"Come on then you pair, let's get going!" I said to Horace and Dillee, who wandered over to me.

"Sir, what direction are we taking?" Dillee said as he reached me.

I pulled out the hand-drawn map he had created and scanned it a little. I need to learn to read maps. I thought as I looked at it. If it wasn't for Dillee managing to draw little landmarks to help things stand out, I'd be winging it the whole time. Showing it to them, I pointed to the nearby forest called The Spooks.

"WHY do you want to go THAT WAY?"

"We can keep a low profile. It will take a bit longer, but it keeps us out of view from the nasties and nutters."

"Can't argue WITH THAT."

Putting the map back inside my inventory and walking through the underpass. The three of us waved goodbye to the refugees that saw us leaving. Fun times were ahead.

The underpass had barely any light as the trio ventured in. Occasional puddles were dotted around them from rain leaking in. Making Horace and MC nervous, both started to have thoughts of the ceiling caving in. Dillee, oblivious to danger, was merrily strutting ahead. I probably shouldn't have taken this route now that I think about Thought MC, despite getting closer to the exit on the other side.

"AT LEAST Spooks Forest is not too far."

I nodded at Horace; he was right. Barely a stone's throw away… Well, maybe an hour or two, but that's not that bad, all things considered.

Dillee getting ahead of himself was slowing down a little from the lack of natural light. I picked him up, and he slept over my shoulder as we kept walking. "Funny bugger, isn't he?" Horace nodded at me, getting bored from all the travelling, and threw down an agility canister.

"What's up?" Wondering why he just slammed the canister down abruptly.

"I'm JUST BORED," he replied. Though I think he was getting nervous, bless him, he kept glancing upwards.

We practically flew out back into the light after we got a nice little speed boost from the canister. Dillee, being back in the light, sprang back into action and looked around. "Oh, that is rather spiffing, I must say, sirs!" He stared straight at the sun, and I wanted to tell him to stop, but he seemed to be enjoying the rays too much. Looking around, it was quiet, and not much sign of life besides the odd creature dotted about.

From my vague memory of the compendium, I spotted some Path Pouncers lurking to the sides and Pretentious Pili, the named monster, hovering about checking some flowers. Whilst a few white and black Kuddling Kanins hopped through, being chased by a giant Canaepion, its beast-like face didn't match well with its arache-stingers for tails sputtering corrosive balls as it did so.

"Nature is truly fascinating." Said Dillee. The Canaepion, having noticed Dillee, decided he wanted to come and have a go because he thought he was hard enough. "You want to throw hands, boy!? Come then, I'll lamp you to the moon and back!" We watched as the two began circling each other.

"I bet he drops him without transforming." I said to Horace. He shook his head. "Bollocks to that; HE HAS terrible stats in that form." I laughed. "Trust me, lad, he's gonna win this. 10000 HFC says I'm right." I pulled out the money, ready to gamble. "YOU'RE ON." Horace piped up, pulling 10k out of his inventory.

We're starting to see a rather dark side to MC and Horace, it seems: infant exploitation and infant gambling. They better not let the others know, don't you think, readers?

The Canaepion spat three corrosive balls at Dillee, who dodged to the side, keeping his guard up. "How dare you spit in a fight between gentlemen!" "Shut up, you freak; I'll tear your cabbage arse to pieces," it replied to him. "How dare you compare me to my 3rd cousin ten times removed!" Dillee dodged a claw and then dove in for a right hook, punching a tooth out of the Canaepion.

"Bastard thing, that hurt!" It rubbed its face, but Dillee let up. Bouncing on his feet, he threw an elbow into its gut followed by an uppercut. It stumbled around in pain before grabbing hold of Dillee and slamming it into a tree.

"MESS HIM UP, DILLEE!" Horace piped cheering from the side. He shouldn't have done that, Pretentious Pili decided it wanted to join in the fun now.

"Ah fuck, Horace, you got that thing involved now." It flew over to us and tried to sprinkle some paralysing powders around, but we dove out of the way. "I got this MC. WATCH THIS!"

'PACT BREAKER' Horace piped, and the turret began to twist and change shape into something more akin to a stationary mech unit with a dozen or so automatic and anti-aircraft weaponry.

"Why did you use that, you dickhead? Even I could take Pili. That thing looks like a crime against the Geneva Convention." I couldn't help but laugh at the extremity of Horace's action.

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"I wanna SEE what it DOES." Horace piped back. The unit of a weapons platform locked on to the poor giant butterfly, and a wave of bullets and explosives rained across barely two or three metres from its location. Trees and bushes burnt violently, and animals scattered about in fear. The bullets ripped the Canaepion to pieces, and it dropped to the floor twitching even after its swift and unfortunate overkill.

The noise as the platform just obliterated everything in the vicinity was horrifying to my eyes and ears. Fucking hell, is this the kind of shit Wardi saw in the war? I thought.

"Bloody heck, I was winning that delightful bout of pugilism, sirs. Horace, why did you deny me such a monumental victory!?" Dillee snarled to him, annoyed.

"It was MC; he said we NEEDED TO LEAVE, danger nearby." Horace piped in response. "Oh, I see. Well, if the great master says it, then it must be true." Dillee said. Horace just winked at me in response. Cheeky fucker using me like that; WELL DONE, LAD.

Walking away and heading the direction we needed to, there was no need to stick about any longer. Dillee looked back at the inferno building behind us. "Sirs? Do you think that will be ok? It seems a little irresponsible to leave that burning so intensely." "Well, none of us can use Aqua Arts, so let's just hope someone that can happens to be passing by. Besides, that's a lot of smoke up in the air; someone will take notice."

They carried on walking, heading towards the oddly named forest. Little squeaks and cries could be heard behind them. Maybe I shouldn't have done that, Horace piped internally.

The trio had to slap the odd Path Pouncer along the way; the things can't help but try their luck, and Dillee didn't take too kindly to attacks against his master and friend.

"You must stop engaging in coital activity with your siblings; it is utterly revolting." He said whilst repeatedly hammering a poor snapping pouncer that was desperate to get away. snapping and dragging its claws as Dillee dragged it back towards it, punching and kicking it about.

"I'm surprised he has any concept of sibling love; I also don't want to know why he knows that either." I thought looking back as Dillee dealt with a couple more that tried to help their friend. Horace just nodded in agreement. We ran ahead and told Dillee to catch up. Still under the influence of that agility boost, we managed to get a good bit closer, and now we're fairly into the surprisingly bright and well-lit Spook Forest.

"ANY minute now." Horace piped.

Hee hee~ echoed around us.

"Right on cue. I spotted …it over there. Look." I pointed north, and the bizarrely suited-up person was poking their head from the side of the tree. Dillee having caught up to us much faster than I expected and made me jump. I almost gave him a slap reflexively for scaring me.

"Don't do that!" I shouted. Dillee was saddened that he caused me upset, keeping his head down low.

"Apologies, sir. I will try not to do it again." Ah bloody hell, now I feel guilty. I thought. I ruffled his tip and said, "I'm sorry for shouting, buddy." He cheered up quickly. Though not before noticing the suited-up weirdo lurking about, seemingly getting closer to us.

"Sirs, who or what is that? He started walking towards the individual. Who curiously stepped out as well. Skip dancing towards Dillee.

Hee hee! ~ The thing put its hands over its face and twirled in a circle like a well-trained ballet dancer.

Dillee tried to imitate it and executed it with near perfection. Horace and I just looked at each other with side eyes. "Come on, Dillee, we need to get going." He bowed at the weirdo, who bowed back and continued lurking behind the trees. "If I'm reading the map right, we need to head this way." I pointed what I assumed was south, but to be honest, I was just trying to lose the thorn in my ass hiding behind the trees.

"Why is it called Spooks Forest?" Dillee asked as we started jogging in a poor attempt at losing the freak.

"It never used to have a name, then one day. Stories started coming out of the forest about the hee hee'er in the woods to the west."

"THEN some poor sod took a wander over this way, and he SPOOKED THE SHIT out of him." Horace piped.

"That's it?" Dillee replied. I shook my head to say yes. He looked deflated.

"I thought there would be more to the story." He said, grumbling. "Not EVERYTHING HAS a great backstory; it's best to just not give SPOOKS ATTENTION and keep walking." Horace gave Dillee a smile and thumbs up, and we continued walking. And walking some more. "Blimey, we have walked a thousand miles, it seems!" Dillee said passionately.

I feel like I've been walking in circles for a while now, I thought. Speaking to Horace, I asked him, "Does it feel like we're not really getting anywhere?" He nodded; looking back seemed to want to say, I think it's because of him. I stopped and spoke to Spooks. "Oi, you better not be playing games with us; I won't be happy!"

Hee hee~ echoed around us.

Damn weirdo… I thought. Continuing to walk, a cabin had appeared, and I smacked my face clean into the bright wooden lumber. "Ah, fuck my doze, pissing thing!" I kicked it and booted a chunk of wood off it.

"I DON'T REMEMBER a cabin being here before?" Horace piped. It looked inconspicuous in the middle of the forest. It was out in the open too, which was unusual. Showing no signs of any activity. Quietness all around us.

"Sirs, I do not feel comfortable being here." You and us both, Dillee, I thought. A faint voice came from inside of the cabin.

"H-h-help someone, please help us!" it whispered. "Ah shit, there's going to be ghosts OR SOMETHING, isn't there?" piped Horace, looking annoyed. I shrugged, but we couldn't exactly leave someone suffering inside… Spooks had jumped from the trees trying to block the door. He shook his hands around and quivered in front of the door, trying to stop us from entering.

"There are people in there; spooks, step aside." I put my hand on his shoulder and said, "We'll be fine, bud."

Hee hee? echoed around us.

It sounded like they were concerned for our wellbeing, but they stepped aside, sulking and walking away. Spooks pointed to the floor. And just stayed there sitting down.

We entered the cabin; there seemed to be no signs of anyone here. Dillee hesitated as he entered, looking around constantly. It seemed far larger on the inside than it did outside. But my perception has always been garbage; I should have gone to Vision Savers or something. I opened the door into what seemed like a bedroom…no signs of anyone being here. All three of us looked around, nothing seemed to be turning up.

BANG came from the entrance. We rushed out and saw Spooks jumping frantically outside nervously. I tried the door handle; it didn't budge. Ah feck, what now? I thought, shaking my head. "The door won't open."

Horace tried to shoot it, but the bolt just fragmented as it impacted against the door handle.

And that's when it appeared with a crash and a bang behind us. A stairway, upside down, beckoning us towards a static-like circle in the ceiling.

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