"Master, Def not sure if he can open rift to Syndicate courtyard," the goblin said, staring at the magical circle inscribed on the ground. "In planes, Def see fine. Teleport in same Realm? Def not see shit."

Ain glanced at the goblin and shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I just want to see the technique." As he spoke those words, Ain looked at Aster Ren, who was within the circle alongside Latela, Senon and all those who came to Gramr'ial. They were all returning home. Well, Ain's new home.

"Ok, but no blame Def if we end up inside rock, or bottom of ocean," the goblin said. "And about Def business investment... any chance Master could let human traders come to capi--"

"No."

"Unlucky," Troma said. "But Troma always tell Def: don't put all eggs in same basket."

"Since when Troma give Def advice? This not how it work," Def grumbled, but surprisingly, he wasn't too beat up about the situation. The goblin has gotten used to losing everything over and over again, and forever being in debt. "Stupid Perdition," the goblin grumbled, blaming the inexorable fate of the universe for his bad luck.

"Here go nothing," Def said, opening his Gates and pouring magical energy into the circle.

The world flipped; that was the best way to describe it. It felt incredibly disorienting, but Ain managed to grasp the technique Def used. Unlike Ain's teleporting technique, Def did not fold space; the goblin folded dimensions. It made sense to Ain, when he saw it.

However, alarmingly, Ain could not recreate the technique. Even if he studied it for several years, he strongly doubted his ability to even successfully use it, much less teleport to within a thousand kilometers of where he intended to go.

Def... he might actually be a genius.

And an idiot.

For half a second, the party hovered in mid-air and then gravity reasserted its control. They were inside a small room with a king-sized bed, with a red carpet and pink-red curtains. Anyone who had ever been in one of these rooms before would recognize what it was.

Latela, due to the Method she practiced, was heavy. Latela's Method, at least the version Ain knew, was developed by demons and it was one of the most powerful anti-fortress, anti-army, Methods available. It relied on unstoppable momentum; it was capable of creating hurricanes and tsunamis with a single swing of the sword. It was not uncommon for earthquakes to follow in the wake of one who practiced such a Method.

As a result, Latela fell straight through the floorboards, and to the story below. The ground trembled as she landed on the hard concrete below.

"Calamity Lord damnit!" she shouted from below.

Ain and Senon landed on their feet, twisting in the air like acrobats, and it was clear that they were used to combat due to their reactions.

Aster Ren, however, remained floating in the air, gently hovering down like a leaf on the wind.

"Close enough, eh?" Def said with a chuckle. "Def only miss by a little bit."

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Troma sneered. "Troma think Def intend to go here."

"This... is this a brothel?" Senon asked, expression twisting to one of righteous indignation.

"House of Polite Company," Def corrected Senon. "Now Def admit he may or may not have been thinking about paying this place a visit, but Def promise he not try to aim for this place."

"Yeah, right," Troma replied, walking towards the door. "Troma have bad news."

Ain glanced down the demon-shaped hole in the floor, looking for the kinetic projectile that made the hole.

"Troma may have at one time cooked the books for this place and embezzled some gold," the goblin said. "But Troma promise he did not know that he was working for demon mafia."

"Really?" Def asked, surprised. "Troma do something useful for once? Def impressed. Def thought Troma too good to be criminal."

Troma smiled apologetically at Def. "Def not understand. Demon mafia boss is goblin."

"Goblin? Maybe friend of Def? What is name of bratha?"

Troma shook his head. "Not bratha. Ex wife. Laysha."

Def went pale. His green skin became white as paper. "Troma steal from Laysha?! Idiot! Moron!" the goblin yelled, prompting Troma to cover Def's mouth.

"Shhh, not so loud!" Troma urged Def.

"Def!" Latela shouted from below. "Get me out of here!"

"Fak," Troma cursed.

"How much Troma steal from Laysha?" Def whispered.

Troma bobbed his head side to side. "Let Troma put it this way. If we caught? We dead as fak."

"How much?" Def asked again, a bit louder this time, as he reached for the pouch on his belt. He still had some savings from his previous business venture.

Troma hissed. "A couple of hundred..."

Def snorted. "This nothing."

"Thousand..." Troma added.

Def clasped both hands around Troma's neck and squeezed. "Motherfaker. You kills us! Where is the money, Troma?!"

"Def! Troma!" Latela shouted from below. "Help! I am stuck!"

"Troma... also... have gambling... problem. Heh," the goblin managed to speak through the stranglehold.

The door suddenly exploded, showering wood fragments throughout the entire room. A goblin with heavy make-up stood in the doorway, gold eyes cold and dead. She scanned the room, looked at everyone present, and then finally her gaze locked onto Def's.

Def let go of Troma's throat and smiled. "Laysha. Baby..." Def smiled. "Def come... uhh... to see you. You look... beautiful." The goblin flashed her an ugly, toothy smile.

Laysha pointed a finger at Def, and growled. "Die, bastard."

A beam of pure-black energy pulsed out of the goblin's finger, irradiating Def in its annihilating light. The heat from the beam of energy set fire to the room in an instant, and had Ain not released his breath at that precise moment, they would all have been dead.

The beam struck the air in front of Def and deflected upwards, carving through the structure and into the skies above. The cloud cover was instantly obliterated.

The crack of sound, caused by the air expanding and compressing, was so loud it could be heard throughout the entire Capital. Ain was nearly deaf and blind from the shockwave of sound.

Ain immediately picked up Senon in a princess-carry style, and jumped through the nearby wall, plowing through it shoulder-first, and then falling two stories to the street level below. He ran.

Def, Troma and Aster were right behind him. Aster was smiling, as if he was having the time of his life.

"Your ex wife comprehended the Pillar of Annihilation!?" Ain growled at Def. He was thoroughly shocked.

"If I ever see you again, I will kill you, bastard!" Laysha screamed from behind them.

Def chuckled. "Def think he still in love."

Troma groaned. "Def gonna get us all killed. We lucky Laysha merciful. Other wives... much scarier."

"We forgot Latela back there," Senon said, holding on to Ain.

"First wife want to go back for love rival?" Def snarled at Senon.

Senon thought about it for a moment, and then bowed her head in Latela's direction. "Good luck, Latela."

"This no time for good luck. This time for rest in peace." Def veered right into an alleyway, and the group followed him.

"Def," Ain finally said, putting down Senon much to her disappointment. "We are going to have to have a conversation about your wives."

"Best let sleeping tiger lie, Master," Def said, glancing over his shoulder.