POV : CELL BLOCK 21
The next afternoon in Cell Block 21, Klempkin, the leader of the settlement, was in a deep conversation with Shaniqua.
"I know you're disappointed, dear, that your plan didn't work," Klempkin said, trying to console her. "But really, in the long run, it didn't hurt us. We can still make other plans to take over Fort Bone. Let's review our situation."
Shaniqua, visibly frustrated, crossed her arms. "It’s not about being disappointed. It’s about the missed opportunity. We were so close."
Klempkin nodded. "I get it. But let's focus on what we can still achieve. Claire, you've been talking to our hunters. How’s the search for that second dungeon spawn going?"
Claire, a shrewish looking woman with short hair, stepped forward, looking a bit more confident than Shaniqua. "It's going pretty well. We've narrowed down the areas where it could be, and we're starting to track it. We think that the Troll dungeon will be easy to take down."
Klempkin was about to ask more questions when a guard burst into the room, out of breath and clearly alarmed. "Klempkin, we’ve been attacked!"
Klempkin’s eyes narrowed. "Who attacked us? And where?"
The guard took a moment to steady himself before answering. "It was at our dungeon spawn. We were doing our regular routine when a group of people attacked us."
Shaniqua’s frustration turned into curiosity. "Who were they?"
"We don't know," the guard admitted. "They weren’t bandits, at least not any that we’ve seen before. They used a return token to escape. But we did find a clue." He reached into his pack and pulled out a battered John Deere hat. "This was what one of them was wearing. It fell off during the fight and the chase."
Klempkin examined the hat, his expression unreadable. "Hmm… Let's head over to the government kiosk and figure out where these guys could have come from."
At the kiosk, they pulled up the list of nearby settlements, narrowing it down to three possibilities: Team Portal Crusher, a settlement called Give Peace a Chance, and another called Tractors and Freedom.
Shaniqua frowned as she considered the options. "Well, we know for sure it wasn’t the Portal Crushers. They’re always in that iconic bone armour. And between Give Peace a Chance and Tractors and Freedom, the John Deere hat points pretty clearly to one of them."
Klempkin considered this, then glanced at Shaniqua. "It could be a trap, though. What do you think?"
Shaniqua hesitated. "It’s possible. We don’t know for sure. Why don’t we send a scout group out first, see if there’s an ambush waiting?"
Klempkin smiled, impressed. "That’s a good idea."
“Do you want me to come on the raid?”
Klemplin replied, “Nyah, it makes no sense. You stay here. I’ll lead the raid.”
“Sounds good.” Shaniqua said.
He quickly assembled a group of 20 warriors and headed to the teleportation point.
BERZOOP!
The crack in the air opened up, and they stepped through.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
The outer teleportation area was eerily quiet—no signs of an ambush.
"Scouts out!" Klempkin commanded.
Two scouts crept towards the area where the settlement of Tractors and Freedom was located. Ten tense minutes later, they returned.
"We didn’t see any signs of a prepared ambush," one of the scouts reported.
Klempkin’s grin widened. "Good. Attack!"
Cell Block 21's warriors stormed Tractors and Freedom, catching the settlement completely off guard. The settlers had been gearing up for a day of hunting, their defences relaxed.
“We’ve got an attack!” Daryl, the leader, bellowed, his voice rising above the sudden chaos. “Get to the front and hold the gate!”
Tractors and Freedom had strong defences, but Cell Block 21's relentless speed left them no time to close their gates. The battle erupted at the breach, both sides locked in a desperate struggle—one to push through, the other to hold them back.
Cell Block 21’s superior numbers and ferocity soon began to tip the scales. The defenders fought valiantly, but they were slowly pushed back by the sheer force of the attackers. Klempkin, at the forefront, cut down another Tractors and Freedom guard, his blade slick with blood. The defenders' lines wavered, the breach widening as Cell Block 21 gained ground.
Just then, as Klempkin prepared to drive his blade into another foe, a blinking notification flashed in his vision:
‘Settlement Razed.‘
"What?" Klempkin muttered, his heart sinking. “Gather up!” he shouted, signalling his men.
He activated his return token, hoping to regroup at their base—but the token fizzled out in his hand. The realisation hit him like a sledgehammer: there was no settlement to return to. Tractors and Freedom might have been losing the battle, but Cell Block 21 had already lost the war.
‘‘‘‘‘
POV : FORT BONE
Atlas had planned all afternoon. His strategy was simple: wait until Cell Block 21’s forces left for their raid, then strike. He didn’t need hours of preparation or a detailed plan—just patience and timing.
The key to this plan was patience. The Portal Crushers had accidentally taken advantage of the Sons of Valhalla’s last time, by attacking when they were gone. This time it would be a deliberate back door attack on Cell Block 21. The plan was simple and all he had to do was wait.
The Portal Crushers had teleported just outside the settlement , hiding among the ruins. The afternoon sun beat down as Atlas watched through a pair of old binoculars, scanning the camp for any signs of movement. Earth tech might deteriorate quicker but it still kind of worked. He wasn’t looking for anything elaborate. He was just waiting for the moment the gates opened and Klempkin’s warriors to come out.
When it finally happened, it was almost anticlimactic. A few guards shuffled about lazily, clearly not expecting trouble, they had been left behind when the main force had headed off to raid Tractors and Freedom.
“Let’s go out for the patrol of the dungeon spawn.” Said one of the guards.
“We just went two hours ago.”
“Well if you don’t want Shaniqua to give you a boot up your ass, you’re coming along.”
“Fine.”
The gate to Cell Block 21 opened, a group of bored guards walked out.
"Now’s the time," Atlas muttered to himself.
He signaled his team, and in a flash, they rushed straight towards the gate, moving straight into the heart of Cell Block 21’s camp. One second the camp was quiet and unsuspecting, and the next, it was filled with the deadly presence of the Portal Crushers.
Atlas didn’t waste a moment. Twin swords drawn, he charged into the fray. The camp’s defenders were caught completely off guard—shouts of alarm rang out, but it was already too late. Atlas cut the head off one guard, and then used his other sword to disembowel another. The Portal Crushers tore through the unprepared guards with ruthless efficiency.
Alexander followed close behind, his great sword cleaving through the nearest enemies like they were nothing. “Yeehaw!” he shouted as his blade connected with flesh, sending guards tumbling to the ground. Blood and gore sprayed all over him. He loved the thrill of a fight, and the chaotic melee unfolding around him was exactly his style.
The battle was swift, brutal, and entirely one-sided. Hank and Isabella picked off targets from the high ground, crossbows snapping as they took down anyone who tried to flee. Wang Bo twirled his staff with deadly precision, cracking skulls and breaking bones, while Atlas danced through the melee with cold efficiency, twin blades flashing.
One defender rushed him with a spear, desperation in his eyes. Atlas sidestepped easily, slashing across the man’s midsection in one fluid motion. The guard crumpled, his guts pouring from the wound as Atlas moved on, his focus unshaken.
The camp was in chaos. Screams and the sounds of battle echoed through the air as the Portal Crushers overwhelmed the defenders. Most of the enemy didn’t stand a chance—they were either cut down where they stood or fled into the wilderness, hoping to escape the slaughter.
As soon as Shaniqua realized Atlas was leading the raid, she sprang into action with the rest of the troops, aiming to defend. But the sheer scale of the assault quickly shattered any hope of victory, and panic seized her. Desperation took over, and she tried to escape, weaving through the chaos in hopes of slipping away unnoticed. But it was too late; Atlas’s piercing gaze had already found her.
“Going somewhere?” His voice cut through the noise, sharp and unmistakable.
She stole a glance over her shoulder, her pulse quickening as she saw him charging toward her, eyes locked on his target. A chill ran down her spine as she broke into a run. But she was no match for his genetically modified speed.
Panic clawed at her chest as she sprinted, her mind screaming that this was too much, too fast, too fierce.
She took off, pushing her body to its limit, but it was like trying to outrun a storm. His enhanced speed closed the distance in moments.
Before she could even turn to face him, the blade drove straight through her back, a brutal, cold justice. Irony twisted through her mind with the agony; she’d stabbed him in the back, now he returned the favour in spades.
***
It wasn’t long before the camp fell completely. Bodies littered the ground, and the few remaining survivors were either surrendering or trying to run. Atlas surveyed the scene, wiping his blades clean as the dust settled.
“We’re done here,” he said, sheathing his swords. “Take whatever you can. We’re heading back.”
The Portal Crushers moved quickly, grabbing weapons, supplies, and anything else of value. The battle had been over in minutes, just as Atlas had expected. Cell Block 21 had been left vulnerable by their raid, and the Portal Crushers had seized the opportunity.
As Atlas watched his team gather the spoils of war, a small smirk crossed his face. He hadn’t needed hours or a complex plan—just the right moment. And today, they’d taken it perfectly.
‘The sneak attack had been successful. Now it was time to loot the place.’ Atlas smiled thinking of how revenge was best served hot. Not cold.