I tried to scavenge any information from the book that Funk had just destroyed, Lorraine kneeled beside me, “Are any of the pages still viable?”

Abby walked over and looked at us, “Please tell me there is a way to stop the void.”

I nodded, “It is in these pages.”

Lorraine sighed, “This is no use, all of this information is gone.”

I looked at Funk, “Why did you do this?”

He sighed, “Believe me, It is not my intention to hurt you, but there are forces at work here that only I understand. This information would have led us to a wrong path.”

Lorraine called out, “This used to be a diary, that is all I can make out.”

Funk crossed his arms, “We need to take out Robot Steve if possible.”

I looked at Lorraine, “Are you saying, Funk just read a diary, and then he destroyed it?” She nodded.

The voice in my head spoke up, “I notice you are feeling angry, but Funk was right to act like this, I've never let you down as your driving force, are you going to doubt me now?”

I let out a very deep sigh, “Alright, Funk. If you say this is the best option, then I believe you. But you are going to make a campfire, cook us food, and clean up tomorrow.”

Abby looked at me, “What?”

I shrugged, “There is no need to be angry, while Funk will set up camp, I’ll call for back-up. If killing Robot Steve will stop the void, then it is reality saving help we need.”

Lorraine looked at me, “Do you want to call Alice?”

“Do you have a better idea?”

Lorraine sighed, “Not really.”

I grabbed the rock out of my pocket and rubbed it, a viewing portal opened up. Alice looked at me through it, she seemed to be in a mountain like area, “Hello there, I hope this is not a prank call.”

“No, we have encountered a strong enemy, and he is somehow related to the void. We call him Robot Steve, he is too strong for us to take down.”

Alice nodded, “We will be right there.”

The viewing portal closed, Abby sighed, “I am already regretting this.”

“Yes, me too.” Lorraine took my hand as we waited.

After a while, a portal opened up, Alice stepped through with Paul in tow, He was wearing a brown leather armor set. I am not in the mood to describe it, as it looked very basic. Alice, on the other hand, is wearing a dress. The blue dress leaves her shoulders mostly uncovered and flows down into a simple square neckline. It’s a snug fit which highlights her breasts, but it doesn’t do that in a refined and modest manner, she is certainly showing off her merchandise. Her arms have been covered only halfway down. The sleeves are a loose fit and, in a way, help put focus on her soft skin.

Lorraine looked at me, I looked back and whispered, “Yes, she is showing off her goodies.”

Alice crossed her arms, “Is that how we say hello these days?”

I rolled my eyes, “Hello, you two.”

Paul chuckled, “You seem different, Steve.”

“Thanks, you look leathery.” Paul crossed his arms and chuckled.

Alice looked at Funk, “Why is he setting up camp, alone?”

Abby looked at Funk, then at Alice, “He did something naughty.”

I cleared my throat, “Let met get to the problem right away. We have somebody upstairs, his name is Robot Steve, he looks like me, but he is mostly made from metal. Funk says we need to kill him.”

Alice nodded, “What is the plan?”

“If we are with six people, we can overwhelm him, he seems to have difficulties with using his energy and powering up. He is most likely a lot stronger than us. Whatever happened to him, the void is causing him problems. If we overwhelm him, we can break his metal rib cage, Lorraine already put a heavy dent in it. I also broke one of his ribs.”

Alice blinked a couple of times, “You did what?”

“You heard me, we used teamwork to inflict damage on him. But he is too strong for us to finish him off. You are much stronger than I am. It does not bother me, but with you on our side, we can kill him.”

Funk walked over, “I still have some dino steak, do you want me to prepare it?”

I nodded, “Yes, please.”

Lorraine looked at Alice, “Are you ready to help us or not?”

Alice nodded, “We can help you with killing him.”

Paul looked at her, “I have been saying we need to put aside our differences, and you kept telling me that is impossible. Now they ask for help, and it is possible?”

Alice nodded, “That is right.”

Paul sighed, “Fine with me, just don’t go killing more bandits.” He walked over to the campfire and sat down.

Lorraine looked at Alice, “What did you do, Alice?”

I chuckled, “Yes, what did you do?” She grumbled and walked over to Paul and sat down next to him.

Abby looked at me, “I bet she is seeing, that killing is sometimes necessary.”

All three of us sat down, I looked at Paul, “You are never going to believe this.”

He looked at me, “Tell me.”

“Abby almost got eaten by a dinosaur!”

Paul looked at her, “He is kidding, right?”

Abby lifted her shirt to show her fresh wounds. A big mark of a dinosaur bite is very visible.

Paul gasped, “Even if that is a dinosaur bite, how did you survive?”

She smiled at me, “Lorraine and Steve saved me, However, Funk dealt the killing blow to the dinosaur.”

Lorraine hugged me and leaned on my shoulder, Funk handed me a piece of dino steak, “Thanks, brother in arms.”

He smiled, “No worries, my friend.”

After a while, we all sat there eating some steak, sharing stories. Alice looked at me, “So, you are dating this, wolf person?”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

I nodded, “She is from the proud race of wolf people, and yes, we are an item. I am very proud to call her my girlfriend.”

Alice shook her head, “What is going on with you?”

I shrugged, “What do you mean?”

“You almost seem like a tamed beast.”

I chuckled, “Maybe I am enjoying the docile lifestyle.”

Lorraine grimaced, “He burned you, Alice.”

She scoffed and got up, “I am going to set up my tent.” She walked away and put her tent down. Then she started to undress herself before putting on something more comfortable.

I sighed and looked at Lorraine, “I think something is wrong with her.”

She nodded, “It is called jealousy.”

Abby laughed, “You can say what you want, but those breasts look nice.”

Paul looked at her, “What?”

Funk looked at her, “Yes, what?”

Abby got up, “I said, never mind, I am going to check on Alice.”

Lorraine sighed, “I don’t think she is thinking with her brain.”

Funk looked sad for a moment, so I decided to ask him about it, “What is wrong, Funk?”

“Just, being an insect sucks.”

Paul looked at him, “Why is that?”

“No one is going to check me out, Lorraine is mostly human, you can say what you want, but she is hot. I am, just, a creepy crawly.”

Paul sighed, “sorry mate, I can’t help you with that.”

Funk got up, “I know, I am going to sleep.”

Paul looked at Alice and Abby talking, Lorraine yawned, “I am going to bed, are you coming, Steve?”

“Not yet, I need to think about tomorrow.”

“Alright.” She kissed me, then she got up and left to our tent.

Paul looked at me, “And then it was just us, remember when all we needed to worry about was stocking enough croissants?”

I laughed, “It seems so long ago. Even if it isn’t, how is it, traveling with Alice?”

He sighed, “She is crazy.”

I shook my head, “In what way?”

“I don’t know. She took out a void golem, despite being against killing, she murdered a bandit. Not even a quick kill, she made him suffer.”

I scratched my head, “That does not sound like the Alice I met.”

Paul nodded, “She must not have liked your rejection.”

“Oh, I might go apologize for that.”

I walked over to Alice and Abby. “Hey, do you mind if I talk to Alice?”

Abby nodded, “I am going to sleep anyway. Goodnight Steve.”

“Goodnight Abby.”

I looked at Alice, “Can we talk?”

She nodded, “Come with me,” we walked into one of the rows of the library. “What do you want, Steve?”

“I want to apologize, for killing those people, it was bad of me, and I should not have killed them, even if I enjoyed it very much. They might have had loved ones waiting for them. As for us, yes, I had, or have, some feelings for you. And if you had acted upon them before we came to Brickton, we could have started something. However, in our reality, you did not, what is the word? Hit on me. When we got here, you were kidnapped. You never told me exactly what went down.”

Alice let out a long and deep sigh, “It does not matter.”

I nodded, “Lorraine and I are starting something serious here. We want this to be a one and done. We save this reality, then we are going to find a place to live out the rest of our days. I am not made for these adventures. I don’t care what I am. What I do know, is that I feel perfectly happy with who I am when I am around Lorraine.”

Alice shed a tear, “That means, we are not happening?” She tried to put her hand on my cheek.

I grabbed her arm, “You are not touching me, just because I have admitted, I have feelings for you, does not mean we are something. We can be friends at best. I am with Lorraine, and I will never do anything to hurt her,” I let Alice's arm go.

She sighed, “I understand, you have changed.”

“Alice, how have I changed? You barely know me. We have not even spent more than one day together.”

She nodded, “You are right, I will leave you and Lorraine be.” Alice started walking away, she glanced over her shoulder, “I just realized, I like it when you kill people.”

I smiled at her, “I am done with that, my rage has been quelled, and it will be that way, for as long as Lorraine breathes.”

Alice nodded, “I am going to check on Abby, if you catch my drift.”

“Alright Alice, goodnight.”

She nodded, “Goodnight Steve.”

I made my way back to the campfire, Paul looked at me, “Hey, did she accept your apology?”

“I think the air is cleared between us, Alice understands I am with Lorraine.”

Paul nodded, “It would explain why she went to check on Abby.”

I chuckled, “She will be freaked out by Square.”

Paul shook his head, “Who?”

“Abby has a dodo in her tent.”

Paul started laughing, “I hope he does not watch.”

I laughed, “Goodnight Paul.”

“Goodnight Steve.”

I crawled into my tent and lay next to Lorraine, she wrapped her arms around me. “Hey darling.”

I turned to look at her, “Did you just call me darling?”

“Yes, I heard everything.”

“You sneaky bastard, you are like a spy machine.”

She chuckled, “I am glad you cleared the air with Alice, and that you made her clear, we are an item.”

I kissed Lorraine, “Of course, I chose you. You are always there for me, I even got you something.”

Lorraine looked at me with a smile, “Give me the goods!”

I pulled out a necklace. “It is not anything special, but I made it myself. The string is made from rope that I stole from the inn, The stone is from the quarry. It is a jade.”

Lorraine put the necklace around her neck. “Thank you, Steve, it is beautiful.”

I sat on top of her and kissed her. “You deserve it, I don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. But tonight, I want to enjoy our time together.”

Lorraine smiled and removed her shirt, I kissed her, “Your merchandise is much better. Now shut up, Lorraine!”

She giggled, “It is such a weird phrase to say before, you know.”

“Really? I think it is awesome.”

Lorraine kissed me, “Just shut up already.”