“Stop!” Kitano pleaded. “Don’t do this!”

“Kit’s right!” Grandeur staggered to his feet, dodging the spears held at him. “The true trickster is no murderer!” The ice knights kept him at bay.

Before Puliska could answer, a crossbow bolt flew through the air, hitting the knight hovering over Kitano. The monster didn’t seem to register the blow at first, but then it fell, crumpled to the snow.

Another bolt hit true, taking down another knight to the trickster’s right. The alarm in the ice knight’s shouts sounded like the glassy cracking of icebergs. Each of the fiends took up arms, searching in the direction from where the bolts came. Then Puliska bellowed, echoing their shouts as he took a bolt to the neck.

Kitano caught Grandeur’s eye. Simultaneously they dived for cover. She was vaguely aware of the thundering of hooves – a storm of mounts swept the path toward them. Horses and elk, reptilian haysaic, and feathered voose, carried riders with weapons raised. While some slashed at the ice knights with short blades, others shot more crossbow bolts into the fray.

Each of the fallen foes seemed to shimmer green in the dull sunlight.

Kitano scrambled to her feet, ignoring the scratches on her hands from the course, icy ground, and found one of the ice knight’s discarded pikes. The metal was cold as sin in her hands. And while the crystal-clear tines looked dull, she could only guess at what foul magic it held.

The riders rode down the last of the ice knights. One of the riders on horseback steered his mount around to face Kitano.

“Who?” she asked, breathless. “Who are you?”

“One of our seers said a player was in danger down the road,” the rider said. He didn’t sheathe his sword, instead only tightened his grip. He appeared to be their leader, talking while the others remained silent. “You’re not both players, are you?”

“That’s Grandeur, the wizard,” Kitano called. The NPC was semi-well-known for his place in Herald of Tomorrow’s main questline. “But I am a player.”

The rider stared over to Grandeur. The riders next to him broke rank, riding over to the wizard. One of them raised a crossbow.

“Wait!” Kitano waved. “Don’t hurt him!”

“Where’s your head been? If you’re not aware, us players are in a spot of danger,” the rider growled. “Any NPC can become possessed, just like Puliska.”

“We better get moving.” One of the other riders, a female player on vooseback called. “My enchantment charge is low, and we’ve only got a minute before the first of the knights are back on their feet.”

Kitano looked over to Puliska, who shimmered the same green as the ice knights scattered around him. “They’re all paralyzed.”

The lead rider rolled his eyes. “It’s the only thing that works on them. They can’t be destroyed in this state.”

“There’s no need to be concerned.” Grandeur’s tone was reasonable but resolute. “I cannot be possessed.”

“How would you know?”

The rider holding aim at Grandeur spoke up. “This guy doesn’t look like Grandeur to me.”

“He is Grandeur,” Kitano said. “You’ll have to believe me.”

The player on vooseback broke in again, “I’m heading back. I’m not waiting around.”

She and the lead rider exchanged a glance. “You heard her,” he called to the others. “Let’s get out of here.” He looked back at Kitano. “You should come with us, but you’ll have to leave the NPC behind.”

“If I could be possessed, then they would have done so when they attacked,” Grandeur said.

“Or this is just what they want.” The lead rider turned his mount, starting back down the icy road. “Invitation stands, but the NPC isn’t welcome,” he called back to Kitano.

One by one the riders turned to follow the leader. Once it was clear, Kitano raced over to Grandeur.

“We’d better keep going too.” If the voose-rider was right, they stood amid imminent danger. “Let’s keep going on down the path,” she said.

Grandeur found his sword. “The horses are gone,” he noted aloud. “And if I had to guess, those players were the ones we seek.”

“I’m sure you’re right, but what else can we do?” Kitano pulled her cloak tight over her shoulders. Now that the excitement was over, she was aware of the cold again.

“Perhaps the adventurers left behind at their guild hall will be more reasonable?”

Together they departed the scene. Though she loathed carrying the cold weapon, Kitano decided to keep the pike that almost killed her.

“They said I wasn’t the real Grandeur.”

Kitano looked over at him. They kept walking on, but the NPC’s thoughts were still behind them on the frozen battleground.

“They don’t know,” she answered.

“More concerning is their suggestion that I could be possessed.”

“But you said you can’t?” She wasn’t sure how he knew, but she trusted that he spoke true.

“Aye,” he said. “When I visited the Underworld with you, I found myself residing along with the denizens of the One-Way House. They tried to corrupt me then, and I suspect whatever it was that took Puliska’s mind is the same they tried with me.”

“The guildhall is just around the bend. Maybe you should tell us all that you remember.”

Grandeur smiled. “I think we’re already there.” He motioned on ahead down the path.

Massive stone archways met them at the summit of Magus Tower. An open-air, labrinth awaited just beyond. A spire of smoke rose over the wall. She could smell something metallic in the air. As they entered, they passed stacks of lumber piled twice as high as them. A pyre kept the inner courtyard warm. Where she once expected ice gardens, fountains, and mercantile carts, instead was a treasure trove of goods. Cargo boxes, sealed barrels, trays of tools littered the pathway ahead. Grandeur tripped over discarded wine bottles. The ringing of a hammer upon anvil greeted them. One player, sweating from his work, had set up a crafting area inside one of the alcoves toward the front. A couple of players were working planks unto the frame of a shack.

They’re settling in for the long haul, Kitano realized. She almost didn’t recognize the guildhall proper, nearly hidden away behind new construction.

“What do you expect they’ve done with all the merchants who once lived here?” Grandeur asked.

“Well, they’ve kept the horses and mounts.” To their left, Kitano saw stables. A few more adventurers watched their approach from a wooden perch constructed overhead. A beautiful charcoal stallion whinnied.

Several more adventurers left the guildhall proper to meet them.

Leading the group was a seer. Her kimono matched the guild’s flag, adorned with snake-bats. Circlets of mystic power, enchantments of some great variety, encircled her hands. Green-tinted eyes glared at them. Red-rimmed, they gave her a demented look.

Grandeur stayed a few paces behind while Kitano approached them.

“My name is Arama Kitano.” She didn’t dare make any sudden movements. “I’m a player, like all of you.” She could feel several eyes on them. What she would have done for access to a map. There’d be no way to guess just how many there were without one.

A light mist of rain began to fall. The woman’s robes flapped around her. The others, a motley group dressed in clashing styles of armor, stood awaiting her word.

“You can call me Callaban,” the woman said. “You were the ones Dox rescued?”

“I’m guessing that we are,” Kitano shrugged innocently.

“We should probably talk, but the NPC has to stay outside. One of the spellbinders is going to have to keep him paralyzed while he’s on our property,” Callaban demanded.

“Let’s be civil. You all need to hear what Grandeur has to say,” Kitano answered.

Grandeur took a step back, hands raised.

"I won’t hurt anyone.”

Two of Callaban’s guards broke off for Grandeur. “That’s the plan,” one of the two said.

Grandeur nodded toward Kitano. “If paralyzation is the cure for this dissonance, then maybe that is a small price to pay?”

Kitano watched as they led him away. What could she say? If she wanted to know more…

Callaban gestured for Kitano to join her. “Have you heard of us? The Myth Makers' guild? We never meant to house so many people....”

Kitano walked with her into the guild’s grand hall. “It looks like whatever is going on is only affecting biobakes.”

“It seems that way,” she said. “Not that I care, I haven’t logged off of Herald of Tomorrow for over two years.” The woman admired the rows of armor on the display, hung on racks, to either side of the hall. “These were all mine from different events,” she explained.

Over two years? She must have had significant organ replacement. Most biobakes still needed to sleep, eat, and take care of their bodies. She’s probably more computer than she is living flesh.

“They’re very nice,” Kitano said quickly.

“I probably wouldn’t even know there was an issue… if I could access menus.” Callaban smirked. “Everything is peaceful now. All the other players really broke immersion.”

“What about when our characters die? I’ve heard they get stuck.”

The guild leader scoffed. “My dear, you have no idea.” Stopping before eloquently etched double-doors, she pulled them open to reveal a dark corridor leading down into the depths below the mansion. “Why do you think we have been so careful with NPCs? Once they become infected, well, they’re unstoppable.”

So, there really was something wrong with Puliska, Kitano realized. That strange look in his eye! He really wasn’t himself… But if they’re worried about Grandeur—

She broke in, seemingly to read Kitano’s thoughts. “That Grandeur outside isn’t right – he doesn’t look right – if it were me, I’d leave him behind before something happens.”

The staircase leading down was wide enough for both women to walk side by side. Kitano made an effort to match Callaban’s stride. At their side, she noticed a subtle glow.

“You’re reading my thoughts?” Kitano guessed that the seer had high points in Membendi, the magic skill of mind reading.

“We plan on surviving this glitch, whatever it is,” Callaban said. Her smile became wicked. “Don't look at me like that. There’s someone here you should meet.”

At the bottom of the stair, they entered into a wet cavern, carved out from the great obsidian tower. Glowing fairies lit up the path ahead. A great silvery lake split the cavern in two. To one side an underground garden of luminous plants grew wild. Some of the landscape had been cultivated for glowing moss and mushrooms.

Callaban led Kitano in the opposite direction around the lake, toward many stalagmites, most much larger than either of them. Cuts into the stalagmites revealed ruby ore which illuminated the area around them. Other players were there, drenched in blood-red light.

“Lung?” Callaban called. She stopped before a fallen character, sprawled out on the cold gray ground. “Lung? There’s someone here you should meet.”

Kitano studied the body. That’s a player, for sure, she knew. But even in the time I’ve been here, they should have respawned and the body should have turned into a loot drop.

A spectral form emerged from behind her. The body was lean, feminine but stunningly androgynous, as many of the borrouseka were. Dark-skinned and emerald-eyed, the player encircled the fallen player character once, as though to punctuate that the two were one and the same.

“This is you?” Kitano asked.

“Indeed. I’ve had better days.”

“Lung was spirit-walking when Herald of Tomorrow glitched.” Callaban nodded reverently to the fallen player character. “But it seems to be a single occurrence. For some reason, Lung did not suffer the same fate as everyone else whose character died.”

“I know just why it happened,” Lung said in a deep tone. “My true body is in the Gears-End colony outside of Big Head Nebula. We’ve been having solar flares for the past week, and my connection has been spotty at best.” Lung frowned at Kitano. “They told me to log off of all my Gal’Net accounts.” Lung shrugged. “I did not heed their warnings, but I never thought this would happen.”

“How did your character die? Before the incident?”

Lung did not seem bothered by her straightforwardness. “Callaban and I were raiding one of the event spaces near Ever-Hollow. She was preparing a portal back to base while I provided flanking support… I’d taken bleeding damage. Spectral magic let me fight on.”

“When we teleported back… Lung succumbed to the injury,” Callaban added. “We waited, thinking that a solar flare had disrupted connections… But no. Lung remained stuck in spectral form.”

Lung snorted. “Our synch has gone through the roof. If only we could enjoy it.”

Spectral form? Kitano tried to remember what the specifics were of that ability. What she remembered gave her pause.

“How long before the magic wears off?” she asked.

Lung looked away. “When I close my eyes I am not here, nor am I back in the real world. I am locked away… Somewhere else. But... I can hear the others screaming. It’s maddening.”

Callaban sighed. “Lung took the spell as a once-a-day ability, and can only remain in this form for 24 hours maximum.”

“… and then I’ll be in the dark,” Lung said. “Stuck with all the others.”