HROT: Spawn of War

Chapter 3: Quagmire Expedition

The recently-formed entourage, weary and downtrodden by the idea of Kyle's undoubted suffering, finally reached the entrance to a quagmire spanning unfathomable tracts of land, deciding to set up the fire and tents under some branches jutting out of the perimeter.

As Leon struggled to pitch the tent amidst the mud and guck, he let out an exasperated sigh and inquired, "Who exactly lives in the middle of this horrid swamp, and why is he so important to make us do this?"

Scott stopped dead in his tracks and stared at Leon in disbelief before acutely answering, "This is the lair of the reclusive legend, Alex Katz. You don't know of him?" Leon shook his head. Scott continued, "I find it hard to digest that you haven't heard of his inter-dimensional prowess."

Leon continued combatting the unruly tent as he replied, "Oh Scotty, I have been even more isolated than this so-called 'reclusive legend' you speak of, hence my lack of knowledge."

Tony tuned in to the conversation over the crackling fire he had just ignited and chimed in, "Crike! You've been talking about the lore of Alex Katz without me, haven't you?"

Scott reclined on a mossy tree stump and nonchalantly responded, "Nah, you just managed to get involved before I delved into it, Bogie."

Tony's mind temporarily wandered elsewhere. "Y'know, I haven't seen Kieran in a cold minute. Where'd he—uh—she...fuck it, where'd it scamper off to?" Tony finally managed to ask.

As soon as this was uttered, some rustling was heard among the foliage to their left, and out slithered the naked male form of Kieran the Shapeshifter.

Tony and Scott collectively recoiled at the sight of him, but Leon, who had just finished erecting the tent, gawked at Kieran wide-eyed, with drool dripping out of his agape, British mouth. Leon's hands were wrought with tremors as he expended all of his self-restraint to not rush at Kieran to grope his pecs.

With his gaze averted to the damp grass, Scott inquired forcefully, "Ugh! What the fuck is wrong with you? Where are your clothes and what were you doing creeping around in the bushes?"

Kieran noticed the lust encapsulating Leon and perked his pecs a bit to fuel it before answering with an aura of warped confidence, "I was bristling around in shrubs because it gives me such fantastic tingles on my dingle!"

Scott and Tony exchanged looks of disgust and disbelief before turning away from the abhorrent spectacle and huddling by the small fire.

Tony shouted back, "Once you two finish up with your shenanigans, come join us at the campfire so we can enlighten you about Alex Katz! And, uh, make sure you have some fucking clothes on, please! Thank you!"

A couple minutes passed and everyone gathered at the campfire with ears perked and cognition at the ready.

"Alex Katz is a man of many titles," Scott began. "Some of these include the Harbinger of Mashed, the Cardinal of Damaged Tracheas, the Baron of Sludge, the Chameleon, the Fueled Comedian, and, most notably, the Parallel Quagmire..." Scott trailed off with an aura of crushing intensity.

"What's the meaning of all these diverse and nomenclature-heavy titles?" Leon interjected inquisitively from across the flickering campfire.

"Well, I'm glad you asked, Disciple of Arbiter. It all started on a sweltering summer day in the bowels of the Cedar Marshlands. A baby was fussing while being carried by a stork to his future parents when, suddenly, an arrow burrowed into the stork's chest and subsequently punctured the baby's trachea. The stork flailed in agony, releasing the baby into the treacherous depths of the Bog.

"Blood spewing everywhere, the baby plummeted at breakneck speeds that nearly broke the sound barrier. Screams echoed. Hope for a good life was shattered in an instant. As the wind mercilessly pounded the baby's face, it caused his eyes to slowly spread apart, rendering one askew and useless. As the baby descended, he collided with a succession of branches, brutally battering him even further.