Galactic High

“Damn labyrinth, it’s even worse down here.” Nika sighed, carefully moving to one of the nearby passages. “Probably best to head down this tunnel and hope for a turn.”

“Sephy,” Jack interrupted. “Do you have a marker pen or something you use for graffiti on you? If we make a mark somewhere only we know what to look for, we can retrace our steps if we have to.”

“Sure!” The Skritta grinned as she pulled out a highlighter and left a small mark on one of the pipes, all while Alora hurried them along.

“We need to stay ahead of the fighting,” the Eladrie warned. “But yes, that was a good idea, Jack.”

“Let’s just hope we don’t get flushed out,” Nika whispered as the echoes of combat got fiercer as they moved. “Drow are probably chewing through those assholes, I almost feel sorry for them.”

Unless there are any more like the Butcher. Chiyo argued. Lower-level cultists with no combat experience that just have a deathwish aren’t an issue for the drow or us, but the Cult of the Destroyer has its elite forces too! And they’re on home ground!

As if to punctuate that, several cackles and explosions could be heard through the pipes heading upwards.

Sephy? What’s the direction of the signal looking like? Chiyo asked. If it changes quickly it means we’re close!

“Not too close, not too far!” Sephy replied, keeping an eye on her indicator. “We’re probably going to pass the right direction and keep going until this passageway ends, at which point we will hopefully have a direct path.”

“Let’s pick up the pace then!” Alora confirmed, “We can’t afford to take a break here!”

Jack obliged, trying his best to toe the line between stealth and speed, Dante keeping close to his heels as he did, occasionally making sure the others in the group weren’t struggling. Eventually, after what seemed like ten minutes, the path opened out into a large chamber. This one had no signs of lime or stone, and appeared to be spotless from dust and decay that they could see. The floor and walls were comprised of some kind of dark brown metal with hexagonal patterns. Not the rough, corroded rust that Jack originally believed, the metal instead had a smooth, almost slippery sheen. It climbed up the walls like ivy, only leaving some remnants of the usual pipes and wiring at the top.

“That’s…different.” Even Nika had to give pause. “What is it, Chiyo?”

I have no idea. Chiyo replied, examining the metal. Add it to the ever-growing list of mysteries of the Gloom Paths. We can’t afford to worry about it right now though.

“Agreed,” Alora confirmed. “Sephy?”

“This way!” Sephy confirmed, leading the group to a set of three tunnel entrances right next to each other.

“Well this is awkward,” Jack noted. “Which one do we take?”

“Left heads back near where we were coming from.” Nika shrugged. “What about the others?”

There are lifesigns that way. Chiyo argued as she moved to the other side, with Alora taking a look. Right is safer but likely longer.

“Middle doesn’t look good,” Jack added. “I think it heads even further down and-”

They were interrupted by a loud bark from Dante, whose direction made the group look up as something blasted a hole in the wall a floor above them. Several large, roaring creatures dropped to the ground, quickly followed by several Drow, clad in finely laden black uniforms. The creatures were monstrous, like some kind of emaciated-looking canine with rotted flesh, painful-looking spikes of broken, repurposed bones, and a maw of way-too-oversized teeth.

But Jack could see they weren’t canines.

With horrified expressions on what remained of their torn and warped faces, Jack could tell that these creatures were somehow the twisted and mutilated bodies of a living person! Though mostly drow, there were also terrified looking avian, aquatic and reptilian species as well!

“House Mal’Kar sends their regards!” one of the drow snarled as they opened fire, keeping the group in their hastily acquired cover in the passageways as more drow from the hole above maintained suppressing fire.

Snapping out, Jack quickly let out a quick burst of plasma fire to smack in the ‘head’ of one of the beasts. Though it rocked on its feet, it stayed up, and even began to somehow quickly form a shield of flesh and bone, an action mimicked by several of the others, allowing the drow on the ground to push up. Jack let out a follow-up burst to smack one in the head, but judging by the way it wriggled on the ground, it was only wounded.

“We can’t stay here!” Jack told the others by subvocal comms. “If we retreat into the tunnels we can bottleneck them and thin their numbers!”

“Are you crazy?” Nika called back as she let out some blind fire with her gatling laser from behind cover. “Splitting the group is a terrible idea! Especially here!”

“Jack’s right!” Alora replied as she flung a fireball. It only seemed to stagger the drow, but seemed to have a greater effect on one of the beasts, before in its death throes it blasted a spike of bone right back at her which smacked into the metal support Alora was hiding behind. “Fighting retreat! We’ll find each other!”

“As you say! Good luck!” Nika called back as she and Sephy retreated under the cover of a pulse grenade.

“We don’t need luck!” Alora confidently replied back before she, Chiyo and Dante methodically moved back, launching spells and ranged attacks that the drow dared not face, instead sending a few of their beasts that way.

“OVERCHARGE!” Jack roared before his high-powered photon blast melted one of the beasts and two of the drow, before he too moved back. Alone, he was an ideal primary target, and that was fine with him if it took their attention away from the others. Dual wielding both of his guns, he lay down suppressing fire, taking care not to move too far away, and drawing the drow deeper into the passageway as it descended further down into the Gloom Paths. While the drow had some kind of protective armour, they were clearly worried about taking too much damage, though the beasts were far less reserved, having as much of a deathwish as the cultists but being far more resilient and deadly.

Backing away, the passageway quickly opened into a larger passage, and Jack knew his advantage would soon be lost. Laying down some more covering fire, he quickly activated a specific grenade from his belt and waited for the last moment before lobbing it underarm over the heads of the closest drow. It exploded, violently expelling its contents all over his group of attackers, before the concrete-like substance rapidly expanded, completely engulfing the passageway.

And also trapping him in the new passage.

No choice. Jack thought to himself. He knew he had the strength to break through it given enough time, but time was a precious resource when his friends were in danger. Now to find a way out.

Turning around to look for an alternative exit, he quickly dodged to the side as a jet of flame suddenly lurched out at him before just as quickly subsiding. Sensing movement behind him, Jack dodged again, blocking a hit from something blunt that managed to dent his plasma rifle as he reflexively blocked it. Quickly retaliating, he snapped his rifle up, giving off several bursts, which were effortlessly magically absorbed by the two strange-looking drow before his plasma rifle ran out of juice, and it refused to eject its battery when Jack tried to quickly reload. The hit from earlier must have jammed it.

Instead, on seeing that the drow hadn’t pressed their attack, Jack pushed the plasma rifle back on its sling until it clipped onto the calibrated magnets on the back of his battleskin. He was more than happy to use his more powerful weapons here. These two were clearly no ordinary drow…

“What fortune, sister-of-mine!” The suited male smiled an unnaturally cheerful smile, the device on his hand still glowing from the flames as he pulled out a wicked-looking mace. “Our target wants to play!”

“It was never a case of fortune, brother-of-mine!” The female in the white dress flourished her twin battle hammers as she leaned back into the male, smiling an insane grin as he caressed her body. “But fate! I hope he will be more interesting than the others!

“This one will entertain us, sister-of-mine!” The male felt the female up as the two giggled, staring at the human in wicked glee. “He is to die painfully by the young mistress’ decree! Oh yes…”

As the two drow then separated and prepared to attack, Jack growled, bringing his rage to bear. “I don’t have time for this shit!”

******

Dante blinked to one of the beasts, latching onto it’s neck with his maw as it shuddered, electricity coursing through it’s body before it fell still, unable to regenerate. Another beast leapt at him, only to be slammed into the wall by an invisible force.

It’s resisting my power! Chiyo told Alora as the Eladrie thrust out with a summoned spear, skewering another beast, then summoned divine flames to engulf it. They had proceeded a fair way, though their enemy was tenacious. We can’t hold out forever, I hope you have something!

“Thought you’d never ask.” Alora smirked despite herself, knowing that what she was about to do was difficult. “Cover me while I cast!”

Chiyo and Dante did so as Alora began chanting, several magical rings of power surrounding her as she knelt in a pose of supplication. Chiyo grabbed what she could with her power, throwing a cloud of dust at the incoming drow, to little effect as they could see through their visors. Chiyo followed through by lashing out with waves of psychic power, striking at the drow mentally with much greater effectiveness, though having little effect on their monsters. Dante likewise sensed Alora’s wish, and shot out a slow ball of lightning down the passageway they had come through, which brutally lashed out with bolts of powerful lightning. Though the ‘dog’ seemed a little fatigued by the effort, that did not stop him from forcing the beasts back with jolts of electricity as Alora finished her ritual.

“Shar’hashala of Quemos! I summon thee!” Alora shouted, her palms hitting the ground as she was bathed in light before her form grew, skin glowing bright, sprouting wings and shimmering with holy flames as Alora finished her transformation into a guardian celestial. Wasting no time, she waved her hands forward and immediately immolated three of the beasts, and struck a fourth that had attempted to attack Dante with a powerful foot, smacking the creature into the nearby wall with a sickening crunch. As the remaining hostiles attempted to flee back down the corridor, Alora quickly intercepted the ones she could, smiting them with her summoned sword, before unleashing white flames down the passageway they had just fled down, obliterating the remaining drow and their foul beasts.

“I can still maintain this form for a little while longer before I revert back!” Alora told Chiyo. “Might as well use it! Where are they?”

All three appear to be converging somewhere that way! Chiyo pointed, and fortunately, this time there was a passageway heading straight there.

Though before they could get a move on, something shimmered in front of them before a portal of hellfire opened, and Alora and Chiyo summoned their power to get ready for a fight, as from the bright flames stepped forth the black-robed, red-skinned form of Devil’s Daughter herself.

Dante seemed at ease, however, as he casually padded over to the Stygian, staring up at her with intelligent eyes, and giving her a single ‘Woof!’

Devil’s Daughter unsummoned her portal as she took in the three in front of her, quickly looking around for more but not finding anyone else. Finally she spoke, locking eyes with Alora.

“Where’s Jack?”

******

“That’s eight!” Nika called to Sephy, as her gatling laser finally ripped through the last Drow’s armour.

“No fair!” Sephy pouted, sending a powerful single shot round down range, hitting someone as they backed into cover. “You have that chunky thing!”

“Hey! If you can pick it up and operate it, it's all yours!” Nika grinned. She was reluctant to admit that Jack’s idea had been a wise one. She and Sephy had given the bulk of the drow coming after them the slip multiple times, successfully catching them off guard several times and whittling down their numbers. Though these drow were clearly elite, they were apparently not used to facing experienced opponents, and they were paying dearly for it. “Time to break again!”

“Breaking now!” Sephy replied, following the trace of the signal as she pushed forward to another room, this one having heavy Destroyer iconography and multiple metal pillars with unusually heavy cables webbing along their lengths and the ceiling. Sephy took cover behind a pillar on her right, noting that direction was where the signal was coming from. She could hear other sounds of battle in the distance, and hoped they would link up with the others soon!

Nika quickly ran after Sephy as the Skritta covered her, exoskeleton-powered legs easily covering the distance while her arms were locked in place holding the gatling laser as she moved to join Sephy and prepared to engage. However, as a wave of the drow and their beasts rushed through, several shots rang out and quickly took them down completely by surprise. For a moment Nika thought it was Jack, but quickly thought better of it as someone else dashed from behind cover and quickly obliterated the remaining drow before turning to the two girls. The undead woman, with a pale, gaunt face and long white hair, effortlessly spun her heavy pistols in her hands with an evil grin, her tattered blue coat swaying with the slight breeze of the Gloom Paths.

“What vermin do I behold in the centre of my web?” She cackled wickedly. “Not another pesky drow. You’re with Him!”

“No idea what you mean!” Nika growled in reply.

The figure mockingly laughed as she spun her guns. “You’re a poor liar, child. In the Destroyer’s name I have ended lives and broken minds longer than you have been alive! Tell me where the Outsider is, and I’ll make your deaths quick and painless!”

“Not gonna happen!” Sephy snarled. “Blow it out your ass!”

“I was hoping you would say that!” The woman gave a cocky, gummy grin as she spun her pistols again before holstering them, hovering her hands by the holsters while keeping her eye on the girls, who were subvocally planning their next move. “I know The Butcher finally got his wish of a glorious death in battle, but that one always lacked vision for the finer things. The thrill of the hunt! The rush of the fight! The passion of the kill! Feel honoured, children! For I will show you why I am named The Trickster!”

There was a quick silence as anticipation filled the room to a boiling point, before the undead gunslinger broke it first.

“DRAW!”

Immediately, Sephy crouched low and snapped out of cover with suppressing fire, forcing The Trickster to dive for the nearest pillar as they aimed for Nika, the Skritta having correctly assumed that The Trickster would see Nika as the greater threat. As Sephy tried to hit The Trickster with accurate burst fire, the form of the cultist shifted as it began to blur with the nearby darkness.

“Stealth camouflage!” Sephy warned.

“Gotcha!” Nika called back, before yelling, “Dodge this, bitch!”

She unleashed a furious hailstorm of bullets around the pillar as Sephy pushed forward, trying to get a better angle on The Trickster. Suddenly, several shots of green light flung out from behind the pillar, inaccurately aimed towards Nika…

Or were they!?

Nika quickly dodged out of the way as the powerful blasts ricocheted off the nearby wall, passing through precisely where she just was and pinging several more times on various surfaces before they dissipated. The Trickster wasted no time in moving from her position. Sephy saw the shimmering blur of the camouflage as she did and clipped The Trickster with a quick plasma burst from her rifle as several shots came her way, which Sephy dodged by using her wings to fly in the air, keeping up the fire and forcing the Trickster to move between cover as she tried to break line of sight and give the girls the slip. Several more ricocheting shots came flying around, much wilder this time.

“Have a plan?” Sephy called subvocally as she ducked another shot that almost got her from behind. “Only a matter of time before we get one in the back.”

“I have an idea!” Nika growled as several shots were aimed towards her, preventing her from spinning up her gatling laser. “Keep her distracted, switch to your pistols so I can spin this up!”

Sephy did so, letting loose with her rapid-fire pistols anywhere where she could see the shimmer of camouflage as Nika fired up her gun, holding down the trigger as she kept up the pressure. Sephy could see the shimmer run to hide behind a pillar right at the end, and she called the position to Nika, moving into position as the Trickster got pinned down.

She really hoped this would work…

Several bolts of green gunfire pinged off the walls to fly at Nika’s position, but didn’t appear to hit or phase her as she kept up the heat. Several more shots quickly followed after that, pinging around and failing to hit. The undead gunslinger hissed in rage and frustration as the relentless laser fire kept her pinned down as Sephy got closer, stopping her from breaking out of cover!

The Trickster was seething. She was done playing. She wanted to finish this, this had taken too long and she had no time to fool about any more! The sanctuary needed defending, from filthy drow and foul beasts alike! All would be destroyed, and meet oblivion. Starting with these two whelps! She heard the fluttering of wings to her left and sent a few more rounds that way, though annoyingly, none hit. Why was she missing? That Kizun was standing still! Her head should have been destroyed by now!

What fortune! The Tricker heard the hiss of the gatling gun overheating! If a ricocheted shot wouldn't hit and kill her, a direct blast would! Turning around she took aim and…WHAT!?! WHERE WAS SHE?

The gatling laser was still spinning uselessly in place, held there by the exoskeleton that was locked in position, but the Kizun had slipped out of it! Hearing movement from the left, The Trickster was caught off guard as the Skritta dashed around and unleashed a storm of rapid gunfire, hitting the Trickster several times, who panicked, losing all sense of confidence and turned to dash towards the nearest exit….

Only to see the Kizun sliding up to her, shotgun aimed right at her face.

The Trickster had barely enough time to give the slightest smile of acceptance. “Pretty go-”

Nika’s blast tore half her face off as the Trickster fell to the ground. Both girls didn’t even hesitate, as they immediately kept pumping more shots into the barely twitching body. There was no such thing as overkill when it came to undead.

“Do you think she had a phylactery? We don’t want her coming back!” Sephy asked Nika, who shrugged.

“Dunno. Alora or Chiyo could probably answer that one, but even if she does, I hear it takes a while for it to work. We’ll be long gone by then.”

“Speaking of which, we need to move, the others need us!” Sephy replied seriously as she took The Trickster’s pistols and coat, quickly rummaging through the pockets.

“Jack’s on his own, at least Alora, Chiyo and Dante are together,” Nika reasoned, before holding a finger in the air for silence, hearing the sounds of intense fighting and screaming in the background.

“That would be where Jack is!” Sephy grinned. “And it’s in the same direction as the signal too!”

“The others will find us, but Jack has no way of navigating this place,” Nika asserted, returning to her exoskeleton and checking her gatling laser. “Besides, we don’t want him hogging all the action!”

*******

.

Jack fired several quick bursts with his Dominator, but whatever magic these two freaks were using made them impossibly fast, and even worse - his shield picked this moment to start recharging! The Sister blinked in close and swung wildly at Jack’s head with both of her twin hammers as he ducked the attack, using his momentum to spin around and lash out with a kick, barely catching The Sister as she moved away, knocking her back. Jack raised his gun for a burst before he sensed movement behind him, quickly dipping to the side as The Brother came down with an overhead chop with his heavy mace, smacking the ground where Jack was standing just moments before, using his momentum to deftly roll forwards as Jack sent a burst from his Dominator and shuffled back as he tried to get eyes on The Sister.

Suddenly Jack heard something behind him as The Sister blinked close, and Jack grunted in pain as he parried a hammer swipe with his forearm, trying to grab the weapon but failing as The Sister quickly pulled it back. She swiped with the other, but this time Jack was ready, jumping forward with a kick that caught The Sister right in the mouth, throwing off her attack and knocking her back, before Jack dived out of the way of a jet of flame as The Brother roared in anger. Jack sent some shots right back at him as the flames disappeared, only for The Brother to blink in and catch Jack by surprise. He tried to dodge a swipe with the heavy mace, but took a hard hit to the stomach.

Jack jumped up to his feet angry as The Brother helped his sister up. “You want up close and personal?” Jack snarled in sheer hate as he holstered his Dominator and drew his axe, his rage building in every fibre of his being. “You’ve got it! You want to kill me? Come and try it!”

“He struck me in the face, Brother-Of-Mine!” The Sister snarled as purple blood dripped down her nose to spatter her white dress.

“He will die painfully, Sister-Of-Mine!” The Brother snarled as he comforted his sister, but Jack wasn’t willing to wait as he charged in, chopping with his axe as the Drow quickly blinked away to keep their distance. The Brother thrust his gloved arm out, which Jack could see had some kind of device on the hand, and shot a thinner jet of flame towards Jack as he rushed again at their position, with Jack dodging the more accurate pyro attack as best he could, though taking some damage he barely noticed as he forced the Drow to blink again.

This time, however, he could hear the Drow panting, and knew in the back of his mind they couldn’t keep up the blinks for very long.

The two drow gave each other knowing looks as they nodded to one another, getting up and looking much more serious compared to before. Jack walked towards them as they walked towards him, ready for what they would try. The Brother suddenly charged at Jack, swinging his mace as hard as he could. Jack ducked under the blow, feeling the wind ruffle his hair and allowing The Brother to continue past him with their momentum as he blocked a hammer blow from The Sister with his axe, having the presence of mind to quickly hop to avoid The Brother’s attempt to trip him, snapping back with a kick as he moved in closer to The Sister, parrying her second hammer strike before pulling her towards and past him, throwing her off balance as she desperately tried to stay on her feet. Hearing a shuffling from the side, Jack dodged another swipe at his head from The Brother, who quickly brought his heavy mace up to block a retaliatory chop from Jack’s axe, but couldn’t parry Jack’s follow-up punch to the face, knocking The Brother back as he leapt forward and followed through with a kick that knocked him down.

Anticipating The Sister, Jack feinted moving to finish off The Brother, but instead twisted and roared as he sent a vertical chop to intercept The Sister, who brought her twin hammers up in an ‘X’ to quickly block and lock the weapons in position. Taking advantage of his forward momentum, Jack used his superior strength to push The Sister back, the drow panicking as she stepped back with it, trying not to trip up before she somehow found the strength to dig her feet just as she was about to hit the wall. The Sister quickly slackened her grip on her hammers, allowing the handles to slide through her hands to shorten the length as she broke the clinch, moving within Jack’s guard and punching him in the chest with the hammer heads as he was knocked back. Somehow having the reflexes to anticipate The Brother, Jack quickly fell to the ground, letting the swipe go over him as he used his momentum to come up from a back roll, grunting in pain as he felt the sharp impact and rocks on his back, despite the battleskin reducing the damage.

The Brother quickly stopped and changed his direction, furiously swiping at Jack several times with his mace with unnatural strength. The human dodged each attempt before parrying once more with his axe, getting in close and headbutting the drow male in the face, stunning him and forcing him back Jack in time as The Sister leapt at him, bringing both of her hammers down. Jack was quicker, however, blocking the devastating attack with all of his strength and using his momentum to throw The Sister at the wall headfirst, her skull cracking against the rough metal wall as her sunglasses fell free down her blood-spattered face, revealing the acid like scars around her red eyes as she was dazed.

Hearing The Brother rush at him again, Jack tried to dodge another swing but failed, the mace smashing into his torso with a sickening crunch, and Jack barely got his axe up in time to block a second blow, before The Brother followed through by striking Jack in the face with the pommel of his mace, forcing the human back. The Brother yelled a cry of victory as he rushed in close with a downward chop of his mace, with Jack blocking and holding on with as much strength as he could muster. He knew the drow could magically enhance their strength, but his strength was natural, and he pushed back. The Brother’s nose began to bleed from his magical exertion as Jack held on, before suddenly the human roared in rage, pushing The Brother back in a burst of strength, his guard wide open as, without thinking, Jack threw his axe as hard as he could, smashing into The Brother’s torso! Jack dashed to the shockedlooking drow as they raised their gauntleted hand to spew fire once again…

Jack caught up just in time, grabbing the arm with his right hand and aiming the flames away from him by twisting the arm, while with his left Jack brought his fist down on The Brother’s elbow as hard as he possibly could. The Brother screamed in agony as his arm was completely destroyed with a snapping crunch of bone, deactivating the magical fire. Jack pulled him in close for a grapple as he heard The Sister get up, and knew he had to be quick and decisive. Switching around and getting behind The Brother as the drow’s other arm flailed desperately, Jack grabbed The Brother’s shoulder with his left hand and underneath the screaming drow’s chin with the other, digging his fingers in deep as the drow male struggled to break the grip. Jack’s anger reached a boiling point, as his fingers broke through the drow’s skin and latched onto the jawbone…

“NO!” The Sister screamed as she rushed towards Jack as quickly as she could.

Jack roared a war cry as he pulled with all of his might, ripping the head off The Brother in a volcanic eruption of purple gore as The Sister charged at him in a berserk rage. Gripping his axe, he tried to swing at her head, but in The Sister’s anger she hit Jack first, smashing his arm as he desperately tried to move back and parry. But The Sister would not tire, swinging at Jack with no heed to any discipline or tactic. As Jack blocked, he was booted back by the enraged drow, not wanting Jack to get within her guard as she charged again.

Jack quickly charged back, pretending to meet her axe to hammer, but at the last moment he dropped down in a slide, taking The Sister’s legs out from under her as she was caught completely by surprise. Jack quickly kicked up to his feet, as The Sister scrambled as well, turning to face Jack…

Just in time to take three photon rounds to the chest.

The Sister fell back with a surprised grunt as Jack holstered his Dominator, and then his axe, as he walked methodically towards The Sister.

The drow snarled as she felt her life leave her. She would not lose to this male! She would try and beg for her life just long enough to avenge her brother! She looked to the side and could see her hammer. Reaching for it she tried to be subtle in her movements as her hand wrapped around the cool, metal handle. She then tried to relax herself and not look like a threat as she looked up to the human that had approached, to try to beg for their mercy…

Only for The Sister’s eyes to widen in terror as, with a snarl, the human stomped his boot through her face and out the back of her skull.

Jack groaned as he leaned against the nearby way to quickly catch his breath after the ordeal. The pain of his injuries caught up with him as his adrenaline began to subside, and they were not forgiving. He had been hit in several places, mostly along his arms and chest during the melee, and though the protection of his battleskin spread a lot of the impact around his body, he knew he would be sporting some wicked bruises. The rest of his body felt a little stiff and sore as a side effect of the battleskin, but not to the point of injury. He had been hit in the head and face a few times as well, though Jack did his best to ignore the pain of that. There was nothing he could do about it anyway.

Listening out for any danger as he searched the bodies, Jack could hear the faint sounds of combat in the distance and above him. Cursing himself for blocking the way he came, he barely registered chucking everything that looked valuable or important that The Sister and The Brother had on them into a microfiber sling-bag he shook out of one of his pockets, only hesitating for a moment when he examined the strange contraption The Brother had used as a flamethrower. Jack was sorely tempted to just put it on and test it out, but common sense overruled that idea, and he carefully placed it in the bag with everything else. Strapping the drow weapons to him he was just about to start jogging towards the sounds of fighting, when he stopped, noticing a discarded object on the ground. Crouching to pick up The Sister’s shades, he took a moment to put them on, before looking for the next fight.