Despite being a skeleton, Hoppins was quite quiet. I'd expected his rogue skills to be a total waste but it seemed he'd found a way to keep his bones from clanking.

He, along with Bastion, Etherea, and ‘Riley’ in Molly's arms, followed me as we bee-lined our way toward the destination we'd all chosen to meet at.

Adare was also meeting us at the spot with even more supplies. Molly assured me that she was trustworthy enough to share our secret location.

Our meeting at the Frog, despite Raziel's constant outbursts about his discovery, was productive. I explained my plan to everyone and how we could take the town.

It turned out I wasn't the only one tired of being forced to wear a disguise just to have access to basic necessities.

Raziel explained what he had found to me or what he thought he found and I decided taking the town was a higher priority. He kept the information guarded which he had a right to do.

He was not happy with his fellow Hexed and their decision. I didn't think they would choose his way even if he did tell them.

The countryside along the River of Sorrow was clear of Enlightened settlements. Not everyone liked to play in the big city and for whatever reason there were very few shamblers that invaded this side of town. So it surprised me when I saw such a beautiful landscape without anyone there.

Either the people were passing on a good thing or something was going on that I didn't know about.

We'd figure it out one way or another.

So, what's it like playing a pet? Etherea asked.

Raccoon, er Riley glanced at Molly then back at Etherea. Well, I—

I wanted to try one out but there's something about being that small that creeps me out, she interrupted.

It's not—

Plus there might be other pets out there that I don't want to be around like some weird bug. Since I don't like insects does that mean I would have to fight them to the death or something?

Riley placed the palm of his little hand upward and looked at me.

I shrugged.

What if there's some sort of pet code, Etherea said as she slowed down and limped forward thrusting her arms forward like a movie zombie. Where I have to obey it or they drag me off to some pet asylum.

Molly flew in front of Etherea. They literally just came out a few days ago.

It could happen, who knows how organized these VR people are, she responded nonchalantly.

Molly rolled her eyes and flew high into the air. Riley's little raccoon arms flailed as she went.

There were twenty-three of us total on the Council of the Dead. They'd voted on the name. I hated it. We'd created a temporary guild and invited everyone in the meeting to it.

The lower-ranked undead weren't invited but we did agree to act as guides for them if they asked.

Our most important agreement was to not stream anything. If they knew what we were going to attempt they would most likely stop us instantly.

They had a numbers advantage on us and since we were on the side where hardly any shamblers roamed, it was dangerous to be out here.

Molly slowly descended. It's not too far, I can already see the scouts.

It turned out illusion magic was good for something. When I'd used it as Izekiel I—

I stopped and took in a shaky breath. Down that path led to madness.

“You okay?” Hopper asked.

Shoving down my fears I took a step. “Shall we pick up the pace?”

After a brief exchange of smiles and nods all of us dashed forward. We weaved our way through the small valleys between the rolling hills until they disappeared and were replaced with muddy brown dirt that squished when our feet hit the ground.

The Swamps of Despair gradually came into view. We passed sparse patches of tall grass that came up to our chests and were forced to circumvent large puddles of water.

The sun was low and closing in on the horizon. This would be around the time I would normally be heading home from my adventures. I hoped Raccoon had delivered my message to my parents. I wasn't going to come home. Not to that server. It would never be my home again.

I had access to the AR servers now and would go to my real home. Raccoon had connected us to the servers and I didn't even need to use the stupid portal Doctor Stevens set up.

Where I was in AR, I was in the game, just like in real life. The only thing I might go back there for was to play around in the Chronofield.

With the data I had available, and the shell Raccoon made for me, I could learn anything I wanted in a short amount of time. I wished I could be in two places at once like Raccoon could do.

Either way, I wouldn't go to the server again unless I needed to.

A raspy noise from behind me caught my attention. It was Bastion. Though he wasn't breathing his arms drooped and he stumbled during every step.

I released the icy wave of my power and he instantly stopped his grunting.

His eyes went wide and he caught up with the group.

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They hadn't gotten their promotions to lieutenant just yet so I was pretty much controlling everyone but Molly.

She dashed into the air again and pointed.

We followed her.

My dress had been splashed with mud and the bottom portion of it looked as brown as the earth below us.

Molly stopped and we arrived at an incline. It led to the top of a plateau.

It was dry up there. Walking on solid ground again felt so good.

Four ghosts from our group waved at us.

We'd taken a short cut and the others probably wouldn't arrive for at least another hour or so.

The ghost scouts already had the beginnings of a camp started. I was impressed.

I led our group to them, cut my power, and Bastion collapsed.

In most of the battles I'd had, I was already close to the enemy when it started. It was nice to know the other shamblers could be propped up by my power even if they were exhausted.

The four ghost scouts had barely been touched by my power so they came-to almost immediately.

It was annoying waiting for the effects to wear off so I decided to see if I could dispel it.

I touched Bastion's shoulder and focused. Nothing. Then, I activated the aura portion of my skill and examined him. A golden fleck clung to his green outline. I flicked it with my finger and it dissolved. He awoke immediately.

Things progressed rapidly after that. I removed the lingering effects of my skill from everyone and we all got to work.

After an hour or so Raziel and Morgue’n arrived with the rest of the Hexed.

We'd gotten the main tent set up. It was a military-style I'd never seen before and was extremely large.

As we worked the scouts informed me that the tent was extremely important. It had to do with DO recognizing our attempts to establish a base of operations.

An hour after that we had stalls with makeshift shops set up. Two more large tents and a smaller one were in the midst of being erected.

This wasn't going to be a permanent base for us but we needed a place for everyone to gather. We had a lot of further planning to do. That is, after I experimented a little.

***

I grinned. The experiment had gone well. It took me a little while to figure it out but the logistics of it was simplistic.

The term NPC irked me but I wasn't sure what else to call the shamblers that roamed the wilds.

When they caught and brought me the first one, it was alive.

I had the two skeletons who'd come to help me quietly kill it. It just kneeled and didn't put up any resistance.

After a second failure, I knew what the issue was. Let's just say a volunteer was necessary.

Despite my small victory the logistics of how my plan was going to work had to change but that could wait till tomorrow.

As we were leaving one of the two skeletons that had helped procure the shamblers for me attempted to kick the old shoe lying in the dirt before I stopped him.

“Don't,” I scolded him through clenched teeth.

He threw his hands up and walked off. The third shambler they'd brought me remained kneeling.

It was late and Adare was likely already at camp by now so I made my way back.

When I got there I was met with one of the weirdest scenes I've ever seen. Almost everyone was gathered in one area and standing still in a dazed state.

Molly flew to me, Riley dangling from her hands. “Hey.”

“Hi Molly,” I replied.

Riley reached for me and Molly lowered him to my shoulder. He climbed onto it and plopped down.

Just then Adare weaved her way through the undead and joined us. “Well, that's not creepy.”

I smiled. “You found everything?”

“Wouldn't be here if I didn't,” she said.

She’d delivered my first set of items at the Frog. At that time we were discussing what we needed and she'd agreed to do a second run.

When I told her I'd double double her payment her mouth practically dropped off her face.

I didn't have the money on me so I had to add a distance transfer to the contract. It cost me a few extra gold but it was worth it for the discretion it afforded us.

“Want me to leave it here?” She asked.

I shook my head. “No, let's go inside.”

She looked around and I pointed to our main tent and led us inside.

“You know this'll probably be the last time me or anyone will be able to carry this much with them at once,” Adare stated.

She was so wrong, we had a plan and she was carrying it. “Maybe, maybe not.”

“There will likely be trade routes opened up between towns. Do you think they will force us to walk or something like that?” she asked.

“No,” I said. “The only thing that's going to change is we are going to be forced to wear backpacks and pouches.”

She crossed her arms. “How do you—”

“They'll be bigger on the inside,” I said, leaving it at that.

Her brows scrunched together for a moment then relaxed. Her mouth suddenly made an ‘o’ shape. It was like a lightbulb had gone off in her head.

We'd decided to name them “rift bags.” There were a ton of stories and games that had used that name already but we didn't want to use something as blatant as dimension bag or bag of holding since they'd been way overused.

My stomach grumbled.

Adare handed me our contract.

I checked it over and everything on the list was checked off. I pressed my hand on top of it and it disappeared. A notification informed me that the items had been transferred to my inventory.

Without thinking I pulled out one of my rot potions, a baldric, and the curved scabbard I ordered.

Suddenly Raccoon leapt off my shoulder and landed on the ground tumbling. He got to his feet and turned to me. “You're going to do that while I'm right here?” Then he dashed out of the tent while yelling, “Bitch!”

“What was that all about?” Molly asked.

I shrugged. “He didn't say, but was really pissed off about something.”

Molly chased after him.

“I guess I'll leave you to it,” Adare said and left as well.

I downed the potion, fastened the baldric around my waist, and attached the scabbard.

When I pulled out the Zix sword, just like before, that stupid heal over time hit me. I immediately put the weapon in its new home.

So as not to disturb anyone I waited out the duration of the debuff.

When I made it outside Molly, Adare, and the two skeletons were gone.

As I stared at the Hexed mindlessly swaying, I had a thought, Actual Zombies. And smiled.

They were obviously doing something in the real world. I brought up my menu and slowly dragged the AR slider to the left.

The swampy world around me faded from view and was replaced with hundreds of people gathered around small robots that glowed orange with heat.

There were residential buildings in the distance and a road twenty or so meters away. It was lined with delivery trucks. Small robots zoomed back and forth from the street with covered food trays.

We were on the opposite side of town from where I lived. Earlier, I had Raccoon tell my parents that I wasn't going to be home for a few days.

I hoped they weren't mad. They could have called me at any time but didn't. It made me wonder if Raccoon had told them about me passing out from a few friend requests.

It wasn't that I didn't miss them, I just needed to work some things out.

“Azerail! Come join us!” someone yelled.

And a scene like this one felt like it might be the cure to whatever shitty things my brain was feeding me.

I dashed over to the person who had called me and sat next to them. Then a loud ding rumbled through my brain as nausea swept through me.

A notification popped up.

Kevin was calling me.

***