Despite the soft and comfortable blankets and sheets I was wrapped in and how tired I was, I did not sleep very well. Instead, I drifted in and out of the dreams, the type where you confuse reality and fantasy, where you know you are in some form of sleep, but the next second you are wrestling a small bear that somehow got into your living room. Periodically, I would wake up, half asleep still, wondering what was reality, before succumbing to the dreams again.

Bottom line, it wasn’t a very restful nap.

When I woke up for good, wondering about the nature of reality and fantasy, my mind still tumbling from the confusing images and scenes, it was dark outside. I could still hear voices upstairs though, indicating it wasn’t too late in the evening.

With a groan I hefted myself up out of the wrangled sheets and moved on upstairs.

While I was asleep, apparently my mother did get a call on her cell phone, asking for my immediate presence back at my home. Unfortunately for them, they got my mom on the line and not me. I would have probably folded like a lawn chair at the request, but mom can get feisty when she feels protective of her children. She basically told the guy off on the other end for being a horrible person to want me back so soon and flat out denied my return at all today.

…

Well, I hope it wasn’t somebody too important on the other end.

They did compromise and promised that I would return after lunch tomorrow. I don’t want to know the exact words that fell between the two.

I ate my fill again of my parents leftovers, and watched the news. There were no updates on the sphere’s themselves, there were tons of speculation on what the president meant in his address to the nation, but the white house was being very tight lipped about it, even in the press conferences that were held afterwards. The press secretary was basically repeating herself, saying that they have a lead and are working on a solution. Everything else is classified.

The press really didn’t like those answers, and neither did several leaders of other nations who had gone on the air to denounce Trump’s secrecy. They wanted him to share what information he had so that a universal solution could be worked on.

Needless to say, all this commotion made be extremely anxious. I’m surprised an ‘escort’ hasn’t arrived yet to take me back.

Other than that, the US military had blocked off access to the two spheres, forming a tight perimeter around each. This was after a group of five crazies bum rushed the sphere in LA and jumped into it. It looked really weird on the video the news was playing, each person getting sucked into the suddenly malleable membrane of the sphere, slowly, like in some horror movie. The sixth person chickened out and didn't end up touching the sphere but instead got handcuffed and escorted away. I don’t know what they were expecting on the other side, perhaps paradise? But they are dead now. I felt a little stricken at the scene but not too much considering their monumental stupidity.

Also, the spheres were still growing in size.

Eventually, I turn my back to the TV while munching on a hot dog. I’ll probably learn everything relevant tomorrow anyway, the news is just making me depressed.

“How are you feeling?” Mom asks, sitting down next to me.

“Fine,” I say automatically, “I didn’t sleep very well, but I feel better anyway.”

Mom doesn’t reply, but stares at the TV before shaking her head, “I still find it hard to believe. Where do they come from? What is their purpose?”

I don’t know if she is really looking for an answer or just asking herself. I don’t know the answers either, that is for certain.

There are, confirmed, eleven of the sphere’s located around the globe now, in all sorts of random places. Several of them are located out on the oceans. Considering the surface area of the earth is mostly water, that doesn’t really surprise me. It looks like the were placed randomly across the globe.

…

I suppose I killed the only person who could answer that for us. He didn’t seem really keen on talking though.

Soon, my family members went to bed and I stayed up, declining my mother’s thoughtful offer of staying up with me. Dad gave me another big hug before he went off as well, asking me to tell them if I needed anything.

I suppose this is one of those times where parents don’t know what to do. That’s got to be a tough feeling, knowing there isn’t anything you can do to help your child.

I told them that I just wanted their encouragement and support. That got another big squeeze from dad.

I ended up staying up pretty late myself that night, the quiet peacefulness of the urban lake was soothing and the common loons were quite beautiful as they made their calls early in the night.

Sitting in the big comfy chair in the living room, looking out of the big windows to the lake, I took the opportunity to thoroughly examine my retained abilities.

Anything regarding the system was gone, no more blue boxes of any kind would appear and the identify skill seemed gone for good as well, no matter what I tried. My skills were still there though and worked just the same as they did inside the instance. At least, as far as I could tell. Casting barrier for the first time here was interesting, it was the skill I was the least familiar with. The ghostly rectangle appeared as it always did and I realized I could easily start pranking people with it, if I was childish enough. Which, I can be.

I also tested out my edge skill on various objects. From my experiments, it really only works on objects that are meant for cutting, like kitchen knives. I could get pretty creative with certain edges, like the semi-sharp edge of an old pot lid, but for the most part, using edge on a non cutting object would result in just a normal flare. When I tried to use the skill on the edge of the dining room table, for instance, I ended up just covering the whole table in flare. I suppose that would have made it a holy table.

I had kept the remains of the instance core with me too, and I made a careful inspection of it. There wasn’t any response from it from anything I did with it though, it appeared to be exactly what it looked like, a bumpy white stone with a blood red spot in the middle. I missed my chance to use identify on it while I was still in the instance, but I had other pressing matters on my mind at the time. I’m going to keep this for myself though, a trophy, if you will. God knows if I’ll ever get my spear back.

Other than that, as the night wore on into early morning, I spent my time wondering what on earth I was going to tell those people tomorrow.

The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God? Would they even believe me?

If I expect them to send the marines into these spheres to try to destroy them, there isn’t much I can leave out because, A, they’ll just find out immediately after getting into a sphere themselves anyway, and B, the lack of info might just kill any and all attempts to destroy the spheres, not to mention the actual people sent in.

There are already eight dead people now, in the US at least. How many more will die until this is over?

Eventually, I feel sleepiness take over me and I return to my messy bed downstairs, Bella seeing fit to return and cuddle with me. It was another fitful sleep for the rest of the night.

In the morning, father made waffles for all of us and we ate them at breakfast, all of us intentionally avoiding the topic of the spheres.

Shelley looked to want to say some stuff to me, but apparently our parents asked her to avoid the topic for now. She chewed on her soggy waffles vengefully.

We went to church together after that, which was an interesting experience. The paster wisely choose not make any hasty claims regarding the spheres during the service, just for us to trust in God. Very sensible I say, better than proclaiming that the end is nigh and the return of Jesus is coming soon like many other churches were saying.

The return from church was just as quiet as the morning, each of us in our own thoughts.

Lara asked me when I was returning to my home and gave me a frown when I said after lunch. I usually play some video games with her when I come over and I hadn’t done that yet.

Bring it girl, I’ll take you on in smash bros.

Shelley joined us downstairs too, getting beatdown by Lara’s superior skills with me. Darn that girl! Gone are the days when I could casually destroy Lara, now I have to use dirty tricks just to say competitive, all the while Lara giggling at my futile efforts.

Ah, the student overcomes the master.

Shelley wasn’t really into it though and eventually her goal became clear a few minutes into the gameplay with the parents not around.

“What are you going to tell them when you go home?” Shelley asks, after her character got flung into the sky and K.O.’ed off the screen.

I don’t respond for a moment, trying to fend off Lara’s fierce attacks before she blows me away as well with Samas’s plasma gun she had kept charged up. I hadn’t put my shield up in time.

“Everything.” I eventually say. Shelley gives me an alarmed look and I continue, “I decided this last night, I’ll give them as much information as I can and get as much out of it as possible in return.”

Shelley shakes her head as her character re-appears on screen, “You better know what you are doing.”

Hah, little does she know that I have no idea what I am doing. The joke’s on her! I don’t say that though.

“This isn’t x-men, there aren’t evil a-moral scientists that are going to kidnap me and ‘experiment’ on me. This is a crisis that I can consult on and provide them intelligence with. I’m sure I’ll get plenty of rewards in return. Money, that is. My house is ruined anyway, my bedroom is gone and I’ll need to fix it.”

After a moment, Shelley asks the obvious question, “Where am I going to sleep tonight? I’ve got classes tomorrow, you know?”

…

I don’t know. Where am I going to sleep tonight?

“John’s place?” I reply. He lives close to me and has an extra bedroom. Shelley should be able to temporarily stay there for now.

Speaking of my twin, he supposed to come back today and pick up Pesos from me. Oh geez, I’m going to have to give him a call.

After Lara thoroughly kicks our butts we return upstairs for lunch, delicious grilled chicken sandwiches. Halfway through, Mom gets another call on her cell phone in which she acts as my agent, confirming my departure soon to whoever was on the line.

After that, I borrowed her phone and called John to tell him the bad news. Thankfully, I got his voicemail and passed the task over to Mom with a smile to get her to tell him the bad news when he calls back. And to setup Shelley’s sleeping arrangements tonight.

Heh, heh, I got out of that one.

Then I cleaned up my bed and loaded into my car to make the trip back to my house. I had no idea what to expect there, I didn’t ask Mom who she had talked to and quite frankly I was scared to ask.

During the uneventful hour long drive back I basically went through every worst case scenario in my head and scared myself into a small frenzy. I pulled into my neighbrohood drive in time to see my yard taken over by the military, with temporary shacks and trailers scattered around it and armed men in fatigues standing around and blocking off the end of the street.

...

Maybe I should have brought a lawyer with me after all. I feel in over my head already.

The end of the street has been blocked off, as my house is the only one at the end it doesn’t seem to affect the neighbors too much. Looking at their houses as I coast by, I see they haven’t been forced to vacate their homes, which I suppose is a good sign. There aren't any news crews either, hanging about the perimeter, but I think that is only a matter of time. It’s hard to hide all the activity around my house.

As I approach the end of the street where the barricade is, one of the armed guards waive at me stop and approaches my window which I roll down, feeling a little sheepish. Maybe I shouldn't have left so casually yesterday.

“Gregory Tyler?” the youthful face asks me. I just nod in response.

“The colonel is waiting for you.” he says, waiving me forward.

He walks alongside me as I drive my car, the street is packed with people and objects so I have to drive slowly anyway. He eventually directs me to park on the lawn next to my house, my garage apparently has been acquired for other uses. I feel a little indignant about that, this is my place after all, I don’t really recall giving them permission to camp out here. I suppose if they want to buy this plot from me I can negotiate…

A large white canvas has been erected over the stone vault as if to hide its presence from the outside world. I suppose interested researchers would give an arm and a leg to study the stupid thing. Frankly, I’m surprised they hadn’t just taken the blasted thing away with a crane or something yet, but I suppose the very dirt around it is from another world too, so whatever. I wonder how they would react if their tests just came back saying the stone vault is made out of just regular stone stuff and not some otherworldly material. I have no idea.

As I get out of my car, I ask my escort, “Who exactly are you people anyway? I guess I was expecting the National Security Agency, but you look like the army? I confess, I don’t know much about how that works…”

My escort gives me a slight chuckle as he leads me to a trailer parked in my lawn rather than inside my house. “We are with the Military Intelligence Corps.”

Oh. I wonder how many other agencies they had to muscle out in order to get this gig.

I get led into a trailer and given a seat at a small table. I was offered some water which I gratefully accepted, my nervousness looking for something to do with my hands. My escort stayed outside the door of the trailer while the civilian looking people inside gave me curious glances as they continued their work.

I didn’t wait long at all until a stern and important looking man entered the trailer, giving me a once over and handing his tablet to his aid before coming to me. I stand up and he gives me a handshake.

“I’m Colonel Beithal,” he says, motioning at me to sit back down, “I’m in charge of this field operation.”

“I’m Greg,” I respond nervously. The colonel just stares at me in response, as if judging me and wondering if I was just a madman.

Thankfully, dad helped me shave my head this morning, so I don’t look insane anymore, just bald.

The colonel speaks first, giving me a flat look, “I’ve gotten a part of your story from Officer Grant yesterday. Truth be told, it’s unbelievable, but I suppose all of this is beyond reality now. This morning one of your skeleton friends came out of the lake like a goddamn horror flick. We captured it alive, only partly damaged. God knows how that blasted thing operates, I thought Keith was going to explode in excitement.”

Who the hell is Keith?

“Which skeleton was it?” I ask, “Was it just carrying a knife?”

Colonel just gives me a look as if he can’t believe what I am saying before he turns to his aid and grabs a recording device from her. He puts it on the table and turns it on, saying to me, “I’m recording this conversation, just so you know. Of course, all of this is classified as top secret. Can you say that again for the record?”

I swallow hard and reply, “There were five skeletons in the lake, three different types. One was an archer, three where armored types, and one was a scout type, that just had a knife with it.”

“Armored?” the colonel questioned, “As in, covered with the various steel plating we have found in the vault and scattered across the preserve?”

“Yes. I assume you’ve gathered them all up by now?”

The colonel nodded his head. “Indeed. I am curious, how did you cut the steel like that? Officer Grant says you did it with that spear, and while our limited tests on the object show that it is an extraordinary object, it doesn’t have nearly the cutting potential you and Officer Grant claims it has. Can you activate it again for us?”

Huh.

I reply with a nod and a moment later my beautiful spear is brought before me again. I stand up and take it while the colonel eyes me like a hawk.

A moment later and I cast edge on it, the tip lighting up like a lamp in the trailer. I waive it around a little for people to see.

“How did you do that?” the colonel demands.

I shrug and reply, canceling my skill, “Magic.”

“Oh god above,” the colonel says, rubbing his forehead, and only rolling his eyes a little. “Magic?”

I give another shrug. “I don’t know what else to call it. How do you think those skeletons operate?”

He doesn’t answer but gestures to one of his men again, clearly indicating me to give up the spear.

“Not so fast,” I say, feeling less brave than I sound. “This is my spear. I’ve gone through hell and had to kill hundreds of zombies and skeletons to get it and its saved my life. Also, this is my house, and my stone vault on my property. I am, of course, willing to help as much as I can in this time of national crisis, but I am not going to be bulldozed. Do you understand? I am an american citizen with rights, after all.”

The colonel rolls his eyes at my words, much to my annoyance.

“Don’t get your panties in a bunch,” the colonel says ruthlessly, “You’ll be well taken care of if you can help us as much as you think. But this is beyond you, and it’s beyond me; national security is at stake. Give us the damned spear for now.”

With only a little hesitation, I give it back and sit back down.

I suppose that went well.

After a tense moment, the colonel asks, “What’s the purpose of the sphere’s? Who’s behind them?”

“I don’t know.” I say, much to the consternation of the colonel. I continue after another moment, “When I was inside the sphere, there was a person there managing it. He was expanding it, building up his troops, creating a huge palace, and coordinating the instance as a whole. I wasn’t able to communicate with him and he was very intent on killing me. I don’t know what he was building the space for, but it wasn’t for himself. I believe he expected another party to come and take over once he completed his work. Before he finished though, I killed him and destroyed the sphere.”

“Instance?”

I shake my head at the question, “While I was inside, the space I was in was called an instance dungeon. I had no idea where I was, as far a I knew, the whole thing could have been a wild illusion or some form of purgatory. It wasn’t until I destroyed the core and was brought back here that I put two and two together.”

“These, ‘instances’ are a threat, you think?”

“Extremely so. The missing people in LA are certainly dead. Inside my sphere I had spent a little over a week, but when I escaped, little to no time had passed here. That suggests some sort of time dilation inside.” I see the colonel mouth the phrase time dilation, but I ignore it. “If the other spheres are the same, months if not years have passed with those people inside. I doubt they could survive that long inside a hostile environment.”

“You mentioned troops, is it an invasion?”

“It could be, I really don’t know. The manager I mentioned didn’t speak english, or any language I recognized, so I couldn’t communicate with him. In fact, I don’t think he was human.”

The colonel isn’t stupid. I can tell he understands what I am saying, he is just having trouble getting the look of disbelief off of his face.

I clear my throat and say, “The sphere’s represent a clear and present danger and they are more dangerous the more time they are given to grow. They must be entered and destroyed before they get too big. I don’t know what consequences will come should the sphere’s be allowed to mature completely, but I promise you it will be bad.”

I see the Colonel scoff a little and say, “By your own admission, these creatures are armed with spears, swords, and arrows. Surely, a threat for an unarmed man, but for a real response by trained soldiers? I hardly see your point, Greg.”

I nod and add, “You are right, the weapons they used were antiquated. If I had guns and modern weaponry with me it would have made my time there so much easier. But there is more to the spheres than that. Like I said, there is magic.”

I let that statement stand before continuing.

“Inside the sphere they are many things trying to kill me, not to mention the skeletons and zombies, the very bacteria in the air infected you and would kill anybody within three hours with leacherouse growths. There were also multitude of small venomous animals and insects trying to kill you, diseases and curses. Not to mention, the manager there was a magician that could cast spells that could kill. I would have died hundreds of times over if not for my own magical abilities.”

After they digested my words, the colonel said in a defeated voice, “perhaps you’d better just start at the beginning.”

I nod and considered how to do so. After a moment I ask. “Do you know what a role playing game is?”