ting: welcome to stage two of your world’s assimilation into the system.

ting: there will be one further and final stage in this process.

ting: thank you for your patience citizens of Midgard – congratulations the first stage of the System 3.0 beta test has been successfully completed and those suggestions deemed relevant have been taken on board. Welcome to System v3.0b2.

ting: any queries or complaints should continue to be directed to our state of the art call centre in Bombay.

ting: further corrections have to be made, more of you will have to change – there are still too many humans so a further twenty percent of you will be granted the boon of becoming members of other races – congratulations to those lucky beings.

ting: and in answer many complaints, you would not have liked version 2.0 of the System or any of its derivatives as it did not allow for use of Midgard’s ‘tech’ so no computers and interesting results at your nuclear plants.

* * *

Antonio dropped his copy of the Correio da Manhã, gazed out of the window of his lounge at his core and continued scratching a happily purring Felicia behind one ear. Moonbeam glanced up from her copy of Frederica and blinked in confusion.

With a slight clink a small round faceted blue sapphire materialised above his glass-topped coffee table and dropped a few millimetres.

Antonio stared at it in shock.

« Grandfather what happened to me? Why are you all so big? What’s going on...? »

“Manfred is that you? Felicia will you please fetch my daughter and her family down here please.”

Felicia scrambled to her feet and after casting a glance at the just born dungeon core hurried to the lift.

Antonio linked with Moonbeam and offered a tentative temporary link to his grandson, once this was established they started teaching the young dungeon everything they knew about dungeons, Antonio accepting Manfred’s disgust at anything ocean based with amusement and relief.

Felicia arrived back leading a distraught couple and their puzzled daughter.

Antonio tried to calm them down and tried to give them a brief explanation, then Manfred cut in...

« Mom, Dad, Sis yes this is me, I’m a dungeon core like Gramps. I might not be delighted but it’s a lot better than becoming a goblin like we feared because of the cancer. »

“Dad, what did Manfred mean, dungeon core.”

Antonio pointed out of the window at the emerald in the underwater cave with the big octopus, “that’s me.” He thumped his chest, “this is my avatar, Moonbeam is my companion and Felicia is my Voice. A Voice is something considerably more than a spokesperson.”

« Can I set up at our holiday cottage by the lake in the hills? »

“We only rent it Manfred, we can’t afford to buy it,” said Manny.

“Money is not a problem, I can lend it to him and you’ll be surprised at how soon he’ll be able to pay me back,” said Antonio.

“Let me talk to mama, lake in the hills, I’m sure my sister Moonbright would love that,” stated Moonbeam.

* * *

The Eriksons were watching television when the they received the announcement, they waited nervously for the other boot to fall but nothing happened.

* * *

David Botelho was in his office and in his case there was an extra question.

ting: you have the chance to become a sea elf – yes / no

Remembering the day Silverfin described the pros and cons of his daughter’s new existence he knew he only had one choice. He selected yes, and passed out momentarily as the system changed him, his wife and their two other children.

* * *

Silverfin froze startled, it would seem the System counted him as a native of Midgard, he looked round at his wives and froze when he saw that Druissa had tears streaming down her face, “Yes,” she said with a voice trembling with emotion. She collapsed and changed, human no longer as she joined the rest of her family.

* * *

And so it went around the world, the poor goblins were easily captured or killed depending on the inclinations of the countries they were citizens of. This time though the changed included Ogres, Trolls, Hags, Gnolls, Ghouls, Vampires and werewolves. These last two were not the pretty boys and girls beloved of certain romance writers but true horrors out of medieval legend.

* * *

Major Alexander Manukov’s column was less than half a day from the world gate to Badonia when they received the System’s message. The column pulled up and halted as the soldiers and their dependents stopped and stared into space.

The refugees recognized the signs and knew they were receiving a System wide message. Odd they weren’t getting it but most likely it concerned their world or nation.

Shal as Nadia received two extra messages and her eyes opened wide in alarm.

ting: Nadia Alextranovna Moldagulova you are a citizen of the Russian Federation and a Royal Cast High Elf as you have the blood of your gods in your veins

ting: your records and the memories of those who know you as Nadia Alextranovna Moldagulova will be amended. No longer will you claim more years than you have.

Then Nadia collapsed falling off her horse and started changing. Alexander cursed and dropped of his horse to kneel beside her. She was only unconscious for a short time and when she woke Alexander helped her to her feet as she fingered one of her ears. ‘Yes, slanted back slightly and longer than usual ending in a slight curve so the tip points straight up.’

“Have my eyes changed?”

Alexander checked her eyes, “yes, they’re bright blue with silver specks.”

At the same time as Nadia was getting her unwelcome news Valentina had her own problems.

ting: your role has you commanding High Elves, to make things fit with local preconceptions Valentina Kosmodemyanskaya you too will become a High Elf.

Quite simply, every member of Alexander’s command who was not an elf became one.

* * *

Garostein conferred with Patsy and the rest of his comrades as to what to do next. Patsy tried to convince them that she would be safer if she remained in Stratsiosina than back on Badonia, Garostein was dubious and the rest didn’t believe her.

All however agreed that someone should keep an eye on the elves, especially after they showed how deadly they were but they all agreed also that with Badonia in a state of unrest they needed either Garostein or Patsy, preferably both to ensure their parties safety and survival.

Patsy remained adamant that she wasn’t returning to Badonia yet so Garostein decided to approach the High Elf commander.

“Major Manukov may I ask you a favor, my apprentice Patsy managed to offend some influential individuals on Badonia and she doesn’t feel safe returning. Do you mind taking her with you and leaving her somewhere safe.”

Alexander looked at the ork, if the little one had insulted someone in that vipers den then he was willing to help her, and she just might be useful. “Very well, but she gets the best horse so as not to slow us down unduly.”

Garostein bowed his head in gratitude to give Patsy the good news.

A short time later Garostein led his charges through the gate to Badonia while Major Alexander’s column headed for the world gate that led to Alcadar, the final world they had to traverse before reaching Polovtsi.