Ren stepped into the light — or the memory of light — and the world didn't wait.
There was a sound like bones snapping underwater.
Then it hit.
It burst from the shadow of a half-flickering tower —
twenty feet tall, bone-plated, horned like it was cursed by six different gods.
Eyes like glowing embers.
Teeth like they were designed by a drunk architect who hated symmetry.
A magic beast, clearly — but it looked stitched together by regret.
BLAZE (instantly screaming):
"YES! FINALLY! PUNCHABLE ENEMIES!"
The beast roared.
Ren roared back.
Kind of.
It sounded more like,
"Shitshitshit–"
and then he slid under its claws, rolled behind a broken column, and snapped Snarksteel into his grip.
SNARKSTEEL (already yelling):
"OH YOU WOKE ME UP FOR THIS I FUCKING LOVE YOU."
The creature lunged again — faster now, magic smoke trailing behind its limbs.
Ren flipped the blade and slashed across its shoulder — sparks, blood, rage.
It swung a second limb.
Ren ducked. Spun.
Cut through its knee.
The beast shrieked.
And collapsed like a building full of bad memories.
Ren exhaled.
REN:
"Okay. Not dead. Win."
Then—
A voice.
Casual. Calm.
Way too unimpressed for someone watching a monster bleed out.
??? (offscreen):
"Neat form. Good shoulder rotation.
But also… pretty sloppy."
Ren spun around, blade up.
A man stood ten feet away, leaning against a flickering stone column like he owned gravity.
Mid-20s, maybe.
Short white hair.
Loose-fit travel cloak that somehow screamed "I can end your kingdom, but I'm off-duty."
His expression was unreadable.
And his smile?
Too fucking calm.
REN (tense):
"Friend or—?"
??? (stepping closer):
"Let's say neither. Yet."
Ren moved fast.
A warning swing — nothing lethal.
Just enough to say stay back.
The man didn't blink.
He just raised a single finger —
and Ren's sword vanished from his hand.
Gone.
Like it had never existed.
SNARKSTEEL (distantly, from the stranger's hand):
"WHAT THE FUCK WHO IS THIS—OH GOD HE'S HOLDING ME POLITELY—"
Ren blinked.
Twice.
REN (offended):
"You just yoinked my sword mid-swing?!"
The man nodded.
Still holding Snarksteel, now inspecting the hilt.
??? (smirking):
"Your blade's angry. You swing with instinct, not rhythm.
Also? Your footwork's ass."
REN (arms wide):
"Excuse me?! I just soloed that discount hell dragon!"
SNARKSTEEL (still yelling):
"I AM BEING HELD LIKE A FUCKING LOAF OF BREAD—"
The man flipped the blade once, then casually tossed it back.
Ren caught it — barely.
A calm voice, from behind him:
??? (casual):
"Not bad. But you missed a tendon. Now it's gonna twitch for a while."
Ren spun around.
A man leaned against a nearby stone arch, arms folded, cloak dusty, boots scuffed.
Mid-thirties, maybe. Calm face. Wind-tousled dark hair. Barely armed. Not armored.
He looked like he just walked out of a farmer's market with bread in one hand and a bored goat in the other.
No aura. No flex.
Just… there.
REN (raising an eyebrow):
"And you are?"
The guy stepped forward, dusting off his hands like he'd just finished stacking firewood.
??? (smiling gently):
"Name's Lannic.
I'm a Deliverer."
REN (blinking):
"A… what?"
LANNIC:
"Deliverer."
Ren looked him up and down.
REN:
"Like… letters? Packages?
'Sign here for your explosive scroll delivery' kinda job?"
LANNIC (completely unfazed):
"Sometimes scrolls.
Sometimes gods.
Sometimes people who forgot where they belonged."
SNARKSTEEL (in Ren's hand):
"WHY IS HE SPEAKING IN METAPHORS—STAB HIM—"
Ren narrowed his eyes.
His grip tightened.
REN:
"Are you here to fight me, mailman?"
Lannic raised an eyebrow.
Didn't move.
Ren swung—
And Snarksteel was gone.
REN (staring at his now-empty hand):
"…Oh come on!"
Lannic was holding the blade like it was a carrot.
Inspecting it. Turning it over gently.
SNARKSTEEL (screaming):
"I AM NOT A LETTER! PUT ME DOWN!"
LANNIC (still calm):
"Feisty sword. Feels like it's overcompensating."
He flipped it once and tossed it back.
Ren caught it mid-air, scowling.
REN (grumbling):
"Who just casually steals a sword mid-swing and gives it back like it's a sandwich?"
LANNIC:
"A Deliverer."
Beat.
REN:
"…That's not a real job."
LANNIC (shrugging):
"It is here."
He looked around at the flickering world.
Then back at Ren.
LANNIC (softly):
"Welcome to the Kingdom of Emberstone.."
REN (muttering):
"Right.
Next time I get warned about a dimension of magic and political war, I'll try not to land in front of the mail guy."