Tenner took the final sip of his Sugary Death and crushed the can underfoot. The floor of the crumbling workshop cracked. Rebuilding this is a lost cause…

Gi dressed the blood-drenched shirt, smeared some on his forehead. The special outfit and pool of crimson felt real because they were: after the preparation, not enough credits nor ideas remained to think of something else apart from the quick slash of the knife.

“Everything’s ready in the slums,” Tenner said as his wrists tickled at the sight of Gi. “Here too?”

“Three minutes, if those lunarists aren’t late.”

Tenner saluted and hid in a shadow half a dozen meters away from the workshop.

Gi’s words from the day before couldn’t find their way out of his head. He’d fought the meanest foes imaginable -- the Lords of Electricity were the worst of all.

The brothers had been simple Workers, taking care of the Electrical Tower. One of them, Bolt, slipped and fell onto the wires and Elektra followed in hopes of saving his brother. Needless to say what happened except that luck had turned its back against them. Bolt had survived with 3 HP and Elektra -- with 2. And both had level-ups.

After recovering, they abused the shortcut to immense power. With the privilege of being Workers and almost unkillable, they named themselves the owners of The Sparks and demanded rent in exchange for not killing the inhabitants.

Doubts welcomed Tenner. His instincts craved death, but he couldn’t stomach the thought.

The killing of the hobo back in Realm 349’s sewers had led to a dark path. The Lords of Electricity could lead him back to it. But they’d ruined Gi, destroyed his home and surely killed others every week.

Death. Tenner gasped -- his mouth became a wasteland. One of his hands crept down to his axe, gripping it. The weapon eased him. With the help of another hand, he took it out from under the jacket. Spinning it around, he felt each masterfully crafted crevasse and grip. His eyes--jumping in search of the source of his instincts’ warning--lowered to see the blade.

The neon lights around its edges flickered. That’s how you know. Tenner’s heart dropped. His senses sharpened. He fell back into the darkest corner of the shadow

Jumping from wall to wall, soaking up the electricity of the streetlights, cackling like Tenner after buying new weapons, a humanoid of light shot towards Gi’s workshop. Elektra, a quick inspect revealed. Now that’s a powerful lunarist, Tenner thought. Where’s the second?

Elektra crashed into the street in front of the entrance to the workshop. Electricity flowed through him. His skin glowed and the air became dense with the feeling of sparks.

The Lord’s slim figure and mohawk pierced through all of the light.

[The Smellings of Blood has succeeded! Manipulating being’s perception…]

Short bursts of intense blood-stench fired in Tenner’s nose. Excited to get money he doesn’t deserve. A different aroma of blood resonated from further down the street. Tenner took a step forth. Bolt.

The burly Lord of Electricity strolled through the street, soaking up the currents from the streetlights. He wasn’t excited or scared, the smell of his blood said.

Tenner forced the world out, keeping only Bolt’s face.

It was divided into halves by different shades.

Tenner tried retreating deeper into the shadow, but his back hugged the wall.

“Come on, Bolt, whatcha waitin’ for?! It's the funnest part of rent week!” Elektra said, jumping from toe to toe.

“I’m thinking.” Bolt stopped in front of his fellow, turned to the wide-open entrance and back. “Guess you won’t have to make the rounds knocking. Shame, thought it would be a nice farewell!” He flashed an electric grin and disappeared into the workshop.

Elektra darted after.

“You’ve lived in this mess since we left?” Excitement checked itself out from the Lords’ of Electricity faces. “Or mess up an experiment?”

“Huh, what do you mean ‘since we left’?!” Gi growled, pushing on his chest. “What did you forget in the five minutes you were gone?”

“Five… Minutes?!”

“I’ve already had enough of your fucking jokes today.” Gi looked at the blood.

“You’re telling us we just came here?”

“And… did all this?!”

“Took every credit I have, too,” he said. “That’s why I don’t get why you... returned.” The need to call them lunarists must’ve hurt his tongue.

“We didn’t do that, you liar!!”

“Someone pretended to be us--”

“How dare you call Tenshot someone?! Such disrespect!” Tenner said from the doorway. “I am the real Lord of Electricity.” He shook the briefcase full of creditcoins. “As long as I got these, I am one step ahead.”

“Hand it over!” The Lords ordered in unison.

“Tenshot hands nothing over!” He zoomed into the streets, [The Smellings of Blood] piling each drop of his focus into his feet. “You have to take it from his dead hands.”

Footfalls from behind shook the street -- The Lords must’ve shared Tenner’s excitement for a chase, loved in the presence of electricity. Yet the chances of them knowing he’d memorized the streetlights’ dead zones might as well dress as a classless and move to the slums during his hunt.

In a flash, Tenner stood at the entrance to the district, axe in hands, bag over shoulder. His foot rose but returned to the partnership of the other -- a pedestrian beside him gulped.

They made eye contact.

“What you staring at, freak?” The passerby asked. “I’m just trying to make my way to my cousin’s place.”

“Don’t--” Tenner bit his tongue, fighting the darkness that hid in there. I’m never letting it back in again. “You’ll either get crippled for life or lose it completely. And I’m having a little fight here.” He nodded at his axe. “If you’re desperate, return tomorrow and follow the dafa.”

Throughout the exchange, The Lords neared. Five meters ahead.

Tenner jumped into the range of a streetlight. A current shot through the air. His muscles arm jerked up. The electricity entered the axe. And it ran towards the handle.

He weaved the weapon.

As a heavy charge collided with the Lords, they flew back. Screaming, Bolt shot a ball of lightning out of his palm. Elektra sent blue rods.

Tenner grabbed the briefcase off his back, put the axe against his chest and activated the case’s shield, covered in rubber. The Lords’ attack tumbled into him. His eyes went blind for a moment. Ears rang. A bath of pain, like molten glass shards, bathed his skin. The feeling seemed to seep through every layer of him, heading for his core. Then it disappeared.

The bag, Tenner’s clothes and surroundings smoked.

[Being’s HP is 600/750]

The shield morphed back into the briefcase and he tossed it over his shoulder once more. Great idea, Gi. Bolt and Elektra were blinded from their own attack. Tenner’s CHEK re-activated [The Smellings of Blood] and numb feet took him down the Realm’s streets, lungs heaving.

After a moment, The Lords returned to their senses and scarred feet took them on a chase after him. A trial of flickering lights appeared in the Realm.

The fatigue of constant fighting bore down on Tenner. The electricity in the air twitched his exhausted muscles. In turn, his feet landed a few degrees off and rose milliseconds too late.

His headstart slimmed.

I won’t outrun these lunarists, Tenner thought. The axe swung, punches were tossed and lightning struck. Running and fighting twisted his head around itself -- his stomach juice eagerly waited at the top of his throat. The world blurred. Then, his balance waned.

The slums neared and the Lords’ health dwindled. Scratches, streams of blood and visible bones fueled Tenner to fight.

[Being’s HP is 202/750]

If these lunarists took away that much from me, how low are they?!

Bolt and Elektra had to be down to the last tenth of their HP bars. And still fought like nothing had happened.

In a haze of misery, Tenner reached The Puppeteer’s Block. He navigated the maze of massive metal walls and jumped onto a ladder. As the Lords started beating the ladder, he shuffled up to the cageroom. His back met its floor and he laid there for a moment. Then he slammed a button.

A trapdoor popped up in the entrance.

The Lords flew up the ladder. Eyes closed, they flicked through the trapdoor’s illusion. The Lords landed in the cageroom and for a second, their burned brows furrowed. A “why aren’t there wood chips everywhere and why doesn’t my head hurt?” expression entered Elektra’s face while “WHERE IS TENSHOT?!” crawled up Bolt’s.

“The hurting we’ll do if you don’t come out will seem like dying a thousand times!” the latter snapped.

[Still As Death’s Gaze has succeeded! Manipulating being’s stats…]

As the words shook the room, Tenner’s least favorite perk activated. It froze him in place among the ranks of hundreds of puppets. And made his instincts useless. The feelings of stabs littered every part of his body. Every second, death was right around the corner. Parasites crawled in his nerves.

Tenner could only wait and focus on something else. Honestly, I wouldn’t have thought of making the illusion a tripwire. At the same time, I didn’t think Gi would also have the skills to make it…

Mechanisms rattled in the darkness and engines buzzed.

I’d prefer it if the trap was quiet, but it’s such disrespect to ask for everything in a day

The Lords searched frantically while the walls grew louder. Elektra dashed into another cageroom while Bolt tossed every single one of the hundreds of puppets upside down. Tenner’s health regenerated back to 750. He tracked how much time had passed. And ducked.

A levita engine broke out of the mound of puppets in the middle of the room, levitating a meter off the ground. Some dolls remained on the mechanism -- their mouths opened and laserguns screeched.

Beams glared in every direction, eviscerating everything at waist height. Scorching heat filled the room. Tenner had come up with the idea for the trap, thanking the pilots who brought him to the Realm.

The device cost a levita engine and twenty pistols. For the price, it was guaranteed to work. If not stage one, then definitely stage two.

The lasers ceased.

Tenner grabbed his ears and shut his eyes.

The trap exploded.

200 HP vanished from Tenner and the pain managed to break through to his core. Flames burst out of his heart, to every part of his body, making the senses from it disappear. He was certain this was death. He’d overestimated his power.

The maze of metal walls and rooms hanging off them collapsed. Half of the Realm must’ve shaken. Rubble rained, rose from the ground and fell again.

He hadn’t: feeling returned and he breathed dust, which choked him. But it was a sign that at least his lungs functioned.

Following a weak signal from his guts, Tenner pushed the wreckage out of the way and stood up, vision blurry. It focused on a standing figure -- Elektra.

His focus fell to Bolt.

The Lord was charred and torn in half. His legs were impaled on a metal rod whilst his upper body hung on a burning mannequin. Slowly, Bolt’s organs dripped down, adding to the four-meter wide lake of blood around his remains.

“Bolt… Bolt,” Elektra said, hugging his friend’s head. “You’re gonna be alright… I’ll fix you! I’ll avenge you...” The Lord struck Tenner a look, tears mixed with blood streaming down his face. “Look what he did to you, Bolty!! That scum took you from me!!”

Tenner laid a hand on his forehead. It had to be done. This is different from the hunt. This I can’t avoid. He closed his eyes and activated [Still As Death’s Gaze] for a moment more.

The temporary psychosis and visions of death couldn’t compare to the reality a few meters in front.

Tenner stopped the perk.

His clothes were torn and burnt and he felt no better than Bolt looked. The thought of a mirror--showing his charred skin, the pools of blood dripping down it and the open bone breaks--scraped bullets against his back.

The looks wouldn’t heal as fast as the HP. At least he had enough vigor to finish Elektra.

“Tenshot! The universe is fair, don’t you think?!” Elektra let go of his friend and hiked through the rubble. “Every watt has to be produced, every lightning strike conjured, every death -- repaid!” He punched.

Tenner swung the axe. It slashed through Elektra’s wrist. Sparks flew everywhere and blood shot out. The hand fell to the wreckage while the other melded with Tenner’s face. He yelped and flew back.

[Being’s HP is 542/750]

Elektra punched. Tenner defended and chopped. They tossed one another around the wreckage, turning the rubble into dust.

Crashing into a chunk of metal, Tenner’s bones cracked, some snapped, some broke. He hopped to his feet and gifted Elektra the same.

Finally, they left the wreckage and started fighting in the streets. The exit of the slums neared. Their health bars drained.

If I keep this up. For a minute. Or two. I win! he thought.

Then the church came into view.

A manic laugh left Elektra. “Think I know nothing about you?! Or did you forget I’m a Worker?!”

The Corporation’s goons really controlled everything from the shadows. Tenner snarled and threw the Lord to the church’s wall. Bricks fell. The giant pipes wrapped around the building rattled. He grabbed Elektra again and repeated, taking damage from touching the Lord’s charged skin.

The pipes wrapped around the church contained an orange sludge, through which plasma that powered the Holy Glow traversed.

A pipe collapsed, crashing in between them.

The plasma heated the sludge -- what rained from above was magma. It set the air to unbreathable temperatures and birthed flames on the unholy building. Finally, the evil burns! Tenner thought, sheathing his axe and grabbing his laserpistol. Yet I might be the biggest dumbass for thinking potions survived explosions. Glass shards ripped and tore the inside of his jacket.

Balls of black smoke rose from the flames that now engulfed the church’s roof. A layer of dark mist came over the Realm. Elektra finished catching his breath with the toxic air, dashed past the rain of magma and slammed into Tenner’s chest.

He skid towards the church’s front.

Kristus emerged out of the entrance, blue cross in hand, all of his followers--armed with knives--at his side.

A plethora of curses left Tenner’s tongue. Anger flowed into one fist and despair into the other.

Tenner wielded the axe beside the pistol You know what? I think I’ll actually need you. He soared at Elektra, weapon swinging. Right before the collision, Tenner fired at Kristus’ army to keep them away. The blade struck The Lord’s shoulder.

Tenner jumped towards Kristus, swinging. At the same time, his pistol fired at Elektra.

Keeping to the sequence, he fought two fronts for a minute. Hope slipped from his grip whilst the rain of magma finished. An idea: he ran up a wall and jumped at Elektra, shooting the pipes.

Tenner and the Lord of Electricity crashed to the ground and rumbled. Creaks echoed through the Realm. Adrenaline rushed to Tenner’s head. Elektra kept beating him. You served me well. Tenner let go of the axe and blasted Elektra’s chest with lasers.

A shadow drowned out the light.

Tenner jumped.

Centimeters behind him, a pipe crashed onto Elektra.

The Realm’s lights flickered for a moment.

Tenner slammed into the ground, crouching. Should’ve gotten last words… He caught his breath, scanning his surroundings. A lake of magma had formed an island around him and Kristus. There were three narrow exits he could take, all of which were covered by armed guards in white.

Magma flowed and the island became smaller. Kristus attacked, his army not a meter behind.

Wide-eyed, Tenner unleashed a spray of lasers. After ten seconds, his right throbbed from pain. He chucked the pistol to his left and fired for ten more. Rows of followers in white fell to the lasers. A few crashed into the magma while one fell on Kristus’ legs.

Tenner used the moment to toss his scorching laserpistol into the lava and punch the priest.

Kristus stumbled, but found balance with his cross. He tossed himself at Tenner, slashing his chest with the odd weapon.

[Warning! Damage: -40 to health]

[Being’s HP is 65/750]

Tenner fell back as he blocked more oncoming attacks with the briefcase. One more strong hit or a stumble into magma and he’d die. I haven’t been closer to death since I fell from the sky. He defended, growling through his teeth.

After a century-long duel, drowning in sweat, he caught Kristus’ pattern. The briefcase morphed into a shield, slashing the priest’s chin -- he backed off.

Tenner retreated to the edge of the island and unleashed all the pent-up pain. His scream reached even the deepest corners of the Realm. He turned, ready to beat to pulp the guards waiting on the narrow exit closest to him. Only he realized the magma had flowed into the exit.

Tenner had trapped himself.

His heart dropped.

The ground shook.

He wondered for a moment if his heart had done so or if Kristus’ god decided to lay down divine judgement upon him. But the priest and his followers had stopped as well.

A morono tore through the street and jumped into the magma. As it rolled around in it, more of the creatures rushed in from every direction, crowding around the heat or taking a swim themselves.

The followers’ and guards’ mouths gaped. Kristus’ confusion ended first -- the priest gazed back towards Tenner. Or where he’d stood a moment ago.

Tenner crouched in the crowd of moronos, wiping his sweat. He grinned at the sight of the confused priest and huddled out of the group. In the street, his side started aching. Tenner slowed down. Then a stinging pain shot through his whole body.

Tenner stopped. His vision blurred. He collapsed but kept crawling.

In a restpit a meter ahead, Ames stood, staring at him.

“When you easily beat those Workers on your own, I thought you’d actually never need my help. But look at us now.”

Did she followe me all this time? Tenner’s jaw hit the ground. Albeit not a big fall, it shook him enough to clear his mind. “I’m sorry -- you were right. You can join. Just. Save. Me…”

“Finally!” Ames grinned, then scowled in pain, grabbing the scar Tenner had made during his first encounter with the gang. He wondered how she could forgive him for that, or the countless other sins, but life was leaving his body… and… he could only be… grateful.

Ames dropped Tenner into the restpit, took off her jacket, covered him with it and sat on his back. Her hands cupped and extended in front of her.

“Tell me, my child, have you not witnessed a corrupted bounty hunter?” Kristus’ muffled words sounded above. “He was just here.”

“I know no such thing, sir,” Ames said. “But could you spare a credit--”

“Shut up you godless skank! If you deserved money, god would’ve given it to you!” Kristus marched off.

After a while, the street quietened down. Ames uncovered Tenner and put him on her back.

“What…?” he muttered. “This looks weird… Let me go… I can walk on my own…”

“By the way you look and everything else about you, walking is the last thing you can or should do. Now, tell me where to drag you and I will drag you there.”

“Gi’s workshop. The Sparks.”

“It’s always gotta be the farthest place. Damn bandit’s luck...”