Returning to the orange zone felt like stepping into the world’s weirdest waiting room. Joe’s stomach did a flip, though he tried to ignore it. At first glance, nothing seemed too strange—just ascenders crowded around screens, hungrily watching battlebox replays and strategizing, eyes gleaming with thoughts of time credits. Others lounged in booths, enjoying top-tier food and drink, worlds away from the rations they’d endured in the red zone. He was more than thankful they were able to increase their ascender ranks through the Bruiser Battalion’s sponsorship.

  Dawn slowed her pace, nudging Joe and gesturing toward the far corner. Her voice dropped low. “Back home, we had graveyards with more life than that.”

  Joe followed her gaze, pulling on his hoodie strings as a pit formed in his stomach. Several ascenders sat in slumped groups, eternity sticks dangling from their mouths, eyes glazed over. They had that soulless look that reminded Joe too much of the hollows they’d fought while rescuing Brian—only these guys weren’t mindless monsters. They looked on the edge of something about to turn rotten.

  “I don’t care how low my mana gets, I’m not ending up like that.” TJ cracked his knuckles, the sound sharp against the eerie silence.

  “No reason to stick around longer than we need to.” Rose’s staff flicked in the direction of the battlebox arena entrance.

  One of the eternity-stick zombies pulled his stick from his mouth and whispered something to his friend, eyes fixed on Joe’s group. It was unsettling. Joe half-expected them to go full Invasion of the Body Snatchers—point and scream.

  Rubbing his hands together to shake off the chill, Joe nodded toward the arena. “Lead the way, Rose.”

  TJ grunted, glaring at the group. “Creepy fuckers are lucky I’ve got somewhere better to be, or I’d rearrange their faces.” He kept his stare locked onto them until they were well out of the room, but Joe could still feel the hairs prickling on the back of his neck. He didn’t dare look back—he knew they were still watching.

  “How do we compete against a bard-turned-drug baron who uses charisma as a weapon?” Rose frowned.

  “There’s a story from my world about a pied piper.” Dawn tightened her hair into a bun. “He got the upper hand but felt cheated by the townsfolk. Pride comes before the fall. We just need to find the crack in Andras’ armor.”

  As they neared the entrance to the arena, the eerie quiet settled over them like a thick fog. No sign of Andras or his team. Entering the arena, Joe’s boots squeaked against the pristine floor, the air so sterile it smelled like a hospital.

  Andras and his crew were already waiting for them at the center, all dressed in their matching green hoodies, cargo pants, and boots. They looked like they’d just walked off the set of a dystopian rock band photo shoot.

  Andras gestured, like he was seeing an imaginary timer. “Finally.” He smirked. “Thought you’d changed your mind. But hey, it’s not too late to back out.”

  Joe was about to fire back a reply when he felt the shift beneath his feet. The floor of the arena groaned, splitting open and heaving like the bones of some ancient beast pushing to the surface. He saw Rose’s eyes widen as the slick, polished court transformed. What had been smooth and predictable now became jagged and chaotic—sharp rocks jutting out, uneven ridges forming craggy terrain, dust swirling in the air, gritty against his tongue.

  “Now we’re talking.” TJ grinned, his boots crunching against the rough terrain as he patted his decagon. “Won’t be long before we crush their arrogance like a boulder falling on an egg.”

  The kobold with the stone-cold killer look drew her clawed finger across her neck like a blade. “Oi, what’re ya lookin’ at? Yer nothin’ but a dead man walkin’. Power’s the only currency that matters, and yer flat broke.”

  Andras stood by, watching with that thin-lipped smile of his, like a proud parent. “Well said, Fedelma.” His voice dripped with approval. “Now, let me formally introduce you to the team that’s going to destroy any hopes you have of winning.” He threw an arm over the kobold’s shoulder. Her penny-rusted scales glinted as she shot him a look like she might rip his arm off and beat him with it.

  Clearing his throat he quickly backed off.

  Joe recognized her from the orange zone common room—greedy for power back then, and it seemed nothing had changed. Andras moved on with a dismissive sigh, his gaze landing on the twitchy ratfolk.

  “I believe you’ve met our Johnny before.” Andras barely glanced in the ratfolk’s direction.

  Johnny twitched, his tail flicking as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. His beady eyes darted around the arena like he was trying to memorize every rock and angle.

  Andras clapped his hands together, pride gleaming in his eyes. “And beside him, we have our most promising new member, Taz. Proof that size doesn’t matter.”

  The dwarf wasn’t paying attention, too caught up by her new surroundings, like a child in a playground eager to run off and climb everything in sight.

  Joe toyed with the strings of his hoodie. “Yeah, your stats guy. We met after the titans on floor two were defeated, and you blamed us for cheating.”

  The elf rubbing shoulders with Andras flicked his blond hair back and stepped forward, his permanent sneer plastered on his face, eyes never leaving TJ’s intense gaze. “Why bother wasting time introducing ourselves to these rotten peasants?”

  Andras wagged a disapproving finger. “Now, now, Otto, that would be ill-mannered.”

  TJ tapped his decagon with a smirk. “Who are you calling a filthy peasant? Where I’m from, we’d kill a kobold for less. If I had my way, we’d settle this the proper way—with a good ol' mud-wrestling match. Grease up, throw down. First to squeal like a pig loses.”

  Otto blinked, clearly thrown off. “That…sounds disgusting.” He grimaced and flicked a glance at Taz, who looked like she was ready to roll around in the dirt already. She had crouched down, feeling out the terrain, completely uninterested in the conversation.

  “She looks happy as a pig in shite.” Dawn observed, sounding somewhat impressed.

  TJ didn’t notice. His eyes were narrowed on Otto, knuckles tapping on his decagon like he was itching for a reason to knock the elf sideways. “Think you’re fast, Otto? I’ll give you a head start, and I’ll still catch up.”

  “Action speaks louder than words.” Rose slammed her staff into the ground, a crack spreading through the dirt. “Let’s see if you can actually back up all that talk.”

  Joe grinned, amused. It reminded him of how his granddad and he used to shut down the neighbor’s endless yapping. Save your breath for cooling your porridge, he thought.

  Taz let dust fall from her thick hands and jumped to her feet with surprising finesse. She had the muscle of a tank and cracked her neck, sizing up Rose like she’d only noticed her. "Keep yapping all you want, little slayers," she growled, punctuating her words by slamming her knuckles into her palm, eyes locking onto Joe like she was already digging his grave. “But we’re the storm, and there ain’t no shelter from us.” Joe felt a chill as he noticed the way the green hoodie stretched over her stocky frame, her entire body coiled and ready to spring into action. Taz wasn’t just a meat shield—she was a wrecking ball waiting for the right swing.

  “Enough pleasantries. Let’s get started, shall we?” Andras smiled, but his eyes were dead.

  Notifications filled Joe’s vision.

  [All antes accepted from each ascender. Eighteen years have been placed in the battlebox pool. Place your bets.]

  [Battlebox bets are open: no-limit. “All-in” allowed.]

  There was no way any of them could afford an “all-in,” not even Andras’ faction. Joe cast a quick glance at Dawn before placing the first bet.

  [Alert: Ascender 68 of Titan Slayers has placed a bet of 25 years.]

  [Alert: Ascender 243 of Andras Alliance has raised the bet to 50 years.]

  [Call or re-raise bet?]

  “Call.” Joe narrowed his eyes at Andras.

  [All bets are in.]

  Johnny’s tail curled between his legs. “What if we lose? I’ll… I’ll be…gu-gu-gored.”

  Andras snorted and clapped the ratfolk hard on the back, sending him stumbling. “We’re NOT going to lose, you sniveling rat. I don’t know what kind of circle you’re in, but we’re winners here. We don’t talk like that.”

  Johnny held out a paw to Otto, hoping for help but the elf took a step back, like Johnny had the plague.

  As Johnny picked himself up, Joe caught the snickers from Fedelma and Taz. They muttered to each other, loud enough for Joe to overhear with his Quick Wit.

  "Geez, Johnny never stops whining." Taz scrunched her brows. "I almost hope we do lose so the fucker gets GORED."

  Fedelma smirked. "Yeah, Andras has our respawn tokens in safe keeping. Johnny should be more grateful—he can hardly look after himself."

  “Simple-minded ratfolk.” Taz shook her head. "They barely remember anything more than their names from their past lives."

  Dawn shot Joe a look. “You alright?”

  Joe grinned. “Yeah, I’ve found their weakness. They’re like a manufactured pop band that can’t stand the sight of one another.”

  Dawn chuckled. “Once we turn up the heat, they’ll start tearing each other apart.”

  TJ nodded. “Not like us. We’re like family, right?” He gave Rose a playful nudge.

  Rose gave a tight smile, her expression darkening as if the idea of "family" wasn’t the comfort TJ thought it would be.

  Joe, feeling the shift, quickly added, “Not the dysfunctional kind. We’ve got each other’s backs.” He gestured for them to come closer.

  A sharp voice echoed across the arena as the battlebox announcement blared:

  [Battlebox challenge selected. One Round Objective: Three Minute Tally Rally. Knock as many orbs out of play as possible within the time limit. Each orb knocked out adds to the score. The team with the highest tally wins the prize pool. The prize is split evenly among faction members.]

  [Battle begins in five seconds.]

  Joe’s spirits lifted as they all huddled together. “Titan Slayers, let’s go!”

  That moment was shattered by the Lich’s voice, crackling over the arena speakers. “Let’s make things interesting. Since this is a sponsored battle, everyone in the tower can view what’s going on. No time penalty for fights here. Have fun. I know I will.” The speaker cut off, but not before Joe heard his cackling laughter.

  Joe cringed, but a quick elbow from Dawn brought him back.

  [Time Remaining: 3’ Prize Pool: 468 Years. Begin!]

  The timer ticked down. Everything seemed to slow for a second.

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  Across the arena, Andras and his team stood like smug statues, green hoodies zipped up tight, hands itching to put their orbs into play.

  Joe cast a quick glance at his own team. TJ was practically vibrating with impatience, his fists clenched and knuckles tapping his decagon like a drummer warming up for a solo. Dawn had fire in her eyes, already calculating her first move, while Rose stood quiet, calm, like the eye of a storm. Her orbs pulsed, softly shimmering, waiting.

  Andras stood there with his flute in hand, MadOrbz floating around him like planets orbiting a star.

  “Give me the word, Joe, and I’ll crack them wide open.” TJ’s fingers twitched ready to grab his first orb.

  Joe raised a hand, holding him back for a second longer. “Let's see if they make the first move.” While they waited Joe called his five orbs to his deck, their cartoonish grins doing little to ease his tension as they bobbed in place. His plan was simple, but he knew Andras and his crew wouldn’t stick to targeting their MadOrbz. Without a sanctioned fight tax, they’d try to take each team member down.

  Letting TJ strike first could catch them off guard. But what’s Andras hiding? Charging in might play right into their hands. But TJ was their heavy hitter, and waiting too long could waste their chance to land a solid blow.

  TJ’s strength was in breaking through defenses, and if he could knock one of their key orbs out of play early, it’d set the tone for the fight. If Andras has a trap set, we’ll deal with it after we force him to show his strongest orbs.

  Joe nodded at TJ with a look that said, ‘You know what to do.’

  TJ grinned and flung his arm forward, launching Groundbreaker with a mighty swing.

  An otherworldly, yet familiar tune of We Will Rock You filtered through the air. The orb shot forward like a runaway boulder, tearing through the rugged terrain, kicking up dust in its wake. It rumbled, gaining speed, barreling toward the ratfolk.

  Johnny squealed, wide-eyed, and practically tripped over his own feet as he scrambled backward.

  Taz was already in motion. “Mudslide, get that piece of shit!” Joe barely saw her move before her muddy orb shot out in a wide arc.

  Mud flicked as it spun at a rapid pace, garbling its voice, “Time to toast the tides.”

  Mudslide didn’t charge head-on like TJ’s. It curved, slingshotting around the battlefield building speed. Every pass around the arena tightened its orbit, gaining momentum.

  Joe’s eyebrows shot up. "Clever girl."

  With every pass, the muddy orb gained speed, a swirling mass of wet, heavy earth. It looped once, then again, tightening its orbit around Groundbreaker like a predator circling its prey.

  With a vicious slam, Mudslide crashed into Groundbreaker before it could reach Johnny.

  The ground shook as the muddy orb split TJ’s attack with a violent shockwave, sending debris flying—a wave of wet, heavy earth rolling over TJ’s Groundbreaker. The ground rippled, the mud sucking in TJ’s orb like quicksand, slowing it to a crawl before it sputtered to a stop, absorbed into the muck.

  “What the hell—?” TJ’s eyes bulged. "No way my orb just got one-shotted by mud!"

  Taz cackled, scooping up a handful of gravel and popping it into her mouth like sunflower seeds. "Looks like your orb’s got the shits, mate." She sneered, grinding the rocks between her teeth with a loud crunch.

  She raised her thick, muscled arm, and Mudslide rose from the ground, flying toward TJ like a missile, trailing mud in its wake. He ducked in time as it whizzed over his head, barely missing him by a whisker.

  TJ barely had time to curse Taz’s ancestors before Fedelma threw her own orb into play. A metal guitar riff echoed along with the catchphrase, “I am the devourer. I eat your pain.”

  The flaming skull roared to life, speeding toward them, its eyes burning with malice. The air sizzled as it streaked forward, its bony jaw unhinging wide, ready to consume.

  Andras didn’t miss a beat, playing a quick tune on his flute, and the skull doubled in size, the fire intensifying until the air surrounding it scorched the few plants on the rough terrain.

  Dawn’s eyes blazed as TJ’s downed Groundbreaker was swallowed whole by the flaming skull. A notification flickered in Joe’s vision:

  [Tally: 1 for Andras Alliance. 0 for Titan Slayers. Time: 2’ 52”]

  “Bravo, dahling,” Otto cooed, bowing with an obnoxious flourish, his hand sweeping dramatically through the air.

  Fedelma waved him off, her eyes fixed on TJ, relishing in his boiling rage. “Ya talk big, human, but it’s yer balls that just got flambeed!” Her black tongue snaked out, licking a clawed finger before she tipped her head, wiggling her scaly butt and mimicking a sizzling sound. “I’m hot stuff, boulder brains! You can’t handle me.”

  “Hell no, you didn’t!” Dawn lunged forward, her orb lighting up in her hand like a second sun. “No one insults TJ but me.” She locked eyes with Fedelma. "Inferno Edge!" The flames of her orb ignited as she wound her arm back. “Time to fight fire with fire!”

  Fedelma sneered, her kobold fangs gleaming. “Think you can match my fire? You’re nothing but a cheap spark.”

  The intense heat radiated off Dawn’s orb as it shot out, a blazing red-orange streak through the air. It met Fedelma’s Devourer head-on, the two orbs slamming together in a burst of flames that lit up the entire battlebox arena, sparks flying in all directions.

  Another notification flashed:

  [Tally: 2 for Andras Alliance. 0 for Titan Slayers. Time: 2’47”]

  Joe dismissed the notification. His team’s orbs were getting taken down fast. He glanced at Andras whistling a tune as his Zephyr floated around one of Otto’s orbs. They seemed to work in tandem as if they were waltzing to an unheard rhythm.

  “Time to break up their first dance.”

  Ready to make his move, Joe scanned the arena and activated Quick Wit for the optimal route. Joe paused, holding the earth affinity MadOrbz, Clod Zinger, that TJ had loaned him. The orange hooded ratfolk was pressed against the wall.

  Johnny had quietly launched his first orb. It seemed weak, barely noticeable, a pale, unassuming little thing.

  “Sniffer’s so bland, Johnny.” Fedelma rolled her eyes.

  “Like his personality.” Otto snickered, glancing at Andras like a dog waiting for a pat on the head.

  Joe’s brain fired faster as he zeroed in on the orb. At first, it seemed aimless, like a confused dragonfly zipping through the arena, weaving between rocks and orbs with no real purpose. But then it clicked. Its movements were too precise, too calculated. Sniffer wasn’t attacking—it was watching. Gathering intel. Andras gave Johnny a subtle nod, and Joe’s gut twisted.

  “That thing’s a little snitch.” Joe gestured to the simple orb. “Johnny’s Sniffer is gathering data on us. It’s feeding back everything—our orb positions, our attacks. No wonder they’re so coordinated.”

  Within seconds, TJ’s and Dawn’s newly launched orbs were downed by Zephyr and Otto’s wind orb. The tally reached four, favoring Andras Alliance.

  Andras’ smirk infuriated Joe as his teams’ MadOrbz moved with eerie precision, almost as if he could read the Titan Slayers’ minds. Each move they made, Andras countered, positioning his team like a puppet master pulling the strings. The Titan Slayers were losing ground, and fast.

  Joe’s orbs orbited him like loyal soldiers, ready to jump into action, but he needed to keep them in reserve for now. He flicked a glance at Dawn. She was already one step ahead, her eyes locked onto the Sniffer darting through the battlefield.

  “I’ll deal with it.” She summoned her new combo orb. The blue light pulsed in her hand, crackling with energy as she aimed to hijack the ratfolk’s sneaky advantage.

  “I’m ‘a snatchbox yer snake, yer never gonna see me coming.” Snatch shot forward like a streak of lightning, catching Sniffer mid-flight.

  For a split second, there was a bright connection, and Dawn’s face lit up with a fierce grin.

  Joe’s breath hitched. They had the rat now. But before he could fully celebrate, Fedelma’s Devourer swung back around, knocking Dawn’s orb out before she could fully pull off the snatch. “What the…it’s play time is one minute.” Her orb fizzled back to her decagon, and Fedelma let out a cackling laugh.

  [Tally: 5 for Andras Alliance. 0 for Titan Slayers. Time: 2’31”]

  “Better luck next time, doll!” Fedelma taunted.

  Dawn’s eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on her next orb. “Keep yapping. You’ll be tripping over your own tongue soon enough.”

  [Withholding Penalty: Ascender 18. Consequence: MadOrbz Combustion.]

  Joe’s body stiffened as he glanced at the orbs floating, waiting for one to explode. He jumped to the side as his decagon shook and slammed back against his leg. Searching the windows, two MadOrbz clinked against the glass, while snot slid down the inside. Slimer was gone.

  “Ugh, withholding penalty knocking down my ascender rank.” Rose shrugged. “But one year’s not so bad.”

  Joe winced. “I don’t recommend doing it again. I lost a MadOrbz.” He leveled Andras with a glare, knowing the penalty was inevitable, but hoping it was going to be worth it.

  "Rose, it’s your time to shine." He nodded toward Johnny’s Sniffer orb. "You've got thirty seconds to get rid of their intel gatherer, then take out anyone else in your way."

  She stepped forward with a confident sway, twirling her staff like a baton as her orbs swirled around her in perfect harmony. Planting her staff in the ground, she spun, her raven hair following.

  Haunting, sweet notes like a twisted church organ filled the air, accompanied by the faint, sickly scent of something sweet rotting. It was like a funeral march in motion. Rose waltzed, extending her free arm as the shadowy tendrils of her Necrosis orb glided from her palm.

  "Oh my! Decay looks absolutely fabulous on you!" the orb purred out its catchphrase. The orb moved through the air with eerie grace, shadowy tendrils ghosting out as if it had all the time in the world.

  Andras’ small grin disappeared, his eyes narrowing.

  Sniffer zipped, fleeing and giving Necrosis a wide berth every time it came near.

  Andras whispered something to Taz, who huffed with a begrudging nod.

  “That sneaky fucker’s a coward too." TJ growled. "Can’t you get in closer? Want me to knock him into your path with Stonefist?"

  Rose’s lips curved up in a wry smile. "No need. Necrosis is better than the Grim Reaper—no physical touch of death required."

  Joe breathed easier knowing Necrosis had an AoE, but it was clear Johnny’s Sniffer knew that, too.

  Taz threw her next orb, and it wailed out a tune: "I’m not crying, it’s just dust in my eye!" A thick plume of dust clouded the battlefield, obscuring Sniffer from view, but Rose kept her eyes focused. Necrosis glided forward.

  The storm of dust made it hard for Rose to get a clean shot. Sniffer zipped behind Taz’s protective wall, and it was clear they were trying to force Rose to back off.

  “Don’t get too close!” Joe twisted the cord of his hoodie. “You’ll get caught in the dust storm!”

  Rose gripped her staff tighter, her smile darkening. Black tendrils began to seep from Necrosis, spreading across the battlefield like death’s fingers reaching out for prey. The cloud of darkness moved closer to Taz’s Dust Cloud, not needing direct contact. Necrosis’ area of effect would reach further than Sniffer could dodge forever.

  But Johnny’s Sniffer darted and weaved with pinpoint accuracy, always staying just out of range.

  Joe muttered under his breath, “He knows the exact AoE—Johnny’s using all the intel that his orb retrieved.”

  Taz, however, wasn’t as lucky. She stood firm in the middle of the battlefield, unaware that Necrosis didn’t need to directly hit her orb. The dark tendrils slithered beneath the swirling dust, creeping toward Taz’s defense.

  At first, the signs were subtle. A faint sheen started to coat the edges of Taz’s Dust Cloud orb, unnoticed by the dwarf.

  Necrosis spread its deathly touch. Tiny fractures began appearing on the cloudy surface, spiderwebbing like cracks in old pottery. The once-imposing dust cloud began to slow, its power weakening under Necrosis' grip.

  Taz grinned, unaware of the danger. “That all you got?” She flexed, preparing to send Dust Cloud spinning outward again. But as she moved, the cracks in her orb widened, and Dust Cloud shriveled, its life force drained by Necrosis.

  A sickening crunch echoed across the arena as Dust Cloud withered into nothing but a faint puff of dust, scattered by the wind.

  [Tally: 5 for Andras Alliance. 1 for Titan Slayers. Time: 2’06”]

  “Got her.” Rose’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

  Joe grinned. “Nice work, Rose! She didn’t see it coming.” Now was his chance to add his own attack. With his combo orb Grumble Guts active, Joe hurled both Clod Zinger and Riptide Randy to target Sniffer. The earth affinity-based Clod Zinger cost him more mana as a prime tier, but its ability to auto-target an orb was worth it. He only needed Randy to get close enough to swap Johnny’s orb out for a weaker one.

  Sniffer, sensing the danger, zipped away in time, but the damage from Necrosis had been done. Taz’s defense was gone, and Rose had cleared the path for the next Titan Slayer attack. Joe leapt as Clod threw baseball sized dirt into Sniffer, downing it in time to be flanked by Randy.

  “Nice shot!” TJ yelled from behind.

  “Thanks to your loaner.” Joe glanced over his shoulder at TJ who grinned, his eyes locked on Fedlema’s smoking orb. With a whoosh, his combo orb looped through the air, landing a direct hit. Black earth rained down and pelted Taz and Fedelma’s active orb.

  [Tally: 5 for Andras Alliance. 4 for Titan Slayers. Time: 1’59”]

  “That’s our best orbs. I’ll kill him with my bare hands.” Taz growled, stepping toward TJ. Her fists clenched, ready to snap him in half.

  Andras sighed, raising a hand like he was bored. “You’ll do no such thing. I need all hands on deck.”

  “Lich said we can attack them directly—no penalties. They can’t win if I break their arms off!” Taz shoved Andras’ arm away, her eyes locked on TJ with a murderous gleam. “An eye for an eye, human.”

  “You’ll have to do it hands-free,” Andras said coolly, as if her rage was mildly annoying. “Your love for petty revenge could cost us this match, and I won’t tolerate that.”

  Something in his tone made her pause, even though she clearly wanted to rip TJ apart. She bowed her head, but Joe could see her hands moving, pulling something from her inventory.

  A bone-white whistle.

  Andras gave a nod. “Go ahead, Taz. Let’s see if your new toy can fetch.”

  Joe’s stomach flipped. “Great. That can’t be good.” Time ticked down on Clod Zinger and Riptide Randy, but he readied them for her next attack.

  Taz grinned wide, putting the whistle to her lips. The eerie, hollow sound echoed through the arena like something out of a horror movie, sending a shiver up Joe’s spine. The ground near her rippled with shadows, and from the darkness, a pair of glowing red eyes appeared. A massive wolf-like creature stepped forward, its matted fur dripping with black ichor. The beast growled, vibrating the ground beneath their feet.

  “A nightmare with fur.” Joe twisted the cord on his hood as he glanced at his orbs floating around him. He surveyed the arena and withdrew his butterfly knives. Taz’s summoned beast wouldn’t be affected by their MadOrbz, but they still had to win the battlebox challenge.

  The wolf locked eyes with him and bared its teeth. Dawn’s gaze remained focused on her attack orb as it raced around the arena from three MadOrbz.

  Joe clenched his jaw. “Stay in the battle. We need more points. I’ll keep Taz and her summoned wolf occupied.” He crouched low, meeting its eyes and tossed a handful of smoke pellets before pivoting his position amongst the haze.