《Shadow of the Rogue II》 A Kind Word Opens All Doors "What in the actual fuck is that!" My eyes widened in disbelief as a barbed tentacle lunged towards me.The disgusting appendage sprung from a foul-smelling pool of water in the middle of the rock-walled cavern. I rolled and ducked, narrowly avoiding being skewered. A notification message scrolled past. [You have dodged Grasping Tentacles and avoided 20 damage.] My crew and I had come to the abandoned City of Caer''Dun to hopefully complete our quest. According to legend, a colossal tidal wave crashed into the town over one-hundred years ago. The inhabitants fled for their lives and never returned. Adventurers and NPCs now avoided the city, believing it was cursed. We''d wandered into the town''s long-abandoned sewers, only to discover a very irritable lone inhabitant. Not expecting to find any hostiles our group had been taken completely by surprise. To my immediate right, Leonidas the Paladin hacked at another tentacle with his gleaming sword. Not too far behind him, our Cleric Shauna stood in a healing glow. The golden aura bathed the room in a curative light which healed our superficial wounds instantly. On the far side of the cavern stoodYvir the barbarian ¨C smashing another tentacle with her massive battle-ax. Our necromancer Cairngorm kept at a comfortably safe distance. He tapped his enchanted ring, and his two Skeleton Warriors sprung from the ground. At his mental command, the mindless undead lurched into battle. Each one hacked at a tentacle before it could reach their master. We''d come to this cave in search of the last two Phoenix gems, said to be embedded in the eyes of an ancient statue. What we didn''t count on was the ruined city being a half submerged by floodwaters. Or the nasty tentacled beast that dwelled within its subterranean caverns. "It''s a Quheevloge!" Shauna called out over her shoulder. "What kind of creature is that?" I asked. "Nasty aquatic beastie, usually conjured by magic!" Yvir responded. As if on cue the ugly monster''s head surfaced from the pool of water. I let out an emphatic gasp of horror as the enormous head slowly arose. The creature''s skin was molted, bumpy, and gray. It''s single bloodshot eye scanned the room, taking stock of its potential victims. A putrid scent very much like rotting fish filled the cavern. As if on cue another barbed tentacle shot out from the water and wrapped around my leg. Not moving fast enough, the oily slick limb had caught me. Now, the ugly monster dragged me towards its double rows of shark-like teeth. "A little help here," I screamed. "I''m on it!" Leonidas strode towards me his sword at the ready. Before long he hacked at the thick tentacle severing the flesh by with one blow. The Quheevloge screamed in response. Now the monster completely emerged from the subterranean pool. This had to be the weirdest creature we''d ever fought. The ginormous monster being all head, teeth, and tentacles. "Aim for the eye," Shauna called out to us. "The Quheevloge has an armored body, but its eye is vulnerable." "Switch to ranged attacks!" I called out to the team. "Sure thing Cassie!" Yvir cried in response. The team had recently upgraded our equipment to include ranged weapons. Yvir produced a silver-tipped spear from her back harness. With one forceful thrust, she launched the deadly device towards the creatures single unblinking eye. The weapon hit its mark with a sickening crunch. The Quheevloge screeched, and a swarm of tentacles lashed out¡ª seeking to put an end to us. Everyone scrambled to avoid the cutting thorn-like barbs. Shauna, our cleric, readied her bow. Within seconds she''d released a blessed arrow which struck the beast in its bulbous head. Not to be outdone, Leonidas grabbed the small ax which hung from his belt and threw it. The double-edged weapon spun as it hurtled towards the giant monster. Finally striking it''s already injured and bleeding eye. Green blood drizzled from the monster''s damaged eye socket. I knew it was now or never. Pulling my cloak over my head, I vanished from sight. While Rogue''s were generally low defense, we could dish out incredible amounts of burst damage from stealth. Now was the time to finish this monster with a well-placed Shadow Strike. The deadly special ability of the Rogue class which could deal double critical damage to even the toughest foes.I pulled up my HUD and looked at my ability screen: +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Character Name: Kira Nightwind Type: Human Thief Stamina: 54 (+6 Equipment Buff) Dexterity: 45 (+4 Equipment Buff) Intellect: 50 (+5 Equipment Buff) Charisma: 42 (+10 Casanova Buff) Hit Points: 600 (750) Signature Attack: Shadow Strike (+Special Bonus Damage) Special Ability: Shadow Cloak (Inherent) Grants Invisibility. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ My stats looked pretty good. I should be able to pull off the Shadow Strike. To be safe, I targeted the monster and called up my reticle. We''d see how much HP he had left. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Critter Name: Quheevloge Critter Type: Giant Monster Attack: 80 Hit Points: 450 (1000) Speed: 10 MPH Special Attack: Grasping Tentacles deals 20 damage per tentacle. Tentacles will rapidly respawn if severed. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The good news was that we''d whittled the Quheevloge down to over half its total hit points. The bad news was those respawning tentacles would eventually wear us down. Something had to be done quickly. A successful Shadow Strike should do just enough burst damage to finish the Quheevloge off.Moving swiftly, I bounded along one of the monster''s thick tentacles until I reached its freakish rounded head. With a thought, my Tiger Claw blades extended from gloved knuckles. Gritting my teeth, I made two fists. Then with one fatal thrust, I struck. My claws stabbed directly into the monster''s enormous bleeding eye. I grinned in satisfaction as the red Shadow Strike notification hovered above the creature''s head. I jumped down into the water. Swimming backward as the Quheevloge wailed and then dissolved in a burst of pixels and ooze.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Booyah!" Leonidas pumped his fist in the air. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Congratulations! You Have Defeated: The Quheevloge! You Have Earned The Title:Calamari Queen. You Have Earned: 2000 XP. Your Fighting Rank Has Increased. You Have Earned 1000 Gold. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ "Well, that was a little tougher than I expected!" Shauna dropped her bow and rested against a stone wall. Yvir leaned on her barbarian''s ax, "Tough critter!" "These ruins are half submerged in the sea," I said. "My guess is that it swam in and got trapped when the flood waters receded." "That thing was likely placed here to protect something!" Yvir was still wary. "We are pretty far underground, and there may be more flooding!" Leonidas said. "Let''s not waste time," I sheathed my Tiger Claw weapons. The blades retracted back into their leather housings. "That''s probably not the toughest monster in these caverns." "Aye," Leonidas nodded. "And we still haven''t ventured further in." He nodded towards the tunnel behind me. "It''s very dark in there," Cairngorm gestured and summoned a glowing ball of light. "No doubt," I smiled. "And filled with all kinds of nasties waiting to eat us." "You have the weirdest sense of humor," Shauna shook her head. "I don''t know, I think she''s funny," Yvir slung her barbarians ax over her shoulder. "Everyone on alert," I stepped into the tunnel. "Here we go." It was unbelievably dark. If not for Cairngorm''s magical light spell I''m not sure even our torches would''ve provided enough illumination. We wandered down the cavernous tunnel for what seemed like an eternity. I kept my eyes peeled for traps¡ª there are always traps. But so far we''d come across nothing. If anything I was a little bored. "So what are we looking for exactly?" Yvir asked. "According to what I heard at the guild hall," I responded. "There''s a statue hidden in here that has two gems for eyes. They may very well be what we were looking for." "The Phoenix gems," Shauna nodded. The Phoenix gems were a set of three in-game items that unlocked special abilities and epic equipment. We discovered one already and used it to open an elite weapons store. The weapons provided had given all the characters trapped in the game a serious upgrade. So it stood to reason on the other two gems would help make all of us even more powerful. And it was the power we needed. If players held hostage in this game had any chance to escape, leveling up was vital. The dragon Grymm must be defeated. That would open the gate and allow us to be free finally. I wasn''t sure how long we''ve been in the game. Due to time dilation days passed by much more quickly than in the real world. By the in-game calendar, over six months had passed. None of us had any idea what that amounted to in the real world. But during that time all of the trapped player characters have grown in strength and power. There were a few player deaths. Unfortunately, we weren''t sure if they were really gone or in limbo somewhere. "Is that the door?" Leonidas halted. We''ve reached the end of the tunnel and now before us stood a worn oaken door. Cairngorm gestured, and his glowing ball of light grew brighter granting better vision for all of us. There was no clue where this door led. I activated my detect traps ability and scanned the door. But it came up negative. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ No Trap Detected Your keen instincts have not detected any traps in this area. As always, proceed with caution. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ "I didn''t find any traps," I told the group. "That doesn''t mean anything," Shauna balled her fists. "If there''s a door in a dungeon its rigged with nasty traps." "I agree." Yvir gripped her battle ax. "Let''s get ready." "So who''s going to be the lucky chump to try and open it?" I asked. "I''m the tankiest," Leonidas spoke up. "Let me do it." With great confidence, heapproached the door and pushed. Nothing happened. "It won''t budge!" He said. "I bet it''s enchanted." "You''re probably right," I stroked my chin. "Let me see if I can detect any magic," Cairngorm closed his eyes and muttered a whispered spell. After what seemed like an eternity he opened his eyes and spoke. "It''s a well-crafted lock spell. I''m assuming it requires a specific key." "Like a puzzle?" I asked. "Look above the door. There''s something written." Shauna pointed. We all glanced upwards at the elegant script. I knitted my brow. Old Elvish wasn''t one of the languages I''d purchased for my skill tree. "Can anyone read that?" I turned towards my companions. "Nope!"Leonidas shook his head. "There''s a spell that may work," Cairngorm stepped forward. "It''s called Understand All Speech. Typically its used for talking to foreign NPCs, but let''s see what happens." The Dark Wizard gestured, and glowing sigils surrounded his hands. He made several flourishing movements and then a tiny ball of purple energy flew from his fingers. The glowing orb struck the wall, and the inscription above the door begin to shimmer.The words slowly faded and then came back into view, now entirely legible for our group: [A Kind Word Opens All Doors] "What does that mean?" Leonidas leaned forward, his dark skin glistening in the torchlight. "I can''t believe it''s this easy!" Yvir snorted and then approached the door. "May we enter," she paused "Please." The door creaked and groaned in response, before swinging slowly open. The Barbarian turned to the rest of us and bowed. "Sometimes the magic word is¡ª Please." Theres No Frog Who Cant Become a Prince Yvir was first to step into the room. As if on cue there was a slight flash of light as the rooms hanging torches burst into flame. We entered a central chamber where a sizeable coffin-shaped box sat. The rest of the stone-walled room was suspiciously empty. "Okay that wasn''t creepy at all," Leonidas said. "You ought to be comfortable with magic by now," Cairngorm sneered. "Quit playing around guys and stay alert, " Shauna seemed worried. I took stock of the room. It was a simple empty chamber with nothing of interest but the central altar. Which looked way too much like a coffin for my comfort. We approached carefully, each of us all too familiar with trapped dungeon rooms by now. I flipped a mental switch, and my HUD display flickered to life. I made another mental command to activate my trap detection ability. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Trap Detected Your keen instincts have detected a nearby object is booby-trapped. Proceed with caution. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ "The altar box is trapped" I scratched my chin. "Let¡¯s see if I can pick the lock without getting us all killed!" "That doesn¡¯t worry me at all," Cairngorm folded his arms. "But I trust you can do this without causing a party wipe." "If anyone can do it, Cassie can," Shauna held her healing staff at the ready. Yvir gripped her battle-ax, a determined look on her face. "Go for it girl, we got you covered." I approached the central altar and then kneeled. The brass lock was amazingly shiny and without age. Man, I really did hate magic, it always seemed so benign until it horribly killed you. With the flip of a mental switch I activated my lockpicking ability. An electric sensation flowed through my core, as new information flooded my mind. Before long I had intimate knowledge of this lock''s working parts. I still never got used to learning new skills this way. Man, if only they''d allowed knowledge downloads back when I was a high-school student! I opened my lock-pick kit went to work. Probing the lock, I stopped when I felt the internal latch. With a flick of my wrist, I pulled the fastener loose. There was a distinctive pop, and the lid to the altar box creaked open. "Okay get back," I cautioned. Yvir, Shauna, Leonidas, and Cairngorm all took a step backward. Each of us ready for whatever surprise the diabolical dungeon had in store for us. The box finished opening, and a whiff of dust floated into the air. With great caution, I approached the newly opened box and peered inside. To my surprise, there was a dusty object inside. I reached inside and pulled it out the mysterious doohickey. To my surprise, I held a small statue of a very ugly toad. Within its hideously large eye sockets glistened two large rubies. "That¡¯s the ugliest thing I¡¯ve ever seen," Yvir grimaced in disgust. "I¡¯m going to check for harmful enchantments," Cairngorm held out his hand and closed his eyes. I felt his magical energy reach out and wrap around the statue. He muttered an unintelligible charm, and then he opened his eyes. "It definitely enchanted," he said, "But I can''t really tell what type of magic is." "These definitely are not the Phoenix gems!" I announced. "Didn''t think so," Leonidas said. "We would have received a big notification message and a big fat completed mission reward." "So what in the hell is it?" Yvir leaned in. "Something important," I put the object in my knapsack. "We''ll take it back and have Varick give it a once over." "It¡¯s probably worthless," Shauna spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to King¡¯s City," I turned towards the door. "There''s nothing of value to be found here." We made our somber way back through the winding tunnel. Our hopes were dashed, we¡¯d been hyped to find the Phoenix Gems, only to run into another dead end. Part of me wondered if Grymme had somehow managed to get to the gems before us. No matter what we tried, the devious dragon AI and his minions were always two steps ahead of us. Soon we found ourselves back in the cavern where we¡¯d slain the Quheevloge. It stunk even worse than before. "Woohee that stinks!" Leonidas held his nose. "Smells like moldy fish and rotten eggs!" Shauna shook her head. "Let¡¯s just get the hell out of here!" Braving the stink, out party made its way through the winding tunnels. Soon we were back in the sewers that lay underneath the abandoned city of Caer¡¯Dun. At this point, we climbed out the way same way we came in. Once we were back on the surface, I glanced around the ruins shrugged my shoulders. "I was really hoping the Phoenix gems would be down there!" "We can''t win every time," Shauna advised. "Besides, I do think that Toad might be some kind of a clue. So the sooner we get it to Varrick, the better.¡± Our dejected band of adventurers made our way along the winding and abandoned streets of Caer¡¯Dun. As we passed the flood-damaged buildings, now crumbling in ruin, I understood why everyone believed the old city haunted and cursed. We eventually found our horses securely tied and leisurely grazing in a green field. Luckily, nothing had disturbed the beasts. The horses brayed lazily as we approached. ¡°Did you miss us old girl,¡± Shauna spoke in soothing tones to her honey-colored mount. The mare shook itself and neighed. Shauna¡¯s connection to the natural world was amazing to witness. Even though this was a virtual simulation, almost all wild creatures seemed aligned with our cleric. Cairngorm and the others mounted their horses, while I secured my knapsack to my ebony mare. Then I jumped on her back and pulled at the reins. "Let''s ride out!" We rode for what seemed like hours before we were back at the King City Gates. The way there had been a bit strenuous, and I could sense the horse''s fatigue. I was glad to be home, where a warm meal and soft bed waited. "Man I can''t wait to stop by the Tavern," Leonidas let out a heavy sigh. "There''s a couple bar girls there that have my name on them!" "Is that all you think about?" Shawna pulled at her horse''s reigns. "Seriously, you''re like every bad stereotype about a horny Otaku there is!" "Don''t hate the player," Leonidas wagged his eyebrows. "Hate the game!" "Oh for Christ sakes," Yvir pulled ahead with her horse. "Let¡¯s get these horses to the stable!" The guards recognized us and immediately let us pass. In the past months, we¡¯d become known as the King''s chosen champions due to our closeness to the royal family. Having that kind of increased reputation score definitely made navigating the Iron Kingdoms much easier. When we reached the stable and the grouchy old horse master waited for us. "Well, at least this time you didn¡¯t get the horses killed!" Darius wrinkled his mouth as we approached. "It''s good to see you to stable master" I dismounted my horse. "Hmmm," he let out a puff of air. Then he took my horse''s reign and called for stableboys to help. "Well the horses are going to get a good rest and food," I said. "I think we should all do the same." "I''m already on it," Leonidas called over his shoulder. "Come to the Inn and have drinks on me." "I¡¯m taking this weird statue to Varrick," I said. "Then I''ll join the rest of you guys at the Tavern." ¡°Sure you don¡¯t want to come with us?¡± Leonidas teased, ¡°Rachel will probably be there.¡± I bristled at the mention of my ex¡¯s name. Things hadn¡¯t really gone smoothly between us since her arrival. In fact, I was quite sure I¡¯d screwed up royally, and Rachel never wanted to talk to me again. ¡°That¡¯s OK,¡± I fidgeted with my knapsack. ¡°I really should get to the tower and find out if this statue is anything special.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Leonidas put an arm around Yvir¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You ladies ready for a little R&R?¡± The surly barbarian pushed his arm away, ¡°If you¡¯re buying I¡¯m drinking.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Shauna patted her stomach. ¡°I¡¯m freaking starving.¡± "Hey guys," Cairngorm called out. "Wait up, I''m hungry too." "Walk faster Necromancer," Yvir gestured to him. "We aren''t zombies!" "Smart ass," Cairngorm muttered as he caught up to the group. The unlikely quartet disappeared into the night, as I made my way to Varrick¡¯s tower. It seemed only a few days ago that the old Wizard had taken us under his wing. Having such a valuable contact made our lives much more comfortable. And I was convinced someone outside the game was attempting to aid us through the powerful NPC. It worried us all that GM-Jason had all but vanished. We weren''t sure what exactly what happened. Leonidas theorized that Grymme had shut down outside communications. Which effectively handicapped us in every way. The Dragon¡¯s AI was playing to win, so he wasn''t about to let us have an advantage. I approached the magical door to Varrick¡¯s tower. The massive oaken door swung open in anticipation of my approach. The automatic magic door seemed almost too modern for this medieval setting. It was smart enough to only Varrick, and his designated champions enter. "Varrick!" I called out into the candlelit hall. "I see you¡¯ve made it back safely," the old Wizard almost seemed to glide across the floor. "You also brought back something magical. I can sense its power.¡± "We found this weird toad statue in Caer¡¯Dun¡ª the ruined city.¡± I produced the weird statuette from my knapsack and held it out for him. Varrick took the statue from my hands and looked it over. ¡°This is definitely not the enchanted gems you were searching for.¡± "No, it''s not," I told him. "But I can''t help but think it''s important somehow." Varrick placed the statue on his work table and regarded it for a moment. Then he made a few elaborate hand gestures. Strange glowing runes appeared in the air and floated around the statue. The magical symbols circled faster and faster. Then they exploded in a shimmer of bluish-green light. The old Wizard stroked his beard "I hadn''t seen one of these in ages." "What is it exactly?" I asked him. "Just a moment," he leaned in closer to the statue. ¡°And you''ll soon know." The Wizard placed his hands on the cold stone relic, and it''s to Ruby eyes glowed in response. Then rays of energy beamed from the Toad¡¯s eyes, projecting an image on the wall. My jaw dropped when I realized it was a map. I took a step back. "Why didn¡¯t it do that back in the caverns?¡± "You didn¡¯t ask it to," the old Wizard grinned mischievously. "So what is this a map to?" I asked. "This is a map to the Temple of Aeris," Varrick looked pleased. ¡°Located right through the Dark Hills,¡± My heart sank. ¡°Smack in the middle of Grymme¡¯s territory!: "Passage through those woods is not an easy task," Varrick said. "They are filled with brigands and thieves ready to slit your throats for bounty." "Is there any way I can take that map to show the others,¡± I asked. The wizard made another silent gesture, and a scroll rose from his desk. It then hovered in front of the Toad¡¯s light projecting eyes. The image was now clearly visible on its once blank surface. Varrick gestured again, and there was an immediate quick flash of light. He plucked the scroll from the air and handed it to me. To my amazement, the parchment was now a perfect copy of the previously projected map. "Now you have a map to guide you," The old wizard paused, ¡°But you shall need more than that. I''m afraid we may need to ask a favor of Nazyr." "Nazyr!" I didn¡¯t bother to disguise my shock. "He''s in prison he belongs!" "Have an open mind,¡± Varrick cautioned. ¡°Things are not always what they seem and questioning him may prove valuable." ¡°What do we need from him?¡± I was still very skeptical. ¡°Nazyr can possibly get your party through Grymme¡¯s lands safely,¡± Varrick tented his fingers. I regarded the old wizard¡¯s words carefully. In the previous months, King Alaric fell into a mysterious unwaking coma. All evidence pointed to Nazyr as the culprit. It was theorized the devious young man had poisoned his own father in hopes of snatching the throne. But the ruling Council didn''t let that happen. Instead, Nazyr was arrested and thrown into the dungeon. Currently, his younger brother Prince Corbin held the throne. While Corbin was doing his best, he was far too young to be king of anything. And with Grymme¡¯s army gaining more ground, tension in the King¡¯s City was high. "I''ll do it," I said. "I''ll talk to Nazyr." "Remember young rogue," Varick placed a hand on my shoulder. "Nothing is more important than finding the stones and putting an end to Grymme!¡± "Trust me Varrick," I said. "It¡¯s my number one priority!¡± "The question Nazyr and gain his trust!" Varrick crossed his arms. I exited the tower and headed towards the Imperial Dungeons. Where I knew Nazyr was being held. I hadn''t seen or talked to the dark prince since he¡¯d been imprisoned. Even now, I wasn''t sure he could be trusted. After all, he was indeed a player who had hacked his way into the system. Where he gleefully rewrote enough code to make himself a member of the royal family. There was no doubt Nazyr was in league with Grymme. Furthermore, he¡¯d poisoned the rightful King. The rogue prince wanted power, and he was willing to anything to get it. But I realized that if I could get through to him, he might be just the ally we needed to beat Grymme. Like it or not, aligning with Nazyr made sense. I walked down the cobbled stone path towards the Imperial Dungeons. More determined than ever to score a victory against Grymme and win our freedom. Cheat Codes Suck The dungeons were the most miserable spot in all of the King''s city. Thanks to stringent Royal Guard patrols, crime within the city limits was rare. So dungeon cells were reserved for the worst of the worst. Nazyr had been confined to the lowest level. While I was sure he wasn''t tortured, these accommodations were a far cry from the soft silks and warm beds of the posh palace. I made my way down the winding stairs to the solitary cell, where a once very regal Nazyr was being held captive. An overweight guard followed me, carrying his torch while brass keys jangled with our every step. "He''s not had many visitors," the guard said. "I''m not here as a friend," I told the guard. We reached our destination, and my escort took one of his keys and placed it in the lock. He made a quick turn of his wrist, and I heard the doors latch release. The guard pushed the thick slab of wood aside. Then he spoke in a stern voice. "Orders are not to leave anyone alone with him," he said. "I''m the last person in the kingdom who would want to help him," I replied. The guard nodded and ushered me through the door. Then he closed it behind me and waited outside. "Come to gloat?" Nazyr spoke in a harsh whisper, in fact, he was a pitiful sight. No longer clad in luxurious silks and finery. He now wore dirty rags. His once clean-shaven face streaked with smut and many days beard growth. I took no joy in seeing him this way, but knew in my heart he deserved whatever treatment he got. "You brought this on yourself," I knelt so that our faces were inches apart. "I have some questions, and I think you''re the only one who can help me." "Ask anything you want," he paused. "I''m an open book." "What do you know about the Dark Hills?" "Now why would a white hat like you want to go there," he arched his eyebrows. "I didn''t say I wanted to go," I took a deep breath. "I only asked you what you knew about the place." "You''ll find nothing there but Grymme''s hordes and other unsavory types." Nazyr grinned and scratched his unkempt beard. "So I take it you''ve been," I pressed him for an answer. "It was one of the only places I could find a challenging fight," Nazyr gritted his teeth. "Since I hacked myself to have the best equipment and abilities." "Then that means you are familiar with the place," I leaned closer. "Am it right?" "Intimately familiar," Nazyr enunciated each word. "If I needed a guide through the Dark Hills," I paused. "Could I count on you for the job?" "What do you need me for," Nazyr''s interest piqued. "Some people still believe in you," I lowered my voice. "You mean that old Wizard Varrick," he leaned back against the wall. "I never trusted that bastard he seemed far too independent for a standard NPC." "You''re the untrustworthy one," I raised my voice. "But right now I have no choice but to put my faith in you." "This game has become decidedly un-fun," Nazyr took a sip of water from a tin cup. "I think it''s time to put an end to all of this and get back to the real world." "So are you up for the job?" I asked him. "If you can get me out of this hellhole I promise not to stab you in the back." He sucked air through his teeth. "I''m as ready to get out of here now is the rest of you." "I need to know more before I''m ready to accept your offer," I told him. "We do you want," Nazyr leaned forward. "You have my undivided attention." "How is it you''re able to get through the Dark Hills when nobody else can?" "It''s quite simple really," Nazyr continued. "I made a deal with Grymme!" "You sold us out," I held back the urge to slap him. "I knew it!" "It''s not what you think," he held up his hands. "I know something that Grymme wants to be kept secret. So, I made a deal to stay silent as long as he agreed not to interfere with my plans." "Quit playing around," I pressed my advantage. "What exactly do you know?" "There''s a tower in the Dark Hills," he spoke in a hushed whisper. "That has a terminal that will allow a player to access emergency exit protocols." "How did you find that out?" Nazyr smiled wide, "Because I''m the one that put it there." "You dirty son of a bitch," I shoved him backward. Losing his balance, Nazyr fell off his stool and hit the dirt floor. "Hey there butch, don''t abuse the prisoner," Nazyr grinned up at me from the ground. "You knew there was an alternate way out all this time," I tightly balled my fists. "There are five-hundred people in this game, stuck here!" "I wasn''t concerned with them at the time," he stood up and brushed the dirt off his clothes. "Besides I''d say most of you are enjoying yourselves." "A good time?" I couldn''t believe my ears. I knew the guy was selfish. But his arrogance was beyond belief. "I''ll come completely clean," he leaned against the wall and picked his teeth. "I''m listening," I folded my arms across my chest. "So when I set myself up as a Royal," he continued. "I also hacked a backdoor escape protocol. Just in case I needed it." "Okay keep going," Despite my complete disgust I needed to know more. "It''s not hard to activate," he said. "But it''s nearly impossible to get to, without my help. I also set up clues to find it¡ª as insurance."The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "That freaky frog in the cave," my jaw dropped in surprise. "You put that there!" He grinned wide. "I never figured anyone would actually find it." I let out a deep sigh. "How exactly do we get to this protocol?" "Well first we have to fight our way through a bunch of brigands," he winked. "But that won''t be so bad as there is a contingent that''s loyal to me." "You been hiding your own private army in the Dark Hills?" "Another one of my insurance policies," he shrugged. "So why did you poison the King," I pressed him for an answer. "That''s just the thing," he peered directly into my eyes. "I didn''t" "Oh just come clean already," I shook my head side-to-side. "You had the most to gain from King Alaric being poisoned. When things didn''t go your way, and Corbin was placed on the throne, you ended up here." "I''m telling you the honest truth. I didn''t poison King Alaric!" His face took on a somber expression. I did my best to read his emotions, it really did seem like he was telling the truth. "Let''s say I believe you and you didn''t do it," I paused. "Then who did?" "Think about it. Who has the most to gain with the King of the way and the entire kingdom left in a weakened position?" I took some time to think, but there was only one answer, "Grymme!" "There''s a spy in the Royal Castle," Nazyr enunciated each word. "That''s the only way someone could have gotten close enough to poison King Alaric. It has to be someone trusted, someone no one would suspect." My mind raced as I tried to figure out who among the trusted Castle NPCs could be a spy for Grymme. We knew he could mind-nap other characters. But Varrick had placed strong enchantments around King''s City to prevent that. "I don''t trust you," I poked his chest with my finger. "But you''ve offered up some intriguing information." "So do we have a deal or what?" Nazyr searched my face my answer. "I''ll ask Varrick to pull some strings." I continued. "This will be a completely off the radar operation. I''m still not sure how he plans to pull it off." "Now that''s more like it!" Nazyr didn''t bother to hide his excitement. "Don''t get the wrong idea," I told him. "I''m keeping my eye on you the entire time were traveling." "Then let''s agree," he said. "We have a common goal for now." I nodded and didn''t say anything else. With a loud knock on the wooden door, I summoned the guard to let me out. He locked the door securely behind us as we exited. My mind raced as I made my way up the winding staircase. I tried to piece together everything I just learned. At first, there was raw anger that Nazyr was hiding such an important secret. If not for his deviousness we could have been free ages ago. There''s also the new realization that there''s a dangerous assassin running loose around the palace. Anyone of us could be the next target. I needed to warn Prince Corbin at the very next opportunity. But more than anything, I needed to talk to my friends. ### "You''re kidding me," Yvir slammed her tankard down on the table. "That bastard had a way out of here the whole time?" Leonidas shook his head. "How did you stop yourself from killing him," Cairngorm''s face darkened. "I like to believe there''s a little good in everybody but that guy takes the cake." Shauna put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I did my best to ignore Shauna''s touch. Even though I had a huge crush on her. I knew that she and Yvir were very dedicated to one another. Besides we''d grown close over the past months, so no reason to ruin our relationship over a stupid crush. "On the bright side, we have an alternate way out of the game," I said. "I think I have a backup plan," Leonidas leaned in and whispered. "What you have in mind?" I said. "There''s another rumor about the Phoenix gems," he said. "Spill it!" Yvir leaned in closer. "A group of adventurers found a treasure cave guarded by a Wyvern," he continued his story. "They were unable to kill the beast. However, the creature appeared to be guarding two magical gems. That has to be them." "So what do you suggest," I asked. "I think I should lead a small team to investigate the Wyvern, while you guys accompany Nazyr to the tower." "You mean to split the party," Shauna shook her head. "Never split the party," Cairngorm said. "We aren''t really splitting the party. We''re creating two new teams." Leonidas continued. "Look there''s plenty of damn good adventurers in this game. It''s time we start trusting them. I can put a kick-ass group to check out that cave." "Meanwhile the rest of us will have Kira''s back," Yvir said. "If you''re going up against a magical beast, you''ll need a Wizard," Cairngorm said. "Or at least a good Necromancer." "Wouldn''t try it without you," Leonidas said. "Kira, what''s your vote?" "As much as I hate to admit it, it''s a good idea," I told him. "Meanwhile Yvir, Kira, and I travel with Nazyr to the Dark Hills," Shauna said. "I agree it''s a solid plan," I nodded my head. "That way we have some insurance. Just in case Nazyr double-crosses us. "Uh oh!" Yvir perked up. "Angry ex-girlfriend at ten o''clock!" My face red and I slumped back in my chair wishing I was suddenly invisible. Rachel strolled into the Tavern with her own party in tow. Her healer''s green robes flowed almost mystically behind her. To her right stood a very familiar face¡ª Crumley a very belligerent dwarf. I found myself praying that they would just pass our table. But those prayers were not answered the two were making a beeline for us. "Oh this is not going to be fun," Cairngorm took a long sip of his ale. "Kira, we have to talk," Rachel''s voice was cold and stern. "Okay," I said. "We need to go somewhere private?" "No I prefer your friends hear this," she said. Holy crap, what the heck could she possibly want to talk about? Our relationship didn''t exactly go as planned. At first, it seemed like we were as strong as ever. But that was before somebody unexpected showed up in town. Shregun¡ª yeah the crazy half-orc chick and her crew got run out of the wastelands by Grymme''s invading forces. So they sought shelter in the city. I did my best to steer clear, but shehunted me down anyway. And let''s just say she was quite persistent. Rachel walked in on us at the wrong moment. Truth be told, I was trying to avoid Shregun''s advances. But the half-orc jumped in lap and started kissing me. Just as I pushed her away, Rachel burst into the room. I tried my best explain, but there was no reasoning with her. Rachel just walked out and never came back. Now she wanted to team up? "I think we should join forces," Rachel said. "Excuse me?" I was in complete shock. "Crumley here has found information about the possible location of those gems we need." "So you''re the one that found the Wyvern''s cave!" Leonidas said. "We were just talking about that!" Cairngorm''s suspicion was obvious. "How unusual that you come in just that moment." "Okay, we''ve been spying on you," Rachel shrugged. "I''ve had a clairvoyance spell on Kira for awhile." "Are you serious?" Shauna''s eyes widened. "Some of us don''t like having our fates completely in your hands." Crumley interrupted. "And I have a few of Kira''s personal belongings," Rachel blushed. "Keeping tabs on her wasn''t really that hard.'' "Stalk much?" Yvir''s voice raised in pitch. "I wouldn''t call it stalking," Rachel continued. "I was just looking after my own interests." "We have a proposal," Crumley interrupted. "Let''s hear it!" Leonidas took another swig of his ale. "Your Paladin, Wizard, and Healer go with my crew to fight the Wyvern." The red-haired healer crossed her arms. "And I''ll accompany Kira and Yvir in the Dark Hills." "I''m not sure what we have to gain from that arrangement," I did my best to hide my anger. I couldn''t believe that Rachel had been spying on me. "It''s more a matter of building trust," Rachel said. "You have to know there''s some tension building among the players." I considered what she said. It was true many of the players resented our elevated status. Some even doubted if we could really do what was necessary to free them. Like it or not, while I didn''t like her methods, she did indeed make a valid point. "OK, we''ll do it," I nodded. "But only if the rest of my party agrees!" "Not thrilled," Cairngorm fiddled with his necromancer''s ring. "But I see value in forming a more inclusive group." "Same here," Yvir chimed in. "I don''t like being separated from Shauna." "I can take care of myself," the Cleric said. "Besides Rachel is a combat healer. You''ll need someone like her in the Dark Hills." "Then it''s settled?" Crumley searched our faces. "It is," I answered. "Then let''s have a drink to celebrate!" The Dwarf gestured to one of the bar girls. Soon a new round of drinks was ordered. Our two groups mingled, and I felt a new sense of cooperation grow in the tavern. However, I couldn''t help but think that something wasn''t entirely right. It wasn''t that I didn''t trust Rachel. As much as I feared an outside force was manipulating us. "Well it could be worse," Yvir leaned close and whispered in my ear. "Shregun could still show up." My face reddened at the thought of another confrontation with the bad girl She-Orc. That was one woman who didn''t take kindly to being told no. And Rachel being here would turn a tense situation into an all-out brawl. "Let''s drink to that," I tapped my tankard against Yvir''s. "We''ve had enough surprises for one night."