“Knock knock,” Eric said, to a wide-eyed Drake wearing blue jeans, work boots and a denim jacket of all things, who’s look of surprise quickly became the brightest of grins.

“Eric! Damn good to see you, boyscout. It’s been four months. We thought you were a goner.”

Eric noted that Drake, with his piercing blue eyes and chiseled jawline was still exuding the rugged charm of a former college linebacker that he remembered so well, but there was so much more to him as well. Besides the odd feeling of Professional competence he exuded, Drake was now radiating the aura of a strong Classer, at least compared to the Freetown norm. Still, he didn’t hesitate to give Eric a bear hug, pounding his back, before dragging him inside, and Eric was more than a little bit awed by the changes he saw to the already impressive manor.

The near acre’s worth of walled compound now included a three story building that looked very much like an old fashioned college dormitory, complete with robed men and women going to and fro, Eric sensing at least faint arcane auras or blood magic from all of them, even from a distance, with clusters of what Eric assumed were either students or adventurers on good terms with Grim’s clan who were either free sparring with sabers or wands, or studying in small groups. Of course, more than a few were now looking curiously Eric’s way.

“So what do you think of the new addition, my man?”

Eric couldn’t help grinning at the sight. “Looks fucking sweet. If things we’re different, I’d be asking you to sign me up for classes! Don’t tell me Grim is now starting his own arcane academy?”

Drake blinked, then gave a rueful chuckle. “Damn right, we are! And guess who unlocked an engineering class?” He chuckled at Eric’s impressed whistle. “Best of all, it includes carpentry and stone masonry, and a gut feel on how to make a building as solid and durable as possible! And I got unlimited resources to work with, as Grim and all his elite disciples are using a good chunk of our… ahem… funding to establish an adventuring academy actually worth being called that! Now it’s all about finding the right instructors and Conscripts or other Classers even greener around the gills than you were, ha, ha, as long as they have that boy scout spirit that turned you into such a whirlwind so damn quickly!"

His friend gave a rueful shrug, as if embarrassed by his own enthusiasm. “Of course we’re still piecing together the magical components of it, but at least we now have instructors for the major wand types, and a couple exotic variants we found in the dungeons that actually have resources. But you’d better believe we spend just as much time on the martial aspect of things, training our guildmates how best to use the sweet, sweet toys that made all the difference for us in Freetown.”

Eric’s eyes widened at this. “Wait, you guys actually represent a guild and a training academy? Well done, my friend. That’s exactly what we need if we’re going to have any chance in the years ahead.”

Drake nodded. “Totally agree, good buddy. Now me and Louie’s martial skills are finally getting somewhere!” He flashed a proud smile. “And guess who finally got his Warrior class?” His eyes widened when he finally registered the coolly smiling woman by Eric’s side.

“Um… Eric.”

“Yes, Drake?”

“Is that the um, well...”

Eric winced. “Sorry. Introductions! Drake, this is my mother, Aurelia Silver. You might have seen her on the big screen, a time or two. Mom? This is Drake! As true and honorable a friend as you could hope to have fighting, or robbing, by your side. And he’s an ace burglar to boot!”

Aurelia chuckled throatily, offering her hand. “Charmed.”

Drake swallowed, nervously bowing and shaking her hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Lady Silver.”

“Likewise, Drake. I don’t suppose Grim is available? We are rather pressed for time, I’m afraid.”

Drake’s smile immediately faded. He turned to catch Eric’s gaze. “Everything okay?”

Eric dipped his head. “Knock on wood it is, but we have less than an hour to make our play.”

This earned a chuckle. “Well then, let’s not keep Lord Grim waiting. I think he’ll be thrilled to know you’re okay.”

“Sweet. So where’s the rest of the gang?”

“Alice and Morlekai are with Grim. And would you believe Louie also managed to wrangle a Professional class for himself?”

“Wow, no kidding.”

“Ha, and you’ll never guess what it is!”

Eric winced, recalling all too well lessons that had resulted into what should have been a broken neck. He still got shivers thinking of that grinding crack shivering down his spine. “Don’t tell me he’s a...”

“That’s right! Natural born Weapons Trainer. He got the option for that, and the Warrior class, when he hit Journeyman in bardiche and spear. He’s off giving some of our green boys and girls their very first experience against some of the lower level nasties. I know he’ll be sorry he missed your visit. Good thing we have access to decent polearms almost as good as Smith's and more than a few decent armorers on hand. Not like swinging a broadsword will do shit against rats and rock dogs, unlike the bullshit you'll see in every fantasy game ever.”

Eric nodded. “Tell him I said hi, and congrats on the upgrade!”

Drake laughed. “I will. Seems like breaking your neck paid off big time, ha ha!” He then winced when the air turned decidedly frosty.

“Metaphorically speaking of course, Lady Silver.”

Eric laughed. “Yeah, no worries, mom. I’m right as rain, and Louie’s another good guy to have at your back. So long as he’s only training people with a Vitality of twenty or above, ha ha.”

“I see,” Aurelia said.

Eric cleared his throat, sharing an awkward look with Drake, both of them deciding that silence might be golden.

Eric soon found himself walking familiar corridors within the baroque manor, the grand halls lined with numerous portraits and landscapes, interspersed with vases filled with beautifully preserved blossoms giving off the most exquisite fragrances. His eyes were drawn to muraled alcoves that showed such exquisite color saturation, shading, and attention to detail that he couldn’t help but wonder if there was actually Artistic Professions, and if maybe they could give him lessons. One day, when he actually had the time to learn.

He couldn’t help but admire the overall sense of design. The well-polished hardwood floors gave the grand hallways a warm, almost cozy feel, despite the ostentatious display of wealth before they ascended down a final flight of gold-veined marble steps, feet now silent on plush lamb’s wool carpets. Then they were before the double doors of Grim’s upgraded study.

Drake gave the doors a polite knock before slipping in and closing the door softly behind him.

Aurelia and Eric exchanged a look.

“I do believe your friends are doing quite well, all things considered.”

Eric grinned. “Considering that they’re probably worth a couple hundred million credits, I’m not too surprised.”

The mahogany paneled study doors then slid silently open on perfectly oiled hinges, an oddly solemn Drake gesturing them inside.

Eric didn’t hesitate for a second, his face splitting in a pleased grin when he caught sight of both Morlekai and Alice gazing intently at a table full of tomes and documents with their patron Lord Grim, the ebony complected man wearing his trademark frock coat and cummerbund with his customary silver-handled walking stick by his side. A stick Eric could now sense crackling with eldritch power he thought the equal of any wizard’s staff.

Grim flashed Eric a welcoming smile before nodding his head respectfully to Aurelia, Eric surprised to see his mother returning the gesture.

Then his hands were full of a sobbing Alice hugging him so tightly, tears dripping from eyes that had never been brighter, her skin flawless perfection as she squeezed him tight, oncoming motherhood clearly agreeing with her. “Eric, you’re back! We thought you were a goner! We were afraid you were lost to us, after everything you’ve done for us!”

Eric smiled fondly down at her. “It’s good to see you too, Alice.”

Her pert little nostrils flared, eyes widening, her voice taking on a strained, husky quality. “Eric, you smell of power. Sweet, delicious…” she flashed a smile showing two petite little fangs. “You unlocked something absolutely delightful, didn’t you?”

Eric laughed at that, squeezing his friend’s hand, before turning his gaze to meet that of the warmly smiling man seated by Lord Grim’s side, dressed much as when Eric had last seen him, so elegantly decked in silk and crimson, as handsome as any vampire or devil Eric had ever seen on stage and screen.

“It’s good to see you, Morlekai.”

His friend raised his crimson cup in greeting. “Likewise, Eric. It truly is good to have you with us once more.”

Eric then bowed his respects before a bemused looking Grim, as their tall and powerfully built host (lich!) dipped his head in welcome. “Greetings, Eric Silver of Clan Silver. We are grateful to have the hero of our House among us once more.”

Alice crossed her arms and huffed, looking faintly cross as she folded her arms. “Well?”

Eric grinned. “Well what?”

“What’s your class?”

Eric winked, sensing that Alice wasn’t the only one piqued by curiosity. “Keep a secret?”

“Always, Eric. You know that!”

“Adventurer.”

Alice froze, then forced an almost sympathetic smile. “Eric, I...”

“I think you made an excellent choice,” Morlekai interjected. “We know from our interviews that few paths allow for the melding of multiple unorthodox disciplines as well as the Adventurer’s path does. And we already know that our young friend has a number of highly unorthodox gifts. If it’s a path that has any hope of leading you to Bronze, I say take it just as far as you can.”

Eric nodded. “I quite agree.”

Alice frowned thoughtfully at a still smiling Eric, who had the gall to wink Grim’s way. “Why do I feel like you’re not telling us everything?”

“Because I’m not,” Eric admitted with a laugh.

Her gaze narrowed. “Eric, you better not be... fuck!”

Her words abruptly broke off, eyes widening when she saw the ring in his hands. “Thirty one? How!? That should be impossible. For anyone!”

Eric looked Grim’s way and smiled. “Are you absolutely sure about that?”

Even Morlekai’s experienced gaze had widened at the sight of his ring. “Eric, just what level are you? I count thirty one bands! For you to ever get beyond thirteen loops, you’d have to be a...”

“Master Necromancer. Which works just fine with my Adventurer Class,” Eric finished.

Morlekai lurched back in his seat, now gazing at Eric with a hawk-like intensity.

“No fucking way!” Alice hissed, her sensual aura spiked with unmistakable jealousy while Grim bowed his head Aurelia’s way.

“Now there can be no doubt,” he said.

Aurelia smirked. “There never was.”

Alice’s mock glare turned to a scowl between her master and Eric’s mother. “Just what are you two talking about?”

She then paled and quickly curtseyed. “Begging your pardon, my lord… my lady.”

Grim’s piercing blue eyes (lightless orbs!) such a contrast to his own rich chocolate complexion, and the only obvious sign of his mixed heritage, met Eric’s own. “I think it’s time.”

Eric’s eyes lit up with curiosity the equal of Morlekai’s own.

Yet before Eric could even inhale his breath to make it absolutely clear that yes, it most definitely was time, at least for whatever secrets Grim cared to share, Eric felt as shockingly powerful squeeze... that instantly became the softest of touches to his shoulder.

“Let’s wait on that until our next visit, dear Grim. Eric has a lot on his plate, and focus will be everything for what may well be his greatest performance.”

Eric winced. “And we all know how good an actor I am.”

His mother’s bemused chuckle washed over them all like a warm summer breeze. “Negotiator, darling. A negotiator who knows the power of a solid bluff, hiding a hand far greater than our enemies could possibly fathom. And in that social arena like few others, I will always trust in your strength.”

Morlekai and Alice shared a too intent look, before turning back to Eric, their initial surprise, bemused jealousy, and hot curiosity instantly replaced with professional sangfroid.

It was such a striking contrast that Eric couldn’t help but smirk. “These two are far better actors than I’ll ever be.”

Aurelia tutted. “True enough, darling,” she said with pitiless candor. “So let’s focus on your strengths… and shoring up your weaknesses.”

Grim gave a bemused nod. “We would be honored to do our parts for your latest gambit. How may we assist you?”

His mother inhaled to no doubt give a stirring speech, and the glare Eric received for cutting her off made both his former partners blanch.

He paid the hoarfrost on his right shoulder no mind at all, locking gazes with Grim, then solemnly bowing his head. “Before anything else… there’s something you should know.”

Aurelia’s glare said it all.

They were running out of time.

But some things needed to be said, and if his friends were so exquisitely courteous as to defer even querying about the fate of their youngest relative they had risked so much to rescue… Eric was not.

Grim tilted his head for Eric to continue, Alice wordlessly handing Eric a cup of hot chocolate a servitor had somehow known to prepare and bring in the very short time since Eric had arrived.

A Professional Butler or the equivalent, Eric was sure.

“Eric?”

Eric swallowed, knowing there was no easy way to say it.

“I… found the pocket cultivation realm.”

He gazed at his friends for long, painful seconds. “I’m sorry. Samuel won’t be coming back.”

Then, swallowing the lump in his throat, he told them Samuel’s tale, the journey of friendship and discovery they had embarked on together, unlocking so many secrets of both necromancy and cultivation, then continuing with the rescue of Pavel, an opponent turned friend and mentor who had done so much to help them along their own cultivation journeys, followed by perilous run-ins with the multiple members of the Windblade Clan, otherwise known as the Feng Ren Sect.

Finally, as concisely as he could, Eric tried to put in to words the captivating wonder of a world forged of living dream, and the myriad adventures experienced over countless years that had been a single night’s fantasy between dusk and dawn for everyone here on Earth, with Sam, Pavel, and countless other cultivators they had rescued from eternal slumber growing in ways wondrous and profound before forging glorious dynasties of their own.

Centuries passing in the blink of an eye.

The room grew utterly silent, even Aurelia gazing intently at her son, hearing all this in full for the very first time.

Eric flashed a bittersweet smile. “So my young friend… your kin, has already passed on to the glorious sunset of his life, beloved and revered by his whole clan. Whether or not he ever ascended, formed a core, or just passed quietly, deferring to life’s eternal cycle, I’ll never know. What I can tell you is that the gates of time are a barrier we can never pass, and from what I could tell, Samuel’s tale did indeed have the happy ending we all hope will one day be our own.”

Alice was gazing at Eric with a degree of awed intensity that left him feeling exceedingly self-conscious. “And you… you sensed all of that. A thousand years of history. After forging a world.”

Drake shook his head. “You never fail to impress, boy scout, I’ll say that much.”

“I’m not saying I forged a world... merely embraced a possibility that was always there,” Eric explained. “A possibility anyone in my position with my affinities could have done. Maybe. Point is, it worked. A pocket realm became a world, but at a cost I wasn’t expecting.”

Alice nodded, her look of awe turning to one that was strangely sympathetic. “You can never go back. Because somehow, you’re the anchor.”

Morlekai nodded. “A world that evolved so fast that time itself flowed at rates beyond our comprehension.”

Eric shrugged. “It did. At least for a time. But I think it slowed down quite a bit since that first night. And once Earth is unified, the worlds should be in sync, forevermore.” Eric frowned. “I think.” He then solemnly passed Morlekai a piece of parchment he had taken exquisite care to prepare, quickly shaking his head before his friend could open it. “It ties to why we’re here. What we hope to accomplish. And we all know the unusual abilities of some of our most hated foes. So please, give it a read and spread the word to as many people as you can… but only after, long after, Mother and I finish our own bit of negotiations. Right now? That’s just a bland piece of paper you have absolutely no interest in reading until tomorrow. No need to let it’s potential resonate on unseen currents until then.”

His friend flashed a bemused smile, before folding the paper away like it was nothing at all.

“Done. And how exactly can we help you with your next score, my dear friend the ‘master criminal?’”

Eric chuckled softly, not breaking eye contact for even a second as he took off his serpentine ring, spun it on the table, then donned it once more.

“I’m about to make a grand spectacle of what I am and what I can do. But when it’s done… yeah. Mother and I aren’t fools. On the off chance that those assholes manage play a card so vile that even I’m forced to bow before it… I’ll need this prize safely claimed even if I’m forced to relive our glorious CSA days over again.”

Alice paled, eyes going wide with remembered horror as one hand went instinctively to her belly, the other her neck. “No, you can’t let them do that to you! There’s no way in hell they can do that to you, if you don’t let them!”

“And I’m not planning on letting them,” Eric said, hard blue eyes locking with Morlekai’s own. “But if it should come to pass that I’m walking a path I really, really don’t want to walk, I need to know that my favorite crimson crow in the whole wide world will be there when I give the signal.”

Morlekai gazed at Eric for long moments. “Word on the vine is that the entire Northeast Corridor council is convening to take care of a threat that supposedly imperils us all.”

Eric smirked. “Yeah, I know my table manners need work, but still...”

“That’s not something you can joke about, Eric!” Alice sobbed. “If they get your claws into you...”

“Enough.”

One word.

One word was all it took to silence Grim’s associates and apprentices.

To silence them all as ethereal winds blew away all traces of their stress, dismay, and any lingering arcane strands that would have led unseen carrion birds or goblin seers to their prey.

A second later, purgatory’s endless chasms had been replaced by the richly paneled study once more, the warm scent of chocolate replacing the lingering mists of eternity.

Grim bowed his head. “We will do our part.” He turned to his disciple.

Morlekai immediately nodded. “I should have no problem making the switch.”

“Good. Now, I believe we have preparations to make.”

Powerful fingers then gripped Eric’s own. “For rescuing my many times great grandson, for helping him to find his path and transforming a bitter end to one I can take comfort in knowing was as sweet and fruitful as any hero’s tale could be, you have my eternal thanks, Eric Silver, and the eternal support of my clan.”

Eric swallowed, before bowing his head. “As a Contender who declares himself a Free Agent, I may accept no allegiance at all. But since you guys are like family to me… thanks for having my back. You know I have yours as well.”

Alice’s look of alarm aside, all Grim did was chuckle.

“That being said, I’d like to ask for a really big favor.”

This earned a curious look from Grim as Eric quickly explained his plan.

Morlekai and Alice exchanged a look. “This I just gotta see,” Alice whispered, her brother nodding in agreement.

Eric cleared his throat. “Yeah, the thing is, I knew you guys had a shit ton of space by the city wall, the size of a decent city park, but I didn’t take in to account all the students you’re now catering to, and bless you for that.”

“Students who have already been sworn to secrecy, and there's no student accepted within our ranks who didn’t enthusiastically agree,” Grim qualified.

Morlekai nodded. “And I don’t need to tell you just how much those with a knack for primal magics like our own, Eric, or anyone aspiring to walk the Necromancer’s path would value the opportunity to see firsthand the power of a greater summons, and perhaps study them for themselves. As an opportunity, it is beyond priceless.”

Grim nodded. “Agreed. Should our sponsor and dear friend be willing, I do believe your gifts could be a vital part of our curriculum in the weeks and months to come.”

Eric winced, hoping he wouldn’t be gone that long, but since he was technically giving it as a gift and had to mean that, in case he found himself bound by the most foul of contracts otherwise stripping him of all he was worth… he knew better than to object. And frankly, he liked the idea of his creation helping an underdog like the Terran population at large get ahead with an absolutely fantastic class, that promised power as a Combat Classer or even as a Profession, which meant twice as many Terrans able to grasp power as would otherwise be the case, and dozens of times more opponents that their enemies would have to steamroll over before claiming the fruits of Earth’s ascension with no competition at all.

Eric took a deep breath, then bowed his head a smiling Grim’s way. “Well, if you feel it’s for the best, then we’ll do just that.”

And almost before he knew it, Eric found himself suffering the first twinges of stage fright in he didn’t know how long as he stood in the grassy field before the massive city walls that served as the rear of the property after Grim had ordered everyone choosing to study the ‘true path’ as he put it, to attend at once. This, of course, had pulled absolutely everyone’s attention, and now there were several score people of all ages and power levels gazing intently Eric’s way as he cleared his throat and said the words that came so effortlessly to him, resonating with echoes of sweetest power that traveled through realms arcane and etherial, his stage fright of moments before inconsequential, meaningless, before the sweet rush of power he felt, bringing life to what had been eternal slumber, as several score two-story tall tuskers bigger than any woolly mammoth burst from the ground with delighted squeels.

“Surge, centuria! Imperator imperat tibi!”

Intent gazes and politely skeptical frowns were replaced by looks of genuine awe as Grim and Morlekai peered intently at Eric’s massive tuskers towering over everyone. Massive beasts that stilled the background murmurs to absolute awed silence as ever more people about the compound rushed to see the spectacle for themselves.

Even Morlekai and Alice were gazing at Eric with awed looks that did not belong on his friends' faces.

“Did you always have this power, Eric?” whispered a stunned Alice.

Grim alone appeared unfazed, standing directly before the tusks of the absolutely massive and utterly docile beasts. “Well done, Eric. I recognize my Samuel’s stamp upon the ritual runes emblazoned upon these vessels. I do believe you have preserved these fine specimens perfectly."

Eric bowed his head. “Samuel was the best teacher I could have hoped for. I am grateful to have been his apprentice, short a duration as it was.”

This earned a curious look from the de facto headmaster (lich!) of this budding academy.

Eric winced, quickly explaining. “It turns out that, unless you manage to lock in a Master Tier Adventuring class, Necromancy and Cultivation are pretty much diametrically opposed. Once Samuel realized he had potential in a direction he had never expected, we agreed to put aside our channeling Soul Reserves into any necromantic ritual, sticking with lessons in chalk alone, at least until we had stabilized our foundations and actually broken through the blockages in our meridians.”

“I see,” Grim said.

Eric cleared his throat. “When I came back home, necessity demanded I make use of my tuskers right away. Not surprisingly, this put extreme strain on my cultivation. And though my foundation was inviolate, my peripheral channels were an absolute mess. I could no longer channel my Qi attacks at all, by the time I was done dealing with Ashland’s orc problem. Yet remarkably, when I used my Tier 2 pod to lock in a dual Master Class, all restrictions were lifted, my peripheral channels suddenly became as pristine as my core, and I was free to use all my abilities as the situation demanded.”

Eric stopped abruptly, sensing the dead silence and countless scores of people staring at him, some open-mouthed, no one saying a word.

Grim cleared his (non-existent!) throat. “When you say Tier 2 Ascension Pod...”

Eric flashed them all a grin. “That’s right! Ashland’s where it’s at, peeps, for all sorts of reasons that will become apparent by let’s say… dawn tomorrow. Until then, just know that there’s endless possibilities to better yourself and lock in the class of your dreams, far beyond what those foul Tier 0 Goblin pods might indicate.”

Alice snorted. “Not that that’s a problem any more, save for half our students which have yet to dare any class at all… and now never might.”

Eric blinked. “I’m sorry?”

She scowled. “The goblins said that the time of Ascension has already passed for the insignificant, as the put it, and there are no more pods to give ‘low level losers like you humans a shot at mediocrity if you haven’t already dared them.’ or so said the Administrator overseeing the pods.”

Eric blinked. “Those assholes actually said that?”

Eric’s rhetorical question earned a plentitude of solemn nods. Eric chuckled.

Drake frowned. “Sorry my man, but that isn’t funny.”

Eric smirked. “It is when you realize that those assholes were lying through their usurious teeth. Fact is that not only does Ashland have a Tier 2 Ascension pod that reveals any and all classes that might be available to you, it will let you know if you have no class options at all. In other words, it's absolutely safe for even the most uncertain mortal to try.”

Drake’s eyes widened, the man looking even more shaken than when Eric had revealed his tuskers. “Wait, Eric, are you saying...”

Eric smirked and nodded. “That’s right. There’s no 90% fatality rate.”

More than one student blinked at these words. “Are you saying we won’t die if we enter the Ashland pod?” Whispered the faint voice of a girl who immediately hid behind her fellows.

Eric smiled in the mousy-haired girl’s direction. “That’s right! Because if you don’t have at least one node from which a class can be formed, my Ascension Center won’t do anything to harm you, because it won’t let you in the pod facility in the first place! So you’re safe, and at least that way you know, and you’re never tempted to risk your life at an inferior facility.”

“Your pod.”

Eric frowned in the direction of that oddy prickly, husky voice, catching Alice’s too intent gaze.

“As in… it’s your own.”

Eric nodded. “That’s right, Alice. Mine.” He then flashed a cheeky grin. “And absolutely free to use for all my friends! So if you’re looking to upgrade your class, Alice...”

“Sure as fuck not when I’m pregnant, boyscout!”

“Probaby for the best,” a chagrined Eric conceded. “But whenever you’re ready… I invite you to. Even better, I’ll tell you this for free. There’s a final chance to condense your core and upgrade yourself at Level 50. But at that point, best you condense your core and stay condensed until you find an option that actually lets you break through to Bronze.” These words earned wide-eyed looks and animated whispers, most around the vein of students unable to believe that anyone would even hit that level, let alone ever have to worry about Bronze.

Eric frowned wanting to nip one rumor in the bud.

“I’m already level 54 in my main class, so yes, you can break past the so-called Level 30 hump. You just need the right circumstances, the right opportunity, and who knows how far you might go.”

Eric winced when everyone went dead quiet again, this time his mother giving him the stink eye.

“Level 54. You,” said Morlekai.

Eric shrugged. “Pretty much, yeah.”

“Necromancer?”

“Primal Adventurer.”

“How?”

“By soloing an Orange Tier territory and Delve. And yes, it was pure madness. I almost got killed half a dozen times. I do not recommend. On that note, by the look on Mother Dearest’s face, it is well past time for me to go! Ha ha, please don’t freeze us all to ice, mumsy.” He then turned to Grim.

“Master Grim?”

“Yes, Eric?” asked an amused-looking Grim.

Eric cleared his throat. “I sort of have one more revenant to… um… share. But I’m afraid it might be. Hmm. A bit much?”

The lich actually snorted. “Is that so?”

Eric dipped his head. “Pretty much, yeah.”

“Well now I’m more curious than ever to see this fascinating specimen of necromantic mastery.”

Eric winced. “Sure, but um… could we have your students sort of back away?”

This earned a raised eyebrow. “Really?”

Eric nodded once more. “Preferably in the compound or the dormitory. Just not um… not out here. Not until he’s fed.”

Grim stared at Eric for long moments before conceding with a nod. A single shooing of his fingers was all it took for near a hundred spectators to immediately retreat some distance away, even if not actually inside the manor proper.

Eric shrugged. “Good enough.” He then thought warm happy thoughts.

Particularly of eating.

“Come on out, Slurpy! Just remember, no eating anything moving!”

“Well, that was unexpected,” Eric said some time later when they were in their car once more, rushing to get to the meeting ground on time.

His glaring mother said nothing, the car now as cold as a winter storm.

“What?”

“That thing was a horror!” Aurelia hissed. “Of course all those children were screaming in terror! It was all eyes and teeth and so many tongues. Monstrous! The way it tore apart and devoured that oversized Utahraptor was beyond horrific.”

Eric shrugged. “Either way, it was good to see Slurpy in high spirits!”

His mother visibly paled. “Twelve braided tongues covered in razor sharp spines shredding those dinosaur corpses like chainsaws! And that monstrous mouth! That hideous oversized...”

“Toothpaste commercial mouth. I know, right? Fucking awesome when he gives you that 24 karat smile!”

“Abhorrent,” his mother said with a shudder. “A true and utter abomination.”

Eric smirked. “Well, yeah. It says so in his Interface tab. He’s my very first Greater Abomination!”

“And he terrified the entire compound,” his mother said with a sigh. “Even dear Grim felt the need to return it to his own Ring of Summons, once you relinquished control.”

Eric sighed, feeling an inextricable sense of loss. “Yeah. Slurpy’s great. But he isn’t exactly puppy trained. Or trained at all, really. And none of Grim’s students seemed to like his friendly licks. And he was being friendly!”

“He was covering those poor girls with the viscera of half a dozen Utahraptors! Slimy Utahraptors!”

“Well, yeah. But at least they kept their heads. Which means that Slurpy was being friendly. He was behaving, just like he promised he would.”

His mother gazed at him for long moments.

Eric rolled his eyes. “Hey, you’re the one who fell in love with whoever this mysterious dark lord necromancer my father supposedly is. So you can’t get pissy that I have a pet of my own that he might actually appreciate.”

His mother sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “He had the grace and common sense never to expose me to his...”

“Nightmarish horrors?”

“I was going to say… hobbies.”

Eric grinned. “Hobbies. I like that. Oh look, we’re here!” He said as they approached a massive cordoned off area by the Eastern Wall of Freetown, a dozen hot-eyed goblins now glaring their way with unmistakable disdain.

Eric waved and gave them all the finger before turning to his mom. “I can only hope our hosts love my hobbies just as much as you clearly do.”

His mother flashed a wicked smile. “So do I.”