Except for a hulking and bearded mereman, the tower’s basement was empty. But that was not to say I did not have cause for renewed surprise. In place of a single nether portal, I found ten—all shimmering and all active.

“Damn,” Terence remarked, echoing my own sentiments.

“Welcome,” Quartz, the dungeon keeper, said, smiling genially. “I take it from your expressions that this is your first visit to the Deeps?”

I nodded. “We were expecting, uhm, one dungeon.”

“Oh, you’re not wrong,” he said. “Korg’s Deeps is a single dungeon.”

I frowned.

“One dungeon, ten levels,” he explained. “What you see here are the one-way portals to each level.”

I rubbed my chin. “I see.”

“So, we can start at the last level?” Terence asked eagerly.

The mereman chuckled. “There is no last level, young man. Granted, there was such in the dungeon’s original configuration. But we’ve changed all that. Each level now provides a separate and individual challenge.

I lifted an eyebrow. “Korg’s Deeps is an owned dungeon?”

“It is indeed.” Quartz rubbed his hands together. “And with ten levels to pick from, you four will be spoiled for choice.”

“Three,” I corrected him. “I will not be entering the dungeon.”

The mereman didn’t bat even an eye. “A party of three, very good. But before we get into the details, there is the matter of the entrance fee to settle.”

“How much is it going to cost?” I asked.

“One thousand gold,” he pronounced. “Each.”

My companions’ eyes bulged.

Quartz’s smile vanished as he sensed their hesitancy. “The price is non-negotiable.”

I sighed. “Of course, it is. But setting aside the matter of cost for the moment, where are the exits?”

The mereman turned my way. “There is a matching tower in the center of Korg Major. Your friends will emerge from the portal there.”

I nodded. “And where can I get its coordinates?”

“I can open a portal to it right now if you like,” he offered. “Assuming we conclude our transaction, that is.”

“Hmm,” I murmured noncommittally despite my pleasure at Quartz’s offer. It simplified things greatly on my end and dealt with one of my major concerns, but we were bargaining I knew, and so I maintained a disinterested air. “What does that enormous entrance fee get my companions?”

The smile slid back onto the mereman’s face. “Enormous? I wouldn’t call it that. One thousand gold buys your friends two days in any level of their choice and guaranteed privacy. No one will be allowed to enter the level until their time is up or they slay its sector boss. And the best thing? They get to keep any loot they recover.”

“Two days? One level? Those are ridiculous restrictions!” I scoffed. Turning around, I headed for the stairs. “Let’s go.”

As anticipated, I didn’t get far.

“Wait!” Quartz barked. “Three days, then.”

Ha! So much for ‘non-negotiable.’

I turned around. “Five,” I countered, “and as many levels as they want.”

The merman glared. “That will be impossible to schedule. Four days. Two levels.”

I pretended to think. “That would be acceptable if… you guarantee their privacy until they exit. No one must be allowed to enter a level until they leave it.”

“Fine,” Quartz muttered, “but any time they waste between killing a sector boss and exiting counts towards their four days.”

I nodded. “That’s agreeable.” I turned back to my companions. “The decision is yours,” I stated bluntly. “Do you wish to proceed?”

“Can we afford the fee?” Nyra asked.

“Yes,” I replied simply.

“Do you think it’s safe?” Terence asked cautiously.

I didn’t laugh. “No dungeon dive will ever be safe. But I think your question was directed more towards the Silach, yes?”

He nodded almost imperceptibly.

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say they’re trustworthy. Motivated by self-interest? Maybe. Willing to cheat us out of every penny we have? Definitely. But out to get us specifically? I don’t think so.” I grimaced. “If you ask me, the threats here are the everyday ones all players live with in the Game.” And as much as I wanted to protect them from such, it was not my place to do so.

“Let’s do it,” Teresa said firmly, and I glanced at the other two.

“I agree,” Terence replied.

“Me too,” Nyra added.

Swinging back to the dungeon keeper, I found him grinning again. “Excellent decision!” he said and held out a bank keystone. “That will be three thousand gold if you please.”

Ignoring the keystone, I stretched out my own arm to reveal a purse and another item.

“What’s this?” Quartz asked.

“Three thousand gold, just like you asked.”

“There’s only a thousand coins in your hand, friend,” he stated flatly.

“And a legendary item worth much more than the two thousand outstanding,” I added. “We can pay the fee.”

The mereman chewed on his lip for a moment, then with a shrug, moved to relieve me of the items.

I closed my fist. “Not so fast. Let’s finish up our dealings first.”

He scowled. “The negotiations are over.”

I nodded. “So, they are. But you promised to open a portal to Korg Major, and there is also the small matter of the ‘details’ you mentioned earlier. Let’s get all that out of the way before we conclude.”

Quartz’s scowl deepened. “Very well. Have it your way.” Pointedly turning away from me, he scrutinized my three companions. “Which levels do you wish to enter?” Before they could answer, he added, “Given your levels, Class, and gear, I suggest attempting level one and four.”

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

My brows rose in mute surprise, but I refrained from commenting. I’d done my bit, and it was time for the trio to take charge of matters.

“You said we’d have ten levels to choose from,” Teresa pointed out when it became apparent I wouldn’t speak. “What about the others?”

“Well…” the mereman temporized. “There are ten levels. But three are currently occupied, four are fully submerged, and the other has been designed for tier four players. That leaves only level one and four. Both of which will become available tomorrow morning.”

“Tomorrow?” Terence demanded, his voice rising.

“Tomorrow,” the dungeon keeper repeated, unruffled. “But if you prefer, you can wait another two days for level three and eight to become available. Both those are also suitable for air-breathers of your ranks.”

“Want to change your minds?” I asked the trio softly.

Teresa glared at me. “No.” Swinging back to the mereman, she said, “Tell us everything you can about level one and four.”

✵ ✵ ✵

You have entered the safe zone of sector 65,232 of the Forever Kingdom.

An hour later, after our discussions with Quartz concluded, my companions and I entered Korg Major. Since the trio couldn’t immediately start their dungeon dive, they’d managed to convince the dungeon keeper to waive payment of the fee until tomorrow morning—when they would actually enter the Deeps.

Quartz had then—with a not insignificant amount of grumbling—acceded to opening a gateway to Korg Major for all four of us.

Like its sister sector, Korg Major was protected by a shield generator and owned by the Silach. Neither of those things bothered me, though. As mercenary as the silachen appeared when it came to money, they didn’t seem to care much about non-faction members wandering their domain, and as far as I could tell, the travel restrictions were minimal.

Korg Major itself was an eye-opener. It was many times larger and more cosmopolitan than Korg Minor. In my first few minutes alone in the sector, I saw dozens of ‘two-legs’ walking about unconcernedly.

“We don’t stand out as much here,” Nyra said, noticing the same thing.

“And there are plenty of shops around too,” I said, coming to stop in front of a tavern. “You three should make your purchases here before returning to Korg Minor.”

“With what money?” Terence groused.

“Hold out your hands,” I instructed.

The three did as I asked, and I dropped an item apiece in each’s palm.

You have lost 3 x miscellaneous legendary items.

“Where did you get these from?” Teresa asked, looking down at the legendary artifact I’d given her in shock.

“Put them away before someone notices,” I said gently. “And as for where I got them, I looted them from the Devil Riders in the Eastern Marches.”

“What should we do with them?” Terence asked, taking another quick peek at his own item.

I smiled. “Sell them. I can’t tell you their value because I don’t know myself. Ask around—carefully. At a guess, I’d say each artifact is worth at least ten thousand gold.”

Their eyes widened.

And no wonder, I’d just handed them a small fortune. But if the trio were going to succeed, they needed every advantage I could reasonably afford them.

I chuckled. “Use the proceeds from the sale for Quartz’s entrance fee, a portal back to Korg Minor, and whatever gear you require. The rest you can store in a bank.”

Nyra frowned. “It sounds like you’re leaving.”

“I am.”

Concern replaced astonishment.

“Don’t worry, you three have got this.” I gestured to the tavern. “We’ll meet back here in four days. By then, you should be done with your dungeon run.” I glanced around. “And whatever you do, don’t leave the safe zone with the artifacts still in your possession or carrying anything valuable for that matter. Hmm, better yet, don’t leave the safe zone at all.”

Unlike in Korg Minor, a whole city lay outside the Korg’s Major safe zone—one I was sure the trio were tempted to explore.

“We won’t venture into the city,” Nyra promised.

I nodded. “See that you don’t.” Clasping their hands in turn, I bid them farewell and strode steadfastly away.

✵ ✵ ✵

After disappearing from the somewhat-forlorn trio’s sight, I spent a few minutes walking around Korg Major’s safe zone, trying to get a feel of the place—but if I was being honest, mostly wondering if I’d done the right thing.

Nyra, Terence, and Teresa would be alright, I had to believe that. Korg was as good a place as any for the trio to learn to deal with other players on their own, something none of the three had any real experience with. But they weren’t alone. They had each other.

And for now, they had to suffice.

Setting aside further thoughts of my companions, I considered my next move. No walls separate Korg Major’s safe zone from the city beyond, and for a split-second, I felt the urge to do what I had expressly forbidden my companions to do—go exploring.

But I reined in the temptation.

I had too much to do, and I couldn’t afford to become embroiled in another misadventure. It was time to move on to the next leg of my journey: wolves’ valley.

Ducking into an empty alley, I dropped into a crouch and wrapped myself in shadow. Then, I focused on the bracelet around my right wrist.

You have etched an aetherstone with the aether coordinates of the safe zone of sector 12,560.

Aetherstone bracelet activated. Connection to the ley line network formed.

Transfer commencing…

…

…

Passage completed!

✵ ✵ ✵

You have entered the safe zone of sector 12,560. This area is part of the Forever Kingdom’s wild borderlands. It is currently neutral territory, unclaimed by any faction or Force. No additional restrictions apply to this region.

Aetherstone bracelet deactivated. Remaining stored locations: 1. Charged and unetched gems: 2. Uncharged gems: 2.

I emerged in the southern end of the safe zone, within the shadows of Mariga’s log cabin, which even after all this time remained abandoned. Staying put, I considered the sector welcome message.

The wolves’ valley was still unclaimed.

That pleased me. Despite the shift in my focus from sector 12,560 to the nether-infested one, I still wanted to see matters in the valley settled if I could. Although, for the foreseeable future it was pretty much a secondary concern.

Rising smoothly to my feet, I took a long look around.

And spotted smoke. Lots of smoke.

It surrounded the village on all sides. Raising my head, I sniffed the air, and got the whiff of a familiar acrid tang. The smoke was close enough to smell, if barely.

War had broken out in the valley again.

The last time I’d been in the sector, Tartar, Muriel, Loken—and a host of smaller factions—had armies encamped in the valley but outside of a few skirmishes things had been relatively calm.

Has all that changed?

The smoke seemed to imply that it had.

I bit my lip. A lot could have gone wrong in the two months since I’d been away, and it seemed that at least some things had. Thankfully, though, I’d evacuated the dire wolf pack.

There was still Saya and Shael to worry about, of course.

But both players were stationed in the sector’s safe zone, and there was no reason to fear that the chaos raging in the valley would touch them. Nonetheless, I needed to check on the pair.

Turning my attention inward, I checked the status of my disguise. My ‘Actus’ face was firmly in place and would remain so for a good while yet. There was no reason to delay.

Leaving the safety of the cabin’s shadows, I headed for Wyvern’s Roost.

✵ ✵ ✵

In stark contrast to two months ago, the village’s streets were empty, as were the surrounding ‘barracks.’ It was another ominous sign of how hotly the war had to be raging that even the factions’ reserves from the safe zone had been pulled in.

According to my mindsight, many of the shops were deserted as well. Even some of the merchants had left. Just like rats abandoning a ship before it sinks.

Merchants would only leave if they believed the sector was in imminent danger of falling, I knew. My dread rising, I hurried my steps.

Turning a corner, I spotted the tavern ahead. It was unchanged from the last time I’d seen it, a brick and mortar building six stories tall. Sharp relief sang through me at the sight of the Wyvern’s Roost. Why, I couldn’t explain. Maybe it was because the tavern and Saya were inexplicably linked in my mind.

If the tavern still stood, it meant the gnome was safe.

Not caring anymore who was watching, I dashed down the street. Bursting through the tavern doors, I drew to a stop.

The Wyvern’s Roost was empty.

Or nearly so.

A lone figure sat with his head resting on a dusty table in the center of the common room. Shael.

At my entrance, the red bard raised his head and blinked owlishly. “Go away,” he slurred. “We’re closed.”

My eyes drifted from the bard to the many empty bottles scattered around the table. Shael was drunk. My lips tightened. “Where’s Saya?”

Shael threw back his head and brayed, the sound disturbingly discordant. “Saya? Saya’s gone.”

“Gone where?” I asked, my eyes narrowing.

Shael’s laughter cut off abruptly. “Where? Why nowhere, of course. She’s gone gone.”

My face blanked.

“That’s right, fellow,” the bard hissed. “Saya’s dead.”