She led the way to the door to our right. We passed two doors as we moved closer to the wall. Ashley gave them a wide berth. We finally made it to the door in the corner. She pulled on the dark metal handle. The door didn't budge, but another readout appeared in front of her.

"It's blank," I said.

"What?"

"It's blank," I repeated.

"It says it's locked," her brow wrinkled as she spoke. "You really don't see anything?"

"Just the window," I said with a shrug. "Can you pick it?"

She stared at me.

"Let me try," I said and stepped around her. A window popped up in front of me.

[Lock Picking Tutorial: Complete the Circuit]

"What's up?"

"It's a mini-game to pick the lock," I replied.

Lock: Simple

*

Attempts: 3

*

"It seems easy enough," I said.

Lock: Simple

*

Attempts: 3

*

>>

>>

X

The window shifted back to its original view.

Lock: Simple

*

Attempts: 2

>>

X

*

>>

>>

X

"I need to get some lock picks," I whispered.

"What?" Ashley asked as she leaned in to try to look at the window.

"On my last try," I said.

Lock: Simple

>>

>>

CONNECTED

Attempts: 1

>>

X

CONNECTED

>>

>>

X

The window disappeared. A moment later the door gave solid, satisfying metallic thud and shifted open.

[XP: 100]

[Skill Unlocked: Lock Picking- Simple]

"Got it," I said as I stood. "What's inside?"

"There's a lounge we can cut through," Ashley circled around to my left side as she spoke. "Then we can go through the teacher parking area along the back road to the gym."

She knocked an arrow. I hunched down lower and pulled the door open.

"Looks clear," she whispered.

I nodded, drew my dagger, and crept inside.

The passage was lit by beams of sunlight filtered through a glass ceiling. Verdant vines stretched along the right wall. A grand wrought iron fence on my left separated the passage from a sun drenched market. Brightly colored stalls lined the square. The slabs of stone floor were replaced by smaller crafted bricks arranged in wide arcs.

"That's some lounge," I whispered.

"Check the gate," Ashley said moving to put her back to the wall.

Manicured vines and curved iron accents made the gate easy to find. I stayed low as I hurried over to it. The gate opened without a menu screen or mini-game. Something didn't feel right. Aside from my life suddenly becoming a video game, that is. The care put into this are for people to admire it. The space should be packed with vendors, barkers, shoppers, and probably a few thieves.

I looked back at Ashley. She shrugged. A small push swung the gate open even farther. I stayed hunched over a bit as I moved into the market. Ashley followed a few steps behind and a little to my left. The faint scent of bread lingered around the first stall and a wisp of strawberry came from the next.

"Who usually hangs out here?" I asked pushing open the gate.

"In the morning?" Ashley tilted her head to the side in thought. "The chess club, I think."

"So," I drew the word out. "The type of people who would probably set a trap if they were turned into monsters?"

Ashley stopped. We were three stalls into the market now. She scanned the area. Almost as a second thought she shifted her search to include the tops of the stalls too.

"Damn it," she muttered.

She snapped her aim upward as a crowd of dark shapes sprang into the air. They had us surrounded and outnumbered. We moved closer to each other until we stood back to back.

"I count ten," she said.

"Same," I replied.

Their tawny fur covered bodies were short with spindly limbs, pointed ears with tufts of hair at the end, and a tail that would have fit on a lion. They would have been cute, if not for the claws and sharp teeth. The only thing that remained of human features was the odd shape of their noses stuck halfway between the snout of a cat.

"Maybe they're friendly?" I offered.

The moment broke as a scream spurred the creatures into action. Ashley shot one out of the air as it leaped toward us. I lunged, dagger first, as another jumped at me. Only the cross-guard stopped the blade from punching completely through. The creature shimmered and disappeared in a silent explosion. My wonder was interrupted by another attack.

A clawed hand ripped down across my chest.

[-5 HP]

The text drifted into the air before me. I rocked back onto my heels, shifted my feet, and sprang toward the creature. My shoulder hit it square in the chest throwing it off balance. I pressed my attack with a back-handed slash to be awarded with another silent explosion.

An arrow zipped passed me. I followed its path into the chest of a creature that I was about to take a bite out of my back. A quick stab finished the sneaky thing. I turned to thank her only to find three of the creatures closing in on her. She held her bow horizontally in front of her to keep them from getting too close. Her last arrow had disappeared with the one I had just popped.

"Ashley," I called.

She looked over her shoulder. I tossed her my dagger, hilt first, and sprinted toward her as it sailed through the air. Her bow vanished as she deftly caught the other weapon. The sculpted bricks thwapped against my legs as I slid toward the creature closest to me. There wasn't much that stuck with me when I played soccer as a kid, but I tackling each other had been fun.

The creature tumbled over me. It landed headfirst with a dull thud. I could see one of the creatures pop in my peripheral vision.

"Mason," Ashley said.

I held up my hand. The dagger landed neatly in my palm. I brought the blade down onto the creature next to me.

"Here," I said tossing the dagger up.

I hopped to my feet and scanned the area for the next threat. A single creature stared back at me. Ashley stepped up to my side. The fuzzy thing held its hands above its head.

"You win," It squeaked. "I surrender."

[Area Cleared]

[The Market is now available]

[500 XP Awarded]

[200 Renown Awarded]

[Current XP: 910]

[Level 2: 1000 XP]

[Codex Entry Added - Goblins]

I looked over to Ashley. She held out my dagger. I squinted as I studied her.

"You keep it," I said getting to my feet.

"You sure?"

"You can give it back when you get more arrows," I said as I finally figured out what had changed.

"What?" She asked.

"Did you always have pointed ears?" I asked.