On the Day of Feasting, Lucy wakes up with red-rimmed eyes and she immediately sits up to check Vryce’s bunk, hoping he has returned at some point in the evening.

But for the second day in a row, it’s empty.

The brunette rogue spent the previous evening worried sick over her friend. She didn’t even join Leone and Palmer when they went to the tavern. The worry eventually gave way to tears, and for the first time in several years, she cried herself to sleep.

Where are you Vryce? Lucy silently asks. If something has happened to you…

Every worst case scenario floods Lucy’s mind. While she’s had a crush on him for quite some time, she also considered him a friend. His actions since arriving in Bryconia caused some of those feelings to wane, but they still linger.

Lucy decides to go down to the inn and get breakfast for her friends. She isn’t sure if she’ll be able to eat, but she needs a distraction.

When she gets downstairs, she’s amazed by what she sees. The inn normally has salted meat and stale bread for the guests, but today, they have a table filled with food. The table has a variety of fresh meat, freshly baked bread, and even some traditional breakfast food she recognizes from home, like scrambled eggs and something that resembles oatmeal.

“Good morning, lass! Happy Day of Feasting to you!” The innkeeper says cheerfully. “Since you are our guest, we will make sure your belly is full all day long! We’ll also have a carriage later, to take all of our guests to the Royal Square to hear King Brynn’s announcement about the Royal Quest.”

“Wow, um…” Lucy blinks in surprise. “Happy Day of Feasting to you as well!”

While the brunette rogue was unsure if she would be able to eat, after seeing the incredible spread, her stomach starts to rumble. There are some other guests already eating, so Lucy pulls up a chair. She piles her plate high and her mouth waters when she looks down at her food.

My eyes may have been bigger than my stomach, she thinks. But I’m going to eat what I can.

Lucy gets midway through her meal before she sees Palmer and Leone come down the stairs. She waves to them, and while the cloak hides Leone’s face, she sees the excitement flicker in Palmer’s eyes.

“Wow!” Palmer says as he walks over. “If I had known we were going to get fed like this, I would have gotten up earlier.”

“Vryce didn’t come back to the room?” Leone asks softly as he sits down.

“No.” Lucy’s face twists into a scowl. “I’m really worried.”

“We’re worried too,” Palmer admits. “After a couple of drinks, we went around to some other taverns, asking if they had seen him. We talked to a couple of people who said they remembered a guy with a really big sword on his back. He was asking about some kind of creature.”

“Creature?” Lucy asks.

“From what we could figure out, someone had an encounter with a red-eyed, fanged beast in an alleyway one night.” Leone reaches into his cloak and puts a piece of parchment on the table. “We found this not far from the tavern.”

“Beware the Creature…” Lucy reads. “Do you think Vryce may have gone hunting this? He was upset because he hadn’t been able to gain any XP.”

“Maybe,” Palmer replies. “But if you take away the red eyes and the fangs, that could also be a gnome.”

“Yep,” Leone adds.

“So, you guys think this is Rabu!” Lucy seems excited by the prospect. “If Vryce went searching for Rabu and found him, then that could be where is. But why wouldn’t they come back to the inn?”

“I don’t know.” Palmer lets out a sigh. “Unfortunately, we’re just speculating. We can start searching for him again after we eat.”

“Alright,” Lucy says, nodding in agreement. “We can at least enjoy our meal. This is the best food I’ve had since we arrived in Bryconia.”

“Don’t forget that the elven wine is half off today,” Leone says. “We can ask about Vryce while we’re there.”

“Alright.” Lucy nods. “Was that the tavern where they saw Vryce?”

“No,” Leone admits. “It isn’t the best part of town.”

“We should stop by there, just to be safe,” Lucy says. “We don’t have to stay for a drink.”

The trio has a plan, so they try to enjoy the rest of their meal. The conversation is still rather gloomy, despite the festivities, because all of them are worried about their friend.

Lucy, most of all.

***

“This has to be the one,” Rabu says, dragging his blade across the woman’s throat on the floor in front of him.

“Surely,” Vryce says in agreement.

Rabu sits back. He feels a surge from the woman he’s killed, and while it’s not as good as what he felt when he leveled up the first time, it’s enough to satiate the craving he’s had since then. He sits back with a smile on his face as blood pools on the floor in front of him.

Then his character sheet appears.

Rabu – Level 1 +1

Character Class: Necromancer

Race: Gnome

Hit Points: 40 +5

Mana Points: 25/45 +5

Power – 25

Speed – 35

Intelligence – 80

Affinity – 70

-Negotiation – Level 1

-Language – Level 1 +1

***

Equipment:

Book of Necromancy

Various Reagents

Rations (25)

Sharp kitchen knife

Platinum chain with a full vial (Healing Potion)

Token: Tailor's Guild – Apprentice

First aid kit (2 Uses Remaining)

Flask (Water from the Spring of the Moon)

135 gold pieces

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“Finally!” Rabu says, then more words appear.

You've unlocked a new spell.

“You leveled up?” Vryce asks, studying the gnome for a moment.

“I did.” Rabu reaches into his satchel. “I also got a new spell.”

“What is it?” Vryce steps over the body of the man he killed and sits on a chair near Rabu.

Rabu flips his spell book open, and he notices that in addition to his new spell, his current ones have changed.

Unsteady Gait: Vin Di

-Causes one humanoid to stumble or lose their footing.

-Mana Cost: 5 Mana Points

-Reagent Cost: Ginger Root

===

Summon Mouse: Res Tor

-Summons one mouse who will obey simple commands.

-Mana Cost: 10 Mana Points

-Reagent Cost: Mouse Tail

===

Poison I: Nox Vi

-Poisons one creature or humanoid of your level or lower, inflicting continuous damage until they ingest the antidote.

-Mana Cost: 10 Mana Points

-Reagent Cost: Nightshade

-Antidote: Water from the Spring of the Moon

===

Animate Corpse: Res Dect

-Channel your power into a creature or humanoid corpse that was your level or lower while they were alive, animating them for a period of thirty minutes. They will obey simple commands.

-Mana Cost: 25 Mana Points

-Reagent Cost: Human Tongue

“Well?” Vryce asks.

“I think I’ll show you.” Ragu grins, then leans down and cuts out the tongue of the woman laying on the ground.

“A tongue?” Vryce’s eyebrows shoot up.

“It’s a reagent.” Rabu squeezes the tongue in his hand and says the words from his spellbook. “Res Dect!”

A guttural sound echoes from the woman on the floor, and she sits up, blood still running from her mouth. Her eyes stare ahead, seemingly unfocused.

“Walk over to the bed and stand.” Rabu says, pointing in the direction of the bed.

The corpse obeys, but it isn’t very graceful. It splatters blood, slips in it, and crashes into the ground before finally achieving balance. Then it walks over to the bed and stands, blood dripping down to the floor.

“That’s so fucking cool!” Vryce says excitedly. “We have our own zombie!”

“Yep.” Rabu grins. “I don’t think it will do very much. The spell says it will obey basic commands, but it will only last for thirty minutes.”

“The bodies will get rid of themselves.” Vryce chuckles.

“Well, this one will, but I'm basically out of mana now.” Rabu sighs. “I think it’s time we head back to the sewers.”

“It’s morning now,” Vryce says as he peeks out the window. “There are also a lot of people on the streets for the Day of Feasting.”

“We’ll have to be careful then.” Rabu grins. “Luckily, I’m wearing black.”

“I’m not.” Vryce looks down at his bloody attire. “The sword draws enough attention as it is.”

“This guy looks like he’s about your size. Let’s see if he has anything you can wear.” Rabu motions to the half-elf. “What happened to your robe anyway?”

“Mine was a piece of shit. It wasn’t as nice as yours.” Vryce sighs. “It was hot as hell to begin with and then Lucy cut it up to make a sling.”

“Resourceful.” Rabu chuckles.

Rabu and Vryce go through the man’s things. Vryce is able to find another pair of pants and a tunic. While they aren’t the best fit, they’re good enough. They also find a dark gray cloak with a hood hanging on the back of the door. Vryce slips it on and turns to Rabu.

“How do I look now?” Vryce asks.

“I think the intimidation factor is beginning to show.” Rabu grins. “You’ll have to remember to take it off before we start killing people again tonight.”

“What about the zombie?” Vryce motions to the woman.

“I’ll tell her to walk down the street so we can make our getaway.” Rabu nods, a devious grin forming on the edge of his lips. “I don’t think anyone will be paying much attention to us if there is a zombie chasing them.”

“It’s sure to cause a panic,” Vryce says. “It might lead to them finding the bodies a lot quicker.”

“Come to me,” Rabu says, motioning to his zombie.

The zombie walks over and Rabu takes a knife from the kitchen table. He jabs it into the man several times until it is bloody, then puts it in the zombie’s hand.

“There,” the gnome says. “Now they’ll just think she went crazy and killed her husband. I’m sure the guards will do more damage to her than we did.”

“Perhaps,” Vryce replies. “Let’s hope it works.”

The duo puts the plan into motion. They creep out of the house, down to the street, and send the zombie ahead of them. Rabu sends the rats to the sewer, but instructs them to stay out of sight.

It only takes a few minutes for screams to start echoing from the street, which allows Vryce and Rabu to quickly run to the sewer entrance. Once they’re sure there is nobody around, they slip into the darkness.

“A perfect plan,” Rabu says.

“We do need to be careful.” Vryce looks over his shoulder. “At least until we have a better plan for disposing of the bodies.”

“Yeah,” Rabu admits. “I don’t have enough mana to turn them all into zombies.”

“We may need to lay low tonight,” Vryce says. “WIth the Day of Feasting and the announcement about the Royal Quest later, there will be more people on the streets than normal.”

“You should probably go and find out what you can about the Royal Quest.” Rabu sits down on his bunk once they get back to their camp, and begins feeding his rats. “The others will probably be there.”

“Should I tell them I found you?” Vryce asks, removing his cloak and sword before sitting down on his bunk.

“You might as well.” Rabu shrugs. “Just tell them I found a place to hide because I’m a gnome and I can’t risk being seen.”

“Sounds good,” Vryce says. “You can’t put on a cloak to hide your ears like Leone can.”

“It’s unfortunate, but I don’t mind.” Rabu lays back in his bunk. “I kind of like being a gnome.”

Rabu turns over and goes to sleep immediately. Vryce looks over his character sheet and makes a couple of reagent crystals from the dill weed in his vial before he tries to sleep.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t come easy. Vryce is amped up from the murders, and while he’s happy to be reunited with Rabu, he’s not sure how the rest of his friends will react when they see him again. He doesn’t plan to tell the others about the murders, but there are sure to be questions, especially since it’s been two nights since he left.

He decides that problem can wait, and after tossing in his bunk for nearly an hour, he’s finally able to fall asleep.

A few minutes later, he is jolted from his sleep by a sensation that is similar to what he felt when he was in the presence of Rendaz. He blinks a couple of times because he can’t see anything at all, and then he realizes it is pitch black in the sewer. It’s also eerily quiet. He can’t even hear the rats scurrying around.

“Rabu?” Vryce asks. “Hey, wake up, something is wrong.”

There’s no response from the gnome. Vryce puts his hand on the ground, but instead of the rough surface he was sleeping on, the ground appears to be smooth. It reminds of the marble floors from the suite he stayed in the last time he went to Vegas in the real world.

“Hello?” Vryce calls out, becoming rather alarmed. “Is anyone there?”

“Yes,” a gravelly voice replies. “I am here, my child.”

“Who are you?” Vryce leans forward in the darkness. “I can’t see anything at all!”

“My name is Da-Har, my child.” the voice says.

“I’m not your child,” Vryce replies harshly, feeling around for his sword, but all he can feel is the smooth floor.

“Oh but you are, because you have chosen a dark path, and it has led you directly to me,” Da-Har says.

“What do you mean?” Vryce moves further from his bunk, still not finding his sword, and when he tries to return to his bunk, he can’t find it either.

“You crave power. You will do anything to get it, even taking the lives of innocent people,” Da-Har rasps in his gravelly tone. “What if I could give you more of the power you seek?”

Vryce continues to feel around, the darkness so thick that he can’t even see his hand when he holds it against his face.

“If you’re offering something, then there’s obviously a price.” Vryce pushes himself up, feeling around for a wall or something he can identify.

“I require nothing but your oath and devotion, my child,” Da-Har lets out a raspy chuckle. “You’ve already chosen a dark path, so why not let me lead you further down it?”

“Oath and devotion, huh?” Vryce asks. “Let me guess, you’re a god?”

“Yes,” Da-Har replies. “I can also sense that you don’t care much for gods.”

“Where I’m from, most people say there’s only one, and he asks for a lot in exchange for blind faith.” Vryce scoffs. “What’s the point of prayer, if none of them ever get answered?”

“Have you not seen prayers get answered since you arrived in Bryconia?” Da-Har asks.

“Not always,” Vryce replies, remembering Palmer’s prayer that went unanswered at the bandit camp.

“Your faith is weak, but it doesn’t have to be strong,” Da-Har says. “I will give you time to contemplate what we have discussed, but you will not leave empty handed. Considering it a gift, for embarking on the dark path that led you to me.”

In an instant, the darkness evaporates, and Vryce realizes he is crawling around on the ground at the camp in the sewer. He looks over at Rabu’s bunk and sees that the gnome is still sleeping. Vryce wonders if it was all a hallucination, but when he turns to his bunk, he sees a pendant laying on the makeshift pillow.

The pendant has a symbol he doesn’t recognize, but when he picks it up, he can sense the magic radiating from it. He immediately checks his character sheet, and notices that the pendant is listed under his equipment.

Medallion of Da-Har - +1 Intimidation, +1 Two-Handed Swords

Interesting, Vryce thinks.

Vryce lays in his bunk and flips the pendant over a few times, studying the symbol. He’s not entirely convinced that he’s ready to start putting his faith in a higher power, but it’s certainly something to think about.