just stared at him in stunned disbelief for a moment. "What are you?"

"The avatar of the major structural building block of creation." Chris replied, before pausing. He was allowed to tell people that, right? Eh, it wasn't like they could get in more trouble at this point.

Monroe blinked. "What does that even mean?!?"

"It means I'm a living world, and you aren't even talking to my real body." Chris replied. "Or my only one." Chris paused. "If I had more mass, I'd show you, but I didn't think to gather too much before this whole escapade began. Would have been real nice to have multiple bodies for all this."

"A living world?" Monroe muttered with a frown, still not fully processing what Chris was saying. Was there really nothing he could do to affect this man? All his power, and he was completely incapable of affecting him?!?

"Yup." Chris nodded, before raising his bow and moving on, Monroe following numbly. "Oh, by the way, do you know how to destroy a dungeon if you can't take out the core?"

Monroe frowned. "Of course. Anyone of sufficient power is capable of it. You simply have to destroy the foundation of the space until it is destabilized enough for it to collapse."

Chris blinked. "Is that what what's his face is trying to do to my world?"

"I believe so." Monroe nodded. "I was wondering why you didn't seem concerned."

"Well, your buddy is digging into a planet, and not one I care about. There isn't much to be concerned about." Chris explained.

Monroe choked. "A planet?!? How big is your damn world!?!"

Chris shrugged. "How big is the universe?"

Monroe just stared at him for a moment. "I believe that goes beyond the scope of the word 'world'." He muttered.

"You aren't wrong, but I like calling it my world, so I don't care." Chris replied. "But that's besides the point." He opened a portal to the Ruin dungeon. "Can you break this? It's the dungeon sustaining the Ruin. If you break it, you should be able to destroy the Ruin."

Monroe raised a hand to his temple as his brain threatened to leak out his ear. What the fuck was happening right now?!? Was this a joke?!? Was he dreaming?!? None of this made any sense! "You- want me to break the dungeon- sustaining the Ruin- that you created?!? Why!?!"

"Well, we didn't mean to create the Ruin. We don't want it to exist any more than you do." Chris explained.

Monroe hit fuck it and let out a weary sigh. "Of course you didn't. Why would you? And the dungeon is sustaining the Raid! Of course! Makes total sense! Let me just pop right in there and take it out, no problem!" Monroe rambled deliriously as he stepped through Chris's portal and just started breaking things, releasing all the built up tension from his nonsensical conversation with Chris!

"Mother fucker!" Andrew cursed as pain lanced through his body over and over again, feeling like he was being torn open from the inside! "Gaaahhh!"

"Drew? Drew, are you okay?!?" Quinn rushed to his side in concern as Andrew spasmed in pain, rolling off the couch and onto the ground in the process.

"What's going on?!?" Thomas asked, looking around, wondering if someone was somehow attacking Andrew.

"I think it's because Monroe is trying to break the dungeon." Chris offered. Andrew had begun spasming at the same time Monroe had begun attacking the dungeon, so he felt it was a pretty good bet. "Bear through it, Andrew. He should be done soon."

"What do you mean 'bear through it'!" Quinn snapped back. "He's dying!"

"He can't die." Chris replied. "It's just pain, and if it works, the Ruin will be dealt with."

"F-fuck y-ou!" Andrew growled, glaring at Chris hatefully.

"If it helps, you can try, but I'm not sure how effective you'll be in that state." Chris shrugged.

Greg blinked. "That was a joke!"

"Of course." Chris grinned slightly. "I'm not humorless."

"Asshole!" Andrew coughed as the pain finally subsided. "This isn't funny! That fucking hurt!"

"I believe you, but what do you want me to do about it?" Chris cocked his head at him.

"Be a little sympathetic for fucks sake! Don't make jokes while I'm writhing in agony!" Andrew yelled at him.

Chris frowned. "How does my attitude affect your pain?"

"You know, I never got that one either." Greg muttered. "I mean, I get that you should show sympathy, I'm just not sure why. It seems like a lot of empty emotionalism. As long as you're doing what you can to help, what does it matter if you giggle a little?"

"I think you should care, though I'm not sure how much expressing it through an emotional display would help." Thomas commented. "Better to just focus on helping."

"But in this case there was nothing I could do." Chris pointed out. "Beyond distraction, at least."

Andrew glared at them for a moment, before letting out a frustrated sigh and shaking his head. "There is something wrong with you people." He grumbled, Quinn nodding in agreement beside him. "You show sympathy to show you care, even if you don't! So people feel like they matter to you! Like they're more than an afterthought to you!"

Chris narrowed his eyes at him. "What does that do for anyone?"

"You- ugh, forget it!" Andrew spat in frustration. He didn't know what he expected. "Did it at least work?"

"Nope." Chris shook his head. "The damage healed as fast as Monroe made it. I think it's connected to you in some way, leeching off your healing to stay stable… kind of an insidious trap by the World, now that I think about it. The Ruin is tied to the dungeon and the dungeon is tied to you, and you're immortal, making the dungeon and the Ruin immortal as well."

"Fuck!" Andrew cursed. "Then how are we supposed to deal with this thing?!?"

"Well… it still has a core, right?" Greg pointed out. "Destroy that, and you destroy the Ruin."

"But I can't destroy the core!" Andrew protested. "It's too solid!"

"You can't destroy it yet." Greg retorted. "We still need to get stronger, but we, or you at least, just need to work in a different direction. You have that Essence Master Class, right? I'm sure there's a solution in there somewhere."

Andrew blinked. "Right… right! Yes, I just need to learn how to use my aura!"

"Unfortunately we can't really help with that." Thomas frowned. "Well, except for the system and whatnot."

"We'll need to find something else to work on in the meantime." Greg nodded, frowning thoughtfully.

"Am I still heading north?" Chris asked, raising an eyebrow.

"There's no reason not to…" Greg muttered. "Still seems like an interesting place to explore. Plus, if things are going to happen, it's probably better they happen in a place where less people will get hurt."

"Gotcha." Chris nodded.

They all settled down, getting lost in their own thoughts for a moment, before Thomas looked up with a frown. "Chris? Who's Monroe?"