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  “That dragon is familiar,” Charlotte said. “And the mages riding it.”

  “Hold on.” I grabbed Sheldon’s shoulder to stop him from casting.

  “What are you doing?” Axelrod yelled. “Have you lost your frail elf mind?”

  “It’s the Four Wizards,” I said. “We know them.”

  “You think it’s them?” Eric asked as he shielded his eyes with his hand.

  “It’s them,” I said. “They probably don’t even see us.”

  “The dragon’s getting closer,” Axelrod said. “Prepare for battle.”

  “No,” I insisted. “They’re friendly.”

  Axelrod continued gripping his battle axe in both hands.

  “Look,” Evan said as he pointed to the sky. “It’s landing.”

  The majestic dragon dropped lower.

  “It’s them,” I said. “And Wiley.”

  “Wiley the dragon?” Axelrod asked. “On this level?”

  “You know them?” I asked.

  “Everyone knows the Four Wizards,” he said.

  The gigantic red dragon landed, its wings still flapping in the wind. Quiet Aaron, studious Sherlock, rambunctious Thom, and mysterious Ferris all dismounted.

  I walked across the field toward them as Eric, Josh, and the others followed.

  Axelrod kept his distance, still clinging to his axe. I smiled as the four powerful mages stopped a few feet away.

  “You made it,” Ferris said then smiled.

  “Groovy,” Thom said, his red fro bouncing in the sunshine.

  “What are you four doing here on level one-two?” Axelrod asked as he walked over.

  Thom hugged him—or tried. The huge axe made it difficult.

  “What’s up with you, old man?” Thom asked.

  I walked over to Sherlock and Ferris.

  “Quite a group you’ve put together,” Ferris said.

  “Thanks,” I said. “We’ve been busy. Do you guys know anything about a black dragon on this level? We’re on a quest to kill it and free the dwarves.”

  “A noble quest,” Ferris said. “It’s good you found Axelrod. He’s legendary.”

  “Oh?” I asked.

  Ferris nodded. “He’ll help you get through this level and the next,” he said.

  Eric walked over to join us.

  “What’s going on, Ferris?” he asked.

  “Not much,” the mage replied. “We wanted to check on you.”

  “It’s all good,” Eric said. “The game goes on.”

  “Axelrod will help your group,” Ferris said.

  “You four want to help us kill this dragon?” Eric asked.

  “And take all the xp and thrills away from you?” Ferris chuckled. “Never.”

  “Josh is going through the potions with Ewen,” Eric said. “I should go check on them.”

  “Me, too,” I said, turning.

  The three of us walked back to the others.

  “We’re getting a ride on the dragon,” Evan said.

  “Oh?” I tilted my head and looked over at Sherlock. “Are we?”

  “No, no,” he said. “We’re in a hurry.”

  “Us, too,” I said.

  “Where are you headed?” Thom asked. “We can teleport you.”

  “All the way to Westwood?” Eric asked.

  “Yes,” Ferris said. “But first, if you don’t mind, we’d like to catch up. What exactly happened with Drekmao and Magi Inyontoo?”

  “Don’t you know?” I asked.

  “We want to hear your side of the story,” Thom said. “No biggie.”

  “That dragon’s a biggie,” Evan said.

  Everyone laughed at his enthusiasm.

  “Wiley, protect us,” Sherlock said. “Let’s get a fire going.”

  As the others walked toward the rangers’ station, I watched the dragon leap into the air and fly straight up. Could we defeat a black dragon on our own?

  Only time would tell.

  Later that evening, the twelve of us sat around a bonfire, drinking, eating, and having a good time. I sat with Eric on my left and Ferris on my right.

  “Here’s the situation,” Ferris said after we’d quieted down. “Every level in the Tower of Gates is run by one guild or another. It’s your basic battle of good and evil.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “Should we trust them?” Charlotte asked.

  I didn’t answer her and let Ferris continue speaking.

  “Some levels are run by good players,” he said. “While others are run by people like Magi Inyontoo. You need to choose who you work with wisely.”

  Thom laughed then stopped when everyone turned to him.

  “Sorry,” he said. “Private joke.”

  “The problem with dwarves being kicked from the game is a big one,” Ferris said. “Your group is more than strong enough to defeat the black dragon.”

  Josh pointed at Thom as if about to speak but said nothing. Axelrod stared into the fire, its flames casting deep, dark shadows on his weathered face.

  “Everything okay, Axelrod?” I asked.

  The dwarf looked up, startled, like he’d been lost in his thoughts.

  “I’m fine,” he said. “Just thinking about the stone giant.”

  “The stone giant?” Eric asked.

  Axelrod nodded.

  “It’s protecting the Mines of Oriam on this level,” he said.

  “You’ll be fine,” Ferris said, his words exuding confidence.

  “I don’t know,” Axelrod said. “We’ve got a bunch of noobs.”

  “Hey,” Evan said. “I resemble that remark!”

  “It’s ‘resent,’ bozo,” Ewen said next to him.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Thom said then lifted his glass of wine. “You’ll do fine. Tonight, we should keep drinking and enjoy each other’s company.”

  He lifted the glass to his mouth, emptying its contents in one long drink.

  “What happened to our staff?” Ferris asked, shaking me out of my thoughts.

  “It’s in the wagon,” I said. “Axelrod’s is a bit more useful.”

  “You gave her a stick that charges other sticks?” Axelrod asked then chuckled. “What were you four thinking?”

  “We needed to test the OOC abilities,” Ferris said defensively. “Our magic items are better than yours. You know it.”

  “Settle down.” I said. “You both make great stuff. Anything is better than the Chain Mail of Orc Odors we found in the Magictology temple back in Esterhollow.”

  “Do you still have it?” Thom asked.

  “No, we left it back at the temple before we left Esterhollow,” Eric said.

  “Oh, well,” Ferris said. “Maybe we’ll pop over and grab it tomorrow.”

  The flames flickered, twigs popping and snapping as science did its thing.

  “What about this stone giant?” Bernard asked. “I want to know more about it.”

  “There’s time for strategy tomorrow,” Axelrod said. “Tonight, we eat, drink, and relax.”

  “Best plan I’ve heard all week,” I said. “But it’s time to hit the sack for me. I’ll see everyone in the morning.”

  I stood then walked inside the rangers’ station where I’d made a bed in the corner.

  “Good night, Charlotte,” I said out loud.

  “I love you, Sarah,” she replied. “Good night.”

  As I fell asleep, memories of the real world flickered through my mind. Would we ever get out of the game? Maybe it wasn’t so bad being trapped?

  I tossed and turned all night.

  In the morning, I begrudgingly opened my eyes. Evan was screaming at the top of his lungs outside the rangers’ station, followed by boisterous laughter.

  The smell of bacon filled the air, stirring me from my cozy spot in the corner. I stood then stretched, glancing over at Charlotte on my shoulder.

  “Good morning,” she said.

  I smiled as I lowered my arms.

  “Good
morning, beautiful. Ready for a new day?”

  “Are you okay, Sarah?” she asked. “You’re acting too happy.”

  While it had been nice at first, having a constant companion was starting to weigh on me.

  “I’m fine,” I said. “Let’s go get some food.”

  The others were sitting around a roaring fire. As I walked up, they turned around to greet me.

  “Morning,” Josh said, not standing.

  “The Four Wizards were just telling us a story,” Eric said. “And Evan got into the story and started to act it out. Did he wake you up?”

  “It’s fine,” I said. “Was it a long story?”

  “No,” Ferris said. “Just explaining what we’re doing helping you.”

  “It has something to do with us not having prisoner numbers,” Josh said.

  Evan, still bouncing around, shouted, “I am not a number. I am a free brownie!”

  “Who gave him an extra cup of coffee?” I asked.

  Thom smiled sheepishly.

  “New energy potion I’m testing,” he said.

  “The brownies aren’t guinea pigs,” I said.

  “Nevertheless, we’re closely studying your group’s progress through the game. You three might end up leading us to a way out of here.”

  “Finally,” Aaron said.

  “That’s all well and good,” I said. “But right now, I want some bacon.”

  I sat down next to Bernard, and he handed me a plate of crispy but unburned bacon. The rest of the morning went by quickly as the Four Wizards explained their goals.

  By watching us and not interfering, they hoped to find a way past the ever watchful eyes of the gamemaster AI. With that achieved, an escape seemed very likely.

  After packing up our meager belongings, our group of eight stood by Wiley and the Four Wizards. Ferris and Sherlock whispered to each other as Thom teased Evan.

  “No more potions until you know what’s in them, right?” he asked.

  Evan, still smiling, appeared a bit angry at the energy prank. His eyebrows, usually up in the middle, were pointed down, making his smile seem even more sinister.

  “Are you ready?” Ferris asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

  “Ready as we’ll ever be,” Ewen grumbled.

  “Stand together,” Thom said. “In a circle. We’ll teleport you.”

  I joined the others, all of us holding hands in a circle. The Four Wizards chanted, and a bright light flashed, as I saw our surroundings melt then reform.

  “Where are we?” Evan asked, his eyebrows back to normal.

  “Outside Westwood,” Axelrod said. “I know these woods well.”

  Josh walked over and put his hand on the small of my back.

  “Are you doing okay?” he asked.

  I nodded then stepped away. Being stuck in a game, I wasn’t ready to explore my new feelings for Josh. Only a few months had passed inside this world, but it felt like forever.

  “We can talk later,” I said.

  “I want to stock up on potions before we go,” Axelrod said. “The Four Wizards think it’ll be a cakewalk, but they’ve forgotten what it’s like to be a lower level character.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Bernard said.

  “We’ll need to make sure we don’t upset the rest of the tribes,” Axelrod continued.

  “Rest of the tribes?” Eric asked.

  “More hill giants and what-not,” Axelrod said. “Let’s go.”

  He waved his arm for us to follow then walked toward a high wooden wall in the distance. With Charlotte still on my shoulder, I took off after him.

  When we reached a massive double-gate hewn from thick rock, Axelrod stopped and peered up at a guard tower. I didn’t see anyone.

  “Hello,” Axelrod called out. “We need entrance.”

  The two doors swung open. A group of gnomes in chain mail came out.

  “You’ve got a lot of nerve showing up here,” their pudgy leader said.

  He stopped in front of Axelrod, head tilted back.

  “Never thought I’d see your fat face again,” Axelrod said then laughed.

  I wondered if we might be in for a fight. After staring at each other a few tense moments, they both laughed then embraced like old friends.

  The gnome pulled back then patted Axelrod on the arm.

  “We should get inside,” he said. “The wilderness is extra wild these days if you know what I mean. Both the humans and the goblins are going to wreck this realm.”

  “Preach, brother,” Axelrod said. “It’s why freeing the dwarves is so important.”

  “You know we can’t help you,” the gnome said.

  “I’ve got a good group,” Axelrod said. “They’re new, but they’ve got fire.”

  “And me,” Evan shouted then jumped forward and stabbed the air with his dagger.

  I laughed along with the others at his antics. Had the game changed him?

  We followed the group of gnomes through the gate. As it closed behind us, I glanced down a long, dirt road. The city looked different.

  “Come on,” Axelrod said, still walking. “We’ll get potions and food.”

  “Lots of food,” Evan said as he ran to catch up with the dwarf.

  Bernard, Eric, Ewen, Josh, and Sheldon walked alongside me. As we approached the cluster of buildings in the center of the fenced off land, Axelrod stopped.

  “We need to be on our best behavior,” Axelrod said, then narrowed in on Evan. “That means no outbursts or whipping that dagger of yours out. Do you understand?”

  The brownie lowered his massive head.

  “Yes, sir,” Evan said.

  “That goes for everyone,” Axelrod continued. “Gnomes don’t mess around.”

  He turned then headed toward the largest building. Three stories high, it rose above everything in the burgeoning frontier city.

  “We should stay here for a night and rest up,” Eric said.

  “For once, I agree with you,” Josh said.

  I smiled, happy the two of them were getting along. When we reached our destination, Axelrod opened a wooden door and walked into the building without waiting for us.

  The rest of us went in after him. On the inside, I saw a nearly empty room. A grey-haired female gnome sat in a rocking chair, knitting away without looking up.

  “Excuse me, pretty lady,” Axelrod said.

  She looked up and smiled.

  “Axelrod? Is that really you?” she asked and leaned forward.

  “Looking good, Gertrude,” Axelrod said.

  “What do you need, dear?” Gertrude leaned back, gently rocking. “Are you still after the dragon?”

  Axelrod nodded and said, “I’ve found a good group.”

  “You’ve been such a help to our growing community,” Gertrude said.

  “We need healing potions,” Axelrod said. “Can you help?”

  She nodded, still smiling.

  “But I don’t have many,” she said. “Are you paying or calling in a favor?”

  “How bad do you need the gold?” Axelrod asked.

  Josh, Bernard, and Sheldon walked back outside while I stayed with Eric and the others.

  “We need all the help we can get,” Gertrude said. “Both the goblins and humans hate us.”

  “Give her the twelve crystal monkey skulls,” Axelrod said.

  “That’s a bit expensive for potions,” Eric said. “How many are we getting?”

  I looked from Eric to Gertrude.

  “We can spare a dozen of my strongest,” she said.

  “That’s it?” Eric looked to Axelrod. “Will that be enough?”

  Axelrod took a deep breath before answering, “Probably not. But until we find a healer, it’ll have to do.”

  “They’re in storage,” Gertrude said. “You’ll need to fetch them.”

  “Not a problem,” Axelrod said. “I wanted to say hello, too.”

  He waved then walked toward the door. Gertrude went back to knitting. I went
outside with the others.

  “Just so you know,” Eric said. “I can bargain.”

  “The game rewards friendships,” Axelrod replied. “Relationships are all about give and take. The people of Westwood will use the wealth wisely. I can’t let them be overrun.”

  Axelrod walked around to the back of the building. We followed close behind. He knocked at the back door. It opened right away.

  “You old dog,” a gnome said then thrust his hand out.

  Axelrod shook it then said, “We need a dozen of your finest healing.”

  The gnome retrieved a crate from inside. After giving four to me and four to Bernard, Axelrod safely stored the rest in his Sack of Stuff.

  “Time for lunch,” he said after closing his magical bag of storage.

  “About time,” Evan said. “Second breakfast was hours ago.”

  “My stomach’s grumbling,” Ewen added.

  “Come on,” Axelrod said, once again motioning us to follow.

  He led us a few streets over. The long narrow building made from bricks rose two storeys. I saw a sign that read “Home and Hearth Inn.”

  “I’m famished,” Josh said, rubbing his stomach.

  “You, Bernard, Eric, Ewen, and Evan need to go practice at the arena on the outskirts of the city,” Axelrod said. “It’ll get you prepped for tomorrow.”

  “Are you kidding?” Eric asked.

  “No,” Axelrod said. “Your swordsmanship is okay, but you need to raise it before we take on the stone giant. I want you and Josh to work together. All of you need the practice.”

  “I’m about to hit advanced level on my sword,” Eric said. “Good idea.”

  “Time to fight,” Evan said.

  I watched as our fighters trudged toward the arena, Evan leading the way.

  “Let’s go inside,” Axelrod said. “I need to talk with you two as well.”

  Sheldon glanced over. I shrugged then followed Axelrod inside. We sat down at a table in the nearly empty dining room. Two older gnomes sat in the corner, but they didn’t look up.

  “Do you think we have a chance with this stone giant?” I asked.

  “We’ll be fine,” Axelrod said, raising his hand to motion for the waitress. “It’ll be a good test before we take on the black dragon. That’s what we should be worried about. I want to go over what magic you two know. We need a battle plan.”

  I nodded as a tall human wearing simple grey robes walked in. He made eye contact with me briefly before finding a table in the corner. I watched him out of the corner of my eye.