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They had breakfast at noon, while Lizzie was still in school. Somehow, it felt OK, as their dinner in Rome had been at lunch hour in the States.
“Activating Macro: Hangover, begone!” Grace proclaimed, slapping her hand on Dmitri’s forehead. The Greek had a terrible migraine, from drinking too much the night before.
“Thanks, it worked,” Dmitri’s eyes brightened. “What’s a macro?”
“I combined Sedative with Antipyretic and it has a Painkiller secondary effect. Have you invested your APs?” Grace asked Rowan.
“Not yet. I was too… tired… after last night… you know what I mean,” he blushed. “Have you allocated your points?”
“Yes, all safe one. I put them all in the Constitution, I’m threshold two.”
“Congrats. I was thinking… about what we agreed last night, you know… to marry.”
“Yes?” she frowned. “You’re not getting cold feet, are you?”
“No, on the contrary. Let’s do it tonight. I’ll ask the mayor to perform the ceremony at home. We buy a cake and dress nicely. Lizzie will be the maid of honor.”
“Honey!” She leaned over the table to kiss him. “You’re right, there’s no point in waiting. Dmitri and Isla can be our witnesses. So, for the party, it’s us, Lizzie, Dmitri, Isla, Thomas, the Mayor, and his wife. That’s OK… Let’s do it.”
“What about your parents?” Dmitri asked.
“What about my parents,” Grace frowned. “You forgot they’re dead?”
“Sorry to hear that,” Rowan fondled her shoulder. “Old age, accident?”
“No. Murder. Someone broke into their home and smashed their heads with a hammer. Like twenty times. No, thirty. Bam!” she mimicked the gesture.
“Goodness… was the perpetrator caught?”
“Never. He, or she, still roams free…”
“You think Isla will bring her ex?” Dmitri changed the subject.
“Why would she bring her ex?” Rowan asked.
“For Thomas, he’s the boy's adoptive father. He and Isla remained on good terms. You know him, by the way.”
“I do?”
“Yep. He’s the shrink who examined you, for the adoption.”
“I-Isla’s e-ex is h-her e-ex? I m-mean, her e-ex’s t-the s-shrink?”
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
“You’re behaving strangely…” Grace furrowed her brow… “Ah… I get it… You told him you have the hots for Isla.”
“I don’t have the hots for Isla. It just happened that I… accidentally looked at her… shapes a few times. But now, that I’m truly in love, I don’t even notice any shapes around. I don’t even remember what shapes mean. Why do you care, we’re supposed to be honest with shrinks, right?”
“You might have hurt his feelings unknowingly. They divorced because he felt intimidated by her, and couldn’t perform in bed. Like not at all. They have a name for that, but I forgot it. They did try their best, but—”
“What kind of guy can’t perform with Isla in bed? She’s so hot. I mean… err… if you look at her from some angles, she’s not ugly, you know what I—”
“Just let it be,” Grace flickered her hand. “Isla is hot. But also has a lot of confidence problems. Men find her too assertive to their taste. Idiots. She’s such a sweet person once you know her.”
“Well, it’s time to go. I’m clearing Rome’s catacombs together with Carla, to help her train… Oh, my God! I’m so stupid! Let’s do our wedding in Rome!”
“That would be very romantic,” Dmitri said.
“It’s a great idea, sweetheart. I’ll arrange things on my side, you do it there,” Grace clapped.
“I’ll put Lepastrina on it, he knows the city.”
He kissed her and left, after which she went back to the bedroom and back in bed, feeling exhausted.
----------------------------------------
Eight hours later, when it was evening in Elkins and night in Rome, Rowan retired to a corner of the terrace, to admire the view and sip an Italian liquor. Contrary to his expectations, the party and ceremony had been anything but small. Giovanni Lepastrina had booked a three-star Michelin restaurant, atop a luxury hotel, with views over all of Rome.
[Cory]: Mazeltov. For sure, nights are beautiful here.
“Hi, Cory. You can reach here?”
[Cory]: Since the towns are now connected and share perks, yes. How are the Catacombs?
“Huge… We cleared a mile and a half today, and there are five more levels. The good news is each gives an AP. The bad: the skeletons are not a walk in the park.”
[Cory]: Use blunt force. Listen… Switch on thinking, we have a private matter to discuss. I have to ask you something.
Sure. What?
[Cory]: I need you to concentrate your efforts on a quest that will help the County tremendously.
How urgent is it? I promised Grace to clear the catacombs together tomorrow… since we’re there.
[Cory]: Of course. What can be more romantic than cleansing the Undead on your honeymoon?
Are you sarcastic?
[Cory]: Just a little. I can wait a few more days, maybe a week, but no longer. This quest is paramount.
OK.
You have accepted a Solo Quest: Explore the Traipenent
The Alien ship that crashed on your planet sits just outside Randolph County. Claim its secrets and eliminate as many Mutated Beasts as possible in the process.
Main Objective (Lvl. 20): Clear a path to the Bridge and get inside by any means necessary. Reward: Surprise. +5 APs.
Secondary objective 1: Clear the Engine Room (Lvl. 50). Reward: The Ship’s broken core as loot, +10 Lvls to the County’s Core, +10 APs
Secondary objective 2. Clear the Main Deck (Lvl. 20-50). Eliminate the monsters from as many ship sections as possible. Reward: ???, ???
Time limit: The Main Quest has to begin no later than a week from now and be completed within 12 hours after you set foot on the ship. Secondary Quests: no time limit
Warning:
During your Main Quest, you won’t be able to communicate with the entity known as Cory or be Recalled and Rezzed. Proceed cautiously.
[Cory]: Don’t bother with the secondary quests, they can wait. Keep your eyes on the Main Quest, that’s where the real reward is.
Sure. Excuse me, I have to get back to the party.