“That is you, isn’t it? Why do you have a different name in the party data?”

(Hollen is the name I chose. It appears that Wa is the name I was programmed with.)

“Did you have little hand things before?”

(They are recent acquisitions.)

“So cute!” She grabbed one and shook it.

(Thank you?)

“We’re about to complete a quest,” Lawlimi said. “Do you want to tag along?”

“Sure,” PamyuPamyu said, “but I’m on a timer. I’m supposed to get Sharkey back his ring.”

“That’s what we’re here for.”

PamyuPamyu’s eyes grew rounder. “What? Really? Then you know about the book?”

“You mean the Book of Old Names?”

“Of course you know about it, oh my god! Do you think anybody else knows? This is so crazy. I’m in a glass case of emotion!”

(I am not understanding.)

Lawlimi touched her arm. “Pamyu, it’s just a quest. What’s going on?”

“Just a quest? Just a quest!” PamyuPamyu looked around like she thought the Watch was after her, and then physically pulled Lawlimi to a booth in the corner of the club area. There was a clockwork dial built into the table, and she twisted it, summoning a gray privacy screen.

“Neat,” Lawlimi said.

“You don’t know?” Pamyu hissed. “You really don’t know?”

“I thought I did, but now I don’t know what I don’t know.”

“Remember I told you I work for a law firm that’s handling Bill Yang’s estate? How there was some weird stuff going on with his will and testament? I’m not supposed to know about this, the partners are keeping it quiet, but they’re all terrible at secrets and I did some digging, like so much, I’m probably going to get fired. But look, Bill Yang left a hidden quest in Mystic Seasons, specifically on this server. That book has a ritual in it that is supposed to make you into a god. It’s meant as a dramatic storyline, not something to actually happen, but Bill Yang put stuff into his will and into the game without telling anyone. If you get the book and you complete the ritual, you get to be the Maker. You get his shares in the company, his developer access. It basically would be god mode.”

“That sounds familiar,” Lawlimi said. “Wasn’t that the plot of a novel?”

(I’m sure this is very different.)

“I don’t care if it was a bestseller that was later made into a disappointing movie.” PamyuPamyu waved her arms. “This is us! We can so do this, and almost nobody knows. There’s only a few rich jerks who are after it, and they barely even know how to play the game! They don’t even know that we know that they don’t know that we know!”

“Okay,” Lawlimi said. “So I was on track for this and I wasn’t even aware there was a track. This feels like déjà vu, like we’re having decisions made for us by the Maker again.”

“You still think you’re his grandson?”

“I’m not sure, but with everything that’s happened since I started playing, I can’t believe there’s not a connection between us.”

“I understand that. Maybe there is. Right now, I hope you’re right, because I want to find this thing and quit my job.”

“We have the ring, so no one else on this quest line can get it. Doesn’t that mean we’re ahead?”

(Not necessarily. Sharkey could generate any number of quest responses for the potential reward of information about the Underworld Auction. We could well be ten or twenty players behind and not be aware of their involvement at all, because they were able to complete other quests that weren’t offered to us or simply pay for the information, as PamyuPamyu’s superiors are likely accustomed to doing in real life. Regardless, the auction doesn’t commence until the appointed time, so we can assume that everyone who made it this far will be on equal footing at that point.)

“Then let’s finish this quest.” Lawlimi rose.

Sharkey had more thugs this time, and they flexed and squinted professionally at our approach. The wild-haired guildmaster gesticulated impatiently.

“Do you have it? Is it here?”

“I do,” Lawlimi said, setting the ring atop one of the columns of frilly throw pillows around the leader’s feet.

Sharkey snatched the ring and held it up to the light. “It’s mine! Mine!” He thrust the circle on his finger.

>>

[Quest Completed — The Wan Ring]

Sharkey and his precious ring have been reunited. He is willing to forgive the Rat King faux pas and considers you an ally.

(Lawlimi gains 400 XP)

(Wa Lim Li gains 400 XP)

(PamyuPamyu gains 400 XP)

(Haggitha gains 400 XP)

(Shippo gains 400 XP)

(Dokutsu is too advanced to receive experience for this Challenge.)

(Lawlimi has enough experience to advance in level.)

(PamyuPamyu has enough experience to advance in level.)

>>

“No way!” PamyuPamyu stuck her fists on her hips. “How did you level again? You should need so much more experience than that.”

“It was my Slay Dokutsu quest. Right when we died, I was the only one still involved in that quest chain. So when she became my companion I got three thousand experience.”

“Three thousand!”

“Ahem,” Sharkey said. “There is still the matter of the auction, yes?”

PamyuPamyu kicked Lawlimi in the shin. “Yeah. Sure. Where is it?”

“In the Gold District.” Sharkey grinned, exposing even white teeth in contrast to his ragamuffin exterior. “At the mansion of an acquaintance, Lord Kurunere.”

“Thank you for your help,” Lawlimi said.

The bony old man only looked at his ring and continued to smile. We took our leave and found ourselves back in the Dregs with hours ahead of us before the auction.

“So do you think we should show up early?” PamyuPamyu asked.

“I need to visit the Watch Office. My other companions are in jail.”

“Oh no!” PamyuPamyu’s hands covered her mouth. “Are you going to have to do community service?”

“No, I made a deal with the captain to let them go, but I don’t want them to be stuck there any longer than they have to.”

“Lead the way.”

(We are not alone.)

Indeed, threats were approaching from all directions. One of them was familiar, Elezzar89, wrapped in a moss green cloak with a hood to obscure his face. The others were Dadaeans, dwarves native to a mountainous region on the western border of Lower Valanthia. There were seven of them, all shirtless, representing a broad range of fitness and age, from washboard abdominals to saggy grandpa breasts. Each one sported an overdeveloped mustache and a gimmicky name: Slutty, Sleezy, Smutt, Gimpy, Pimpy, Classy, and Cock.

“The Hentai Clan,” Lawlimi said.

“Ew.” PamyuPamyu cringed behind him.

“That’s right,” Elezzar89 said. “I told you there’d be hell to pay.”

“You didn’t mention dwarves.”

“Anyone who robs Elezzar89 robs the Clan,” Classy said. “There are going to be consequences and repercussions.”

“Does it matter that he was trying to rob me first?”

“Not really,” said Cock. The dwarves were all different levels, but Cock was by far the most advanced, Heroic 9. His proportions were odd, with forearms as thick as his legs, and he looked like he could crush rocks with his pectorals.

“Where’s your blue beauty?” Elezzar89 asked.

“She’s on break. All you’ve got is me.”

“That’s fine. I’ll have my money back, and squids are always in demand.”

(For what?)

“Ew,” PamyuPamyu said again. “Hey, could you both close your eyes for a second? I’ve got something I can do.”

I nictitated, lowering a filmy membrane over my saucer-sized squid eyes, which was the best I could do. My sensitive auditory apparatus detected a rustling of cloth, and much more obviously, PamyuPamyu calling out a phrase that didn’t make sense.

“Frostmourne Hungers!”

A wave of cold and dread pressed down on me, halting my breath. I knew that I was in the presence of something terrible and great, and I was glad not to look.

There was a wailing of dwarves such as there never had been and I hoped never would be again.

A rustling of cloth.

“Okay, you’re good.”

The Hentai Clan had been dispersed. I could see their hairy backs fleeing into the early morning gray.

“Pamyu,” Lawlimi said, “what was that?”

“Oh, you remember my mystery box?”

“Yeah.”

“It wasn’t a boat.”

We returned to the Gold Office with eleven hours and twelve minutes to spare, and Captain Fara received us with approval once she knew we had the location.

“I’m going to send an undercover to confirm this, and then I’ll release your companions. Hang out until then.”

We sat in the waiting area of the Watch Office, and PamyuPamyu got fidgety. “I want to be with you at the auction, but I don’t know if I’m going to be able to. I need to log out, sleep, and do some work. I’ll try to sneak out. If I can’t, I’ll message you as soon as I’m back in the game. We’re partied again, so I shouldn’t have trouble finding you. I don’t know what happened before.”

“That’s fine,” Lawlimi said. “I want to advance before we go in, so I’m going to be down anyway. There’s just enough time.”

“Go team.” Pamyu high-fived him and then vanished.

(I will be awake.)

“Good, I figured you got your nap already, but I’ll be fatigued soon.” He pushed several chairs together, scraping their legs on the wooden flooring and earning a glare from the clerk. Then he lay down and entered his adytum. His avatar took on the faint glow of an active unconscious player. That left me alone, so I took the liberty of going through his inventory and setting up a miniature alchemical laboratory on the floor of the Watch Office, winning me several coughs and one meaningful throat clearing from the clerk.

“Do you have any water?” I asked him. “Also, a way to make fire?”

He didn’t understand me at first, but once it was established that my gurgling noises were actually human speech, he was surprisingly helpful and possibly terrified.

Making use of Lawlimi’s Valerian Root, Tansy, Nightshade Leaves, and a pinch of crystal dust, I was able to concoct a few Health potions and one Greater Mana potion.

>>

Health Potion (3)

Heroic Level 1

Regain 680 Body over 30 seconds.

Greater Mana Potion (1)

Heroic Level 3

Regain 1,150 Spirit over 15 seconds.

Brewmaster 1 — Achievement

You have brewed your first potion, the first of many. Is this the beginning of a career in alchemy, or the work of gritty necessity? Long hours and longer years await, but the rewards are bountiful.

Brewmaster 2 — 30% Complete

(You gain 10 XP)

Superior Craft 1 — Achievement

You have successfully completed a crafting challenge that resulted in a product above your character level. There is no limit to where your creativity may lead. This is an accomplishment of note.

Superior Craft 2 — 60% Complete

(You gain 50 XP)

>>

As I was working, Captain Fara received word that our intelligence appeared to be accurate. Haggitha, Shippo, and Dokutsu were allowed into the main waiting area to bear witness to the mess I’d made. While my hands were functional, they were also very small, and my arms were not as stable or as obedient as I would have liked. They kept trying to taste everything, which was something my underarms did along with giving me a sense of smell.

>>

[Quest Completed — Sharkey’s Shadow]

>>

Captain Fara was satisfied. “I know the location of the secret auction and will be able to make arrests. You’re free to go, for now. If you step on the wrong side of the law again, this city might not be the place for you.”

>>

(Lawlimi gains 250 XP)

(Haggitha gains 250 XP)

(Shippo gains 250 XP)

(Wa Lim Li gains 250 XP)

(Dokutsu is too advanced to receive experience for this Challenge.)

(Wa Lim Li has enough experience to advance in level.)

(Haggitha has enough experience to advance in level.)

>>

“I need to join him in there to progress.” Haggitha touched Lawlimi’s forehead, then sat with her knees against her chest and her back to his makeshift cot before closing her eyes. “Nobody touch me,” she said, and consciousness left her.

“Chi?” Dokutsu circled the area like a dog, and ended curling up half in Haggitha’s lap.

“This is not a hotel!” the clerk shouted.

“My apologies,” I said, and he shuddered.

“Want to play cards?” Shippo asked.

“We can, but I need to visit my adytum first.”

“Oh.” His snout fell.

“It won’t take long,” I assured him.

The Command deck of Eternity was exactly as I had left it, except that there was someone in the pilot’s seat. Instead of Lili, it was an old man with the seat’s input spikes inserted in sockets on both sides of his head. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t put a name to his face.

“Hello?” There was no response. While intriguing, his sudden appearance didn’t automatically portend any particular doom. The armored giant was still frozen in front of the view screens. Here was another subroutine that perhaps had not yet fully activated.

I quickly modified my statistics. Because I was no longer having issues with my mobility, I decided my Strength and Dexterity were at a comfortable level. It was not my intent to become a frontline fighter, not at two feet tall. Because I was still deathly squishy, I ranked my Constitution to four, which gave me a Body total at level six of 550, a major improvement.

With my Crafts and Concealment at maximum, I pumped Athletics. Even if I was separated from the party, I would be able to get back to them across any terrain other than lava. Climbing, swimming, and speed crawling were all on the table.

Combat Expertise was a natural choice for my Maneuver, and I was instantly better at it than Lawlimi, who hadn’t advanced past rank one. Because of the volume and vociferousness of complaints lodged, I used my Nadir point to improve my ability to vocalize, then continued to enhance my Heat Resistance and Glory. That was all there was to it. I wouldn’t concern myself with the mystery pilot until he became a problem or began to converse with me.

Shippo was surprised to see me come awake so quickly, and we managed to fit in several rounds of Tarro before the others opened their eyes. They weren’t perfect games. Dokutsu had eaten a few of the cards, but I allowed Shippo to beat me and he was satisfied. Despite the clerk’s protests, which were repeated every half hour, nothing was done to expel us from the entrance of the Watch Office. Nearly everyone who passed through was an NPC, and they tended to ignore players acting oddly unless the behavior affected them directly. So it was that the day passed into late afternoon, and Lawlimi woke.

“I made you a few potions.”

“Really? Wowzers!” He took what I offered. “Can you teach me these recipes?”

“Of course.”

“Oh no,” Haggitha said. “Instead of sounding like an angry mop bucket he sounds like a parrot after a stroke.”

“This is the best I can do.”

“Then why do you try?”

“Okay!” Lawlimi said. “We’ve got an auction to bust up.”

“You don’t think you’ll be able to buy the book?”

“If Pamyu’s bosses are involved, then the money side of this is going to be out of our league. We’re going to have to figure out where the book is being kept, and get it before Captain Fara decides to break up the show.”

“Are we going to get arrested again?” Haggitha asked.

“I hope not.”

“Can we get breakfast?” Shippo wiggled his nose. “Haven’t eaten all day.”

“Sure, buddy, let’s get breakfast.”

Seaweed wraps it was, and we were only a few minutes’ walk from the target location, an estate that made Beagle’s manor seem like a one-room shack. There were only a few properties like this in all of Aejis, and most of them belonged to the Church of Supreme Divinity, serving as Betai’s grandest temple compounds. It was unusual for a private citizen to be allowed to own something this magnificent in a society where religion and the state were one, and everyone ostensibly lived in service to both.

The gates were massive stone fabrications graven with visions of angelic figures locked in struggle with gruesome Tellurians. They were operated by a mechanical system of gears and winches on the interior. Lawlimi gave his name to the guards and we were allowed to pass. I had half expected to be turned away and be forced to trespass.

“Lord Kurunere wishes to speak with you,” we were told, and a butler escorted us inside the main building and up a wide, curving stair into a splendid study lit by a row of three blazing hearths.

Lord Kurunere wore a layered robe as snowy as his hair, which was long but combed back neatly out of his face. His beard had been braided down to his chest, and he smiled with a mouth full of neat white teeth. It was obviously Sharkey.