The stealth aircraft descended from the clouds like a shadow sliding across the dunes.
Its engines were totally silent as it landed just outside a cluster of jagged stone buildings surrounded by a rough wall of scrap metal, bones, and barbed wire.
Smoke curled from chimneys, and rusted watchtowers scanned the desert with blinking red lights. A smile tugged at Daniel's lips as he watched the settlement grow closer on the screen.
He leaned forward in the cockpit, eyes narrowing. "Looks cozy."
The screen blinked before him
[Landing complete. Outside settlement boundaries.]
He stood and walked to the hatch, opening it with a hiss.
A wave of dry heat slapped him across the face as he stepped outside, boots crunching into sun-baked sand.
The silence was eerie, too still for a place with chimneys smoking. Of course, it didn't last.
The moment his foot hit the ground, the settlement came alive.
People poured out of the buildings, at least two dozen, maybe more. All of them were armed.
Some held beautiful yet wicked looking spears, and others wielded firearms that looked nothing but special. But the special ones had their crossbows notched, one of the arrows was made completely of fire. They formed a loose semicircle around him, weapons raised.
"Whoa, whoa!" Daniel threw his hands into the air. "I come in peace!"
They didn't respond. Their eyes narrowed.
Daniel's heart thudded. He'd made a mistake. A big one. He should've bought weapons or combat skills before doing this. But he'd been too eager to meet actual people, after he'd almost been eaten by monsters.
From the middle of the crowd, a figure emerged.
She was tall, her stride calm and deliberate, as if none of the chaos around her mattered.
Her black hair fell in waves down her back, streaked with silver like cracks in obsidian. She wore tight leather armor etched with symbols Daniel didn't recognize and a short red cape that danced in the wind.
Her gaze was piercing, predatory.
"You landed an aircraft." She said, her voice smooth, unhurried. There was suspicion under every word. "Who are you? And what do you want?"
Daniel didn't move his hands. "Name's Daniel. I just arrived here... in the Afterlife. Been wandering alone. You're the first people I've seen. I just wanted to know if you were... normal."
A beat of silence followed.
Then, the woman's demeanor shifted. Her lips curved into a polite, almost charming smile.
"You're new. That explains a lot. I'm Lysara, the leader of this settlement. We call it Scorch End."
She turned her head slightly to glance at the aircraft behind him, and her smile widened.
"You must have had quite the journey."
Daniel laughed awkwardly. "It had its ups and downs. Mostly downs."
She stepped closer, slowly offering her hand. He hesitated, then took it.
Internally, Daniel was screaming.
As soon as their hands parted, he mentally opened the system shop in the corner of his vision. He moved quickly.
[Invulnerability – Grants passive resistance to all physical harm. Force is still felt. Cannot be damaged unless by reality-breaking forces.]
[Price: $2,000,000.]
He bought it instantly.
[Ding! Invulnerability acquired.]
A wave of relief washed over him but he hid it perfectly. Whatever was going to happen in this place, at least they wouldn't be able to kill him.
Lysara gestured toward the interior of the settlement. "Come. Walk with me. We don't get visitors often."
He followed her cautiously, passing through a makeshift gate and into the heart of Scorch End.
The buildings were haphazard, yet there was a strange order to it. Market stalls lined the narrow paths. Children peeked out from under the doors. Men and women watched him with narrowed eyes and whispering mouths.
Everything felt... off.
As they neared the central square, Daniel opened his mouth to ask something—
WHACK!
A thick club slammed into the back of his head.
His vision blurred. He staggered forward, teeth clenched from the sudden force. Pain flared despite the invulnerability, because while he couldn't be injured, he could definitely feel impact.
He dropped to one knee.
Before he could spin around, a heavy boot slammed into his ribs. Another hit his knee from the side. He tried to rise, but more people rushed in.
Two attackers tackled him from behind. One grabbed his arm while the other jabbed a spear into the back of his neck. Another crashed a shield into his chest, knocking him onto his back.
Daniel gasped. "What the hell?!"
He lashed out with a fist, clocking one in the jaw. The attacker grunted but stayed upright. Another looped a net over his head and yanked it tight.
Chaos erupted. His legs were swept out from under him. His arms were pinned to his sides. Ropes dug into his wrists.
They couldn't harm him, but they didn't need to. He was helpless all the same.
"Fuck!"
They forced him facedown. Boots stomped on his back and shoulders. The crowd roared in approval.
Then, above the noise, came laughter.
Not the charming kind from earlier. This laugh was cold.
Lysara walked into view, hands on her hips.
"Did you really think you could show up with wealth like that and not draw attention?"
Daniel growled. "What do you want?"
She crouched beside him and brushed hair from his forehead with mock tenderness. "That aircraft? Your clean clothes? Your scent? That smell of fresh food? We know value when we see it, Daniel."
She rose and raised a hand.
"You walked into a starving world dressed like royalty. We saw it coming the moment you stepped out of that ship."
Daniel struggled against the ropes. "You're going to be very disappointed."
Lysara's smile curled cruelly. "Maybe. But if the system leaves even scraps after you're gone, I'll be richer than anyone in Scorch End."
The crowd cheered at that.
"Tie him to the pillar." She said, a smug smile on her face. "And make it slow."
Unfortunately for her, that was when Daniel snapped.