“I wanted justice,” KieraFreya said coldly. “Those tiny pricks ambushed you all, outnumbering you a thousand to one. Can’t we just say ‘Thank you’ and move on?”

  Her words were left to echo around them, the group sensing they might have pushed the goddess to her limits. Chloe could feel it too, a drain in KieraFreya’s energy. The strength that normally powered her had been depleted by taking Chloe over and using her body to protect them all.

  “I still think we have one person to thank, too,” Jessie said, breaking the quiet.

  Chloe looked at Jessie as if to say “Who,” but her question was answered when she saw something moving behind the trunk of the ancient tree behind her.

  Chloe’s heart stilled. The creature’s head was giant, with a single hand holding the tree so it could peek around. Jessie stood up and moved toward it, soothing it slowly as she lulled it toward them and into the clearing.

  Ben smirked. “I told you something had been following us.”

  Chloe had never seen anything like it in her life. The creature was at least eight feet tall, with dark-blue fur that was almost green. It walked on two legs and had long, powerful arms, with sharp claws at the end of its fingers. Chloe thought it looked like a bear until you got to its face, which had a flatter nose and several fangs jutting out from its lower jaw. On each side of its head were two stubby horns.

  “What the hell is that?” Chloe said.

  The creature recoiled at Chloe’s words as if understanding every syllable.

  “A ‘toffet,’ apparently,” Ben replied. “I couldn’t get much more from it than that from my Creature Identification. Maybe you could get some more from yours?”

  Chloe focused, using her own skills.

  Creature: Toffet (Lv 16)

  HP: 866

  Resistances: Water, Dark, Ranged attacks, close-range attacks

  Weaknesses: Fire

  Chloe blinked away the notification. “Not much more. The guy is level 16, though. That’s pretty impressive.”

  “And why should we be thanking a toffet?” KieraFreya added, derision in her voice.

  “Because this guy scared the crap out of the dwarves enough to distract them while you did your whole rampage thing.” Tag chuckled. “Scared the crap out of me too for a while. You should hear it roar. It might look soft and cuddly on the outside, but there’s a beast in there somewhere. It started attacking the dwarves. Helping you. Until it was brought to the floor by several of them at once and you rampaged over and saved it.”

  “I saved it?”

  “Yup,” Tag continued. “Took out the dwarves and kept it from getting decapitated. Used your healing spell...thing on its body, and it has been standing there ever since.”

  Chloe stared at the toffet, trying to work it out. It looked scared. Terrified, even. Jessie stood next to it, one hand on its stomach, another on its back in a strange sort of half-hug. The toffet’s eyes were large, built to be able to see things in the darkness. They stared at her now as if asking for approval. It was hard to believe this thing could scare anyone.

  And then Chloe remembered the roar she had heard as the game had glitched around her. The sound of a bear announcing to its animal brethren that it was nearby, and it was coming for them. The threatening roar of attack.

  Had that been enough to distract the dwarves? Had it put them all on edge enough for KieraFreya to use Chloe’s body to level the situation? Did KieraFreya really save the toffet too? Helping the beast back to its feet in its time of need?

  So many questions flew around in Chloe’s mind. She felt her energy drain just as she stood there, trying to take it all in.

  She shook her head to clear it, then approached the toffet slowly. The creature looked at her nervously, glancing at Jessie for approval. Chloe reached out a hand and the toffet revealed its sharp teeth, a soft growl coming from its throat.

  “Shhh,” Chloe soothed, finally reaching its fur. She ran her hand across its belly, then took its paw and flipped its massive claws over in her palm. “He’s a beautiful creature,” Chloe said.

  The others nodded their agreement, Jessie more emphatically than the others. “He is.” She smiled. “Can we keep him?”

  Chloe laughed. “We can’t keep a wild animal with us, especially with the city just on the other side of those falls. Creatures like this belong in the woods. This is their home.” She patted the creature’s cheek. “Thank you for your help.”

  Chloe turned to the others, convincing them all to head toward the falls, wanting nothing more now than to find somewhere safe and warm to rest so that she could process what had happened and get her head straight.

  As they walked the last of the journey toward the falls, Jessie was reluctant, her steps heavy as she trailed behind the pack. Tag stayed with her, consoling her at the idea of having to leave the creature behind. Ben, Gideon, and Talbot walked in near-silence, their thoughts far away too. Decaru floated lazily in front of Chloe, leading the way as the sky began to lighten and the trees grew farther apart.

  Taking advantage of the gentle walk, Chloe flicked open her notifications, seeing a list of dwarf kills:

  Enemy defeated: Dwarf (Lv 3)

  +100 exp

  Enemy defeated: Dwarf (Lv 4)

  +120 exp

  Enemy defeated: Dwarf (Lv 3)

  +100 exp

  Enemy defeated: Dwarf (Lv 3)

  +100 exp

  Enemy defeated: Dwarf (Lv 2)

  +80 exp

  And the list went on. Chloe dismissed these, scrolling a fair way down before they were clear. She then checked her inbox, happy to see something waiting there from the doc, hoping it would contain some kind of answer.

  Okay, Chloe,

  WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?

  What did you do? One minute you were in the white room, the next thing we know the whole screen is flashing and going apeshit. Are you okay? Are you alive? We’ve checked your pod, and all vital signs are normal. Regular brain activity. Functioning organs. So...I repeat

  WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?

  Please send a quick okay back to us and let us know that you are. PLEASE.

  Mia

  Followed by another message sent a few minutes after Chloe had returned to the game.

  Chloe?

  Right, so, how are you even...what?!

  I’m guessing you’re okay, given that the world is back up and we can watch you again. The live chat is going crazy with people asking what went on with that little episode. I’ve had Praxis contact me and ask if you’re okay as they look into the development side of things. Any ideas here?

  Get in touch when you get this. PLEASE.

  Mia & Doc

  P.S. Sort out your notifications. The latest patch is live and has been added to your pod. You can now prioritize messages from certain people so you don’t miss shit.

  Like this.

  This would have been very useful.

  Thanks!

  Chloe shot a quick message back, letting Mia and the doc know that she was okay and filling them in on where her head was at. When she was finished, she updated her settings, seeing the option to add certain messages to an exclusion list so that she could see things as they happened.

  What am I going to do with you? Chloe thought, wrestling with the memories that came in strobe-light flashes of the fight versus the white room.

  KieraFreya piped up, I’ve got a suggestion.

  Do I want to hear this?

  I think you should complete your quest and see what I’m truly capable of.

  Chloe thought about this a moment, her heartbeat automatically picking up speed at the idea of her body being taken over by KieraFreya. It was so invasive. She hated the idea of not being in control of what she was doing.

  I don’t know, Chloe said, voicing her doubts. I’m not sure I trust you enough to do this anymore.

  KieraFreya was momentarily at a loss for words. When next she spoke, it was with that rare trace of emotion Chloe had only heard once or twice before. I’ve done nothing but protect you, Chloe. This was all for you. To keep you alive and save your friends. Without me, Jessie would be dead. Obsidian’s worm chow.

  Chloe thought about that for a moment. KieraFreya was right. Chloe hadn’t even considered that. Jessie, the only NPC on their team, would be dead and buried, unable to revive. Without KF, they would be one person down in their party.

  I never thought about it like that, Chloe mused. But...how can you guarantee that I’m not going to lose myself in you? This is my adventure too, KF. These are my people. I can reunite your parts, but I’m going to need a promise that we will do this together. No more taking me over.

  I can only try. I don’t even understand what is going on, but I will try. How’s that?

  That’ll have to do, Chloe thought, her thoughts broken as the roaring falls reached a crescendo as they came into view.

  They were breathtaking. The falls fell to their left, a wide expanse of water that plummeted 200 feet down into a valley where the mist and bubble spray clouded below them. In the distance, across a huge lake and sunken into the valley, was an enormous stone city built into the cliff face and rising in tiers.

  “Wow,” Gideon breathed, stepping up beside Chloe.

  The others joined her, lining up side-by-side. Chloe heard a grunt and a growl and was surprised to see that the toffet had followed them and now stood behind Jessie.

  “He wants to come.” She winked.

  Chloe looked at the beast once more, seeing no harm in his face. She rolled her eyes and nodded.

  “It’s beautiful,” Ben said.

  Tag took Jessie’s hand. “Aye.”

  “Just one question,” Talbot said.

  The others turned to him.

  “How do we get down?”

  They stood there for a moment in the morning sun, feeling the fresh air on their faces, clutching their stomachs as they cracked up.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Toby jumped up and down, clapping his hands excitedly.

  “Leonie! Freya! Come over here! You’ve got to see this!”

  He stood at the mouth of the pit, looking down into the void. To his right were a series of platforms that spiraled down to where a strange green and gold glow emanated. His heart pounded as he beamed.

  “What is it?” Freya, a skinny, dark-skinned elf said, eyes bright as she reached the cleric’s side.

  “Probably just another useless piece of junk.” Leonie grinned. An elf as well, she wrapped her arm around Freya’s shoulders, and they giggled together.

  Toby wasn’t bothered. He grinned smugly, casting his quest toward the other two adventurers. They had only been in the game a few days, but they had worked hard on their individual skills as they navigated the caves and hunted for the lost secrets of Obsidian.

  Quest unlocked: A Fallen Goddess

  The Goddess of Retribution, KieraFreya, has fallen from grace. Her form has been divided and scattered across the land of Obsidian. For eons she has lain in wait, hoping for an adventurer who is brave enough and strong enough to unite the pieces of her armor once more and restore KieraFreya to her former glory.

  Find all [x] pieces of KieraFreya and return her to the gods.

  Difficulty: 10/10

  Rewards: 100,000 exp, + rare items (locked).

  Accept quest: Y/N

  “You’re joking,” Leonie breathed. “100,000 experience for finding some armor?”

  “If we find all of those pieces, we’re going to be in fat city! The guys at school won’t believe this!”

  Without hesitation, they began their descent, each player utilizing their acrobatics they’d leveled up in by backflipping continuously on the spot for several hours. Their landings were soft, springing from platform to platform as they spiraled down and down into the darkness.

  As they neared the bottom, they could hear the tinkling and see the shimmer of the armor. Toby could see it now in ultra-focus—the rotating helmet of gold and emerald.

  “Ah, man, this is so cool,” he said, leaping the last two platforms in one jump and landing with a thud. His health dropped some, but he didn’t mind. He licked his lips as he greedily reached for the armor.

  “I don’t think so!” Leonie said, tugging him back by the collar. He felt the wind pushed out of his throat. “That’s a lady's fit. I can tell you that just by looking.”

  Leonie reached forward, finding herself also tugged back as Freya growled, “Didn’t you read the quest? It’s the armor of KieraFreya. Guys! That’s a sign! It’s for me, and me alone.”

  “No, it’s not,” Toby said, struggling now.

  They began to squabble, each one dragging the other one back until they were on the floor. Aware that only one person could take the armor, they each fought for their rightful place, not afraid to tread on each other’s digital form.

  “Let. Me. Have. It!” Toby said, managing to squeeze out of the tangle on the floor and stand up triumphantly. His smile only lasted a brief moment before he saw the sword pointing at his throat.

  “Strange,” the woman said. “The quest only appeared to me after I obtained the first piece of armor. I wonder what makes you so special.”

  She moved the sword closer, enjoying the sweat that began to pepper Toby’s brow. With the tip of the sword, she poked down his collar and pulled out a small medallion with a ruby in the shape of a wide cross on it.

  “Ah. A cleric. One who shares communion with the gods. I guess that makes sense.”

  Taking advantage of her distraction, Toby batted the flat of the sword away with his hand, taking a step backward. Leonie and Freya came to his side. “Three against one.” Toby grinned. “I like those odds.”

  “Oh. I don’t think so,” the woman said, eyes guiding them upward.

  They all craned their necks, stomachs plummeting as they saw that nearly every platform they had just come down from now held someone aiming a weapon directly at their heads.

  “Noobs…” the woman mused, taking a stance next to the helmet. “You should have guessed that for a legendary quest you’d need to bring some backup. What are a few level 5s going to do with the helmet of a goddess?”

  “We’re level 8s, actually,” Leonie said as if it made a difference.

  “Cute,” the woman said. “And the good part is, I won’t even have to bother killing you. The quest will do that for me.” Before they could react, she reached out and took the helmet, the piece of armor vanishing and reappearing on her head.

  “Woah,” Toby whispered.

  The woman shone in a golden and green glow, something clearly happening to her as she flexed her muscles and triumphantly shouted into the air.

  When she was done, she looked at them all in turn, muttering nothing more than a muffled, “Adios,” before whistling.

  The ground began to shake. Toby, Leonie, and Freya looked up and saw that the platforms were now falling toward the ground. Great fissures and cracks began to form beneath them.

  “Did she do this?” Toby cried out, unable to believe what was happening. Was there that much power in the suit?

  But there was no answer from the girls. As the floor crumbled and opened beneath Toby, he saw the shape of an animal, large as an ostrich, spring down and scoop up the woman with its long neck. A second later, they were bouncing off the rocks and back toward the top of the pit.

  A trail of laughter lingered behind her as her men plummeted with them.

  Chloe was dreaming of home when it happened. Her visions of frequenting cocktail bars and slurping countless cosmopolitans replaced with the intensity of an image she couldn’t quite understand at first.

  The vision felt real, as though she were right there in the pit of darkness instead of inside the comfy inn where she and the KieraSlayers slept.

  Rocks tumbled around her. Boulders the size of cars as the floor hit the floor below them. She was riding something that reminded her of the scoopers, only this creature had dark fur, a thin head, and powerful legs designed for climbing and leaping.

  “What...where…” Chloe tried to say, but the words made no sound. She reached the top of the pit and heard the screams of the others around her. The ones who had fallen into the abyss, the great mouth taking its fill below her.

  Swinging a leg around, she looked back the way she had come. Only darkness below now. With hands gloved in emerald and gold, she reached up and felt something hard on her head. A helmet of the hardest metal. A charge of several dozen men around her, standing to attention as they waited for her to give further orders.

  At last, a voice said inside her head. At first, she thought it was KieraFreya, until she heard the tonal differences. The voice was dark and laced with venom.

  There was a sudden cackle as Chloe felt an energy surge within her. A painful tearing of herself as she felt the eyes of the woman on her, open and aware now of the invader within her skin. What? Fukmos, what is this?

  From the darkness ahead, a small creature grinned—a being made from shadow, imp-like and wicked. “Repel it, dear warrior. Repel it with all you have. We will meet it soon enough, oh yes, we shall. And you, too, KieraFreya. Oh, what fun we’ll have…”

  Chloe opened her mouth, realizing she had been holding her breath as she felt her consciousness kicked into the darkness, returning to her body with a start.

  Chloe? KieraFreya whispered urgently.

  Yeah?

  I think we’ve got a problem.

  Character Sheet

  Bio

  Character name: Chloe (click to select a new character name)

  Level: 11

  Class: Battle Mage (Novice)

  Race: Human

  Stats

  HP: 325/325

  MP: 540/540

  Stamina: 375/375

  Active effects: Null

  Boons: +15% luck to experimental magicka

  Attributes

  Strength: 22 (+49)

  Intelligence: 10 (+35)

  Dexterity: 20 (+47)

  Endurance: 25 (+36)