[THE HAVEN]

Jay woke up. It was all just a dream.

Or at least, that was his assumption. What else could it be? There was no logical alternative. All he remembered was a bright flash of light and a thunderous noise. Then there was darkness. Now suddenly, he was back at his computer like nothing happened.

A dream however, seemed equally implausible. Jay didn’t dream - he was barely familiar with the concept of dreaming.

Maybe he was dead? If that were the case, the afterlife looked just like the former-life.

A third possibility existed: Jay had survived. But that seemed unlikely. The silver man’s pistol had fired into his brain. Multiple times.

Yet here he was in drab, vivid reality. His Zero Space helmet dangled from its cord. A faint green light radiated from his computer tower. A fan circulated the stench of expired snacks. Everything was just as he left it.

Jay crept into his living room --

-- It was empty. Just a cool breeze from his electric air conditioning unit. The faint hum of a refrigerator. The smell of old pizza. But no sign of the silver suits. Or Anton.

Maybe Anton was at work. Yeah, that was it - that’s what it had to be. Last night couldn’t have happened. No one in the Haven dressed in silver spandex; they would stick out too much. And no one in the Haven could beat Anton. Jay was certain of that.

Any minute now, Anton would walk through that door. This was all some strange trip, brought about by stress, or maybe something Jay ate. He turned back towards his room --

-- His foot sloshed through a moist red stain. Blood. There was no mistaking it - this was where it happened.

This was where Jay died.

Jay’s breathing intensified. His eyes bulged as he collapsed to the floor, trembling uncontrollably. His mind grasped at fleeting strands of logic, but he couldn’t escape reality: Silver men killed him, and took Anton. There was no denying it.

He lifted a single Captain Lair comic from the floor, flipping it open to a random page. Involuntary tears fell on a painted superhero, staring up at Jay through a tiger-claw mask. Anton was Jay’s real-life hero, and now he was gone. There was no one else Jay could turn to.

No one had the answers. Except maybe --

Bander.

That hacker magicoid - he knew more about the Haven than he let on. If anyone knew what was happening here, it was Bander. And if Bander didn’t know the answers, he would know how to find them.

[ZERO SPACE]

Shae arrived to an empty guild hall, as barren as his unit. Even on slow days, there was hardly standing room. Had the events of reality somehow affected his guild?

Distant voices provided a logical explanation for it. He hurried to Chief’s room, finding his entire guild gathered for an assembly. For once in his life, Shae was right on time.

A single tap of Chief’s finger silenced squawking birds.

“Feather Birds,” Chief began. “I have something heavy. Heavy news, I mean.”

Shae spotted Bander, standing with Asira near the front of the crowd. He approached them, ready to shove his way through.

“Shae is dead,” cried Chief.

Shae froze as a stunned silence fell over the crowd. He slinked backwards, obscuring himself behind two pieces of furniture.

“I was informed earlier today,” said Chief. “By enforcers, I mean. As your guild leader, it’s my responsibility to tell you this. Both Shae and his roommate were murdered. By deserters, I mean.”

Deserters? Those silver suits weren’t deserters. Not like any Shae had ever seen at least. And Anton wasn’t dead. He was captured. Or at least that’s what the silver suits said before they --

“This is great,” Chief started. “A great tragedy, I mean.”

A soft cry escaped Chief’s incisors as she went AFK. Dalli stood by her side, mourning her loss. He knew what lengths she’d taken to give Shae a second chance. All of her efforts were wasted. If only Dalli could visit her in the Haven and give her a great big hug.

Dalli twitched from an unexpected pang of guilt. Though his time with Shae was mostly unpleasant, he never wanted this to happen. He glanced at Shae’s other allies. Lanzer seemed shocked. Bander was mortified. Umi recited a solemn prayer to Ledgess.

Asira bawled. She had left Shae so angrily, and over something so stupid as a Level 2 material. Would those be her final words to him?

Shae watched his friends in silence. It pained him to see them this way. Maybe it was time to step forward? This could only get worse.

Chief’s body reanimated.

“Shae meant a great deal to many of us,” Chief said. “He had so much untapped talent. I regret never telling him so.”

Shae was dumbstruck. Chief was complimenting him. Like, really complimenting him. Public commendations from Chief were rare, even posthumously. Maybe he could wait just a little longer.

“Shae seemed like the one who might do it,” Chief said. “Conquer the tower, I mean. He was one in a million. A true diamond in the rough. I will name a bird in his honor.”

Shae liked the idea of having a bird named after him. A screeching, shitting thing that would forever annoy other players on his behalf. That was even better than being an MVP.

Two sharp eyes locked onto Shae - they belonged to SizeMatters1420. The triangloid stood near the back of the assembly, his scales red with rage.

“I will say it again,” said Chief. “Don’t answer your unit door unless you know who it is. There are real dangers. In the Haven, I mean. The Healer Killer. Deserters. You can never be too careful --”

“SHAE IS ALIVE!” shouted SizeMatters1420, pointing an accusatory finger. “THE SNEAKY LITTLE BASTARD IS RIGHT THERE. HE’S HIDING OUT NEAR THE BACK. LOOK, THERE HE IS!”

All heads immediately turned towards the back of the room. There was Shae - his body bent between a shelf and a lamp. Shae’s hand rose, giving them all a slow awkward wave. A bashful grin beamed below his sunglasses.

Chief shook with anger. Her beetle wings fluttered.

“Meeting adjourned,” she said.

---

Dalli gripped Shae’s jacket, hoisting him to the edge of the guild rooftop.

“How dare you do that to Chief!” Dalli roared. “She poured her heart out for you. And you let her do it!”

Shae peered down towards the clouds. Thousands of sharp mountain peaks lurked below, like hungry teeth awaiting a meal.

“That’s enough Dalli,” said Chief. “Shae already came once. Back from the dead, I mean. Let’s not kill him again.”

Shae slithered free, scurrying back towards solid ground.

“I wasn’t dead,” Shae lied.

“I heard otherwise,” said Chief. “From the enforcers, I mean. Their report was quite thorough.”

“It was wrong,” Shae said. “Deserters did break in, but they, um, didn’t kill me. I was just hiding. They stole a few things and ran away.”

Chief’s wings scuttered.

“Well, I am pleased to see you’re alive,” Chief said. “But even so, I’m afraid I cannot make you Raid Captain.”

“We lost to the Goblin King?” asked Shae.

“We beat the Goblin King,” snarled Dalli. “Barely. No thanks to you leaving.”

“My Unit was getting robbed, if you didn’t hear,” Shae snarled back.

“Your effort was commendable,” said Chief. “But the content ahead requires a Level 2 material. Everyone who was present for the Goblin King’s death received one. You were not. Present, I mean.”

Shae’s heart sank. It was just one blow after another.

“Hold up,” said Shae, glancing at Dalli. “You were already a Level 2. That means you have an extra material.”

“Actually,” said Dalli. “I used mine for something.”

Dalli tapped his spear against his own leg. He was wearing fancy striped pants - new pants.

“You screwed me over, for a pair of pants?” asked Shae.

“They were nice pants,” said Dalli. “And you can’t blame me for thinking you were dead!”

“Erm, there is one more thing,” Chief piled on. “While you were fighting the Goblin King, Matt and his team secured one. A Level 2 material, I mean. I’m not sure how. He can be resourceful, at times.”

Shae slumped further. If SizeMatters1420 found a Level 2 material, that could only mean --

“I’m afraid Matt is it,” said Chief. “My new Raid Captain, I mean.

Everything was ruined. Shae’s virtual and non-virtual realities were both in shambles.

“Can I go now?” Shae asked.

“I suppose so,” said Chief. “You may inquire with Matt about travelling with him, though he mentioned he had other plans for you.”

Dalli twitched. Just yesterday, he would have left Shae to his fate. But in spite of everything, he understood what Chief saw in Shae. The Goblin King mission made him a believer.

“There might be a way to get him a Level 2,” said Dalli. “But it’s a longshot.”

Both Chief and Shae turned towards him.

“There’s a World Event tomorrow in Trader Town,” said Dalli. “Three hundred players enter, and one of them can win a Level 2.”

Chief scratched at her incisors.

“I am aware of this world event,” said Chief. “It’s a lot. The competition, I mean.”

“You said Shae is one in a million,” said Dalli. “He should at least be one in three hundred.”

Chief’s wings fluttered.

“I’ve already promoted Matt,” said Chief. “That’s not an action I can easily undo.”

Dalli shrugged. At least he tried. That was enough to show he cared.

“I’m sorry Shae,” said Chief. “I can at least promise you a space in the guild. The Feather Birds will always be yours. Your home, I mean.”

Shae scoffed. Without Anton, there was no home.

---

Bander and Asira ambushed Shae the moment he stepped off the VIP elevator.

“Alright, you idiot,” said Bander. “What the hell is going on? Enforcers don’t make mistakes. If they said you were dead, you were dead Shae.”

“They didn’t lie,” said Shae. “Not about that at least.”

“Shae, please, what happened?” asked Asira, her pteranoid fur standing on end.

Shae glanced around at snooping Feather Birds. “Not here.”

The three of them relocated to a storage closet, cramming their bodies between unused bird cages.

“Alright,” said Shae, looking at Bander. “I have some questions for you.”

“No, you first, idiot,” Bander responded. “Tell us everything.”

Shae complied, peppering in a few dramatic details. In his version, he took at least four silver suits down with him.

“I need to know who those people are,” said Shae.

“Shae,” Asira interrupted. “You died.”

Bander’s staff massaged his scalp.

“This is insane,” said Bander. “I’d heard rumors about this sort of thing, but I didn’t think they were true.”

“Hold up,” said Shae. “So you know what’s going on with me?”

“I’ve heard things,” said Bander. “Premium accounts are the stuff of legends. Resurrection is like, the least insane story associated with them.”

“How is that possible?” asked Asira.

“I don’t know,” said Bander. “But whatever you’re mixed up in Shae, it’s real bad.”

“Just tell me who the silver suits are,” said Shae.

“I don’t know who they are, idiot,” said Bander. “You think I know every weird group in the Haven? I can find out, but it will take time. And in the meantime, you need to lay low.”

“Wait Shae,” said Asira. “Please tell me you’re not still in your Unit.”

Shae’s silence confirmed it.

“You idiot,” said Bander. “You’re still in your unit? What the hell are you doing? If those guys find out you’re not dead, they’re going to come back for you.”

“Where the hell am I supposed to go?” yelled Shae.

“I might be able to help with that,” said Asira.

Both Shae and Bander glanced at her.

“I have a ‘friend’ who specializes in moving things,” Asira said. “That includes people. He owes me a favor.”

Bander narrowed his eyes. “Wait, Asira, what kind of shady shit are you into?”

“I did what I had to to survive,” said Asira. “This will be a big risk, but it’s less risky than staying where you are now.”

Shae nodded. “Just give me his info.”

“Meet me in the Haven,” said Asira. “In our usual spot. If you’re really Shae, you’ll know where that is.”

“You think someone got into Shae’s account?” asked Bander. “This is definitely Shae. He’s too stupid to be anyone else.

“It’s not that,” said Asira, still trembling. “You died Shae. I need to see you with my own eyes.”

Asira grabbed Shae’s wrist.

“I need to know you still exist!”