For the next while, training with the sisters became part of my daily routine. I’d more or less made the elf village my primary home, and it became a given that I’d wake up to Sigrid climbing into bed beside me before we began our daily workout. After that, I took care of any administrative issues with the dungeons, although with Alice and the doppels looking after the labyrinth and Petal and the Magikist doing the same for the elves, there wasn’t much I needed to do. Then I’d hit the arena.

Sometimes I’d work with Annabelle, learning more about Magical Theory, sorcery, or artificing. We also sometimes worked on synthesizing new powers that could solve the problems that I wasn’t able to with my existing set of abilities, or create powers that produced effects that were often useful but required too many abilities combined to achieve. We mostly worked on runes and formations, and she helped me improve my artificing ability using tricks and techniques that were available to me even with only my piddling Adept level mastery.

Other times I sparred with Akari, either against her directly or some arrangement of opponents reproduced by the arena. She had me battling against a whole host of creatures I’d never even seen before. Many times I wished I could copy some of their powers, but they were only reproductions created by a formation so all I could do was wish.

But most of the time all three of us worked together, dreaming up more potential scenarios and devising new ways to solve them through clever uses of my abilities, and practicing, practicing, practicing. Experimentation and experience.

Working with them, I came to an important realization. However much progress I had made on my own, collaboration was better. The three of us coming up with ideas and riffing on them together proved far more fruitful and confirmed that going solo was the wrong approach. Working together was the key to everything. A few more gears clicked into place and I became more confident that the plan I was putting together would be game-changing. Literally.

Once training with the sisters was over it was my daily free time, which I filled in various ways. Before this I would’ve retreated by myself into one of my dungeons to work on some new power or item, or spar against my monsters. Alone. But I had developed a new outlook on things so I made it a point to spend more time with the people who were important to me.

While I was working with Annabelle and Akari, Team Maple Leaf and the Round Table were also busy planning and training in preparation for their upcoming dungeon raid, and they were always keen to blow off some steam at the end of the day in one of the city’s many drinking establishments. On those occasions when I joined them I almost always disguised myself as someone else. I had solid data to support that the vast majority of PvP fights began in bars and the last thing I wanted was for some puffed up Player to challenge me to a duel.

On the whole I avoided doing too much in groups, preferring to socialize with just one or two others at a time doing things like fiddling with Artifice with Byron and Nina, concocting potions and drinks with Morgan, hunting goblins with Wayne and Bruce, helping Chika and Shashu level up their newly acquired toron-do skill, doing military drills with Petal and the elves, or playing hide and seek around town with Kenji. My regular game nights with Ruka continued as well, and I was often called upon to fulfill my role as bookie for PvP fights in the arena, collecting more data along with a significant stockpile of gold.

One time when I went to the dojo to collect Sam for a jam session I found Morgan and Arthur crouched in the zen garden. I went over to see what they were doing, and when they heard me coming Arthur’s head popped up like a nervous meerkat. He took one look at us and I heard him say “it’s just Daniel” before ducking back down.

When I got close I saw Morgan was moving rocks around and scribbling circles and arrows in the sand with the tip of her dagger. She was planning out new team strategies like a football coach drawing up their team’s playbook. No wonder they had Arthur on lookout duty.

“Better hope Shannon or Sifu don’t catch you desecrating the zen garden like that,” I said.

“We’ll rake it out when we’re done,” she said. “We always do.”

And yes, I also spent time with Jane, ostensibly to help her figure out how to incapacitate opponents rather than kill them, but often just goofing around. When she got comfortable enough to drop some of the masks she hid herself behind, she really was a fun and interesting person to be with. After one such session, Jane invited me out for a drink.

“As a gesture of gratitude,” she’d said.

I’d suggested a tavern I’d heard about and we agreed to meet there after cleaning up. I must have misread the situation, though, because I showed up at the appointed time in my usual boring clothes. I grabbed a table and a drink while I waited for Jane to arrive. And waited. And waited. I was starting to wonder if I was being stood up when she glided into the tavern looking a heck of a lot more cleaned up than I was.

She looked incredible in a snug, shoulderless dress that ended just above her knees, showing just a few inches of bare leg before the top of her knee-high boots. Her lush red hair shimmered in a single, thick side-braid that hung over one shoulder. Around her neck she wore a thin black ribbon as a choker. A lot of eyes turned her way when she entered, then continued to follow her as she strode over to join me at my table.

It wasn’t just the way she looked. There was something about Jane that flustered me in a way I only then realized I hadn’t felt for some time, and I had no idea how to behave. It was like all the newfound confidence I’d nurtured with Annabelle and Akari evaporated around Jane. I actually found myself hopping up out of my seat and moving to the other side of the table to pull out the chair for her. I mean, what the what?

“Who knew you were such a smooth operator,” she said as she sat down.

“Couldn’t you have said gentleman instead?” I said, going back to my own seat. She just laughed. A server appeared to take her order.

“You look nice,” I said after they’d left.

I’d expected her to say something like “Just nice?” but she surprised me with only a simple “Thank you.”

“Although, as happy as I am with the compliment, I’m happier that you thought to give me one and follow through on it,” she added. "That's progress, Daniel."

No sooner had her drink arrived when someone new barged into the place. If this was an old-timey Western saloon, the piano would stop playing as everyone turned to look toward him as he posed menacingly just inside, the swinging doors flapping behind him, his black cowboy hat rakishly askew, and the barrels of the six-shooters hanging at his sides still warm from the showdown he’d just won out on the dusty street. The spitoon would ding like a tolling bell as he horked a big phlegm globber into it before sidling into the place like he owned it.

All eyes were on Flint Vivier as he swept in and made directly for a large booth on the other side of the room, followed closely by two more members of the Silver Sword. People moved to let them through even if they weren’t in the way, both Players and NPCs stepping aside as though the NPC mercenaries were high-ranking nobility.

“Ugh,” Jane groaned. “Those goons.”

“You’ve met them before, I take it?”

“I think most Players have had at least one run-in with the Ssssilver Ssssword. They seem to take pleasure in generally harassing us along with the occasional mugging if you do something to piss them off,” Jane said. “You’ve met them too?”

“Yeah. Twice.” I hadn’t taken my eyes off of Flint since he entered.

“Wow,” Jane said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that look on your face before. Did they steal your lunch money or something?”

“Something like that,” I said.

It wasn't until Flint arrived at the booth that I noticed for the first time there was someone already sitting at the table. And who could it be but Kiki, along with a couple of her teammates.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Flint loomed over the booth, hands on his hips, looking down at Kiki.

“Move,” he said.

Kiki’s face looked bored as she glanced up with one eye and said, “Why should we?”

“That’s our table,” he said. “If I have to say it again I won’t do it as nice, so move.”

Kiki glared back at him defiantly. “Lee,” she annunciated slowly. “Nice-lee. Anywho, we were here first. Go sit somewhere else.”

The rest of the tavern grew quiet as we all watched the scene. I caught snippets of murmurs that confirmed that the Silver Sword were regulars at this place, and everyone knew to stay off their bad side. Everybody except Kiki, apparently.

I could tell the moment she used All Shall Be Revealed on him. Her eyes glazed for a second, then widened in shock.

Oh Kiki, Kiki, Kiki. Always evaluate before deciding to be a snobby diva. She’d backed herself into a corner, and given her pride I knew she wouldn’t back down now, not with all those eyes on her.

“This should be interesting,” Jane said, and settled back into her chair to watch the show.

I could only see his back from our vantage, but I imagined Flint’s expression must have been a lot like how he looked when that young Player had stood up to him on the road. He slammed his palm down onto the table hard enough to spill the drinks on it.

“You three pipsqueaks: scram.”

The members of Team N3m3s1s sitting with Kiki immediately got up and made a beeline for the exit, leaving her alone at the table.

Before Kiki could even react he slid onto the vacated spot on the bench seat beside her, the other mercenaries taking the bench opposite them.

“Now then,” Flint said. “Since you insist on joining us tonight, I think it’s only fair you pay for all of us. Who knows, if you’re lucky I might even let you spend the night with me too. How about this: empty your pockets onto the table here. Let’s see how much fun we can afford.”

Kiki sat there shooting daggers at him with her eyes, but she made no move to do what he said. Now that he was sitting I could see his face, and the sudden confusion written all over it brought me much joy. He clearly wasn’t used to people disobeying him.

But no matter how many times he tried to use his power to coerce Kiki, it wouldn’t work. I’d nullified it right after he’d used it on Kiki’s teammates to prevent him from doing exactly that.

The legs of my chair scraped the floor as I slowly pushed myself away from our table and stood up. Jane gawked at me in surprise.

“What are you doing?” she said.

“Something stupid,” I said.

“That figures.” She sighed and made to get up too. “I can’t believe I’m about to go help that slag.”

I held out my hand to stop her. “Jane, can you do me a favor and stay here?”

Her eyes darted between me and Kiki. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Please?”

“You do know that’s Kiki over there you’re about to stick your neck out for, right?”

“I’m asking you to trust me. Stay here, okay?”

“Fine,” she said, heaving a huge sigh. “But if things go south on you I’m blinking in there and opening a can of whoopass, got it?”

“I’d expect nothing less,” I said. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, well, this just means you owe me bigtime for ruining our bonding time by going off with some other chick. Especially her.”

“It’s a deal,” I said. I took one step when I felt Jane tug the back of my shirt.

“Be careful,” she said.

“Trust me,” I said, and she let go.

As I casually strolled over to their booth I saw Flint try to use his power again, meeting with the same angry defiance from Kiki. She was the first to see me approaching, and I could almost see the thoughts flit through her mind as she did. Shock. Embarrassment. Humiliation. Fear. Maybe even a dash of hope.

It wasn’t until I reached the booth and spoke up that the Silver Sword acknowledged I was there. I completely ignored them and looked only at Kiki.

“Hey doll,” I said. “Is this guy boring you? Why don’t you talk to me instead, I’m from a different planet.”

Flint’s eyes sparkled when he recognized me. “If it ain’t my little buddy.” He looked me over as though sizing me up for a coffin, his gaze stopping on the knives strapped to my thighs. “How nice. You even brought more of those sweet blades for us. Now everyone in the SS can have one. How thoughtful.”

Did he really just call his group the SS? Really?

He kept on Boss talking. “That’s what I love about you outsiders. Don’t matter how many times I kill you, you all just keep coming back for more.”

I ignored him and held out my hand. “Come on, Kiki. These bozos aren’t worth it.”

“You’re acting pretty slick for someone who got his head taken off last time we met,” Flint said with a chortle. “I’m surprised you’re not pissing yourself. Actually, let’s go with that: piss yourself.”

For all I knew, his power might have compelled me to pee my pants right then and there. I had dropped the power nullification on his commanding aura when he started monologing. I wanted to test the new power I’d synthesized, one that gave me a resistance to charming effects, to see if it worked against his aura. I figured I could always nullify his aura again if my countermeasure didn’t work, but I hadn’t expected him to give me a command like that – if my resistance didn’t work I was going to do something so humiliating I’d never be able to poke my head out of the labyrinth again.

It was with great relief that I found my mind remained clear and I felt no compulsion to wet myself in front of a crowded tavern whose patrons were all looking at me.

“Nah,” I said. His brow knit and I could tell he was wondering why his power wasn’t working. Time to put a skill I learned off Chika to good use. “Look Flart, that’s your name, right? Flart?”

Yeah, I know. Pretending to get his name wrong. So juvenile. But it didn’t matter all that much what you said when using Taunt, as long as it was at least somewhat provocative. The skill did the rest.

The Silver Sword tank stood up all indignant. “His name is Flint.”

“Sit down,” Flint ordered, and the chagrined tank did as he was told. And Flint didn’t even have to use his power to make him do it.

“How about we cut to the chase, huh Flart? I’ll use small words so you understand. You are going to give me back the stuff you took from me and stop being a boorish bully, m’kay?”

There was some excited murmuring among the other tavern patrons and I could practically see the anger starting to boil inside him.

“What did you just say to me, pipsqueak?”

I did my best to impersonate one of Jane’s legendary eye rolls. “I’m sorry, Flart. Boorish means you’re crude and have bad manners. Understand now?”

The murmuring got louder and I heard a few titters. Flint’s face went red and the tendons in his neck started to throb. I could tell he was gearing up for more bluster and I was excited to hear what he came up with.

“Why you little.”

How disappointing.

“Okay, look. I don’t really have time for this right now but you seem like you want to settle this the only way you know how. So here’s what’s gonna happen, Flart. I’ve got some stuff I wanna do, so in, let’s say, two hours, you and I are going to meet in the arena, and we’re going to have a rematch.”

While he snarled when I got his name wrong again, he seemed to like the idea of a fight.

“You got some kinda death wish, buddy boy?”

Buddy boy? Did someone program him like this or did this cliched personality spontaneously coagulate all on its own? And which of those options would be worse?

I heaved a dramatic sigh. I had the Acting skill, too, so it was probably a good one.

“Listen,” I said. “Because you’re making me do this the hard way, when I win you’re going to return the things you took from me like I asked. What’s more, you and your Silverfish are going to go to Seaside and get on the first ship out of port. Do not pass Go, just head West until you either can’t go any further or you fall off the edge of the world. Either way, you will not come back. Ever. You’re no longer welcome in Toronto.”

Flint let out a big blustery belly laugh. He did not have Acting, so it fooled nobody.

“And here I thought this was gonna be another dull night in this craphole town. Okay, pipsqueak, you want to get another beatdown, I’m fine with that. But what do I get when I win?”

“I dunno,” I said. “What do you want?”

He took a few moments to consider, then gestured for me to come closer. I bent down and he whispered in my ear what he wanted. When he was done, I stood up straight again.

What a complete arsehole.

“What do you think? Is that possible?” he said. “Are you even able to do that? Or will you just say you can’t because you don’t have the guts to go through with it?”

“It’s possible,” I said. “Although it does seem a bit excessive compared with my demands. But it’s fine. I accept your terms, with one more condition. No, make that two.”

“Oh? Trying to wheedle out of it already?”

“Not at all. One condition is that nobody else knows what the stakes are until it’s announced at the start of the match.”

He grinned. “I like that. What’s the other?”

“Stop being a jerk and just let her leave already,” I said, gesturing at Kiki, who was watching all this with a horrified expression.

Flint clapped his hands together happily, as though he couldn’t believe his luck. “This has turned into one hell of a good day. Okay, girlie, off you go then. I got me a different fish to fry.”

“Get used to the taste of fish,” I said. “You’ll be eating a lot of it on the boat.”

I regretted it as soon as I said it. It was lame even for me, but it earned some more titters so I guessed it was okay.