John was floating in darkness, the void of bck extending away from him. The edge might be just beyond his fingertips, or some immeasurable distance away, he had no way of knowing. All he knew was it was dark, silent, and... comforting?

  Where am I?

  He had no idea, nothing in his memories, even his experiences in DEN giving him any perspective on this. They only thing that he could think of was what his old preacher would sometimes talk about, a soul being stuck in Limbo, awaiting judgement. This didn't seem quite like that though... not that he was a devout Christian anyways. He and his wife were part of the C&E crowd (Christmas and Easter), otherwise they did not attend any services.

  As he floated through the void, his surrounding started brightening up, the diffused energy having no point of origin from what he could tell. Bubbles were revealed to him, floating around him in the bckness, shining brightly in the void. He reached out with a hand and touched one.

  HIGHER DADDY! HIGHER!

  A little girl on a swing in a park, screaming in joy as her father pushed her from behind.John blinked, his mind returning to the sea of bubbles.

  What was that?

  He reached out for another.

  Dear, it is just my time. We had a good life together. Promise me... promise me you will find someone else when I am gone. I don't want you to be alone.

  Honey, don't say that, there is still time, still treatments...

  Shhh... It's okay John. It will all be okay.

  John blinked, tears now forming in his eyes, reliving the pain from that moment, one of the st he had with his wife. She died a week ter.

  Why am I here? What is this pce?

  He poked another bubble.

  GRANDPA! I MADE IT INTO MIT!

  Another bubble.

  Thank you Dad, with out your support, I wouldn't have been able to pass the BAR.

  Another.

  Why are boys all disgusting! Why can't I find one like you Grandpa?

  Again.

  You're Fired!

  He kept poking bubbles, reliving moments from his life. The good times, the heartbreaks, some insignificant, others life changing. Finally, he popped another one and found himself sitting in a white room, on a white chair. In front of him was a man that looked suspiciously like Morgan Freeman.

  "Well anomaly, how are you enjoying my world?" The man said, a deep gravelly voice coming both from his mouth and all around John.

  "What? Who are you?" John asked, still trying to get his bearings.

  "Right, I suppose considering who sent you, I best be cordial. I am the God of Fate, one of the many beings in charge of this world. I have been watching you ever since you, rather since my boss interrupted the reincarnation of my chosen one and repced him with you."

  "God of Fate? So you are aware of DEN and Alec?" John said, eyeing the being in front of him.

  "Yes, though they are beyond my power, much like I am beyond yours. When I saw what was happening with you in the dungeon, I was curious to see who exactly was brought in to my world. I must say, your world is an interesting one, one who pces more value on group opinions than personal strength. I see that though it was far from a perfect system, you seemed to have lived a good life there." The God of Fate said, watching John intently.

  "Yeah, I had a good life. Now, I am apart of DEN, living out new lives. Which is still crazy to me." He replied, then leaned forward in his chair. "So why am I here?"

  "Here? This is your mind, I am just visiting. You are unconscious, the days events took too much toll on your failing body. You started to become delirious, forgetting where you were and who your companions are. It was quite the spectacle, the looks of concern they were giving you were quite superb." The god said.

  Ahh! He is just watching for entertainment as well... figures.

  "So what can I do for you then? I assume you didn't stop by for the decor" John said, gesturing to the empty room they were sitting in.

  "It was just curiosity really. The way I thought this story would py out is turning out quite differently. I will give you this little bit of advice though, may it aid you during your time here in my world." The god said, then whispered something in John's ear.

  John just nodded, taking the Gods words in. He would have to process what they meant at a ter time.

  "Now with that, I will give you one st boon before I depart. It has been about three hours on the outside, but I have refreshed your mind. Go help your companions in their time of need. Oh, and don't expect any more direct help from me. You already have my chosen ones boon, that should be more than enough to let you survive in this world. Take Care, Anomaly." He said, then disappeared before John could reply.

  John closed his eyes, letting his mind drift, the room disappearing around him.

  Dungeon - Third Floor

  "He is coming around Nya! John, are you okay?" A voice said above him. He opened his eyes and looked up. There were a pair of yellow eyes staring down at him, with a smile on the lips below them.

  He was ying on the ground of a tunnel, his head on Shallia's p. He felt like he just had a good nights rest, his mind clear, his memories returning from his episode from earlier. He cringed a little bit at some of the things he said.

  "Hi, umm, thanks for the pillow Shallia. I think I am better now." He said, sitting up. "What is the situation?"

  "We went down one of the tunnels. Evie is trying to make some earthworks, Terra and Iris are on look out." She replied

  "Is Nanael back yet?" He asked. The God of Fate said three hours had past, so she should be back here now.

  "No... no sign of her yet." She replied, sounding as worried as he was.

  "Okay then, well no time to waste. If they haven't made it here yet that means they must be searching everywhere above us. Lets get to work helping Evie in setting up some defenses." He said.

  "What are you going to do?"

  "What I am best at. Being a pain in the ass."

  Dungeon - First Floor

  "Come out you damn rabbit! I know you are still there. You are not the only one with detection skills you know." A man shouted, crossbow at the ready.

  Nanael was hiding in the shadows, unable to make any headway in moving down to the lower levels. She nearly ran into the main body of mercenaries when she first tried to make her way down. She was concealed, but that didn't stop that man from putting a crossbow bolt into her thigh. She backed away quickly as the mercenaries began to give chase, the wound hurting but only catching part of the muscle when it penetrated the ptes under her armour.

  Thank you Uncle Galba for making me buy the mithril and not the steel.

  She circled around, trying to lead them on a merry chase, but the man who shot her remained at the stairs, preventing her for making another run at it. He recalled his people and sent them on below, staying on guard at the stairs with a handful of men.

  That was almost four hours ago.

  Still, she remained, not for wanting to actually try to force her way down, but to reduce the number of enemies her party needed to fight. Right now she was tying up a third of his forces, five at each exit of this floor, including the man who was obviously the strongest member his unit.

  She would pelt them with rocks occasionally, letting him know she was watching, but otherwise didn't engage them. He was on her level, maybe even stronger, and a fighter type. She wasn't sure if she could beat him if they went toe to toe unless she managed to get a sneak attack in. Add his cronies into the mix and she would be done for.

  "C'mon little dy. If you give up now, I will see you are sold to a gentle master, one that just likes eye candy like yourself." The man shouted again.

  Right, that isn't how it works you buffoon.

  She was about to pitch another rock when the cnging of metal reached her ears.

  Oh no. Did they find them?

  Dungeon - Third Floor

  "PUSH FORWARD!"

  "TAKE OUT THAT MAGE!"

  "ARGH! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!"

  The shouts of the attackers echoed down the tunnel, arrows ricocheting off the rock wall or gncing off Terra's shield.

  They spent the st hour and a bit making blocks with his Dig skill, and stacking them two deep on either side of the tunnel, narrowing the passage. John made the holes along the floor in a checkerboard pattern, making the footing near the gap treacherous for anyone trying to force their way through.

  He had a few other pns in mind, but ran out of time, the arrival of the attackers forcing them to fall back behind the barrier. They sent Quackers to the rear incase any started circling around, but so far it appeared to be a full frontal assault.

  "Firebolt!" John called, tossing a ball of fire through the gap. He dived back behind the wall before he could see the results, but the screaming of a man told him he nded his shot.

  Iris stood back further, bow drawn. "Terra, shift!" She called, loosing her shot a moment ter. Terra moved to the side, narrowly avoiding the glowing arrows as Iris activated a multi-shot ability, the shots flying into the mass of bodies on the other side of the wall. Terra moved back in pce, thrusting her spear forward, stabbing another Merc.

  They were spoiled for choice for targets to hit, which didn't bode well for the exhausted party. The fighting continued, but Evie had to stop, her mana reserves tapped out. Iris had to pick and choose her targets, her arrows quickly diminishing, even when using skills to augment them.

  That left only Terra and Shallia guarding the gap, Terra's pte mail degrading in real time, the punishing blows she received starting to break her armour. Shallia was limited in what she could do, thrusting her staff in the gaps Terra created, but was unable to unleash any of her abilities due to the limited range she had behind the barricade.

  John watched the two work in tandem from the other side of the barricade, healing them as required. He didn't dare waste anymore mana on Firebolts. He could see Terra was gging, her movements growing slower as her exhaustion was setting in. He drew his sword then, ready to relieve Terra for a break. He thought he could hold for a few minutes... even a few moments so she could get a breath.

  He looked over her shoulder at the press of bodies, nearly a dozen people remaining standing on that side of the wall. The injured and dead were either dragged back or pushed to the sides. The remaining people were trying to push her out of the gap, but the uneven footing was preventing them from gaining enough traction to do so effectively. It gave him an idea.

  "Dig" He called out, aiming for the area above the center of their line. The heavy block dropped from ten feet up, nding on top of the man in front of Terra, crushing his skull and giving her a moment of respite.

  "You good Terra?" He asked, ducking behind the wall again.

  "Never better. Thanks- ARGH!" She screamed out, an axe connecting with the gap in her pauldron, shearing the shoulder armour off and biting into her neck.

  "SHALLIA, FILL THE GAP!" He called out, grabbing onto Terra and dragging her back. "Iris, support her! I'll get her back up."

  He leaned over the injured bearfolk, thrusting his hand on her injured shoulder "Middle Heal!" he called out. His magic enveloped her, closing her wound slowly. "I got you Terra, you will be okay."

  "Quackers sic him!"

  "Nya! You can't hit me."

  "HISS."

  The din of battle continued around him as he pushed his magic deeper into Terra, trying to heal her body. After a few moments, her hand grasped his causing him to pause. He looked at her eyes, the silver streaked greys boring into his. She grabbed his chest piece by the colr then, pulling him in for a kiss, a fast, hard kiss full of passion.

  "Thank you John-Sama. Let me up, I need to protect you now." She said, standing up and hefting her shield with her left arm. She bashed her shield with her spear, activating her taunting ability. "I'M NOT DEAD YET! COME AT ME YOU COWARDS!" She shouted, charging back into the gap where the enemies were trying to push through.

  John froze for a moment, then stood up as well. He shoved whatever just happened to the side and surveyed the battle.

  Shallia had injuries now, openly bleeding on her arms, but they seemed superficial. Quackers had the neck of one of the attackers in its maw, injecting venom into the mans body, causing him to scream and release his weapon, with Iris stabbing him for good measure. Evie was passed out, mana exhaustion taking her out of the fight. Terra, despite her bravado, was taking damage again, her armour failing her in more spots, the number of wounds growing on her limbs, her breastpte the only thing remaining intact.

  "Heal! Heal! Heal!" He kept casting his lighter, cheaper spell, conserving his mana incase he needed to use the stronger spell on a more devastating wound. "Dig" He dropped another brick, this time only giving the enemy a gncing blow.

  He waded forward then, stabbing with his sword in his left hand overtop of Terra's head, the bde deflecting off the merc's helmet.

  He kept stabbing, backing her up, but it was clear they were about to be overwhelmed, many of the attackers who were injured, rejoining the battle now that they had time to rest and treat their wounds.

  Did he have to return to DEN now? He wouldn't be leaving them to their fate, but he could grow stronger in other worlds, then return, kicking ass.

  He growled at that, for some reason it sounded distasteful to him. He would protect his new family to the best of his ability. He swore it.

  "Dig" Another block, this time it hit, stopping the man in his tracks.

  "AHHH-!" Terra screamed, taking a crossbow bolt in the gut.

  "Shallia, Iris, cover us!" He said, thrusting one st time. No answer. He risked a gnce to his side, and Iris was staunching a wound on Shallia's temple, the catfolk unconscious.

  "NO!" He shouted. He grabbed Terras body with his right arm and yanked her back. He felt something start to pop, but he let go, letting her fall roughly to the ground. She would forgive him, but if his shoulder dislocated now, it was over.

  "Fuck you!" He yelled, thrusting his sword into the gut of the man stepping through the gap. The mithril bde cutting through the leather easily, spilling his intestines across the floor. The next man was right behind him, and was about to catch John with his guard down when a wall of feathers got between them.

  "ARGH! A Damn Cobragoose!"

  "HISS"

  The goose jumped forward, snapping at the mans limbs, causing him to step back. It gave John enough time to stand up, and toss a heal spell on Shallia.

  "Dig" Nothing

  Did 30 seconds not pass yet?

  He spared Terra a gnce but Quackers only had a leather pad on his torso, he wouldn't st long up front against these men. Not that John would either, but at least he had proper armour. "Hold on Terra." He said, moving up beside the goose again.

  The din in the hallway was increasing, men were screaming and he had nothing to do with it. John looked out past the gap and in front of him were armoured knights, pushing down the tunnel, killing or knocking out the surviving mercenaries.

  Amongst them he spied a pair of blue bunny ears.