Vasi didn’t come back the next morning. Instead, the day’s visitors were zombies.

It had become a ritual lately. Shambling corpses walked out of the woods in the morning, with flesh rotting off their bones and eyes falling out of their heads. They came by the dozen, cried out for brains, and tried to break into the garden.

Zombie Level 2 Undead.

The first to climb over the fence took a fireball to the face for his trouble.

“Burn them all!” Rosemarine fired a handgun round in the air to rally the troops. The garden’s vegetables rose to welcome the invaders with fire and fury. “Kill them again!”

“For the queen!” The vegetables roared as they charged into battle. Onion Spider trapped zombies with webs and allowed Demon Tomato to blast them with fireballs. Strawboogie Berry danced to buff Bean Ninja as he beheaded undead with his trusty cleaver knife. Ghostie Pumpkin, their leader, coordinated their attacks; and Rosemarine healed the wounded with pollen.

Basil watched the epic garden battle from the safety of his lawnchair, with Bugsy and Plato sleeping at his side. They wouldn’t gain any experience from killing the weak undead and the vegetables had the situation well in hand.

Besides, House Garden was responsible for the zombie incursion.

To strengthen the vegetables with an extra Tamer Perk, Basil had temporarily added them to his party. Unfortunately, Ghostie Pumpkin’s hidden ability turned out to be the aptly named Ghost Magnet. Weak undead flocked to the vegetable’s location like moths to a flame. Even the house’s camouflage couldn’t prevent zombies from finding their way into it.

Basil had strongly considered cooking the pumpkin to avoid a security breach, but Rosemarine had begged for the vegetable’s life; she had grown maternally fond of her garden charges. Basil couldn’t refuse anything to his sweet carnivorous plant and decided to make the best out of the situation.

His new levels had given him extra Lair Points to spend on reinforcing the house. By purchasing Exp Boost I and Loot Boost I, Basil increased the rate at which his allies gained experience and treasures within one hectare of the house. By the time the vegetables cleared the garden, they had gained enough experience to reach level 7 and gathered a treasure trove of golden teeth.

Basil didn’t have the heart to join in the battle anyway. He worried for Vasi. The witch had vanished alongside the skeletal merchant to meet his superior and hadn’t returned yet. No matter Shellgirl’s promises that everything would be fine, Basil was starting to regret not joining Vasi on her trip. He hoped his caution wouldn’t cost her her life.

What can I do about it anyway? The skeleton merchant took Vasi away to another world entirely and Basil had no way of tracking them down. I’ll have to wait.

Basil would hunt for roosters and investigate the elves today. That would keep his mind busy.

“I wonder where they come from,” Bugsy said. “The zombies. There can’t be so many dead humans buried in the marsh.”

“You would be wrong,” Basil replied. “René told me he saw criminals dumping a corpse in the Barthes once. I assume others took a dirt nap in muddy waters.”

Basil did wonder whether the zombies rose from their graves because of Ghostie Pumpkin’s Perk or if it simply gave them the motivation to move around. He needed to check.

“Hypothetically.” A devious idea crossed Basil’s mind. “Do you think we would gain experience from raising our dead enemies from the dead and then killing them all over again?”

“Wouldn’t that be cruel, Boss?” Bugsy asked.

“I’m willing to try it with birds.” Plato squirmed on the ground like an addict in despairing need of his fix. ”Rah, I need to hunt feathered game! I’ve tried lizards, toads, even moths, but none of them give me as much satisfaction as mice and birds!”

“You should join birdaholic anonymous,” Basil quipped. Rosemarine approached him with her vegetable troupe and displayed their spoils.

“Mister, Mister, we brought fertilizer!” Rosemarine proudly presented Basil with a zombie’s head. “We can grow seeds in the brain!”

Aww, she was mindful of the environment!

“We’ll compost them first and then plant new turnips,” Basil promised. With his new Gardener levels, his Jardin Secret should divide the growth period by four. Thus it should take ten to thirteen days to make a new harvest before Halloween. “I’m proud of you.”

He petted Rosemarine on the head, making her wriggle in pleasure. The vegetables sang their glory. “All hail King Basil and Queen Rosemarine, lords of the garden!”

“Since when did they learn to speak?” Plato asked.

“Rosemarine and I taught them,” Bugsy explained with pride. Basil noticed he hadn’t shown jealousy at his owner showing affection to Rosemarine. The battle with Steamslime had made the centimagma more confident, more secure in his place as an esteemed member of the household. “One day, I will teach the rabbits to speak back too!”

Basil suddenly wondered how many cows begged for life before ending up on supermarket shelves. Plato had shown that animals were self-aware from the start, even if humans couldn’t understand them. Basil had no qualms about eating sentient species, but it made him feel slightly guilty.

Do you want to expel Ghostie Pumpkin, Demon Tomato, Bean Ninja, Onion Spider, and Strawboogie Berry from your party?

The problem with Lair benefits was that they only applied to Basil’s party members. He had to register House Garden’s members into his own party for the battle’s duration, then kick them out and add his old allies back again. It was such a chore.

You can create interlocked parties by forming a Guild. To do that, you must conquer a dungeon.

“I’ll pass,” Basil replied. He expelled House Garden’s members and then proceeded to add his former party members back into his group. “Alright people, pack your things. After I compost the corpses and plant the turnips, we’ll travel east to hunt for elves.”

“Finally!” Plato bolted to his feet. “Some action!”

“Can I come, Mister?” Rosemarine pleaded. “I’m one level away from metamorphosis! When I evolve, I will eat everyone except my friends and steal all the world’s cakes!”

“Sure, sweetie,” Basil replied. “I wonder what choice for metamorphosis will present to you.”

Plato squinted at his owner. “You can choose between metamorphoses?”

“With my new Tamer Perk, yes you can.”

“Huh.” The cat sat on the grass with a curious look on his face. “What choices would have been available to me?”

“Does it matter, Mister Plato?” Bugsy asked. “You are awesome as a Cait Sith.”

“I know, thank you,” Plato replied with arrogance. “But don’t you wonder what you might have become instead of a centimagma?”

Bugsy shrugged. “I don’t want to dwell on what could have been. I would rather move on.”

“System, I know you can’t show me the paths my monsters can take until they’ve reached the right level,” Basil said. “But what about discarded paths? Can you tell me what Plato could have become instead of a Cait Sith?”

According to his stats, Housecat Plato could have metamorphosed into: Bakeneko (Beast/Fairy) Envoy of Bastet (Beast/Angel) Smilocub (Beast)

Basil paused upon seeing the last one. Uh oh.

“Basil, why aren’t you saying anything?” Plato tensed up. “Basil?”

“Can metamorphosis paths eventually reconverge?” Basil asked, trying to keep a straight face.

No. Once a metamorphosis path is selected, it varies wildly from alternate options. A Cait Sith cannot jump back into the Smilocub’s line.

“Basil, why are you giving me a sad look?” Plato wagged his tail, his eyes full of concern. “Basil…”

“Plato.” Basil gathered his breath. “Promise me you won’t take it badly.”

His cat’s eyes widened in horror. He had guessed the truth.

“I will never become a smilodon,” Plato whispered. “I blew my chance.”

Basil briefly considered lying to spare his friend’s feelings, but Plato knew him too well. He would know. “I’m sorry, Plato,” he apologized. “If I’d known, I would have assigned more levels to Tamer earlier.”

Plato didn’t answer. He didn’t admonish Basil for his poor foresight or reassure his owner that he would get over it. He simply sat on the grass with a soulless gaze.

“Mr. Plato, are you alright?” Bugsy asked with concern.

“Healing Pollen!” Rosemarine showered Plato with healing powder, but she couldn’t cure emotional damage.

“Plato, it’s okay,” Basil tried to cheer him up. “You will always be my dwarf panther.”

His cat rose up and walked away without a word.

“Plato, where are you going?” Basil asked, suddenly worried. “Plato!”

“To hang myself in the garage!” his cat shouted back. “To make you feel guilty!”

“What?” Basil jumped out of his lawnchair. “You wouldn't dare!”

Plato looked over his shoulder with a sad kitten look; the kind that would make even a sociopath cry. “W-won’t you feel sorry for poor me?”

Basil hesitated. “Yes, but—”

“Good!” When Plato smirked deviously, Basil knew he had fallen into his trap. “Then imma do it!”

“Plato, you dick!” Basil ran after him. Plato attempted to leap away, but his owner caught him by the back of the neck and lifted him above the ground. The cat struggled fruitlessly against the iron grip. “You have seven lives left anyway! Hanging yourself won’t be enough!”

“Then I will cut open my veins and my ghost will haunt the bathroom! My wandering soul shall torment you for centuries!” Crocodile tears formed in Plato’s eyes. “Seven lives aren’t worth living without a pair of saberteeth!”

What a drama queen. Basil squinted at his cat, who did his best to look like a suicidal teenager. It’s all about making me feel sorry for not picking up Tamer levels earlier.

“Don’t cry,” Rosemarine whispered in concern. “You will grow big too one day! Big enough to cast down the stars!”

“Y-yes, she’s right!” Bugsy nodded many times in quick succession. “Look at me, Mr. Plato! I’m sure you will evolve into something even greater than a smilodon with more levels! Like a, a… centicat!”

“You can’t possibly believe in his little play,” Basil protested. “If he wanted to kill himself, he would have sliced his own neck with his claws!”

“See? See?” Plato waved his tail in his owner’s direction. “I’m already dead in his mind!”

“Don’t make me throw you into the river,” Basil warned Plato. “And what’s wrong with being a fairy cat? You might evolve into something stronger than a smilodon!”

The cat’s gaze lit up with a flame in it. “Basil, do you think… Do you think I can transform into a lion at least? A giant lion, with fire for a mane?”

Basil sincerely doubted it, but he knew better than to say it to his cat’s face. If we end up losing the house, we should start a circus. He would make us good money.

“I dunno,” Basil replied, which was the truth. He had no way to tell what a Cait Sith might transform into. “Maybe?”

His lackluster answer calmed Plato. The cat wiped away his fake tears. “Alright… I’ll endure. For the mane.”

God save us if he does transform into a lion, Basil thought as he lightly dropped his cat on the grass. He would never shut up about it.

Wind blew over the house and a giant shadow flew above the group’s head.

Basil immediately summoned his halberd in alarm and his monsters prepared for battle. A giant white bird landed on the grass in front of them, holding a golden snake in his talons and carrying a man on his back.

“Namaste, friends.” Kalki gracefully leaped from Garud’s back and politely bowed before Basil’s group. “I hope I do not interrupt anything.”

“Who is this guy?” Plato asked. The vegetables, Rosemarine included, hissed threateningly at the newcomers. Shesha imitated them with her three heads, ready to defend her Tamer at the first sign of trouble.

“How did… How did you find my house?” Basil asked, his teeth clenching in annoyance. “It’s camouflaged!”

“Dude, you have a field full of crops surrounded by woods and marshes,” Garud said. “Pretty easy to see from above.”

Stealthy feature, my ass! Basil had spent three Lair Points for a useless protection. I want a refund!

You cannot regain Lair Points that you have already spent.

“Even if they don’t perform as advertised?” Basil snarled. “Did you forget to include consumer protection in your System package? I’ll sue you!”

Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!

“I swear, I’ll strangle the customer service if I ever find them.” Basil sighed. “It’s fine, guys, he’s a friend.”

“Did I do something wrong?” Kalki looked at Basil with concern. “I can leave right now if you prefer. I wanted to say goodbye before leaving for Bordeaux, but I did not want to intrude.”

“No, no, it’s alright. I’m just annoyed with the System.” Basil stored his halberd back in his inventory. “You didn’t interrupt anything. Do you want a cup of coffee or tea?”

“You are very kind, but I must refuse. We have a long road ahead of us.” Kalki noticed Plato glaring at his bird and smiled. “Is something the matter?”

“Nothing,” the cat lied.

“He wants to challenge me,” Garud guessed. The mighty bird expanded his wings in defiance and overshadowed the much smaller cat. “Try and regret it!”

“Don’t tempt me, you big chicken!” Plato showed his fangs. “I can take you!”

Garud opened his beak to strike, but his Tamer didn’t let the situation escalate into a fight. Kalki walked between the two would-be combatants and locked eyes with Plato.

“What?” The cat asked and shifted on his legs. The man’s gaze clearly made him uncomfortable.

“You are a hurt soul,” Kalki said. “I can see it in your eyes. You don’t have to fight and kill other people to prove your worth to your friends. They already love you.”

Plato stared at Kalki with a dumbfounded expression. He didn’t react as the stranger kindly patted him on the head. “You have gathered many true friends, Basil,” Kalki said. “I pray you treasure them as they do you.”

What is wrong with this man? Basil couldn’t put his finger on it. Something about Kalki felt… unnatural. Almost otherworldly. Maybe he is. I can check right now.

“Can you follow me for a minute?” Basil asked Kalki. “I would like to show you something.”

“Certainly,” Kalki replied. Basil led him into the garage. The car-sized holomachine taken from Steamslime rested in the back alongside supplies. “What a peculiar device. How does it work?”

“Like this.” Basil inserted a cubic gem into the holomachine’s slot and recharged it with his Fuel Technology Perk. Steam poured out of its pipes and the central mirror lit up. The pictures of over eighty symbols of various complexity appeared on the latter’s surface. “From what I gathered, each symbol is associated with a key from the board.”

Alas, Steamslime continued to mess with Basil from beyond the grave. The snail-dragon had sealed the holomachine with the most powerful defense of all.

A password lock.

“A puzzle?” Kalki asked with an innocent grin. “How interesting.”

“How annoying you mean,” Basil replied. “Do you recognize the symbols?”

“I do not.” Kalki shook his head. “They mean nothing to me.”

“Well, it was worth a shot.” If anything, Basil was relieved to hear that Kalki had seemingly nothing to do with the Unity. “I hoped that this machine could jog your memory.”

“Thank you for trying.” Kalki smiled sadly. “Between us, you already did make me remember things.”

Basil raised an eyebrow. “I did?”

“My companions and I slept in the water station that you recommended to us,” Kalki explained. “The place felt familiar to me. You were in my dreams too.”

“Your dreams?” Basil frowned. “I’m certain we’ve never met before.”

“I don’t think so either, yet I dreamed of you all the same. I saw you fight a monstrous bug in a cave of stone before facing a tower of steel that breathed light and magic.” Kalki nodded to himself, a thoughtful expression on his face. “A device more complex than your machine and that felt familiar to me.”

Basil observed Kalki in silence as his mind processed the man’s words. How did he… a possible explanation quickly came to mind.

“Are you a psychic?” Basil asked. “A telepath?”

“I cannot read your mind if that’s what you’re asking,” Kalki replied with a chuckle. “From your answer, I assume my dreams mean something to you.”

“They do.” How could this man dream about events he hadn’t witnessed himself? And if he found the dungeon’s server familiar… “Do the words ‘Dismaker Labs’ and ‘neurotower’ mean anything to you?”

Kalki’s eyes lit up with surprise and hope. “Yes, they do. I’ve heard them before, I’m sure of it.”

“Where?” Basil probed for information. “Where did you hear these words? Did the System tell them to you?”

“No, no, I…” Kalki put a hand on his forehead. “I can’t remember. These words echo in my mind, but they lack meaning. What are they?”

“The people who destroyed the world, and the tools they used to do the deed.” If Kalki was related to them… “Do you think seeing that tower would help you remember?”

“Maybe… yes, I think so.” Kalki bowed before Basil. “Please, my friend, can you bring me to it?”

“I damaged the tower of your dreams beyond repair,” Basil explained, raising a hand before Kalki lost hope. “A friend called Neria Elissalde took the parts to Bordeaux. I can ask her to show them to you.”

“That would be great.” The thought of finding answers about his past seemed to fill Kalki with energy. “Thank you, my friend. I will go visit this Neria at once.”

“You’re welcome,” Basil replied. He wondered if that meeting would yield interesting results. “I’ll write down her barrack’s address.”

Kalki nodded in gratitude and snapped his fingers. A blue conch shell materialized in his hand, its surface covered in symbols and scriptures Basil did not recognize.

“Here,” Kalki said as he handed it over to Basil. “A gift for you.”

“A conch shell?” Basil asked. It felt strangely light in his hand. “What is it for?”

“I engraved it myself. It has no particular properties, but it makes for a nice instrument.” Kalki smiled kindly. “I wanted to give it to you as a token of friendship and gratitude. A souvenir that our paths once crossed.”

“That’s… that’s very kind of you.” Basil blushed in embarrassment. He never knew how to respond with gifts. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Then say nothing,” Kalki replied with a chuckle. “I feel much anger and distrust coming from you. I hope music will help soothe your pain.”

“Pain?” Basil snorted. “I don’t feel pain.”

“You helped me find a roof, but I cannot help but notice that you did not invite me under yours. You were afraid of me.”

He was perceptive.

“It’s a tough world,” Basil said. He stood by his decision, though he felt a little ashamed now. “I couldn’t risk my party’s safety if you turned out to be a thief and a crook.”

“I understand. We live in an age of distrust. Yet I feel this is not the only reason why you remained wary of me.” When Kalki locked eyes with Basil, it felt like the man was peering into his soul. “You’ve been disappointed by others in the past and it marked you like hot iron. Trust is not a gift to you, but a sword without a hilt. You don’t remember how to wield it without hurting yourself.”

“You don’t know what you’re speaking of,” Basil lied, both to Kalki and to himself. The man’s words rattled him on a deep, personal level.

“Perhaps,” Kalki agreed. He had understood that he was walking in a minefield. “At least, this is how it feels to me. What I mean to say is… honesty is sometimes betrayed, but distrust is poison to the soul.”

He glanced at the conch shell gift. “I want this gift to remind you that kindness is always rewarded, whether in this life or the next. What comes around goes around.”

Basil couldn’t help but smirk. “You really are a hippie.”

Kalki laughed. “A good day to you, Basil.”

Five minutes later, Basil watched his guest fly away on his mount’s back. His team stood with him outside in the garden as they watched Kalki’s party disappear through the clouds in Bordeaux’s direction.

“He’s a strange one,” Bugsy noted.

Plato nodded warily. “He smells like a flower. First time I met a human like that.”

“Like me?” Rosemarine asked.

“Not like you. He smells like that flower…” Plato glanced at Basil. “Yo dog, remember the plant René tried to eat when he was in his Chinese medicine phase? The time he almost choked to death?”

“The lotus?” Basil asked. He remembered that day clearly. René had become so desperate to fend off cancer he started to buy into miracle cures.

“A lotus, yes.” Plato looked at the skies. “That guy stinks of lotus.”

A System notification appeared in front of Basil.

New Main Quest: The Lotus of Remembrance. Recommended Level: 50+. Figure out Kalki’s true identity and help him remember his past. Reward: 1,150,000 Bonus EXP + Lotus of Wisdom.

Basil almost choked at the sight. Level 50? A very high level for a seemingly trivial task. That settled it for Basil.

There was more to Kalki than met the eyes.