1

Brett hugged Emma tightly as they rocketed over the trees toward the hills in the northeast section of the realm. He left the persuasion ability on, but he felt fatigued and wondered if it was draining his energy. He cast Basic Heal on himself and became more refreshed.

Emma was completely silent during their long flight over the forest. She kept her head tucked under his chin, and Brett could feel her soft cheek against his collarbone. At one point, he wondered if she had fallen asleep, but then she gazed up at him. Her beautiful green eyes twinkled in the deepening twilight, but they looked weary. “You will save me?” she asked again.

Brett craned his neck to look more closely at her. “Yes. I promise, Emma.”

They crossed the end of the forest as the cool air flowed over them, producing a loud wind noise. Just another few minutes, Brett thought. He turned and stared at the sun, which hovered just above the horizon and gave the realm an ethereal quality. Below them, the landscape was transforming into swampland as the steady rush of water pushed through the northern rip. He was glad they were headed for the hills, which was one of the remaining dry areas in the realm’s northern sector. He cast another healing spell as they soared toward the hills.

2

Brett slowed as they neared the third hill. The air grew colder, and Emma shivered against him. “It’s alright, my love,” he cooed. “I’ll have you warm soon enough. Now hang on tight.” He adjusted their bodies to a vertical position and lowered them carefully. Her blue footpads and his worn leather boots touched down on the soft, springy soil. He released her, and she looked around the camp with an expression of disinterest, then saw the A-frame shelter.

“Did you build that?” she gasped.

He chuckled. “Yes, using some rusty blades and my new powers,” he said, then placed his hands on her shoulders. “The same powers you will have soon.”

Emma gazed at him, and Brett could see that, even through the persuasion ability, she was assessing him. She returned her attention to the large A-frame, which was constructed from logs that had been split lengthwise down the middle. They leaned at forty-five-degree angles and connected twelve feet above the ground.

“How did you keep them from toppling over?” she asked, appearing less apathetic and more impressed.

Brett pointed at holes he had drilled through the top of the logs. Thick wooden limbs were crammed inside those spaces. “It was a bit of a DIY project,” he joked, then became serious. “I built this for you, Emma. A few days ago, when you were promised to me.”

“Who promised me?”

He shook his head. “Let’s not get into that right now. I’ll tell you everything tomorrow.” He took her hand and led her into the shelter. Inside, the A-frame was carpeted with soft leaves and dry moss he had gathered.

Emma laughed quietly. “Oh, this feels so luxuriant.”

His blue eyes sparkled in the diminishing light. “I did it all for you.” He nodded toward one of the den’s two openings. A mound of black coals lay beyond the edge of the A-frame. “Let me start that up and get us warm.”

He strolled to the end of the long den and gestured with his arms. Kindling rose from a location ten feet away and landed on the coals. Dry moss arrived from another area and descended upon the kindling. Brett turned and winked at Emma. A dark stone and a rusty sword ascended from inside the den and hovered above the campfire. Suddenly they collided, creating sparks that tumbled onto the dry moss. Small flames flickered and spread on the kindling.

Brett strolled to the campfire and blew on the flames. Within seconds, the fire extended over the dry wood and moss. He stepped away from the A-frame and returned with larger pieces of wood. As he meticulously laid them onto the campfire, he glanced at Emma. “This is all for you. I am going to treat you like a princess.” He walked back to her and wrapped his arms around her.

She gazed nervously up at his artificially blue eyes. “Brett, I feel lightheaded all the time now. Is that from the glitch?”

He paused for a very long time as he appeared to consider her question. But what he was contemplating was whether to tell her the truth. That the faintness was likely coming from the persuasion effect he had been using constantly. Brett hoped that, at some point, she would choose to be with him. He considered turning it off to see what would happen, but he decided to wait until Emma was more acclimated to her new environment.

He looked down at her and smiled. “Yes, it is the glitch, my love.”

3

As the shadows in the hills grew longer, Brett told Emma he had a surprise for her. He strolled to the front of the A-frame and whistled. Suddenly, rustling noises came from every direction in the forest. Alarmed, Emma equipped her skelchion sword and walked to the edge of the structure alongside Brett.

“Put that away, my love,” he said casually. “These are our friends… our pets.”

She reluctantly unequipped the sword, then gasped as a white wolf appeared. Its light green eyes gleamed from the shadows of the thick foliage. It trotted up to the new couple and sat before them.

“This one is Warg,” Brett said. “He’s the alpha.”

Emma snorted. “Where did you come up with a name like that?”

He stared down at her, displeased. “It came to me in a dream.” He gazed toward the northern rip. “I believe it was sent to me.”

“By whom?”

He turned back to her and shook his head. “Not right now. First, I want you to meet our friends.” He gripped her free hand and pulled it to the alpha’s muzzle. The wolf started licking her. Its warm tongue glided over the blue pads of her fingers. While Emma cooed with pleasure, more white wolves left the wooded perimeter and scampered into the clearing. They circled the alpha wolf, blocking the front entrance of the A-frame.

“How many are there?” Emma asked. “Why aren’t they attacking us?”

Brett smiled. “Thirteen. They don’t attack because the wolves serve me…”—he paused—“… no, us now.”

Emma knelt and started petting the wolves. They gave her an unexpected sensation of creature comfort and being home, back on Earth again. He’s right, she thought. They’re just like having a family pet. She stood up. “What should we do now?”

Brett looked down at her and grinned.