Nameless awoke from slumber, the quiet hum of the town still lingering in the air. Dianne stood near the doorway, staring into the dim hallway. Curious, he stepped outside to meet her.
"So, when will we go?" he asked.
"Please, lower your voice," Dianne whispered immediately.
"Sorry," Nameless whispered back, glancing around out of habit.
Dianne's eyes met his. "Since you know the Death Rings better than any of us, I want you to be our guide."
"You're not familiar with it?"
"Not anymore. It's been ages since I last went down there. We've only ever documented a tiny portion of it. I mean... very tiny."
Suddenly, Donnie stirred awake behind them. "Who's ready for an adventure?!" he shouted.
"Me!" Nameless and Dianne responded in unison.
They grabbed their gear and descended the town's winding path until they arrived at the same small elevator that had first brought Nameless up. The narrow steel doors creaked open.
Nameless frowned. "How are we all supposed to fit in there?"
"Only one way to find out," Dianne said as she crouched down inside the elevator, making room.
"You guys can sit on top of me. I don't care," she added without hesitation.
Nameless blinked. "Pretty sure some groups would hate us for this."
"I said I don't care," Dianne repeated firmly.
Donnie leaned in. "To be fair, she can't really sit above us."
"Why's that?" Nameless asked.
"You'll see," Donnie said with a shrug.
Nameless stepped in, carefully placing one foot on Dianne's shoulder. It felt solid. Strangely so—her skin didn't compress. He adjusted himself and used the walls to brace his legs and back.
"Guess I'll do the same," Donnie muttered, climbing in after and mimicking Nameless's position.
"Looks like someone's not listening," Dianne said dryly.
"We're fine here," Donnie assured her.
The elevator doors shut. It began its slow descent into the layer below.
---
When the doors slid open again, they were greeted by carnage. Blood soaked the walls, and the bodies of mutilated guards littered the floor—limbs severed, skulls crushed like ripe fruit.
"This is where we parted with the Giant," Nameless said quietly.
"So that's why he didn't have a collar," Donnie noted.
"Pretty much. I thought he'd been captured."
"Let's move," Nameless added.
The three jogged through the halls. A group of guards appeared around the corner, weapons half-raised. Before they could react, Dianne lunged forward.
She punched the first guard's face—her fist tore straight through his skull. Another raised his gun, but Dianne hurled the dead body into him. A third managed to shoot. She dodged sideways and leapt in, landing an uppercut that embedded his head into the ceiling.
"That's why she's one of the best," Donnie told Nameless.
"What's her secret?"
"A drug. Don't remember the name."
"It's not a steroid," Dianne added as she shook blood from her knuckles. "It's more advanced than anything that existed before Earth fell apart."
They pushed onward, dispatching occasional guards like flies.
Eventually, they reached the Death Ring room Nameless had escaped from. Dianne stepped forward and punched the door. It fell inward like paper.
Inside stood a man—and a Giant, still collared.
"Defend the man. I'm charging my rod," Nameless said, dashing to the charging point.
Dianne rushed the Giant, wrestling it back. Donnie hoisted the stunned man and dragged him to safety.
Once the rod charged, Nameless dashed forward. Dianne stepped aside, and with one slam, he destroyed the collar. Sparks flew.
The Giant staggered, blinking.
"You might be confused," Nameless said, panting. "But are you willing to help us?"
"Saving people? Why not."
Nameless glanced around, searching for another rod—but none were visible.
They entered the next room with the Giant and human trailing behind. Same plan: save the human, destroy the collar. The pattern repeated.
More rooms. More rescues. Still no new rod.
Soon, the freed Giants began destroying doors on their own, taking initiative. Chaos spread as guards were overwhelmed.
They reached another room. This time, a dead human lay nearby—torn apart. A Giant with a collar stood above the corpse.
Dianne and their allied Giant tackled the attacker. Nameless charged his rod but noticed something: a second rod already inserted in the charger.
He grabbed the new rod, lifting it high. "Found one!"
With both rods charged, he lunged. One hit the collar—electricity burst. The enemy Giant collapsed.
The freed Giant stared at the body. "What... what have I done?"
"It's not your fault," Nameless said.
"We didn't choose this," the Giant whispered, covering his face. "I... I'll stay."
"You sure you're not escaping?"
"Maybe later."
"I'll stay too," said the other Giant.
"Same," the human added.
Nameless, Donnie, and Dianne ran on.
"Unfortunate," Nameless muttered, holding both rods.
"It's the reality of this place," Dianne said, her eyes heavy. She glanced at the second rod. "Can I have that?"
Nameless handed it over. "Just don't use it unless you have to."
They continued through the halls. More uncollared Giants wandered freely.
"Have they figured it out?" Nameless asked.
"Looks like it. Let's find a Nuclear Charger," Dianne replied.
As they ran, they came upon something chilling: a blood trail, razor-sharp in its spread. Along the corridor lay human corpses—perfectly sliced, horizontally and vertically.
Dianne froze. Her pupils shrank. "I recognize this. We need to go. Now."
They turned. A robot blocked their exit. A metallic box with a flashing red eye, supported by legs made out of steel needles that pierced the ground like blades.
"Turn around!" Dianne shouted. Donnie and Nameless sprinted the other way.
Dianne hurled her rod. It struck the robot—an explosion of electricity tore it apart.
She retrieved the now-drained rod and bolted after the others.
"Dianne, over here!" Nameless called.
She caught up, and together they fled down a narrow tunnel. It opened into a massive cavern.
Giants, humans, and guards fought amid the chaos. Though the guards were losing, the robots sliced through everything. Their legs impaled flesh and concrete alike. Detached needles flew like projectiles.
A Giant collapsed beside them, pierced by a dozen needles. Another robot revealed a turret—it fired a laser, carving a cauterized hole through the Giant's chest.
Suddenly, the three were grabbed. A Giant carried them off, running fast through the blood-soaked arena.
He dropped them gently.
"Told you I can always help," Gerald said.
"Gerald!" Nameless called out.
"I brought ammo and rifles. It's safer here. Hold this position."
He opened two crates—one filled with weapons, the other with ammunition.
People rushed to him, grabbing what they could. The robots advanced.
Gunfire roared.
One robot extended a leg—straight for Nameless. It hooked his leg, yanked him off the ground.
"Nameless!" Donnie shouted, lunging.
Dianne pulled him back. "Don't be stupid!"
Donnie froze. Then, through clenched teeth, he opened fire again, screaming with rage.
Nameless was dragged across the floor. He stabbed the robot's leg mid-pull. It cracked. He fell, bleeding—his leg pierced, barely usable.
Limping, he made it to a quiet corridor, using the rod like a cane.
He entered a dark room. A narrow bridge stretched to a platform in the center, hanging over a deep pit. Behind him, more robots followed—but didn't attack.
On the bridge, a man appeared. Familiar voice. Cold.
"Well, well, well. You really came back. Do you think we wouldn't be ready?"
Nameless staggered.
The man kept speaking. Mocking him. Closer and closer.
Nameless backed toward the edge. Pain throbbed through every limb.
"You'll never win," the man sneered, leaning in. "We are strong. There's nothing you can—"
"Are you... a fucking idiot?" Nameless rasped.
He grabbed the man—and jumped.
They fell into the abyss together.
The scream of the enemy echoed.
And then, silence.