We sat across from each other, each of us wondering what to say, where to begin. I lifted my hand and pointed at Archon. “Let me tell you what I have surmised, if I am wrong you fill in the blanks, and then you can ask me anything that you want. I want to make sure that we understand one another here, no more bullshit.”

Archon looked at me and his face tightened, he probably was not used to being spoken at like this. He was rich and powerful in the real world and had come here to continue that status along with all the other Old Bastards. I know longer cared about who they were or what they were trying to do Ingame. They were trying to survive, both out in the real world and Ingame and I did not begrudge them that. I would do the same in their position, but I think something has gone wrong with their plans. Very wrong.

I began speaking, “So this is what I think, the Old Bastards have developed this game. You have the money and the resources to make it happen. This whole world was supposed to be yours. In order to not raise suspicions you allowed the game to be open to a number of summer camps, after all, what the hell could kids do that would interfere. So now there are two factions wandering around Ingame, you Old Bastards and the young Donators. It was at this point that something began to go wrong, the Donators managed to have an Ingame patch changed for their benefit.”

Archon nodded, anger evident on his face. He spoke, “That programmer is no longer working for us, he should never have passed the hiring process. At the time, we had no knowledge that his son would manage to be Ingame.” I nodded, I had heard this before. Continuing on I said, “ So now we have the patch active allowing players to leave the four guilds and start their own houses. Recruiting players and not being subject to the Ingame rules of guild behavior.”

“This, of course, leads me to the Jackass, a donator who is out of control. You may not know this but he altered my Vrp so I could not leave the game while I was held captive in his house. He tortured, and blinded me then attempted to have me locked in a vicious cycle of being corpse camped by the NPC of the Kradula. I only managed to escape by tremendous good fortune, and I have been moving ever since.”

Archon nodded and then said, “We knew he had captured you and we suspected he had done something to you, however, we could not contact you, it was like you were online but on another server. I nodded at this, it pretty much summed up what has happened. I gathered my thoughts and continued.

“So once I was gone I suspect that you used your Game Master privileges to try to see what was happening with me and with the Donators. I was out of reach and I assume that you have had no luck with the Donators, as long as they are not caught nothing they do can be proved, and even if they are caught it is not in your vested interest Ingame to have their crimes made public, the government would shut down this world.” Once again I observed Archon nod his head.

Continuing on I said, “I also believe that you have lost control of the game world when we were on the Temple mount it was apparent what happened there was totally unexpected, as I recall you somewhat lost it. You were demanding to know what was happening with me and the unknown God. Clearly what happened went far beyond the limitations imposed on players and higher powers like Gods and Demons.”

I stopped and lit another smoke and took a sip of the kavaa, it was not quite coffee and not quite tea but it was damn good. I stared out the window and then looked at Archon and asked, “Am I on the money here?” Seeing him slowly nod I grinned and said, “Just wait it gets better yet. There is more in this tale that has to come to light.”

“You are probably aware of the limitations the government has put on VRP game worlds, and yet this world is not complying with the millions of lines of embedded code, it has somehow circumnavigated around the code and now we have a virtual world where Gods are alive and seeking to influence the fate of all the races.” Again Archon nodded with a worried look on his face.

“So to sum up this discussion up to now , you created the world and then you lost control of it. You now have thousands of donators running around and a few of them are running amok. The Gods are alive and working on their own agenda, and trust me, the Gods are dicks here. Did I miss anything?” I asked.

Slowly shaking his head Archon looked at me and said, “Nope you nailed it, pretty much all that you said is what has happened and is what is happening. Now I have some questions for you, and I hope you will be as forthcoming with me as I have been with you. We know that what you told us earlier checks out, you are an orphan and you were raised in a state-run orphanage. The orphanage received the free summer camp pass and that is how you ended up Ingame.”

“What we don’t know is how do you have a daughter Ingame, how did you get those tattoos on your arms and I see you have a new one on your face. Also, why did the shrine on the temple mount light up like that for you, and how are you so powerful as a level ten?” At this point, Archon stopped and then stared at me then asked, “How are you level one when we were on the Temple mount I know you were level ten, what the hell? Where did you go to after the Jackass put you in the Kradula, why was your icon greyed out?”

I could see that Archon was looking at me intently and I decided to do more than tell him, gesturing outside I said, “If you really want to know then come with me and I will show you.” Archon stared at me then laughed, “All right I will follow you but be warned we have 5 people constantly observing me and the Inn. So show me your secret hiding place.”

“Raik I need you and Clea, we are going on a little trip, let's go out the back where we cannot be observed.” Standing I led the way through the kitchen only stopping to receive a kiss from Ama and have Gluzzie pass me a wrapped up bundle of food. Once Outside I looked at Raik and asked: “Should we go to the Keep or the Palace first?” Raik smiled and said, “Let's check out the Keep, I hate it there and yet I miss it, that just seems a little strange but what the hell, it is how I feel.

“Its a done deal my friend,” I said and with that, I called the three together and huddled up, then cast the T-Loci spell and an instant later we were standing in front of the Keep of the Trial of Temptations. “Wait here,” I ordered the others as I walked into the yard, I wanted to see if being a Demon Prince would affect a change once I entered through the gates. Suddenly there was a deep Boom and I saw on my interface a message.

Welcome Demon Prince, you have found an abandoned Castle in the wastelands of Gehenna

Do you wish to claim sovereignty over the keep?

Once you have claimed ownership the Keep will be added to your infernal holdings and a portal

between your dominion in Hell and your Keep in Gehenna will be opened.

YES OR NO

Wow, another no-brainer for me, I hit the yes interface and suddenly there was a loud thunderclap, and a voice screamed out of nowhere, “The Keep of Gehenna which houses the Trials of Temptations has been added to the dominion of the Demon Prince Tor. Suddenly a slew of windows opened on my interface, shrinking them all I turned around and walked out the gate. Archon was looking at me with a stunned look on his face and suddenly he made the sign of the cross.

“Well done Tor,” Raik was smiling, I knew that you would be the master of this keep. Now you have added to your dominion and your reputation and power will be spoken off throughout your lands.” Clea also was smiling and then she gave me a wink and said, “Do you think my sister might share tonight?” And then she giggled and grabbed Raiks hand, “You won’t mind will you honey?”

Archon meanwhile was struggling to control his uneasiness. I looked at him and then said, “Relax man, this is cool, I am still who I was before I have just earned some Titles. Lets huddle up everyone, we are heading to my palace next. A moment later we were standing on the balcony overlooking the gardens and enjoying the view. Suddenly the Majordomo appeared and called out, “Master I did not know you were coming back or I would have prepared a feast, how long are you staying sir.”

Smiling at him I told him that this was just a brief visit and that I needed to see the Comptroller. Bowing before me he hurried off, returning in a few minutes with the comptroller who also bowed and then asked how he could be of

assistance.

I explained about the keep and asked him to locate the portal and then begin to move some guards into the keep. I also asked for exploratory parties to be sent out into the wastes to see if anything else of value could be found. Once done I handed out sandwiches to everyone from the pack Gluzzie had given me and then after we ate I asked Archon if he had any questions?

He was looking around with amazement and just shook his head, then he said, “None of this is coded into the program, where the hell are we. “Funny you should ask,” I replied, “Have a look at your map.” Pulling out his map he saw a blank area with a small spot in the middle where we were. Expanding the spot he then spoke out loud, “The palace of the Demon Prince Tor, in the Dominion of Hades, Hell.

Archon turned to look at me then he looked around and then he said, “I guess things are not what they seem, are they. Clearly something has happened that is unexplainable. Is there anything else to show me?”

Nodding my head I once again called everyone together and, this time, I sent us to Roundland. As Archon looked at the world wrapping all around him curving up out of sight, with the mountains and seas visible in the distance he quietly spoke. “Oh fuck me, I don’t believe this.” I waited a few minutes to let Archon continue to gaze around when suddenly he said, “What is that stench, it smells like dirty socks and shit.”

I looked around and there sitting on the balcony 15 meters away was the Kritiq, I looked at the little bastard and then repeated what Archon had just said. “Oh fuck me.” The Kritiq once again flipped me the bird and jumped down. I stared at the little creature running away and thought some pretty evil thought, thoughts that a Demon Prince would think.

Archon asked, “What the hell was that thing and why does it smell so bad.”

I just smiled grimly and answered, “That is my thorn in the flesh.” Calling everyone into a huddle I sent us back to Topland. Once we arrived we walked back into the Inn and sat down.

Looking at Archon I said, “You probably have a lot of questions, I am not sure I can answer them, clearly this game is not just the game of the brochures. I have one year to do several things and I could use your help to do them, and what I am doing will be of benefit to you, will you work with me?”

Archon slowly shook his head, and then asked, “Before I agree to anything I need to know what is it you are trying to do?” Looking at him I slowly answered, I am going to be banishing the Gods from this realm. I am going to be rescuing the lost children of the Kradula, and I am going to be getting rid of the Jackass and his house. That about sums up what my plans are.”

Archon stared at me and then nodded, “I think we can work with you on those plans,” he said. Taking his leave he explained that he had to go talk to the other Old Bastards and that he would be in touch in a couple of days. After he left I called Sebastian over and asked for the bag I had sent him out to buy. Calling everyone else over I opened the bag, spilling one hundred pounds of tobacco in small pouched all over the table. Grabbing four of them I yelled out to my friends “Enjoy” and then went to my room, I was tired and wanted a nap before supper, I had plans to go visit some old friends after sunset.