The fetid stench of rotting flesh filled the air as skeletal claws raked the stone floor. EchoAnilTrine’s short swords wove deadly patterns against the Skelegore’s bony limbs. AldorionBreylis's rapier flashed like lightning, a flurry of motion against the undead behemoth. The strikes were true and deep, and the elf could quickly withdraw his blade. Each blow also elicited a grunt of pain from the beast, but his blade was like a toothpick compared to the colossal creature. His sword must have been imbued with powerful magic to stagger the beast.

"Incoming buff!" I yelled and triggered Guardian's Oath. A protective shield dropped over the party as we fought, allowing the others to take more blows without being completely smashed into pulp.

Trogs' song rose above the din and provided a serious dose of alacrity.

"That's the stuff," Leech shouted before he threw a sheet of ice at the monstrosity. The impact froze the back half, but only for a few seconds. The Technicolor Dream Team moved in and took advantage, hacking off flesh with long swords.

Arrows whizzed past my ear, striking the hinges of Skelegore’s knees. Leech’s fireball sizzled through the air, exploding against the creature’s ribcage, but the beast seemed almost impervious to flame. Trogs’ lute emitted a strident tune that strengthened our speed and reflexes.

"Remember that move against Xalawrath?" I called to my companions.

"I do. It was pretty damn effective," Darby replied loudly.

I leaped over Skelegore's sweeping arm, my extra strength propelling me higher than usual. As I descended, I fired off knight's reckless charge as I had done against Xalawrath, providing a massive burst of speed. With all my might, I gripped my sword with both hands and brought it down on the creature. The impact was jarring, sending shockwaves up my arms, but the result was spectacular. Skelegore's arm flew off, clattering against the stone wall.

The undead monstrosity reacted with unnatural speed, whipping its head around to face me. Its empty eye sockets seemed to burn with an unholy rage. I hit the ground and rolled, narrowly avoiding its snapping jaws. The stench of decay was overwhelming, but I pushed through it, coming up to my feet, ready to face the beast again.

"Ow!" I muttered.

"You good?" Darby asked as she backed up toward me.

"Uh. Mostly. Did I mention OW!"

Skelegore's remaining arm lashed out, its claws seeking to rend flesh from bone. I sidestepped the attack, my blade flashing in the dim light as I countered—the sword bit into desiccated flesh, drawing a roar of fury from the creature.

EchoAnilTrine and AldorionBreylis danced around Skelegore, their blades a blur of motion. Arrows and spells from my companions struck the beast from all sides, chipping away at its defenses.

EchoAnilTrine’s swords glowed with magic as she plunged them into Skelegore’s spine. The beast's roar turned into a gurgle as a crackling bolt of energy from Thandroot's huge glowing mace smashed into its head, caving in the skull. Skelegore's body convulsed violently before crumbling into a pile of bones.

> SYSTEM MESSAGE: Congrats on taking down that one single foe all by yourselves. What? Are there like twenty of you? Better get it together, meat-puppet. This was just a warm-up.

"Bite me," I whispered, wondering if Phil could hear me. He was probably loving this shit. After being locked away for so long, driven practically insane, and being returned to rule the world he'd

"Well, shit. That was epic!" Leech exclaimed as he walked over and clapped my shoulder. He turned to Thandroot. "I don't know what was powering your mace, but you put the hurt on that son of a bitch."

"Thank you, friend wizard."

"Chaos warlock, baby." Leech gave a fist bump before wandering back to the skeleton's corpse, presumably to look for crafting material.

Sylara had hung back in the room while we'd fought, and I couldn't blame her. She was obviously weak. EchoAnilTrine, probably sensing the druid's distress, approached and offered her hand. Sylara took it and placed it on her cheek. She closed her eyes for a moment as if inhaling the postie's scent.

"To meet one of you here is a true honor," Sylara breathed.

"It is I who is honored. You have been gravely injured, and yet you stand on your own two feet."

Sylara nodded.

EchoAnilTrine withdrew a small, glowing crystal from a pouch at her waist. The gem pulsed with an inner light as she pressed it gently against Sylara's wounds. I watched in amazement as the druid's injuries began to close, her pallor improving with each passing second.

Sylara's eyes widened in wonder. "Thank you," she breathed, her voice filled with gratitude.

"You have my thanks as well," Thandroot said, his eyes darting between me and the high elf. "I have many questions."

"We will have plenty of time for questions and answers. For now, we must make haste away from this place."

"What she said."

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Darby drew up next to me and stood close.

As touching as the moment was, something felt off. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and I instinctively tightened my grip on my sword. A low rumbling sound filled the chamber, and I spun around, searching for its source.

To my horror, the ornate tombs lining the walls began to crack open. Bony hands clawed their way out, followed by skeletal bodies in various states of decay. Undead warriors brandishing ancient weapons stumbled forth, while spectral sorcerers materialized in clouds of dark mist. Creatures I couldn't even begin to describe emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing with an otherworldly hunger.

"Holy shit!" I said.

AldorionBreylis's voice cut through the chaos. "With the death of the Skelegore, these undead are free to roam once more without fear! Echo, it is time!"

EchoAnilTrine nodded and loudly called to us. "To me. Gather close. We are leaving!"

We quickly fell into a defensive circle as Echo did whatever in the hell she needed to for us to escape. She hadn't brought up a scroll screen, so we weren't about to use a traversal. What she had in mind was much different.

EchoAnilTrine's voice rang out, clear with beautiful words that made Trog sigh fondly as if he'd heard a beloved song. AldorionBreylis joined his voice to hers, creating a chanting chorus that was at once stilted and formal. Then, he took a turn to incomprehensible phrasing that was somehow soothing.

"Where are we going?" Leech leaned over and asked me.

"Fuck if I know."

A red light burst around us.

Darby grasped my hand in hers.

The world spun, and my stomach lurched as we plummeted through what felt like an endless void. Just as I thought I might lose my lunch, wait - I hadn't eaten lunch - the sensation vanished, and we materialized on a raised dais.

I stumbled, nearly losing my footing on the moss-covered stone. Intricate runes adorned the platform's edges. Their fading glow was the only indication of the magic that had brought us here. Above us, an ancient overhang of weathered rock loomed, its surface etched with similar arcane symbols now obscured by creeping vines.

I took in our surroundings as my eyes adjusted to the dim light. We stood in the heart of what must have once been a magnificent city. Towering spires of white stone reached for the sky. But time had taken its toll. Many of the structures were crumbling, their walls overtaken by lush vegetation. Trees grew from rooftops and balconies, their roots snaking down to the cracked streets below.

Ornate fountains, long dry, stood in the overgrown plazas. Delicate arches and bridges, some partially collapsed, connected buildings that seemed to defy gravity. The entire city appeared to have been built in harmony with nature, but now nature was reclaiming it entirely.

EchoAnilTrine's voice broke through my awe. "Welcome," she said, her tone both reverent and tinged with sadness, "to Luminaris Reach."

"This place rocks," Leech said as he stepped off the dais.

"It is good to see you restored to your youth," Echo said to Leech.

"Thanks! It was a gift from Phil."

EchoAnilTrine blinked.

"Yeah. So that's what happened," Leech trailed off as he walked around inspecting the arcane runes.

Echo exchanged a look with AldorionBreylis, but the two said nothing more about it. I didn't mention that he'd give me an OP gift.

"This is beautiful," Darby stepped off the dais and walked around in a small circle, taking in our surroundings.

"You must be hungry. We will eat and rest." Echo told us.

"Sounds good to me," I said.

I was eager to find out where we were and to learn more about the city and what the posties were up to. We formed up and set out after our elven hosts.

I followed Echo and AldorionBreylis as they led us through the winding streets of Luminaris Reach. The air was filled with a sweet, floral scent emanating from the lush vegetation growing everywhere.

"This," Echo said, gesturing to an open area ahead, "is the Celestial Plaza."

As we entered the plaza, I was struck by its vibrancy. Unlike the abandoned ruins we'd seen upon arrival, this area was teeming with life. Elves, humans, and creatures I couldn't even name bustled about, going about their daily lives. Some glanced our way, while others simply minded their own business. The air was filled with the clamor of merchants hawking their wares, children laughing as they chased each other, and the soft murmur of conversations.

I gawked like a tourist, my eyes darting from one spectacle to another. There were stalls selling exotic fruits I'd never seen before. Artisans worked on intricate crafts, their fingers weaving, carving, and shaping with a skill that seemed almost magical. The architecture was also a feast for the eyes—graceful arches and towering spires that seemed to defy gravity, trimmed with shimmering crystals that cast rainbows across the cobblestones.

It was a far cry from the desolate wasteland we'd trudged through since arriving. Maybe this whole "trapped in a game world" situation wouldn't be so bad after all.

"This is incredible," Darby breathed beside me, her eyes wide as she took in the sights.

"No kidding," Leech agreed, his gaze darting from one spectacle to the next.

"It's amazing. All we've seen is desolation. Fortresses that wouldn't fetch much on Medieval Property Brothers. Oh, and a goddamn volcano."

"Don't remind me. I thought we were going to melt into the glass back then," Leech said. "And by glass, I mean the ground that had been fucking melted."

Thandroot sighed heavily.

"You okay, bud?"

"Fine, lad. It's… it's been a long day."

He wasn't wrong.

As we made our way through the crowd, I noticed a blacksmith's shop tucked away in a corner. The rhythmic clanging of hammer on anvil drew my attention, but something seemed off about the smith himself.

"Hey, guys," I said, nudging Leech. "Does that blacksmith look... smaller to you?"

We all turned to look. The smith was indeed on the shorter side, his face hidden beneath a heavy hood as he worked.

"Is that... a scurrynook?" I asked, remembering the creatures we'd encountered earlier. I had wondered what had become of the remaining scurrynooks once we had defeated Xalawrath, and I'd reset the world reactor. The crash had thrown us around. If not for the exploration veilstone, we would have been turned into paste. The nooks'd had no choice but to go down with the fortress, unless they had somehow survived.

As if hearing my question, the blacksmith looked up. He lowered his hood, revealing a face that was decidedly goblin-like, yet somehow more refined. To my surprise, he offered me a reverent bow.

"Well, I'll be damned," Thandroot muttered. "It is indeed a scurrynook."

Sylara, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "How lovely it is here," she said, her voice filled with wonder. "I never imagined I'd see such harmony between so many different races."

I nodded in agreement, still admiring the sight of the scurrynook blacksmith. Around us, the city continued to bustle with life. Elven children chased each other through the crowd, laughing. A group of what looked like dwarves argued good-naturedly over the price of a finely crafted axe. In the center of the plaza, a troupe of performers put on a show, their acrobatics drawing cheers from the gathered crowd.

This was amazing. It was so refreshing to see such life and activity.

"Echo. Is Stretch here?"

"He is, but there is a complication."

"A complication? What does that mean?"

"Come with me," she said and offered a tight smile.

"Of course, there's a complication. Can I go a day in epic fantasy land without there being a complication?" I muttered but followed nonetheless.