Alright, baby, strap in ‘cause Ratso Rattington’s got the scoop on the latest caper of this ragtag band of adventurers! It’s a yarn so wild, it’ll make your whiskers curl!
So there they were, the aftermath of their rite of passage tickling their heels, and these mugs, each more peculiar than the last, found themselves staring down the barrel of a brand new adventure. Dust, the nosy one, gets chummy with Jasper - a slippery fella who’s got a tale about a hidden city in the Ridgeback Mountains, just south of a place our heroes dubbed the Skyreach Forest. That’s right, they’re making their mark with names and all!
Looking for a leg up, they turn to Sherman, the local shaman, and their own Prodigy. Now, Prodigy’s no ordinary Joe; he’s hitched his wagon to a deity, Adeona, and starts seeing things beyond our measly realm. But even with his new peepers, the city remains a ghost, hidden in the mists of mystery.
Undeterred, they learn from Jasper about a market in the Muckmire Swamp. But listen up, this ain’t your grandma’s flea market - it’s a breeding ground for a nasty yellow fungus turning stiffs into fungal zombies. These mugs knew they were diving headfirst into a snake pit.
So, they all head down to the swamp, which is as damp and dreary as my Aunt Rita’s basement. Led by Prodigy’s divine GPS, they follow a river, clear as day in his mind.
But hold your hats, ‘cause here comes trouble! Four zombies, looking like they’ve seen better days, rise from the muck, hungry for action. Smokey, our armored knight, stands tall, while Flattus, the healer, watches from afar. Elsewhere, a mountain of muscle, cleaves through a zombie with his axe. Dust, with his two-brain think tank, zaps ’em with a radiation blast. Prodigy unleashes the void, Jasper uses some ancient mojo, and Bucks and Jeffrey, those tough mugs, deal out their own brand of hurt.
The dust settles, and Jeffries is the only one with a scratch. Flattus patches him up, but saves some juice for later. Jasper’s impressed, but the scene’s a real boneyard.
Here’s the kicker - they gotta burn these soggy stiffs to stop the fungus. Smokey decides not to waste his fire tricks, so they do it the old-fashioned way, making sure these zombies won’t be coming back for an encore.
Then they find out the fungus is all over the zombies’ mitts. Jeffries got some in his gash, but Flattus cleans him up real nice.
Deeper into the swamp they go, and they meet these glowing critters, chattering in their noggins about safety. The gang’s split - some are bewitched, while others are wise to the game. Jeffries tries to keep Paulo in check, but the kid slips away. Smokey and Elsewhere play babysitter to Jasper and Flattus. They end up tying up the moonstruck trio, taking a page out of Ulysses’ playbook.
Once everyone’s back to their senses, they keep trudging through the swamp. Smokey and Dust spot a shifting patch of earth, but with Jeffries’ help, they give it the cold shoulder, tossing a rock to see if something bites. Nothing does, but they ain’t taking chances.
They find an abandoned camp with signs of another tribe, a single hoof, and a big bad predator. Among the scraps, they score an ancient metal breastplate and an electrifying glove. As night falls, they pitch camp, ready for whatever comes next.
And that’s the word on the street from your pal Ratso Rattington, the snazziest reporter this side of the apocalypse. Keep your eyes peeled, baby, ‘cause this tale’s just heating up!