The soundtrack played a tensed, old school thriller. The little doll walked up to the fortress. Shaky gait. All its blades hidden. The smooth wood of its frame painted with blue and green dots melded in the darkness. Comically, it sneaked around, from one paved stone to the ditch. Full crawl in the dirty and smelly water. Quite the trooper.

When it reached the door frame, it beckoned to six others who followed its path. Some with more grace. Other clumsily. One fell forward, caught by a comrade.

Once they were are at the door frame, Andrej smiled, waved his hand forward. The dolls climbed the rough walls. Spread in an arc, reached the battlement and disappeared.

The unmistakable sound of surprise and murder reached the caravan’s attack group, hidden further in the main tunnel to the fortress.

“Their size is so handy. I considered incarnating into one more than once,” said Andrej.

The major looked at him, disgust on her scarred face.

The fortress’ door opened. A tiny doll pushing it slowly at the corner. The metal hinge squealed like a hypersonic dragon. The fight still raged inside.

Tatiana’s bolt pierced the darkness, disappeared in the door frame. Somewhere in there, it caused a huge explosion.

A monster ran out, burning. His long hairless tail wiggling desperately, spreading flames. Quite the creature, these Underground Lemurs. Pink flesh, huge globular eye, tiny teeth, oversized bat ears. They ate fish and bug, mostly. Never passed a lost traveler.

The fortress stood there as a proof of their complex society. As a humanoid eater, they could be killed on sight with no penalty to a player aura. One the game’s numerous perfect villains.

This once, Enoch marched in ranks with the few soldiers left alive. Led by the major, they formed a shield wall, switched to a defensive circle in the structure. Slow, deliberate advance. Few chances for the monsters.

Their shaman started a ritual concealed in a cellar. A doll spotted it, rode Choo to Enoch and gestured until he somewhat understood what was happening. A quick Dash in the designated direction until his Perception caught the chant through the dying battle noises. Couldn’t let it complete the ritual. Their typical summon was a giant monstrosity, same pale flesh, many nightmarish orifices. Lethal.

Blitz instantly interrupted the caster. The wall too close to give it a chance. It bounced. Fell. Stunned. Wide open for the killing blow.

“Wish I had a whole division of Outsiders,” said the major from the doorframe. She looked at the shaman. Nodded in appreciation and produced the first genuine smile seen by Enoch.

“Where not on the same side. Wouldn’t end up doing much I think.”

They both looted the corpse, each on their own end. Earrings, necklace and a carved sceptre for Enoch. Boots, two potion and a satchel for the major. It all went on the same pile. Thrown without interest.

Enoch stood. Stayed immobile, his head tilted to the left.

The major said, “spotted something?”

Enoch’s hand rose, inviting silence, then went to a wall, slowly feeling the stone’s texture. The hand continued downward, the rest of the body following with a squat. One click and a small section of the wall disappeared in the floor. No luck. Just an escape tunnel. The good loot was somewhere else.

“Let’s get out of here,” said Enoch.

***

Not a single casualty from the caravan except a few burnt dolls. Two hidden treasure rooms eventually found out. First good haul since Enoch came underground. The group unanimously let him pick what he needed. They needed him. Alliance with NPCs had their use.

Slippery Necklace | Necklace | Rarity 3

Automatically counter Root, Cage, Grapple.

Cost 10 Mana | Range 1 | Charges 3

Minor Potion of Regeneration | Potion | Rarity 2

Regenerate 2 Health/second | Duration 20 seconds

Major Potion of Scrying | Potion | Rarity 7

Reveals a location, item, NPC or Outsider

Range | 100 miles

Shadow Greaves | Greaves | Rarity 6

Casts Veil 3 | The world bends reality around the caster, granting Partial Cover

Cost channel 7 Mana/second

Resist 2 | Damage Resist 4

Shadow Bracers | Bracers | Rarity 6

Casts Veil 3 | The world bends reality around the caster, granting Partial Cover

Cost channel 7 Mana/second

Resist 2 | Damage Resist 4

The Potion of Divination would be a trip, but it might help him spot the Drone Hive.

He organized his pack in the cellar. Munched pickled food. Didn’t touch the smoked meat. Drank his fill from a fermented non-alcoholic juice kept in barrel sized clay jug.

Enoch sat on crate, unslung his peg leg, stretched his belly, rubbed his stump. His foraging hand found a pack of Spicy Mushroom Chips behind a dirty glass jar. These were great. Named food. Would most likely provide a Resist bonus for the rest of the day.

The munchy musty snacks rolled in his mouth, releasing their spicy juices. Things were working out lately. The chat had calmed down. Less doubters. More fans. His recent association with Art Delvers might explain it. Or his recent success. Probably both.

Another gray chip went into his mouth. Choo hovered in a corner. Idle for once. Enoch took a second look, swallowed and said, “Say Choo, any feeling on food? Feel like you’re missing out?”

The tiny rock dynamo said, “feel like you’re missing out when you see a bird soaring through the sky?”

“Yes.”

“What about a whale diving to the depths of the ocean? Feel jealous?”

“Kind of.”

“A tree basking in the morning sun?”

“On a busy day.”

“A rock moving stuck in the mud for ages?”

“Not really.”

“See,” said Choo, ““It’s the same for food and cores.”

Well, Enoch had tried at least. A last, clumsy fistful of fried mushrooms, then up, a last gulp of fermented juice, bags and satchels slung back on, then out to the exit.

He stopped by the major, said, “I’ll scout ahead but before I go, something has bothering me. Why were you defending the Drone Shaft if their hive was so far from it?”

The major answered immediately, “Outsiders, you ought to research more. We’ve been losing all our good Shafts to the Hollows. We’re trying to find a new route.”

The Hollows. Enoch should have known. One of the most annoying mobs out there. Drones who had lost their souls, replicating mindlessly, consuming all.

He said, “let me guess, they drove the mutants to their current frenzy, throwing them out of their land?”

She stayed silent, her expression betraying her surprise.

Enoch said, “Not so bad for an Outsider,” and ran to the depths of the world.