* * * EARTH – OFF THE HORN OF AFRICA * * *

The captain of the Sazae Maru looked out to port at the five speedboats heading towards his ship. Their crews were brandishing AKs and RPG-7s. Right on the horizon the haze of the African coast was visible. It looked like their luck had run out and it was their turn to be targeted by the local pirates.

Captain Morishige tried to think of something constructive to do, all too aware of his crew, many of whom were watching the pirates approach glumly.

Then the rearmost speedboat flew up into the air and landed upside down. Captain Morishige sensed more than saw a disturbance in the ocean near the wreck. Next there was a swirl in the sea as if something huge and fast was moving just under the surface. And another speedboat was struck and wrecked.

Two more lazy swirls later and there was only one speedboat left. Its crew was firing wildly at the ocean. To no effect as a huge serpent surfaced directly under it lifting it into the air. The boat smashed back into the sea and the huge sea serpent surfaced again, only to swallow two swimmers before vanishing once more under the waves.

A second serpent raised its head above the waves and watched the container ship with curiosity for a minute or so before submerging again.

The crew of the Sazae Maru gazed at the placid ocean, marred only by some patches of wreckage. They were unable to spot any survivors. Not that any of the crew wanted to launch a boat to check.

It didn’t take the crew long to upload two videos of the incident onto their social media pages.

* * * EARTH – OLIVIER BROUSSETTE * * *

Olli was beginning to think he had never talked so much in his life. He was profoundly grateful that the language skills came with some cultural references to aid understanding. He wasn’t looking forward to introducing this group of refugees to the local law.

He was profoundly grateful to his brother in law. He had turned up and had managed to drag his wife along. They had been willing to help him by taking the little goblin girl to Florida. He hadn’t counted on his sister of all people finding the dungeon’s frog people cute. And Frog had surprised him by passing over a stack of twenty-dollar bills for the trip. He felt a little guilty for checking the serial numbers.

At least it hadn’t been difficult to get the adventurers to change clothes, though Frog had had to provide alternative longer dresses for the women as they had been completely scandalized by the initial offerings. His sister’s skin-tight jeans had been rather an eye opener for the ladies.

Olli sighed, he watched the others wave good bye to Fingers who was paying no attention, being as she was, totally engrossed in some game on her new Smartphone.

At least his truck was big. It needed to be with Grey. There was going to be an added element of fun as thanks to Frog all the immigrants now spoke with broad New Orleans accents. Just like Frog himself.

Olli pulled in at Houma’s town hall. He led his sacrificial lambs. He was unsurprised to find that they were the centre of attention. Olli was surprised at how easy it proved to be believed; at least once they got past the purely local level. Their secret weapon proved to be the werewolf girl Ana. Once she embraced her inner accountant and started insisting on meticulous documentation and a legalistic approach. Ana, even without knowing the local laws caught several inconsistencies. And she chased them all to death.

Olli watched from a corner having been almost completely sidelined. And then two representatives of the Adventurer’s Guild turned up with two agents from the FBI’s paranormal division.

* * * EARTH – JEREMIAH WALKER * * *

Jerry had got back to a major shitstorm. The Paranormal Division and the FBI as a whole was getting a major shake up. They had made lots of enemies by their political shenanigans and now the knives were out. Jerry suspected that even if Markowitz was recovered the man would get back to unemployment at best.

Then he had spotted this report about refugees from another world and he decided to grab the case. He figured Louisiana was far enough from Washington DC for Damien and himself. On a hunch he called Jinny while on the way to the airport. He was not surprised at her enthusiasm at a chance to get away from the press.

Jerry and Damien relaxed for an hour or so after they got to Louis Armstrong airport in New Orleans. They agreed that under the circumstances they might as well make use of any knowledge the Adventurer’s Guild might have. If there really was another portal to another world they had to know more about it. They spent the wait researching the local CIA offices and agents. The last thing they wanted was to find themselves on another world again.

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Then Damien spotted Jinny and told Jerry. Jerry rose and saw that Jinny was accompanied by Swiftfall. After a brief hello the four of them headed out to pick up the vehicle Jerry had reserved and they were on their way to meet the new group.

Swiftfall proved very useful, he was able to confirm that they spoke one of the local languages from Tarifax in addition to that world’s version of a trade language. Also he was able to verify their guild credentials. Not that that meant much but it was nice to know.

Jerry slotted in behind the cavalcade of official vehicles who were on their way to confirm the existence of yet another dungeon. He was only too glad that he would not be transiting to Tarifax, the place sounded terrible. He found a place to park on the overgrown shoulder. The number of vehicles that had come on this jaunt bade well to close the road.

Jerry and Damien got out of their car, and were followed by Jinny and Swiftfall. The area they were in was humid, lush and overgrown. Jerry assumed it was typical bayou country. In the background there was the buzz of insects and the constant calling of frogs.

The frogs fell silent when a member of the local sheriffs department stepped into one of the more overgrown areas. The man stopped and seemed to be staring into space with an incredulous look on his face. Jerry moved up beside him, curious and saw:

{ You have found a dungeon: The Arena of Blood }

After a short wait, several huge frogs emerged to watch the intruders, both on the ground and in the trees. And Jerry noted they were carrying what looked like blowpipes. Then there were further rustlings in the undergrowth, and a burly shaven headed man emerged from the undergrowth. “Welcome y’all to my dungeon, the Arena of Blood. My name’s Fredrick Richards Olpe-Garrison but everyone calls me Frog. And this avatar is unable to leave the domain of my dungeon.”

“Interesting, this is nothing like the Arena of Blood in Conimbriga,” said Swiftfall.

“Well nobody is trying to enslave me here on Earth. It makes a big difference Mr. Drow,” retorted Frog.

* * * PARTHIA – MARKOWITZ * * *

Markowitz was glad when they left the Dracos Mire. It meant less biting bugs and was another confirmation of the map they had found in the folders. Three-quarters of an hour later they stopped for a rest and to watch the big gravelled east west trade road.

Markowitz mopped his forehead with his dirty handkerchief. He watched a caravan of six big wagons each pulled by teams of eight oxen glumly. It was becoming more obvious with each passing hour that they were not on Earth. His lingering hopes were fast fading. And then there were the groups that had passed them heading north to Rivak’s Folly, the other dungeon. All of them were armed and armoured with primitive gear. He didn’t dare use the sat phones they had found. They were bound to be bugged.

Wearily he rose and joined the trade road heading west. Behind him Durrell followed. Smyth fished around in his backpack locating one of the language skill crystals. With some lingering trepidation he used it. He didn’t notice Helli scowling as she suddenly realised she had been used as a guinea pig to test the crystals. Reluctantly she hobbled after them due to a broken heel.

Hours later they arrived at Barcolton, the walls were not particularly impressive as they were not particularly high. The road they were on curved to the south and ended at a gateway set between two squat towers. Several men and women in light armour were keeping an eye on people entering. It looked like they were collecting a toll.

Markowitz wrinkled his nose in disgust; even here outside the town it smelled. He suspected the town’s sewers were faulty or nonexistent. He waited in the short queue and soon found himself at the head of the line. The guard said something but he couldn’t understand the woman.

“Sir, she says the toll is three bits,” translated Helli.

“What’s a bit anyway?” asked Markowitz.

The guardswoman said something else, and once again Helli translated. “She says to stand aside if you can’t pay the toll sir. And a bit is a copper coin.”

Rather reluctantly Markowitz stood aside.

* * * EARTH – KENYA * * *

David and Rebecca Jacobson were excited. It was their fourteenth birthday today and their father has arranged for them to go scuba diving in the Kiunga Marine National Reserve in Kenya. This was the first holiday since their mother had died earlier in the year. For the whole family, it was a healing experience.

Then that night while they were lazing on the beach watching the ripples that passed for waves in the bay they received another present. Blue screens.

They started to chat excitedly amongst themselves about what to do. Deciding to be different from their friends they ran to the water of the bay and dove in. Soon they were treading water in the light of the moon.

“What shall we be David? I don’t want to be an elf like cousin Bertie,” giggled Becky.

“Boring. I dunno, but I think we should be something that has to do with the sea Becky.”

“How about becoming one of Mother’s chosen. Octopus is fun but rrimited. But why not sea human?”

There was a short silence. “Who said that?” chorused the twins.

“Why, I did. The name’s Becca.”

“W—where are you?” asked David. Then he paled slightly as a huge octopus all but surfaced between him and the shore.

“Herro, I’m a priestess of Mother, the sea goddess. It wourrd prrease her if you chose sea humans,” said Becca the octopus.

The twins quickly lost their fear at the novelty of a talking octopus. They liked the advantages offered by sea human, especially with the cheats that Becca showed them, and helped them to acquire.

They lost a couple of hours playing in the bay with their new friend and when they finally decided to call it a day, they left with the official blessing of a priestess of the Mother of Monsters.

* * *

A week later when the Somali pirates struck the resort they were captured along with several other rich foreigners. There wasn’t really much they could do against thirty or so heavily armed thugs. It was only the presence of their father that kept the twins from going overboard.

The Twins who had not had a religious education nonetheless prayed fervently for help, and thanks to Becca’s blessing their prayers were heard by the Mother of Monsters.

Under the surface Becca followed and prayed to her goddess.

Three days after they were deposited in the training camp they awoke to the sound of combat. Or more precisely – slaughter. Then they were, all three on their way to Parthia.