Two aged, slippered feet shuffled into view. Craning my neck, I looked up to find Pops. Clad in a long red velvet robe, he looked down at Argin, his face warped in pain.

  “My dear girl, what have you done?”

  The rock above me shifted slowly.

  “Only what was necessary, Pop.” Her voice was low. She sounded like the harsh rub of gravel on an iron wagon wheel as she moved. The rock had completely encapsulated her body.

  The portal had deposited us in an obscenely normal-looking courtyard. Birds tweeted, perched in trees, greeting the morning light. A squirrel chittered at us, irritated that its morning nut hunt had been disrupted by strangers.

  Silver-threaded white marble glistened with morning dew. The peak of Cersapil stood unaware of the impending apocalypse brewing beneath its foundation.

  I stole a glance at Pop, as Tandy pulled me up. He looked like an [Archmage] now, with velvet robes and a tunic full of runes. He’d aged since we’d last seen him in the desert. Worry etched deep lines on his forehead.

  Maybe the powers that governed this town were aware of the threat below them.

  “My dear, you didn’t have to prove anything.” Pop’s voice broke as tears streamed down his craggy cheeks.

  “Didn’t I?” she responded, not bothering to hide the bitterness in her voice. “How long do I have?”

  “A day, a week. The magic is old, temperamental.” The [Archmage] choked out the words, as though even a day might be hopeful.

  I guess it was easier for him to sacrifice Argin to the dungeon when he didn’t have to watch the result.

  I turned away from their personal moment, seeking my family.

  The gray-robed healers placed Ash on a stone bench where they worked on him. Similarly, a coating of healing magic covered Leo while his Priestess of the Hunt watched. She leaned against her longbow.

  My back ached as it repaired, [Gelatinous Regeneration] working on the burns. My health had dipped to 30%, but nothing too dire. The worst damage happened to my shirt, and only a determined collar kept it together. I pulled the shreds over my head, wondering who I could talk into giving me a shirt.

  “You just can’t keep your shirt on, farm boy.” Meredeath had joined our little group, holding Briyain’s bowl.

  “I’m too hot to handle?” I shrugged with a wide grin, enjoying the camaraderie that was springing up between us now that we knew where we stood.

  Tandy handed me Richard. His skin was rubbery and dry. A tentacle rose.

  You didn’t leave me.

  “Of course not.”

  The ancient [Immortal] snuggled into the crook of my arm as he tucked in his tentacles. A moment later, a thin coat of slime covered him as he entered some sort of healing trance. His body shook with thin snores.

  I looked up at Tandy. We’d survived.

  The city shook, a harsh reminder that we’d only survived so far.

  A gray-robed healer came up, waving a hand in front of my face. Her ebony hand was warm against my wrist as she looked into my eyes.

  “This one is showing signs of infection.” The nearby guards tensed, fingering their swords, as she stared into my eyes. “But is clear now.”

  She stared at me a moment longer, her brown eyes boring into me. I’m sure she was using some sort of [Analysis] skill. For a moment, I thought she was going to ask a question, but she shook her head and moved on.

  “[Archmage], come look.” The [Healer] was looking at Tandy. “She’s got plumose antennae remnants.”

  “Does she have the infection?” The [Archmage] asked as he came up next to Tandy. The surrounding guards had drawn their swords, and the [Archmage’s] eyes sparked as though he was just as ready to take Tandy out.

  “No,” the [Healer] said slowly, drawing out the word. “I don’t know how, but she’s infection-free.”

  This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

  “How?” The guard spoke the question like an accusation. “You said once they have the plumose it’s too late. That the dream has taken them.”

  The [Healer] and [Archmage] exchanged a look.

  “Tandy is a special case. We sent her in as an experimental plant.” The [Archmage] imbued his words with authority. “Tandy, get cleaned up and then I’ll have you report to the war council in an hour.”

  Pops snapped his fingers, and a servant in blue robes stood at his elbow.

  “Take these to the white guest house. Make sure their needs are met.” The [Archmage] dismissed us, his slippered feet leading him to a crowd clamoring for his attention. Even Argin, now standing clad completely in stone, forgotten.

  The servant grabbed Tandy’s elbow.

  “What about Ash?” Tandy stood resolute. “And Leo?” she added a little less sure.

  “You do not have to concern yourself with my charge.” The Priestess of the Hunt said in an aristocratic voice. She looked at Tandy as though she were looking at a bug crawling in the dirt.

  “I’m okay!” Ash gave the [Healer] attending him a warm smile. “Cole, do you think you could just help?”

  I was there in an instant, helping Ash up. We made an odd-looking procession as the servant ushered us to the white guest house. I looked back at Leo, wishing he was joining us. That we could catch up.

  He was conscious and talking to the Priestess. When she darted away to grab something, his eyes drifted to mine. He gave an old grin before repressing it as his companion returned.

  We’d found Leo! My heart sang, even as we limped to an unsettled future.

  “Here you are. I will be out here when they’re ready for you at the council chambers.” The servant that was tailing us stated.

  “So you can keep your eyes on us?” Meredeath said what we were all thinking. The servant didn’t bother responding, he just gave a nod acknowledging the accusation.

  The door clicked behind us.

  “This feels familiar?” I asked, as I rattled the doorknob to find it locked.

  “Well, I’m taking a bath this time.” Meredeath eyed me, daring a challenge. I was just hoping one of the closets held a shirt.

  “Okay, what the hell were they talking about, these antenna remnants?”

  I opened a closet, only to find it disappointingly empty. Ash had flopped on the bed, he was still pretty pale.

  “The feathers on the edge of your eyes,” I explained, opening up a dresser. Also empty. Numbly I continued, “A lot of the folks in Griffin’s Hunt had them.”

  “Do you think…” Ash left it unsaid. Do we believe that the brain worms enthralled all the patrons with feathers?

  Ash sat up, realization dawning. “Cole, it wasn’t just the waitress. A lot of the kids had feathers at the corners of their eyes.”

  “I know.” The dread of it settled into the pit of my stomach. “We need answers from Richard.” The slug was curled up on the bed next to Ash, completely comatose.

  “Cole, I found some shirts over here.” Tandy had opened a long wooden chest at the base of the bed. She held up a yellow shirt with frills and a beaded collar.

  “You’ve got to be kidding.”

  “You’ll match Richard.” Tandy held it up, the beads shimmering in the magicked light.

  I grabbed the shirt, throwing it over my head. It was better than going to the council half naked. Barely.

  “Tandy, what were you doing in the bowels of the city? When the [Archmage] whisked you away, I thought, I thought at least you’ll get the training you need in magic. That you’d be fine.”

  I couldn’t look at her. We’d barely escaped with our lives from the dungeon. Scrapped for every watery inch in that death trap. She’d come here, to a city of wealth beyond measure. I lay out on the opposite side of the bed as Ash and had a splendid view of the gold leafing on the twenty-foot ceiling of the place.

  Tandy had to have had the dream here.

  “How dare you.” Her voice quavered, cutting through me easier than any tooth or claw. “You think I’d cooperate with that traitor that ripped me away from my friends when they needed me the most?”

  She had a good point. I sat up, trying to convey to Tandy that I didn’t intend it that way.

  “I didn’t know if you’d survived. My team interface was gone. And the idiot sounded just like Grandma, muttering about how I was someone special. Some generational talent that was going to change the world.” Her voice dripped with venom. “As though any of that matters without the rest of you.”

  I didn’t know what to say.

  “So you threw it all away?” I said the words, as though she hadn’t already thrown her life away to run away and play at being [Adventurers] with Leo and I. It wasn’t until that moment, however, that I pieced together just how much we meant to Tandy.

  “It’s the Everbear-damned second rule of progression, Cole.” Tandy sounded hopeless. “I just can’t win. I can’t just be an [Adventurer], or a [Weaver] or a cursed [Pianist]. I can’t be a Cole or a Leo.”

  Tandy was in a full-blown meltdown. Her face splotchy as frustrated tears welled up in her eyes. I’d have given her a hug if I didn’t think she’d punch me.

  “What’s the rule?” I asked before remembering her contract.

  You can’t want it too much. The more you want it, the less likely it is to happen. Richard groggily interjected.

  Tandy waved at the slug before slamming the lid of the trunk closed.

  “Give the slug a gold star. He’s got it again.”

  Probably shouldn’t tell her she’s a Faction Leader either. The little asshole gave a fangy grin at me, as though he’d meant it for me alone. Unfortunately, he forgot to toggle off party speech.

  “A WHAT?!?!” Tandy was understandably upset.

  Richard’s tentacles gave a lazy wave before flopping backwards onto his pillow, as though it was an amusing joke.

  A harsh knock at the door interrupted our conversation.

  For the latest slug-related updates - follow me on:

  Facebook -

  Instagram -

  Patreon - - free tiers grant access to the discord

  Beyond Quests with Reck (A Litrpg Podcast) -

  Podcast where a boomer and a millennial heckle each other about books (Every other Tuesday) -

  Thanks for reading!