Phantom took a few steps, then his shoulders slumped. “Alright, look.” He turned, and Ezekiel glanced over his shoulder at him, surprised to see him back. “Akshi… knows. He knows you have lycanthropy.”

Grizzizzik unsheathed his rapier. “You son of a bitch. You told him!”

Ezekiel stood, holding out a hand to stop the rogue before nodding toward Phantom. “Thank you for the warning.”

Phantom shook his head. “It’s more than that. He’s got a basic understanding of lycanthropy and its cure. He’s put two and two together, and knows you’ve got to kill a saber-toothed tiger. It doesn’t take a genius to know a pack of them are headed straight here, guided by her mana.” He jerked his head at Clarissa. “Akshi can’t leave this town for some reason, but he’s sent out scouts. He’s gathering minions to kill all the saber-toothed tigers, so you’re forced to change into a wererat, or die trying to kill a stronger creature. If you turn, he’ll get you to work for him. It’s how he plans on destroying your group.”

Clarissa covered her mouth, looking at Ezekiel with wide eyes.

“So… he’s sending some followers to go… kill the tigers before they reach Elmwood?” Derek asked. He held three beakers of something gooey and black.

“Yes,” Phantom said.

Ezekiel frowned. “Does Akshi also know I need something from—”

Grizzizzik slapped his hand over Ezekiel’s mouth. Phantom gave him a bored expression. “What else do you know?” the rogue said instead.

“That’s it.” Phantom looked at the corpses on the ground. “And that I’ll probably avoid him for a while since I have nothing to give him.”

Grizzizzik’s eyes darkened. “He’s not the forgiving type. Disappear if you don’t want a dagger buried in your heart.”

Phantom sighed. “Then I shall see you later.”

Grizzizzik said nothing, just watched the bandit captain leave. Rafael took a drink out of his water bottle when the experience bar filled his vision, and a thousand experience points shot his cleric to level three. He felt a sigh of relief. He was leveling up. It felt good. And a thousand was great. They destroyed a large number of creatures, so that had its own feeling of accomplishment.

Derek had five beakers, and Milo placed stoppers in all of them before sticking them in protective covers. He eased them into his inventory.

Grizzizzik didn’t release his hand from Ezekiel’s mouth until Phantom was gone. “You’re an idiot,” was all Grizzizzik said.

This insult completely washed over Ezekiel. He glanced over at Clarissa and held out a hand. She took it. They started heading back to where they came. Tyler was standing there, rubbing his chin, lost in thought. Alejandra noticed. “Are you okay?”

“Fine.” Tyler pulled himself out of his thoughts. “Well, I mean…” He lifted his shirt to show so many grey marks that it almost looked like his skin. Rafael winced as he lowered his shirt, still smiling. “I never doubted anyone for a second. Thanks for saving me.” Tyler turned around as well, following the group.

Derek caught up with them. “I’m just glad they couldn’t hurt you.”

“Same, man. Same.” Tyler folded his arms.

Rafael glanced at his character holding hands with Clarissa. “So, what are we going to do about Ezekiel? Saber-tooth tigers are pretty easy to kill.”

“Especially if Akshi sends a level fifteen dragon after them,” Alejandra said.

Tyler grunted. “I’ll talk with Calawit when we pick up Quetzal.”

They were silent for a bit as the minivan came into view. Alejandra walked up to Tyler. “But seriously, Tyler. Are you okay? You just got kidnapped. Held hostage. There were ogres, goblins, and hobgoblins all around you.”

Tyler’s smile was lame. “I’m sure it will hit me at two in the morning, but for now, I’m fine.”

“Well, when it hits you at two in the morning, know that we’re here. You’d offer the same to us if one of us got kidnapped,” Rafael said.

Tyler smiled. “Thanks, guys.” He glanced at Ezekiel. “Let’s focus on getting Ezekiel a one-on-one combat with a saber-tooth tiger. The only other option is a black sphinx, and there’s no way he could fight one at his level.”

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“All five of them couldn’t right now,” Derek mumbled.

Rafael pulled up the character sheet again. “Ezekiel shot to level three, though.”

The news brought a genuine smile to Tyler’s face. “That is excellent to hear. Anyone else get level four?”

Derek shook his head. “Not yet.”

“It won’t be until we hit two thousand, seven hundred points.” Alejandra focused on her own character sheet. “Hraktar is five hundred points away from that.”

“Good to know.”

Rafael sighed, aware that he was still woefully behind. Tyler patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, Rafael. I’ve got a feeling Ezekiel will face a saber-tooth tiger soon.” The smile on his face dropped. “Hopefully sooner rather than later.”

“Good thing it’s fall break next week,” Derek said.

“So, um, movie night during fall break?” Ezekiel asked, catching up with them. “Rafael will not let me watch Lord of the Rings without my friends.”

“It is a pretty epic experience,” Rafael said.

Derek smiled. “We could do that at the beginning of the week, sure.”

***

Nick was doing his assigned reading in English. He was reading The Lottery, which was the second time he read it in high school. He didn’t like the story, but he pushed through, anyway.

“Nick,” Walt said.

Every muscle in his body seized up as he prepared to be yelled at, but he had to remind himself he was sitting on his bed doing his homework. There was nothing about this that Walt could criticize. “Yeah?”

It was enough for Walt to open the door. His father paused, glancing at Nick on the bed, and frowned. “You shouldn’t do homework on the bed. It creates bad sleeping habits. Do that at your desk. Or even out on the table.”

Nick’s face hardened into a scowl. He forgot Walt could always criticize him. There was no way in hell he was leaving his room unless it was necessary. “What do you want?”

Walt folded his arms. “We’ve got to discuss what you’re doing during fall break.”

Nick returned his gaze to his book. “I’ve already talked about it with Mr. Morgan. Most of his full-time guys are going on vacation, and he could use more help, so I’ll be doing full time for the week.”

Better there than here.

“Alright. I want to remind you you’re still grounded the entire week,” Walt said.

“Yep.” Nick’s vision turned hazy as he stared at the words.

“Which I’ve been thinking about how we’ll end this,” Walt said.

He wasn’t sure what his father meant and dared to glance up from his book. “End what? Being grounded?”

“I need to make sure you won’t act out again. That I can trust you to play with your friends and be an adult.” The amount of condescension in his tone made Nick lock his jaw. “So, whenever you want to end this grounding, your session of CCNC will be at our house, at the table right over there.” Walt jerked his head over to the dining room. “And I will be on the couch, listening in and making sure you behave.”

“Dad.” Nick closed his book. “That’s not…”

Walt waited patiently, raising an eyebrow. “Fair?”

Nick didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t like he’d tell Walt this, but they didn’t sit down at a table and have a session anymore. They were off fighting monsters, actual monsters, threatening Elmwood. They didn’t have time to pretend to do a session like this. In less than a year, an apocalypse was coming and monsters would hurt the people of earth. His suggestion was silly. Petty. But he clung to an idea to shake Walt away from this idea. “Evelyn wouldn’t like it. You can’t force her to do this.”

“She doesn’t have to go. I’m far more concerned about making sure you don’t strangle Rafael if he’s sitting across from you at a table.”

“I won’t hurt him,” Nick said, his voice dark.

“And I’d love to see evidence of it.” Walt folded his arms as Nick’s glare settled on his face. “So as soon as I can trust you to be civil in Rafael’s presence through an hour-long session of this game of yours, I’ll be more than happy to lift the punishment. But I am not lifting it until this happens.”

Nick’s jaw worked, his teeth grinding. “Three.”

“Excuse me?” Walt asked.

“They’re not an hour long. They’re usually three. Or four.”

His father shrugged. “All the better.”

This was unfair. More than unfair. They had the world to save, and Nick couldn’t accurately tell Walt how pointless it was.

“I will…” Nick closed his eyes, trying to ease his glare from his face. “Have to call Tyler and let him know. See what he thinks.”

“Then I shall expect to see that on your call history,” Walt said, walking out of the room.

Nick watched him go, then covered his face in his hands. Derek’s birthday was on the fifth of January. Rafael was already eighteen. What would it feel like to already be eighteen? Even January was a measly two and a half months away. Every month since he turned seventeen had been longer than the last. April was forever away, and they needed to get rid of those monsters now. But how could they waste a session?

Either way, he’d have to call Tyler. He’d have to check with Evelyn to make sure Tyler even got saved. As long as he felt ready to face Rafael again. Have him in his same house. With his father breathing down his neck.

Nick tossed his English textbook aside and covered his face. How was this even his life right now?

There was a soft knock on the door and Nick glanced up, forgetting the door was open. Evelyn was there, phone in hand. “Hey.”

“Is Tyler alright?” Nick asked.

“Haven’t gotten an update in a while.” She scrolled through her phone. “But I’ve also not rolled in a while, either.”

“I got a sleight-of-hand roll. That usually means Grizzizzik’s trying to steal coins off dead bodies without anyone else knowing. The creatures they were fighting must have had a hidden chest of gold, because he got a lot today.”

Evelyn shook her head, humor trickling back in her eyes. “How many gold coins does that rogue have by now?”

Nick mentally pulled up the character sheet. “Three hundred and thirty. And some silver and copper ones, too. He found a platinum coin a few weeks ago. No doubt secretly freaking out about that.”

Evelyn snorted, checking her phone. “Yeah. Alright. I’ll keep you posted on what I know. Everything alright with you and Dad?”

The humor drained from his face, and Nick glanced at the wall. “It’s fine.”

Evelyn pointed her phone at him. “Liar. Obviously. But for now, I’ll let it drop. If you’re still in this mood by tomorrow, I’ll come back and pester you.”

Nick rubbed his head. “Sure. Whatever. Just tell me when Tyler’s answering you again.”

She was already back to texting someone. “Will do.”