While Annabelle gave her sister the quick version of how we got into the business of gladiator fights and gambling together, I decided to open my reward boxes. One appeared in my hand and I tugged on the ribbon, making it erupt in a shower of virtual confetti.

Annabelle stopped talking and both sisters glanced over at me before turning back and resuming their conversation.

So they could see that, huh? What kind of NPCs were they?

System: You received a Rare Power Scroll

I took a peek at what power was on the scroll.

Powers:

Nothing Can Survive In A Vacuum - Gain affinity with Void

Not much use to me. I could read it myself and maybe get compensation for the redundancy, but there was no guarantee I’d get anything else, or that it would be better than this one. I’d keep it and give it to someone who could make better use of it.

The second box appeared. More confetti.

System: You received a Common Skill Scroll

Bummer. Probably the most useless thing I could get.

Skill:

Shopping - Find good deals

Well, it wasn’t one I already had, but it also wasn’t one I particularly wanted. I’d save it for someone else, too. If it turned out to be good I could just learn it from them.

“That doesn’t explain how he can use sorcery,” Akari was saying. “Nobody can do that outside of...”

“I know,” Annabelle said. “I’m as surprised as you are.”

Akari turned to me. “Well?”

"Well what?" I said.

"How do you know sorcery?"

“I’m a fast learner,” I said.

She snorted. “This isn’t the sort of thing you can just learn. You have to be...well, never mind that. It just shouldn’t be possible.”

Now I was really curious about this sorcery power. I mean, yeah, it was potentially an incredibly powerful ability, if you were able to learn enough spells. A bit redundant in my case, but powerful nonetheless. But the way they were talking about it, it was special in other ways I didn’t know about and that they didn’t want to reveal.

“I don’t know what to say,” I said.

“Oh I think you do, you’re just smart enough not to,” Akari said. “I suppose there’s no point asking how you’re also able to see through doors, move so fast, fight so well, teleport, heal, dispel fear effects, pull weapons and other things out of thin air, and I don’t even know what you did to that cultist with the beard or what else I didn’t happen to notice.”

I shrugged. “A guy’s gotta have his secrets.”

When the sisters and I made our way back to the room under the hole I’d drilled down from the surface, we found Teams Spice and Legion there. Achmed and Tiff were peering up into the hole while their teammates stood around looking bemused.

“This is ridiculous,” Tiff said. “One of us must have some way to get back up there.”

“Well I’m stumped,” Achmed said.

Tiff clenched her fists. “Augh. I can’t believe after all this we’re stuck waiting for someone to come along and rescue us.”

“I know, it sucks. But it’s either that or dig away all the rubble blocking the door.”

I cleared my throat. “Fancy meeting you here,” I said.

Tiff and Achmed looked back at us, glanced at each other, then they both sighed.

“So, um, Daniel,” Achmed said, “I hate to ask after everything else you’ve done, but...”

“Sure,” I said. “I've got a way.”

Actually, I had a number of ways to get them up to the surface. The other players parted to make way for me as I went over to join them under the hole. My instinct was to use the one that would arouse the least curiosity about what I was able to do, but I figured that cat was already out of the bag.

I looked both team leaders in the eyes. “What happens in the catacombs?”

“Stays in the catacombs, we know,” Tiff said.

“What she said,” Achmed said.

A magic circle appeared on the floor as I cast the spell Annabelle had used to get down from the top of the arena pagoda. Levitation with some horizontal movement. Not quite flying, not even close to it, really, but good enough to lift some people up out of a hole.

“One express elevator going up,” I said. “Cathedral level: gently-used darkslingers, discount cultist robes, and blessed freedom.”

Achmed snapped his fingers. “Darn. I was hoping for ladies’ undergarments, but I guess I’ll settle for freedom.”

Tiff sighed. “Men. And just when I was starting to think you were okay, Achmed.”

Achmed laughed. “Pobody’s nerfect.”

Tiff came over besides me, scowling at the magic circle. “Say, Daniel, that looks a lot like Annabelle’s magic.”

“Yes, it does,” I said.

“But...” Tiff looked over at Annabelle, who was berating her sister for showing off her armor to a couple of Tiff’s teammates. The implication was that she was otherwise occupied, so it couldn’t have been her.

“What can I say?” I said. “I’m a fast learner.”

“Fine,” she said, throwing her hands up. “I get it. I won’t pry.”

The hole I’d bored was wide enough to shuttle three people up at a time. I got a lot more strange looks from the Players as they stepped cautiously onto the circle, but in no time we were all up on the surface again. We emerged into a scene with lots of people scurrying about dousing the last of the fires and shifting rubble in search of survivors. Out in the town square, a crowd still gathered to see what was going on.

“Looks like we have to thank you again, Daniel,” Tiff said.

“I’m just happy I’m able to lend a hand,” I said.

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Achmed pointed out toward the gazebo in the town square. “We’re going to go wait for our teammates to respawn.”

Tiff nodded. “We’ll join you.”

Once we’d all said goodbye for a second time, it was Akari’s turn to go.

“I’ve got some ogres waiting to be educated in good neighborly manners,” she said.

“Will I still see you tomorrow?” Annabelle said.

Akari nodded. “I haven’t missed a training session yet.” Then she turned toward me. “Say, you wouldn’t want to join me, would you? I’d very much like to spar with you and see what you’re really capable of.”

I glanced at Annabelle. She shrugged. “You don’t need my permission,” she said. “But if you’re asking me if you should, my advice is to not miss out on this unprecedented opportunity.”

“Then yeah,” I said to Akari. “I’d like that very much.”

The sisters exchanged an inscrutable look.

“Good, then,” Akari said. “It’s a date.” And without another word she bent her knees and took off, soaring up and shooting across the sky.

“She’s gonna be disappointed when she sees me tomorrow,” I said to Annabelle as we craned our necks to watch her go.

“Somehow I doubt that,” Annabelle said.

“You gonna tell me the story between you two?”

“Nope. You gonna tell me how you know sorcery?”

“Nope. How about the story behind your curious obsession with explosion magic?”

“Only if you tell me the story behind all that other stuff you can do.”

“Guess we’ll both just have to keep wondering about the other for a while,” I said.

“Looks that way.”

Once Akari had shrunk to a speck in the sky far to the North, we both looked down again.

“Would it be too much if I asked you to show me some more sorcery spells?” I said.

“I think I’m gonna go take a nice long nap now,” Annabelle said, avoiding the question. At least she didn’t say no. I’d revisit the topic another time. Maybe I could use her obvious interest in my newly acquired spell book to arrange some kind of mutually beneficial quid pro quo agreement. She’d probably love to learn Thaumaturgy. But that was definitely for another time. Right now, that nap sounded real good.

“Yeah, I think I’m gonna go do the same,” I said. A loud rumble erupted from my stomach. “Right after I get something to eat.”

“Mmm, food would be good,” she said.

“Do you wanna...?”

She glanced around. “I fancy we’ve already created enough of a stir together for one day. Think I’ll pass this time.”

I followed her gaze, noticing for the first time that the many NPCs and Players who’d been rubbernecking at the wreckage of the Cathedral were all watching us.

“Yeah, that’s probably for the best. Say, thanks for coming along today. You were terrific.”

“Nice to know I’ve still got it,” she said. “Thanks for the good time. I’ve got to say, things sure have gotten a lot more interesting since I got involved with you.”

“Sorry about that.”

A magic circle appeared under her feet and she started to lift into the air. ”Who’s complaining?”

I watched her float up to the top of the pagoda and climb back in through the window. I took a long last look at the ruined Cathedral around me. The fires were out and crews of NPCs were looking through the rubble for survivors. Food could wait.

I sighed and went in to help. With the strength I’d developed training with Sigrid, moving even large chunks of stone by hand wasn’t a problem now that I wasn’t in a rush. Besides, I was responsible for many of the bodies buried under the wreckage, helping with the cleanup was the least I could do. The first thing I did was move some earth to cover up the gaping hole I’d left in the floor, then went to assist with the rescue and recovery operation.

An hour or so later, I felt a vibration in my pocket. I was tired and hungry and dirty and functioning mostly on autopilot by that point, but Ruka was coming. I lurched out of the ruined Cathedral and onto the cobblestones of the town square. There was a bit of a weird Dead Sea moment as the crowd of lookie-loos parted to let me through. I did my best to ignore their stares, clenching my teeth and focusing on the singular thought that it would all be over soon and I could be alone again, without anyone gawking at me.

I could’ve made it end immediately. I could’ve used Byron’s portal power to open one up and escape right away. I could’ve used the power to fly that I’d just learned from Akari to soar away like she did, but Annabelle was right: I’d made enough of a spectacle of myself already. Let’s just do this like a normal person.

I kept my head down as I made my way to the gazebo. It barely registered that Teams Legion and Spice were there, still waiting for teammates to respawn, not knowing yet that they never would. I climbed the steps onto the gazebo, stood in the teleportation circle, and escaped to peace and solitude among the elves. This had been a hell of a day, but it wasn’t quite over yet. More than anything I just wanted to eat a big grilled cheese sandwich and pass out, but I’d always make time for game night with Ruka.

I had just enough time to make my stomach stop growling when there was a rapid knocking on my door. That was my first sign something was off. Ruka usually announced her arrival with three soft knocks.

I opened the door cautiously, finding my demon friend standing there. She seemed distracted, a bit frantic even. After I stepped out of the way of the open door she didn’t come in right away like she usually did to avoid being seen. This time she stood tense in the doorway and gave me a visual once over.

“Something wrong?” I said.

“That’s what I’m trying to see,” she said.

“I take it you heard about my adventure today from one of your sources.”

She nodded, whether in response to my question or because she’d determined there was nothing wrong with me I couldn’t tell you, but the tenseness relaxed and she came in.

“Ruka, were you worried about me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said, her tone light and playful. “We’re on opposite sides, remember?”

It was her turn to prepare the tea, and instead of waiting at the table I went to the kitchen and leaned against the counter as I watched her work. It almost felt like we were an old married couple.

“By the way,” she said with feigned nonchalance, “what were you doing in the Cathedral anyway?”

“I happened to be meeting with someone nearby when things went down.”

“Ahhh,” she said, “that explains it.”

I became immediately suspicious. I hadn’t wanted to think that the whole deal with the cult had anything to do with her but I couldn’t ignore the possibility. She was behind the Minotaur's coup in the labyrinth, after all. I wasn’t sure how I’d react if I found out she had been orchestrating this too.

If I hadn’t been there, the Calamity Demon could have been a much bigger problem for the whole city. A calamity, even. Then again, Akari had shown up to lend a hand, so maybe the cultists would’ve failed anyway. But still.

If Ruka had been behind it then I’d been instrumental in foiling her plan. Would she be upset about that? Would it get her in trouble with the Demon King whose existence she’d alluded to a few times in our many conversations? She didn’t appear to be worried about that, though. When she’d shown up she’d only seemed concerned about my welfare.

“Was I not supposed to be there?” I said.

“I was just thinking about your peculiar habit of getting tangled up in things that don’t involve you.”

“I think a Calamity Demon rampaging through the city might involve me eventually,” I said brusquely. “Sorry if he was a friend of yours.”

“A friend?” She made a sour face. “No. More like that distant relative nobody likes to talk about.”

I couldn’t ask outright if the whole thing had been her handiwork, she wouldn’t have answered me anyway. No shop talk. This conversation was teetering dangerously close to stepping over the bounds we’d set.

That said, I was still intensely curious. If she had conspired to unleash that thing, friends or not, we’d need to have words. I had to know for sure.

“I did find something cool,” I said.

I pulled out the grimoire I’d taken and placed it on the counter beside her, watching her reaction carefully. It wouldn’t count as asking, I was just showing her my spoils from the catacombs. But those cultists got it from somewhere, and I was willing to bet there was a nefarious puppet master who'd given it to them. I hoped her reaction would be enough to tell me if the hidden master was her.

She looked over at it, then casually looked back at the macarons she’d been artfully arranging on a plate.

Well that told me nothing. Let’s try digging a bit.

“Do you happen to know what it is?” I said.

“Looks to me like some book,” she said, like it was a paperback novel I’d picked up at the airport to kill time and not a thick tome bound in what probably used to be somebody’s skin that had recently been used to try to kill a lot of people.

I put the book away. “I’m not gonna get anything out of you, am I?”

She picked up the tray of tea and snacks and faced me. She was smiling, and I could tell by the sparkle in her silver eyes that it was genuine.

“Did you want me to look at it? I might be able to tell you what it is,” she locked eyes with me and enunciated her next words carefully for emphasis, “but I promise you, Daniel, I have never seen it before in my life.”

I was now about 90% sure she hadn’t been behind it, but she must’ve been able to sense the 10% doubt still lingering.

“I pride myself on knowing things,” she said, “but I can’t help you with that. It’s a bit embarrassing, even. As much as I like to tease you with how much I know about what’s going on in your city, this whole thing with the Cathedral caught me by surprise.”

I had my answer. There was a chance she could’ve been lying, but I would’ve bet the farm she wasn’t. I suddenly realized how tense I’d become so I relaxed my jaw, took a deep breath, and relaxed.

“I truly am sorry I can’t be of more help,” she said, and I knew she meant it.

“No need to apologize,” I said. “I’m sure it’s just some book.”