Lone levitas and lone travelers entered into the storm of dust clouds lingering at the dark base of Realm 676. This leaning tower that stretched into the sky seemed, to Tenner, grander than the planet itself.
Even the setting sun looks tiny in comparison, Tenner thought, entering a dust cloud.
He hadn’t seen pictures of the city that lay hidden between the Realm walls, but he imagined a maze of towers and streets and blinding neon lights. The sights in his head gave him comfort. Maybe Blackglove wouldn’t spot Tenner’s tiny dot in the masses of the metropolis?
It was a dumb wish. Back in the Dragontemple, he’d seen a fraction of Blackglove’s power. A fraction that could destroy armies and conquer endless Realms. Doubtlessly, Blackglove would hunt him down. And if the legend didn’t, if Tenner somehow found a way to disappear completely, he couldn’t live with himself. Just the idea of committing sins far worse than those of his parents and having no good deed to show for them… It sickened him. As did the thought of another murder.
Tenner was no fool, though. He could only have one -- repentance or hands clean of blood.
The strength to make the choice wasn’t in him, yet.
Maybe he would find a third way.
Tenner delved deeper into the mist at the base of the Realm. The air, or the dust, carried a flavor of char and… honey? Weird combination, he thought. Reminds me of The Sparks’ buzz. These scents and feelings in the air must be around everywhere, but they’ll always take you back to the first place you came across them…
The shade of Realm 676, eventually, swallowed the last drops of light. Tenner activated his CHEK’s light. Then, his hand snapped upwards, hiding it. He whispered to turn it off.
The slums and the wasteland were great teachers, who had taught him, alongside countless other things, to never trust a new place. For the time being, Tenner would remain invisible.
Slowly, hundreds of CHEK lights came into view all around him. Travelers like him. The faint scents of a few bloodstreams slithered up his nose. He reached the cold wall of the Realm. I certainly cannot enter through here, he thought and turned towards where most of the CHEK lights congregated.
A hundred-meter-tall entrance appeared. There, a swarm of tiny lights awaited. And a blue one shone down from the top of the entrance, forming a hologram: letters and a clock.
[You have arrived in Realm 676. Please wait for… 58 seconds!]
Around the entrance, more and more lights gathered. Above, levitas crept in, their silent engines disturbing the clouds of dust. Tenner faded into the edges of this crowd, observing from afar.
A levita, twenty meters in the sky, activated its lights. They beamed like the eyes of a god, revealing the people who waited at the Realm’s entrance.
The wasteland’s typical wanderers--with homemade Extensions, homemade guns, and shabby coats--made up a small part of the crowd. Most were high-levels. Fancy outfits. Powerful Extensions. Yet, no matter the level or the wealth, they wore the same expression: a blank gaze at the clock ticking down to the moment when they’ll be allowed entrance into humanity’s greatest Realm.
And the clock ticked down to zero. A small gap opened in the Realm’s wall. With his masterful dexterity, he dashed through the crowd, one of the first to pass through to the chamber between worlds. People and levitas alike flooding in, one by one, the swarm of CHEK lights went out.
It was, he realized, the first time he entered a Realm the right way. Not that climbing this monolith was much of an option in the first place.
People finished crowding into the room and the hundred-meter-tall doors shut, and machines rattled along the walls, and pipes unleashed pressure. From all directions, beeping began. And Tenner started to levitate.
He took a deep breath, suspecting wasteland hypnosis as the culprit of this odd happening. But everyone around him left the ground also. And judging by their faces, this was business as usual.
Tenner didn’t like this sort of business. It brought back bad memories -- falling off Realms and such. He flailed his arms, trying to find something to hold. Despite his heartfelt efforts, he just kept floating on. No one looked at him. No one offered a hand. His body got used to the weightlessness. Frustration took hold.
I’ll find who thought this is a good way to enter a Realm. I’ll write a shitty love ballad in their name!
Tenner bumped into a fellow traveler. This was a man of wealth… and a short temper. He snapped at Tenner, rambling incoherently--or in another language--and chucked him towards the engines of a levita. Tenner cursed the man, who grinned at Tenner helplessly inching towards certain. Tenner didn’t move a limb: he tried to get a feel for how weightlessness worked, how he could get out. Two meters away from the engines, he formed a plan. A meter remaining, the air vibrated and the currents flowing through the levita’s machinery scratched his skin. Go-time! he thought, flipped upside down and… silence.
The pipes on the walls stopped releasing pressure. The mechanisms of the chamber stopped.
Face first, Tenner crashed to the ground.
The man who had pushed him broke into a fit of laughter.
Tenner scrambled to his feet, cracking knuckles, readying fists of vengeance. Then, a spark flicked through him. Visions flashed of Ames and Gi. The sight of his hands filled him with disgust.
That lunarist deserves a kicking, he thought. But once I start, it won’t end with just a well-earned beatdown.
The rest of his fury vanished when a new notification popped.
[Gravity adjustment completed!]
Fresh air burst into the chamber.
[Oxygen filtration synced!]
[You shall proceed to Realm 676! We hope you enjoy your stay in the closest thing to paradise!]
Looks of bewilderment arose from the low-level travelers, most of whom were entering the Realm for the first time. The high levels strode into the city without batting an eye at its grandness. Along with the former, Tenner forgot the unprofessional and un-bounty-hunter-ly flailing around in zero gravity from a moment ago and stared at the pinnacle of civilization.
Indeed, like in his head, the metropolis was a labyrinth of sorts.
Splitting the Realm, a two-story highway cut through the heart of the Realm. On one side, there were highrises, markets, and mansions, while the other side contained a similar cityscape, although drowned in darker tones, bright fires, sparks and lasers, and…
A place for the classless and then a place for people like me? Tenner guessed, stepping onto the streets. He wandered farther into the Realm and realized what he’d seen wasn’t all that it contained. Cracks in the ground revealed that there was something below. What waited there couldn’t be seen. Probably for the best.
Yet Tenner couldn’t let himself live in ignorance. [Predator] activated and he listened in on the hundreds of conversations around him, piecing the puzzle together -- the metropolis stood atop a foundation--several floors--of districts, permanently in the shadows.
If one wanted slums, crime, and depravity, that was the place to go.
The idea intrigued Tenner, but his interest was in the sky.
At the end of the city, a shining glass tower stretched upwards as far as the eye could see.
Well, entering 224 was like coming home. I crash-landed into Gi’s hands, instantly met Chisel, and had it all laid out for me. Here. Here… Tenner threw his hands at the streets full of creatures and people, donning clothes he couldn’t have imagined before. It’s like the desolation. It’s all in my hands. I can be chased by Blackglove, but can I be found?
Tenner needed a map. Or a way to orient himself, have any clue where he was going. This was certainly not a place he could memorize. Not even a level 50 mastermind could learn all the roads and tiny alleys. He took to exploring. With a worry pestering at his back that he would bump into a figure in black, he walked through The Tops--the metropolis standing on the foundation of the other Realm 676 floors--in a haze of amazement at the highrises and gleaming colors. Before he knew it, this shining and beautiful city wasn’t enough and he couldn’t help himself. He descended to The Middles and hurried through their prison-like blocks of gray apartments and stopped at a park.
Have I been here before? The trees were dead and the grass was dark, and a few lanterns illuminated the dead trees. One of the lights shone down on a bench in the middle. Behind it, a tall metal statue of a knight loomed. This isn’t anything like Joker park. And I feel like I should leave. Tenner told himself the same when he reached The Pits -- the lowest level of the city. Everything, apart from a shady market selling mapchips, was... corrupted. Like the slums, but far worse: there were no shacks. There were tipped over and ruined highrises. There was darkness and figures in the windows. Tenner entered the mapchip market and a menu appeared, and he quickly scrolled through it.
[Map of The Pits | Price: 250C$ | Buy?]
[Map of The Middles | Price: 250C$ | Buy?]
[Map of The Tops | Price: 300C$ | Buy?]
[Map of Realm 676 | Price: 500C$ | Buy?]
[Handy Book of Criminal Escape Routes | Price: 1000C$ | Buy?]
After this, looking at my credits will be like looking at a scorched guitar -- painful, buying this, but it had to be done for the show to go on, Tenner thought, ordering his CHEK to buy the [Map of Realm 676]. There was no time to memorize every twist and turn. He needed contracts now. He needed levels. Power.
[Purchasing Map of Realm 676… Congratulations on your new mapchip!]
[Remaining balance: 74C$]
The CHEKscan read Tenner’s face then a rope of light emerged from its back, slithering through the air towards the merchant’s hand. He’s… Sleeping? The rope of light grabbed his arm, made it pick up a mapchip, and handed it to Tenner. He tucked the mapchip into his belt, thinking, I could steal everything he has.
The idea pestered him, but he shook his head and left. Poor lunarist is already stuck in The Pits. Don’t want to make his life even worse. Even if I’d do it for the right reason.
Tenner explored the map and returned to The Tops, checking his bounty screen along the way. There were bounties. Hundreds of new ones everywhere he checked, but he wasn’t after that: public contracts would force him into the streets and bring eyes to his name. He needed Ultimates. Lots of credits and no attention.
And only powerful masterminds would assign Ultimates.
Where do I find high-level masterminds? Well, I think that’s pretty obvious…
Tenner zoomed in on the map of the Realm and drew a mental path towards the massive tower overlooking 676 like an eye in the sky. He trudged through The Tops. Often, waves of people carried him from side to side. They hid him well, if not for his outfit. A dusty, ragged, gray and brown figure among a city of vibrant colors and odd fashion was like a target for Blackglove.
A thought struck Tenner and he stopped in the middle of a street, levitas flying overhead. Kristus had spies and followers on every corner. What about Blackglove? With his levels and credits, he could have an eye in every Realm… But he doesn’t trust anyone.
A little bit of relief came over, but Tenner kept looking over his shoulder.
Leading all the way to the main tower of the Realm, there was a row of beggars. Tenner passed the miserable faces. Then he turned around and gave the very last of his credits to a pair of kids. The coins gleamed in their dirty hands and their faces shone. Quietly, Tenner carried onto the tower ahead.
Above the tower’s entrance, holographic letters spelled its name out -- The Sky’s Eye. By the entrance, a daring homeless man with neon green hair waited for change. I’ve seen him somewhere. Tenner furrowed his brows, trying to remember, then let it go and started digging through his pockets. Not a single creditcoin was left.
Tenner passed empty-handed. The beggar sighed. The entrance of The Sky’s Eye split open. And a grand lobby came into view.
It was the size of a mansion, walls lined with the holographic guides of every floor. A staircase spiraled up to a chandelier of glass elevators. Dozens of tables with extravagant meat of odd creatures covered the floor and hundreds of people sat around them, all wearing fancy outfits and glowing badges of a red eye.
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Slowly, side-eyes came Tenner’s way, but he mixed into the crowd and the crowd stopped paying attention. He inspected and inspected, and found mastermind after mastermind who could give him Ultimates.
In the middle of inspecting a pale-skinned mastermind with odd scales on her skin, Tenner’s gaze slipped to a meal on the table.
[Food: Acid-fried Bulletfish
HP restoration: 35-45]
Tenner’s mouth watered -- he tried fighting against the intense temptation. But like against the occasional whims of madness, he was helpless and delved headfirst into the bowl.
It. Was. Delicious. As were the Dafas baked in dough, the piles of fruits and the cocktails. The crowd went mute. Tenner’s chewing, slurping and burping echoed throughout the whole lobby.
What? Have they never seen a hungry wasteland traveler? Tenner shook his head, reluctantly pulling away from the food and wiping his mouth. Footfalls echoed and everyone’s attention was locked on the spiraling stairs: a lean man in a yellow suit lined with black, and maroon pants, and short, midnight hair, descended down.
He must be important. That’s the person I need to know. If not for Ultimates, then to be safe -- there’s something under his skin.
While no one looked, Tenner snatched a few Bulletfish, shoving some into his pockets, others -- into his mouth. The descending man’s gaze snapped to Tenner. The man smiled, shoving his teeth. It was as if someone had lashed them -- there were two horizontal scars engraved in them.
[Error: inspect blocked]
Oh. And I thought I was powerful, Tenner thought, taking a bite off the Bulletfish. Whoever this man was, he, as Tenner assumed, had power that rivaled Blackglove. A single Ultimate from him could skyrocket Tenner’s levels. Or I could k… No… Well, I’ve done more impossible things.
What if, somehow, in some inhuman way, through his charming looks wrapped in dusty rags and 15 Charisma, Tenner could pit this man against Blackglove?
The crowd started greeting the yellow suit man and conversation reignited. Tenner took an unassuming pose, continuing to feast on the endless meals. And [Predator] was activated. And his ears listened to everything the man had to say.
“Congratulations on a successful Super-Blink!”
“How’s your son doing?”
“Good job handling the situation in The Pits.”
Mostly, the man chose not to respond. But whenever he did, his voice glitched in Tenner’s ears. The lunarist has a perk to counter [Predator]!
Tenner scowled, but kept listening, hoping something would slip through. Ten minutes passed. Nausea began rocking Tenner, a headache split his head and focus slipped through his fingers. That was enough of [Predator]. He looked up. And the man stood in front, rough hand extended forward, gaze studying Tenner, reading his character screen. Tenner shook the man’s hand.
“My name is Logan and it is a pleasure to meet you, intruder.” The man firmly held Tenner’s hand. “I’ve never seen you before -- how come?”
Tenner opened his mouth to speak and a stab twisted his guts, and all of the muscles in his body locked up. Streaks of cold. Screams. The faces of the slum dwellers, terrified of death. He was back in Realm 224. He searched to his right and then to his left, but there was no Gi or Ames by his side.
His mouth closed and it all vanished.
This is a curse. A punishment for what I did. Logan’s gaze unchanged with every second of Tennner’s quietness, but his foot started tapping. No matter how it seems, I’m not going to kill anyone by speaking. He convinced himself, gathered all of his strength--the courage that had faced a Robotdragon and a priest beside a burning church--and uttered, “Do you need me to look you in the eyes? Or do you have a perk for lies?”
“I have intuition.”
“Heard of that,” Tenner started, slowly. “I'm a bounty hunter: real name is Tenner, nickname is Tenshot. Born in 349, traveled to 224 on my feet. What you saw when you inspected me I gained in a month. And I drew the wrath of everyone in Realm 224.”
“That is a monstrous distance,” Logan said, while his expression asked, “And you’re not here to kill me?”
“If I come across other masterminds who want your death, I will kill you. If you want their deaths, I’ll kill them. I’m a bounty hunter, after all. One who’s after Ultimates.” Tenner kept a cold expression like Logan. His guts twisted inside out, telling him to stay away from the mastermind. His skeleton tried to rip through his skin and run away. Tenner wouldn’t let that happen.
“Tenner… Tenshot… Which do I call you?”
“Tenshot.”
“Enemies never stop coming, Tenshot. Bodyguards? Different story.”
“Don’t want a hench for a bodyguard?”
“Henches are good. A figure like me is in need of someone perfect.”
Tenner smirked, putting his weight on a different leg. “I’m perfection?”
One of the Bulletfish slipped out of his pocket... And landed on Logan’s shoe. Splash. At that moment, Tenner wished the mastermind would just execute him, end his suffering. But the mastermind’s expression remained unchanged. He pinched the Bulletfish and held it up.
“You are Level 18, you have a plethora of powerful perks and even BP. You are the closest thing to perfection that will obey someone else.”
That’s a quick deduction.
“Are you certain I will? You’re really going to trust me?” Tenner said, wondering if he could ever trust himself. If he convinced the mastermind, Blackglove would be done for. No more desolation. No more suffering. Tenner’s hands would hold the world.
Logan turned around and stepped away. “No. And yes. But I will find out. You just have to show up at 5:30 in the morning with a 1000C$. A contract will be waiting. Goodbye.”
Tenner sighed in relief and worry. He couldn’t sit for a whole day -- Blackglove would gain so much in that time. And he couldn’t get 1000C$. Logan knows I don’t have a single credit. He wants to see how desperate I am. I’m not gonna let him.
Tenner turned towards the exit -- a metropolis and a whole night awaited. He wouldn’t be hunting bounties, though. He wouldn’t tie a leash around his neck and give the handle to Logan. And he couldn’t put himself at risk of slaughtering anyone anymore. If Ames and Gi were here, I could, but--
A familiar, unreal figure waited for him in the exit. “Don’t forget Kristus and Galvani. I think anyone would agree with this: kill before the time is right before you’ve got all you can, because that’s when those scum have planned to take you out, and you will never be able to get in their minds as I can get into yours.”
I’m not killing Logan and then joining another mastermind until I’ve slaughtered everyone powerful in the city. I’m using Logan’s power. The fight against Blackglove needs a lot more reason than any other fight I’ve had.
“I’ll ask you this. I know you know the answer -- how do you know he doesn’t work for Blackglove?”
Fuck you. Tenner punched the figure.
It vanished.
***
How can a bounty hunter earn credits without hunting bounties?
Tenner spent a while, sitting on a rooftop, trying to solve that problem. The answer couldn’t be simpler -- take a contract. But the risk that he could kill someone sent shivers down his back and he found a nice alternative. He walked down Realm 676’s streets, and in the blink of an eye, shoved his hand into the pockets of the passersby.
[Congratulations! Skill increased: +2 Dexterity!]
In an hour, Tenner had 103C$. He didn’t like the streets and all the people, and having to speak and kept retreating into the quietest part of The Tops, until he came across an alley squished in between two highrises and shaded by a roof of wires.
Nothing Lane.
Tiny shops worked here, their signs glowed dimly and good music played out of the bar at the end of the alley, The Red Emperor. Its walls and windows were red and massive graffiti covered the front.
The bones of a dead dragon floated in space, fireflies flying towards its maw. At the sight of the wall art, a sense of danger stabbed out his gut. Tenner’s hand slipped towards his belt while his eyes searched for an attacker.
Then the doors of The Red Emperor opened. A strange creature emerged. And the feeling disappeared. The creature was a translucent octopus with legs, donning a black coat with eight sleeves. Its green eyes were visible, though, floating about inside the coat.
[Name: Spying Tendril]
[Non-C creature]
What the fuck. Tenner stared as the Tendril passed then entered The Red Emperor. Inside, dozens of tables were cramped in, a tall glass with a crimson drink and a flower atop each one. At the back of the place, a wide window overlooked the evening Realm.
Tenner sat at the counter and the bartender came to him, wearing a white suit, white hair and a messy black beard.
“Signature?” he asked.
Tenner nodded: a drink appeared in his grip while 25C$ left his balance. He sipped on it: cherries and vanilla met his tongue. This costs as much as my first weapons… But it’s worth every credit! He took a deep breath, collecting the courage to speak.
“Have you heard of Blackglove?”
The bartender grunted, his expression screaming “how dare you ask this”. A second later, he laughed.
“From what distant, distant lands are you that you even thought of asking this?”
Realm 349, Tenner thought, but kept his tongue in his mouth. After a moment of no response, the bartender continued, “Not many people care about the Glove. And not many care to hear that I’ve seen him, felt the air shift around him. Don’t believe me?” The bartender pointed at the counter.
There was an inscription in the wood. A detailed scribbling of the bounty hunter legend’s mask. Tenner’s finger slipped on the carving and his breathing stopped. Every muscle in his body was tense. Instinctively, he activated [Predator].
Even though we’d kill one another if our paths crossed, I and Blackglove are the same. The realization flowed through his mind. We’re both bounty hunters, we’re both done unspeakable things and we’re both attracted to the same places. Coincidentally, I’m following in his footsteps. And he could be following mine.
Tenner’s eyes locked onto the entrance, whilst his ears overheard every conversation in the small establishment. The people shared ludicrous theories and their daily lives. Nothing important. Or so it seemed. Blackglove could be here any moment. No. He had to be here. Tenner grit his teeth.
Suddenly, a figure dashed past, slinging every glass in their way to the ground. Blackglove! Fucking Blackglove! Tenner’s drink met the floor, ringing, but he was already on his feet and his laserpistol was tight in his hand.
Three chasers in brown uniforms and belts of weapons rose from their tables and ran after the figure, crushing glasses to dust underfoot.
The blaze of adrenaline in Tenner’s veins subsided. Hardhat, black glasses, Extensions… It’s a Worker being chased, he realized. Confusion replaced his energy: why would anyone be after a Worker?
Tenner stood, gun in hand, for a moment. A force tempted him to investigate and another told him to sit back down. As the moment passed, he hit the ground running.
The runner swerved through the streets and alleys at an unnatural speed. His Extensions had to have cost thousands. The Worker froze at a dead end. The three enforcers neared in from all directions. Even with absurd Extensions, there was no way out.
Tenner stopped behind the chasers and caught a quick breath. He unsheathed his axe while his other hand gripped the laserpistol. In one swift move, his axe brought two of the enforcers down and, standing on one’s chest, blasted the last remaining chaser’s hand. The pistol’s screech echoed down the streets and a stillness came over. Until one of the chasers took out a scanner. Which beamed on Tenner. He kicked the device out of his grip and crushed the others and pointed a laserpistol at a chaser’s forehead.
The hand that held the laserpistol trembled. A cold sweat broke out all across his body. His gut filled his vision with corpses and shame twisted his stomach.
A figure faded in on his left, whispering in his ear. “Pull that fucking trigger. I know it. You know and you will agree with me any day of your life: leaving them live will never finish this matter. It’ll bring so much more harm than good.” The shadow paused for a second. “And have you forgotten how satisfying the blood splatter will be?”
The voice whispered into Tenner’s ear while the other heard screams from the past. The eyes of piles of helpless civilians staring down the barrel of his gun. Or the blade of his axe. A hand grabbed his shoulder. His trigger finger froze. Before another heartbeat, the laserpistol was holstered.
“Outty here, Enforcers. And don’t tell daddy Logan this ever happened, because, in the first place, it’s all of y’alls fuckin’ fault!” The Worker waved. “Go on!”
The cold sweat dripped on Tenner’s tongue. He uttered, “These were Logan’s henches?”
“Henches, private police that patrols every street -- don’t matter what you call them.” The Worker turned to Tenner. “It’s nice meeting you Tenshot, even though I’m risking my life every time I’m saying a word to anyone on duty.”
“Don’t Workers run everything?”
“Yes, but Logan has long overtaken this place. Even the under-mechanisms are run by his droids. Don’t worry you’re not risking anything.” The Worker looked around.
“I never worry about risk.”
“Good, good. I have a little operation here and it’ll take a while to finish. So now I’m getting outty here.” The Worker put a hand on Tenner’s shoulder. “But. If you’re really not worried. Come here in exactly one hundred and eighty days, at exactly the same time. Twenty-three fifty-eight, okay? You, according to my calculations, saved my life. For that, I’ll repay you.”
Tenner nodded. The Worker disappeared behind a corner. Well, this isn’t anything unusual to a metropolis. He turned around and returned to The Red Emperor. The bartender was cleaning the floor of glass and all the tables were empty.
A deadly chase, it seemed, killed the bar’s customers’ mood to drink.
“Back?” The bartender’s brows furrowed.
Tenner nodded and sat by the red window. Through it, a hexagonal pattern of red lasers was visible, covering every centimeter of the sky. Tenner’s eyes widened. The sky can’t be trusted, he remembered the strange thought that had popped up in Wirehaven. Why the lasers though?
“Past midnight.” The bartender caught his gaze. “The Realm closes. At the same time, The Red Emperor’s Conspiracy Club opens.”
“Conspiracy club?”
“Not many I invite down there. But there’s something about you. Something different. You don’t just pay for your drink and run away when chaos comes. You seek the truth. You wonder about Blackglove.” The bartender pointed at a stairwell hidden behind the bar’s counter. “Come and you will not regret it. Yes, you may be saddened, but at least you will see.”
Tenner’s gaze said, “please leave me alone”, the bartender invitingly stared a moment longer, then hopelessly turned away. Does it intrigue me? Yes, but talking to people... Too dangerous. Tenner finished the drink that was left on the table, left the bar and stopped on a main street. Something’s wrong, I can feel it.
He took a look at the sky and realized there were no lasers covering the illusions of a sky. They are only visible in that bar? He squinted and outlines seemed to flash on the corners of his vision.
He turned around.
At the entrance to Nothing Lane, a red eye gleamed and as Tenner neared, the light gave shape to an Enforcer’s face. Her hand slipped to her gun belt while her lips morphed into a smile.
“Go on. Just making sure the night is calm like a night should be.”
Tenner stopped. He took his laserpistol out. It pointed at the Enforcer for a second and whipped towards the sky.
“Isn’t Realm 676 a free city?”
The Enforcer nodded.
“What are those lasers for?”
“What lasers?”
Chuckling, Tenner walked to The Red Emperor. This wasn’t the paradise island the illusions, the highrises, and Logan’s parties made it out to be. It was worse. Worse than even the darkness of The Pits.