As Keto laid out the logistics for taking the fortress, Gunnar caught Em glancing at him several times. He held her gaze, her bright green eyes flashing in the dim light. She looked confused.

Gunnar: You all right?

Em: Just… glad you’re okay.

Gunnar: Everything okay? You know? IRL?

Em didn’t respond right away. She looked somewhere beyond him, and then, her eyes settled on him once more.

Gunnar: It’s not that hard to figure out. You’re not a prisoner, are you?

Em: A conversation for another time. But I’m okay.

They both set their attention to the matter at hand. An infiltration of a large guard station with lots of exposure in order to reach the inner keep, where Lord Hightower was almost certainly hiding.

When the plan was finished, another notification arrived.

[Nighthawk Guild Master Rodrigo has been captured by the Red Cloaks!]

There was a long silence before Katana voiced what they were all thinking. “Is there still going to be a guild by the time we get back to Thailen?”

Gunnar’s stomach churned. His future in this world was tied to climbing the ranks of the Nighthawks. Sure, he still had the Cryptids, but what kind of streams would he manage raiding trade caravans on the outskirts of the city? Would Nymoria still want to keep him as her champion if his guild was destroyed?

Niall was trying to reassure them all with feeble words, but his voice was a drone beneath the worried mutterings of the Nighthawks. Gunnar just kept thinking about his future crumbling. Maybe even his only shot at getting out of prison.

Finally, Gunnar couldn’t hold back any longer.

He interrupted their leader.

“We need to do something, Niall.”

“What exactly do you propose we do from across the sea? All we can do is finish this quest.”

“Katana’s right,” Gunnar said. “None of this matters if all the masters are dead. I’ve got a way I can make it back to Thailen in an instant. And I’m going to use it.”

“What way?” Niall asked, a hint of hope unmasked in his voice.

“Yeah, what way?” growled Azmar.

“You said it can’t involve other players and can’t involve killing,” Gunnar said.

“A boon still has limitations,” Azmar said.

“A boon?” Em asked.

“From my goddess,” Gunnar said. “And you can fast-travel already, Azmar.”

“And I’ve already been overly involved in this quest.”

“You think Luka hasn’t been involved in any of this back in Thailen?” Gunnar asked. “Because I think that’s what this is really about.”

“What are you talking about?” said Niall.

“Before we left,” Gunnar said, “one of the cherubs from the temple came to see me. To try to recruit me to change sides. I think that’s what this is all about.”

“You changing sides?” Niall asked.

“The gods,” Gunnar said. “The governor’s dead, and our guild was about to have too much power. Now, there’s a power vacuum in Thailen.”

Em nodded. “There’s a lot of Glory to be had in a guild war. For us and the gods.”

“The boon can only involve you,” Azmar reminded him. “Assuming Nymoria will allow it at all.”

“I think she will,” Gunnar said. “You all should still try to take Hightower. I expect we could use a prisoner of war. I’ll regroup after all the dust settles.”

“You can’t go back alone,” Em said.

“I won’t be alone. Azmar will be with me.”

The creature glowered. “No, she’s right, that’s basically alone.”

“And we’ve got allies back in Thailen,” Gunnar said.

A forlorn look crossed Em’s face. In truth, it annoyed Gunnar a little. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t love Em’s help, obviously. But he had also gotten on just fine while she had been dipping in and out of the game in the midst of some very intense quests.

But he knew she was just worrying about him.

Niall grimaced, but nodded to Gunnar.

Immediately a new prompt appeared.

Quest Update - Chaos Theory (Phase Three)

Description: Swear word! Swear word! Sweary swear! Wow, this quest is not turning out great for the mighty Nighthawks at all. What an absolute frenetic bummer! Can New Recruit, Gunnar Ashwood unearth the traitor within the ranks? Or will the entire guild implode only days after he joined? Yes, we’re talking about you in the third person. Because that’s how unimportant we think you are.

Objective: Find the traitor and save the guild.

Reward: Look, if you actually manage to save the guild, it might actually turn out well for you. But the odds of that happening are about 463:1. You can’t argue with that. It’s math!

Do you wish to accept? Yes/No

Gunnar took a deep breath, and accepted.

“And what about your squad’s role in this quest?” Niall asked.

Gunnar clasped Kid Killer’s shoulder. “Their new leader’s got a higher guild rank than me, anyway. They’ll be just fine.”

Kid Killer beamed. “Thank you, sir.”

“All right, Nighthawks,” Niall said, “let’s move out.”

There were two ladders up to the roof, and the Nighthawks split up between the two exits, and spread out into the city, heading for the guard outpost. The Beta Squad members all wished Gunnar luck before they followed Kid Killer down.

Em and Niall hung back.

“Any final thoughts you didn’t want to share in front of the group?” Gunnar asked.

Niall shook his head. “You know I don’t trust the Grand Master. Truly, I hope I’m wrong. But I fear for Leilani.”

“What about the last one, Master Zeda?” Gunnar asked.

“I don’t know. Just be careful. Start at the guild house.”

“Surely the Red Cloaks have infiltrated it by now,” Gunnar said.

“If there’s a traitor from within, then probably, yes. And if that’s the case, the traitor may very well be there. And if not, then, one of the masters may be holed up there.”

“Maybe one of the Cryptids knows something,” Em said.

“The what?” asked Niall. “Oh right, your little side guild.”

“If anyone knows anything, it’d be Sheira,” Gunnar said.

“Good luck,” Niall said, and stepped down the ladder, leaving Gunnar and Em alone while Azmar paced awkwardly nearby.

“Be careful,” Em said, clasping Gunnar’s hand. She pulled him close and into a brief kiss.

“You too,” Gunnar said as her warm lips pulled away. “Maybe we’ll get some downtime one of these days.”

Em chuckled. “I wouldn’t count on it.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“I wish I could help you,” said Em, clasping his hand.

“Alright, alright, enough already,” Azmar croaked as he landed beside them. “Gods, you two sure are clingy for people who haven’t even defined their relationship.”

“How would you know that?”

“I know everything,” Azmar said. “And anybody can tell by the way you dance around each other whenever anyone’s around. Except for me, apparently, which I’m actually pretty salty about.”

Em blushed and pulled away. “I’ll see you back in Thailen, Gunnar. Azmar, I’ll see you in hell.”

And with that, she leapt over the edge of the rooftop, grabbing the sides of the ladder and sliding down.

“Oh, tough chick,” Azmar muttered. “I’ve got little foxy claws. I like to lash out at people for no good reason.”

Gunnar turned and glared at Azmar. “You’re an asshole. That’s a great reason.”

“Assholery is in the eye of the beholder.”

“Let’s go,” said Gunnar.

“You have to use your boon, numb nuts.”

Gunnar grimaced and pulled up the item in his Inventory.

[Do you wish to use the item, Boon of a Goddess? Yes/No]

“If Nymoria rejects this boon, I will laugh myself off this roof,” Azmar said with a sly grin.

“I’ll push you, if you don’t shut up.”

Gunnar mentally assented to the prompt.

[Your boon has been initiated. Please wait for a response from the Elysian Court.]

“The Elysian Court?” Gunnar asked, suddenly worried that fast travel might have been too big of an ask. “I thought Nymoria just had to approve.”

“Nah,” said Azmar, “the boon has to be approved by half the court at least.”

“Why didn’t it say anything about that in the boon’s description? Why didn’t you say anything about that?”

[Still awaiting response…]

The message flashed in front of his vision, as though taunting him while he waited.

Azmar shrugged. “I’m not allowed to influence your decision on the mattter. The whole thing about the boon is that you have to weigh your choice.”

“Well, you better hope it gets approved, because as I recall, your fate is pretty tied to mine,” Gunnar said.

“Don’t remind me.”

There was a chime and a flash of blue light as another notification appeared.

[Your boon has been approved.]

Gunnar sighed with relief. “Alright, let’s get the hell out of here.”

“Where are we going exactly?”

“Thailen,” Gunnar said with annoyance. “Do I have to speak the command?”

“No,” Azmar growled. “I don’t know if you’re aware, but Thailen is a large city. Do you want to arrive at the Mermaid? In the middle of a Red Cloak outpost? Or—”

“The Nighthawk headquarters. Not right outside the entrance. There’s an alley nearby. Drop me there.”

Azmar’s face turned in disappointment. “I was hoping you’d say the other alley. You know, Half Mast Alley.”

“Half Mast… Wait, y-you saw that?”

“Oh yeah, that moment was a hit. According to Nymoria, anyway. The Half Mast Alley clip has lots and lots of views. That’s what she said.”

“Oh god,” Gunnar muttered.

“I find your embarrassment hilarious. Makes total sense to me that others feel the same.”

“Well, we’re going to a different alley. Too bad.”

“Too bad for your streams.”

“Whatever,” Gunnar said.

A blue haze gathered around Azmar and Gunnar, as warning bells rang out across the city. He hoped Em and the others would be okay.

But he had a feeling he was the one headed into truly dangerous territory.

The city slowly disappeared, and then, Gunnar’s stomach lurched as they left Mavenport behind.