Decent loot on the mage, but at what cost? Two third of the caravan dead. The rest heavily damaged. They had all rushed out of the carved room, leaving the inferno, dragging corpses when possible. The shredded mages had been carried in pieces by the animated dolls.

The caravan had collapsed the tunnel again, hoping for some time to heal. The survivors now sat in a circle around the Totem Golem. Happy for the attention, Choo pulsated healing magic. He also made weird noises.

Enoch usually enjoyed the group’s banter. They were all, those left, dead silent now.

“So what’s the story with the dolls,” said Enoch, a big effort coming from him. Maybe it could get Andrej out of his melancholy.

One of the dolls left the old adventurer’s coat. Stopped in front of Enoch and gave him the finger.

No distraction then. The Outsider checked the loot.

One scroll case. Three rings. Two intact potions. Two pairs of Caster’s Gauntlets, useless for him. He brought the pile to Andrej. Asked for Identify.

Angry silence answered the request. Enoch stood there awkwardly, unsure on how to proceed. The seconds ticked. Enoch rattled his throat. The seconds stretched.

“Matbia’s seared tits,” said Tatiana, “help him and he’ll go away. He just saved us back there.”

Andrej looked at her. Hurt. She corrected herself, “some of us at least.”

An old soldier from the fort came in. Jarmila, the lady who had helped him craft the shields back in the fort. She went to the loot, said, “Dead companions, I’m afraid it’s all routine for me at that point.”

Her eyes lit up in teal. A similar light radiated from the items, pulsated twice then vanished. She gave them back with the relevant info.

Summon Magma Rhino 6 | Scroll | Rarity 8

Summons a Magma Rhino | Health 500 | Mana 320 | Damage 5 | Damage Resist 6 | Thorn 6 | Fire Trail 6 | Meteor Dash 7

Cost 210 Mana | Duration 1 hour 50 minutes

Ring of Intellect 2 | Ring | Rarity 2

Intellect 2

Ring of Endurance 1 | Ring | Rarity 1

Endurance 1

Ring of Willpower 3 | Ring | Rarity 3

Willpower 3

Mana | Potion | Rarity 2

Restores 50 Mana

Lesser Mutation | Potion | Rarity 5

5% chance of triggering a Mutation.

Enoch waved the items around. Checked who seemed interested. Andrej picked the Rhino scroll. Greedy old fart. Jarmila picked the Endurance ring. Fair enough.

She started talking about her fallen comrades. Explained that she needed the ring just to keep up with the young folks.

Enoch zoned out. Too many games under his belt. Too aware that it was all generated. That it didn’t matter one bit. At least that was what he told himself.

The two remaining rings went to his fingers and then he left for the tunnels. His peg leg rang quickly on the stone floor. His magically enhanced body ran without effort. These tunnels were way too hot.

***

Little Bro raged at the unfairness of it all. His parent had logged out to take care of the livestock. What a boring, peaceful task. Caring for a life. Would have been much better to hunt. Instead they had forced him to stay in his big brother’s game for “emotional support”.

Big bro was fighting with the best players in the world. Solo. He didn’t need emotions. Not that he would feel any, being special and all. Nah, he needed a coach.

Enoch, his brother’s avatar - what a lame nick -, ran for hours. He killed lizard peoples. Struggled to get a huge pack of supply back to the caravan on a makeshift sledge crafted by the annoying little core.

That made him level up. He took +40 Health, +40 Stamina and Endurance 4. Well on his way to one of his classic build. Took Totem Golem 3 for his bonded artifact. The hideous golem grew a quarter of its size, sprouted a second pair of eyes and a second upturned mouth on its forehead. Now scolding both ways.

The Major, badly burned on one side, not that she had ever been pretty, punched him in the gut again. No apparent reason. At least that was funny.

Enoch ran some more. Slept in a ditch as per tradition. Sold maps to the real pros in Haven Square. He talked to that girl, still by seated by the bay window. He should ask her out. She was clearly into him. The odds of him actually doing it were zero.

Followed another long day of running. Big bro fell in an underground river. Choo saved him with an animated rope. Little Bro couldn’t wait to try one of these bounded artifacts. They seemed OP. It would have to wait an eternity with the compressed time of the game. Pure torture.

The commentator complained again. The chat slowed down. The viewer count went down. Apparently, a lot of people found tunnels boring. Even the trap barely entertained. Enoch jumped over them in impossible ways or straight up ignored them, running a full speed as the trigger mechanisms fired at the empty air, the human trigger long gone.

His brother spotted an underground fortress and noped out of there at full speed. Almost. His pirate leg still slowed him down. He barely made it back to the caravan, disoriented by his dive in the river. It was all so tiresome.

Little Bro would prefer to be practising instead. He had to prepare. He would get his time. As soon as he hit eighteen, he would move to the city. All would tremble before him. All the groupies would be his.