Jay, Lilith, and Claptrap crossed the threshold into Fyrestone proper. It looked just like the game had painted it: half‑collapsed shacks, makeshift barricades, rust‑eaten sheet metal, and sand so fine it managed to get into places Jay didn't even anatomically understand.
Cortana flickered into audio-only form. "Minimal life‑signs in the immediate vicinity. Hostile signatures approaching from the west and southwest—likely bandits."
Lilith cracked her knuckles. "Perfect. I needed to blow off some steam anyway." She shot Jay a quick grin. "Try not to get shot."
"Working on it," Jay muttered.
Claptrap rolled ahead heroically. "WELCOME TO FYRESTONE, NEW VAULT HUNTERS! TO CELEBRATE YOUR ARRIVAL—PLEASE DON'T DIE!"
As if on cue, the first volley of gunfire ripped through the air.
Jay dove behind a stack of metal crates, Blink igniting beneath his feet as he reappeared behind a scavenger mid‑scream. A clean chop of his improvised blade dropped the man where he stood.
Lilith was already a streak of orange and white, phasing through two raiders as they collapsed like puppets with cut strings. "Bandits always talk a big game," she said, flicking blood from her wrist. "Then they explode. Kinda disappointing."
"More incoming," Cortana warned. "East rooftops."
Jay extended his hand; the Ruin Engine flared to life, pulling at debris, sand, and stray metal. He condensed it into a brief shield just long enough to deflect and dampen a spray of bullets.
Cortana whistled. "Clear improvement. Your control buffer isn't even destabilizing."
"Feels smoother," Jay admitted, redirecting the shield's momentum forward and slamming it into a shotgunner.
Lilith barked a laugh. "You keep that up and I might actually start calling you useful."
"Oh wow," Jay deadpanned. "High praise."
The last bandit fell with a gurgle, and silence descended—broken only by Claptrap cheering loudly.
"YOU DID IT! YOU'RE NOT DEAD! FYRESTONE'S SURVIVAL RATE JUST WENT WAY UP!"
Jay brushed sand off his sleeves. "That wasn't so bad."
Cortana made a doubtful hum. "Don't say that. This planet loves proving people wrong."
The group pushed further into the town, approaching a shack with a flickering neon sign that simply read: MEDIC?.
Lilith cupped her hands around her mouth. "Hello? Anyone in there?"
A mechanical grinding sounded from inside, followed by a thump and a muffled curse.
The door hissed open.
Out stepped Dr. Zed, wearing the same half‑sanitary, half‑questionable attire Jay remembered. Bloodstained gloves, mask, goggles, and the unmistakable aura of a man who probably had a medical license once—but definitely not anymore.
"Oh! New arrivals," Zed said cheerfully. "And alive ones at that! Always nice to see fresh faces before the planet melts 'em." He waved. "Name's Zed. Doctor Zed. Probably."
Lilith gave a casual wave. "We cleared the bandits for you."
"Oh, wonderful! They keep trying to kill me, loot my supplies, burn the place down… y'know, the usual community activities."
Jay stepped forward. "Anything else we should know about this place?"
Zed shrugged. "Bandits come, bandits go. Sometimes they blow up. Sometimes I blow up. It's a system."
Cortana murmured in Jay's ear, "We are absolutely not letting him operate on us."
Jay whispered back, "Agreed."
Zed waved them off and retreated inside.
Lilith stretched. "Alright. Fyrestone's clear. What's next?"
Cortana answered before Jay could. "We follow the main route. There's still the bandit outpost, Sledge's crew, and whatever Pandora decides to throw at us today."
Jay exhaled. "Great. No pressure."
Lilith smirked and nudged him. "Hey. Could be worse."
"How?"
"You could be stuck here alone."
Jay paused, then smiled faintly. "…Yeah. Fair."
Claptrap beeped proudly. "AND YOU HAVE ME!"
Both Jay and Lilith groaned in unison.
Cortana laughed softly. "Team cohesion: improving."
Lilith tilted her head, curiosity sparking. "Hey… since no one else seems to care to explain, how exactly did you just move like that back there? I mean—phasing around and throwing up that… whatever that shield was?"
Jay's eyes flicked briefly to Cortana, then back at Lilith. "That's… complicated. Let's just say it's a skill I picked up along the way. Nothing you need to worry about for now."
Lilith arched an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. Right. You're keeping secrets. Classic Vault Hunter move."
Jay smirked faintly. "Someone's got to balance all the chaos around here. And besides…" he let the words hang, "…some things are better discovered when the time is right."
Lilith laughed softly, shaking her head. "Fair enough. Just don't get too cocky."
Jay nodded, already moving toward the next street, making sure their path stayed clear, and keeping the rest of his meta-knowledge carefully to himself.
Before Jay could respond further, a soft chime echoed through his Echo device—one he hadn't heard before. Not Cortana. Not system error. Something older, smoother, and painfully controlled.
A woman's voice, calm and distant, filtered through the line.
"Hello… Vault Hunters."
Jay froze. Lilith straightened. Even Claptrap shivered like his bolts tightened.
Cortana whispered, suddenly sharp, "That signal—Jay, that's not local."
The voice continued, gentle but tinged with static. "You've done well securing Fyrestone. There is much more ahead of you… and time is short."
Jay swallowed. "…Angel?"
A faint pause. "You can hear me. Interesting."
Lilith frowned. "Who is that?"
Jay didn't answer—because Angel wasn't talking to her. He kept the information tight in his own mind, carefully weighing what to reveal and what to hold back. Cortana noticed his hesitation, noting silently that Jay's experience and meta-knowledge allowed him to navigate this encounter without alarming their mysterious observer.
"You're an anomaly," Angel said softly, almost like she was studying him through the call. "But you're not a threat. Not yet. Please… stay on the path."
Then the signal cut, leaving only silence.
Cortana exhaled slowly. "Well. That's new."