Universe's End

“I still don’t like you.”

“Right.”

“You sound like you don’t believe me.”

Rory turned his head, looking at the woman currently lying naked next to him, a blanket half covering them as they lay atop a portable roll-out bed, the joys of having an inventory.

“Don’t give me that look,” Allison said, glaring at Rory.

“We just had sex,” Rory said, staring at her flatly.

“I haven’t had sex in over a hundred years, so sue me,” Allison nearly growled.

“And whose fault is that?” Rory asked, arching his eyebrows.

“What, were you off getting laid with your people?” Allison asked incredulously.

“No… Well, once,” Rory admitted. “But she was like, sixty when she appeared.”

“So, you’re a grandma fucker,” Allison snorted.

“No, she very much did not look like an old grandma after an ascension or two, and not like she was super old and wrinkly to begin with either way,” Rory answered defensively.

“Uh-huh,” Allison said. Then, before Rory could react, she lunged forward, nipping his ear before standing up.

“So, are we like… a thing?”

“You think we’re a thing after fucking once?” Allison asked, glancing over her shoulder at Rory, who was not at all opposed to the view.

“Uh, well, maybe call me a little confused?”

“Look, I still have no damn idea what I feel about you,” Allison sighed. “Garfunk is gone because of you. But Garfunk didn’t exactly win himself favors. And I’ve spent enough time around you that while being an annoying dick who thinks he is funnier than he really is-”

“Thanks?”

“-you’re also not a bad guy. Also, not like I have a great list of potentials. Tom and Eric. Unlike my sister, I am very much straight.”

“Best of three, I’ll take it,” Rory said, miming a fist pump as he too got out of the portable bed, vanishing it into his inventory a moment later.

“Cool your jets, hotshot,” Allison snorted. “I like a guy who can actually throw down with me. Eric wasn’t even close.”

“And Tom?” Rory asked, curious.

“Considered it briefly,” Allison said with a shrug. “But it’s not just strength, but character. He is too passive.”

“So, best of one,” Rory said, crossing his arms. “I’m both first and last place.”

“And you’ve been giving me fuck me eyes for ages now,” Allison said. “Which I can’t place. You wanted to get with a chick who was ready to spear you?”

“Was that a self-pun or…?”

“You get what I mean,” Allison sighed.

“Maybe I just want a girl who will literally just kill me,” Rory said, something he’d said more than once in the past.

“You have mommy issues or something?”

“No, I just don’t like passive girls,” Rory shot back.

“Did… did you ever have an interest in my sister?” Allison asked, sounding mildly horrified.

“What? Fuck no,” Rory snorted. “She’s cute, but also, I want a woman who can reach the cabinets without a stepping stool. And you know, not asexual.”

“Not sure if that’s a relief or not,” Allison said, donning clothes before her armor appeared on her. “So, business time.”

“I thought we were just doing ‘business’?”

“Not that kind,” Allison growled. “I still think we hunt a territory alpha first, then set up a base.”

“Fine,” Rory threw his hands up. “Are you happy?”

Allison glared at him for several seconds before Rory waved his still raised arms.

“What? We’re going with your plan,” Rory said.

“Are you doing it because you finally folded, or because you want to have sex again and don’t want to piss me off?”

“…. yes?”

“Men,” Allison sighed, stomping off as Rory followed her.

“I was joking,” Rory said, catching up a moment later. “I realized we might have a hint of a naturally occurring shop if we kill a territory alpha rather than wasting anomalous energy summoning one.”

“And what gave you that idea?”

“Uhh, a guess?” Rory offered. “Realistically, if you remove when The First summoned that shop for us, how else were we supposed to find one? Not exactly like they offered a bunch of ideas or suggestions.”

“Fair enough,” Allison admitted. “So, that aside, any ideas where to start?”

“How would I know?” Rory asked.

“Because you’re the one with answers for everything,” Allison pointed out.

“Well, in this case, my answer is ‘search for any potent surges of aura or energy and hope for the best.’”

“Bring out your glider,” Allison suddenly said.

“What? Why?”

“Because we can make faster time from the air.”

“But then we will end up split up, which could be dangerous if-”

“I’m going to ride with you, dumbo.”

“Not exactly a two-person vehicle,” Rory said with a frown.

“Just do it.”

“Alright, if you say so,” Rory muttered as the glider appeared. Stepping carefully on top of it, he suddenly felt his fellow Founder wrap her arms around his stomach.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“What are you- oh, I guess that works,” Rory said as the woman went full koala on his back. Given she was nearly the same height as him, it should have been a rather gangly and unwieldy setup, but then they were also tier eights; a person playing backpack was hardly make-or-break.

Life comes at you fast.

Ignoring the oddity that the woman who had defeated him in single combat only a few years prior, for the entire world to see, was now latched onto him, Rory gently lifted off, getting a quick feel for flying with a passenger attached, before taking off at max speed.

Flying at max speed, it didn’t take long for the two to slow down as they noticed a swell of power rising from a cresting hill in the distance, which only moments later exploded as the two drew closer. From it, what looked like a galloping horse rose into the sky, its bones undulating, grasping hands reaching out and flailing along its sides, as if it were swimming through the air.

As if to make the entire scene worse, the monster opened its mouth in six directions at once, peeling apart like a blooming flower and revealing a mouth full of smaller mouths like baby snapping turtles.

Several more of the odd semi-skeletal horses rode out into the air moments after, until the hill ripped itself apart fully, a giant skeletal thing pulling itself free, so large that only the top half managed to pull itself free.

“Grave Pit,” Allison said, checking out the monsters. “Also, those are all one monster.”