Penny watched as Dove hobbled back over the slope. He had placed her down, as he always does, and leaves to do his business. This time he walks a little more awkwardly.

"Is everything alright?" Asks Penny.

"Just tore my butthole a little bit with that last one." Grunted Dove. "Little bloody, but I'm fine."

"Are the rations getting to you again?"

"Indeed."

Penny hummed. "Do you know where we can restock on supplies?"

"I'm fine on water as," Dove gestures around him, "I can refill at any point in time. But admittedly, food and ammunition is a different situation all together."

"I thought you managed to get some food from the bandits who attacked you?"

"I did. About six days' worth. It's been about three, four days since I fought them? So, still sort of running out." Admitted Dove.

"And what about ammunition?"

"The caliber of bullets they had weren't the right size. I use three-fifty-seven, they used two-two-three. I can't fire that."

"How many bullets do you have left?"

"Thirty-one." Dove grunted as he strapped back on Penny. "Admittedly, I used way too much ammunition in that last fight, but when you get into the thick of it, you just move. And if you don't have that instinctual movement, you die. Simple as that."

"It sounds like you are trying to justify the usage of six bullets." Penny hesitantly pointed out.

"That's because I am."

"What do you plan on doing for additional ammunition then?"

"Maybe make do for now?"

"And food?"

"Make do?"

Not the answer she wanted to hear. "Dove."

"Yes Penny?" Grimaced Dove.

"You will continue eating full rations."

"But Penny~"

"Eat."

"No."

"Do it."

"Nah."

"Dove."

"That's my name."

Very funny, Dove. Very funny. "Just eat before I have to do something clever in order to either guilt or annoy you into doing what I'd like you to do."

"I guess you are really a woman." Droned Dove.

"Ha ha, I am completely riveted by your humor," dryly stated Penny, with as much mirth as a mausoleum.

"Aw, thanks!" Smiled Dove, disingenuously. "I try really hard."

"Right." Deadpanned Penny. "Anyhow, I have checked my records, and have noticed that we are heading in the direction of where the outer Atlassian wall once stood. Maybe we could ransack any barracks that are remaining for food or equipment?"

"Unlikely." Replied Dove. "Most of the wall got flattened in the full take over."

This had attracted her attention. "Most? There are segments of the wall still standing?"

"There's a reason why it's still standing."

"How come?"

"Alright, I'll tell you," sighed Dove. "So, the walls were being punched through, and were often ignored by some of the larger grimms. However, as with any wall, you only really need to get around it, over it, past it, etcetera, not take the whole wall down. So, on the parts that were breached, the people ransacked the skeleton crews, the barracks, and such."

"But not this section of wall."

"Not this section. It stood during the waves, as it was one of the strongest points in the wall. And when you go at a wall, you don't go for the strong points."

"Makes sense." Mused Penny.

"Let me finish." Jabbed Dove. "Anyways, the majority of the forces went into the cities and such that lay behind the wall. No real reason to go back to wipe out the wall. And now, the locals call that segment I've heard about, the Stone Mile."


Orders: Protect Atlas. Fire upon intruders. Caveat: There has been a breach in the wall. If others attempt to get onto the wall without proper identification, fire at will, regardless of direction. Ensure Armory remains stocked. Ensure Fabrication Machine maintenance is maintained. Ensure Central is maintained. Intruder detected. Aiming rotary cannon. Initiating one second burst. Scanning: intruder has been terminated. Resume patrol route.


It didn't know what hit it. It had looked like a lycanthrope. Moved like one. Armored in bone. Past tense. The Beowolf lay steaming in the snow, crumbling into ash. It was more cavity than creature. It simply was walking, looking for something, anything, and then it wasn't. The Beowolf crumbled to dust and blew away into the wind.


"Is it actually a mile of wall that is still standing?"

"It's actually closer to three-quarters of a mile. But Mile sounds cooler. That and the fact it shoots at anything up to an eight of a mile away."

"But can you restock there?"

"Hypothetically, yes. Practically, no."

"What other options do we have?"