Day Three. Dawn.

Leaving the tavern, I headed southeast. The streets were still empty, and much of the town lay in shadow. Gelar’s shop was the closer of the two destinations I had in mind.

According to Benadean, Gelar was a gnomish alchemist and one of the village’s most prosperous merchants. His shop was in the main market square and supposedly unmissable.

I found the square easily enough. If Benadean’s information was accurate, the alchemist’s place was the garishly painted log cabin directly across from me. But I paid it only passing notice, my attention captured by something else entirely.

In the center of the square, beneath a translucent dome of crimson, was a portal.

Two red-cloaked figures stood on either side of the shimmering curtain of light, one toying lazily with the staff in his hands. Mages. My steps slowed, and unconsciously, I dropped into a crouch, marking the pair as Awaken Dead players.

Reaching out, I analyzed both.

The target is Ishan, a level 96 human. He bears a Mark of Minor Dark and a Mark of Ishita.

The target is Worca, an elf of indeterminant level. She bears a Mark of Greater Dark and a Mark of Ishita.

Sure enough, analyze confirmed my suspicions. My gaze fixated on the elf as I slipped into the shadows and padded closer.

You are now hidden.

“Indeterminant level,” I murmured, my pulse quickening. The only other player my insight had failed to work on was Stayne.

Is the elf as strong? Surely not.

The pair had failed to spot me yet. Despite obviously standing watch over the portal, the two sworn followers of Ishita were far from alert. Perhaps it was their high ranks that made them complacent, or maybe it was because we were in a safe zone, but whatever the case, the two failed to react as I crept up on their flank, and to within a dozen feet of them.

Two hostile entities have failed to detect you! You have failed to advance your sneaking: skills cannot be gained in this area.

Their perception must be greatly lacking, I thought with a small grin. Pausing just outside the translucent dome, I stilled. I didn’t know the shield’s purpose and suspected I would alert the mages if I attempted passing through.

Crouched down low, I patiently observed my targets. The pair did not speak. The elf stood with admirable stillness, her eyes closed and her body not twitching in the slightest. I wondered if she was asleep.

Her human companion was not as restrained. He constantly fidgeted, shifting from foot to foot, rubbing bleary eyes, and covering his mouth with his hand as he yawned.

The minutes ticked by, and still, I didn’t move. I wasn’t sure what I hoped to achieve, but I recognized this as an unanticipated opportunity to observe my foes, and I wasn’t about to let it pass unheeded.

“Where are they?” the human, Ishan, burst out nearly thirty minutes later. “Our shift ended ages ago.”

Worca’s eyes snapped open.

So, she wasn’t asleep.

“Patience. They’ll be here soon,” she said, sounding exasperated. “Something must be keeping them.”

“Something is always keeping them,” Ishan grumbled. “I don’t see—”

He broke off as the light emanating from the portal intensified.

“See,” Worca said. “I told you they’d come.”

“About god damn time,” Ishan muttered.

Two bubbles of light exploded outward from the portal only to dissipate into nothingness a moment later, leaving another pair of red-cloaked mages standing in front of the gate.

I cast analyze on the newcomers.

The target is Lutra, a human of indeterminant level. He bears a Mark of Greater Dark and a Mark of Ishita.

The target is Xrex, a lizardman of indeterminant level. He bears a Mark of Supreme Dark and a Mark of Ishita.

I grimaced at the Adjudicator’s feedback. I now had four of Ishita’s followers to contend with, all likely too powerful for me to take on—even individually.

The lizardman turned to the two mages standing guard. “Anything to report?”

“No,” Ishan replied. “It’s been another wasted night.”

“He will come,” Xrex hissed. “Ishita is certain of it.”

Ishan snorted.

The lizardman’s red eyes narrowed at his companion’s disdain, and he angrily admonished him. Meanwhile, the other newcomer began to look around disinterestedly. By a stroke of ill-fortune more than anything else, his gaze fell on where I was crouched.

Lutra has detected you! You are no longer hidden.

I bit back the urge to curse as the shadows around me fell away, revealing my crouched form. The gig was up. And just as matters were getting interesting, too. My gaze locked on the mage, I rose slowly to my feet.

Lutra’s eyes rounded in shock, and he clutched at Xrex’s sleeve. The lizardman didn’t notice, too intent on scolding Ishan. Lutra tugged harder. “Xrex...” he began.

“What?” the other mage snapped, not turning around.

“He’s here,” Lutra said.

Xrex spun about, followed a moment later by Worca and Ishan.

I grinned wolfishly at the group, letting no hint of my true feelings show. “Hello.”

Four staffs were lowered my way, and a welter of emotions passed over the mages’ faces. Is that fear I sense? My smile widened. Folding my arms, I waited for one of them to do something stupid.

Alas, not even the talkative Ishan was so foolish as to attack. Despite their high levels, the group appeared unduly wary. Just what had Ishita told them?

For a drawn-out moment, our standoff held. Then, predictably, it was broken by Ishan. “He’s a mindstalker as well!” the mage hissed. “How can that be?”

“Quiet!” Xrex snapped.

My gaze sharpened at the human’s phrasing. What else do they know about me? Ishan had obviously just analyzed me and read my Class and level. He had to know I was too low-ranked to pose a danger to the group.

So why doesn’t he look reassured?

Maintaining my facade of disinterest, I raised a hand to run my fingers along the sides of the dome shielding the four and the portal they’d created. Not unexpectedly, I was repelled.

Entry denied! You don’t possess the necessary access key to pass through this shield.

Lutra sneered at me. “You won’t get through that easily.”

I tilted my head to the side. “Why not?” I asked conversationally.

He opened his mouth to reply, but Xrex stomped his staff onto the ground before his companion could speak. The lizardman was the group’s leader it seemed. “What are you doing here, human?” Xrex demanded.

“Just checking out the competition,” I replied lightly.

“Competition,” Ishan spat. “You’re no match for us!”

Obviously, whatever uneasiness the group felt around me was dissipating. “Shall we take a stroll through the forest then?” I suggested, baring my teeth.

“Anytime,” Ishan growled. But despite the mage’s sneering reply, I sensed a resurgence of uncertainty in his voice.

My show of confidence was working. Deciding to play upon their fears further, I strolled around the dome. The four pivoted on their heels, tracking me.

“You should turn yourself in,” Worca said suddenly. “It will go easier on you.”

I laughed. “I doubt that. Your boss doesn’t seem the forgiving type.”

“Ishita is a goddess,” Lutra said, his fingers tightening around his staff. “You will show her respect.”

I rolled my eyes at the mage and kept circling. “Where does this go?” I asked.

No one answered.

“Why does the Awakened Dead want this valley?”

More silence.

I sighed. As amusing as this standoff was, it was going nowhere. I’d learned all I was going to. I spun on my heel and sprinted away. “Bye,” I called mockingly over my shoulder.

“Follow him!” Xrex snapped.

Two sets of boots pound after me. From the heaviness of the footsteps, I judged it to be the two humans. I wasn’t worried. Constrained by the safe zone rules from using any magic that could be considered hostile, there was little chance the pair would catch me.

Sure enough, I quickly outdistanced them, and once out of their immediate sight, I dropped into the shadows again.

You have successfully concealed yourself. Two hostile entities have failed to detect you!

Wedged between the dark and damp space between two log cabins, I watched the two mages pass by.

“How do you think he got past the Howlers?” I heard Ishan whisper.

“Snuck by probably,” Lutra replied with a shrug. “But Worca will find out,” he promised.

“She will,” Ishan agreed.

A moment of drawn-out silence, then Ishan added, “This is useless. We’re not going to find him this way.”

“I think you’re right,” Lutra said, turning around. “Let’s rouse the village. With everyone hunting him, he won’t escape detection for long.”

“Good idea,” Ishan said, swinging around to fall in step with his companion.

I grimaced as I watched the two retreat. I had learned less of value than I liked, and I’d exposed my own presence in the process. While Ishita’s sworn could not harm me in the safe zone, if I gave them enough time, they could make leaving difficult, if not impossible.

My gaze drifted to the brightly painted building nearby—Gelar’s shop. I’d deliberately fled in this direction.

I better finish what I need doing and get out quickly.