"299..."
"300..."
"...Mr. Reece? Excuse me." A young nurse walked into David's room. She was an short Asian woman with short, straight black hair.
"Oh... My apologies. I didn't know you were working out." She turned her head.
He had gained significant muscle mass. His muscles were more visibly prominent, his frame had the perfect combination between a bodybuilder and a calisthenics athlete. His body had partially transformed as a result of Desim's blood seeping through his veins.
"Don't worry about it." David got up as he put his white t-shirt back on.
"Did you need something?"
"Ah, yes. I needed you to fill out some paperwork for your discharge today."
David nodded, grabbing the pen that she offered him.
"...Wait. I usually fill these papers out when I reach the reception office."
The nurse went quiet, getting nervous.
"Why did you actually come in this room?" David approached her, getting closer.
"...I've been watching for you for a while... but I didn't want to seem like a creep."
"You mean you've seen me walk past, either running or working out. That isn't being creepy... I think..."
"Do you want my number?" David asked, curious.
She nodded, pulling her phone out.
David typed it in.
"Try not to forget about me."
She couldn't react. She simply walked out the room afterwards.
He then walked back to gather his things, stuffing them all in his military grade backpack.
"...So that's attraction. You humans are... interesting at interacting with each other. Why don't you simply mate with her?"
"...That's not how that works."
"Why? You are stronger then her and she's clearly... enchanted by you."
"Again, not how that works."
"...Ah, I see. You told her not to forget about you, but it's truly you that's going to forget about her."
"You make it seem like I'm a bad person."
"...Seems I'm not the only one experimenting in a new world..."
"...Shut the fuck up."
David felt the skull chuckle in response. David smiled, knowing Desim was enjoying himself.
***
U.S. Hunter Branch: Brooklyn Metropolitian
"...So they moved me here."
The U.S. Hunter Branch: Brooklyn Metropolitian was a federal site for hunters that operated within New York City, controlled by the Department of Defense. It is located near U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hamilton, where its military police force manage the security around the site.
It was a large complex that was responsible for providing hunters with housing, meals, supplies and equipment needed to perform their dangerous missions. It was surrounded by several layers of barbed wire and the entire complex was similar to a U.S. Army Base, but more urbanized to suit the city's theme.
"David Reece. Rank F Hunter. Confirmed." A machine spurred to life, reading out his information after David put his license to a reader.
"Never heard of a F-Rank Hunter being stationed here. You must be better then you seem." The military police guard said, walking out of the security booth.
"...Trust me, I wish that was true." He said as he walked through the gate with his suitcases and backpack.
"...They must have moved you here to keep close observation of you. They still doubt you."
"...It makes sense. Only experienced hunters that are not directly affiliated with the Adverse Realm Control agency are stationed here... It's considered an honor to have a room here if you are not directly contracted by ARC."
"...If only they knew you had truly earned your keep."
"...They eventually will."
David arrived to his room, it was stationed underground. He used his security card that he got from the receptionist station.
He opened the door.
"...Jessica?"
He looked down at Jessica tying her combat boot laces.
"Oh, David...Damn, you survived." Jessica snickered.
"Again with these remarks..."
"Wait... you are David right?" She curiously questioned.
"...Do I not look like myself to you?"
"...Desim?"
"...Your physicality has not changed significantly. Do not worry."
"No. You don't..."
"You look bigger, like... ridiculously bigger."
"Oh, you mean my physique."
"Not just buffer, but taller." Jessica stood and put her hand to her forehead then extended it.
"...More handsome too..." Jessica mumbled.
"...I'll just act like I didn't just hear that."
"...We were literally the same height, but you're WAY taller now." Jessica said, trying to cover up her whisper.
"I was taller then you anyway, maybe you're just seeing things... You're in uniform, so it looks like you got assigned a hunting mission. Go before you're late."
"Oh shit!" She checked her watch.
"Later!" She ran out.
"Unbelievable." David said as he shut the door and it locked automatically.
"...So it was him..." Jessica muttered to herself, remembering the previous battle.
"...Why did they even put me in the same room as a girl? Is this place co-ed?"
David then settled himself in his new room, choosing the other section of the room that Jessica did not.
"...Oh that makes it better. This room is large enough to completely separate us... Bedroom, Bathroom... The only thing I need to share with her is the living room and the kitchen."
David then looked at the mirror.
"...I did get taller, didn't I?"
"...By your world's measurements of human height, you were 5 feet and 7 inches before. You are now 6 feet."
"...No wonder my old clothes are hardly fitting me now. I need to replace my whole wardrobe now..."
"You are still young by this world's understanding of human age and growth. Your growth plates halt at 21 years old. You will have an excuse as to why you've gotten taller."
"Yeah, I'm not too worried about explaining that part either."
His phone received a notification, as it vibrated in his pocket.
He swiped it from his pocket and looked down. "Oh, it's that nurse."
"Are you going to mate with her?"
"Enough with that. Why do you want to see me have sex so bad?!"
"...Oh, so that's what it's called. I'm genuinely curious how you perform this... intercourse."
"...What the fuck man."
Before David could even think of texting the Asian nurse back, his phone began to ring.
"This is the Hunter Program number... Must be another assignment."
"License Number."
"############."
"Hunter David Reece, confirmed."
***
ARC Security Site-12
David began approaching the barricades surrounding the opened realm gate within the federal combat site, ARC soldiers constantly posted around the realm gate, including armed military vehicles. They were prepared to intercept any monsters that exited the gate.
"...David Reece?"
"Yes. That's me." David approached the unknown group of hunters.
"Hayden Evers. Nice to meet you." He held out his hand. David shook it.
The man was 6'1 in height, dark skinned with curly maroon hair and brown eyes. His facial hair seemed to be freshly trimmed. His visible scars on the right side of his face stood out.
"A seasoned hunter... That sword... Close quarters oriented..."
"Definitely caused by majins..."
"...You can sense it. The same energy, or as you humans call, aura, flows through any attack done by a majin. Humans are unable to recognize it."
"F-Rank huh?" Hayden looked at him.
"You definitely don't look the part... not what I was expecting. The rumors do you no justice." He chuckled.
"Agreed. Nice to meet you. You can call me Ken." A hunter perked up. He was an Asian with long, straight black hair and black eyes.
"...I know him. You were in the recent realm gate at Site 11 right?"
David nodded.
"...The Sage. That's what hunters throughout the city have been calling this guy. Single-handedly helped a lot of hunters in binds, guy's smart as hell."
"Why the Sage?" Ken inquired.
"You know those medieval parties in video games? Kinda like that, where he's the thinker. Heard he's real good on his feet. That's good, considering he's the weakest."
"Name's Jake. Good to be workin with ya, Sage." Jake held out his hand. David shook it.
Jake was fair skinned, seemed to be Hispanic, with curly brown hair. Brown eyes.
"Likewise."
"...They're not so bad..."
"Reece. Everybody's been briefed but you. This realm gate is quite similar to the one you faced back in Site 11, it's a complex, complicated cave system. Different layout but relatively the same."
"This is a D-Rank Realm Gate, so I doubt you will be getting any drops, if any kills. Don't mean to hurt your pride, but I'm being real, considering your rank."
David nodded.
"ARC wouldn't let us do this mission without at least one more hunter, didn't matter the rank."
"...That checks out. Four of them are D-Rank and the other five are E-Rank. You need at least ten hunters to do this mission, considering the ranks here."
"Hey, Sage." David felt a nudge to his arm.
"Damn, you really are stronger then you look." The hunter said. It was a feminine voice.
"Yana." She slightly waved with two of her fingers.
She seemed to be a young attractive woman, light-skinned and gray eyes. Seemed to be Blasian, both African-American and Asian. Her straight hair was moderately long. Her face seemed well taken care of. She was 5'3.
He paid attention to the jewelry she was wearing, her smaller chains, her rings and her earrings.
"...Young, black and rich, huh? You're definitely not part of this group." David looked at her.
"...You're checking me out... you're making it too obvious you're appraising me."
"Maybe I wanted to make it obvious." David retorted.
"...You're fast." She replied.
"Enough with the flirting, you two." Hayden sighed.
"...Was that really flirting?"
"You tell me." Yana said, walking past him and kept eye contact with him, until she went to get her backpack.
"...Yeah she's feeling you." Hayden patted his shoulder.
"We'll see."
"Anyway, we just need you to carry that bag and keep up with us. Act as our backup, of course. If you see or notice anything, don't be afraid to react."
"Porter, huh?"
"The Sage Porter..." Hayden thought out loud.
"Yeah, no." David shook his head and grabbed the larger bag.
"It kinda sounds good though..."
***
Inside the Realm Gate
"...It's too fucking dark in here."
"Put your combat helmets on, switch to night vision! Make sure your IR lights are on!" Hayden called out as he strapped his helmet to his head.
"...Fuck. I can see clearly in this darkness, but it'd be strange if I was the only one who didn't have a combat helmet."
"...The poor sensory functions of humans, such a pity."
"I feel like that insult was also directed towards me."
"...You are no longer human, so that is partially incorrect."
"...You said partially incorrect."
David strapped his combat helmet onto his head, as he turned on his night vision and IR functions.
"What is this place man?"
"Definitely different from Site-11's cave complex. This... seems more like an ant's nest."
"There's no monsters anywhere... This is weird."
"...What do you think, Sage?" Yana questioned David.
Yana saw David was already in his thinking phase, as the group continued forward.
"...Hey, look. There's definitely lightstones on the walls. They seem to be off."
"Lightstones?" David stopped. Yana noticed.
"What is it?"
"...Shh."
"...The lightstones being off, even though this is an active realm gate. That must mean that the monsters here must like the dark... the lightstones even seem to be tampered with, as if they were bitten off..."
"...There are monsters here... They just haven't showed up yet." David looked at the ceiling.
"...I can feel them... hear them..."
"Monsters with even low intelligence would have a challenge living in an environment with no light... but if these beasts love the dark, they don't rely on their eyes... more on their senses."
The lightstones began to turn on, blinding their visions.
"NIGHT VISION, OFF!" Hayden yelled out.
"What the fuck?"
The hunters swiftly turned off their night vision.
~CLICK~
"...Those clicks..."
"MOTHS! WE GOT FUCKING MOTHS IN THE CEILING!" David yelled out.
"ARE YOU SURE?!" Hayden questioned.
"YES!"
The clicks got closer.
"Shit, he might be right. I'm hearing their loud fucking wings."
"Fuck, we're surrounded then!"
"Remain calm! There's no cover here, so get into a 360 degree formation! Do NOT let them get into the center, especially if they are coming from the ceiling!" Hayden ordered as the hunters quickly shuffled around to their posts.
The flying beasts quickly came into visible view as they were flying through the various holes in the ceiling.
"SHOOT THOSE FLYING MOTHERFUCKERS!"
Bullets began spraying as the ten hunters fired their M4A1s. Dead moths began falling from the ceiling from the surprise attack.
"David and Ken, grenade launchers!"
Ken quickly attached their grenade launcher to his M4A1 while David grabbed one from the large backpack he was carrying, firing them off into the various holes.
~BOOM~
The explosive projectiles fired from the launchers detonated within the structures, killing many beasts before they could exit.
Bullets kept spraying above, as the moths attempted to attack the hunters using their mouths and dodging their bullets while in the air.
A moth managed to penetrate their formation and landed near a E-Rank.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"PLEEEAAASSSE! S-SOMEONE! G-GET THIS- GET THIS THING OFF OF-!"
The hunters heard bones snap and screams briefly filled the area as the hunter was chewed alive.
The hunters got silent, as the bullets quickly overwhelmed the pleas of the now dead hunter.
"...Holy shit..." Yana hestiated.
"Snap of it or you're dead too." David nudged her, as he continued to open fire, firing off another projectile, hitting a few of the moths, their burnt bodies slamming to the floor.
The moths continuously dodged their onslaught of bullets.
Some hunters holstered their rifles, as they switched to their close quarters weaponry, such as swords and daggers, leaping forward. Jake and another D-Rank hunter jumped up into the air briefly and cut up a moth with coordinated attacks midair.
"E-Ranks! Keep firing on the beasts with your rifles! Do not let a single one get close to you or you are dead! Just one of them is able to destroy a building on their own!"
"Ken, you're responsible for them! Keep them safe!"
"You got it."
"Jake! Leon! With me! We're going to act as bait for these goddamn moths."
Hayden charged forward with Jake and Leon, as they battled the moths both on the ground and briefly in the air.
"...These hunters are good."
"...Definitely chained and coordinated. Hayden's not bad at issuing orders and understanding the situation."
Most of the moths concentrated on Hayden, Jake and Leon that were in the front of the arrowhead formation, with the E-Ranks further back.
David went backwards to reload as a moth approached him. He quickly deattached the camera on his gear, placing it on the ground, facing the hunters that were fighting up ahead.
He made sure no one was paying attention to him, as he swiftly grabbed its large head and crushed it. Its dead body falling to the ground.
"...I finally got a kill in. I was getting frustrated."
He then used Gluttony, decomposing the moth he had killed.
"...Wings? Never thought I'd utilize that."
"...Best not to try them out here."
"Agreed."
"Area, clear." Hayden shouted.
"Make sure you counted your kills. There should be enough for all of us. Stock up on ammunition from Sage, if you need it."
"...Someone pack up a body bag for Sullivan over there... what's left of him." Hayden looked over at Sullivan's dead body, David saw his fist ball up in anger.
"I got him." An E-Rank Hunter perked up, gathering one of the body bags David was carrying.
"...You saved us back there, Sage." Hayden approached him.
"How'd you know?" Hayden inquired.
"...Gut feeling. I realized the lightstones were chewed on and a moth is typically nocturnal."
"Good instincts and intelligence. You fit the nickname well."
"...My first time hearing I was called a Sage."
"Sage Porter."
"That sounds like an actual name, not a nickname. And I am NOT a porter."
"Let's continue forward!" Hayden shouted, signaling the group to move out.
"Pace yourselves. This gate is not to be underestimated. We've already lost one of us, I am NOT losing anymore of you." Hayden proclaimed. The hunters nodded in response.
"Night vision, on."
The group of hunters had gotten further into the cave complex, encountering E-Rank beasts and a few moths but nothing of the ambush they faced earlier.
"Hayden!" Ken yelled out.
Hayden rushed over.
"Look over here." Ken pointed at the upper walls.
The hunters saw several moths attached to the walls, eaten alive and left dead. Dead bodies also filled their path ahead of them.
"Chew marks? Were these monsters fighting for territory?" Jake inquired.
David walked over, looking at a dead moth.
"...No, the flow of majin energy is different. They weren't fighting each other..."
"A different majin is responsible for their deaths... something stronger then them."
"What do you think David?" Hayden looked over.
"...It doesn't seem like they were fighting each other. If you actually look at the bodies, they seem ripped part, by a stronger force and easily." David pointed.
"...These monsters are the same strength as each other... maybe it's the beast holding up this realm that ate these moths."
David nodded to Hayden's guess.
A surge of energy was then felt by David, his face stiffened.
"...David?" Yana looked at his facial expression.
"We need to be careful."
"...That ominous feeling."
The hunters would spend a few days within the realm gate, seemingly larger then most D-Rank Realms they've heard of.
There are times when hunters are required to stay within the realm gate to prevent monsters from reaching the outside and reaching the creature that continuously supplied energy to the realm's stability. Without taking out the priority beast, monsters can be reborn and invade Earth.
"...Shit's like a maze."
"Quit your complaining. We're almost there."
"...More and more dead beasts. Both the E-Rank and lower D-Rank beasts were torn apart..."
David felt a even more powerful surge of energy. That ominous feeling he felt earlier, had gotten closer.
"Hayden." David touched his shoulder and pointed up.
"Huh?... Oh shit."
"...Are those... webs?" Ken questioned.
"We made it. The lair..."
"...Webs, huh? That makes sense... The beast is a spider. That explains the chewing pattern I saw... This large cave complex is perfect for a spider to thrive in."
The webs contained the various beasts that populated the cave complex, all chewed alive and stuck within the bowels of the spider's cobweb.
"Woah... are those... essence stones?"
"...The harvested remains of the majin cores the beast collected. All stored within its lair."
"...How much would these sell for?" Jake said as he touched one.
"I know you're hustling, but not with me around. You know ARC regulations. We have to take essence stones in, it's government property as soon as we find them." Hayden said, patting his shoulder.
"You're no fun..."
"...And yet you don't realize there's a camera attached to your gear."
"...Shit."
"They'll let you get away with it since you WERE making a joke, right?"
"Yeah! Of course! I was joking!" He said nervously, hoping the camera caught his sincerity.
"This fucking guy..."
David kept facing upward, looking at something with a serious look.
"...What are you looking at-." Yana inquired, as she also looked up.
"Extend your range."
Yana did just that, adjusting her helmet's night vision goggles.
"...Oh... my god..."
Hayden turned back to David, paying attention to his expression and also looked upward.
"!!"
"That's... the priority beast?"
The group of hunters all looked upward, adjusting their goggles and looked upon a massive spider that covered half the ceiling. The lair was so large, it would be hard to even see the spider in the pitch darkness without a bright light source.
"We need to quickly mine these crystals before that thing wakes up." Hayden announced, as they began grabbing equipment to mine it.
"No drilling or anything that makes noise. Don't fucking stir the nest. Keep the mining as silent as fucking possible."
As the hunters began grabbing the necessary equipment, such as pickaxes, they began getting to work. The D-Rank Hunters did most of the mining, while the E-Rank Hunters crouched and pulled security around them, forming a 180 degree formation.
"...Wait... Spider... How do they often find their prey..."
"Vibrations."
"...Shit."
Before anyone else could realize the spider woke, David felt its aura as he quickly looked up.
"SCATTER!" David yelled.
"Huh?"
A large rumble filled the room. The large spider-type beast rushed off the ceiling toward the ground.
~BOOM~
Two E-Rank Hunters that were pulling security were immediately crushed, as the force smeared their remains around the spider's descent, as two of its legs held their heads that were penetrated. They were dead in an instant. Their heads sliding down.
A loud hissing noise from the spider filled the entire lair.
One of the E-Rank Hunters screamed in fear.
The D-Rank Hunters immediately stopped mining and opened fire upon the spider with their M4A1s, spraying its large body. David and Yana did the same.
"...Its body is as large as a fucking building... Legs seem far-reaching... Similar to the type of beast I faced in Desim's Realm, but stronger."
"...Our weapons won't be able to do shit against its strengthened structure. We'd have to go in close and personal... We have no explosive firepower that could even threaten it."
David and Ken both loaded their grenade launchers and opened fire upon its face, the spider immediately moving forward toward their positions.
David looked upon the monster, simply gazing at it.
"...I don't feel fear... I don't feel intimidated... I know I can take him on my own..."
"Jake, Leon! We gotta go up, close and personal!" Hayden said as he holstered his M4A1 and grabbed his sword. Jake grabbed his two daggers and Leon grabbed his spear.
The spider stomped forward, Yana and the last E-Rank Hunter stood there in fear. The spider instinctively paralyzed them.
Hayden, Jake and Leon propelled forward, beginning their attack of the spider.
"Aim for its joints! We need to bring it down!" Hayden ordered.
As Leon began his assault on its legs, jumping up to cut one, the spider turned its head and immediately shifted one of its legs.
"LEON!"
"...Huh?"
The leg instantly sliced half of his body, his upper and lower bodies completely separated. His intestines falling to the floor. The pressure from the leg launched him backward.
"...O-oh... s-shit..." Leon coughed up blood as his torn body hit the floor. As soon as he landed, he died on the spot.
"LEEEEOOONNNN!" Jake called out, as he almost met another leg that would've been his demise.
~BOOM~
Explosive projectiles hit the spider's leg.
Jake briefly looked back as he tried to thank both David and Ken.
"JAKE!"
The spider's mouth was instantly near Jake's position, as the spider slammed its head into the ground and ate Jake whole, crunching his body in its mouth. No yelp was heard, only blood that spiraled out of its mouth.
Hayden was attacking the spider's upper body, trying to penetrate its carapace but its outer shell was strong. The spider stomped forward, the force throwing him off balance and launched him into the ground.
"SAGE! KEN!"
"Wake the fuck up!" David yelled in Yana and the other E-Rank Hunter's faces, as he fired his M4A1 and his grenade launcher.
Ken opened fire, launching an explosive projectile into the spider's face. It did minimal damage, only angered it further.
"...Fuck... Fuck... Fuck!"
"...I know I shouldn't be surprised since to take on a D-Rank Priority Beast, you need at least five D-Ranks or one C-Rank..."
"...They should've known that... so why the fuck did they attempt this?!"
"...Why did I just stand here and let it happen?!"
"...You have your own reasons, Heir. Do not be emotional. It clouds your judgment. They are responsible for their own survival, as are you."
"...They simply did not have the strength to fight the foe before them. It is natural."
"..."
Hearing Desim's words calmed him down.
"...Why do I not feel... angry? I only feel pity... I only consciously got angry because they are my comrades, but... subconsciously... I don't feel anything..."
"MOVE!" Hayden yelled, as he charged forward to try and intercept the large spider.
The hunters dispersed as the large spider charged forward, almost hitting the essence stones they tried to originally mine, their equipment spiraling everywhere.
The other E-Rank Hunter was unable to dodge in time, as his remains were seen beneath one of the beast's legs.
"Oh my god, we're going to die... we're going to fucking die!" Yana yelped out.
David looked at her as tears streamed down her face.
The beast turned its attention toward Ken, as he continuously fired all of his explosive projectiles in a fit of rage and anger, his screams reaching their ears.
David immediately held onto Yana's paralyzed body and ran away from the scene. He quickly knocked her out with a jab to the neck and broke her camera discreetly.
Yells of anger and frustration were heard behind him from the last two hunters that were fighting.
After he got Yana to safety and laid her flat on the ground, he turned around as Ken's dead body was seen, splatted into a wall. Half of his body imploded on itself from the internal force it received.
He turned his head. Hayden was on the floor, bleeding out. The spider's leg penetrating his stomach. He coughed up blood. He was done for.
Hayden's head turned to David.
"...S-Sage..."
David's mind got quiet, focused on one purpose.
Hunting.
David swiftly launched forward, his helmet falling off of his head. He took the opportunity to crush his camera right when the helmet reached its view. The spider's head instinctively turned as it felt the aura surging from David's body, his eyes glowed menacingly.
The beast turned its attention toward him, identifying him as a majin, recognizing that David was a threat.
"...The real hunt begins now."
David propelled himself forward, the step he took sent a shockwave into the ground, landing on top of the spider's upper carapace. He sent punch after punch across, sending ruptures into the spider's internal body.
The spider hissed in pain, the force behind each punch sending cracks across its large defensive structure.
He retracted his claws, venom dripped from them, as he ran across the carapace, slashing deep enough wounds into the carapace, the wind pressure behind each attack was seen.
The fight that was occurred finally snapped Yana back to reality, as she looked upon the spider and who was on top of it, seeing the various attacks David was inflicting on it. The beast's blood spewing from each attack.
"...David...?"
"...Aren't you... supposed to be a F-Rank Hunter?..." She whispered to herself.
The spider angled itself to launch David off of its carapace, angered by the wounds he inflicted and tried to stomp upon him. The beast slowed down, as the venom from the claws slowly broke down its nervous system.
David dodged each attack, the wind pressure blowing past his face. He gracefully watched his foe's legs, his footwork was almost as if he was dancing.
He grabbed one of the spider's large legs that was used to attack him and used his palms to crush it, blood spiraling out of the spider and sending the spider into a painful hiss.
It counterattacked by sending its claws that were attached to its leg into him, which he swiftly dodged as well, flipping backward and landing.
"...Who... are you, Sage?"
"...You're definitely not an F-Rank... you're dodging attacks that even those D-Ranks can't even react to..."
"...Are you a Resurgent?"
"I have to finish this quickly... I need to get to Hayden!"
"...The head."
David used his full speed that he could muster, appearing out of view to anyone that was paying attention to him, a shockwave followed.
The beast only saw David flicker to its view, as it then felt its face struck by David's claws.
He then continuously stabbed its large face and eyes with his claws, the venom having more of an effect, multiple times. About a hundred strikes were seen, blue blood spiraling out of its head.
David leapt upward, as the beast fell to the floor. It was dead.
He landed near Hayden's body, as he held onto him.
"Holy shit... he actually... defeated that beast all by himself..." Yana was both impressed, shocked and fearful of his true identity.
"...I-I'm n-not... going to m-make... it..." Hayden barely got his words out, as he grabbed a chain out of his shirt that he kept hidden.
It showed two individuals, Hayden and another woman. It was an attractive, dark-skinned woman with curly maroon hair. They seemed to be quite similar to each other, as if they were twins.
"T-tell h-her... w-what h-happened... my s-sister..." Hayden said, grasping David's chest with all of his strength as he then fell to the floor, dead.
"I promise."
David looked up, glancing at Yana, who was busy gathering up the rest of the essence stones that were not mined. He then looked around the several bodies that filled the lair, then rushed to put their remains in body bags.
"...Rest easy."