A blissful rush of energy suffused my aches and woes. My eyelashes fluttered open. I snatched the retreating wrist.

"You're safe. Don't worry.."

The scene I woke to was immensely different than the one I exited. Dark stone walls and curtains that smelled of antiseptic.

"What do you remember?"

Remember? The end of the world, for starters. The city's warning sirens, the Army and Coast Guard gathering, and their slaughter shortly afterward.

I should've died up there, but the situation I found myself in after falling into that ravine was even stranger. The brunette sleeping beneath a holistic tree, peacefully dead. The devil's intervention

Zeke.

It all came back now.

That slander he kept spouting. At first, all I wanted to do was clear my head, but it somehow turned into a scouting mission. Valorie came with me.

"Valorie?"

"You can talk to her if you want. Maybe you can let go of my hand first?"

I felt my face heat up as I let go. The handsome man chuckled cutely, but that only made my embarrassment grow.

"I'll go get her. Oh. Nevermind."

Valorie was sitting on a windowsill. She looked no worse for wear. Even her signature clothing remained intact if a little stained.

"I'll let you two have a minute."

The handsome stranger who healed me exited a dwarf-sized doorway and left me and Valorie alone. Come to think of it, where were we? This looked like a medical ward inside a castle, but the cots and curtains all looked military-issued

"Are we back on the surface?"

"Nope. Still in the dungeon. Inside the Keep. Away from the noise."

"How long was I out? I feel... I don't feel any pain. I should be in a coma or eating through a straw after that kind of fight.."

"McTavish has a healing power."

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"I'm guessing it's more than the spiritual kind."

"Yep. Magic."

Of course. I shouldn't be surprised at this point. Valorie was kind enough to inform me of everything that happened through her jilted way of speaking.

Starting from when we spotted the prisoner transport and followed it to the dwarven fort, to when we managed to scale the walls and infiltrate, and to Valorie sneaking up on the dwarven mage. After she kicked the fireslinger off the tower, she watched as my benefactor, Callum McTavish, butchered the troll and trollrider. His companions filtered in with automatic and pump-action firearms, slaughtering the dwarves who lacked supernatural skills.

The prisoners were freed, treated for any injuries, and everyone was waiting to enter the Safe Zone. Which it turns out belonged to me.

"I own the whole thing?"

"It's stupid. Let Mctavish explain. I can hear him breathing outside."

McTavish was already leaning in the doorway. He looked like the love child between Chris Pratt and Brad Pitt, raised on suaveness and grace. The freakish level of handsome made me think Valorie snuck some rose-colored glasses on me while I slept. His beard was scraggly, but in a cute way. His arms snuck out of a snug black t-shirt, hugged by a leather jerkin. On his waist was a honey-brown belt with a white scabbard attached.

"I heard my name."

Valorie looked like she wanted to jump out the window. I held onto her sleeve.

"What's this matter with the Safe Zone being owned by me?"

McTavish put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. It made me glaringly aware that he had a weapon and that I didn't.

"Killing a Boss gives you and everyone who participated in the fight a right to use the Safe Zone. I hear they are all personalized for the victors. Though, no one can enter someone's safe zone without permission."

That makes enough sense. Having a personal space to protect, even from other humans, was prudent.

"What about Valorie? Didn't she take down the mage?"

"She did. Val assassinated the sub-boss. Not easy even for evolved. Unfortunately, sub-bosses don't count. Only you touched the actual Boss."

Valorie looked like she wanted to punch him for calling her Val. I made a mental note to avoid nicknames and keep myself between the two if need be.

"Soloing a Boss means that only you can access the Safe Zone. You can bet it's a good one. I didn't think anyone else could do it without a class."

My eyebrows creased. I felt an odd sense of deja vu.

"You're speaking from experience."

"Well. I can't really say no to that, can I?"

At least McTavish had the decency to look abashed, unlike someone else I knew.

"I can give you the run down about everything inside. It's probably better that way."

"Sure. Give me a moment first."

I navigated my notifications and found the ones I was looking for.

[You defeated Martial Showman, Bruger. 1200 points.]

[You are the third to Solo a Boss. 500 points. A reward is waiting for you.]

[You are the third to Solo a Boss. A reward is waiting for you.]

[You defeated a Boss. A Safezone has been generated and is waiting for your management.]

When I focused on this message, a simple menu appeared.

[Set Permissions: Private / Party / Select Individuals / Free Access]

I mentally clicked Free Access.

All our heads turned at once, hearing the shouts coming from outside. McTacvish rubbed a hand to the back of his head, it made his tanned biceps bulge.

"You didn't... No. This is my fault. I didn't warn you."

My brows wrinkled further, looking between a musing Valorie and the forlorn McTavish.

"What?"

With a hand on his chin, he sucked in a breath through his pearly teeth.

"This may be a problem.