Ben appeared back in his interface bubble, still holding the bastard sword. He raised the blade, slowly rotating it, examining the fine workmanship. He wondered what the meaning of the words was - the script along the edge of the sword was in an ancient language that was somehow familiar - but supposed that if old Benjamin had wanted him to know, he would have told him. Ben would have to figure that out on his own.

He stood there for a long moment, in complete silence, just him and the sword. Just him, the sword, and -

Ben raised his head, looking at the blue dome of his interface bubble. “Raxlon?” He called out. “Are you there?”

No answer came. Either his DM didn’t want to answer or couldn’t, and Ben wasn’t sure which option he liked better. He lowered his head. There was a new scabbard around his waist - another gift from the other Ben - so he sheathed the weapon and straightened.

He felt like a new person. The exuberant young adventurer who had logged in to this VD world half a week ago was gone, replaced by a man who had no business getting excited over a mere game. Because this was not just a game anymore; it wasn’t even a miraculous neuroscience technology that altered the user’s body in real-life.

No. This was something entirely different, alien, a venture into unknown territory. Ben was on the verge of a journey that no one had planned - not Raxlon, not even Sullivan Vincent. As far as Ben could tell, he was the only one who knew the extent of the changes that were happening to this virtual world of D&D. As far as he knew, he was the only one who could influence it. And for all intents and purposes, he was the only one with the means to save an entirely new species.

Ben was reminded of one of his favorite quotes, taken from the introduction of every Star Trek episode. ‘Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no one has gone before!’

Nolxar wasn’t space, and Ben was no Captain Picard, but the young man decided to believe that he did discover a new life - and that he was going where no one has gone before. Of course, there was the possibility that all of this was part of another manipulation, that Sullivan Vincent and DM Raxlon were now sitting together in front of a computer screen and waiting to see what would be their test subject’s next move. But Ben knew he couldn’t keep going with so many doubts in his mind. He also wasn’t going to waste any more time sorting out his feelings. He had a plan, and he was going to execute it to the best of his abilities.

And woe to anyone who tried to stop him.

The reborn hero took a deep breath and accessed his character sheet, scrolling down to his list of skills. He immediately saw that his old avatar was right: he had gained the two skills required for using the legendary bastard sword.

Good job! You have learned a new skill: Swords. Did you know? Studies have shown that swords are the number one reason people choose to log in to play VD. We presume it’s a cultural thing; the notion of swinging a sword like the knights in the movies seems to be deeply rooted in human behavior instincts. Well, now you know how to do it too! Good luck, and remember the old phrase: “for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." Current level: 15 (20% bonus to attacks with swords) First threshold bonus: undetermined (the system could not adjust the bonus for this threshold. This may change in time).

Ben paused to think it over. The last part made sense; he had no actual experience in wielding swords, so the system could not decide what kind of bonus to give him. And as for the skill’s description, Ben had to wonder. We presume. Human behavior. Were these accidental phrases, or did they mean the system was indeed thinking of itself as a different entity? He read on.

Good job! You have learned a new skill: Air Magic. Of all the magic schools, Air Magic - relatively easy to study - is the most common. As such, it is used not only by aspiring magicians but also by fighters, archers, rogues, scouts, and rangers, who wish to enhance their abilities with a bit of fancy magic. However, if you are serious in your pursuit of Aeromancy, you shall find great powers in the higher levels of this craft. So what shall you be: a meddler of the art or a powerful Aeromancer? It is up to you to decide. Current level: 1 Known Air Spells: Gust, Feather Fall.

Ben’s eyes slightly widened. He thought that he wouldn’t get anything extra from this skill - the same as what happened with Swords - but was glad to have been mistaken. Adding two new spells to his list of growing powers was a pleasant surprise, and though none of them was powerful, they could still come in handy in many situations. Gust enabled him to create a blast of air that could either push enemies back or move small objects, while Feather Fall was a D&D classic (just ask Fizban) and might save his life if he happened to fall from great heights.

Ben smiled to himself and went on to finally examine the prompts he received while fighting the elves in the Punishment Square of Sonadin, and later on the muddy hill, where Shiraz and Valla died. There were many notifications, listing everything that had happened, so Ben - who knew he couldn’t dally - rearranged them so he could read only the gist of it. His eyes slightly widened when he realized just how many of his skills have improved - not to mention the two new skills he got and the level-up.

Shared XP (accumulated; deducting war party’s XP): 14,110 (base 16,110 - 4,000 for losing and falling captive + 2,000 for a daring escape) Personal XP Reward (accumulated): 7,055. Current XP: 46,225 (you have gained 1 level). Points to next level: 13,775

Skill increases:

Stealth +1

Tactics +2

Daggers +3

Perseverance +2

Crossbows +1

Acrobatics +1

Death Magic +2

Bows +4

swords +15

Perception +1

Identify +1

Backstabbing +2

Dagger throwing +1

Unarmed combat +2

Surprisingly, none of his skills had crossed any new thresholds (not including Swords), so there weren’t any notifications about new powers. There was, however, a description of another new skill he had acquired in the recent fight.

Good job! You have learned a new skill: Bows. Remember what we said about swords being the #1 reason humans choose to play VD? Well, bows are a close second. Elegant, swift, deadly in the right hands, and easy-to-use, learning how to master a bow is a must for every adventurer. You seem to have a natural knack for it, so we strongly suggest switching to bows as your primary ranged weapon instead of the cumbersome crossbow. Shoot your way to glory, archer! Current skill level: 4

This was new as well. The system never before so boldly recommended for him to take such a specific course of action. Ben shrugged - he was planning to switch to bows anyway - and then frowned when he realized something else about his list of advancements: the amount of XP needed to level up again.

To get to his next character level - 11 - Ben would have to gain no less than 13,775 experience points - nearly a third of his current XP. A quick check of his log confirmed what he suspected: the formula for level advancement has changed upon reaching level 10.

Up until now, in each new level, he had to gain a thousand XP more than the previous level-up, so to advance from 9 to 10, he had to acquire 9,000 XP. It wasn’t too difficult, which explained how he had managed to get to the Second Echelon in less than three days of gameplay. Now, however, the formula has changed. He had to gain 15,000 XP to get from level 10 to 11 and then an additional 5,000 XP for each level-up until level 20. After the 20th level, the formula changed again, adding an extra 20,000 XP to each new level’s advancement. Ben guessed it made sense - it was a way to make sure nobody got to be a legendary hero without working very hard for it. Still, he couldn’t help but feel dumbfounded when he calculated just how many XP he would have to gain to level up to 25: no less than one million experience points.

The young hero sighed. I will get there, Benjamin, he vowed, though he wasn’t sure if he made the promise to himself or his virtual namesake.

Next on the agenda: attributing the 8 points he got from his level-up. Ben thought back on everything that had happened and realized that despite promising to himself once and again to play as a scout - meaning, stay out of the thick of the fight - he just couldn’t avoid it most of the time. Looking at what was waiting for him down the road, he figured that it wouldn’t change - especially not now when he lost half of his party and had only Red by his side. Following that logic - and taking into consideration his new melee weapon - Ben knew he had to get stronger, faster, and more formidable. He decided to put 3 points into Constitution, 3 into Strength, and 2 into Dexterity. That brought these three physical attributes to 28, 17, and 29, respectively. Wisdom was still his highest attribute with a score of 36, but it was reassuring to know that now his body could sustain - and inflict - more damage than before.

The last thing that remained for him to do was choosing his Adventurer Essence. Ben had all but glanced at the descriptions of the different essences when they first appeared, so now he reread them more thoroughly.

Essence of Body was the obvious choice to complement his recent line of thinking. Raising his Constitution by 15 points was incredible, and the Attack of Last Resort seemed to be an awesome power - one that could have come in handy during many of his previous encounters. Still, other than making him a better fighter, it didn’t offer any noticeable advantage, and Ben’s trickster nature found that lacking.

He would have chosen Essence of Mind only because of the unique power it offered. Talking about a noticeable advantage! Mind Attacks seemed like a game-changer, a way to fight back even when all other alternatives were lost (say, when one was tied to a post and surrounded by enemies). Ben also thought of how Lord Viridion had easily probed into his mind back at the Great Palace of Sonadin - and wondered if he could do the same with a power such as this. It was the ultimate trick, and he had to force himself not to choose it.

Because Ben knew: the only possible choice for him was Essence of Fame. Rapid character development. World exploration. And above all - the Right of Passage to forbidden areas. If Ben wanted to gain one million experience points, he had to find some truly epic dungeons and quests, and for that, he had to have all the possible means available to him. Being more famous would open more doors to him - literally so - and Ben had the feeling he needed to walk through many doors if he wanted to achieve his goals.

Giving the Essence of Mind one last look, Ben promptly forgot about it and picked the Essence of Fame.

His choice had three immediate effects.

First, his Charisma jumped from 23 to 28. It was the attribute that most affected his physical appearance, so Ben - who felt his facial features changing - chose the interface camera view that enabled him to look at himself from outside. A low whistle came out of his mouth. He seemed a bit taller, and his face…

Ben started his VD journey with a Charisma score of 13. He more than doubled it now, and he could barely recognize his old self. His eyes became more elongated, and their green color deepened. His cheekbones became higher and more defined. He had manly, gritty stubble that gave him the look of a man older than his 19 years. His previous choice to boost his Strength and Constitution resulted in broad shoulders and muscular arms that complimented his new look.

He was beautiful. As beautiful as Milenna. Nearly as beautiful as the elves. It wasn’t a delicate beauty; it was the beauty of a dangerous and wise leader. He radiated an aura of command, and he knew that people would want to stop and listen to him - to follow him - even before he said one word. Ben straightened, and a small smile danced on his lips as he examined the hero he had become. Power, he thought, can be achieved in more than one way.

His new Essence also gave him 5 Leadership points, bringing this skill to 23 - his second-highest after Perception. It also meant he crossed the skill’s third threshold - and gained another power.

Amazing! You have crossed the third threshold of your Leadership skill. Bonus XP for crossing the third threshold: 200. Current XP: 46,425. Points to next level: 13.575. Bonus to resistances, damage, and defense of any friendly being in a radius of 20 feet: 23%. Bonus XP for all actions: 23%. Leadership Power 3: Leader Aura You know the feeling. You’re in a battle, and you see the enemy’s leader shining with an aura that just makes you think he’s both badass and invincible. Well, now you can join in the fun. Once in an encounter, you can use this power to create a powerful protective aura that will draw everybody’s attention to you - both your allies and your enemies. For your allies, it means an immediate boost to their morale. For your enemies - a disadvantage to their next round of attacks. Oh, and you can choose the color of your Leader Aura! How cool is that? Cost: 30 mana Duration: 2 seconds for each Charisma score (current duration: 56 seconds) Effect 1: +10% to defense and magical resistance. Effect 2: -20% damage inflicted on all allies in a radius of 1 foot per Charisma score (current radius: 28 feet) Effect3: all allies in a radius of 1 foot per Charisma score (current radius: 28 feet) gain a surprise attack. Color: Please choose. Note: anyone who fights by your side and follows your cause may be considered an ally. For more detailed information, please refer to the Expanded Rule Book (ERB).

Ben looked around. Ever since his transformation into a Trickster, his light-blue interface bubble has become more colorful, though cyan was still the interface dome’s ruling color. He had gotten used to that color of clear morning skies and decided that this hue will also become his signature color when using his Leader Aura. Having chosen that, Ben moved on to the last prompt that appeared after choosing the Essence of Fame.

Second Echelon Power (unique): Right of Passage While all 2nd Echelon characters are granted access to higher-level quests, not everyone can freely enter the world’s more mysterious dungeons. With the unique Right of Passage power, you have become one of the rare few who can; you may activate this power whenever you wish, but don’t forget: some things are better left hidden.

Ben closed the prompt and accessed his character sheet, wanting to make sure all changes were in place before returning to the game.

Name: Ben Level: 10 XP: 46,225 Race: Human Class: Trickster Scout Path: Hero (Tier 1) Hero Points: 1,150 Titles: The Naked Noob (hidden) The Scout Of Sonadin (self-proclaimed) Scholar Ratkin Nemesis Vindicator of the Depths Beacon War Leader 1 (Sergeant) Achievements: My First Kill First Level Up Once Upon A Time My First Spell There Can Be Only One Epic Title My First Command Active Statuses: Honorless (hidden) Party Leader Dungeon Menace Beacon Fame: 12 Notoriety: 1 Hit Points: 53 (rgn 1.6) Stamina: 50 (rgn 3.8) Mana: 40 (rgn 5.4) Defense: 39 Initiative: 47 Ability Points: Strength: 17 Dexterity: 29 Constitution: 28 Intelligence: 24 Wisdom: 36 Charisma: 28 Powers: Perception 1: Passive Focus Perception 2: Dark-vision Perception 3: Far Vision Scout 1: Hawk Eye Tactics 1: Pause The Game! Tactics 2: Sense Intent Leadership 1: Battle Psychic Communication Leadership 2: Passive Persuasion Leadership 3: Leader Aura Beacon 1: Godlike Crossbows 1: Quick Load Trickster 1: Teleportation Perseverance 1: Mind Lock Acrobatic 1: Air Steps Stealth 1: Stealth Shot Daggers 1: Swift Strike Essence of Fame: Right of Passage Skills: Perception: 29 Identify: 9 Tactics: 18 Stealth: 12 Politics: 10 Backstabbing: 5 Daggers: 14 Dagger Throwing: 5 Swords: 15 Wands: 5 Tracking: 12 Bluff: 15 Perseverance: 13 Crossbows: 14 Bows: 4 Leadership: 23 Winged Riding: 1 Riding: 1 Acrobatics: 12 Death Magic: 5 Air Magic: 1 Unarmed Combat: 3 Monster Lore: 1 Known Traits: Trustworthy: 10 Honorable: 6 Spells: Blood Siphon Death Aura Gust Feather Fall Resistances: Mind Resistance: 27% Spell Resistance: 10%

The sheet went on to list his gear, and Ben noted - without too much of a surprise - that he had lost most of his primary weapons: the Crossbow of Skewering, Dagger of Trickery, and both of his wands. He still had the Daggers of Dispelling and his newest addition: Scout Ben’s Legendary Bastard Sword.

Ben nodded to himself. He was sorry to let go of his crossbow and the dagger - especially the last one - but he guessed that it was somehow fitting. He was returning to the game as a new man, so it made sense to change his weaponry as well.

“I’m ready,” he said aloud. Usually, it was Raxlon who got him back to the game.

Again, no one answered. “Raxlon,” he tried again, speaking louder (as if that would make a difference). “Are you there?”

Nothing. His voice echoed back to him and then faded until the silence was complete again. Ben narrowed his eyes. “Jarod?” He tried. And after a pause - “Sullivan?”

The silence stretched on, but Ben - who was looking up at the blue dome - thought he saw a flicker of movement: the colors that made up the borders of his interface swirled slightly, almost too fast to notice. A reaction to the names he called out? Acting on pure instinct, Ben kept looking at where he saw the interference and spoke up.

“I know you’re watching me,” he said. His voice was steady, loud, confident. All traces of his former self - the young, trusting, doubting man he was - were gone. Ben put his hand on the hilt of his new sword. “I have fulfilled my end of the bargain,” he said. “I destroyed the elves and killed Valla. I trust you will uphold your end of the deal and keep my body safe until I’m back.” He hoped he looked as dangerous as he felt. “Once I do, we have a lot to talk about.”

He waited a couple of moments longer, but, as he expected, the bubble remained quiet.

Ben shrugged. If what he suspected was true, then his message had crossed the threshold between the two worlds. He could only hope that his words would throw his “puppeteers” off-balance - or at least make them think differently of him. No one will control me, he thought fiercely. I will make my own fate.

It was time to go. There was no DM to help him return to the game, so Ben concentrated and willed himself to disappear, imagining the hill where he had been before the level-up.

It worked. A moment later, the trickster scout was standing in the mud in the same spot as before - and looking straight at the agitated face of the Red Mercenary.

“You’re back!” cried the big man. He looked utterly relieved.

Ben looked at him strangely. “Of course I am. Did you think I would log out?”

Red shook his head. “No, it’s not that. It’s just, well, you’ve been gone for nearly an hour. I never knew it’s even allowed…” His voice trailed off, and he studied Ben more carefully. First, he looked at the scout’s face, then at the rest of him, until finally, his eyes locked on the new sword at his belt. The warrior paused, and when he raised his head to meet Ben’s gaze again, his eyes were slightly narrowed. “Seems like you’ve made some serious adjustments to your character,” he said.

Ben nodded. “Level 10,” he said simply. “I had a lot of points to allocate.”

Red - who was still at level 9 - nodded, though his eyes remained narrowed. “I also never heard of someone who leveled up and came back with a new weapon.”

Ben smiled. “It’s my weapon,” he said. “Always had been.”

Red frowned. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Well,” said Ben, “it means I will be much more helpful in melee from now on.”

Red blew air out of his nostrils. “That’s not what I meant. How - “

Ben raised his hand. “I’ll tell you later. Did you bring her?” It took some effort, but he managed to keep his voice steady when he asked the question.

The change of subject caused Red to deflate, and his expression grew somber. “I found her where you said I would,” he said quietly. “She was…” he gulped. “Someone stabbed her at the back of her neck.”

Ben nodded. “Valla.”

Red’s eyes narrowed. “The half-dwarf chick? Viridion’s daughter?”

“Yes,” said Ben. “I killed her. And I think we should bury her as well. What did you do with Shiraz?” He started walking, looking for the body of the shadow mage.

Red blinked and hurried to catch up. “I buried her. By the tree where she lay.” He pointed. “I wanted to wait for you to do it, but when you didn’t come back after a few minutes, I couldn’t wait any longer. There were wolves - “

“Wolves?” Ben looked around. He could immediately see that the battle scene was not as he had left it: some of the bodies were still scattered around - including Valla’s - but two of the dead elves were gone. Using his tracking skill, he could easily deduct what had happened: large four-legged beasts had come and dragged the dead elves away.

“Dire wolves,” confirmed Red. “A whole pack. I was ready to fight them, but I’m glad they chose to concentrate on the other bodies. I’m not sure I could face five dire wolves all by myself and without my weapons.”

Ben stopped. “The sword and shield of Xoric Hearts?”

Red frowned. “The elven bastards took them when they fled from here. I did find Breaker,” he said and showed Ben the golden knuckles he wore on his right hand. “Really helped to dig the grave for Shiraz. I also took a magical sword and bow from the dead elves; they’re not as good as the Xoric set, but they’ll do.” He resumed walking, and Ben followed suit.

When they arrived at the tree, Ben saw that the warrior had indeed been busy. The ground had obviously been dug out and then filled back in, and Ben could see the impromptu grave’s borders. Thinking of Shiraz’s body in there, he had to suppress a shudder. She’s OK, he told himself, forcing himself to believe it. She’s alive and well in real life. I’ll find her when I get back. He couldn’t get rid of the lump in his throat, though.

Red noticed. “She came to save you, didn’t she,” said the mercenary quietly.

Ben stared at the pile of dirt. “She did,” he whispered. Then he turned to look at the fearsome warrior. “Not before you tried, though.”

Red’s dark eyes shone with emotion. “Well…” he cleared his throat. “I’m only glad you came back to save me.” He managed a small smile. “You were truly a sight to behold when you rushed into that fight, skin. Truly… godlike.”

Ben met his companion’s gaze but didn’t answer. He remembered what Shiraz had said about the mercenary, and he remembered what he had begun to suspect. The truth was yet hidden from him, and Ben would face it when the time came. For now, though, he allowed himself to enjoy the praise. He offered a small smile of appreciation and then turned to face the grave again.

The scout drew one of his daggers and knelt by the tree. The trunk was still wet, and it was easy enough to carve words on the thick bark.

HERE LIES SHADOW MAGE SHIRAZ

A TRUE COMPANION

PROTECTED BY THE ENGILL

Ben straightened and looked once again at the grave. “Thank you, my friend,” he whispered. “For everything.”

He turned to leave, but Red grabbed his arm. “Protected by the Engill?” asked the warrior, gesturing at the words Ben had carved on the tree.

Ben nodded. “Old ritual words. It’s been a while since anyone used them, but I think that the time has come to bring some old beliefs back into this world.”

Red’s brows furrowed at that. “What does it - “

Ben pulled away, easily freeing himself from the other man’s grasp. He turned his back on the grave and Red and started walking back to where the other bodies lay. After a few moments, Red ran to catch up. The warrior seemed to understand he was asking one question too many, so he changed the subject. “So. What’s the plan?”

Ben arrived at where Valla and the remaining two elves lay dead on the ground. “We bury Valla,” he said. “Then we take everything we can find on the elves, including these two horses,” he pointed at the animals which were grazing the grass nearby. “Then, we ride west.” He bent next to the half-dwarf.

“West?” Red bent to grab the dead princess by her feet. “So you intend to carry on with Lord Viridion’s Quest? We’re going to find this elven temple?”

Ben grabbed Valla by her shoulders, surprised by how easy it was to lift her. “We will find the Temple of Bree,” he confirmed as the two of them carried the body away, toward another tree, where they intended to bury her. “First, though, there’s someone we have to meet.”

They arrived at their destination and dropped Valla’s body to the ground. Red straightened and looked at his leader with raised eyebrows. “Who?”

Ben smiled. “We have to see the Queen.”