“Get me out of the citadel.”

I’d thought about asking for access to the minotaur maze, but that would’ve still left me in the knights’ sphere of control and when the Triumvirate’s order to hand me over did come through—I no more doubted it would than Orlon—it would leave me vulnerable and exposed.

And besides, I didn’t think the knight-captain would let me in the dungeon anyway. No, the best approach was to get as far away as I could from the Triumvirate’s followers and take the decision out of their hands.

I turned back to the knight-captain to find him frowning at me, his eagerness fled. “How would we do that?” Orlon asked. “The mantises are gathered in strength at both exits.”

I shrugged. “Subterfuge. A secret tunnel. I don’t care. Just get me out.”

Richter and Orlon exchanged glances. “There may be a way,” the constable said slowly.

Orlon shot him a look. “Go on.”

“A knight detachment is scheduled to set out in an hour to close the new rift that opened last night. The mantises must know about it. They will have no reason to stop or question the detachment.” He glanced at me. “We could disguise him in their midst.”

Orlon eyed me dubiously. “He doesn’t look like a knight.”

“Put me in armor,” I said, enthused by Richter’s idea. “No one will be able to tell the difference. One knight looks much the same as another.”

The knight-captain scowled but didn’t dismiss my suggestion out of hand.

“It could work,” the constable said quietly.

Orlon bowed his head, considering the matter. A moment later, he looked up and nodded decisively. “Let’s do it.” He glanced at me. “The detachment has already begun gathering at the citadel entrance. I’ll ask one of the sergeants to prepare you. Head there now and report to—”

“I have an errand to run first,” I said, interrupting him.

Orlon glared at me.

“I’ll be quick, promise.”

The knight-captain shook his head in disbelief but didn’t gainsay me. “You have twenty minutes. Not a minute more. Understood?”

I nodded curtly and spun towards the door.

“Don’t be late,” the constable yelled after me.

“Send my armor to my room,” I called back. “I’ll equip it there.”

~~~

I raced back to my room.

I didn’t have much time, and I had much to do. Thoughts, plans, and speculations whirled around my head. Mostly, they concerned the mantises. Against all reason, the assassins had found me again. I’d been so sure I had figured out how they were tracking me.

I’d clearly been wrong.

It couldn’t just be a guess on the mantises’ part that I was in the citadel. They knew I was here. Given the lengths they’d gone to, they had to. Demanding the knights hand me over and contacting the Triumvirate directly—neither of those things spoke of uncertainty.

The mantises were sure of my location.

And how could they be?

It was unlikely that my protections had failed. I’d tested them on multiple occasions. So, either someone in the citadel had betrayed me or… someone else had.

I’d had no way of testing the first possibility—there were too many potential suspects—but the second… I knew just how to go about doing that.

More importantly though, if what I now suspected was true, then I was out of time. I couldn’t remain in Nexus much longer. But I still needed my Class.

Which was why I was about to take an unimaginable risk. It was the only way I could see to escape the fate in store for me.

Reaching my room, I dashed within and began undressing. I stripped down to my newbie clothes and stored nearly everything else in my bag of holding. The only items I kept were my sword belts, a pair of crystals, and ebonheart. The black blade was soulbound and couldn’t be lost. If the worst befell me, I didn’t want to lose my hard-earned gear.

And the chances were good that by day’s end I would most likely be dead.

At a soft knock, I turned about and yanked open the door. Two boys, too young to be players, stood waiting outside, their hands full of pieces of armor.

“For you, sir,” the lead boy said. “From the constable.”

I took the offered items.

You have acquired a rank 2 longsword. This item requires a minimum Strength of 8 to equip.

You have acquired a rank 2 set of Triumvirate squire’s armor. This item requires a minimum Constitution of 8 to equip. It is of similar design, but of lesser quality, than a full knight’s armor. The squire’s armor is provided to probationary members of the knighthood and can be worn by non-faction members.

The plate armor was cumbersome and heavy, but I could use it. Not only that, it would also hide my features better than any illusion.

Thanking the boys, I closed the door and began dressing in the new gear.

~~~

You have equipped a set of squire’s armor. This item set reduces the physical damage you sustain by 40% and penalizes your Magic and Dexterity by 70%.

Warning: you do not have the necessary skill, heavy armor, to use this item. Armor benefits not received. Penalties are in effect. Current modifiers: -23 Dexterity and -7 Magic.

It took me longer than I thought to equip myself in the plate armor. I’d been right about the armor’s clunkiness though. It was noisy, screeching with the sound of metal on metal each time I moved. I winced. There’d be no sneaking around in it.

I took one last look around the room. I was almost ready to go, but before I got going, there was something else I needed to do.

Sitting down on the bed, I considered my Class points.

What I set out to do today would be difficult, if not impossible. Still, I wouldn’t be attempting it if I didn’t think there was a chance of success and employing my Class points might tilt the odds further in my favor.

Cast my mind back to the rift dive with Simone’s party, I considered the buff Moonshadow had cast upon me. It had proved hugely beneficial. With it I’d managed to charm creatures of significantly higher level than my own.

And if I was going to succeed today, I would need to be able to do that again.

You know the rainy day you were saving your Class points for, Michael? Today is it.

Turning my focus inwards, I queried the Game.

You may advance your Class to rank 4 at this time.

Class points available: 3.

Do you wish to proceed? If you choose to advance your Class, you may advance any existing Class trait or ability or select entirely new ones from a limited set of options. Note, if any of your Class abilities or traits are lost through a future melding, their upgrades will not carry over to your new blended Class.

I ignored the Adjudicator’s warning and the options. I was committed to my path and didn’t want to become distracted by new choices. What I needed now was not a plethora of additional Class traits or abilities, but to specialize one particular trait, improving it until it forged my Mind into a finely honed weapon.

Closing my eyes, I willed my intent to the Adjudicator.

Commencing Class upgrade…

…

Upgrade complete. Class points remaining: 2.

Congratulations, Michael, your mindslayer Class has been advanced to rank 4!

You have upgraded your mental focus trait to mental focus II. The second tier of this trait increases the effectiveness of your Mind skills by 20%.

Through patient observation during my time in the Game, I knew that both skill level and attribute rank affected the success rate of any ability. Indeed, it was likely only my high Mind attribute that had allowed me, time and again, to charm, or otherwise mentally impair, those of higher level than me.

And with the additional boost provided by mental focus, I expected to reap even more benefit from my mind abilities.

With that in mind, I advanced mental focus again.

And again.

You have upgraded your mental focus trait to mental focus IV. The fourth tier of this trait increases the effectiveness of your Mind skills by 40%.

Congratulations, Michael, your mindslayer Class has been advanced to rank 6! Class points remaining: 0.

I stared at the Game message. A forty-percent boost, I mused.

It was an even higher buff—and a permanent one too—than Moonshadow had cast over me. As far as I knew there was no exact science in determining whether an ability would fail or succeed, but based on past evidence, I reckoned the upgraded trait gave me a better than even chance of charming foes at rank fifteen.

It'll do, I thought in satisfaction. Picking up the two enchantment crystals, I crushed both.

You have activated a disease protection crystal.

You have activated a scent concealment crystal.

Rising to my feet, I cast mind shield.

I’d done all that I could to prepare and was ready. Picking up my bag of holding, I exited the room, not bothering to lock the door behind me.

~~~

I had just one more stop to make before meeting the knight-detachment in the entrance foyer. Moving with painful slowness—the armor felt like it weighed a ton—I entered the emporium outlet.

“Good day, sir knight,” Cara began. “How may I—”

She broke off to study me quizzically. “Michael?”

Lifting the visor of my helm, I grinned at her. “How did you know it was me?”

Cara laughed. “I can’t tell you all my secrets now, can I?” She paused. “Why are you dressed like that?”

“I need to leave the citadel incognito. My enemies are at the door. Literally.”

“The mantises, you mean,” she said.

I nodded, unsurprised at how well-informed she was. “Anyway, I must leave quickly and unseen.” I held out the bag of holding. “And I need a favor.”

Cara took the bag unquestioningly. “How can I help?”

“Can you use your aether magic to deliver the bag to Kesh?”

“It doesn’t quite work like that,” she murmured. “But I will see that it gets to her.”

“Safely?” I asked.

“Safely,” Cara agreed. She hefted the bag of holding. “This feels like it has all your gear.”

“Not all,” I said, raising my arm to show her ebonheart.

“One sword?” Cara snorted. “Are you on a suicide run then?”

My lips turned up in a wry grin. She was too perceptive by far. “You could say that. My chances of surviving the day are... slim.”

Cara was silent for a moment. “And there is no better way?”

“None that do me any good in the long run.”

“I see,” she said softly.

“One more thing,” I said, changing the topic. “Can you retrieve an item for me from my bank account?”

“Of course,” she said. “What do you need?”

I touched her keystone. “The shortsword I have stored there.” A moment later the item in question appeared on the table, and I sheathed it in the second sword belt I’d kept for that purpose.

You have acquired a shortsword, +1.

The shortsword was part of my backup gear, and not an item I minded losing. Unfortunately, I’d not thought to store a second set of armor, nor did I have the money to buy one. I would just have to manage without.

“Thank you,” I said. “And in case we don’t see each other again…” I shifted uncomfortably, uncertain what to say. “Best of luck, and thanks for everything,” I finished awkwardly. Turning on my heel, I prepared to leave.

“Michael,” Cara said, stopping me. I glanced back to see her holding something in her hand. “This came for you this morning,” she said.

“What is it?” I asked curiously.

“A letter.”

Taking the parchment, I began to read. It was from Saya.

Dear Michael,

It’s really you! Suspecting a scam, I didn’t want to get my hopes up before, but your reply really put a smile on my face (even now, I can’t stop grinning). To say that I’m ecstatic you’re alive is, well… an understatement!

But down to business. You will be happy to learn the tavern is prospering. With the dungeon’s wealth now an open secret, the sector has become a hub of activity, and I’ve taken the liberty to renovate the Sleepy Inn, adding additional levels and rooms. As the only tavern in the safe zone, we are in high demand.

Unfortunately, success has brought its own share of problems. Nothing insurmountable, I hasten to add, so don’t worry!

As per your request, I’ve given your factor access to the tavern’s books. I’m sure you will be pleased with what you find therein.

I look forward to your return—or at the very least, a visit!

Yours truly,

Saya.

P.S. We can’t keep calling the tavern the Sleepy Inn, it’s hardly that anymore!

A small smile stole onto my face as I folded up the letter and handed it back to Cara. It was good that Saya was doing well, but I still worried about the wolves. Once I was done here, I would have to go back and check on them.

“Kesh wants to see you too,” Cara said, disrupting my musings. “She has much to discuss with you.”

“Tell her I’ll see her as soon as I can.” My smile grew lopsided. “Things are a tad busy at the moment.”

Cara nodded. “She’ll understand.”

I turned again to leave. “Good luck, Michael,” Cara called softly as I walked out.

“Thanks,” I replied. “I think I’m going to need it.”