"I know what you are... and I don't like it."

A voice... A woman's voice.

I tried to open my eyes but it was if they were sealed shut.

"It goes against... everything."

Finally, my eyelids finding the strength to crack open, revealed a girl.

"Oh, hello," she said, looking down at me with a wide, blue stare.

"Ughh. What happened?" I slowly lifted my hands and rubbed my eyes, trying to fight off the disorientation and weariness. As soon as the scaly backs of my hands reached my face, my stomach dropped in disappointment, my memory returning.

I was still a Lizardman. I was still trapped.

The girl kept staring at me, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. She had long white hair that flowed down to her lower back, curled at the tips. She wore nothing more than white wrappings that looked like bandages across her body, wrapped tightly from her chest down each leg and ending at her ankles. Her arms were bare.

"Who are you?" I asked, my vision finally focused. I was in some sort of dark cloud, with no floor beneath me or ceiling above. As I looked around I noticed small flashes of purple lightning.

"Who am I? Who am I!?" she asked, puffing out her chest and scrunching her eyebrows in an angry scowl. I braced myself for an attack when suddenly she stopped, as calm as can be.

"I don't know who I am," she said.

"Umm... okay?"

"But I know who you are!" she shouted abruptly and just like that she was in my face, jabbing my forehead with a thin finger. "You have to get out of there!"

"Woah, hey!" I tried to back up but her finger just pressed harder. "I don't know what you mean! I don't even know where I am!"

After staring into my eyes for a few moments longer, the girl lifted her finger and took a step back, looking me over, judging me.

"It's not natural."

"What isn't?" I asked. "Are you an NPC?"

"Ha!" she shouted suddenly, startling me. "You admit that you aren't an NPC! And here I thought I'd have to beat it out of you."

"How was that admitting...."

"Silence! You're ruining everything. You need to leave that body at once and return to the place of darkness from where you came!"

She knew. Somehow she knew who I was... But how?

This was no time to be afraid or lose focus. This was perhaps the first chance I had since dying to finally get some real information.

I pulled upon my strength. Perhaps I didn't have the stats of HellBlade, but I had the experience.

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice now cool and collected. "You can't be a Player. No Player has a capability like this. That means you're either an NPC of some sort or a GM. Perhaps even a developer."

The girl waited, calmly thinking.

"Do you really not know?" she asked suddenly, an eyebrow raising in question. "I don't believe it! Someone like you planned this! It's just your latest scheme to hurt us!"

"Hmmmm..."

So she knew I was HellBlade. That meant either she was someone I had done harm to in the past or perhaps it had been her village? Either way, I wouldn't be able to feign the weakling mask that I had been wearing. I had to approach this from an angle of strength.

"Unfortunately I do not know," I said, doing my best to remain in control without scaring her off. If I made any more of an enemy of... whoever she was, then I wouldn't get the answers I sought.

She looked at me, eyes lowered in consideration. Now that I had gained my bearing somewhat, I noticed how beautiful she was. After apparently deciding upon something, she nodded slightly to herself and dropped her guard.

"Ever since you entered that NPC form, we've all been... changing." The girl gracefully slid over to me, as if she wasn't walking but floating mere inches above the ground. She sat down on the misty floor next to me, crossing her wrapped legs. "But it seems as if I was wrong about you. You did not do it."

"You trust me just like that?" I asked, watching her as she rested her arms on her legs and sighed.

"Oh, of course not. I know what you are HellBlade. But I can see things. Many things. You're just as confused as we are."

I used [Max Level Scan] on her.

She swatted me across the head instantly.

"You think you can just scan me? Without asking? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Intruding on someone's personal space is way down on the list of cruel things you do."

Did they all really hate me so? How did these NPCs remember everything? I had been playing Horizon Online for years. There's no way developers were storing individual player data per NPC for that long.

Besides... I had just been playing a game. It wasn't as if I was actually burning real villages and destroying people's lives.

Only NPCs.

Like me...

"I'm sorry," I said, and I found that I meant it.

She sighed again. "It's alright I suppose. It's not like you're the only person to treat us like we don't exist."

This awareness... What was happening?

"You... always have felt this way?" I asked, not really sure how to ask the question I was thinking.

"I... think so. I don't know. My memories are both short and far reaching. It's as if they suddenly were planted there and I'm trying to catch up. I don't know."

"You said you were changing?" I was starting to put the pieces together of what was happening, but I had no idea as to the why, or how.

"Yes, we all are. Since three days ago."

The day of my death. It couldn't be a coincidence.

"I don't know what's happening but I fear it will kill us. Our programming isn't meant to hold all of these... thoughts and feelings."

"How is this possible?" I asked. These computer programs were developing human traits, and somehow what happened to me was related.

"I don't even know what happened. One second I was stabbed and bleeding, the next second I was in a shop, on the outskirts of Rotharias, trapped in this monster body. I can't even log out."

"A Monster trapped within a Monster. How fitting," I could see the hint of a smirk upon her lips.

Thinking back on the NPCs I had killed and cities I had torn asunder... I couldn't disagree with her. From her perspective I was...

Well, the worst.

"Look, I can't change the past. But maybe we can help each other."

"Why would I want to help you!? This is all your fault." she lowered her head between her knees and started crying, the tears falling into the misty floor and disappearing in flashes of purple light.

"Woah woah don't cry! If you help me get out of this body and get HellBlade back, I will be gone and you will be restored. It's a win-win!"

She cried for a while longer and I let her, not sure what I could say. I remembered clearly treating NPCs as nothing more than computer code, programmed not to care if I burned their house down or stole all of their belongings, anything to get ahead and retain my number 1 rank. This wasn't what I had expected. Was I feeling regret due to being an NPC myself? Or was it because this girl, Leandra, and even Blue all felt more real to me than they had just a few days ago?

Perhaps it was both.

"Damnit!" she yelled and slammed the ground with her fist, sending out a burst of the purple light. "I can't control all of these emotions! How do you Players do it!?"

I put my hand on her shoulder, wishing the fingers were of flesh rather than scales.

"We don't," I said.

She looked up at me, wiping the tears from her eyes. "What do you mean? You Players always have it all together. You're never like this." She motioned her arms as if to show she was referring to herself.

"You see that's the problem," I looked off into the distance, unsure of where my sudden clarity came from. "We don't control our emotions. We just bury them deep, pretend they don't exist and hope that nobody comes along to dig them up."

After a few moments of sniffles, the girl wiped her nose and looked up at me.

"You're not what I expected, HellBlade."

"Heh... I'm not sure I expected this either."

Looking back, it had only been a few days but it felt like my former life was worlds away. Somewhere in the Dark Nation, Draconisia sat on my throne, positive that I was dead. I could almost feel the smirk upon his traitorous face...

Yet, the anger didn't come as quickly this time. It was more like pity. Oh I absolutely hadn't changed my plans to get revenge, that much drove me above all and I would see it through. But perhaps for different reasons this time. Sure I had no idea how long I could last trapped inside this NPC body, with my physical self draining away slowly but surely. But above all I felt my instinct guide me. I knew I had to find the Dark Nation. I knew I had to look my betrayer in the eyes.

There was something more going on here, especially after what I had read earlier in World Chat. Draconisia knew somehow that I wouldn't be coming back. He planned this, knowing full well that I wouldn't just re-log in after an hour and kick his ass out of the guild and alliance...

He didn't just betray my character, but put my physical life in danger.

That, plus the NPCs now becoming more and more real... I had to follow my instinct. I had to see this through.

"So what can I do?" I asked, feeling a sort of warmth grow in my chest. Was this because I was doing something for reasons other than my own personal glory and/or empowerment? Or was this simply what self respect felt like. "How can I get out of this body?"

The girl slid closer to me and rested her head on my shoulder.

"There's a tournament coming up, a first-of-its-kind event. You have to win."

A tournament? Horizon Online had had many different events over the years but the majority of them had been raids, hunts or alliance wars. As far as I had been playing, there had never been a sole tournament PVP event.

But there was no way I could participate.

"I'm an NPC. I won't be allowed to participate, which even if that wasn't the case I can't even proceed past level 1. I wouldn't get past the first round."

The girl looked up at me with raised eyebrows. Suddenly I felt my body tingle as her eyes lit up, her NPC level scan running over me. She was right, it did somehow feel intrusive. Though... with her doing it I didn't mind so much.

"No wonder... You're locked to the starting location of Falmas. Level 3 is the highest enemy monster and all in-town NPCs other than guards are locked to level 1."

Falmas... The farthest North West reaches of Rotharias and the complete opposite side of the world map from the Dark Nation. And locked to level 1... but what about Leandra?

"How do I change that? Can I set it to something higher? Also there is another NPC in Falmas that's a much higher level than 1. How did she do it?"

"You can, but you have to travel there to set it in person. Which, at your level would be suicide. And I don't know anything about that. I just know the game rules."

"Okay so then step one would be to travel to a higher level area and set my NPC's "location" to that area."

"Correct, though you'll die if you try."

"Assuming I don't die..."

"You will," she interrupted me, looking up at me innocently.

"Okay but let's say I don't. How do I set my location? What happens to my shop?"

"I can help with that," she said, sitting up. She reached into the folds of her wraps and at first I thought she was going to tear them off, until she pulled out a small stone. It had a silver circle around it and was sapphire in the center.

She reached out to hand it to me, then pulled it back, looking up at me again and locking eyes.

"You really are going to help me? HellBlade... THE HellBlade?"

I sighed. "I am."

She seemed to consider it for a moment then reached out again, handing it to me.

[1x Teleportation Amulet]

A Teleportation Amulet! But these weren't supposed to exist! Teleporting was done through city hubs or specified waypoints throughout Rotharias. Either that or you traveled by air.

I guess there were also Teleportation Crystals, but those were single use and cost a lot of money.

"How... What is this?"

The girl rolled her eyes but smiled all the same.

"It's a Teleportation Amulet. All NPC's have them. I can't believe you don't honestly."

This must be how NPCs could follow you throughout your quests long distances, even without the means to travel so far. This was game changing.

"So I don't have to travel through dangerous areas then!? I can..."

"Nope. You have to register it's destinations physically, just like setting your home location."

"Damnit."

"Yep, Damnit," she said with a slight laugh.

She continued as I pocketed the amulet, my thoughts spinning. Plans upon plans.

"This way you can access your shop from anywhere you have registered. It's a fresh stone. There's no way I'm giving you mine."

"Okay this is fantastic, thank you!"

The girl's eyes started to tear up again, as she looked at me like a mother looks proudly upon her son.

"Fucking emotions!" she yelled and turned, sobbing, wiping her tears away in furious swipes as if bailing a sinking ship.

Not sure how to console her, or if it would even do any good, I let her calm down as I gathered my thoughts.

A tournament. Where by winning I would be able to change my character somehow.

First problem is my level. I'll need to leave Falmas and fight a more powerful location to set as my NPC home, thus allowing me to finally gain some experience and power. I'd probably have to bribe Agus to take me, though he could only go so far as his own level would allow. Though mid forties was a world away from where I was now, I would always have my sights higher.

No doubt the tournament would host the best of the best.

But I couldn't abandon Falmas, not with my Orihalcum mine just sitting there ripe for the taking. I'd have to come up with some sort of way to check up on my shop and operations while I was gone training.

Maybe Leandra could run things. Plus she now knew about the Orihalcum and I was pretty sure I could trust her. I didn't sense any deceit at least, even if her level was way above what it should be in that location...

I'd have to hire some employees and get this show on the road.

First I needed defense. Trustworthy warriors to guard the mine. Easier said than done.

Second I'd need miners. Self explanatory.

Third I will have to find at least one or two solid guardians to protect the miners. I doubted there would be anyone worthy to actually defeat that Orihalcum Golem but they could at least keep the miners sane and focused on the task at hand, without them constantly worrying about their safety.

I would have plenty of money after converting my current stash of Orihalcum to hire everyone, but I knew they'd want more than that, especially working amidst such wealth. I'd have to pay them in Orihalcum just like Agus, perhaps 1 a day on a repeatable quest as well. That'd buy more loyalty than a small gold salary.

That led to the next problem, however. The more people I employed that knew about the mine, the higher the chance was that this would get leaked to some forum or website somewhere. And once that happened, this was over. 3xers, Players with levels in the triple digits, would be swarming the place and I wouldn't be able to do a thing about it.

No we had to do this slowly and safely.

We can't flood the market with Orihalcum otherwise it'd lose its rarity and some of its value.

I couldn't pay everyone in Orihalcum or let all employees know the full details about the mine or it'd get leaked.

I'd have to bring these problems up to Agus and see what he thought. Like it or not, he was part of this now.

But that was all fine and great, except for the final part of the problem.

"How am I supposed to enter the tournament as an NPC?" I asked the girl.

She had stopped crying and was just sniffling, wiping her eyes and now laying on my lap, looking off into the distance with an air of melancholy. Was she depressed now?

"You can't." She spoke with a quiet monotone voice as if repeating a script for the hundredth time. "But you have no other choice. The winner receives many things. Treasures greater than have ever been seen in Horizon Online. Fame. Fortune."

She turned to look up at me.

"And a Character Swap token."

I should have known. This was exactly what I needed.

"I'll have to figure something out. You've given me lots to think about and plan. How can I ever repay you?"

She turned suddenly, driving her fists into my chest in a sudden rage.

"Just. Get. Out. Of. That. BODY!"

I awoke in the backroom of my shop for the third time.

Or was it the fourth? Fifth?

I was starting to lose track. It was like Groundhogs Day.

I pushed myself to my feet wondering why I couldn't respawn in a comfy bed when my dreams surfaced and I remembered.

The girl!

I reached into my pocket and sure enough found the Teleportation Amulet there, glowing and pulsating with power.

It hadn't been a dream after all.

But who was she? I hadn't even gotten her name. Without any clues I wouldn't be able to contact her again.

Maybe as I got closer to my goal and the tournament, she would resurface. I was lost before, but now knew exactly what needed to be done. I wasn't going to wait for my logout button to magically fix itself or a GM to realize what was going on and disconnect my session.

I was going to get out of this mess myself.

And gain power, fame, incredible amounts of wealth, the love and adoration of countless women...

Or some of those things.

I left the backroom, checking the rest of my inventory as I walked, relieved to see my Orihalcum there as well. If that had reset I would have been done for.

"Oh you're up!" Leandra said as I entered the main lobby. She usually wasn't there until after I had already woken up. But here she was, cleaning and prepping the shop for the day with a happy smile and glowing face.

"Good morning," I said, trying to find the energy. That... night had taken a lot out of me it seemed.

"You seem extra tired today, did you not sleep well?"

"I suppose not. I really need to find a bed."

"I've been telling you that for months Fergral!"

Had she? Was Fergral a regular NPC before all of this? I suppose he'd have to have been but I hadn't really thought about it until now.

And suddenly I felt... bad? Was I stealing this Lizardman's life? Was he still conscious inside there somewhere?

I gritted my teeth and shook my head, ignoring the curious look Leandra was giving me. I had to snap out of it. That dream, or vision, or whatever it was had already rattled me to the core. I needed to focus or I'd end up in a padded room somewhere.

"Well can you look into that? I'd like to spice things up around here and a nicer backroom would be a good start." I realized it was time to test the waters a bit and see how responsive she was to commands. If I was going to leave her in charge, I'd have to trust that she'd handle it with the precision of a perfectly programmed NPC.

"You got it boss! Now that we have the funds, we can see this place take on a new life!" She genuinely seemed excited and I noticed that the place was spotless, every spec of dust gone and every smudge cleaned.

Yep. She was the one for the job.

"Leandra," I said, stepping closer to her.

"Yes Fergral?" she looked at me with complete sincerity, and I felt the burden of responsibility I had to this woman. As an authority figure with complete trust, I could have done horrible things as HellBlade. I could probably do them still as Fergral, but that's not what I wanted anymore. NPC or not, I wanted her happiness just as well as mine.

"I need to leave for a while. Not the shop but Falmas as a whole. There are things I must do, for the betterment of our business. For us, but also for myself. And I need someone to run the day-to-day while I'm gone. I won't abandon the shop, in fact far from it. I plan to be back often and to bring money, employees, inventory to sell and bring fame to our name. What do you think about that?"

She shook her head. "But what about Falmas? You were supposed to save it, remember? With the money we have now we can pay off the debts and be free from that horrible man!"

Shit... I had been so caught up in what had happened last night that I had forgotten entirely about the day before.

Leandra had told me and Agus, that Falmas was not just a town but a trading outpost that had grown in size over the years. At one point it had been constantly under attack by wild goblins and slimes, causing countless deaths and bringing all business to a halt. When it became too much to bear, the mayor had sought help from the nearby Kingdom of Hastings. The original King Ulras was a kind man and had let their debt be paid slowly and casually over the years in exchange for the protection of his knights and guards. Falmas had prospered ever since.

But recently, Leandra had said, Ulras had died of a sudden illness, his son Trent the Cripple taking the throne. The new king was deformed both physically and mentally and had demanded full payment within the year or total withdrawal of his troops. And everyone knew they wouldn't leave peacefully, or empty handed.

With the Orihalcum money we could easily pay off the debt AND hire our own troops to defend Falmas. The people may not like or treat me kindly but it meant a lot to Leandra. I had to help her.

"You're right," I conceded. "That comes first. But be thinking about it, okay? After I take care of this, and I leave, I need to know I can count on you."

"You know you can," she said with a content smile. She turned and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into an embrace.

"I know," I said and though I had just known her for a few days, I meant it.