My reflection in the dim elevator lights was a ghostly pallor, the bags under my eyes a stark contrast. I studied my weary face in the mirror, wondering where my youthful twenties had vanished. Exhaustion, age, and stress were etched into my features - the toll of working for a high-powered law firm. The relentless grind and lack of leisure had plunged me into a profound depression.

The message I received last week, scheduling a D&D session, was a lifeline. The prospect of reuniting the group for a one-shot weekend of fun was a beacon in the gloom.

“Be a lawyer,” I muttered to myself as the lights flickered, casting shadows on the furrows of my forehead. “It’ll be good for you. You’ll make a fortune. All I’d gained were wrinkles."

“…If you want, I can help you create a character. I think you’ll like it… Hey, what’s up, Doc?”

A towering figure with fiery red hair blocked the view of the timid girl he was addressing. His broad smile was framed by a scruffy beard and a prominent nose.

“Hey, Ghimli. Heading up to Fabio’s?”

His grin widened as he nodded. “Yep. And I’m bringing company.” He stepped into the elevator, revealing a petite woman. She was as tall as me but dwarfed by her colossal brother. Her eyes were glued to her smartphone, only glancing up for a moment. “Hey, Doc.”

“Bea! It’s been ages. You were still in middle school last time I saw you.” I greeted her with a surprised smile.

“Yeah.”

“Don’t mind her, Doc. She’s just annoyed that I’m dragging her along.”

“I still don’t get it, Andre. I’m 17, mom and dad have left me home alone before. I came to visit my brother, and now I have to keep him company?” Bea finally looked up from her phone.

“Mom and dad asked me to keep an eye on you, and you know I’m not living alone. I’ll be up at Fabio’s all weekend, and I don’t want to impose on my roommates.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. But I could be at Liv’s place in a couple of hours…”

“Like I was going to let you cross state lines without our folks’ consent. Come on! Give it a shot, and if you don’t like it, you can come back down. Deal?”

“Fine!” she huffed, rolling her eyes, and Ghimli gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

The elevator doors opened on the top floor, the scent of smoke and vanilla wafting through the foyer. I was expecting a typical hallway with several apartments, but Fabio had bought them all and merged them into one grand space, reserving an entrance hall for his guests.

The hall was adorned with medieval-themed trinkets: a dagger in a flower pot, a giant axe atop a chest that I assumed was a bench, and an indoor campfire radiating warmth throughout the room. There was no fire, but the illusion of smoke and the scent of burning wood were produced by a smoke machine.

Fabio was a showman, always going all out for any occasion. His birthday parties were legendary. Once, he even hired knights from a renaissance fair to duel. And the food… But I digress. His front door was directly ahead of us, flanked by two lanterns. We rang the doorbell and waited for someone to answer.

The door swung open, and more smoke billowed out from inside, carrying the familiar vanilla scent. A slender man stood in the doorway, dressed in a red suit with a purple pocket square and black shoes. His glasses matched the red of his suit, and his long blond hair was tied in a bun atop his head.

“Welcome, my friends!” Fabio greeted us with a smirk, opening his arms for a hug. “And prepare for the game of your lives!”

“It’s been too long, Fabio! Great to see you!” Ghimli exclaimed, embracing our host.

“Too long, Ghimli. Even living in the same building, we keep missing each other. Doc!” He gave me a bear hug, which I returned. “You need to show up more, my friend. Is the big city treating you well?”

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“Yeah. Kinda.” I replied with a wistful smile. “But I’ll survive. How about you? Last I heard, you were in… Fiji?”

“Fuji. I was in Japan on a retreat.”

“I never knew there were retreats in Fuji.” Ghimli commented.

“It’s a very, very secret retreat. I’ll see if I can get you an invite next time. But don’t just stand there, come in, come in… And you…” Fabio’s smile faded when he saw Bea behind Andre.

“Hello, Fabio” Bea’s voice matched the host’s tone.

“You’ve got some nerve showing your face here after what you did.”

“For god’s sake, Fabio, I was six!”

“And you never apologized!”

“I’m sorry” she retorted sarcastically. “There, happy?”

“Come on, you two.” Ghimli stepped between them. “Let bygones be bygones. Please? Fabio, I am sorry for what Bea did, like I’ve said hundreds and thousands of times. Please, accept my apologies on her behalf.”

“Fine. For you, Ghimli. Now,” his smile returned, “a tour.”

Fabio’s place was enormous. The living room was the size of a single apartment, with a fireplace at its heart and couches scattered around it. A movie/gaming room took up half of another apartment, equipped with a projector and a colossal TV. The kitchen resembled a professional restaurant, boasting several ovens and burners. “This was a request from my personal chef,” he explained, “He wouldn’t work for me otherwise.” Fabio skipped the bedrooms, but there were six of them, each with its own bathroom. “Now, my pride and joy,” he announced, opening the last door at the end of a long corridor.

The overpowering scent of fresh wood filled the air, mingling with the smell of leather and… beer?

“Holy…shit!” Ghimli gasped in awe. “Fabio, this is amazing!” He rushed inside, finally allowing me to see what had captivated him.

In the center of the room was a real campfire, surrounded by a wooden table. Five chairs were evenly spaced around it, with what could only be described as a throne at one end. In the corner, stacks of kegs of ale stood next to a tap, which Ghimli was already using to serve himself. The room was meticulously decorated in a medieval motif, and even Bea was looking around in astonishment.

The doorbell rang again.

“That must be Amanda! Be right back.”

Amanda’s name snapped me out of my stupor.

“You invited Amanda?” I asked, unable to hide my disbelief.

“Of course! This is for the whole gang, and she was part of it before you guys dated. Look at the date, Doc, keep the peace, please. For my sake.” Fabio’s voice was tinged with sadness, and it finally hit me. I shook my head. “Great! I’ll go get the door.”

“Are you okay, Doc?” Bea asked. “We could, you know, leave.”

“No. I’ll be fine. We’re adults and should behave like it. Thanks.” She gave me a sad smile and patted my knee.

“A beer, Doc?” Ghimli offered, looking concerned.

“Sure. Let the games begin.”

It didn’t take long for Fabio to return with Amanda. I could smell her perfume over the scent of the new chairs. It had taken years of therapy to forget that smell. And her dark green eyes. And her long curly hair. She was wearing a red summer dress adorned with dice decals, and limited edition Star Wars shoes. She looked directly into my eyes when she entered the room.

“Hey, Doc.” Her voice was smooth.

Fuck! My therapist is going to buy a new condo.

“Hello, Amanda.” I muttered, staring into my beer.

“Ghimli! Nice beard!” She exclaimed, her voice full of joy. Ghimli grinned and thanked her. “Bea? Look at you! You’re already giving your brother targets for him to practice?”

“Very mature, Amanda.” Bea retorted sternly. “Like he would hit any of them.” She laughed and hugged the newcomer.

“Now that everyone’s here, why don’t we start the game? Shall we?” Fabio suggested, taking his seat on the throne at one end of the table. “Ghimli, be a dear and pour us some drinks.”

“All of us?” Bea queried.

“I won’t tell if you don’t.” They both looked at Ghimli.

“Fine…” he sighed. “Only one, or I’ll tell.”

He poured the drinks and passed them around before taking the last chair.

There were notebooks and tablets in each alcove of the table, dice towers, dozens of dice… it was a tabletop RPG player’s paradise.

“So,” Fabio began, his voice echoing around the room as if amplified by a microphone. “Thank you all for being here tonight. You all know how I was after my parents died eight years ago on this date. If it wasn’t for you guys, I would have become Bruce Wayne, so, thanks.” He said the last word with faux annoyance, eliciting laughter from all of us. “In all seriousness, thank you guys, yes, even you Bea.” He raised his glass in her direction. “And that’s why I wanted all of you here. Before we begin, a toast, to real friends and real adventures!”

“To Real Friends and Real Adventures,” we echoed, downing our drinks.

The beer had a peculiar taste. Fabio always had a penchant for local breweries and even owned a few thanks to his inheritance, but this brew was unlike any I’d tasted before. The first mug was fine, but the second…

The room began to spin, my vision blurred, and my body felt as if it were chained in place.

“Fabio, what the hell…?” I managed to stammer out.

“The year is 1435 after the great war,” Fabio began, ignoring our pleas. “For the hundredth year, Kethlen’s realm has been at peace, but a messenger has arrived bearing ill news. King Orlath has summoned all the mercenaries of the realm to gather in Jhorn, the capital of the kingdom. You are a group of such mercenaries, and we couldn’t start in any other way: You are in a tavern…”