Nearby movement caused Lucian to stiffen. Injury left him unable to risk another fight. He glimpsed the spotted fur of more [Laughing Gnolls] darting through the foliage.

“Jesus…” Lucian muttered in irritation, “How many Gnolls did those dumb Scavs let escape? Damn amateurs…”

The darkest regions of the canopy hid him away as he maneuvered silent and wary through the dense jungle. Sudden, approaching footsteps prompted him to dive beneath the overgrown roots of a tree, holding onto Gabriel’s cowboy hat as he slid inside. His mind tensed as he still felt exposed, even within the grasp of the roots. Luck was on his side as he spotted a hole next to him leading to a short tunnel, offering complete concealment. He crawled inside without a second thought.

Outside the gnarled roots above, the Gnolls came into view, their frenzied pursuit relentless. They had uncovered an unconscious Gnoll and one that was lifeless, yet the culprit who had inflicted harm had escaped unseen.

Lucian kept low within the dark embrace of the tunnel even as they passed, feeling this was the safest place presently. Growling entered his ear and he turned to see he wasn’t alone. Nestled in the farthest corner of the burrow, white-furred creatures with pointed ears and shimmering golden eyes fixed their furious gaze upon him.

“Not you guys again…” Lucian grumbled as the diminutive creatures underwent their intense metamorphosis, transforming into their bulkier and more menacing incarnations. When their teeth grew sharp, they lunged at Lucian, taking rapid bites from him.

Lucian secured the cowboy hat safely behind him as he wielded his spear with swift, fluid motions, striking down the fluffy demons and dispatching several of them. With proficient skill, he used [Basic Polearm], delivering rapid spear strikes as if he had been practicing spear fighting for years. Before long, the creatures became a pile of motionless blood stained white fur. Lucian now lay still upon the cool earth, his body with numerous bites now accompanying his stab wounds.

Suddenly, what appeared to be a hologram materialized before him, grabbing his attention. He raised his head curiously and saw it was a message from the Master System.

***

As night descended, the Alpha Gnoll stood bathed in the moon's pale glow, its menacing grin still etched upon its face, an unnerving chuckle rumbling in its throat. A cacophony of barks and yelps reached its pointed ears, signaling they had found the human it had been pursuing for hours, one who had been relentlessly exterminating its underlings. Judging from the urgency in its minions' calls, it seemed the human was now headed straight for the Monster Gate.

The colossal Gnoll leapt from its high perch upon a rocky outcrop and bounded toward the Monster Gate. Its subordinate leaders, the sub-bosses, followed closely in tow, their snickers in sync as they traversed the terrain on all fours, a mode of traveling far swifter than relying solely on their bipedal limbs.

Hand holding down Gabriel’s cowboy hat, Lucian came into view ahead, sprinting through the tall grass, his breath labored and exhaustion clinging to his every step.

The Alpha Gnoll raised a commanding paw, signaling the sub-bosses to fan out and secure the perimeter, just in case the human who had been eluding them attempted a cunning retreat or slipped past the Boss Monster. With raucous laughter that reverberated through the jungle, the Alpha Gnoll bounded closer to the fleeing human, reaching out with a paw to snag at his leg, sending him tumbling to the ground.

Lucian crashed heavily, his chin connecting with the unforgiving earth, leaving him momentarily dazed. He scrambled frantically and began to crawl, a sight that sent the Alpha Gnoll and its subordinates into fits of mocking laughter. Despite his repeated attempts to reach the Monster Gate, the Boss Monster persistently yanked him back, their collective laughter growing more raucous with each struggle.

In desperation, Lucian swatted away the Alpha Gnoll's paw and unleashed a torrent of obscenities, but it only served to fuel the monsters' amusement. To them, Lucian seemed like a pitiful mouse, his futile efforts met with cruel mockery. He made a final break for the Monster Gate, but his speed proved inadequate. Just as he reached out to touch the gate, the Alpha Gnoll extended a massive paw to block his way.

Lucian attacked the paw uselessly, all the while screaming with intense desperation and hopelessness. The sub-bosses yelped uncontrollably, cheering on their leader. The Alpha Gnoll, its hyena-like head thrown back, released a thunderous bellow of laughter that nearly deafened Lucian.

But the laughter was abruptly silenced as the Alpha Gnoll's paw was forcefully lifted, sending it tumbling backward. In the place of the hapless human it had been toying with, a transformed figure now stood before the Alpha Gnoll. Lucian's usually tousled black hair had risen into spikes, his slender frame had swelled with densely packed muscle, his eyes blazed a fiery red, and his teeth had turned into sharp fangs.

[Angry Gremlin]

Lucian had received a new Skill in the burrow inhabited by Gremlins, those white furry creatures of petite size. The Master System had alerted him that he had copied a Gremlin’s ability to transform into a stronger and more vicious version of himself. Like Dr. Jekyll, he now had a Mr. Hyde he could morph into.

As he made his way through the gate, Lucian turned and flipped off the Alpha Gnoll. The clear taunting nature of the gesture caused the monster to roar in fury and lunge at the gate. However, just as it reached for Lucian, he slipped through the vortex, and the force of the Monster Gate threw the Boss Monster back violently.

Seeing their leader disheveled and yelping in pain, the sub-bosses began to laugh loudly at its expense, falling to the dirt and rolling around while holding their furry stomachs. Their mirth came to an abrupt end when the Alpha Gnoll, in its rage, killed one of them. The Alpha Gnoll then let out a deafening roar into the night sky, its anger unquenchable as long as the human who had humiliated it still lived.

Outside the Monster Gate, within the confines of the abandoned superstore, Lucian stood in solemn reflection, unable to find joy in his escape. Gabriel had perished, and for the sake of quick riches, Lucian had risked everything and come away with only the loss of a friend. He cast one final glance at the swirling blue energy, wondering why humans had to endure these interdimensional gateways into hellish lands. Why had so many like him lost everything to the creatures that spawned from these places? He turned away with a sense of melancholy.

Lucian checked car by car in the parking lot for potential ways to get home. Luckily, one of the MHS workers had left his keys hidden in his Ford Camry, which was missing its bumper, front doors, and front bumper. With quiet contemplation, Lucian embarked on his journey back to New DC. Thoughts swirled in his mind, uncertain of his future.

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Upon arriving at the city gates, Lucian parked in a designated area where those who had not made it inside before nightfall awaited the gates' reopening. He could bypass the waiting, but he wasn't in the mood for walking through the known passages to enter.

His hazel eyes were drawn to a distant disturbance – a rising cloud of dust. Approaching were orcs, undoubtedly had come from a Monster Gate break somewhere in the Wasteland. They rode atop wargs, lupine mounts resembling a cross between pitbulls and werewolves. The riders scoured for weak points along the city walls, seeking entry to wreak havoc within.

Only yesterday, Lucian might have quivered in fear at the sight. Yet, he was now an Anointed, forever changed by the supernatural power coursing through his veins. He gazed at his hand and flexed it from a clenched fist to an open palm, sensing the muscles within like metal cords and skin covering it as durable as tough leather. Within his body, he could feel the connection to the newfound abilities granted by the Master System that set him apart from the ordinary humans – or “civs,” as the Anointed called them.

The air resounded with anguished cries, and Lucian turned his gaze toward the source. Upon the city wall stood an Anointed, a Warden, showering arrows upon the orcs, swiftly dispatching them. Some Anointed had taken on the role of Wardens in service to New DC, tasked with safeguarding its more vulnerable sections. Although their pay was not as substantial as that earned by Wardens within guilds, they were spared the perilous excursions into the treacherous realm of the Monster Gates.

Lucian observed the top of the wall as the bow-wielding Warden finished killing the orcs, took a leisurely sip from a glass through a straw, and reclined in a lounge chair. Some Anointed wanted the easy life.

Later, he found a spot near a bunker meant for protection during monster attacks and settled on a bench outside. When morning arrived and the city gates reopened, he drove directly into the Broken Ring. The dilapidated buildings and crumbling streets resembled those of the Wasteland, with potholes and cracks marring the asphalt. Drug fiends stood about on the side of the road like statues staring up at the sun with smiles that seemed like it hurt their faces.

Lucian paid little mind to the desolation and hopelessness passing by in the windows. Having grown up here, he had grown accustomed to it all. He pulled into the Meager Palace's parking lot, where a group of homeless scavenged the belongings of someone who had been evicted, their possessions piled on the curb.

“Sucks for whoever owns that stuff,” Lucian remarked cynically, only to realize with growing fury that the items being pilfered were his own. He surged toward them as soon as he stopped the car, chasing the bums away like a flock of pigeons, but it was too late; most of his belongings had already vanished. With clenched teeth, he set out to confront the landlord, Porker.

However, he halted in his tracks, a realization washing over him: he had no money. He still had time to pay the rent, and Porker had breached their agreement. That was something he could confront the landlord about, but it left him with the pressing question of how he would earn the money to settle his debt. Lost in thought, he slid his hands into his pockets and discovered hard objects inside.

Pulling them out, he saw that they were Gateshards.

“How in the world…?” Lucian murmured, captivated by the swirling blue energy within the crystals. A memory flashed before his eyes, one of Gabriel drawing him in close and discreetly slipping his hand into Lucian's pocket. Gabriel had left him a parting gift.

Lucian felt elation and profound gratitude. With these Gateshards, he could easily afford a place in the Workers' Ring. As excitement bubbled within him, he realized there was more he could achieve. Beyond merely moving rings, he could take the Warden test and earn his license to become an official Warden. His long-held dream was within reach.

He pondered the family he had never known, torn away from him before he could even take his first steps. Monsters had claimed their lives during an out of control Monster Gate break. All those years going through foster homes then eventually the corrupt orphanage, the death of loved ones – all of it could be avenged if he became a Warden, a true monster slayer.

However, the longer he gazed at the shards, the more his thoughts returned to Gabriel, who had entrusted them to him. In that moment, he made a firm decision.

Climbing the stairs to his former floor, Lucian knocked on his neighbor's door. The door swung open, revealing Gabriel's wife. At first, her eyes blazed with anger, but they soon trembled as Lucian shared the tragic news of her husband's demise. She nearly crumpled, but Lucian steadied her, providing much-needed support. As he recounted the events leading to Gabriel's passing, Lucian reached the point where he presented the Gateshards.

“He wanted you guys to have these,” Lucian said, making it up on the spot. It seemed a fitting tribute to honor Gabriel's memory. Gabriel’s wife also knew where to sell such items having been a wife to an MHS worker for so long. He also had tried to pass on the cowboy hat but Gabriel’s wife denied it, saying it belonged to Lucian now.

Lucian departed through the doors of Meager Palace, uncertain of his return. He found himself penniless and without prospects, trapped in the same predicament as before.

A sports car pulled to a screeching halt next to him. Out from it came four muscular men in suits, each wearing a pair of sunglasses. The head of their group, Sammy, was all smiles walking up to Lucian.

“We took the liberty of telling that fat fuck landlord what you owed us and he made sure to throw you out knowing you couldn’t pay back shit,” Sammy said with a malicious grin. “You having no place to go would give us the opportunity we needed to catch you. And here we are, and there you are – caught.”

“That’s why Sammy is the leader!” one of the men cheered.

Another nodded and agreed, “Yup. Those smarts is why Sammy gets paid the big bucks.”

“So,” Sammy sneered, sliding up closer to Lucian with his shiny dress shoes, and casually draping an arm around him, “We’re going to go on a little ride, you and us. We have to teach you about what happens to those that don’t pay back Sammy ‘Bountiful.’” He lowered his shades to get a better look at Lucian’s bloody jumpsuit and dirt crusted face. “Damn, you look like shit.” He then glanced up at what was on Lucian’s head. “Nice hat though.”

“Sammy, get out of my face,” Lucian growled, “You don’t want to mess with me today.”

Sammy’s goons started to pretend to be scared, while Sammy himself laughed obnoxiously.

“Kid,” Sammy scoffed, pushing his sunglasses back up, “You really need to be taught a lesson—pronto.” Without warning, he punched with all his body weight behind it against Lucian’s jaw. Before a triumphant smile could come to completion on his face, Sammy felt the bones in his fist snap and heard the sickening sound of cracking. He stumbled back, cursing and clutching his broken hand in agony.

“What did you do to Sammy?” demanded one of the other suited men, donning brass knuckles and launching a punch at Lucian. But Lucian swiftly caught the incoming fist. With a deft twist, he sent his assailant sprawling, forcing him to follow the trajectory of his twisted arm unless he wanted it to break.

A bat soon appeared swinging at Lucian’s face, seeming as slow as congested traffic, which he dodged and wrested out of the wielder’s hands. He then used [Basic Polearm] to jab the bat into the aggressor’s stomach and made his body fold in on itself like an old wallet.

With a swift motion, Lucian hurled the bat at the last remaining man who, having witnessed the rapid downfall of his comrades, hesitated to continue the assault and was promptly knocked unconscious. Lucian knelt beside the pained Sammy, offering a condescending pat to his face with the back of his hand.

“Yo, ‘Bountiful,’” Lucian addressed him, staring into the blues of his eyes, “You owe me for not snapping your neck like a chicken’s.”

“You think you can get away with this?” Sammy rasped, a blend of panic and vengeance in his voice. “Our boss will gut you if you do anything more to us.”

“Take me to him,” Lucian demanded, his resolve unshaken, “I’ve been wanting to meet the man who’s been taking all my money.”

“You got balls, kid,” Sammy said breathlessly, an overly white smile appearing on his sweaty and nervous face, “We can go right away! Don’t be sorry when we get there…”

Lucian took off Sammy’s shades and put them on himself, replying, “Then let’s get a move on, Sam.”

Sammy's sports car roared to life and sped away from the parking lot, with Lucian in the passenger seat and Sammy at the wheel.