Nandi and her team, along with Karl’s team, and the two teenagers Mark and Jen, arrived at their new camp site. They were positioned on top of a hill that looked down on the city roughly 10 kilometers away. They had been camping closer until the night they lost their frontline fighters. The sun was soon setting but Nandi didn’t dare light the fire until night had fully enveloped them to reduce the chance the smoke would be spotted by the patrolling Red Bands.

“This is further than we’ve ever travelled outside the wall”, Mark said, concern blossoming across his face.

“Yeah, can’t say I really want to go back. Especially if we don’t loot a dungeon.” Jen added watching the largely dark city start to light up sporadically. It was clear power hadn’t been restored to the entire city. Only the market area, the City Hall, and the Mayor's Mansion showed signs of life, everything else was pitch black and oppressive. Nandi saw movement that caught her eye, using her significantly enhanced vision she darted up a Douglas Fir to get an unobstructed view.

From her vantage point she could see that a couple of the crucified women were being removed from the walls and carried off to a large apartment building with a roaring bonfire in front of it. Several Red Bands appeared to be drinking and a man came over to check over the girls. Then they were dragged off to separate rooms. Bastards are using them, then putting them back on the wall. Knew this shit was happening but… Nandi thought as something on the order of bile rose to the back of her throat. She choked it down and slithered back to the bottom of the tree.

“What’d you see?” Jen asked. The rest of the teams moved a bit back down the hill to remain out of sight and had begun preparing the fire.

“Some Red Bands took a couple women off the wall, took them to what I am assuming is their compound.”

“Yeah, that happens. I’m not sure how the people are still alive. They do die. Eventually, though it’s incredibly slow. If adventurers don’t come back with adequate loot, they can end up there.”

“Bloody wankers. Boss is need’n to show up soon. I don’t know how much more of this shite I can watch.”

“Try living it. Mayor Blevins don’t even come out of her Mansion. She has what she wants, and she don’t care bout nothing else.”

“Power.”

“Yep.”

Nandi looked up as the sun disappeared over the horizon behind her and decided they could get the fire going, so she returned to the group. Once the fire was going they cooked some oversized rabbit she had caught as they trekked around the city. Before she started the conversation she wanted to have with Jen and Mark she shot Karl a quick message.

Found some locals, teenagers. Feeding them and pumping them for info. Just saw them drag a couple girls off the crosses. When are you getting here?

She chewed on her rabbit and waited for a response. To her relief it came quickly.

Gregor and Myself are a few hours out. Be there soon.

“Karls with some dude named Gregor, they’re three hours out they said.”

“That’s good, I’m ready to fuck some shit up.” Michelle commented while stuffing another piece of rabbit in her mouth.

Mark looked at her, a cross between infatuation and fear on his face, “You’re not bothered by killing other people?”

She looked at him carefully then shook her head, “Nah, we killed about 300 inmates at the Kaibab Unit. These assholes were from Coronado, they were supposed to be largely nonviolent. Karl cut em’ loose because we didn’t have the resources to deal with both groups.”

The teen looked horrified at her casual admission, “You killed that many people!?”

“Not by myself, there were about thirty of us officers remaining, Karl showed up with Junipher, that’s his plant lady girlfriend, and his coyote. Shook the shit out of the DW for not taking action, then took action.” She swallowed another piece of meat before continuing her espousement of Karls violent virtues, “That dude is fucking scary. When the fight started he jumped some thirty feet, grabbed this inmate with one hand and threw him about 50 yards across the rec yard. Dude smacked against the wall and smeared it with his blood. Then he single handedly slaughtered about 30 inmates before leaving Kaia, his coyote, to ‘play’ with the rest of the inmates.”

“Then he went in and tried to save three of our officers from the worst of the bunch. Him and Junipher.” Stephen added, “He didn’t save the officers, but he sure as shit avenged our people.”

“Then we entered a Nightmare Dungeon to track down a bunch of inmates that were using it to power level. We entered with ten staff, only left with seven. What he did to Cross, holy shit does Karl have a temper.” Courtney chimed in.

“Who, what did he do?”

Courtney picked up the story telling again as Michelle and Stephen had both grabbed more meat, “Well, that guy, Hernandez” she looked at Stephen for confirmation which he gave with a nod of his head, “So that guy Hernandez lost his shit when he saw that inmate, Cross. Seems Cross was a real sadistic fuck. He hung that brand new COT from the razer wire and dragged him through it. I remember seeing that, fuck.” Courtney shivered despite the heat from the fire.

Stephen continued for her, “Anyway, Hernandez charged at Cross who grabbed him and impaled him on a spike. The room we were in was lined with them. But he didn’t stop there, he yanked the dudes arms off. Well, Karl started unloading his pistols at the man. Then that fucker jumped through the room and landed right in front of Karl who had been working his AK.”

“I thought you said he had pistols?” Mark, who was thoroughly engrossed in the story looked confused.

Michelle wiped her mouth and jumped into the conversation, “He does, he has a lot of weapons, he really likes his guns but he’s pretty much an all rounder. He’s in his forties, so he got himself a lot of life experience. Lots of skills, if you haven’t figured it out, Skills are more important than Class levels in the System.”

“Yeah, I got my class because I was studying Physics. Literally started out as a Physics Mage. I can manipulate gravity and mass.” Stephen was getting excited about his favorite subject.

Mark interrupted him, then realized what he did and apologized, “What about Karl? Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you.”

Stephen laughed and shrugged, “I get excited about this System stuff, where was I? Ah, right, So Cross jumps at Karl, still holding Hernandez’s arms and using them as clubs. Karl hacks off his hand and Cross throws the other arm at him. Karl catches that fucker and proceeds to beat him with it. Karl is pissed and he’s just swinging this arm into that piece of shit inmates face over and over again. Blood is flying all over the place. He finally realizes the arm is mush and tosses it aside.”

Mark stared in horror at what he thought was the end of the story, “So he killed the dude with an arm?”

Michelle looked straight into his eyes before she spoke, “No, the dude was still alive. Karl shoved his plasma pistol into the fuckers mouth and pulled the trigger, vaporized the top of Cross’s head. That’s what killed him.”

“Then he blasted the healer that had surrendered, actually feeling a little bad about that dude, oh well.” Courtney added to the end of the story.

“He killed a man that had surrendered?” Jen spoke up for the first time since the story started.

“Yeah, one of the conditions of the Nightmare Dungeon, with two parties active inside, was in Conflict Mode. They either needed to leave or be defeated before anyone would get loot.”

“And you all follow the man? Sounds like a psychopath and a murderer.” Jen shivered as she replayed the story in her mind.

“Maybe, but we’ve been hanging on by the skin of our teeth out there. He’s been the glue to hold it all together. He got the settlement core and created a safe place. He negotiated with the refugees to bolster our own strength, at least one I know of your Mayor rejected to the Red Waste between here and Winslow. He’s harsh, but he’s fair. And he’s currently on his way here to solve your problem.” Nandi let some of her irritation through as she spoke.

Jen’s face flashed in shame as she realized she had spoken ill of their leader. And after they had fed them and provided a sense of security. “I- I’m sorry. I just…”

“No worries, girly, of course, everything they are talking about was before he earned his Advanced Class. He even had a dream about it or something.” Nandi waved at her dismissively.

Mark, ever curious, asked the question for him and his sister, “What’s his Advanced Class?”

Michelle answered, “Merciless Reaper of the Foolish. Your Mayor is fucked. She sounds like quite the foolish one indeed.”

Mark's eyes became saucers. “Like the Grim Reaper?”

The group chatted for the next few hours, relating stories on how they had come to know Karl. When the conversations wound down, the teens emotions ran the gamut of awe to absolute terror. Neither were sure this man would be their savior or doom. But from the stories they had heard from people that actually knew him, one thing was certain. He was far more dangerous than any of the rumors running through Flagstaff about the Warlord of Winslow had made him out to be.

Soon after that, Nandi’s lookout informed her she had spotted Karl and was currently guiding the man back to their hillside camp. She was curious to see him with another much shorter man riding a slightly smaller coyote.

“Nandi. It’s good to see you, how are you doing? Karl immediately greeted her with a grim smile.

“I’m good as can be, ready to get this shit over with, hey Junipher, how are you?” Nandi replied and leaned in to receive a hug from the beautiful plant woman.

“I am good, Nandi. I’ll leave you and Karl to talk while I go greet the others.” She smiled and silently left through the path Nandi had used herself to come down from the camp.

“Nandi, let me introduce you to the leader of our latest group of refugees, Gregor of the Broken Rock Dwarves, this is Nandi.”

“Well met, Miss.” Gregor dipped his head in a formal gesture.

Kaia and his pack mate lurked off into the woods around the camp. They would keep watch with their keen ears and eyes while their humans plotted the demise of one Mayor Carol Blevins and the former inmates now known as Red Bands. They entered the camp site as Junipher greeted everyone and quickly made acquaintances with the two dumbstruck teens that Nandi had picked up along the way.

When Karl walked into the clearing he was greeted and introduced Gregor to everyone assembled. The only two that didn’t speak to him were Jen and Mark who were dumbstruck by the man’s height and the terrible aura that seemed to seep liquidly into the air around him. No one else seemed to notice. The teens found it difficult to bear the man's presence, a pressure in the air seemed to increase the longer they stared at him. So captivated by the feeling they didn’t notice when he spoke to them.

“Uh… hello?” He asked again and Jen snapped out of her reverie.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I’m Jen and this is my brother Mark, I..” She barely stammered the greeting out as the big man's intense stare seemed to penetrate her soul.

Karl picked up on the teenager's discomfort and released a soft laugh, “Seems my reputation precedes me?”

Nandi came around with a grimace, “We may have told them about the battles and adventures we’ve witnessed.”

“Oh, that’s awkward.” Karl scratched his dark beard, then the pressure seemed to recede like it was something he had conscious control of.

“Again, I’m sorry, they talked you up pretty good.” Jen blushed.

“Is it true you beat a man with another man’s arm?” Mark broke from his spell and asked the first inappropriate question that came to mind, or so his sister thought.

Karl looked down and cracked a smile that looked more like a snarl, “I did, and he deserved it.”

“What? You must tell me this tale, Karl. Preferably over a cool mug of ale.” Gregor exclaimed.

“Maybe another time, I have business to conclude here, first.”

“So, Mark, Jen, tell me, what’s it like inside?”

Now that the brooding nightmare of a man was talking directly to them, Jen noticed the pressure had completely eased. It was like he decided they weren’t a threat. And who would be a threat to this man, he was a walking arsenal of guns and blades. And she was certain there was more in his spatial inventory. Pistols, Magazines, and Grenades hung off his tactical vest like christmas ornaments on a tree. A pair of large axes were strapped to his back, though it seemed he had loops for carrying them at his hips too. Maybe on his back for travel, and on his hips when it’s time to fight? She decided her best option was to tell this man everything he wanted, not refusing him any detail.

“Not good. It was OK before the insurgents tried to take out the Mayor. Still not great, but now.” She shrugged.

“Why stay? Why not leave, like the Valkyr and the Dwarves?” Karl asked her gently.

“And go where? Winslow? It’s nearly 60 miles on foot and no one knows if it’s even real. They Red Bands have been spreading rumors of cannibalism and monsters the likes of which we’ve never seen. After the assassination attempt we lost outside network access. Have to prove our worth to the Mayor. Oh, some tried, though we never heard from them again.”

“We haven’t had anyone arrive at the gates claiming to be from Flagstaff, have we?” Karl asked his people. They shook their heads quietly in response.

“How many people are still alive in there?”

“About twelve thousand. It’s pretty spread out, Mayor only made one apartment building, then she made her damned mansion. Says she doesn’t have enough to make more.”

“So the bitch is hoarding.” Gregor spoke up.

“Would seem so. We heard she has the Red Bands take your settlement cores when you arrive?”

“Yeah, why does that matter? We can’t do anything with them this close to Flagstaff.”

Karl looked at her with a grim expression, “Because that’s one of the quick ways to earn lots of Settlement Points. It’s how I’ve been building up my village. She could have quickly replaced the trashed buildings with shiny new apartments and facilities if she’s taking all the cores.”

“Any food production?”

“No, we’ve been raiding the grocery stores, they’re pretty much out of food though. Everyone is going hungry except for the Mayor and her Red Bands.”

Karl stood and pulled out a large rucksack and started stuffing his equipment in it. Then he stripped down to nothing in front of everyone. Jen looked on in shock as the man got completely naked. He was clearly not modest. He produced a pair of cargo pants that he stomped into the ground a bit before putting them on, then a grey t-shirt. A significantly cheap looking tactical vest replaced his other one, this one already had several Glock magazines slotted in it and then the Glock appeared in his hands and he strapped it to his hip. Finally, he slipped into a dirty brown duster.

Then he turned to Gregor, knelt down and said, “Hit me.” Gregor looked at him, then his teeth appeared behind that luscious beard and his fist lashed out faster than Jen could track. Karl’s head snapped back, cursed, then demanded the Dwarf hit him again. This time Karl fell over backwards and laughed. Gregor extended a hand and helped him back up. This man is insane.

“Alright” he flashed a bloody smile back at the group, “Think I’m ready.”

“Bloody Hell, boss, what are you planning?”

“I said I was going to walk right through the front doors.”

“Here, cover that bald head.” She produced a gray beanie and Karl pulled it on. “Now yer ready.”

“So, I’m going to head in, I need someone to sneak up to the wall and toss this over.” Michelle hopped up, hefted it, and said she’d get it over. With that settled Karl turned back to Jen and Mark.

“What should I expect when I approach the gate? I want to get in without setting off any alarms.”

“Uh, so, you look good.” She blushed and the group chuckled at that, “I mean, uh, they won’t want anything you have. They’ll take the Glock. No one gets to have weapons on the inside except the Red Bands.”

“Heh, that’s fine. Michelle, if you can get it just inside the wall, maybe a mile from the entrance, I’ll recover it easy enough.”

“Gotcha, boss.”

Mark spoke up now, “What are you going to do when you find her?”

Karl looked over his shoulder at the young teen, “I’ll give her a chance to give it up, though you know she won’t accept it, so I’ll kill her. Violently.”