A month.
I pulled the corpse of this damn worm through the wildlands for a month.
It was one of the heaviest things I've ever hauled—an endless workout of dragging it through mud, rock, and forest. On the bright side, it wasn't as heavy as it could've been. If I were pulling the whole world that was supposedly inside it, there's no way I'd have moved it an inch. Thankfully, I was only hauling the worm's body—its external weight. Which, mind you, was still ridiculous. The thing's made of dense rare earth minerals.
Having just one arm didn't help either. My balance was shot. The blood Edward injected into me had healed most of my wounds, but my missing arm stayed that way.
The corpse carved a trail of destruction through the wilderness. I had to fend off scavengers every night, fighting off anything stupid enough to think it could snack on my prize. I barely slept, half-dead on my feet by the end of it.
A month without rest. A month of exhaustion, sweat, and grit. The only upside was that the worm didn't seem to rot—probably because most of its body was mineral instead of meat.
It was also a month of thinking. Edward's words kept echoing in my head—wild, unbelievable words with no proof, no evidence. He left no corpse, no possessions, not even a trace.
But still… I believed him.
And whether he was telling the truth or not didn't really matter. I was already planning to do everything he'd told me to—get stronger, find the best runes, and go home.
The only question now was… if I did find a way back home, would I really leave this world behind to die? Or stay, and fight?
Too much to think about. For now, I had one goal: drag this Chompworm back to Alimony.
Thankfully, I had backup once I left the wildlands.
"You good there, Benjamin?" I shouted over the wind. I was riding on his back while he and his dragon friends helped carry the worm.
"Yeah! But this worm's so heavy! If there's some left, let me have a bite—it's even fatter than I am!"
"You got a deal."
"Come on, girls! I can see the people city!" Benjamin called to the six other dragons hauling behind him. They were leaner than his fat butt, tongues lolling from exhaustion.
Their replies came in a chorus like tired schoolkids.
"Yipee!"
"I'm starving!"
"Can we take a pee break?"
"Let's land!" I yelled.
Seven dragons carrying a worm dozens of times larger than them touched down outside the city walls. The landing made the ground quake, the dragons roaring all the while. By the time the dust and commotion subsided, we were surrounded by an army of nervous looking soldiers.
"I'm back, Alimony!" I shouted. I stepped forward quickly, trying to deescalate before someone decided to launch a ballista at us.
"John Delinger! What in the nine hells did you bring back this time?!" An old man with a stave marched toward me, fearlessly, even as the guards behind him looked ready to bolt.
"Explain what this is, Delinger—or I swear I'll slap you and your lab with enough fines you'll be paying them off in your grave!" The Councilman jabbed his stave toward my face, eyes sharp enough to cut steel.
"Hey! No need to get hasty." I raised my good hand. "Apologies, Councilman. I've been through a lot, and I needed help hauling this thing back. It's important."
Zezen glared at me, then at the enormous worm corpse, then finally at Benjamin—who was busy picking his teeth with what looked like a tree branch. Under that glare, Benjamin wilted and tried to hide behind the worm.
"And you thought bringing seven dragons from another kingdom here without warning was a good idea?" Zezen snapped, voice rising. "Do you have any idea what His Highness will say about this?! Oh, Divine Souls help me… the paperwork alone!" He muttered furiously under his breath.
"Councilman. Orders?" one of the guards asked, nervously gripping his spear.
Zezen exhaled like a man whose patience had just been assassinated. "Pull back. Calm the people. Let them know Drachenland isn't waging war."
"Understood! Men, pull back!" the guard barked, obvious relief in his tone now that he knew he wasn't gonna be fighting dragons today
"Thanks, Councilman. I'll try to send a message next time. I wasn't in the best of states." I scratched my head. I knew I might scare the populace when I brought Benjamin and the gang here, but I honestly forgot about the political consequences.
"Best you do. But you're not off the hook yet." His gaze flicked to my missing arm. "Meet me when you're… healed and rested."
"I appreciate it, Councilman. I'll come by as soon as I can."
He grunted and turned away, still muttering to himself. Zezen might be strict and more than a little dramatic, but he's one of the few officials who actually cares. It's hard not to respect him, even when he's yelling at me for breaking city ordinances I didn't even know existed.
By now, the crowd of civilians and militia had gathered nearby. At first, they looked terrified—screams, crying, a few fainted folks—but once they recognized me, that shifted to something between awe and exasperation. They were used to me bringing chaos home.
"Heya folks," I called out. "Anybody seen Julius?"
A kid just pointed behind me.
Sure enough, there's Julius, hat and all. He skipped me and directly went to his new research material, already taking notes. I didn't even notice him.
"Thanks kid. I'll get you some treats when I see you again."
"Hey Julius! I missed you buddy! Come here, let me see how much you've grown."
I scooped him up like a stuffed toy while he was still busy inspecting the Chompworm. The man didn't even flinch—just kept staring at it, eyes wide with academic obsession.
"Fascinating creature you've brought this time, John," he said, voice calm and analytical as always.
"I know, right? Listen, we've got to move this thing somewhere private. I'll haul the worm to the cabin and we'll talk there. I've got so much to tell you. Bring anyone you trust too—this is big."
Julius finally tore his eyes from the creature and looked at me—really looked. His gaze lingered on my missing arm, his expression tightening into something unreadable.
"Seems you've stumbled onto something serious, John," he said quietly. "This warrants immediate action. I will handle this."
He stepped back, lifting his staff.
"Everyone, stand clear."
The crowd obeyed instantly. His tone left no room for argument. Julius pointed his staff to the Chompworm. His eyes glowed with power. Runic symbols floated in a circle around him. The air felt heavy and thick. Then he chanted.
"Up."
The mountain of flesh and stone rose from the ground, defying gravity under Julius's will. A simple spell, one even children could cast—but performed at this scale, it left the crowd breathless. It was rare to see a mage of his caliber at work. Even I was impressed, and the seven dragons beside me were staring wide-eyed. Only we knew just how impossibly heavy that thing really was.
"Where do you want it?" Julius asked, his voice calm amid the awe.
"By the forest near the cabin," I said.
He nodded once. "Very well. See you shortly. I have already sent messages to the others. You take care of your… guests."
He pointed his nose toward Benjamin and the dragons, who were busy stirring up a storm of dust with their play-fighting—half entertaining the children, half terrifying the parents.
"Alright folks, show's over!" I shouted to the crowd. Some kids made 'awww' sounds and threw faces. Too bad. No more lizard WWE for you. "Ben, follow me. I'll have a feast prepared for you and your friends."
"Yeaaah!"
"That's what I've been waiting for!"
"Can I pee now?"
The dragons got all excited and flew ahead of me. "Wait, other way!"
Julius set the Chompworm down near the cabin. He had to clear a few trees to make room, but it did the job. By lunchtime, Areva arrived, and Julius brought along his fellow researchers—Marvin, Sophronia, and Elric. The dragons, meanwhile, waited outside with me, crowding around the enormous pit where our feast was cooking.
"Is it ready yet?"
"Did you put the seasoning in already?"
"Sorry, I couldn't hold it in."
I smiled at the group. Loud, unruly, ridiculous—but these were the people I trusted with my life.
"I've never seen such a large creature before," Areva murmured, staring in awe as Julius and the others documented the Chompworm.
"Yeah, they'll be there for a while," I said. "Do me a favor and turn that side over?"
She obliged, flipping the tuna steaks sizzling over the coals. The air was rich with the smell of roasted meat and salt. I'd made sure to prepare enough food to feed an army—or seven dragons. I owed Benjamin big for hauling that monster halfway across the continent.
The ground trembled as Benjamin landed nearby, carrying a dragon's handful of rocks.
"I'm back! Ooooh, that smells so good! I don't get boar often, you know! Usually it's scorpions and cactus for me!"
His friends saw fit to add some comments.
"True, true. Benjamin is getting too fat."
"What? That's just a dad bod. I think I'm in love. Benjamin! Give me a baby!"
"Mara! You're so daring! You haven't even let him lick your belly yet!"
Have you seen a dragon blush before? Because I just did. Benjamin didn't seem to notice though.
"Hehe! I worked hard for this body! I'm gonna beat you this time, John!"
"How? By sitting on me?"
"Wow, great idea! Thanks, John!"
Areva, trying to ignore the madness, eyed the rocks he'd brought.
"What are those for?" she asked.
"Why, seasoning, of course!" Benjamin declared proudly, crushing one into glittering dust and sprinkling it over the meat. "I foraged these from the mountain up there! It was so tiring, John! I had to squeeze through cracks and everything! Sometimes I wish I had your soft, spindly arms, John—it'd make foraging easier!"
"Aww, you poor thing," Areva said sympathetically. "But… there are plenty of rocks on the ground here. Why not use those?"
We paused. A silence spread through the group.
Me and Benjamin slowly looked at her.
"W–what?"
"How uncultured!" Benjamin gasped.
"Indeed!" I cried, pointing dramatically. "You uncultured swine!"
Areva blinked, flustered. "What did I say?!"
"How can land rocks be any good?" Benjamin exclaimed. "They're not nearly salty enough!"
"Correct!" I added, arm 'crossed'. "And everyone knows mountain rocks have the perfect crunchy texture!"
"Well excuse me for not making a habit of eating rocks!"
The other dragons gasped in unison.
"She does not eat rocks?"
"Is it because she's from another continent?"
"Poor thing. They don't properly flavor their food!"
"You're safe here now, with the rock-eating cultured civilization."
They gathered around her in pity, patting her awkwardly with claws the size of her torso. I just know I had a shit eating grin on my face watching this unfold. Areva shot me a glare. Guess I better save her from the dragons surrounding her.
"Food's ready!" I shouted.
The response was instant. Everyone dropped what they were doing and rushed toward the mountain of a feast like a pack of starving beasts. Everyone except Julius, of course. He had to be dragged over by the other three researchers, still muttering something about "proper documentation" as they hauled him by the arms.
"Can I take a bite now?" one of the younger dragons asked, drooling openly.
"Hold it!" Benjamin barked, puffing up his chest. "First, we say grace."
"Who's Grace?" asked a slender green dragon, head tilted.
"Dumbass!" another snapped, swatting them upside the head with a wing. "It means we're gonna pray!"
Benjamin nodded solemnly. "Right. Geghi! You do the prayer."
Geghi—the same dragon who'd been flirting with him earlier—clasped her claws together with an exaggerated sigh. "Alright, honey!" she said in a sing-song voice. "Dear God Brundy, please bless us with plenty of food, and plenty more land to conquer. Thanks!"
She looked around, beaming proudly at her flawless delivery.
Benjamin wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. "Beautiful. Truly moving." He raised a slab of roasted boar high. "Now—let's dig in!"
The feast exploded into motion.
The dragons dove in first, eating like living black holes—snapping, slurping, and crunching through meat, bones, and seasoning rocks alike. The humans and researchers didn't stand a chance. I was usually the biggest eater around, but even I was losing ground fast.
I reached across Benjamin's plate and snatched a chunk of beef.
"Hey! That's mine!" he protested through a mouthful of pork.
"You need to go on a diet!" I shot back, waving the meat at him. "You're getting too fat!"
"Nu-uh! I need more weight!" he retorted, his cheeks stuffed full.
"More weight and you won't even be able to fly!"
"I'll jump!"
We went back and forth like that the whole feast, laughing, shoving, throwing scraps, and nearly toppling the cooking pit twice. It was chaos—rowdy, ridiculous, and perfect.
It was always fun with Ben around. But with the rest of the dragons there, the rowdiness wasn't just doubled—it was multiplied by seven.
The feast went on until the sky showed its first stars. We even had to cook more food at some point. By the end, everyone was so full we could barely move. The noise slowly faded, the chaos melting into quiet sounds of contentment. The rowdiness had turned to rest.
We were just about to wrap up. I had to say my piece before that.
"People. It's about time I tell you what happened."
They looked at me, eyes sharp and attentive.
"Firstly—Julius. When can I have my arm back?"
"Tomorrow morning," he replied. "I already bought the materials. Should be ready by then."
"Good. Because I'm going to need it for what's coming."
I looked around the circle, meeting each of their eyes. "Listen carefully. Everything I say from here on out is confidential. You don't tell anyone about it unless we all decide together that it needs to be spread. Got it?"
They nodded, a few muttering quiet affirmations. Benjamin took the lead.
"Geghi, take the others to the forest for now."
She started to rise, but I raised a hand. "No, it's alright. I don't know them as well as you, but I know them enough. I trust them."
Benjamin nodded. "Your call, John."
"Alright. I'll take questions after. For now, let me tell you what happened when I was in the middle of the Wildlands. It started when I was playing with my friends—Steve and Bob…"
And so, I told them everything.
The worm. The struggle. Edward. The fight. The future.
Every word, every memory, spilled out under the starlit night. They listened in silence, not interrupting once, the fire crackling between us.
"...And finally," I finished, "we're here."
Silence lingered. Everyone was processing. Then, the questions began.
"That's an unbelievable story, John," Areva said.
"I know. I couldn't keep it to myself. I need your input."
"So these 'People from the Beyond'—they planned everything?" she asked.
"Seems so."
"And these 'Travelers'—they're the same assassins that have been targeting you?"
"Apparently."
"And the two groups aren't related?"
"I'm not sure. I never got the chance to ask." I shrugged.
Marvin, one of the researchers, leaned forward. "If what you're saying is true, then these assassins are bigger than we thought. We already knew they weren't small-timers—being able to put out regular hits on you, hire giants and dragons—but continuing to do so even at the end of the world? That's something else entirely."
Everyone nodded grimly.
"Do these 'People from the Beyond' ring any bells?" I asked.
Benjamin shook his head. "No clue. Haven't heard a lick of them. I'll ask around."
"Thanks, Ben."
Julius spoke next, eyes narrowed in thought. "I see some plotholes in Edward's story."
"What is it?"
"It seems he knew about the Travelers' attack before you got out of the worm."
"What are you saying?"
He explained. "Even if he was from the future, the insinuation was that this was the first time he had done this. The Traveler attack after the worm would've been new from his perspective as well. Either he wasn't telling everything... or there's a way to anticipate Traveler attacks."
"That's a fair point," I admitted. "It's a plothole, alright. I don't know."
Julius nodded. "Even so, I believe him."
"How?"
He said with a straight face. "Only a future version of you would name a majestic creature something as ridiculous as Chompworm."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"
He ignored me, continuing. "Also, I already tested your blood. It's different—much stronger. There are antibodies I've never seen before. Still yours, though. I was wondering how you got decades' worth of poison resistance. Turns out, that's the explanation."
I stared at him, stunned. When did he even test my blood? And why? Still, his words lifted a massive weight from my chest.
"You've no idea how good that makes me feel," I said, smiling faintly. "I honestly thought I might've been hallucinating—that it was all just some fever dream. But you just confirmed it for me."
"It's my job," Julius said simply.
"Thanks, Julius." I nodded to him from across the fire. He gave a small nod back.
I turned to the others. "Friends. Thank you for your help—and your trust. If you've got any more questions, ask them now, because I've gone a month without sleep and I feel like I'm about to slip into a coma."
"We got it, John," Areva said softly. "You get your rest. We'll take care of things."
"Good." I stretched, groaning. "Then I'm going to bed. See you in the morning."
I left them to their discussions and headed to my quarters. After two months in the Wildlands, I finally slept in peace—no thoughts of predators sinking their teeth into me. Only the weight of what's to come.
It's an impossible burden to carry alone.
Good thing I have people to share it with.
That night, I slept like a baby—dreaming of the apocalypse.