As I walked down the corridor, I noticed one of the doors was open, I hesitated as I neared.

"You've come this far, why stop now?" said a deep slow voice from within.

Oh crap. That’s definitely not Catherine.

It sounded like a player, though, maybe a roleplaying player, but I wasn't sure, do I turn back? No, I need to know. I sighed and entered.

The Kappa from the portrait stood by the window, looking out over the garden below. His skin was dark blue, almost like a squid, and he sported a long beard that was more silver than grey.

What the actual fuck? No-no, wait, this is fine, it could still be entirely scripted.

“I’ve been watching you.” He said, the back of his dark black shell pointed toward me.

He’s been watching me? Creepy Ay-Eff!

“Do you have a quest or something?”

He turned slightly and squinted at me, “A quest? Ha ha. Is that all people like you care about? No.” he said as Kris and Sai entered, closing the door behind them.

Umm… what the hell is going on? Unease snared my heart and my bowels. Something was off, way off.

I made for the door. “I should probably go.”

The two demi-foxes barred the way, their hands at their daggers.

“I would prefer if you had a seat.”

I looked between Kris and Sai… there wasn’t a lick of recognition.

“Yeah, a seat, what a great idea, I was going to suggest that too!” I squeaked out before sitting down in his, overly heavy, turquoise coloured Victorian chair.

"Now then, I suppose I should introduce myself," he said. "My name is Azarok, and I am the Lord mayor of Dagon."

Oh shit, he's not like one of those NPCs that are actually bad guys?

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"I must confess, I was hoping you could answer a few questions?"

The way he talks and presents himself, it's too fluid, too natural... almost unscripted.

"What am I to you?" he asked, staring at me intently.

I squirmed under his gaze.

"Errrr..." I paused, trying to find the words. "a Lord Mayor." I blurted out.

“Yes, yes, that is my title, but what am I to you? I have seen you around town use the term en-pee-see..."

Oooh shiiiiit. This ain't right... shit-shit-shit. There must be a way out of here.

There were only two ways out, the window for which he was firmly planted in front of, and the hallway door which was guarded by the two freakin ninjas.

The giant monstrous demi-tortoise tapped impatiently.

"...it, umm, it's an abbreviation of non-player character."

Gods couldn’t I have lied or something.

"Non-player character..." he stroked his beard and tapped the table again with his huge hoof like fingers.

Is he still an NPC? Or is he something else now. "At least you were... did you notice anything change in you recently?"

His calm, thoughtful demeanour changed, and he looked over to me glaringly, I thought he would jump over the desk at me, though that would be difficult given his bulky size. "I will be asking the questions!" he said, voice rising.

My stomach started to knot.

He pointed at me and asked, "if we are en-pee-cees, what, pray tell, are... you?"

"Ahhh... well..." I felt a chill run down my spine, "I'm an NPC too."

His eyes narrowed in on me.

"No."

I swallowed deeply; he was being serious, and that gave me pause.

"No what?" I asked, knowing the answer.

"You're not this NPC, you talk about, I think. You're something else. Lie to me again and there will be consequences!" He gestured to the ninjas and their bodies tensed.

What the hell! How is he controlling them so well?!

"Fine... I'm... a player..."

He hocked and spat at the ground, disgust written on his face. "I knew it!"

"What?"

"A player! You're a player."

"W-what's wrong with that?"

"For as long as I can remember..." he started saying as he stood up and paced the room, "...I have been slaved to players. Everyday there would be another knocking at my door, they would ask the same questions, I would give them the same quests, and then it would go on-and-on like this forever!"

I gulped, "So, you're saying you've been a slave to players?"

"Yes! I've never..." he stopped pacing and turned to me. "... had the chance to live my own life, do my own thing, until now. But here you are..." his look somewhat menacing. He walked up to me, towering over me, he was so close I could feel the dampness of his breath and smell his odorous mouth. He clenched his fists. "I will not let you people stand over us again, waiting for your beck and call, waiting for your commands! your prompts! NO!" he roared.

I tried to stand up but the chair was so rigid it wouldn't budge, so I just sort of cowered into it.

Oh god! Got to say something, anything...

"W-wait... please... I'm sorry, I didn't realise. I came here because of the mercenaries—"

"Shut up!" he shouted at me and drew up his hoofed fist.

"Please, wait-wait-wait, I can help you!"

"Help me? How?" he gurgled.

Shit... how? I don't know how... you're an NPC? What limits does an NPC have... or rather an awakened NPC... right, how is he even awakened?

"Rah, enough stalling!" he wound up his wreaking ball of a fist and let loose—

"Awakening!"

"What?!" he said, stopping a bee’s dick from my face.

"I can, err, help. you awaken your, umm, friends and colleagues."

Wait, can I do that, shit, whatever, I'll say whatever I need to, to stay alive.

"Oh? Well... that would be... good. Yes. I should free them, all of them!"

His demeanour changed, relaxed, and he stopped hovering over me to stroke his beard. His eyes searched the room before landing behind me, over my head, and he smiled.

"Start with them."

I looked around at Kris and Sai, "Umm, the process could take some time, it's not something that happens over time, and I, err, need to do a little more research..."

"So, you don't know how to do it?!"

"No, wait, I will know, it'll just take some time."

"Time, you say... okay then. You will have your time."

I breathed my first sigh of relief since coming to this damnable mansion.

Oh-dear-gods… What is even going on…