Once more, Dalton had to fight off another monster horde. He was tired, sweaty, sticky, and wanted nothing more than to sleep in a nice soft bed after taking three showers.

But that would not happen.

He was no closer to the gate. It felt like some of the bone piles had been moving around. Paths he was sure would be open were not open. If he took a wrong turn, he would turn back and see another wall of bones that had not been there.

It was like somebody was playing with him.

…

That was exactly it wasn’t it?

Dalton decided to test this and marked some bones with monster blood. He turned a left, and then turned back to see the mountain of bones shift to block his previous way out. He hadn’t expected it to happen so soon, and it was surprisingly silent.

He wasn’t going to let that happen.

Dalton ran back, jumping through the ever-closing crack. His foot was clipped when it closed, and he tumbled on the ground. He pulled himself up, seeing a vast wasteland, and a woman standing on a pile of dead monsters that were burnt to a crisp.

She was dressed in a black dress. Her lips were painted a deep charcoal, and her eyes were an even darker black, unbelievingly, than her dress. She looked at Dalton with mild interest.

“Are you not Maya’s lover?” She asked.

“Maya?”

“You know, the Witch of Eternal Ice. Or has she not told you yet?”

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“No, no. I know she is,” Dalton swallowed. “Are you a Star Witch as well?”

Her lips curled slightly. “I am the Witch of the Black Dragon, Yome. I thought I was feeling strong magic and out of curiosity I was coming towards you, but it seems another has been impeding me.”

She looked up at the sky, and gave a slight wave. “Were you preventing me from meeting him? That’s a bad girl.”

“Who are you talking to?” Dalton asked after he looked up to find nothing but the sky.

“The administrator.” She turned her head. “You’re not that bright, are you?”

“The administrator is dead.”

“Someone is controlling this world, or else they wouldn’t have prevented me from trying to meet you.”

Her smile seemed dangerous. Dalton thought this might be a good time to skedaddle.

“Well, look at the time. I think I will go ahead and leave. I have to go the gate over there, and do my job.” He gave a few uncomfortable laughs.

A wall of black flames erupted when he turned his back to her. It blocked his path back.

“That’s no good. I can’t have you leaving yet. I haven’t talked to Maya for so long. Why don’t you come back to where I’m staying? We can talk about Maya, and maybe you can invite her to come down here today.”

“I don’t think I can do that.” Dalton said, trembling as he turned back to her. “I’m very busy.”

Her smile was dragonic. Teeth sharper than needles.

“I insist.”

Many ideas sprouted in Dalton’s mind. Many burned away as useless. There was no running, so that just meant one thing. He pulled out his short sword, his vision swirling and his breath puffing.

“Fine! If I’m going to get taken, I might as well fight you.”

The Witch gave a pleasant laugh. “Amusing. So, amusing. Your reincarnation this time is simply amusing, Od.”

Dalton yelled and pounced at her. He had taken down several hordes, why not a witch.

A bar of black flame struck Dalton through his chest, and he fell as quickly as he jumped. There was a giant hole in him, with blood just leaving him in an alarmingly fast pace. He wasn’t sure why he wasn’t dead yet.

“Amusing,” the witch hovered over him. She popped open a potion and drained it in his hole. “Just a few inches to your left and the flame would have skewered your heart. Now that we have fought in a contest of strength, I would say I am the victor of it. Unless you disagree?”

Dalton turned his head to meet her gaze. He gave a slight nod, before he gave out, and his consciousness faded in a darker place than her eyes.

She clapped her hands together.

“Wonderful.”