The Gnolls had secured the courtyard. Sam directed the surviving ranch hand down to the corral.

"He surrendered," Sam said.

One of the Gnolls approached. Dirt clung to their form. A bright red burn marked a fresh scar on their cheek.

"Don't fight and you will live," the Gnoll said.

The ranch hand nodded. "That sounds fair."

"I don't know how many are in the house," Sam said.

The Gnoll looked to the house. They cocked their head to the side.

"We will finish it if you don't come back," The Gnoll said.

"Could I ask a favor?"

"What?"

"Could you make a bit of noise?" Sam asked. "Toss some spears at the house, or something."

The Gnoll smiled broadly, exposing a mouth full of sharp teeth. They nodded and let out a loud laughing call that hyenas were famous for. The others joined in. A moment later all of the Gnolls were focused on the house. They tossed spears, banged against the walls, and broke windows. The ranch hand flinched each time glass shattered.

Sam couldn't help but smile. He skirted to the back of the house moving along the wall. Someone inside the house was returning fire providing even more cover for his approach. He said a silent thanks to the extra dexterity awarded to elves as he hopped off the wall and crept up to the backdoor. It was unlocked. He opened the door to find a double-barrel shotgun pointed at his chest. The orc-ogre bodyguard held it, but didn't fire.

"Gorignak, right?" Sam asked.

The orc-ogre nodded. "Holster your weapon."

Sam did.

"I don't suppose I could convince you to lower that and let me through," he said.

"I can't let you do that," Gorignak said.

"The guy is obviously a villain," Sam countered. "He just needs a mustache to twirl and a fluffy white cat to pet while he gives orders."

The bodyguard hadn't shot him yet. He took that as a good sign.

"He's my friend," Gorignak said quietly.

"How?" Sam asked. "He called me a knife-ear. I seriously doubt he's accepting of other people."

"He wasn't always like this," Gorignak said. "He used to be Active like you, and me."

"You're Active?" Sam asked.

Gorignak nodded.

"But he isn't," Sam continued. "How is that possible?"

"You're new, right?" Gorignak didn't wait for a reply. "There was a bunch of you when you connected. That means a new hunt to earn a body will start soon."

"What do you mean a hunt?" Sam asked.

"It's something they do when new people are uploaded," the orc-ogre replied. "They showed you the bodies and told you the cost. Soon they will announce a hunt where you get a top of the line designer body as the grand prize."

Sam blinked. He let the words sink in.

"The fine print is that you're gambling your consciousness," Gorignak said. "Die on the hunt and you get assigned a role in the background cast. No idea you were ever anything more than whatever you are."

"So your friend entered and lost?" Sam asked.

Gorignak nodded. His grip on the shotgun loosened.

"Was he always evil?"

"No," Gorignak replied. "He was assigned this role. If you kill him, or any of the NPCs, they pop up somewhere else in the world as another character. I would have to find him all over again. It ruins the immersion if they just pop back up in town."

"How do you know if he's your friend?" Sam asked. "It could just be his face."

"It's him," the bodyguard replied. "I can tell."

"Okay," Sam said. He paused. "Did you join the hunt?"

"No," Gorignak said. "There's only one grand prize. If I had signed up then it would be rough."

"So, if you die, you'll just respawn, but he'll appear somewhere else in the world with no memory?" Sam asked.

Gorignak nodded. "My spawn point is here."

"Unless the Gnolls win," Sam said quietly.

Gorignak nodded again. His grip on the shotgun had relaxed to the point where it was aimed at the floor.

"If they take the ranch then my spawn point is reset," Gorignak said. "I don't even remember where I started the game."

"Wow," Sam whispered. "That is rough."

His hand dropped to his holster and snapped back up with his revolver in hand. Sam fanned the hammer, sending all six shots flying into the bodyguard.

Unlocked Skill – Quick Draw

Gorignak tumbled back onto the floor. Sam'uel kicked away the double barrel shotgun and dumped out the spent cartridges. The broad green body faded away after a moment, taking the shotgun along with it. It didn't look like other Active members dropped loot or gave XP.

Sam took a moment to reload the revolver.

"Gor?" Bartholomew Patton Twain called from the other room. "Get your green ass in here and stop playing around. Round up the men. Put those mutts in their place."

Sam shook his head. He slid the fully loaded revolver into the holster on his belt and he swapped it for the hatchet. Sam stepped through the door that led into the office. Bartholomew was still sitting in the same chair. It didn't even look like he was armed. The scrawny human began to rummage around the desk. Papers tumbled to the floor sending a half empty decanter of a dark liquid skittering.

The man latched onto a weapon and raised a letter opener into view. Sam cocked his arm back and launched the hatchet forward.

+150 XP Quest Complete: A Change of Management Kill Bartholomew Twain +50 Reputation with Carson Bridge +100 Reputation with Gnoll Clan Oli +100 Reputation with Hank and Margie Jackson

Sam dismissed the prompt with a thought. Unlike Gorignak, the body of the scrawny man remained. The elf moved around the desk. A notification popped up once his hand touched the grip of his hatchet.

Acquired: Deed to Bar-T Ranch Activate to Claim the Bar-T Ranch

"Nice," Sam said.

He pulled up his inventory and dropped the Deed in. Eventually he might be interested in setting up a base of operations, but he wasn't ready for it yet. The Deed would hopefully fetch a decent price.

Sam stepped out into the hall to see the few remaining guards with their hands up. The Gnolls had won. A couple of them escorted the men outside. Sam followed. The scene that greeted him stopped him in his tracks.

The empty coral had been gutted. He had thought the space was an open stretch but it was actually a stretch of wooden planks covered by dirt. At least another dozen Gnolls had been led out into the sunlight. Their fur was matted and those that still had clothing wore rags.

At some point Kai had wondered into the courtyard. She was settled by the trough without a care in the world.

"Thank you," the Gnoll Matriarch said.

Sam looked at the Gnoll then back at the others. He sighed. Sam opened his inventory and removed the Deed. He held it out to the Gnoll.

"What is this?" The Matriarch asked.

"The Deed to this land," Sam replied. "You will legally own the ranch and the law will back you up. Your people have earned it."

+500 Reputation with Gnoll Clan Oli New Location: Gnoll Settlement Gnoll Settlement Reputation: Ally

The Matriarch nodded. "This place was a stain on the land. That human let bandits run wild and pressed his will on the settlements nearby. You will find a safe haven here. Do not abuse our trust."

Sam smiled. He walked over to Kai. The raptor fluttered her wings as he approached.

"Come on, girl," he said. "Let's get you home."