Kat leaned through the doorway leading from the classroom to the corridor. She pointed to her left. “Both the mouth and the hand are that way.”

Standing just to the right of the red head, Elena peered through the doorway. “I can’t see a thing. Gonna need some light.”

Ash and the talking blossoms quieted as Petals made her way to the exit. The Pink Wizard slid the tip of her staff over Elena’s shoulder. “Let me try a spell.” She aimed the staff down the corridor to the left. “Corridor, corridor, dark though you be, let your walls shine that we all may See.”

A ball of light shot from the end of the staff. It spiraled down the corridor, spraying sparks that stuck to the walls like glowing glitter, illuminating the hallway as though by starlight. Perhaps a hundred feet away, the bright globe reached a wall, either a dead end or a sharp bend or a three-way intersection. Petals wasn’t sure which. Upon striking the far wall, the ball sputtered and died, though the glitter on the walls remained, continuing to illuminate the hallway.

“Okay.” Elena looked back at Petals with a grimace. “At least we can see where the corridor leads. Want to do your spell again to make any traps light up?”

“Sure.” Petals paused to think of another rhyme. “Traps ahead, if there be any, let us See you all, be ye one or many.”

Another glowing globe spun away from the staff, speeding down the hallway. It angled down and struck the floor about twenty feet away… and went out.

Kat tossed her red hair. “What does that mean?”

The Pink Wizard aimed her staff to the right. “Traps where we’ve already been, let us See you all again.” The sections of floor the Color Guard had jumped over to reach Gondra’s room the first time lit up. “You see those glowing squares, Kat? Those are pressure plate traps. My spell is of sufficient level to find them. To our left, maybe there’s one trap twenty feet away and no others in the corridor. Or there might be a bunch of traps out there, and my spell is too weak to find them. So… my quandary is whether to assign an unassigned point or two to my See spell and try again, or to save my two unassigned skill points in case they’re needed later for different spells, like Access or Zap. The thing is, the See spell isn’t geared towards finding the more sophisticated traps. Your Detect Device skill, even though it’s only level one, is specific to the task, which would give it bonuses over my See spell. The light from the walls, dim as it is, would give you a bonus, too, but if you use a flashlight, that should give you a better bonus. Do you have any unassigned skill points remaining?”

“Sorry, no.” Kat frowned. “I spent them on the Locate Object skill.”

“Okay.” Petals nodded. “Then how do you feel about taking the lead and exercising your Detect Device skill? Even if I put my two remaining unassigned points into my See spell, I’m not sure it would do any better than what it did already.”

“I’d love to put my skill to use.” Kat grinned. “What’s the worst that can happen? If I die, I’ll respawn, and will rejoin you as soon as I can. Then you can try upgrading your See spell, and we’ll go from there.”

“All right, then.” Petals appreciated the red head’s practicality. “Tara, give Kat the flashlight I loaned you. Elena, you’re behind Kat, supporting with your Scout skill. Might as well exercise your Hide skill too. It can’t hurt, but remember to exclude us from its effects so we can continue to see you.” The Hide skill wasn’t like Tara’s Invisibility, which automatically excluded friendlies from being affected, and automatically attempted to obscure the character from everyone else. With the Hide skill, the character could selectively choose who they wanted to be automatically immune. “Cherri, you’re behind Elena, ready to throw Moon Defense or Stop as necessary against any surprise attack. Tara, you’re with me and Ash. I suggest you focus on your Invisibility as we proceed, just as a precaution to make you less likely to be targeted if there is a surprise attack. Greta, as always, protect our rear. Any questions?”

“Just say when you’re ready for me to go.” Taking the flashlight offered to her by Tara, Kat leaned forward, gripping the doorway frame, one leg poised to step into the corridor.

“Can you please go, already?” Gondra’s voice hissed on the sibilant. His second eyeball still spun crazily, like it was trying its best to leave, but was magically confined in place.

Petals motioned towards the corridor. “We’re right behind you, Kat.”

The red head shone her flashlight on the section of floor immediately in front of her. She stepped cautiously forward, her flashlight beam scanning the next section of floor ahead. Showing more confidence with each step, she reached a normal walking pace after about ten feet. She slowed as she neared the twenty feet mark.

Her rifle at the ready, Elena followed a couple steps behind the red-headed Psi Thief, watching over her shoulder to scan for any trouble ahead. As Petals had instructed, Cherri followed the Camouflaged Shooter, arms crossed over her chest in preparation for using Moon Defense.

Petals glanced at Tara. “Shall we?”

The Illusionist smiled and nodded. The corridor was just wide enough to allow the two of them to walk side by side.

Despite her jealousy of Tara’s higher Mind Offense, Petals admired the black girl’s intellect. “You saved the day for us with your illusions, Tara.”

The Illusionist’s smile broadened. “The seven of us make a good team. We complement each other really well. But we’d be a chaotic mess without your leadership.”

The Pink Wizard’s cheeks warmed. “It’s nice of you to say so. I was worried I was coming off as too bossy.”

“I admit I felt that way at first.” Tara chuckled. “But then I realized you had knowledge the rest of us don’t have, except Ash. I don’t fully understand what’s going on, but I get there’s more at stake here than just playing a game.”

“Stop.” Kat had reached the twenty-feet mark.

Everyone came to a halt.

Petals leaned on her staff. “What is it?”

Kat played her flashlight on the section of floor before her. “A symbol engraved in the floor. A scarab. Six inches long and four inches wide. It’s triggering my Detect Device sense. Should I try to disable it?”

“Wait.” Ash squirmed atop the Pink Wizard’s head. “All the scarabs that I—that is, Alfie—programmed in the game granted temporary benefits. I planted them in areas near scenarios a bit tougher than suited for the player level expected to be visiting them. I didn’t program this corridor, and neither did Petals—Justine—but if this scarab is here for the same reason, we need to activate it on everyone.”

Tara smirked. “But seeing as neither of you programmed it, whoever did might be hoping you’ll believe it’s benign, when it’s actually not.”

“She’s got a point.” Petals would have said the same thing if Tara hadn’t beat her to it.

“If neither of you programmed it,” said Kat, “then who did?”

“It had to be either Seth or Gondra, I think,” said Ash.

“Or maybe a shadow monster,” said Petals.

Greta still stood in the doorway and looked back into the classroom. “Gondra, did you program the scarab just down the hallway?” After a moment of silence, she turned to face the hallway again. “He’s not answering. All his attention seems focused on preventing his second eye from escaping. We might need to hurry.”

“So do I try to disable it or trip it?” Kat shone her light back towards her companions.

Elena blocked the light with an arm across her face. “Please, could you not aim that in my eyes?”

“Sorry.” Kat lowered the light.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

“I’ll activate the scarab.” Cherri took a step forward. “I’m not afraid of it.”

“I’d take a chance on it, too.” Tara stepped forward as well. “I feel like it’s meant for me, actually.”

Cherri shook her head. “Not you. Me. I feel it.” She stepped beside Elena.

“I really think it’s for me.” Tara took two quick steps and grabbed Cherri’s arm.

The Pink Wizard’s control of the group was evaporating. Petals struck her staff on the floor to draw attention. “Both of you, stop. Tell me what you’re feeling.”

The Moon Priestess yanked her arm free of Tara’s grip and lurched towards Kat. The Illusionist followed close behind. Cherri turned on her. “Stop.”

Tara froze in place.

Petals aimed her staff. “Cherri, listen to me. Move away and let the scarab be.”

The Moon Priestess lifted into the air. Snarling, she drew her scimitar and slashed the air before her as though attacking an unseen enemy.

“Get ready with your Zap spell.” Ash sprang off the Pink Wizard’s head. He slithered past Tara and Elena, out of reach of Cherri’s wild swings. He touched the scarab with his tail. “Oust.”

A seven-feet-tall ebony figure with a tufted tail rose from the scarab. It bore a long, curved, and tapered snout. Its squared ears stood six inches high. It held a staff in one hand. A deep male voice echoed along the corridor. “I would have offered a boon to all of you. Yet you reject it out of hand? Then you deserve to fail.”

“No, please.” Kicking her feet in mid-air, Cherri reached towards the black-skinned figure. “I accept your boon.”

The entity raised his staff. “Then you shall have it. Will no one else receive my boon?”

Petals aimed. “None of us will take your boon, not even the Priestess of the Moon. Zap you, fiend!” Lightning shot from her staff.

“No.” Freed from her paralysis, Tara sprang to block the bolt of energy with her body. The lightning sputtered and died. The attack wouldn’t hurt a friendly, and it wasn’t designed to go around obstacles, requiring a straight line to its target. “I accept your boon, too, Oh, Great One.” The Illusionist lost her footing and crashed to the floor.

“Elena and Kat, help me stop him.” Ash’s scimitar appeared in the grip of his tail. He swiped at the black entity. The blade past through the figure without resistance, as though attacking a ghost, though the entity appeared solid.

Kat’s rifle appeared in her hands as Elena fired hers. The bullet whined as it sped down the hallway, having passed right through the entity without apparent harm. It pinged against the far wall.

Greta whispered at the Pink Wizard’s ear. “Why are only Cherri and Tara wanting his boon?”

“Can you grab Tara?” Petals directed her staff at Cherri.

Greta rushed past Petals as the Moon Priestess dropped to the floor.

The Pink Wizard worked her spell again. “Cherri, I don’t mean to be rude, but Move away from the scarab dude.”

The Moon Priestess lifted again into the air and floated towards Petals. The Pink Wizard directed Cherri to halt while still out of scimitar range of any of her companions.

Kat fired. Her bullet struck the entity in the chest, but left no hole, passing through and whizzing down the hallway to strike the far wall.

Tara scrambled to her feet as Greta reached her. The Green Warrior grabbed Tara’s wrist. The Illusionist swung a hammer at Greta’s face, and the Green Warrior instinctively jerked back, losing her grip on Tara in the process. The Illusionist darted past Elena.

Raising his tail off the floor, Ash swung his scimitar in the air before Tara in an attempt to block her. “I swear I’ll kill you before I let you touch him.”

“Come, child, and take my boon.” The entity reached his staff over Kat’s head towards Tara.

As the Illusionist reached up, Elena bashed her in the back of the head with the butt of her rifle. Tara went down.

Petals aimed her staff at the entity.

“Everyone, Stop.” Cherri might be in the air, but she could still speak.

Silence fell upon the corridor until Cherri dropped to her feet on the floor. She strode to the entity and knelt before him. “I accept your boon, Oh, Great One.”

“You shall have it.”

The entity’s staff tapped Cherri’s shoulder. Black liquid like molasses seeped from the end of the staff, coating her body beneath her clothing, darkening her already dark skin to jet black.

“Who else shall take my boon?” The entity raised his staff and waved it before him. “Come now, or lose your chance forever.”

With a groan, Tara rose onto her hands and knees and crawled over the paralyzed Ash. “Please, Oh, Great One, give me your boon.” She collapsed at the entity’s feet.

The figure lowered his staff onto Tara’s back. “You shall have it.” The black liquid flowed across the Illusionist’s body. Her brown skin turned the same jet black as Cherri’s. The figure raised his staff. “Who else shall accept my boon?”

Cherri’s Stop invocation ended, freeing everyone from their paralysis.

Stashing his scimitar, Ash slapped his tail on Tara. “Oust.”

Nothing appeared to happen. Tara’s skin remained jet black.

“Then I shall be on my way.” The seven-feet-tall figure raised his staff. His body turned to black liquid that seeped into the floor.

Cherri stood and faced her companions. Her skin, hair, and eyes were all jet black, with no white or color in her eyes. Her short, pleated sailor skirt was still blue, and her top with the tie at the bottom hem suspended over her exposed navel was still white. Her backpack was still blue and white. The shoes she wore were a dark brown color that had matched her previous skin tone.

Tara rolled over, one hand cupping the back of her head where Elena had struck her. She lay still, breathing hard, wincing against the pain. She’d also lost the whites and the color of her eyes. Her straight hair matched the color of her skin and her all-black eyeballs. Her tank top and miniskirt retained their camouflaged look. She sucked in a breath and exhaled sharply. “Can someone heal me, please?”

Cherri glared at Petals but said nothing.

Ash’s tail still lay across Tara. “Heal.”

“Thanks, little guy.” Tara sat up. “I forgive you all for trying to stop me.”

Cherri bristled. “You had no right.” Her gaze was locked on Petals. “It was my choice whether to accept his boon. If I said I wanted it, you had no right to try and stop me.”

“I’m sorry.” It was as though a dominating force fled from the Pink Wizard’s limbs. “I think I was possessed. Maybe we all were. I can’t help but notice that we acted differently along racial lines, but I swear to you, it was not my intent to discriminate against you in that way.”

“It was the scarab’s magic.” Tara climbed to her feet. “Ancestral magic. African roots. Those of you not of African descent are lucky you didn’t accept it. It would have been a debuff for you. I’m positive of it. Did you recognize that deity?”

“I did.” Ash slithered back to Petals. “It was the Egyptian god Seth. That’s why I didn’t want anyone accepting his boon. It wasn’t the Seth we met in the real world, the one who turned me to ashes and gave Petals the flower garden on her head. But here in the game, it represents him. It must. And I don’t trust anything he tries to give us. How do you two feel, Cherri and Tara?” He jumped up to grab the Pink Wizard’s arm, slithered up her limb and then her neck, and planted himself again amongst her blossoms.

Kat kicked at the floor. “Well, the scarab is gone. What now?”

“What kind of boon did you two receive?” Petals had to ask if they weren’t going to offer the information. “Does it say on your character sheet?”

Tara nodded. “It just says, Seth’s Boon +1.”

Cherri’s shoulders relaxed and her gaze softened. “Same here. I accept your apology, Petals.”

“I’m sorry I struck you, Tara.” Elena briefly turned the butt of her rifle towards the Illusionist. “Forgive me?”

“Of course.” Tara clapped the Shooter on the shoulder as she passed, returning to her place in line. “You thought you were acting in my best interest.”

“Shall we move on?” Kat stepped past where the scarab had been, once again scanning the floor with her flashlight.

Everyone fell back into their assigned marching order. Kat led them down the corridor another twenty feet and then called another halt. She huffed. “Another scarab.”

Ash jumped to the floor and slithered towards her.

“Stop, Ash,” Cherri called.

The serpentine golem froze.

“He’s being affected by it.” Tara pointed a thumb at the Gray Healer. “He feels compelled to Oust the entity possessing the scarab, but Oust will actually free it. If it’s freed, then the rest of us will be compelled to act the way we acted with the first one. If the boons stack, I wouldn’t mind having more of them, even though I don’t know exactly what the +1 is for. But we wouldn’t be in our own minds, and we could end up hurting each other. It might be best if we passed this one up, and any others we come across.”

“I agree.” Petals looked to Cherri. “What do you say, Priestess? Are you okay to pass on any more of these scarabs?”

Cherri nodded. “It’s probably for the best if we do.”

Petals aimed her staff at the paralyzed golem and waited for him to start moving again.

As soon as his paralysis ended, Ash sprang towards the scarab, but Kat stepped in front of him, blocking him just long enough.

“Sorry, Ash, but you can’t be there. Move yourself into the air.” Petals motioned, and Ash floated off the floor, writhing in front of Kat. She stepped away in anticipation as a scimitar appeared in the grip of his tail. He swung at her, but she was already out of range.

Anything powerful enough to dominate Ash could easily dominate any of them. Petals was glad the magic was so selective as to only target one of them before it was fully activated. “Cherri, can you fit Ash inside your backpack?” Petals focused her magic and moved the golem close to the Priestess.

“I think so.” Cherri took off her backpack, unzipped the large compartment, and slipped it over the golem’s writhing form. Then she zipped it closed and slung it over her shoulder again.

Despite Ash’s protests as the group progressed down the corridor, they finally reached the far end, having passed up another three scarabs. They had come to a three-way intersection, with one unexplored branch leading left and the other leading right.

Kat pointed to the left. “The right hand is that way.” She pointed right. “The left hand is that way.” She pointed at the wall, straight ahead. “The mouth is that way.”

"Do you detect any devices on the wall, Kat?"

"No."

Petals aimed her staff. "Wall, if any secrets here abide, let me See what you hide."

No secret doors lit up. It didn't mean none were there.

“Let’s go for the right hand." Petals pointed her staff. "Hallway leading this way, let us See you as though it were day."

The hallway didn't illuminate.

Petals shook her head. "I could assign points to my See spell, but I just have this feeling I'm going to need them for something else, probably Access."

"We've got flashlights." Kat led the way down the left hallway.

“Can I come out now?” Ash pleaded. "I have a flashlight, and it isn't doing anyone any good inside this damned backpack."