“Grandeur? Is that you?”

Herald of Tomorrow ran on two primary, all-governing principles. The first said this: Inside the program, the Black Realm could be ever-expanding to Herald AI’s specifications, but his wishes must be bound to universal laws. For example, NPCs could die just as well as the players, even those with the most power. Without a magical instrument or effect in place, Herald AI would be compelled by his programming to keep the death permanent.

The second principle said there were could always be exceptions.

Standing across the room, the wizard Grandeur made a fine example of the second principle. Whatever had happened to him, the fan-favorite NPC somehow survived his encounter with his maker.

Closing the large book on the counter, the wizard looked up at Kitano’s calling. A flickering lantern on the counter was just bright enough to see him. Death and rebirth had done him some favors. Once wrinkled skin appeared years younger. By his black, shoulder-length hair and short beard alone, it was a marvel she recognized him.

Arching an eyebrow, he rounded the counter where he stood. “Kit?” His smile was relaxed. “I’d thought the very worst. How could it be that you survived that fell demon?”

Kitano stepped forward. “I saw you burn before me.”

“Aye,” he answered. “I was indeed lost to the gray realm.” He took on a thoughtful tone. “Of all the souls I encountered, you were not one of them. You must tell me what occurred after what happened to me.”

NPCs went to underworlds for recycling, she knew. What he spoke of was nonsense. Players, or travelers as he called them, simply respawned and continued to play the game.

Kitano watched as the wizard slipped a hand around the hilt of the blade on his hip.

“Kit?” he asked. “Be hasty.”

The move surprised her. “A great, bright light,” she answered. “Stephan tried to do to me what he did to you.”

Grandeur grimaced. “A bright light?”

“Yes,” she said. “It was a white light! He was burning me, and when it came on, he stopped and I was blinded.”

Slowly, the wizard released the blade. With a sigh, he nodded.

“Suppose our stories are just as amazing as the next,” he muttered. “Alright Kit, I apologize for any undue stress.” He bowed his head. “Situations have not been kind to me since last we saw one another, for you are the first to recognize me as one of the living…” Glancing back at the book on the counter, he added, “For instance, you’ve interrupted me during a theft.”

Kitano blinked. “A theft?” His meaning came to her then. “You’re stealing?”

Grandeur gave her a resigned look. “I was not clothed in the same riches that I’d started in…”

“Ok, what’s the plan?”

“We’re stealing back a few rather important volumes of regional history.” He tapped the front cover of the book on the counter. “Could you watch the front? The second volume I require is still in the back.”

“This is some mercantile?” Though the room was invariably dark, it looked like no library she’d ever seen before. In a game as large as Herald of Tomorrow, players were spread far and wide across an entire world to explore.

“Of sorts.”

Grandeur picked up the lantern and moved past her, opening the door leading back.

As the light glinted through the room, she saw something along the floor.

A body? Stepping over to the slumped figure by the counter, she could see the shop-keeper still breathed. The woman bore no marks. The condition appeared to be magical.

“Shouldn’t you be getting on?”

Kitano whipped around. Juice’s display floated just beyond her reach.

“Juice? Where’ve you been?” she whispered.

“Would have been nice to know where you’d spawn,” the AI grumbled.

“What's going on here?” Kitano asked. “Is this some sort of quest?”

“Do you expect me to know?”

Kitano bit down her anger. “I’m going to have you upgraded.”

“I’d like to see you try because it seems to me, you’re stuck here.”

Kitano gave a wave of dismissal. “Nevermind. The Crimson Circle sent me to Pos Masic, the server hub. Please tell me there is some maintenance notice."

“Why don't you check yourself?” he asked.

"It isn't working," she whispered. "The menu is locked."

"Well, you're the only player I've found online. And you better figure it out too. Your synch levels are too high. Do you know what happens to people who are in the 80s to 90s range?”

“If I can get to the hub, then maybe Crooks will notice me. He's my only hope.” She sighed. “Just keep watch over my vitals… And no more reboot.”

Juice flicked his display off and disappeared.

“What is this synchronicity?”

Kitano turned to see Grandeur in the doorway. Unable to hear or see Juice, he’d only heard her side of the conversation.

The body on the floor moaned. Kitano rose slowly. How could I ever explain? Her heartbeat in her chest. The smell of cinnamon seemed all the more vibrant. The room was humid, but she felt cold all the same.

Pressing the button at her wrist, she checked her synchronicity level.

>… …

>Synchronized… 90%

>

“Oh no.” She felt a lump in her throat and swallowed it down. As a biobake, Kitano was physically attached to a computer in the real world. Without neurological implants, layers in games such as Herald of Tomorrow were limited to synch levels as high as 45% as mere VR systems could only allow so much immersion.

“Are you alright?” Grandeur put the volume under one arm and raised a hand out to her. “Ms. Kit?”

Biobakes were different. They wanted to be immersed, but totality had its dangers. Humans were not meant to live inside digital landscapes. It wasn't natural. Biobakes pushing the limits of mind to program synchronicity suffered mental breaks, delusions, or worse.

Kitano breathed, letting an explanation come to her. “Synchronicity is something every adventurer has. I’m sure you’ve noticed how some heroes are more…” she searched for the right word. “Adept? In-tune with the world? Low synchronicity could mean someone doesn’t smell the rain outside or doesn’t notice the feeling of wood grain under their fingers… It’s like looking through a window, rather than being outside, I suppose.”

“Ah, I’m familiar with this philosophy,” Grandeur said thoughtfully.

“You are?”

He sat down the lantern and book down on the counter. “Yes,” he answered. “The Furn’la’guingur. My colleagues in my younger days studied it. It is our creed to be mindful of the world around us.” He shut his eyes. “A Sulurillgun practice.”

Kitano blinked. She had never heard of it before.

When Grandeur opened his eyes, he seemed at peace for a lingering moment. Then his eyes grew wide as he looked past Kitano.

“Get down!”

Kitano ducked just as something went whooshing overhead.

Grandeur drew his blade. A sharp piece of iron that glinted in the firelight. Dropping the heavy tomes to the floor, he picked up the lantern.

And threw it towards the door.

Whatever it was howled. Kitano heard the lantern break.

Grandeur brushed past her. His sword was raised.

“Get the books out of here!” he called.

Kitano scrabbled to her feet. Her heart was pounding. It’s just a game. It’s just a game. Calm yourself!

And then she saw it. Head to toe in black fur, the dagger-toothed pit-hound snapped at Grandeur. With two claws as large as his head, it swiped at him. The wizard deftly dodged one paw, only to be caught by the other.

The pit-hound slapped the sword from his grip.

Diving forward, Kitano grabbed the blade from the floor and slashed at the monster. She managed to cut the thing. It whinnied in pain.

Grandeur found his footing, but instead of asking for his sword, he began to chant under his breath. Behind the pit-hound, the embers from the broken lantern began to erupt, as though the wizard's words gave them new life.

Kitano slashed again, driving the creature back. It hated iron.

The fire rose from behind it, growing bigger every second. Soon the whole room became engulfed ablaze. Tendrils of fire quickly chewed up everything around them. The pit-hound disappeared into the inferno.

Swinging the sword, Kitano shattered one of the windows by the counter. Smoke had already begun suffocating her.

Glancing back, she could not see Grandeur.

“Kit!”

The books! She thought at first.

The wizard appeared through the smoke, not carrying the volumes he’d set out to steal, but dragging the unconscious shop-keeper. He coughed out for help.

Leave them! They are just NPCs! But the pounding of her heart in her chest told her otherwise. She could not leave them.

Together, Kitano and Grandeur hauled the unconscious woman through the window. All three of them entered into a chilly downpour.

“A pit-hound?” She coughed, gasping for fresh air.

“They’ve been following me since our encounter in the… Underworld.”

Kitano pulled herself up. The little shop blazed. Everything of any use would be gone. Looking down at the stirring shop-keeper, a pang of guilt chilled her.

“I’m sorry about the books,” she managed to say. Grandeur, though, seemed to be at a loss for words. He could only glower at the inferno.

“There has to be someone else who has copies,” she said. Which was true, of course, even quest-rated items had duplicates in most cases. Books often had many different placements. Just in case of things like this.

“We’re going to have some very disappointed people by morning,” he said, still watching the fire. “Still. Fire and iron were all that we could do to destroy the beast.”

Granduer stood and offered her a hand. “Let’s get on our way. To somewhere warm?”

Kitano forced a smile, grabbed his hand, and hauled herself up.