“So you’re telling me, she asked you to grab lunch with her, and you said yes?” Emil asked him under raised eyebrows. “Despite everything else going on.”

  “Of course I said yes, she was pretty, should I not have? Have I broken some unspoken Myreluckian rule?” Ozzy asked.

  “Only that you don’t know how to get where you’re gonna be eating, much less get there and back home. Did you at least figure out what her name is?” Emil teased, busying himself cataloguing all of their loot.

  “Well I’d hoped I could recruit a local guide to show me around for a bit. You know in exchange for saving your life and all, but yes, her name is Laina.” Ozzy grinned, tossing the ring of swamp finding into the pile of loot.

  “So long as you let me bring my wife.” Emil said, catching the ring and placing it gently into his dimensional bag.

  “I guess she can come, but I’m not paying for your guy’s meal, I’ve had enough freeloading just on on the way over here.” Ozzy said.

  “If that’s what you call explaining a new world to a stranger and saving his life then sure buddy.” Emil laughed.

  Together they made quick work of their loot, they hadn’t talked about how they’d be splitting it. Largely because the plan at this point was for Ozzy to stay with him, at least for so long as it took for him to get his own place so Ozzy felt a sort of communal fund wouldn’t be all that bad.

  More than not wanting to have to manage his own money, it was just strange for him to start thinking long term here. Not only had his first few days been spent entirely focused on the present moment but it hadn’t been much of a skill of his back on earth. There he’d been happy to just take each day as they came, not giving so much as an ounce of thought to what he’d be doing the following week.

  “You alright there?” Emil asked, watching with some concern as Ozzy stared off into the middle distance.

  “Yeah sorry about that, just thinking about how weird all of this is. To me at least ya know? I get it’s normal to you but this is just, well it’s so much, it’s too much. I don’t even know where to start. It’s like I’m starting life all over again from the bottom.” Ozzy sighed.

  “I know it’s hard, but hey, you’ve got two cores, a nice little nest egg with all of this and a hot date. I know that doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck but I don’t want you to think you’re alone or lost in all of this. You’ve got me, my wife, hell maybe even Colber, we’ve got your back.” Emil stepped up beside Ozzy, clapping him on the shoulder.

  “I know, I know. I might honestly have more resources here than I did back home. I don’t know anything about this place though, I’m quite literally a stranger in a strange land.”

  Continuing on in silence they made their way off the boat. Not before seeing everyone off of course and they shook hands with most of the crew, a number of the fishermen speaking to him for the first time that trip as they thanked him and wished him well.

  Colber was much more talkative and loads more grateful than everyone else had been. Even going as far to offer his help should Ozzy or Emil ever need it and giving them a guaranteed spot on his wagon’s guard detail whenever they decided to head back out.

  Spirits were high, not only had everyone survived but the healers had all but sworn Norman would be fine. They’d had to take him to wherever they did their more serious work but had told them he’d be headed home in a day or so. Ozzy would also be having to go to the healer headquarters to have his eye fixed and had forced Emil to take him first thing. One thing was for sure after all of this, he would never take his vision for granted again.

  ***

  The way up the root system was as complicated as Ozzy had imagined it would be when he’d first spotted the city. He and Emil had to take a meandering path upwards for the better part of two hours. It was like climbing the Eiffel Tower via the stairs, and by the time they made it to the first platforms entrance his thighs and calves were practically on fire.

  Climbing above the root system and into the first platform they exited out of a tunnel that reminded Ozzy of a subway entrance into another world. Beneath the platform though it had been dark there had been light reflected by the water that reached far into the undercity ports depths. Up here however it was like they were walking through a crowded forest at dusk. The only light that was around was yellow and green shining out from large crystals, they cast eerie shadows across just about everything. With the next platform up only being about fifty feet above them it turned the area into the world’s largest claustrophobic trap.

  The buildings all around seemed to do their best to get as close to the ceiling as possible. In some places it was nearly impossible to see the ceiling too, there were layers of smoke and smog that hung so heavily against the raised portions of the uneven roof they might as well have formed their own ceiling evening out the bumps and holes with ugly swirling mists.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  As they pushed through the crowds Emil explained to him that while there were elevator like lifts throughout the undercity they weren’t cheap and were largely only used by people of means. Like them, everyone else had to walk, and that was reflected in the company they strode beside.

  People from every walk of life crowded in around them, pushing and jostling each trying to go their own way. It was quite honestly Ozzy’s worst nightmare, and he practically glued himself to Emil’s side as they made their way through.

  Craziest of all however weren’t the crushing throngs, the dimly lit industrial hellscape, or even the platforms themselves, it was the individual people themselves. Onboard the wagon everyone had looked just like him, but here it was like walking through a Star Wars parade.

  Men and women in all of the classic Lord of The Rings flavors, elves, dwarves, massive people he could only assume were giants, and even halflings. Then there were more exotic peoples, groups of well dressed men who’s skin was deeper than the darkest night, a woman as spectacular as the sunrise with brilliant white skin and a matched pair of ivory colored wings that were folded neatly into her back. Even tall lean creatures who looked like normal people who’s been grabbed and stretched longways, each of them nearly eight feet tall but wiry as they came. Finally there were what he believed were animal people, largely human save for a few animalistic features; ears, noses, paws, fur, scales, eyes, nothing was off the table when it came to the unique spread, though the largest demographic seemed to have either fishy or reptilian features.

  The sights nearly overpowered his crowd induced anxiety, though when he was bumped by a 9 foot giant with bull horns he felt less curious and more like he’d been thrown into another dimension. He’d said it and thought it a thousand times already, but every single difference he came across just seemed to cement the fact he’d never go home again.

  “Oi! The hell are you doing just standing there staring at me, move it!” The large bull man moved to shove him, only to be stopped mid action as Emil’s body let off the dangerous red glow of burning mana as he activated his battle lust ability.

  “Sorry friend, he’s new here, didn’t mean to stare.” Emil said, the friendly tone of his voice offset by red glow and his combat ready stance.

  It was like a bundle of snakes had been dropped in the center of the street. People rushed to be out of their way and within heartbeats there was a circle nearly thirty feet across reserved just for them and the bully.

  “I— I am sorry, didn’t mean to get cross with him!” The bull stuttered, his eyes jumping from person to person in the crowd as he searched for someone, anyone, to come to his aid.

  “It’s alright friend, best be kinder to those in the street, you never know who’s-”

  “What he mean’s to say is, who’s this short piece of undercity slop dumb enough to burn mana on my street.” A voice boomed out behind them.

  A beast of a man strode through the crowd, parting it like grass as he made his stomping way forward, ending his march with four other men stepping into the empty circle.

  The interloper looked much like the original man who Ozzy’d ran into, save it looked like he could’ve had the first guy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Where the first man was 7 feet tall this one stood a full head over him, with muscles rippling under a loose shirt and baggy pants. It was like looking at a minotaur that’d decided to join a bodybuilding frat club and as he stopped his advance he began to glow red in kind.

  “I wasn’t showing off, just trying to diffuse a fight. Just want to get home without any trouble man.” Emil said, his red glow dimming as he cut the ability off in the face of a potential escalation in their confrontation.

  “Is that so? You think it’s appropriate to go giving all of these good people a scare when they also just want to get home?” The bull man taunted, snorting a challenge at Ozzy and Emil as their initial quarry sank into the crowd behind them, escaping into the mass and is if on cue the crowd around them began muttering angrily in agreement as the bull man stirred them up.

  “I’m sorry for my buddy, I’m new here, I just got a little distracted. We’ve had a long trip and we’re both a little jumpy.” Ozzy jumped in, trying cool everyone down.

  “Oh? A visitor, why didn’t you just say so! We’d all be so happy to take time from our busy days to explain some proper Myruluckian manners to you, and it seems your guide is more than due for a refresher.” The bull man gave the crowd a winning smile as he continued to rile them up.

  “This guy’s just working an angle to get our loot.” Emil whispered just loud enough for Ozzy to hear as they sat at in the eye of a storm of angrier and angrier faces. “He followed us up from the Undercity, don’t hold back, they won’t either.”

  “So what do you say?! Let’s give em’ a lesson shall we?” The crowd cheered as Bull Man finished pulling them into a frenzy, the big man turning to fix Ozzy and Emil with a wicked victors smile.

  Weapons appeared in the hands of the men around the bull man, wicked blades and studded cudgels stained and worn from what were probably years of heavy use. With a burst of fire a pair of heavy dusters materialized on the bull mans fists, and at once they began to advance.

  “Please stand back citizenry! We’ll handle these thugs.” A short muscled reptilian man with a long dirk shouted, his voice raspy and harsh.

  “We will defend ourselves with force!” Emil shouted at the group, his glow reigniting as he took measured steps backward.

  “You and the weasel? Have fun protecting him while we cut chunks off of you.” The bull man said, belly laughing as he continued forward.

  With the crowd fully retreated and shouting encouragement at the band of thugs Emil drew his sword from his bag. It marked a sharp change in the pace of the confrontation and the thugs stopped in their tracks, uncertainty crossing their ugly mugs for the first time, though their leader was unperturbed. He had come expecting resistance, it only made it more fun for him.

  Summoning his weapon in kind Ozzy leveled his revolver at the bull man. Laughter was the only thing he got in return, as to them Ozzy realized the weird bayonet bit at the bottom of the revolver probably looked like the only dangerous part of the firearm. He was still confused as to why the weapon had been created with one in the first place it was a truly bizarre addition to a pistol, he’d have to talk to Fauga about getting it changed.

  “There’s something wrong with your knife boy!” The bull man roared with laughter at him, pointing and jeering as he slapped one of his fellows on the back in glee.

  “It’s got a ol’ big lump for a handle!” The lizard man from before cackled.

  “I miss earth.” Ozzy muttered, and pointed the pistol up into the air and fired.