When I stepped out into the street, I was accosted by a street urchin. He was a child, perhaps twelve years old. His clothes were old and worn with patches sewn over holes.

Mindful of the Watchmen staring at him from their posts in front of the entrance, the boy discreetly raised his hand. On his palm were two crosses, the symbol of The Double Cross Society. "Tescka sent word that a new portal has been created. If you follow me, I will take you to her."

"I need to make a detour first," I replied. When the boy's eyes questioned me, I explained, "I need to drop by The Wild Boar."

"Yes, milord," the boy bowed deeply to me. He joined our group but discreetly stood at the rear.

I quickly returned to the inn where I was staying while in Bristol. I stepped forward to the reception desk where Duen 'Luye was sitting.

The gnome's eyes met mine and he nodded affirmatively to my unasked question. "Your package has arrived," the tavern keeper announced and retrieved a box from his drawer.

"Thank you," I said and picked up the box from the desk. I saw there was a wax seal over the lid of the box.

"Please allow me," Kalistra said in a cheerful tone of voice as she took the package from my hands. She released a sharp claw. *SNIRT* Just like that, she broke the seal and then handed the package back to me. However, the cat girl's eyes gleamed with expectation and her tail swayed back and forth. She was dying to know what was inside!

I rolled my eyes and opened the lid. Inside the box were a half-dozen rings. Each ring was made of brass and stamped with an "8." I saw a note and quickly read it:

"Dear Guildmate,

As promised, I have sent you trinkets which will help you repel the vampire's charm. The Scroll of Invisibility will be waiting for you when you return.

Your Brother in Magic,

Voum' Tro."

I took one of the rings and put it on my left pinky. I turned toward my companions and said, "These rings will repel the charm effect. Please take one and put it on." I passed the box over.

Kalistra and Van each took a ring and wore it.

However, the two Dhampirs declined. "We're immune," Asuora explained.

Someone cleared his throat behind us. "Are you ready to leave now, milord?" the boy from The Double Cross Society asked.

I looked at him and shook my head. "Can I ask a favor from you? Please ask Rijana and her elven companions to come here. I would go myself to retrieve them. But I don't know where they are staying in the city."

"I ain't your servant boy," he groused. However, his eyes widened at the sight of the gold coin I held in front of his face. When he accepted the coin, the boy smiled broadly and bowed deeply. "I will get them for you," he promised and immediately ran out the door.

"A gold coin for a simple errand?" Kalistra shook her head in disapproval.

"That boy could probably steal my sack of coins if he wanted to," I pointed out. "He wouldn't be allowed into the group unless he had some skills."

The cat girl turned her face away from me. "Have you advanced to the next level yet?" she asked. "You've been doing a lot of training and questing today," she reminded me. "I wouldn't be surprised if you have enough experience to advance now."

I thought about what I had done so far today. After spending the night in the cemetery, I turned in my quest with the Mayor. I did a herb gathering quest for Meanna the healer. I received a hefty sum of money, plus accompanying experience, from Roen, my business partner back in Tregome. I also gained an enormous amount of experience during my Swordmage training. Kalistra was right; I should be able to advance to Level 7. "Oh, you're right!" I replied and pulled up my character screen:

A picture of my player avatar was in the left column. I admired my strong shoulders and thick biceps; Kalistra's physical training had helped me become physically fit and it was showing in my picture. Right above the picture read: “Title: Pursuer of the Crown, Title: Finalist in the Melee Tournament, Title: Were-Hunter, Title: Avenger of the Town Judge Wachtel; Title: Liege of the Butterfly School of Swordsmanship, Status: Member of the Mage Guild, Status: Adept of the Butterfly School of Swordsmanship, Status: Adept of the Church of Britannia, Status: Town Judge of Tregome, Status: Honorary member of the Tregome Bordermen, Status: True Friend of Burnhamm Village.”

The middle column read: "Name: Lawrence Eugene Mulligan, Race: Human, Alignment: Lawful-Neutral, Permanent Conditions: Marked by Bane, Marked by Musa, Marked by Luck, Marked by Gaea, Marked by Jasla; Temporary Condition: Cursed by Keras, Duration 6:09:28; Profession: Mage/Swordsman, Level: 6, Experience: 15,288/15,000, Reputation: 12,152, Attack: 34, Damage: 6-8 (Unarmed), 8-12 (Dagger), 8-18 (Long Sword), Critical Attack: 7%, Critical Damage: 250%."

On the right side of the screen, my player attributes were listed: "Health: 33 (HALVED by Keras' Curse), Stamina: 46, Magic: 30, Strength: 20, Intelligence: 20, Wisdom: 12, Dexterity: 19, Constitution: 26, Charisma: 12. Abilities: Navigation-Sense (Level 5), Magic Sense (Level 5), Immunity to Electricity (Level 1), Negotiation (Level 4), Spirit Sense (Level 8), Reroll (Level X), Herbalism (Level 1)."

At the bottom were four tabs. The first was marked "Skills." When I mentally clicked on the tab, I saw: "Professional Skills: Mage—Read Magic (Level 7); Swordsman—Dual-Sword Fighting (Level X), Charge (Level 4), Disarm (Level 3), First Strike (Level 2), Slide Step (Level 4), Duel Winner (Level 2)." The second tab was "Magic Spells: General (Level 2)—Detect Trap, Light, Dispel Magic; Fire (Level 3)—Fire Bolt, Fireball; Water (Level 1)—Acid Arrow; Earth (Level 1)—Armor, Web; Air (Level 1)—Magic Missile; Light (Level 1)—Protection from Undead; Dark (Level 1)—Dark Vision, Darkness." The third tab was: "Divine Spells: Order—Unveil (Level X), Chaos—Veil (Level X), Charm Opposite Sex (Level X); Life—Minor Heal (Level X)." The last tab was "Artifacts," and it revealed: "Truth-Stone of Order and Chaos—Truth-Telling (Level X)."

My eyes immediately reached for the experience points section. My mouth opened when I saw "15,288/15,000." I had reached Level 7! "I can advance to the next level," I announced.

"Do it!" Kalistra ordered.

I nodded. I mentally pressed on the Experience to advance to the next level. I dumped all five attribute points to Intelligence because I needed to learn more spells. My Intelligence score increased to 25 and my Magic was now 35. My attack increased to 40. My Critical Attack increased to 8%. My Health was 38.

While we waited for the trio to arrive, I followed my Master's lead and started pacing back and forth around the lobby area of The Wild Boar. Internally, I was ecstatic that I had managed to reach Level 7 before I embarked on my next quest. Until Kalistra asked to see my menu during dinner, I did not appreciate how difficult it would be to advance from Level 6 to Level 7, which I absolutely needed to do in order to use the special scroll that Archbishop Wilshire had provided me to eradicate the undead boss.

While I was short 4,000 XP, I forgot that my Dual-Class as a Swordmage meant I needed to earn DOUBLE the experience now. For all the adventures (or misadventures) I had gone through over a week culminating in my participation in the annual Melee Tournament, I earned only 11,000 XP. Thus, I was doubtful that I would be able to earn another 8,000 points before starting the undead hunt. Somehow, the cue balls on the billiard table lined up just right for me. I wondered if my status as a Player Character served as some hidden influence on this gaming world. Perhaps, I can ask the Gamemaster about this someday if I ever see him face to face.

It took almost ten minutes for Rijana, Bjoukia, and Bjoukin to arrive. Unlike the street urchin, the trio appeared to be out of breath.

The cat girl's whiskers twitched at their apparent lack of stamina. However, Kalistra wisely kept silent.

I offered the three a friendly wave. "I'm sorry to disturb your rest. But Tescka had sent word that the portal has been relocated. I want to attack them immediately before the enemies could settle down," I explained.

Bjoukin stepped forward. "Are you sure it's wise to attack an undead horde at night time?" he pointed out.

Van jumped in. "This is precisely why it's the best time to hit 'em! When they least expect an attack!" he retorted.

Rijana looked at me. "You are our party leader. If you decide this is the best time to attack, then we will attack," she said.

"Thank you for your support," I replied with a smile. I took the box and opened it. "The Magic Guild sent me these rings; they will repel charm effects. Please take one and wear it now," I ordered.

The newcomers quickly obeyed my command.

Bjoukia eyed the two vampire hunters with suspicion. As an Elf, she was more attuned to life than humans. She sensed something off about them even though they appeared to be humans. "Are they coming with us?" the beautiful Elven fighter asked quietly.

I nodded. "These are vampire hunters sent by the archbishop to assist us with our quest. Please say hello to Asuora and Doudan," I introduced them.

The two nodded politely. They understood why the Elf maiden was apprehensive in their presence.

"Milord, we have to go now," the street urchin urged. Seeing my nod, the boy quickly left the tavern. He took our party in an easterly direction.

As we walked, I closed my eyes and activated my Spirit Sense. I put my right hand on Kalistra's left shoulder for support as we navigated the streets of Bristol.

Kalistra glanced at me. She saw that my eyes were closed and immediately understood that I was using my Spirit Sense. She moved closer to my body and walked slower.

Rijana was walking behind me. She saw the cat girl walking almost hip to hip with me. Knowing that our relationship was strictly platonic, she figured out why Kalistra was supporting me in this manner.

I felt the auras of all my companions and the city residents behind closed doors. For the moment, I didn't sense any trace of undead auras. However, I felt the shift in Kalistra's hip as she turned left and we started walking north. I pulled up the map of Bristol in my mind and I saw that we were walking next to the eastern wall. As we moved toward the mid-point of the wall, I finally sensed the presence of undead. Many undead auras, in fact. I opened my eyes and pointed at the two-story house. The first floor was a simple shop for a tannery. "In there," I announced.

The street urchin turned back to me with surprise. "How did you know?" he questioned.

I smiled. "It's a secret."

"You can go now, Devlon," a female voice said.

I recognized the voice--it was Tescka! While she was invisible, I was able to sense her aura; she was standing in front of me. "Good to see you again, Tescka," I said with a smile. "Spirit sense SUCCESSFUL. +100 XP." I turned off the ability as I felt the beginnings of a pounding migraine.

"I see we have new additions to the party," the Elven outcast noted while looking at the two leather-clad vampire hunters.

"The archbishop insisted," I explained. "They are vampire hunters."

"Ah!" Tescka smiled. "In that case, their presence will be critical to the outcome of this mission. Normally, Lord X would offer more assistance. But he does not wish the Church to learn of our close relationship. Thus, he cannot do more than allow me to assist you."

"I totally understand," I nodded. My face turned serious. "What will you do now? You gave us extremely valuable intel on the enemies. And there are a few members of the Church accompanying me when we enter the portal. Will you join us or leave?" I asked.

"I will enter the portal but stay hidden. If the portal collapses, you will need me to open a gate in order to return," the elf mage replied.

"Fair enough," I nodded again. I walked up to the door and turned around. My party members were anxious to get the undead hunt started. I turned back to the door and cast Detect Trap on it. "Detect trap SUCCESSFUL. +25 XP." Motes of light hovered over the front door for a moment and then the light vanished. I turned to my companions. "There are no traps on the door. Will one of you volunteer to break the door down?" I requested.

Van stepped up. "With pleasure," he grinned. With a well-placed heel to the doorknob, he broke the door open and entered the shop. However, the paladin was stopped by something dark. Two hands made of shadow grasped his throat and started strangling him!

"It's a shadow!" Rijana called out and cast a Fire Bolt.

I reached out for the shadowy hand and felt a numbing coldness on my palm. "-2 Health." I ignored the numbness and cast Minor Heal. "Minor heal SUCCESSFUL. +25 XP, -30 Damage, -30 Mana." The shadow slowly dissipated. "Shadow DEFEATED. +200 XP."

Van coughed and gasped for air. He leaned against the doorway to stay on his feet.

"Are you okay?" I asked. My head was spinning because I almost emptied my Mana pool in order to kill the shadow. I held onto the paladin's arm for support. I drank a Mana potion and the spinning eventually stopped.

A minute later, Van recovered from his near-death experience and was starting to breathe normally again. "Thank you for killing that thing, Brother. Would have been nice if we got a warning," he added while looking around for the invisible mage.

"I had no idea a shadow would be summoned to guard the portal," Tescka replied defensively while staying invisible.

I held up my hand to stop the infighting. "I'll take the blame. My Spirit Sense was able to detect undead aura and it led me to this house. I should have realized this meant there were undead roaming inside," I said.

"Does this mean there are more undead walking around?" Bjoukin asked. His hands were on his bow with a blessed arrow notched already.

"Possibly," I admitted. "Let's split into two teams to flush out the undead. Rijana is the team leader with Bjoukia, Bjoukin, and Doudan on her team. You check the second floor. I'll take the rest and check this floor. Let's go!" I ordered. I cast Light and it illuminated the front section of the shop.

I closed my eyes and activated Spirit Sense again. "There are two auras upstairs," I yelled out to warn the other team as they walked up the staircase. "There's three here on this floor," I noted quickly. Suddenly, I felt an aura coming straight for me. "Incoming!" I opened my eyes and saw a shadow rushing at me with its hands reaching for my neck. "Spirit sense SUCCESSFUL. +125 XP."

Asuora poked the flame of her torch at its head.

While the shadow was distracted, I emptied my Mana pool again on a Minor Heal. "Minor heal SUCCESSFUL. +25 XP, -30 Damage, -30 Mana."

The two other shadows immediately left their hiding places in the shadows and attacked us.

Asuora pulled out a metal rod. With the press of a button, the rod extended into a full-length staff. With a grunt, she slammed one end of her weapon against a shadow.

With a "hiss" sound, the shadow burst into nothingness.

Van was also ready for his opponent. With pinpoint accuracy, the paladin slammed the metal ball of his blessed against the head of his shadow. It, too, dissipated with a "hiss" sound.

"Nice work!" I praised the two.

As I reached into my potions bag to grab another Mana potion to drink, Kalistra grabbed my hand to stop me.

"You should save your potions for the upcoming battle, my Liege," the cat girl suggested politely.

I reluctantly agreed. Now that the immediate danger had passed, I should allow my Mana to replenish naturally. Of course, it would take a half-hour to do so and that was what I wanted to avoid.

"Can you check and see how the other team is doing?" Asuora requested.

I closed my eyes to check for the two undead auras on the second floor. Fortunately, they were gone. I gave her a thumbs-up. When the other team rejoined us, I turned toward Tescka and asked, "Where is the portal?"

"Did you see the yellow rug on the ground? There's a trapdoor under it leading to the cellar. The portal is there," the invisible mage answered.

Our party walked around on the first floor until we found the rug. It was in the private section on the first floor.

Van pulled the yellow rug off the floor and there was a door with a hinge. He lifted the door and there was a staircase leading to the basement.

I commanded the sphere of Light to descend the stairs.

Van followed after the ball and we climbed down the staircase behind him.

The staircase led us to a large chamber. At the center was a red shimmering portal.

I turned around and said, "I need another 20 minutes to replenish my Mana pool. Then we can enter the portal."

"Let's take the time to prepare," Kalistra said in support of me. "We need to assume that the portal is guarded. Any spell of protection you plan to use should be cast before you step through the portal."

I took a spot against the wall and sat down. I closed my eyes and started meditating to boost my Mana recovery rate.