Shawn and Cire spent the few hours meeting people–though, many were attending to the refugees from the orbital ptform, and Garrett had already fallen in with the militia. The part town watch, part re task force were housed in a squat, two-story brid steel-reinforced building sitting on a low rise, by the outskirts of town. It was defensible, and he could hear the crack of rifle rounds in the distahey practiced with live fire routines oskirts of town, away from the bustle.

  From what he’d gathered so far, the rifles were not effective against threats he expected to see regurly. This meant he o figure out his powers and see ractical effect they could produce, with minimal power input on his part.

  He kept trying to snap his fio will any of them iend so far, all he’d mao do roduce sparks, much to Cire’s delight. “So, you have fire, ice, and a third, strahing.”

  “Some kind of protective barrier. We would all have been roast chi if I hadn’t gotten that barrier up. But, I seem to be having some…replication issues.” He frowned as he tried to focus on that feeling from before, that charge of energy, going from his core, down his limbs. He could feel it–faintly. Like ay el within his body. Before, he’d felt like he was brimming with that electric charge. Maybe someone else would know what the issue was. Was he doing it wrong?

  You’re still not at full charge. You used almost all of it during our escape. I believe your body will naturally vert some energy from your normal food intake. Or, imbibiain alchemical products.

  Let’s not make a sce experiment out of our body. Just say you don’t have the knowledge on this, or you ’t remember. He gnced up to see Telga and Varrick talking quietly outside of the primary town municipal building. It was a defensible, three-story structure fortified with peared to be rudimentary crete aal g where applicable. He tapped the metal g, trying to scratch it. Even his talo no mark, and Cire raised an eyebrow.

  “Gonna have to power up to tear through walls, Shawn.”

  “Nah, take a look. This is steel. I don’t see any corrosion, giveive humidity. Someone knows what they’re doing,” he pointed out. But, the disparate tech levels were still puzzling: the gestalts carried limitless potential. The dwellings appeared insuted–if simple, but why? Was it a resource restri? Was it cultural? Or, perhaps an aspect of the fual nature of the p: fractured tis, different knowledge pools, all separated by insurmountable, literal gaps?

  He’d have to file those questions away for ter. “Telga, who do you have in town who is knowledgeable in history and physical sces?” he asked abruptly.

  “Well, I have a detailed knowledge of many sces. Though, the gestalts tend to break physics at times,” she demurred, examining him curiously. “I’m surprised you’re up and running. You didn’t o–”

  “Solving problems is my way of putting bad stuff behind me.” He didn’t eborate further than that, and she nodded softly. “What about...those who didn't make it?" he asked, a his words falter for a sed.

  Her gaze never left him. “I spoke with the alderman. For those we firm perished, there will be a remembrance service. It…may be different from what you are aced to, from your pce in.” The way her eyes dimmed, as if the lights had go, told him she was barely holding it together.

  Halsey, do you know why I feel relieved?

  Why's that?

  Even gods aren’t infallible around here, and they have feelings, too. He cleared his throat before addressing her. “I’d uh…I wouldn’t mind being there for that.”

  “Me, too,” Cire spoke up after a moment aly rubbed at her arm. “Will we be safe here?”

  “For now. Varrick, I have a favor to ask. I’ve made arras for the rest of the surviviven their knowledge base, Shawn and Cire might be ined to use the smithy shop.” Varrick raised a feathery brow at that.

  “Before I agree to this, do you trust them?”

  “Yes. I do. They were thrust into a situation not of their making, and chose to fight against Revarik anyway.” Shawn found it telling that they were asking right in front of them, rather than in private, and Varrick looked their way, gold eyes gleaming.

  “Okay. I'm up for it. I have a few thoughts.” He approached Shawn, sizing him up. “I gathered you have a bit of a uuation. You’re not going to have an easy time. This is a hard life, out here, but we live well when we work together. Give me some skills of yours, top three.”

  “I hunt. I help design and manufacture various items. I’m no slou a fight, either,” he replied firmly and straighteo his full height. That look was that of a man who had weathered the world well, and ks harsh realities. “Cire, your skills?” he called out.

  “I know chemistry and b setups. I know martial arts. I have…more social skills than Shaw es to getting information and ving people to help.” She also stood at attention, as if they were being judged. A good impression was crucial here.

  Varrick gazed at both of them for a spell, his expression unreadable except for the slight tensing by his eyes and cheeks. That eagle-eyed stare was…intense. People oh didn’t stare at each other so intensely. Varriodded to the smithy on the hill. “Those are a good start. You’ll work to earn your keep. I give you a roof over your head, and a hot meal. I’m expeg the same thing from the other poor souls who aren’t in broken spirits who made their way here. You’re expected to help out with what you , to help us thrive…”

  “We do that. We’ll have to pool knowledge on what we be useful with.” he g Telga, who gave a silent nod to Varrick, who then smiled before responding.

  “Alright the’s finish the tour, the you situated.”

  Shaw several other people during the day and took mental notes. Halsey itted the discussion to memory. He was somewhat distracted by ohing that Telga had told him earlier that was still eye-opening:

  Aveeran and humans were not the only species that poputed this world, not by any measure.

  He felt like he’d been thrust straight into a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, whehought about it. They briefly spoke to the town cil, a colle of six individuals. Two were human, two were Aveerans colored like a macaw parrot–twins, even–but Shawn wasn’t prepared for the other two.

  The first was a roughly lizard-looking female, with bright green eyes, and yellow scales, standing on two legs, and possessing a short tail. She stood about a meter and a sixty timeters tall–fairly short, irosped spoke with a slight lisp of an at, on at of her forked tongue. When he shook her hand iings, he noticed her scaled flesh was warm–very warm, even. It was not indicative of an ued metabolism.

  He found that fasating. Despite the appearance of scales, this suggested she was warm-blooded. She was the head historian and researcher of the town, and she told him her species was called the Lovar’ii.

  She was also quite eid Cire looked frazzled after the warm greeting. “So you’re from Earth? My goodness, there hasn’t been anyone from there in a while! At least, around here! Usually, the Radiants stockpile them in their little retreats, ahem on important missions Then they get murdered by giant monsters, walk into one of the many hazards of Remaria, or try to take on an army. They don’t st too long!” she added with an eye roll. “Oh goodness, names! I’m Ara, and you guys are…”

  “I’m Cire, this is Shawn,” she offered. She g the other sel member, a bipedal that Shawn thought looked suspiciously like a kitsune or other fox-like being, right from his manga novels. The young male looked unimpressed, with the way he scowled with dark red fur with bd white ats on his fad hands, and ochre-colored eyes. He didn’t even offer a handshake. “You are?” Cire offered, in an attempt to break the ice.

  “Riggs. I run imports and exports for the town, mostly timber, and some agrarian products, too. Five me if I don’t shake your hand. Summons have a short life expecy, and I don’t like to get attached to people who usually end up dead in a month. Though, Telga's folks have fared much better, the few she has brought in,” he added with a disgusted sound emanating from his throat.

  Shawn aimed an anxious g Telga, who looked a the young man, before responding. “Riggs, I uand your viewpoint–”

  “No, you don’t. Every time a Radiant tries to import a ‘solution’, it ends badly for everyone else. Do you think your brother isn’t doing the same thing? Or Mikealson, downspin of us?” He gritted his pointy teeth, eyes narrowed at Telga. “I like being in the ass-end of nowhere, where the biggest dangers are the monsters. I deal with the monsters. Imported murder maes? I run for the hills when they show up, thanks.”

  “Rex! Do we look dangerous?” Cire asked in a sweetened voice. The vulpine scuffed his foot pad on the wooden floor and clicked his tongue. “We’ve just been through a traumatic ordeal, and we’d like less of that, thanks.”

  “Look babe, if you st a month, I’ll be impressed. Last lohan that…” he smiled as he gazed at her as if examining her intensely. “I might have to buy you dinner.”

  “Yeah, you’re not really my type, guy. Not including that shiny personality, either,” she scowled and crossed her arms, while Riggs chuckled softly.

  “Suit yourself. If you st lohan a month, you might earn my respect, at the least." Shawn was tempted to say something unfttering–but let it stand. Cire could easily hahis guy.

  He soohe remaining cil who represented more muivities–town clerical duties, record keeping, and stru teams. One was a militia member, filling in the slot farrett ia. They were still debriefing with the militia ouation, and would joier.

  After making brief introdus, it was te afternoon, with the sunbeams interspersed between the massive trees surrounding the town. Shawn noted a gravel path, well maintained and lit, that led outward onto a winding path through the forest, past the rger trees, and into the more terrestrial-sized forest. He also he town was surrounded partially by steep hills that did not seem readily traversable; the front gate was the easiest way in. He also observed the militia had a few members perched on watch towers, always on the lookout, armed with rifles and what looked like some kind of optical scopes.

  He poio one casually and got Varrick’s attention. “Why are there always armed lookouts?” Varrick grunted softly, standing stoically as he gnced in that dire.

  “Your arrival wasn't enough of a clue? There are plenty of monsters big enough to treat the town as a feasting ground, let’s say. We have several gestalt users with siderable firepower to deal with rge threats, and we also have some alchemical ons to deal with foes. Do you have giant, fire-wreathed samanders about six meters long, that set off forest fires during the dry season? Or are they stantly eating any poor soul in their path?” he asked, his beak creased in a smirk.

  “No. We don’t have those, where we e from,” Shawn said with a moment of dread. “What else is out there?”

  “Large predators. Some look felihers look like an…it’s got a tough scaled hide, and rolls around in a ball. Dunno how it gains momentum, but it’ll crush you into paste if you don’t get out of its way.” Shawn looked at Varrikly.

  “You have killer armadillos, out here?”

  “Is that a creature from Earth?”

  “Um…ly.” He rubbed the bridge of his beak and sighed. “And, these threats are big enough to warrant a persistent armed watch?”

  “Wele to Remaria,” Varrick grinned. “This giant ball of scattered rocks has plenty of dangers, and the skeletal remains of people and old civilizations dot the whole ndscape. Even the Radiants and their misguided efforts at quest still aren’t the top threat. Monsters, storms, weird enviroal magic, A wrong step out a gravity well that’ll eject you out of the atmosphere…”

  It was hard to keep a haggard look from creeping onto his face. This p is so messed up, Halsey. Did Varrick say you eve yeeted into space?!

  Unfortunately. I was more worried about the plethora of giant mohat chew on humanoid birds for breakfast. They rate higher on my list of probable causes of your death.

  Halsey, what's my leading likely cause of death? Just out of morbid curiosity.

  Pissing off Cire.

  Shaw his reauted. “That’s…helpful to know. Cire, you should take that Etteria, and power up.”

  “Hell, no, Shawn! Look what it did to you!” she protested, shaking her head vigorously. “Maybe if I feel like it’s death either way, I’d sider it!”

  “Cire? You are bite-sized, and your fists of fury are not going to do diddly to monsters,” he tered. “Varrick, let’s call it a day, a settled in. I want to start figuring out a way to be useful to the town, because I’ve got a whole po searce we’re i shape.”

  “For what reason?”

  “Well, killing a sadistic, power-hungry god is a good start. Then I o find someone from Earth who was dragged here. Involuntarily. If she survived ten years here, she’s gonna be pissed to find out that some of her favorite bands broke up while she’s been stuck here.” Cire rolled her eyes at this.

  “If Maggie survived this world for ten years, I worry about what state she'll be in if we find her, Shawn. Boy band breakups are going to be the least of her s–”

  A shrill whistle sounded from one of the guard towers, and Shawn stention to the trolled shouts from one of the watch members, and a silver disk on Varrick’s vest lit up. “Town Militia, all hands! Got a pack of Jabberyowls ing in!”

  “A jabber-what?”

  Shawn wao fly to see what the distress was, but someone was already firing their rifle. A shrill screech, followed by several others, emanated from beyond the wall. Several rifle shots cracked in the distance, and Varrick grabbed his rifle off his sling, and checked the chamber, looking at both of them. “Fall back, we’ll deal with this.”

  “Oh hell no, if we’re going to earn our keep, we’re killing monsters!” Cire fumed. That infernal screech was getting louder, and Shaed as it became a death rattle.

  A rge, furry creature the size of a pact car leaped almost two stories and nded ihe town perimeter wall. It was already riddled with bullet wounds that trickled blood, but it showed no signs of slowing down, and it leered at their small party. There was a scream as another creature leaped onto one of the watchtowers, and the Aveeran manning it barely got away from a set of swiping paws. They had instantly unfurled their emerald wings with a burst of speed into the air, and fired while retreating, sharp cracks of rifle fire pinging it relentlessly.

  Shawn took in the visage of the creature staring them down, snarling. It had all the appearance of a rge, bck-furred feline rger than a tiger, and its faded in a bloodied, hooked beak. Short, stubby wings emerged from its back; its fur stood tensed, and it hissed at them. The tail was muscur and powerful, with short spiky protrusions running from the base of the tail, all the way down the spihis creature was the winged version of the Bandersnatch, minus the 'muting out the world' power he'd observed.

  Varrick tossed his revolver sidearm to Cire. "Jabberyowl, pack hunters. Gotta kill the head of the pack, before they’ll retreat.”

  Cire checked the on while Shawn tensed, feeling that familiar spark of fury c from his core, down to the tips of his cws, and motes of fire emerged from his palm. He wished he hadn't left his revolver behind. “Whie is the head of the pack?!”

  “The biggest, mea ohat’s staring down at us.” Varrick gritted his beak and shouldered his rifle in an instant, aiming. “They’re fast. You take a swipe from those cws, you’re dead.”

  Halsey, this p is insane, and we’re being thrown into the deep end again!

  You might want to start eling your Etteria core to make fireballs to deal with the hungry predator! Why do you have to look so damn tasty to them?!

  As if reading his mind and his teahe creature pounced with incredible speed over the distance, using its wings as airfoils to guide on target at Shawn, who felt a surge of heat course through him. This critter was three meters of cwed death and primal rage, aimed at him.

  Now he kly how the birds felt when his pet cat brought them home, to deposit on his doorstep as a morbid gift.

  Annou Halsey, you're being such a mood, here. Shawn's a birdman on a p of killer cats, he o focus.

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