《Hellcrashers》Chapter 5. Special Delivery
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We delivered the package to a seedy film studio on the outskirts of Las Vegas, Nevada. On the soundstage was a set built out of plywood and made to look like a teen girl’s bedroom: painted pink and full of stuffed dolls. Stage lights hung from metal bars where the room’s ceiling should be, and several cameras were aimed at the bed from different angles.
We were escorted by a couple of hired goons. Low-rent thugs with chrome-played Glocks tucked in the waistband of their jeans.
Vasquez led the way past the stage lights and cameras. Jackie and I flanked the package, while Felix rolled behind with a sawed-off shotgun cradled in his lap.
“You know what the worst job here would be?” Felix asked.
“What?” I sighed.
“Janitor. Can you imagine cleaning this place every night? ‘Excuse me sir, can you lift your feet? I’m trying to mop here’.”
“Jesus, Felix.” I laughed. I couldn’t help it.
“Every night you have to clean it! You can’t imagine the smell!”
“Sure I can.” Jackie retorted. “Like a warm turtle tank probably.”
Felix chortled loudly.
Our customer was a loathsome weasel named Bob Gunkel. He was fat, slowly sliding his way to four hundred pounds. He came out of his office wearing a Hawaiian shirt with huge sweat stains under his pits. He wiped cheese puff dust off his hands, leaving long orange fingerprints on his khakis. The very sight of him made my skin crawl.
“Well? Did you bring her back to me?”
Vasquez pulled the black bag off the package’s head.
“You did it! I have to admit, I had my doubts when I heard you could bring her back but you actually did it!” Gunkel caressed her with his meaty fingers and the expression on his face looked like he was already creaming his pants. She flinched away, but we’d kept the ankle chains and handcuffs on for a reason.
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“Laura, sweet Laura, I know I got carried away the last time we were together, but I promise you this time is going to be different!”
Vasquez gripped my arm before I even realized my fist was clenched.
“Sir, not to interrupt, but if you’ll just pay us our fee we’ll be on our way and leave you two alone together.”
“Of course!” He snapped his fingers and one of the goons retrieved a couple of greasy fast food sacks, handing them to Vasquez.
Vasquez checked the paper bags and the wads of cash inside. Jackie and I watched the goon squad to see if their hands moved towards their pistols.
“Are we good?” Gunkel asked.
Everyone held their breath for a moment.
“Yeah, we’re good.” Vasquez said. “Let’s move out, team.”
“You lovebirds have a real nice time now, y’hear!” Felix called on the way out.
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The True Endgame
What defines endgame content? Is it raiding epic dungeons to take down the strongest bosses there are, or is it facing off against other players to climb the ladder and become the top PvPer? Is endgame content gathering materials and crafting the strongest and most exotic equipment that there is, or is it all about playing the market and amassing more wealth than everybody else? Some people even argue that fashion and minigames are endgame content! Ryouta has already done all of that. Having spent most of his life playing MMO after MMO, he now finds himself wanting to live a virtual life that is far more relaxed and casual than what he is known for. To Ryouta, the true endgame is fishing. Cover illustrated by KoeHaru1!
8 250The Chalice Quartet
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Year 2048, the current World War, or is known by the general public as the Great World War is still ongoing for over 10 years now and is almost reaching its peak. The soldiers are giving their all and risking their lives to protect their loved ones. Among them is Hans Schmidt, the said hope of their country as the ace soldier to fight off their invaders. But for some unforeseen reason, he was transported to another world. How will our ace soldier fare in a fantasy world that defies common sense from his former world?
8 182Pendulum Zero
The story follows nineteen year old Casey, a high school dropout suffering from depression, as she due to some unusual circumstances surrounding her family, ends up attending one of the most prestigious institutions for higher magical learning in the world of Eorbe. Aldor Academy of the Mundane and Magical Arts. Here, she quickly finds out that she has to live and work together with four other students who each have their own reasons for coming to this school. Some more sinister than the other. What started as a desperate attempt to save her family might turn out to be something so much more when it becomes clear that her arrival may not be the product of a mere string of coincidences.The more time she spends at this place the more she begins to realize that there may be even more threatening things than those who are hiding in the dark of the night. After all…nothing is more dangerous than those shadows who have learned to live in the light. When the lines between friend and foe, past and future, illusion and truth are starting to become blurred the harder it gets for her to stay safe. In the end, only one option remains. She has to find a way out. She has to find a way to untangle herself from this twisted web she has gotten herself into before it will end up destroying her. That is.. …unless her own demons get to her first.
8 183[Don't] Fear the Dragon!
Do yourself a favour and, if the chance to become a dragon in a different world ever arrives, reject it as kindly as possible. As for myself? I didn't have much say in the matter. I've wanted one thing, and one thing alone in this life—to be left alone. But these humans are beyond stereotypical. None of the other dragons let them in on the secret that we only hoard treasure in order to bait the fools. Or how it's a common belief that we eat humans for breakfast. Seriously! Not even a village would substitute as a snack. How do they think people taste anyway? Gross! But it doesn't matter if you hide away in your cave, doing nothing. Some hero is bound to find and attempt to slay you anyways. Or weird cultists offering sacrifices at your door. But there was this princess that asked me to kidnap her one time. Now that was an interesting one... [Updated daily at 11 PM | EST!]
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a Man accidently passes through a spatial crack arriving in another plane, to prevent his presence from corrupting the world the gods force him to revive
8 117