The tension of the groups increased as they gathered together to watch the unknown throng of Players move toward them. Standing just outside the reach of the nearest Dungeon—something that looked like a prison—there wasn’t really much choice but to wait for the inevitable interaction.

Sally had a dim view of the situation. While normally some antagonistic Players were a good excuse to fill her stomach, knowing that they could be saved soon put some rain over the buffet. Then again, she could only warn them so much. More than her potential meal going awry, she was more worried about Cross, who was now trying to hide behind her legs.

“Probably best you take the lead in conversation,” she told Claude. The other three of them weren’t exactly geared toward easy talking.

“Agreed, I trust then you’ll take the lead if anything becomes… heated?” He needn’t ask, really.

“Naturally. What’s the limit, though? Bad words? Arrest? Them attacking first?”

The healer’s tired eyes went between her and the approaching group. “I could not stand being imprisoned. Our wings are becoming too wide. We live free, or we die.”

[Poppy: I agree! I’m just about ready to beat them up straight away!]

“Our cause is just, so continue, we must.” Kristov fiddled with his belt nervously.

Sally was impressed, but cautious. Outnumbered, so the strength and confidence of the Party was nice - but they were at a heavy disadvantage. Depending on what Classes the other group had, it could make an actual fight very deadly for her pals. And her.

Now that they were closer, she could see that four of the Players were the ones from the Dungeon last night. By now they should be over the murder of their fifth, surely?

“Hail!” the man at the front called as he got closer. Black hair with flecks of gray at the sides, a soft and round face with color in his cheeks, and a wide smile. Bright eyes as round as his stomach.

[Poppy: That’s Brian.]

“Unforeseen greetings to you,” Claude replied. His voice was calm, but his hands were gripping his staff tight enough for his knuckles to whiten.

“Indeed!” Brian stopped about fifteen feet away from them, his group a handful further behind him. “We thought those from the fort would have withered away by now.”

“Likewise.” Claude nodded. “We couldn’t have imagined some of the groups lost to the outside would be thriving.”

The man continued his wide smile, and his eyes went between each of the party, lingering on the zombie for a second. “It seems our overdue reunion is blighted by a singular dark cloud, however.”

“Perhaps it would be beneficial for you to speak clearly, Brian. Save the gracious pandering for someone who doesn’t know you like I do.”

Brian’s smile faded away. “And here I was, hoping you’d have learned your place by now.”

Sally barely managed to prevent herself from yawning. Not that the situation wasn’t starting to sour, but she’d gone up against enough people over time to be able to get a good read on the man. Overtly friendly, as long as you were playing by his rules. If you weren’t… then it would probably be a tantrum that often led to violence. Despite her usual confidence, she wasn’t too eager to leap into a brawl.

There were fourteen Players. Three full Parties, except for the chap she ate. Gone were the days where the Outsiders were a group of wandering Raid Bosses with stacks upon stacks of passive buffs to make them near invincible. Other than her powerful dagger and learned experience, she didn’t feel like this was a safe match up.

Against a handful of them, sure. Maybe more if they were indoors or had some more beneficial terrain to fight over. Out here in the open… and needing to keep Cross and the others safe. Couldn’t even rely on Theo popping out of nowhere to assist.

“I assume then,” Claude continued, “that this isn’t just a polite homecoming. A gathering of those still living in this world.”

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

“You seem to be traveling with a Monster.” Brian turned his glare now back to the zombie. “One who has murdered our friend.”

The healer paused, giving her a glance to see if she would interject - but Sally remained silent. “I have been assured it was an accident.”

“That doesn’t bring him back now, does it?” He tilted his head. “There was another, a vampire, who prevented justice from coming to pass. Hand these two over and we will let the rest of you go.”

Sally rolled her eyes and went to step forward - before Claude held his arm out in front of her. She gave me a soft smile. “Very sweet, but don’t worry. They do have a point.”

[Sally: Go find Theo and help him. Take Cross. I’ll be fine.]

[Poppy: Okay!!]

The healer lowered his arm and let her pass, even though his eyes didn’t agree.

[Sally has left the Party]

Cross was already hiding behind Poppy before she had started walking forward, but she held her arms up to distract them anyway - show them that she was no threat.

“I only hope you have an eye-for-an-eye worldview,” she said, “and you’re going to eat my brain in return?”

Brian worked his jaw. “The less you speak, the better. Although archaic, we do have a process for upholding the laws we follow. You’re to come back with us to stand trial.”

“Joy. You need to cuff me up or anything?” She stepped up closer to him, slowly.

“Are you planning on running or trying to attack us?”

Sally leaned to the side to look at the gathered people behind him. It would be rather rude to leave Theo alone in this world after he had just arrived. One group looked much higher level than her, just based on their gear alone.

“Nah. I’ll behave.” For now, at least. Couldn’t rush a good meal.

----------------------------------------

Theo wiped the blood from his mouth, crackling electricity flowing around his warhammer. With a yawn, he adjusted his glasses and looked over at the manticore who was regarding him with a raised eyebrow.

“Was there a particular reason you didn’t choose a Class?” she asked, stretching out on her forelegs.

“Worked out pretty well for me in the past.” He grinned and stepped over to kick open the treasure chest that had appeared. “Lightning always strikes in the same place.”

Bernice tilted her head. “Your strength isn’t that great, but you have unnatural speed with that weapon. I’m surprised that the zombie is the leader, and you are the backup.”

“Oh?” Theo rifled through the contents of the chest. “We’re just strong in different ways. I’m much more of a blunt instrument.”

“That doesn’t fill me with much hope after the conversation I had with her.”

“Sally is…” he stood up and looked at the newly equipped boots. “She is more of a big picture person, and better with the social side of whatever bad news we have to fight against. I’m a mechanics person. I see the stats and the path to put me ahead of whatever plans she draws up.”

Bernice looked over at the next Dungeon at the edge of a steep hill. “I see. You are not worried about her current predicament?”

“Worried? No.” He put the warhammer over his shoulder as they started walking. “You have to understand, the reason she is so manic is because there are two sides to her. She tries to keep them balanced, or at least let the normal side of her control most things.”

“Other side? That doesn’t explain why she is in any less danger now that she is captured.”

[Party invite from Claude received]

Theo didn’t reply, but grinned widely, his fangs reflecting the light. Her name wasn’t Sally Danger for nothing.

----------------------------------------

“She doesn’t look dangerous,” a lanky man shuffling along with the group posited.

The lack of response from the others told Sally that he perhaps didn’t hold much sway, and they were taking things a little more seriously. In fact, even Brian had been silent as they had strode off into the wood, her in the middle of the gathered flock.

Leaving the others behind had been tough, but was for the best. There was a high chance she would die here, so best they didn't follow her too closely into the grave. Not when they couldn’t come back like she could. With Theo here, there was a lot more chance that Sanctuary would win out - especially if Chuck thought he could get a full Party down here, eventually.

If anyone could hold out here, it’d be Theo.

[Sally: Hey, Chuck.]

[Sally: Met up with Theo, thanks for sending him down~]

[Chuck: Of course - how are things?]

[Sally: Peachy. I actually had a question.]

[Chuck: Oh? Go ahead.]

[Sally: Any way you could replace the convoluted way our System does stats and abilities?]

[Chuck: A total overhaul of…]

[Chuck: Ah, it has been on my mind. With the whole becoming a central hub and all.]

[Chuck: Something more bespoke to make life feel more…]

[Sally: Natural.]

[Chuck: Natural.]

[Chuck: Give me time, we’ll talk about details when you’re back.]

[Chuck: Play safe.]

[Sally: You too.]

The way in which abilities were granted on Sanctuary were okay for a half-baked RPG-analogue, but there was no reason to be tied to that. Based on personal experience, there was no way anyone was going to remember or use more than twenty skills, which made the leveling process bloated. She had some ideas for it already, just based on how she interacted with the different worlds.

If she had to go to a dozen or more after this and have to repeat the same process of deciding a Class, choosing skills every level, and then forgetting them…

Well, she liked saving people and worlds, but the process needed to be streamlined. Carve reality to how she wanted it to act.

She looked at those walking alongside her. The conversation with Chuck had a second purpose. A sign off, somewhere to leave her cheery persona behind.

The villainous monster replaced it.

As the wooden walls of a wide outpost came into view, she smiled.

There were bound to be a few daggers in there.