A slight grin washed over Anabella's face as she watched Dalia's reaction. “Interesting isn't it? But there is more!” - she said.

“There is more to the story?” - Geral wondered and got an upset look from Dalia.

He wasn't particularly interested in the angel's story. After all, a high-level assassin would naturally target high-level targets. What could be higher than an angel? What he found intriguing was the intricate relationship between the shrines, angels, high-level NPCs, and the game's general setup. However, he wasn't sure if any of these things could be of any help in securing Anabella's freedom.

Anabella turned to answer him.

“As I said, there seems to be more to it, but I am not sure how these things fit together. That's what I was trying to understand. For instance, the story with the Silver Shrine.”

“Careful what you say about the Silver Shrine! You may cause some trouble if you talk about that, and all you might achieve would be to get yourself silenced in some very inconvenient way. We both don't want that to happen. I know you have already spoken with several now-dead slaves!” - Dalia said hastily.

Anabella exclaimed, surprised:

“Several?" - she gasped, sighed, and then shrugged - "I do not plan to talk about the death-touched paragraph or anything around it, Dalia!”

Dalia's eyes widened in surprise, but Anabella continued:

"I plan to talk about town annals, Dalia. The town annals hold some fascinating stories, even in this very town. For instance, it's been recorded that the mayor has been killed numerous times, only to mysteriously reappear. I've come across similar accounts in the annals of Lilitown. What makes this story even more interesting is that the incidents began around ten years ago and ceased almost a year ago. There haven't been any cases like this in the past year!"

Dalia initially listened with tension but gradually relaxed and ended up shrugging with a hint of a contemptuous smile. "I can assure you that it worked as intended. It's fascinating that you are interested in researching such things!"

Dalia's response didn't discourage Anabella; she replied confidently, "I'm interested in understanding the connection between the strange events that have occurred in the last ten years. For example, the period of mysterious resurrections coincides with what I call Isera's period."

Curious, Dalia asked, "What do you mean by Isera's period?"

"I'm referring to the time when Isera existed in this world," Anabella explained.

Dalia shrugged.

“Isera is a mythical existence, an angel of a God.”

“Yes, one thinks so, but if one checks the written history, there is no reference to her earlier than ten years ago.”

Dalia rolled her eyes, but Anabella continued.

“Same for the Silver Shrine. There is no documented mention of it earlier than ten years!”

Dalia sighed and gave Anabella a pitied glance.

“Look, I know this might surprise you and confuse you, and probably I should not tell you, but this is so because this world is only ten years old. This world was created ten years ago for us to have fun in it. Yes, Anabella, this is the simple, damning truth.”

Anabella interrupted her: "I am older than ten years! What am I?"

Dalia just rolled her eyes, but Geral echoed her: "What are we?”

Dalia shrugged and turned to Geral. "I think we're just projections of our true selves, Geral. I don't believe our souls have been pulled into this dimension, as some people speculate. It's just a computer-generated world, and we're playing in it! We believe it's a test where our avatars can continue to play the game."

“We? Who are we?” - Geral wondered.

“We, the players here in Silver Town. You should come more often out of your house and talk with people, not only NPCs.” - Dalia grinned, looking at him.

Anabella shook her head. “Then why are there historical mentions that go longer than ten years? This city was founded almost one thousand years ago!”

Dalia huffed. “That must be just history that has been put in when they generated the world, Anabella.”

To which Anabella watched her askew. “If it is so, then why did they not put the Silver Shrine also into that history. Why was it omitted?”

Dalia gasped, then shrugged. “Maybe it was just an omission, an error at the world generation.”

Anabella smiled triumphantly. “Oh yes? And the same error happened with Isera, Tenebra, and Quetzal? They all appeared only ten years ago!”

Dalia did not seem impressed. “Interesting point, but if something like this did appear out of nowhere, people would have noticed. There would be a lot of fuss about the sudden apparition of the three angels, wouldn't it?”

“True.” – Anabella nodded, conceding the point, then took a deep breath - ”However, being a passionate historian, I did check annals and such documents before. You know, I am older than ten years."

"You keep on saying that," - Dalia mumbled, but Anabella continued unimpressed:

"I have a good memory of what I saw some twenty years ago, ten years ago, and now. I know I've seen these only in the last ten years, and yet I thought it was OK. It was as it should have been. Only now did I realize that it was not as it should have been!”

Both Dalia and Geral watched her, intrigued.

“What do you want to say?” - Dalia asked.

Anabella sighed. “That maybe there was more to the Silver Shrine. There was some spell that was keeping us blind and docile. Why did I not know about players before? Of course, I knew, but it was OK, you know? It was normal; that was the world. But now it is no longer so since the Silver Shrine is gone, and I've seen the same with other spawns like me, or should I say NPCs?”

Dalia raised a brow.

“You want to tell me that there was a spell that controlled your behavior? Interesting point of view.” - she looked pensively to Geral, then back to Anabella – “There is something in what you said; the NPCs seem to be somehow awakened.”

Anabella gave her a bright smile.

“So whoever destroyed that Shrine might have done us, spawns, a big service, and to tell the truth, I suspect it was...”

Dalia wanted to stop her, but she just spoke further.

“… Cala”

A surprised Dalia wondered:

“Cala?”

“Yes. She had been seen here before the shrine was destroyed. She also had a motive as the shrine had refused to guarantee her the resurrection, and she had the experience as she is known to have killed the other angel and thus destroyed the green shrine.”

“That's an interesting theory. But why would she do that?”

Anabella shrugged.

“I don't mean the idiot who did his work and unknowingly participated in destroying the shrine; I think Cala did the hard work to kill the angel. If the angel were still alive, he would have fixed the shrine. Somebody had to kill that angel, and I know of only one person who had killed one.”

Geral rested his chin in his hand, looking at Anabella. “That's a heavy accusation you make based on some clues but no hard proof. What game would Cala have? Just killing angels?”

Anabella shrugged, finishing her soup bowl.

Dalia smiled, seeing her finish it.

“You want some more? Or should we go to the next course? I want to warn you that Xithera is preparing a six-course dinner!”

“You shouldn't have...” - Anabella instinctively protested.

“Oh, I do. It is your last dinner, unfortunately...” – Dalia answered with a sigh.

“Is there nothing that can be done?” - Geral wondered, putting the spoon down after having also finished the soup.

Dalia shrugged. “Grackak is not a person who cannot be talked to, but you gave him no other choice.”

Geral furrowed his brows, not understanding. Dalia pulled a cord, probably ringing a bell somewhere. The isolation through Dalia's spell was so good that they heard nothing, but soon Xithera appeared and started to remove the used dishes and prepare the table for the next course.

“What do you mean by giving him no other choice?” - Geral asked

Dalia sighed. “Derona was to be sacrificed tomorrow, for the day of sacrifices, to the twin Gods.”

Geral exclaimed, surprised. “What? Do we make human sacrifices now? What's wrong with you people?”

Dalia waited for Xithera to leave and then answered.

“Geral, don't forget that we live in a virtual world that was created to be as it is. Here Gods exist! Here sacrifices matter!”

Anabella whistled. “It's interesting to see that you believe in Gods, but due to the wrong reasons.”

Dalia sighed. “Why wrong reasons? I simply know that they exist because it is how this world has been made!”

Anabella shrugged. “Are you sure? I've told you that the world is older. Here, below the Silver Town, there was a dungeon. That dungeon disappeared, and the shrine appeared. The dungeon existed because the magic ley lines have a congruence here. All that magic energy has been canalized into the shrine. Somebody did transform the world ten years ago.”

Dalia rolled her eyes. Geral rubbed his temples.

“What is with that sacrifice tomorrow? Can't he choose another slave if he wants one so urgent?”

“Oh, now it is ok if it is another slave? The problem is: it must be a white mage or a priest with at least level twenty. You see, this limits his options a lot.” - Dalia's voice became more serious. She turned from Geral to Anabella – “Anabella, you don't have to die tomorrow. All you have to do is tell me where Derona is or give me some information about her escape plan. I understand that you were involved in it, so you must know more details. If your girls are also involved, we can overlook that for now. Olomuc and his dragon could easily find Derona, which would save you. I might even be able to persuade Grackak to let you live as a slave with Geral for a few years until your punishment is complete. That's quite a generous offer. However, time is running out, and our chances of finding her are decreasing.”

She turned again to Geral.

“Bring another priest for sacrifice, and she may be pardoned. Can you bring one until tomorrow morning?”

Geral sighed.

“What is this obsession with sacrifice for tomorrow?”

“It is a rite in this world, Geral. We live here!” - Dalia explained.

Anabella sighed. “Tomorrow is the twin Gods' day, Gomer and Ethea. The legend says that one day, long ago, after the twin Gods met in the sky like they will do tomorrow, Ethea birthed Eledor. Eledor brought years of famine and disasters until it found its place in the sky, which is why it is of use to make sacrifices to appease the Gods. Besides, priestesses know how to help avoid pregnancies, which is why a priestess is always sent to Ethea to help her avoid getting pregnant. By the way, the silver shrine is dedicated to the two Gods.”

"Did you not say that the silver shrine was created only ten years ago? And now it is linked to an old religion?" - Dalia huffed.

Anabella sighed. "I did, true. The Silver Shrine took the place of the old twin Gods shrine, which exited before."

"Oh," - Dalia shrugged, then turned to Geral - “What she tells is a legend referring to the giant gas planet Eledor. Probably it was added to the lore of this world. Can you believe that the natives have seen this cosmic phenomenon and given that information over generations? When, probably, at the time, only protozoa could have lived on the planet? Besides, that could not have happened that way, which contradicts astrophysics. Stars do not give birth to giant gas planets! This is another proof that this world was done, is not a real world, if you still need such proof!”

Geral sighed. “Oh, and because of some stupid lore, you plan to kill my girl?”

Dalia shrugged again and spoke to Geral: “As I said, she does not have to die. Especially not now, after the info she gave us about Cala. I guess Grackak will declare Cala an official enemy of the state and put a high reward for her capture."

She turned to Anabella: "Even if what you say are only suppositions, the story seems to fit. Cala already had a price on her head since she killed six citizens of the city. That prize will now probably be raised. You two could happily live in this city as citizens. Just let us have Derona back.”

“It's not healthy to live in this city” – Anabella said to which Dalia raise inquiringly her brows.

Anabella continued – “The magic density is too high. Due to it, the area will slowly transform into a dungeon. One can already see how wildlife transforms and evolves. Why do you have all those quests to clean areas that never end? People will start to be transformed, too. You do not know if the dungeon will start forming a core or how it will evolve. The moment it forms a core, it would be the end of you!”

“It is true that spawns are influenced by it. I don't think it can affect us players. We play in these dungeons, Anabella!”

“You play, but you do not live in them! The dungeon will try to transform and adapt you too, to use you for its purposes.”

Dalia shrugged, and then she stood up a bit abruptly.

“Well, that was an interesting conversation, and I got my info, so I will keep my word. I will leave now. There are still four courses Xithera has prepared for the supper. Please enjoy them. Have fun, you two! See you in the morning!”

As soon as Dalia left, the two stood looking at each other for a couple of moments. Geral opened his mouth to talk, but Anabella stood up and put a finger over his lips, silencing him; then she let the bathrobe slip from her shoulders, revealing her marble-like, perfect body. Geral's eyes widened in surprise. She approached him slowly, and he embraced her, feeling her lithe body close to his.