I woke from dreams of an infinity of roiling black shot through with threads of silver. It was nice. Waking up not the dreams, those had a definite feeling of menace attached to them. I guess the way everything had faded into a haze of pain after the shatterling bit me hadn't given my subconscious a rosy and hopeful vision of the future.

Opening my eyes I saw Stew's living room ceiling above me. I guess this was as far as they could bring me. Just a coma after all, no big deal. I also saw a number of notifications start popping up. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought someone was being considerate.

‡ Translation of gained levels complete at 50%, remaining levels discarded. ‡ ‡ Congratulations! You gained a level. ‡ ‡ +1 Dex, +1 Res, +5 Stamina ‡

‡ Congratulations! You gained a level. ‡ ‡ +1 Dex, +1 Int, Learned [Climb] Level 5 ‡

‡ You have gained Temporary HP due to CPR, all processes restarted. ‡

‡ Congratulations! The Shadow shattered you, but you resisted. Shattered but Whole Title Unlocked ‡ Shattered but Whole - The Shadow shattered you and you resisted. •Gain ? ? ? ? ‡ Shadow Sense - Can sense all creatures of Shadow within Perception range ‡

‡ Quest: Survive until you regain 10% HP ‡ ‡ Reward: Isn't life enough? Fine have a Title too, Zombie. ‡ ‡ Failure: The kind of death Temporary HP won't help with. ‡

These seemed to be painting a grim picture. I guess I won't give anybodybody a hard time for leaving me on the couch instead of a bed. ‡ Quest: Survive until help arrives in 6 days ‡ ‡ Reward: Life is struggle, You get to live! ‡ ‡ Failure: Death is release, however you die knowing you have failed not just yourself but your very race. ‡ ‡ Quest: Survive until you regain 10% HP, Success! ‡ ‡ Congratulations! You're not as dead as most people would be in your situation. Zombie Title Unlocked ‡

Zombie - Been there done that, not going back •Res+1 ? ? ? ? ‡ Congratulations! Someone cared so much they tore you from the Abyss itself. You are now Soul-Linked ‡ ‡ Soul-Linked - You are connected to another at the most fundamental level. As they grow so do you, as you grow so do they. Share 5% XP. ‡ Well, shit. That was a lot to wake up to. Turning my head I saw Mike sitting in a chair next to the opened curtains. He was writing in his notebook.

"What time?"

Mike jumped a little and looked up at my raspy voice. I cleared my throat and asked again. "What time is it?"

"Glad to see you awake. It's morning. How are you feeling?"

As I pushed the blanket covering me down and tried to sit up, I realized that the best description I could use would be stiff. "I'm fine. That's awfully specific with the time." "All electronics have stopped working, remember?" "Oh. Right. Sorry, just hadn't put that together with the time yet. What's going on?"

"We were waiting for you to wake up. Mrs. Peterson just left, after she said you were as healthy as she could manage."

"With the dog?" Mrs. Peterson was one of Stew's neighbors who loved to sit on her porch and invite people to pet her wildly barking chiweenie.

"She learned how to heal. I have to tell you something though." I watched Mike visibly firm up his resolve before he continued, "I got a Title yesterday. I think it was before we headed out and I just missed the notification. It's called Average."

He stopped and gave me a worried look.

"OK." I stretched the word out as I gave him a confused look.

"I might have been able to save you, but I lost the chance because I was careless. I want you to know that it will never happen again. I got your back man."

I responded slowly. "That's all right. I mean it seems like you're taking a lot of responsibility. I could have shoved a metal stick in it's face instead of my arm, so maybe, more my fault than yours? Thanks though, I got your back too."

I looked around the empty room. "So where is everyone?"

Right after I asked Stew walked in holding Stacy. She was gnawing on a piece of apple. Stew was eating the rest. "Hey look who's awake. I thought I heard voices. You know we saved your life right?"

Stew insisted on giving a blow by blow of how he almost single-handedly saved my life, Mike disagreeing on many points. I told them that I didn't remember much after I was bitten, though I did share my notifications from when I woke up.

Stew laughed at me. "Dave. You are a shattered butthole."

"C'mon Stew. That Skill sounds pretty awesome." Mike really did have my back. Even if it was hard for him to stop laughing long enough to say anything.

"Why don't you guys tell me where everyone is, then you can get the laughs out of your system."

Mike mostly managed to keep his face serious as he answered. "Meagan is trying to do some training and Sam walked with Mrs. Peterson to breakfast over on Sky St."

I was up like a flash. "Why are we messing around here. Lets get on to this breakfast."

On the way I equipped my new shattered butthole, as Stew insisted on calling it, and tested out the sensing ability. I couldn't feel anything, except for a quick flash. Something howled on the other side of the ravine where the railroad tracks were, a couple hundred yards to the east.

While I was doing that Mike filled me in on what they had figured out about Titles. Especially when I told him I lost my bonuses when I switched from Unattended to Vigorous. Most of what they learned was from Meagan, she had gotten enough points to master her Runner title. Skills were skills and once learned weren't forgotten whether the skill was on or not. Other bonuses were lost when switching, unless it was mastered, then Attribute gains were permanent. Another nice bonus was that once mastered the other bonuses increased, as close as Mike could figure about 20%.

"So it looks like Titles are really important and also introduce more strategy into fighting."

I nodded at Mike. "Right up your alley then." "We don't know how much though. I mean, what if we get to the point were we can select titles on the fly instead of going through three screens like we do now." From the look in his eyes, I suspected Mike might be moving on from his dream of being a Rogue.