Co-owners and co-developers of the virtual game world, Darkentide, Justine and Alfie are on the verge of introducing new shadow monsters to challenge their few dozen dedicated players. Justine's part is to program a solar eclipse in Darkentide. Alfie's part is to design and release the shadow monsters during the eclipse. Justine succeeds with her programming, and then the sun goes out in Darkentide.

But when Alfie enters the shadow monster difficulty level with an extra zero at the end, he unleashes an evil greater than even he could imagine. A hooded figure appears in their office, turning Alfie to ash where he sits. The stranger spares Justine, but imprisons her inside the Darkentide game, to prevent her from interfering with his plans to destroy the real world. He also sends Greta, a dancing nurse he summoned and has high hopes for, to watch over Justine and make doubly sure the female developer won't do something stupid.

Can Justine figure out a way to escape back to the real world and put a stop to the hooded man's evil schemes? Can Greta be the female Pinocchio her summoner wants, and become a real girl? And what about poor Alfie? Can he ever amount to anything more than a pile of ashes?

And where is that flowery smell coming from?