“Why the hell does this place smell like an airport?” I said aloud without thinking. A small woman in front of me cocked her head back absentmindedly her eyes fixed firmly ahead.

“What’s that Sir?” she whispered.

“Nothing,” I say shaking my head, somehow, in all my expectations of leaving earth for a new world, the smell of it all is what is the most disappointing.

“BING BING BING” all eyes fixed on a large floating tv screen. Text AGZ233 flashes at the top of the screen several people moan seeing it's not their number. Smaller text begins scrolling underneath the top text, along with a voice-over of the PA repeating the message. “Group AGZ233 please make your way to the ticket counter for processing.”

“Thank god,” I say picking up my bag and slinging it over my shoulder the pack gives a soft thunk as it hits my back armor. Cringing slightly as my boots squeak and stick to the dirty floor. “You would think,” I say to myself, “whoever runs this place would clean a bit between immigrations.” Weaving in and out of people fighting the crowd as I try to avoid walking through the tight clusters of family groups or any areas too offensive to the nose.

I finally make it to the counter and see a woman just shy of middle-aged clicking away on a well-worn keyboard her fake nails tapping horridly. “Name?” She says flashing me a kind, if not exhausted smile. I hand her my ticket “Sledge” I say, the woman's smile slipped slightly “ Sledge? No last name?” I smile and shrug my shoulders.

“My parents died when I was young, if they bothered to name me when the war was going on I never heard it. The name I got is more a nickname than anything my first CO said I was as subtle as a sledgehammer. So Sledge is the only name I got.” As I spoke her eyes showed a deep sadness.

“I see, We all lost a lot during the war, have to say this is the first time I’ve met someone who never had a proper name.” The woman's eyes go distant and her whole demeanor becomes solemn for a moment then with visible effort she shakes herself free from her thoughts. “Well, it's good to meet you Mr. Sledge,” she said tapping away at a keyboard, “remember this isn't just a new world for people like us who lost a lot in the war its a new start, a new us, a chance to leave it all behind.” We smile at one another.

“That's my hope,” I say as she hands me my ticket. With a hard look at her screen, she nods to herself.

“As you must be aware you are exempt from having to go through the security checkpoint. As a monster hunter in good standing, you are allowed your own armor. Unfortunately, as you are not affiliated with any military or recognized group you may not bring with you any weapon that is projectile, explosive, chemical, radiological, or biological in nature. As well as, since you have no formal education on file or medical records of any kind you will be tested for education level, remedial classes will be provided to you on request as well as you will have to go through a complete medical checkup and screen, as well as a magical awakening test. Is all that clear?” Nodding along, as I was briefed about my exemptions when I got the ticket I was following her up until the magic part.

“Wait,” I say “magical awakening test? I thought that was… I don't know a rumor?” The woman looked at me like I'm some kind of stupid.

“Sir, you do understand that the world you’re going to is a world of magic right? The gate to the other world is in fact magic.” Trying hard not to roll my eyes.

“I understand the world is magic and the gate is magic I'm just surprised humans can use magic, no one on earth has magic, so I thought that part was made up,” I said slowly.

“Well,” she said reassessing me from the stupidest person she had ever met to someone who was just uninformed. “I don't know all the reasons why people on earth can’t awaken magic I just know it's been tried a lot and never works but rest assured it does on the other side. About 5% of every immigration awakens some kind of magic. Anyway, now that's cleared up please head down the hallway behind the desk and you will be sent through.” Not wanting to look anymore a fool I head past the woman and to the gate room thankfully there were no lines to be had. A heavily armored guard waves me forward

“Ticket.” he said looking it over his eyes widened slightly “You THE Sledge?” This time I couldn't stop myself and rolled my eyes

“My name is Sledge. I don't know if I'm the one your thinking of.” I said bored with his slight awe as I hand him my ticket.

“Well, umm, are you the hunter Sledge that single handily killed the monster called the Creeping Shadow, a monster that reportedly killed 300 civilians and 3 hunting parties. The Hunter Sledge that holds the record of monster kills in a single day by riding a Fire Raven using 2 meat hooks and chicken wire to…”

“Yes, ok, ok, ok,” I said impatiently interrupting the guard “I’m THE Sledge. What of it?” The guard looks around, finding whatever he was looking for he leans in a bit and whispers

“Can you sign my arm?” His eyes pleading.

“What!?” I ask shocked.

“Not so loud man!” The guard hushes me looking around embarrassed. “You’re a legend, Dude. Even before you were a hunter in World War 3 you were a war hero. Now you're like a war hero and rock star in one! Man can you sign my arm I’d like to get a tattoo of it after duty. Something to show the grandkids, you know.” Still shocked I could only stare at him.

“Really? You’re serious? You want my autograph… that is, a first.” I couldn’t believe it I was so stunned. Someone I had never met, a fan?

“I’m not surprised. Man, following hunters kinda just got big. It’s the new football, bro a few hunter teams even got drones following them around recording. You’re not super known by the general fans but to the real diehard fans like me you’re a legend dude.” The guy seemed real eager already pulling up his sleeve excitement clearly written all over his face.

“Ok, how about a trade,” I ask.

“A trade?” he asked hesitantly “Like money?”

Waving the idea off, I continue. “No nothing like that. From what I understand this trip is one way right?” The guard nods slowly. “Well, people can still send messages, video calls, emails, and stuff. Give me your info and when I’m on the other side and set up. I’ll contact you I'd like you to give me information, rumors, things like that. Nothing that would get you into trouble just a heads up from time to time if anything big is going on, sound fair?”

“I…” the guard started. He looked around again seeing we were still alone “I mean as long as your not looking for anything that will get me into trouble just rumors and stuff that sound good to me.” I nodded.

Raz was the guard’s name. He gave me his information and I signed his arm shaking his hand I am finally standing in front of the gate. If you could call it a gate, just a 20 by 20-foot distortion in the air as if reality was cracking. Taking a deep breath I step forward. One moment I was on earth, a flash of darkness then New Eden. I had heard rumors, quite a few rumors in fact, of the majesty of New Eden but nothing could prepare me. The gate set you on a hilltop giving you a view of miles around. In front of me was a vast landscape of dense wild forest trees hundreds of feet tall on the horizon mountains blocking the sky covered in snow the world was abuzz filled with the sound of life. This world was wild, it was vast, it was alive, but most of all this world was untamed.

“Beautiful isn’t it?” called a voice. Adrenaline surged setting my nerves on fire due to the unexpected voice. Spinning around my hand goes for my gun, A gun I don’t have. As I realize I’m unarmed I see a tall gangly man with a mop of unruly red hair. He stood next to a control console he looked to be some kind of scientist with a lab coat draped over his seat behind him waving me over. “I’m Dr. Fuller,” he called out. “The city is two miles east of us. The Duty van just called in, should be back any minute to take you and anyone else who shows up in the next few minutes to the city.”

I suddenly realize the distortion in the air that was so prevalent on earth is nowhere to be seen. “The Gate,” I call to him making my way over, the gravel road crunching with every step. “It's Gone. I thought the gate was on both sides?”

Dr.Fuller gives a small laugh and shakes his head ”Almost every person asks what happened to the gate, it's there… just not… insight, well how to put it. The gate is not in phase with this world or better yet, it's not connected all the way on this side. On earth, it's a full connection but for some reason on this side the gate acts as if it's half-open.”

I shake Dr. Fuller’s hand. He looks younger than I first thought maybe mid-20s, his hair not doing him any favors. I'm surprised at his hands they are calloused and scared. Most doctors I’ve met have hands as soft as silk.

“Names Sledge.” I pause looking at the computer screen’s readouts racing across the screens faster than I could read them. “If it's only half-open how can monsters get to earth? I know for whatever reason anything from the earth once it's here can’t go back.”

Dr.Fuller’s face lights up at the question a large smile appears. “We have no idea,” he says excitedly. “We have a few theories, but none of them have much evidence to support them, I’m partial to the one that says, it's due to the position of the planets affecting the connection, myself but even that theory is dubious at best.”

“You seem,” I say confused, “rather happy at not knowing how our lifeline to earth operates. Most scientists I’ve met don't like not knowing things.”

Again he laughs, “I can't say I'm happy about that but it's just so exciting, back on earth there's so little left to discover, of course, there are a few hidden nooks and cranny's left unexplored on earth but most research is ether weapon-based or pharisaical. But here anyone can help write history everyone can help build the way for all humanity. Here I’ll show you.” Dr.Fuller looked around for a few moments at the edge of the cleared-out staging area small trees and bushes lined the gravel and roadway. “There,” he said pointing to a small blue rose-looking flower. Tapping an arm device a floating screen appeared in front of him after a few seconds of scrolling he nodded to himself and swiped the screen away.

“That flower is an undiscovered specimen” pointing at the rose “Name it”

Taken by surprise “What's that?”

“Don't be shy,” he said, “name that flower.”

“Ok.” I said unsure “blue…rose”

Fuller shakes his head. “No, no go and take a look at it don't touch it it may be poisonous but go take a look and give it a real name.”

Seeing as I have nothing else to do until the van gets here I walk over to the flower. What I thought was a blue rose-looking flower was different if ever so slightly, no thorns on its stem for one but it was just a blue rose. Walking back to Fuller I say. “Call it Summer Sky”

“Good name, why did you choose that?” Fuller asks.

“The color reminds me of a blue sky in summer. Any reason why we're doing this?” I say while shrugging.

Fuller taps his wrist device, the floating screen appears, Fuller points the screen at the flower it flashes and clicks like he's taking a picture and taps away for a moment.

“There, that undiscovered flower is now discovered and named Summer Sky by one Sledge. From this moment on every human that ever comes across that flower will call it a Summer Sky. Every human from Earth! for thousands of years will now call that flower Summer Sky because of you, of your discovery. That's what's so exciting about being here. you said I looked excited that I didn't know how the gate worked in part I am, to tell the truth, but it's mostly I'm excited about possibilities. Being the first back home I may spend 30 years of research only to make a new aspirin that cuts the cost of production by a fraction of a penny. Here I look around and see a flower and I’ve helped write history for all of humanity.”

For whatever reason at that moment, it hit me, I'm in a new world. The old world Earth, my old life is gone and over, and here in a new world, I stand breathing air I’ve never breathed before. I’m looking at horizons no one has ever looked at before. New paths, new opportunities, new everything, and I can see, hear, and touch it all. I really didn't have a plan for when I got to new Eden all I knew was I needed to getaway. I needed to change, but change what? I had no idea but I knew something had to give. The years of fighting, killing, and seeing my friends die over and over. I knew this was my only option but even then knowing New Eden was my destination I didn't know what I was going to do when I got here. Well, now I know. Turning away from Dr. Fuller I looked at the horizon to the wild forests and impossibly tall mountains in almost a whisper I speak.

“I want to see it all.”

HONK. HONK. I jump slightly as a well-kept if slightly dusty van pulls up and the driver’s head pops out of the window sporting a military cut hair, tanned skin with a not so regulation mustache, either an ex-soldier or a wanna-be.

“Only one? Seems it’s taking longer and longer for people to come through Fuller.” The doctor gave me a side glance and the driver a tight smile before he spoke.

“A bit slower yes but within expectations, earthside is going to start sending larger groups though on the night shift. Today was mostly supplies and people with propper exemptions so it was always going to be a slow day.” The driver scowled hard.

“Still just one guy came through.” He said unconvinced.

“It’s fine.” Dr. Fuller cut him off. “I’m here watching everything. Go ahead and take Mr. Sledge to the city he should be in time for the tour and orientation.” Dr. Fuller turned to me and shook my hand. “Good meeting you, in a few days when I’m free, I’ll look you up.”

“Sounds good,” I say. The van's side door slid open for me. After I jump in the door slides itself shut. I’m closed in the tin can now.

“Welcome to New Eden,” said the driver “I'm Nick, part-time duty driver and not so part-time perimeter security. By the way, did I hear Doc right, your name's Sledge?”

I nodded to the driver not taking my eyes from the tree line. I have been hit by too many ambushes from humans and monsters to not have my head on a swivel. The van made its way down a sloping gravel road.

“Not much of a talker huh?” said Nick. Looking at the rearview mirror I see Nick looking at me with a slight frown.

“Sorry,” I say, looking back at the tree line. “I have a hard time in cars when I don't drive. Don't mean to be rude.”

“Oh,” said Nick his tone lighter “get car sick easy? That's never fun, I’ll try to miss the potholes but the roads don't hold up all that well. We tried to pave a road from the gate to town but between the monsters and how fast everything grows out here, the roads are unusable after a few weeks. That's why we use gravel now much easier to scrape it all flat or fill it in.” We drove in silence for the rest of the trip, I could tell Nick was used to talking. The silence was uncomfortable for him every few moments he would open his mouth to say something then shut it.

After cresting a small hill Nick spoke. “We're almost to your new home we call it Whispering Rivers if you got any pressing questions I can answer what I can but most everything will be disclosed in orientation,” Nick said as if reading from a script.

“When the first expedition originally found this place it was mostly ruined, broken, worn-down, stone buildings they thought about trying to fix up but the soil isn't all that good for growing crops, the foundation of the town isn't all that secure, the area constantly floods, the town, just wasn’t worth the hassle. The first few teams settled a few miles east. It was a pretty good location from what I heard but it kept getting hit by monsters, the expedition had to move and after a few weeks, they got hit again and again and again. The teams were desperate, a lot of people died so they looked everywhere they could and found what they thought was a good spot. After only a few days they got hit hard and lost half their people and most of their supplies. Then the main group gets a call from an archeologist team that was left at the ruins. They had a group of monsters attack the small team on an exploration mission of the surrounding area a few of them died but most made it back to the ruins. The thing was it was the water that scared away the monsters. Apparently, most monsters, not all mind you but most are incredibly dense in body mass. I don't know all the science of it but most monsters can't swim, they sink. Of course, there are the flying monsters so they shouldn't be affected by the rivers but apparently, the mist made from the waterfalls affects them. As most flying monsters have feathers that for some reason retain water like crazy, weighing them down so they can’t fly. And of course, there are monsters that live in water but again for some reason, the waterfalls produce so much sound in the rivers that most monsters in water can’t stand it. So the main group made it's way back to town and settled down. Who or whatever built this city knew what they were doing this land is worthless, can't grow anything as the surrounding area is mostly a muddy swamp. This land has no good use whatsoever except monsters hate it here. So it's home, if you listen carefully you can hear the waterfalls even miles away.”

Intrigued I listen for a few moments, the van's overworked engine sputtering along with the gravel road compacting as we drove drowning out any other sound. I shrug at the driver and shake my head.

“I got ya,” Nick said over his shoulder letting go of the gas we slowed down to a crawl. It took a minute but soon I could hear it barely audible but I hear it, water. Not just a trickle or a stream but a physical force, a rushing torrent of unending might. What could only be millions of gallons of water falling at the same time crashing against unforgiving earth the sound even so far away was so encompassing that the forest around us was drowned out by the rushing of rivers and the pounding of countless falls. Looking incredulous at Nick he laughs.

“Loud huh?” he asked.

“I'd say so!” The torrents grew louder as we moved, pointing to my ear “If it's this loud miles away how on earth can you stand it living in the city?”

Nick waves his hand dismissing my worry.

“I don't know why or how but the city was built on a dead spot.”

Confused I ask, “A what?”

“A dead spot,” Nick repeats expecting me to understand only to sigh when I don't. “The way the city was built along with the spot it was built is an acoustic dead spot. Outside the city sounds like Niagra falls inside the city sounds like a bunch of gentle streams that's how it got its name or so I heard. Interesting story there…”

“ALL VEHICLES. ALL VEHICLES IN SECTORS 3,4, AND 5. DEVERT IMMEDIATELY TO SECTOR 2. INBOUND TEAM UNDER ATTACK BY PACK OF FELINE MONSTERS LARGE AND AGGRESSIVE. I REPEAT ALL VEHICLES IN SECTORS 3,4, AND 5 EMERGENCY RECOVERY OF PERSONNEL.”

“That us?” I ask.

“Well,” Nick said his voice shaky. I looked at him the color drained from his face “Ya. Ya, it's us, but…”

“But what,” I ask ripping my pack open grabbing every weapon I was allowed to bring with me, and arming up. Thank good old fashion paranoia for wearing my armor.

“Well, this is just a duty van, no armor, and well you're a civilian I can't take you into a dangerous situation like that.” Strapping my stingers to my wrists it is more bracer than a bracelet. I flex my hand testing it, two blades shoot out of the stinger 10 inches long covering the back of my hand only to retract kicking my arm back from the force. Activating the stingers the attached air compressors start filling. Hundreds of microtubes all along the weapon, building pressure for a devastating strike, you stab and a blast of air explodes out of the daggers blowing apart whatever you stabbed like an overfull balloon.

“What the hell are those?” Nick asks eyes wide stopping the van either in reluctance to move forward or shock I don't know. Moving to the front of the van I grab Nick and pull him from the driver's seat into the back of the van ignoring his grunts of protest

“They’re Stingers, where am I going?”

“What the hell do you think you're doing?” Nick yells righting himself in the back seat. Turning back I point my hand at Nick and flex my hand. Blades flashed forward stopping just a hair's breadth from Nick's face.

“I'm driving your navigation, now where are we going? I'm not asking again.” I say setting my jaw in a firm line. Nick gulps heavily.

“Sss… south we need to head down this road for a bit then turn right onto a jeep trail heading south we’re maybe 10 minutes from them.” Turning away from Nick, I slam the gas. After a few moments of silence, Nick jumps into the passenger seat reaching under his seat he pulls out a sawed-off shotgun and starts loading. “You called those Stingers, right?”

“Ya, so?” I say looking at him out of the corner of my eye.

“I’ve heard of them, I thought they were all confiscated by governments, said to use them was a crime against humanity.” I laughed and shook my head.

“The only way to kill, is overkill, Nick.” With that, he shook his head and loaded a shell. Looking at the dash I pull out a data stick and plug it in.

“This thing got loudspeakers?” I ask with a plan in mind.

“The van speakers not so much but the PA is loud. Why?” He shrugged not understanding.

“Monsters attacking the group are feline, meaning 9 times out of 10 they have incredible hearing. Gunfire may annoy them but won't do much else.” I say pointing to my data stick. “Now this will mess with them. When we get close I want you to hit play and crank the sound all the way up.” The jeep trail was rough on the van but we made good time in just a few minutes we heard gunfire

“Get ready,” I say. Nick’s hand hovering over the speakers we crest the hill and see a small clearing surrounded by tall trees filled with smoke and bodies. Four armored vehicles sat in the center of the clearing circled like wagons in the old west providing cover. What was left of the men were desperately shooting hundreds of rounds into what looked to be forest green saber-tooth Tigers the size of small horses over a dozen lay dead all around the clearing. Along with six more armored trucks either flipped over, on fire or somehow ripped open. It was a grim sight but nothing I hadn't seen before.

“Look!” yelled Nick, pointing off to the side a small group of four civilians and one badly limping soldier they were running to the last surviving cover. Unfortunately, two tigers were right behind them. Hitting the gas we moved, just not fast enough the soldier stopped and opened fire before going down under the first tiger. The second tiger devours the distance between it and the fleeing people.

“Hit it Nick,” I say. He slams the player and Ozzy's Crazy Train blasts across the clearing louder than I’ve ever heard it before. The tiger distracted from its meal slowed shaking its head and pawing at its ears. I took advantage of the musical distraction that made the cat confused and unoriented. Willing the van to move faster we slam into the tiger and the front of the van crunches. The tiger gets pulled under our van and rocks back and forth as we run it over. That one hit almost took the van out but it sputtered along with music blasting so loud my ears heart.

“Look out!” Nick screams while grabbing me and pushing me back into my seat. Just in time to save me from the second tiger. The big cat that had downed the solder moved faster than I expected and came crashing through the driver's side window with large dagger-like claws missing my face by millimeters. Nick desperate to live brought his shotgun to bear and blasted a second too soon taking the tiger's ear right off but not doing much else. Without much thought, I flex my hand and the stinger's blades shoot out. With the tiger's upper body practically in my lap, I don't have to aim all that much I uppercut into its neck and flex my hand again. The hundreds of tubes of compressed air are all released at once from the bracer down through the blades and into the tiger's neck. With a gory dull fwomp sound the tiger is dead before it even knows what hit it. My arm jerked down from the force my elbow slammed into the door a hot flash of pain and my arm goes numb.

“Get it off me I can't drive,” I yell. Nick kicks at the tiger's barely attached head, it flops about making getting the thing off me that much harder. After a few kicks I’m free, my arm is still numb and hurting. I painfully crank the van around. A few more tigers were killed by the soldiers but the fleeing civilians made it to cover.

“Reload, Nick, we got clean up.” Another tiger is charging the surviving armored trucks. I hit the gas peddle and we take off. The tiger jumps the last fifteen feet, the soldier's guns don’t have anywhere near the stopping power they need to keep the tiger at bay with only a few feet left between them. The tiger's claws extend, mouth wide open ready to bite down for a quick kill. The van slams into its side, the force of the impact crumpling what was left of our hood, and the tiger's body is flung up and into the windshield shattering it. The glass hits us cutting any exposed skin, Nick pressed the shotgun to the tiger's back and started blasting away. The monster thrashed and convulsed. A hard bump sent it flying off the Van where it hit the ground hard bleeding out. With a hard lurch, the van died.

“We need to get to cover!” I yell. The driver's door was crumpled inward, there was no way was I going to be able to open it. We got free of the van in a mess of flailing limbs, music still blasting away. A tiger started after us but changed its mind when a guitar solo blasted the air, it shook its head. A bullet took it in the side and apparently that was enough for one day for the tiger as it turned tail and ran into the forest.

“Run,” yelled a soldier. Another tiger a little way away to our left saw us, apparently seeing an easy meal came towards us. We booked it. Music may have saved us once but no way were we going to risk it happening a second time. The soldier took aim at something behind us and opened fire. A horrid yowl sounded just behind us. Looking around as we ran I didn't see the tiger.

“How the hell did it get behind us so fast?!” Screamed nick as more soldiers opened fire in our direction. We both found a new gear in speed and moved. Not looking behind us, we both jumped over the armored trucks hitting the ground hard, my numb arm not helping me much. With an awkward roll, I got to my feet my arm hung useless at my side. “Crap,” I say dully frowning at my arm “guess I hurt it worse than I thought.”

Nick was up as well reloading. I spot a down soldier propped against the wheel of a truck the side of his face bleeding heavily eyes closed. I grabbed his sidearm seeing that he wouldn’t be using it. A 9mm pistol is not much but better than nothing. Joining the soldiers we only have a few tigers in the fight two of them were close to death but three more were moving fast and hard at us. The closest to us was smart it was zigzagging moving fast and erratic. Picking my shot I wait, leading the tiger waiting for the perfect moment. It came when the tiger was much closer than I would have liked. For a fraction of a second the tiger slid its momentum too much for it to overcome on the bloody ground. With that window, I shot three shots only one landed but only one shot was really needed. The bullet took the tiger dead center on its front paw. A kill shot it wasn't but what the damage did do was slow the monster down so much so it was dead a few seconds later to slow to rapidly change directions at this range the tiger was practically a sitting duck. Looking around there was only one more tiger left bleeding heavily it turned around trying to flee. Everyone who had rounds chambered opened up turning the monster into a red mist.

With the monsters gone a tall mean-looking man yelled “reload” getting a good look at him, the man was obviously the ranking officer here, he was in his late 30s or early 40s tan leathery skin with a bit of gray hair creeping onto the sides of his head, and his mustache giving the hard weathered man a bit of distinction.

“Sargent,” the officer said.

“Sir,” a soldier who I'm assuming was the Sargent replied.

“I want a perimeter set now get the turrets from our weapons truck and set as many up as you can, now we have a moment and can set a safe zone. Also, all hands not on the perimeter are on evac detail all wounded gathered and loaded up send them to town asap.” Men began moving to the officer’s commands before the Sargent could even get moving.

I kept my mouth shut and out of the way waiting for the turrets to get set up. As the work crews moved about setting up turrets the rest of us were tense heads on swivels, more than a few jumpy soldiers shot into the treeline shooting at shadows. Once the safe zone was set I walk to the duty van and retrieve my gear. My pack slung painfully on my back my injured arm rubbing the overstuffed bag.

I spot the officer talking to Nick.

“Who was that with you, Nick?” He said as I came up behind him.

“Name is Sledge,” I say interrupting the conversation. I offer my working hand to him and he took it.

“Vince Riddle,” the officer said with a confident smirk. “I'm in command of this group was just thanking Nick for the save and wanted to thank you as well.”

My eyebrows shoot into my hairline an officer thanking me was a first. It must have shown on my face Vince laughed

“We’re a little less formal on this side of the portal. An officer with a stick up his backside won't last long here. Too many ways to die accidentally, a monster can get a guy if the platoons not trying that hard to help keep you alive.” He said this with a smile.

“Well,” I say shrugging my shoulders only to wince at moving my injured arm. “Good to know, so I'm curious what attracted the monsters to you guys? I have never seen cat-type monsters ambush like this they don't like to take any losses most of the time if one or two goes down they all run for it.” Vince looks at my arm even with my long sleeve covering the elbow it's clear my arm is swollen the fabric stretched tight.

“Short answer, we don't know. With monsters, you can never be 100% on why they do what they do but I have to agree with your assessment this ambush doesn't make sense. Unfortunately, we won't find out standing here talking. You and Nick load up with the wounded in a few days after this is all wrapped up the boys and I will take you for a drink as a thank you for the save.” I shook his hand again.

“Sounds good, and stay sharp out here you never know with monsters,” I say. Nick and I loaded up on the back of a Jeep it was cramped and filled with wounded.

“Hey Nick?” the driver looked back at us.

“Ya?”

“We don't have enough medics here to watch all the wounded you and the guy with you pick a man and try to keep them from bleeding out.”

“Got it,” I said looking around I don't see any medical supplies or at least any clean supplies. Painfully I pull my pack off and hand it to Nick who looks at me confused.

“Near the bottom is my personal first aid kit it's not all that big but it's better than nothing,” I tell him.

Nick dives into my pack as I turn to the guy next to me. The jeep lurches and several of the wounded men moan in pain fortunately we are making good progress. No matter how many wounded I deal with no matter how many battlefields I walk on or people I see dead. I can't escape the blood. It stains your skin, soaks into your clothes, and if you don't wash off fast the blood goops ya. Like drying out jam it sticks to you making every movement uncomfortable. But to me, the worst of it is the smell, the smell of blood is the smell of death like a hound death tracks the bleeding. In war almost always the outcome is either death on the battlefield or soon after. With a jolt, the jeep skids to a halt, and medics swarm the jeeps pulling wounded and dead men alike onto stretchers. I grab what's left of my first aid kit and slinging my pack onto my back and hop out of the jeep.

In the distance waterfalls all around us pouring down somehow the mighty roar of the water was dulled the water sounding more like a large water fountain than Niagra falls. The town was hard to make out a heavy mist hung in the air what I could see was a silhouette of a town nestled into a cliff face the canals I could see were off-white just like the mountain making the cliffside look pure, tall, strong, and imposing. The town covered in mist made me think of fantasy-style Venice before it was bombed, a town filled with history and rich in culture. Unfortunately, the wonder of the moment was lost on me. Hard to be impressed when you're covered in dead men's blood. Turning around I head to the medics I can wait but my arm is hurting worse by the moment and I'd hate to miss orientation.