“I’m fighting.” Briella said as slow music played around the fake office. We were having our own afterparty.

I looked at her, searching her expression. It was one of resolve… and what I could only describe as indescribably drunk.

“Is that a challenge?” Flaze joked. She wasn’t really all that drunk, and neither were the rest of us. Friendom has alchemists to make stronger alcohol, but they were still too weak to pierce through our improved constitution. Briella, on the other hand, had always been a lightweight, and the choices she'd made since the apocalypse started have ensured that she stays that way.

“That play!” Briella continued, as if Flaze said nothing. “It was great… It was amazing! I want another one.”

“I fail to see how that translates into fighting someone.” Halbert took another swig of Vodka. “Who would you even fight?”

“No, no…” Briella faced the superhero. “You see… I want to do a play… But not with you!”

Ack! I gasped, holding my heart as I fell over, dead.

Briella barely managed to squeeze out an explanation afterwards, and it was a miracle I even understood half of it, given how drunk she was. And that I was dead. One of those was more debilitating than the other.

“It’s… I want to kill! I want to kill something… My level has stalled, did you know that? A mere Level 41! Unbelievable! That’s why I want to go and kill and get my second Class… I already know some of my options. One for… making drugs. Which I will never admit to! You got nutin on me… officer. I was minor. Booo. You’re no fun. Anyway, it’s an alchemist. And I bet I could get you all high with it. There were also other ones. But most important of all, was that I… I have a sound based one. One that’s for singing… but it could also… Make many sounds. Different sounds…”

Her gaze sharpened, for but a moment, as if she magically became sober.

“I want to do a whole play, just by myself. It’s my new dream… One among many.”

And then she puked all over the floor.

~~~

[Hybrid - Lvl100]

I and Flaze were very busy, scouring books for information… on how dragons and robots fought in a far away land of oceans and volcanoes. It was very important that we sort out all this data.

That was when Halbert swung by, surprising me with the information that appeared when I Identified him.

The man plopped on my back, tired.

Oh, so now that you’re all big and strong, you can just ride me whenever? I rolled my eyes at the audacity of this human.

Halbert spoke like a passing inspector. The kind with a very punchable face. “You know… I think they’d be mad to find out that you’re charring the walls of Central again.” By Central, he meant the main central building of Friendom. The seat of its power.

Oh no, I did no such thing, and you may stay right there… I neighed, and Halbert took it for the assent it was.

I managed to shake him off after a minute, and I wrote on a big whiteboard. We were currently on a classroom of sorts, for I was no longer imprisoned in the Overqueen’s chambers.

So?

“So… what?”

I rolled my eyes at clueless humans and even more dense heroes. You’re level 100.

“I am. Yes.”

Uhhh… Is he doing this on purpose. I studied his face, and caught a slight tilt to his lips, that was definitely a smirk.

Goddamit Halbert. What evolution did you get!? I am sooo curious! I want my Level 100 too!

“Oh, so that’s what you meant!” He laughed. “Yeah, no. I haven’t evolved yet.”

I tilted my head at him. Why not?

“You remember when Orlean told us the stuff to expect once we reached Level 100, right? Well, one of those was a major boost to your possible evolutions if you’ve solo’ed something an evolution above yours, and I still don’t have that achievement under my belt."

Ah. So it’s because you’re weak then. I smirked.

Halbert jumped, an we chased each other like normal, making a mess out of the place. Nothing that Halbert ever did wiped the smug grin off my horse face. Not even when he rode me while I tried to shake him off like a particularly bad rodeo.

~~~

"Ah… freedom." Briella took a deep breath, stepping out of the gates, and past The Wall. There was a whole crowd behind us, watching their leader go.

Briella addressed them. "People of Friendom! I will be gone for a while, for I must! I need to gain more levels in order to be more effective at leading us to victory and beyond! That is why, while I'm gone, I want you all to keep on being amazing. My good friend Flaze will be here, I have left her the reins for the time being, while we go have an adventure that will surely be a story to be told for generations to come! It'll be an epic tale of how we secured what was necessary, for the future of our peoples!"

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

That… was not her original reasoning for going, I was pretty sure. But I did not say anything because I was very courteous and considerate like that.

Neigh.

She walked up to me soon after, and so did Halbert. He was in search of a Level 100+ monster that he could beat solo, and so would be accompanying us for our journey.

Flaze would be staying, as mentioned, and so would Orlean for extra protection in case something big happens. I also saw Reaps waving us goodbye amongst the crowd, and he was probably the highest level in the entire city. Perhaps the world.

Briella gave another tearful goodbye, and Halbert delivered a heroic speech.

"I will be joining in this journey, for I too must build upon my power. I am your shield, and I am your sword, always will be. But that is why I must forge myself stronger, to protect you from what is to come, the turbulent future ahead."

The crowd went wild again at his proclamation, and we didn't linger to stand on ceremony any longer. Briella and Halbert got on my back, complaining about the tight squeeze and how I was too small. I ignored the petulant children and took.

The Friendom Walls disappeared into the distance rather quickly, as we navigated ruined skyscrapers and the dildo pillars that Orlean left lying around.

Ever so clumsy, that woman.

"Wow. Sky." Briella marveled in a deadpan voice. "I'm finally out of the shutin life."

She spotted a party of goblins, raiding a sex store, chewing on all the products. "Is that what a job looks like?"

Yes. I nodded sagely, finding it harder once again to communicate while on the move.

"Hey Jackal." Halbert said, similarly relaxed. I should really get the story out of him at some point, on what the deal with him was. Probably changed the most out of us. Or least, it's the most obvious...

Wait a second. I'm literally a fucking horse. What am I even saying?

Halbert continued speaking, pointing at the goblins jostling using adult toys of all shapes and colors. "You want to join them Jackal? I heard you've been looking for a job."

Very funny. I attempted to throw him off my back, but the man grabbed onto my sides, causing me to jump and whine.

"Whoa! What was that!" Briella exclaimed, holding onto my neck. "It's so cute! Do it again!"

No! I snapped my teeth back at her, and Briella tickled my sides hard in response, making me unsteady on my feet as whinnies and neighs kept escaping out my throat.

I turned us around, gave the goblins from before an Identify, and then confirmed that they were only levels 20 to 30.

The monsters looked back at me, and I grinned, tossing my passengers to the ground.

"Jackal! What the fuck!" Briella shrieked as she landed on the hard asphalt, but even as specialized as she was, there was still no actual damage, just because of out boosts.

Halbert landed more gracefully, leveling me a disappointed glare. "That was dangerous, Jackal."

I–Well, he's right.

Sorry about that. I bowed my head, before pointing at the approaching enemies. Still. Goblins?

"...Fine." Halbert decided.

"I need something light to get back into the groove, anyway." Briella cheered up, taking out her lightning-enchanted army knife, and then promptly blocking everyone's view using a curtain. The illusion of one, that was.

She pointed with her fingers. "Jackal, there there and there! Halbert, run ahead of me!"

I obliged and sent out my fireballs, letting them explode just past the curtain. Halbert stood in front of Briella, and soon was punching the enemies that were funneled in, through a gap in the curtain that had turned into the illusion of a wall. Briella ducked behind the man, ordered me to assume position beside him, and then she got most of the last hits, weaving in and out of the illusory walls.

[Your Party has defeated a Level 20 Warrior!]

…

[Your Party has defeated a Level 32 Rogue!]

We finished the battle, and I took the chance to Identify Briella.

[Handler - Lvl 42]

That had already netted her one level.

Briella's head quickly snapped over to mine, before she Identified me too, and I felt a pull at my attention.

"Feels weird." She said.

I shrugged.

Halbert chimed in. "That was great Briella! I don't remember you being able to do that."

She chuckled. "Yeah. While being stuck in an office, I did get the chance to practice my Skills, and I got my illusions to Level 2. Now I can see past them as if they weren't there, or at least transparent."

"Whoa! Good job." He momentarily turned back to his deeper hero voice. "With this, we shall be able to push back the monster hordes further, and retake this land from the apocalypse."

"Yep. So just follow my instructions, and everything will be a breeze!"

Halbert agreed in the most sickeningly innocent voice. "What could possibly go wrong!"

~~~

We kept making our way, with my two friends riding on my back. I ran circles around the monsters we found, while all three of us worked on killing them. I ended up doing most of the damage, as neither Briella nor Halbert possessed the proper weapons to fight on horseback.

I found myself circling a golem of living armor, that was nearly up to Level 100. My fireballs exploded along its form as I kicked at it repeatedly, and Halbert punched it whenever I passed. Briella could only try and nick it with her knife, an endeavor that was doomed from the start, despite Orlean's craftsmanship. Her illusions didn't work either, because as it turns out, golems did not perceive the world through common visual sight.

Which made total sense. They're literal rocks.

[You have defeated a Level 92 Tank!]

[You have Leveled up to Level 75!]

We still won, of course. I was far too agile to be caught by something so slow, even if the Living Armor was quite a bit more nimble than the common golem. Not to mention that Halbert could've chosen to dismount at any time, and he would've been far more effective.

Briella jumped off me right there, and we chose that moment to take a break under some cover. Halbert had a backpack full of supplies with him, and we ate some very good sandwiches. These monsters can really be delicious, under the ministrations of a proper chef.

"These are interesting." Briella said, looking and flipping over the enchanted armor. It was damaged in many places, but especially in the chest area, because that was where its 'core enchantments' were, so to speak. "I don't think we've seen this monster before. We should send it to Orlean."

I looked into the far off distance. But we've just gotten started. And our goal was to raid the National Seed Vault for seeds…

Can we afford to take lots of things w8th us?

Briella looked at what I wrote in fire, spending a few moments to decipher my handwriting. She just shrugged, and then kept on eating.

We sat and relaxed, for a good couple of minutes, until Briella made a series of symbols appear in midair.

What's going on? I jumped, alarmed, and searching for trouble.

It came in the form of a human speeding towards us. I was about to start blasting, when Halbert patted me on the side, in a gesture for me to calm down.

I lowered my guard a little, and observed the woman that arrived, clothed in well-made leather armor. She flinched at my Identify, but only addressed Briella.

[Rogue Lvl 60]

Briella smiled at the woman. "Yeah. I knew you'd be following me. Even guessed right who it was, Angeline."

Angeline flinched, I got the impression she was tired and subtly panting. "Well. Yeah. Like… Dar–Someone told me. And that's what I'm doing…"

"Yep. Well, deliver this to Orlean! Thanks!" Briella beamed, gesturing at the dead golem with her foot.

"Eh? But, my mission is to guard you, I think…"

"Says who?"

"Well, Da–Secret. It's a secret."

"Darci's also under my command, which means you who is under her command is also under my command."

"How did you know!!??"

Briella burst out laughing, and so did I. Angeline blushed, unsure what to do or say.

"Look." Briella crossed her arms. "You can barely keep up to Jackal's running speed right? And that's with breaks. You're not really going to be able to come with us, on this expedition. So either you tire yourself out now, and fail, or just leave with the armor, and tell them it was on my orders."

This was information that we confirmed with Orlean. As a horse, I had better running speed than even those with Agility or Strength stats that went way past mine. We also think that golems are tougher than what their Skills and Stats should provide for, on account of being solid stone, or even metal.

"Okay…" Angeline finally said, after a few long minutes of deliberation. She hefted the armor, and then sped away, disappearing into the distance.

Briella shook her head. "Overprotective of me. The lot of them. Any threat you 2 can't get us out of, and we're dead anyway, unless she sends either Orlean or Reaps to shadow us instead."

You're well loved. I patted her head, and she just scowled at me, but didn't swat my hoof away. No matter that it got dust all over her hair.

"You got dust all over my hair!" She eventually caught on, and I felt just how little she'd actually invested into her physical stats when she started kicking.