I saw eyes peering at us from all around, and was suddenly all-too-aware that we had just killed someone. Someone who was now laying in the middle of the street,

"Uh, guys. Let's get a move on before we get some unwanted attention." Laurel tugged on my sleeve and pointed in the guild's direction.

I nodded. the gazes from the doorways and windows didn't particularly look upset, but eventually, the town guards would show up, and it would behoove us to not be present.

"Yeah," I nudged Nate, who looked a bit shaken now that the excitement had ended.

He squatted down and quickly frisked the body down, palming what valuables he found into his pouches, undid the man's belt, claiming the sword and sheath and with a farewell kick to the head, he strode off towards the guild with the rest of us following closely behind.

***

Ragweed stood in the main room of the guild, taking it all in. He tugged on one of his long green ears and looked at me, "Is this place always like this?'

I had to say no, it was not, as the once efficient and peaceful guild office was now a chaotic frenzy. One lone woman with short wavy auburn hair that was held back with a hairband in her late teens, stood behind the counter, weathering the irate shouts from the adventurers that no longer waited peacably in line for their turn.

Sighing, I gestured to everyone that they should wait here, and closed in on the crowd at the counter. To my surprise, I realized that the woman wasn't wearing the guild uniform. I leaned over the counter a bit and saw that on the floor, lay the guild employees who I had seen on our previous visit, as still as marionettes with their strings cut, but with no obvious wounds.

The woman looked at me and shook her head.

"I didn't do this! I just came in the back entry to deliver breakfast, and everyone was like this. Then those guys..." She glanced at the adventurers who were clamoring for her attention.

I nodded.

"I got this." I leaned towards her and scooped her up under her armpits, and hoisted her up and over the counter. I then sat her on the ground in front of me and hooked her chin with a finger to bring her eyes towards mine, She blushed furiously as her eyes met mine. "What's your name?"

"Ah," her voice tremored "Beatrice."

"OK, Beatrice, go to my friends there, and we're going to go to the lord's manor. I'll take care of these schmucks."

She nodded quickly, avoiding my eyes again, and joined Laurel and the others.

"OK, you knuckleheads. Stop harassing the woman. She doesn't work here. If you bothered to look, the employees seem to be down there." I pointed to the floor behind the counter.

(Laurel, ask her about her job and hobbies.)

Uh, ok. Why?

(Because I can read her code. It would be weird if you knew without asking, right?)

Right.

I tried to ignore the chatter between our handler and Laurel, and focused on the crowd that was becoming more and more unruly as time passed.

***

Once I had gotten the mob at least partially calmed down, we headed back outside. The corpse of our assailant had been loaded into a cart and was being pushed away by a person wearing a black robe. From my vantage, I could not manage to get a good look at him. Just as well, I supposed. I wanted to be done with that whole thing.

After asking around, we had learned the location of the Lord's manor, and casually made our way there.

As we walked I snickered as I heard Beatrice whisper to Laurel, "What's a schmuck?"

***

SIX MONTHS AGO

Laurel was away at her physical therapist for her weekly session, so Nathan had decided to grace me with his presence. (and pizza) We sat there in my condo, which overlooked Portland enjoying the pizza. The large bay window that offered that spectacular view of the Willamette river had opaqued, and become the backdrop for the holotank. As we watched a comedy panel show, the lights dimmed the standard 15% as a commercial came on:

The tank was filled with an overhead drone shot that sailed over vast mountains and forests. Suddenly a red dragon burst from the trees, its roar shook the room, with just enough subsonic vibration to instill a touch of fear. The POV swing around dizzyingly, and two heavily armored griffins were closing in on the dragon, who seemingly, had not noticed them yet. The griffins dived, their bodies protected from view by the sunlight that streamed golden from behind them. As they slowly crept through the shot, hurtling towards their target, The armored figures that rode the feathered and muscled incarnations of wrath into combat could be seen, One was myself, and the other was Nathan, digitally added by the holotank. The scene cut back and forth from the dragon, to the griffin riders until the moment where the lances would strike, building tension.

Then a deep throb of bass shook the room as the scene faded to black

INIFNITA

THE WORLD'S FIRST COMPLETE DEEP DIVE VRMMO

YOUR NEW LIFE AWAITS

Both of us leaped to our feet and glanced at each other before shouting "NERD BONAR!" To the heavens.

"Oh my god, Joe. Do you know what this means? A deep dive game? and a VRMMO to boot?"

I nodded in excitement, The technology for VRMMO's had been available for a few years now, but a deep dive? That was a horse of a whole other flavor. I wonder how they'll pull it off?

"It means we're going to be famous!"

"You god-damned right it does! The invincible duo will get in there and make the most viral of videos, and find the tastiest of treasures to sell for the sickest amounts!" Nathan danced around in glee.

"Dolla dolla bill, y'all," I took his arm and danced with him.

"Wait," Nathan paused. "How are we going to get into the opening event? If we don't get in on that, some other caster like Dorkshire will claim all the early viewers.

I frowned.

"They'd have to have some sort of contest or something right?" I replied.

"That's like winning the lottery, we need a surefire solution."

"You have a point..."

***

The six of us arrived at the ornate gates of the Lord's manor, and to absolutely no-one's surprise, were confronted by four well-armed and armored guards.

"Halt! Identify yourselves, and state your reason for your visit." The first guard, clearly the leader, as he held more decorative pips on his brightly polished steel gorget, drew his sword and leveled it at me.