“How much time’s left?” Jane said.

“A little over ten minutes,” I said. “A little less than the last time you asked.”

“Where’s the new girl, what’s her name?” Sigrid said.

“Chika.”

Sigrid scowled. “If she ditches us we’re in trouble. We’ll be one short.”

“She did seem a bit scattered,” I said, “but she’s still showing up on my quest counter, so that must mean something.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” said Jane. Sigrid and I stared at her with open skepticism. “I’ve got a good feeling about her,” she added with a finality that said the conversation was over, but I got the feeling she was as skeptical as we were.

Not long after, Andy and Wayne arrived laden with tall ceramic mugs of warm, frothy beer.

We’d pushed a few tables together in the pub to accommodate the group and almost the whole team was gathered around them: me and the two girls, plus Byron and Nina, Andy, Wayne, Bruce, and Sam. Nine of us. We were only missing Chika to make our full complement of ten. Time would tell if she showed up or not. There just wasn’t a lot of time left.

“Cheers.”

I took a deep drink. “Oh no. This will not do,” I said. I wrapped my hands around the mug and watched frost creep up its sides. “Warm beer might be historically accurate, but there are some modern amenities I am just not prepared to abandon yet.” I took another chug, this time enjoying its new chill.

“Oh do mine!” said Sigrid.

As I sat quietly enjoying my frosty beverage, I watched the team get to know one another better.

“They never even got the chance to get close to us,” Sigrid was telling Andy.

“Slow down, that’s your third one already,” Nina said to Byron.

“And all of a sudden there was the exact cat I was picturing right there beside me,” Sam told Bruce and Wayne.

“Quit nagging,” Byron said.

“You really took it down with one throw?” Andy said.

“If you were surprised by a cat, imagine how I felt when I first saw bones rising from the ground,” Wayne said.

“She totally did. It was a heck of a throw,” Jane said.

“Just don’t get all sloppy again,” Nina said.

“Remind me not to mess with you,” Andy said. “Not in a fighting way, at least.”

I sat quietly, watching them, trying to follow all the conversations at once. Nobody seemed to notice that I wasn’t an active participant in any of them, but that’s not unusual. Whenever I’d found myself in gatherings like this in the past, it had been the same. It was fine. In my experience, even when you are engaged in a conversation — especially in a group — it’s a challenge to sneak in a word anyway. Most people are too intent on what they’re saying, or too focused on what they want to say next when they do manage to get a word in, to notice that you haven’t said anything for a while. Or ever.

“What do you think, Daniel?”

The sound of my name dragged me out of my thoughts and back to the table.

“Sorry, what?” I said.

“I asked what you think,” said Jane.

I looked across at her. She was leaning forward, elbow on the table, chin resting on her hand, watching me with the threat of a smile prowling the edge of her lips.

“Oh, well, I’m sure you’re right,” I said.

The threat became reality. The smile burst onto Jane’s face as she regarded me. “Lucky,” she said.

“What is?”

“You are. You managed to pull the correct answer out of your ass despite having no idea what I was talking about. It’s impressive.”

“Not really,” I said. “This ain’t my first rodeo, Chicken.”

Quest: Assemble a team of 10 Players before the end of the Tutorial

Restriction: [Hidden]

Assembled Players: 9/10

Quest time remaining: 00:00:23

It’s really quite amazing how long a second can seem when you’re anxiously watching them tick down.

“Why are we so nervous?” Sigrid said, fidgeting.

Jane yawned and stretched. “Probably because—”

We never got to hear Jane’s theory because at that moment my quest timer hit all zeroes and Stratos suddenly appeared, startling the crap out of me.

“Holy mother!” I spluttered, flinching. “Don’t do that!”

“Don’t do what?” Jane said.

Oh right, they probably couldn’t see Stratos. This was going to be awkward.

Stratos’ face remained impassive. “Do not do what?” they said, but I could tell by the smirk that they knew exactly what I meant.

“What brings you here, Stratos?” I said.

“Stratos? Who’s that?” Jane said.

“It’s the end of the Tutorial,” Stratos said. “Such a shame.”

“Isn’t he the guy from the arena?” Sigrid said.

“What’s a shame?” I said.

Stratos gestured and my quest screen expanded. “I’m afraid the goal was to assemble a team of ten. It appears you only managed to collect nine. Such a shame.”

“No, wait,” I said, “there’s ten of us. If you mean Chika, she’s not here yet, but she agreed to be part of the team.”

“Who are you talking to, Daniel?” Jane said.

“Oh, I know about Miss Chika,” Stratos said. “She is being counted among the nine.”

“So what’s the problem, then?”

Stratos leveled their gaze on me. “Are you by any chance counting yourself as the tenth Player on the team?”

“Well, yeah,” I said.

Stratos nodded. “There you have it. That is the problem.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Daniel!” Jane said. “We don’t understand either. Why are you talking to yourself?”

“Stratos,” I said, “do you think you could, you know. So they can see you too?”

I could tell Stratos had become visible by the way everyone gave a startled flinch at the same time.

“Holy shit,” Jane said, “it is that guy. What’s he doing here?”

Stratos repeated what they’d just told me.

“You’re saying,” she said, “that Daniel failed his quest because he included himself on the team?”

Stratos nodded.

“That’s not right,” I said.

“I am afraid it is,” Stratos said. “You were to assemble a team of ten Players; you are missing one.”

“Wait a second,” Nina said. “Does that mean Daniel here isn’t a Player?”

Stratos narrowed their eyes and considered her shrewdly. “I did not say that.”

“So what’s the problem then?”

“I still don’t get why this Stratos character is even here,” Byron muttered.

“Yeah,” Bruce said, “and why’s he visiting Daniel?”

Several more voices around us added their grumblings.

“The problem is quite simple: Daniel failed his quest,” Stratos said.

“What about the other team builders?” I said. “Are they also not included on the teams they assembled?”

“The other team builders did not have a restriction on their quest,” Stratos said. “Check yours again, Daniel.”

Quest: Assemble a team of 10 Players before the end of the Tutorial

Restriction: You may not include yourself

Assembled Players: 9/10

Quest time remaining: 00:00:00

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“That restriction,” Jane said, ”was that always there?”

“It was hidden before,” I said through gritted teeth.

“That’s not fair,” said Sigrid and others grumbled in agreement.

Stratos sighed, then snapped their fingers. There was a tiny orange flash and everybody else instantly froze in place. Not just my friends, but everyone in the pub. Only Stratos and I remained unaffected, and they turned to face me.

“Daniel. Listen to me carefully.” They put their hands on my shoulders and waited for me to make direct eye contact. “After all that has happened so far since the moment we first met, have you not realized yet that you are not playing the same game as everyone else?”

“What does that even mean?” I said.

They let go of my shoulders and put a finger to their lips in a shushing gesture before snapping their fingers again. Everyone else started moving again.

“System,” Stratos said. “Amend Daniel’s quest. Extend his time by an additional five minutes. That should be more than enough time to find one more Player.”

System: Individual quest amended

Quest: Assemble a team of 10 Players before the end of the Tutorial

Restriction: You may not include yourself

Assembled Players: 9/10Quest time remaining: 00:02:22

“Well hell,” I said.

“That’s still not fair,” Sigrid said. “Daniel should be on our team.”

“No,” I said. “Technically, my quest should be over. Let’s just be thankful for what we’ve got and finish this team.”

Sigrid stared at me for a few long seconds. Seven, to be exact. I could tell exactly how many because the quest window was still open, its counter clicking steadily down.

“Hey, I thought you said we had five more minutes,” Jane said.

“There was a five minute extension added to the original time,” Stratos said. “You have already used up most of it while debating me.”

“That sucks donkey farts,” said Jane, looking genuinely pissed off. “You don’t play fair.”

Stratos acknowledged her comment with a curt nod. “Hum.”

Sigrid put an arm around me. “I’m sorry, Daniel.”

I took a deep breath, exhaled. “It’s fine. It is what it is.”

“Spoken like a true Player,” Stratos said.

“You shut it,” I snapped at them. I may have been stuffing the anger way down for the time being, but I was still genuinely pissed off. Another deep breath. “Okay everyone, we’ve got a little over two minutes to find someone new to replace me on the team.”

“Two people,” Sigrid said.

“What do you mean?” I said.

“We need to find two more people,” she said, “because if you’re not on the team neither am I.”

Before I got a chance to complain she grabbed my arm. “I made a promise, Daniel,” she said. “I told you I was going to stick with you and protect you, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

“No, Sigrid,” I said, putting my hand gently on her wrist. “I appreciate it, but that’s not how this works,” I said.

“But—”

“No,” I said again. “Look, if I don’t put you on this team, who’s to say you won’t be assigned to a different one without me?”

I glanced over at Stratos, who pretended to study their fingernails.

I looked back at Sigrid. “Believe me, I would much prefer to have you with me. All of you,” I added, looking around at everyone. “But if I’m going to create the best team I can, then it has to include you, Sigrid. They’re going to need you.”

“But you need me too,” she said.

“I’ll be okay. Besides, this isn’t the end.” I glanced at Stratos once more. “Is it?” I said to them, but they kept examining their nails.

“Time’s running out,” they said.

“He’s right, Siggy,” Jane said. “We don’t have time for this. Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out later.”

“Fine,” Sigrid said. “But this is not over.”

“Damn straight,” Jane said.

Sigrid punched my shoulder. “And don’t for a second think this means I’m not still protecting you, got that?”

“I really don’t deserve a friend like you,” I told her.

She punched my shoulder again, hard this time. “Argh!”

“Keep saying dumb things like that,” Jane mumbled, shaking her head, “and you’ll prove yourself right.”

Sigrid grabbed my hand and started dragging me out of my chair. “C’mon, we need to find someone else, and fast.”

“How are we going to find someone good in the next two minutes?” I said.

“One minute, actually,” Stratos said.

“Don’t know, don’t care,” she said.

I hadn’t noticed another Player coming over to our group until she spoke up. “Did I just hear you’re looking for another Player?”

We all turned to look at her. She was another classic beauty in the same league as Jane and Sigrid.

Where were all these gorgeous women coming from?

“And you are?” Jane said.

“Celeste, Celeste Jones.”

Celeste Jones

Affinity:

Water - Novice

Gifts:

Bend Like A Reed In The Wind - Enhanced agility

Powers:

Here Comes The Rain Again - Novice: Make it rain

Not Afraid Of Heights - Competent: Levitate

Ride The Wave - Competent: Create a tsunami; Affinity with Water required

This Is A Breeze - Novice: Has additional Affinity with Air

Skills:

Bow - Competent

Riding - Novice

Surfing - Competent

Sword - Competent

Damn, she was good. Like, really good. Another double affinity like Wayne, with amazing abilities all round. Funny, I didn’t remember her from the convention. How had she not been snapped up by another team builder yet?

“Your abilities are impressive,” I said. “I’m surprised you’re not already on a team.”

“It appears luck is on your side,” Stratos said. “To find such an excellent option right when you need someone.”

“What do you think, Daniel?” Andy said.

Before I could answer, Sigrid put her hand on my wrist. She shook her head slightly, her brow furrowed and lips pursed.

Was her danger sense warning her not to take Celeste?

“Better hurry up and decide,” Jane said, tapping her wrist. She wasn’t wearing a watch, but the gesture was universal. “We are rapidly moving from needing somebody to taking anybody.”

“Hey, I’m somebody,” said Chika, arriving at the table. “What do you need?”

“We need to find one more person for the team,” I said.

“And we need to do it in the next thirty seconds,” Jane said.

“Oh,” Chika said. “That’s awesome sauce. What about him?”

She reached behind her and pulled a young Japanese boy forward by the arm. He looked to be even younger than her, with a similar petite build. He looked back at us, one eye hidden behind long bangs that draped down over half of his face.

“This is Kenji,” Chika said. “My little brother. Sorry, he’s a bit emo, but he’s okay. I tried to ask if he could join the team too when you invited me, but he’d gone and disappeared again.”

“Great. Hi Kenji,” I said.

Kenji Hachiman

Affinity:

Shadow - Novice

Gifts:

Trust Your Senses - Enhanced range and sensitivity of all senses

Powers:

Stealth - Adept: Move and hide undetected

Spiderwalk - Competent: Can move up walls and along ceilings

Skills:

Otaku - Novice

Ninjutsu - Competent

Sword - Competent

I glanced at Sigrid. This time she nodded.

“Wanna join the team?”

“Uh...”

“Yes he does,” Chika said. “Say yes, Ken.”

“Uh, yes?” he said.

“Thank god,” Jane said. “Talk about down to the wire.”

Assembled Players: 10/10

Quest time remaining: 00:00:00

System: You have completed the Tutorial quest - Reward Tokens: 10 (+1)

Celeste stood there looking bewildered. In a rare show of emotion, so did Stratos.

“Sorry, Celeste,” I said.

“You really turned down someone of this caliber?” Stratos said.

“With Chika already on the team, we couldn’t really say no to her brother, could we?”

Celeste looked at Stratos, who shrugged. Then she turned her attention back to me and glared. “Great. Now I’m not on any team.”

“I really am sorry,” I said.

With a huff, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the pub.

“I don’t think we made a friend there,” Jane said.

“Shame, too,” Andy said. “She was just my type.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” Sigrid said.

I mouthed the words ‘danger sense’ to Sigrid. She nodded.

I sighed and turned to Stratos. “What happens now? Am I on a different team?”

Stratos shook their head. “You will not be on any team.”

“That’s great,” I said. “Just great.”

“You are disappointed.”

“And I was trying so hard to hide it.”

“You feel that way now, but I suspect it will not take long until you come to understand the position you are in.”

“I guess we’ll have to see.”

“By the way, well done on the quest. You assembled a truly remarkable team. Even without Celeste.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“You are sulking again.” Stratos considered me for a moment. “Daniel, do you not want to know what it means to be unaffiliated with a team?”

“Sure.”

“It means you are not tied to any one group.”

“I kinda gathered that already, thanks.”

“I do not think you fully appreciate what that means,” Stratos said, taking a bit too much pleasure in this than I liked. I waited for them to continue. “It means you can work with any team.”

“It does?”

They nodded. “Think of it as being a free agent.”

“So,” Jane said, “even though Danny boy’s not on our team officially, he can still participate as though he was?”

Stratos nodded again. “Not exactly. There will be another briefing in the morning where more will be explained.”

“That’s good,” Andy said, “because I’ve got a lot of questions.”

“Me too,” Wayne said.

“Then you should find tomorrow morning’s briefing elucidating,” Stratos said.