Nick’s eyes shot toward Tyler, who had his hands covering his mouth, staring right back at him with the concern plain for everyone to see. Nick tried to keep calm, tried not to react. Evelyn passed the phone over to Alejandra and Derek. His chest heaved, even as he tried to calm it. He couldn’t react, as Walt was right there. But holy hell, how was he supposed to sit there when the crime lord of Osvoroth threatened his life?

There was something more than a feeling, almost a premonition. If Nick had gone with Grizzizzik tonight, Akshi would have tried to kill him.

Derek’s chair scooted back as Derek swiped Evelyn’s phone, walking toward the kitchen. Alejandra looked at Nick with wide eyes. His gaze fell toward the Akshi miniature. It was just a threat. A threat by the crime lord of Osvoroth. A person known to break people to a shell of their former self.

Rafael stifled a gasp, and Nick glanced at his old friend. Rafael had finished reading the text before grabbing Evelyn’s phone. “We’ve got to get them out of there. All of them. They’ll get slaughtered. We can’t… we’ve got to…”

Tyler winced. “Derek. Constitution saving throw with disadvantage.”

Derek was in the kitchen when the d20 appeared next to him on the countertop. He rolled it twice, then glanced up at Tyler. “Thirteen.”

Legitimate tears to form in Tyler’s eyes. Derek leaned against the countertop, his knees no doubt losing their function. “Shit, man. No. No, what’s happening?”

Tyler said nothing. Instead, he picked up a fistful of dice and let them drop. He did the calculations, his eyes red, writing numbers and calculating. Once done, he snatched Milo’s character sheet, then let out a rattling breath. “Oh my god, that was way too close.”

“What? What is it?” Derek stumbled toward the table.

“Pippa grabs Milo’s face and kisses him, dark infernal whispers lifting around them. Milo, still charmed, allows her to kiss him long and deep. She is sucking his essence away, the demons laughing around them. You take thirty-five psychic damage, and not only that, thirty-five of your total hit points disappear.”

Derek scrambled to the table, picking up his sheet. “Two. When I wake up, I’ll have two hit points?”

Tyler rubbed his eyes. “And if I rolled two points higher, you’d be dead.”

Rafael headed toward the table. “Get everyone out. Everyone needs to get out of there. Ezekiel wouldn’t want anyone dying for him. Get out!”

Tyler dropped his hands, pointing at Alejandra. “Hraktar’s turn.”

“He takes his great sword and slams it into Pippa’s back.” Alejandra sounded frightened.

“Out, Alejandra! Get him out of there!” Rafael said.

“I’m trying! He won’t leave without Milo or a sword.” Alejandra picked up her d20, let it clatter, then counted on her fingers. “Twenty-six.”

“Roll damage.” Tyler kept his eyes on the battlefield. Alejandra rolled the d6’s.

“Fourteen.”

Tyler nodded. “With a sheen of light, the great sword digs into Pippa’s side, forcing her aside as Milo drops unconscious to the ground. She sneers at Hraktar.”

“I pick up one of Akshi’s sword, put it in my inventory, and lift Milo onto my shoulders,” Alejandra said.

“Carrying Milo limits your movement,” Tyler said.

“I… I….” Alejandra grabbed her hair, closing her eyes. “Hraktar taps on the diamond bracelet and says, ‘Princess! I have the sword, and I have Milo. He’s unconscious! Moonsparkle knows us. Can she get us out of here like before? Without us having to touch her?’”

Tyler held up a hand. “Evelyn, answer that at your next turn.” He pointed at Rafael and Derek. “Ezekiel and Milo, you both need to make a death save.”

The two of them rolled a d20, and both reported their failure.

“Shit.” Tyler grabbed another fistful of dice. “Nick, Evelyn, dexterity saving throws, please.”

Nick picked up the d20, trying not to think about it as he rolled. It landed on a six. Nick shook his head, standing up. “Eight. Goddamn eight.” He was frustrated. Hurt. Grizzizzik got a horrible beating, and the rolls were not with him tonight. He had the worst streak of luck, and of course it had to be when they were going up against Akshi.

“Fifteen,” Evelyn said.

Tyler nodded, doing the math. He sniffed, still trying to keep the tears at bay. Nick was panicking himself. This was bad. Milo was down, almost dead. Ezekiel was unconscious. They were all flirting with death right now. Rafael was right, they needed to leave.

Tyler furrowed his brow, a bead of sweat running down his forehead as he did the math, his breathing growing far more ragged. Nick walked into the kitchen, grabbing a cup and getting a drink of water. Trying to calm himself down. Trying not to have a panic attack in his own kitchen. Aware his father was watching. Aware that Akshi casually tossed around his life like it was a bargaining chip.

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Tyler finished writing the math down. “Akshi pushes Grizzizzik toward Moonsparkle, then shot another bolt of lighting into Grizzizzik’s gut. It passes through Grizzizzik and hits Moonsparkle. Grizzizzik takes twenty-eight lightning damage and Moonsparkle gets fourteen.”

“Grizzizzik is down,” Nick whispered. “Again.” This was a suicide mission. It always was. Nick should have forced his rogue to level up.

“‘Grizzly Bear!’” Evelyn said.

Nick didn’t bother turning around. He glared at the sink as he took another drink, willing his pounding heart to ease.

“What are you doing, Princess Clarissa and Moonsparkle?” Tyler asked.

Evelyn closed her eyes, sighing. “‘Moonsparkle, please. Take my unconscious friends home safely. You know the way. It’s… our special friend’s house. Take them there,’” Evelyn said. “Moonsparkle… heals the princess?” Her eyes flickered toward Tyler.

Tyler nodded. “Moonsparkle nickers before brushing her horn against Princess Clarissa’s skin, giving her—” Tyler gestured toward Evelyn, who rolled two d8’s.

“Fourteen hit points.” She saw it marked on her sheet. Evelyn looked at the map in front of her. “Princess Clarissa talks to Hraktar over the bracelet. ‘Hraktar, put the sword in Milo’s inventory. Let me know when it’s done.’”

“Can Hraktar do that now?” Alejandra asked.

Tyler closed his eyes, then nodded. “They’ll allow it.”

“‘It’s done, Princess.’”

“Moonsparkle uses her legendary action to take…” Evelyn frowned, studying the character sheet. “Milo, Ezekiel, and Grizzizzik. She makes them appear…” Evelyn trailed off, glancing at everyone. She didn’t need to answer. A dull thud outside said exactly where they were.

Derek’s eyes widened, then he grabbed his phone. “Oh, look at that. My mom’s calling.” He then bolted it out of their front door. Rafael hesitated before he got up and followed. Nick knew he should, but he had no desire to. He was frustrated with Grizzizzik, as well as himself.

Tyler crossed out four names on his list. As he did so, the dice and character sheet at each spot disappeared. “You still have a turn, Princess Clarissa.”

Evelyn nodded. “‘Hraktar, it’s you and me, my friend. Meet me inside.’ And then… Princess Clarissa runs, opening a bottle of oil behind her as she does so.”

Tyler wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Make a sleight of hand check.”

Evelyn rolled the dice. “Sixteen with my ring buff.”

“Perfect. Akshi doesn’t see you do that. You run, the oil spreading across the way.”

The front door burst open, and Derek and Rafael walked in carrying a barely awake Milo. He was at two hit points, and couldn’t walk, mumbling something unintelligible. Grizzizzik limped inside, barely getting in before collapsing against a wall, holding his chest. Nick shot him a glare, but his character was purposefully not looking at Nick.

“Pippa twirls around to face Hraktar. She opens her hand, a flickering flame appearing in her palm before shooting it toward Hraktar’s face.” Tyler picked up the d20, giving it a roll before snorting. “Seven.”

“Miss,” Alejandra said.

Derek eased Milo onto the couch, his eyes flickering, still red. Ezekiel knelt down at the front of the couch, placing his hands over Milo’s ears as he whispered. The cleric looked horrible, his clothes tattered and covered with blood from changing into a wererat, but he started his prayer.

“The flame turns wide, smacking trinkets off Bob’s shelf,” Tyler said.

Milo gasped as the redness in his eyes flickered out. He grabbed his stomach before collapsing again, his eyes closed. Tyler winced, glancing at the mana fusor. “Hraktar, your turn.”

“He runs,” Alejandra said. “And slams the door shut behind him.”

Tyler grabbed the miniature, counting as he moved Hraktar’s figurine out of the room. “You can see Princess Clarissa.”

“I give her a questioning look,” Alejandra said.

“I keep urging him deeper into the house,” Evelyn said.

Tyler grabbed the miniature of Akshi. “He makes his way toward you, but isn’t aware the terrain has become slippery. He only makes it this far, but he holds his hand out. Princess, make a wisdom saving roll.”

Evelyn nodded, grim as she picked up the d20. Grizzizzik got to his feet, limping over to the countertop, leaning against it as he watched Evelyn. The d20 clattered. “Nat twenty.”

Alejandra let out a breath.

“You easily shake off the paralyzing feeling in your legs and keep running,” Tyler said. “And it is your turn. What are you doing?”

“I try to catch up to Hraktar. ‘Find a room. Quickly!’” Evelyn said.

Tyler moved the miniatures. “For the purpose of this, you’ll both use your action to get into this room.” He moved them into the room.

“I then cast pass without trace,” Evelyn said.

Tyler pointed at Evelyn and Alejandra. “Both of you roll for dexterity.”

“Twenty-four,” Evelyn said.

“Twenty-nine,” Alejandra said. “I have a lot of buffs.”

“Perfect. You’re in the room, and Princess Clarissa casts the spell, both of you blending into the wall itself. Pippa…” Tyler cleared his throat. “Finishes adjusting her AC back to where it’s supposed to be, and gets out of the room, searching for them, but the house is quiet. Hraktar? You doing anything?”

“Waiting for the princess’s signal,” Alejandra said.

“Akshi—” Tyler moved the miniature a few paces until the figurine got inside, “—moves here, and has a quick conversation with Pippa. They split up and look for them. Akshi casts detect magic as he goes.” Tyler moved the figure closer to the door where they’re hiding. “And… senses something here.” Tyler placed the figurine at the door. Derek and Rafael had sat back down, watching the whole thing. “Princess, what are you doing?”

“I am slipping out the window. ‘Hraktar, once I turn into a horse, get on.’”

“Hraktar only nods, nervous,” Alejandra said.

“Princess Clarissa gets out and changes into a war horse,” Evelyn said.

Tyler grabbed Pippa’s figurine. “Pippa goes this way, searching the kitchen area. Hraktar?”

“He scrambles out and gets on Princess Clarissa’s back, holding on, and trying not to be a burden.”

Tyler nodded, grabbing the Akshi miniature and moving it through the door to the room, focused. “There is a calming music emanating from Akshi’s mouth. It is difficult to understand, but you can’t help but listen to it.” Tyler again picked up a fistful of dice and gave them a shake, watching them tumble. He raised an eyebrow, surprised, then pointed to Alejandra. “How many hit points do you have left?”

“Um….” Alejandra picked up the character sheet. “Twenty-three.”

“You lucky bastard,” Tyler muttered under his breath.

Alejandra winced. “Who? Who’s the lucky bastard? Hraktar? Or Akshi?”

“The music is enticing, but Hraktar’s strong half orc background shakes off the urge to sleep.” Alejandra covered her face, letting out a breath of relief. “Princess Clarissa. It is your turn.”

“She runs. She runs faster than she’s ever done before and trusts Hraktar is holding on,” Evelyn said.

Alejandra nodded. “He is.”

Tyler set his screen down, taking Hraktar and Clarissa’s figurines in one hand, and Akshi’s in the other. He moved Clarissa and Hraktar, counting under his breath, then moved Akshi out the window and headed straight for Clarissa. Again, he counted with the Clarissa and Hraktar figurines, then with the Akshi one, falling a bit more behind. He did this three more times, Akshi always falling behind a good twenty feet before Clarissa and Hraktar disappeared from the board. “Akshi falls behind, losing Princess Clarissa and Hraktar.” Tyler practically collapsed into his chair. “It’s done.” He covered his face as tears of relief started to fall. “We got it. It’s done.”