Sitting on the fireplace mantle, the mini-dungeon core looked like a snow globe, reflecting the weather outside. Rubbing his hands, the man arranged it to the left, then to the right, but finally moved it again to the center, sighing in disappointment.

  “It’d go well with a pair of candlesticks.” Rowan exited The Space and took a seat on the couch. Taking two glasses from the tray on the coffee table, he poured Bourbon into both of them. “Sit,” he pointed to the couch across the coffee table. “I opened one of my bottles; it’s better than that garbage,” Rowan flickered his hand at a mini bar nearby.

  Startled at first, the man sighed and obeyed, sitting down and taking a sip, and then another one. “It’s… very good,” he acknowledged. “Can I finish it?”

  “What, you think it’s your last drink? That depends. I want to hear your story before I decide.”

  “You found me and don’t know the story?”

  Rowan shrugged. “I'll find out the story now. You can tell it over a drink or while screaming your frozen lungs out. Your choice, Neek Supreme,” he sneered on the last two words.

  “How did you find me?” the man asked. "I mean… if you're going to kill me, indulge my curiosity. Last request stuff."

  “I’ll answer this one question, then you better start talking. First, we didn’t notice any rival teams using the Sensor in our area, which meant it was used in Asia or Europe. Then, I got suspicious when the former US states agreed to stop fighting each other and work together, more or less. Cora, my wife—”

  “I know who she is,” the man nodded.

  “She told me the chance they did that by themselves was zero. So, somebody was interfering. Not for the worse, I give you that. Finally, we tracked the flight patterns of rich and influential people. I had no idea you guys were so many… However, only a handful were connected to politicians in all states, traveled to Asia, and fewer had access to submarines. Only one was in Virginia on the Awakening day, fifty miles from where I cleared my first dungeon. Your turn.”

  “Clever,” the man said, taking a sip and pointing to the fireplace. “That core fell near me, on my golf course, while I was alone. I touched and claimed it before it activated. That was possible because it was only a level ten, without any monster inside. It’s a learning dungeon core, a school. It was meant for the Traipenent crew’s kids. As I picked it up, it transformed into a Town Core, but I couldn’t expand it.”

  “Yes, you need a special perk for it,” Rowan said. Leaning back on the couch, he inhaled the scent of the Bourbon, nodding to the other to continue his story.

  “I found out only later. I did get an INT class, though, allowing me to access the information contained in the core. That’s how I managed to build a Technoforge and fabricate Neektech.”

  “You mean the Rezz tanks and the rest? Why didn’t you ask me or somebody else to help activate it?”

  The man on the sofa shrugged, grimacing and rotating the glass in his hand to let the Bourbon breathe and spread its oils for a better nosing. “For multiple reasons. Safety in anonymity. Waiting to see how things develop…" the man paused, sipping his whiskey. "Don't you find it strange that a dungeon transforms into a town? What if it changes back, or implodes, or—"

  “It doesn't change back. We made sure when we wrote the System.” A third man appeared out of thin air and took a seat on the couch, near Rowan. Dressed in a black suit, the Warlord looked now like a savvy businessman in his forties.

  "Do you know each other?" Rowan asked. The billionaire shook his head, befuddled. "Rich guy, meet The Warlord. Take a glass and pour yourself some Bourbon," Rowan gestured. "Or spawn some monster to do it for you."

  "You… w-wrote the System?" the billionaire asked, putting his glass on the table, maybe afraid to spill it because of his shaking hands.

  “Me and my friends. We each put a bit of our personality and soul into it,” the Warlord said, taking on Rowan's offer and getting himself a drink, then raising his glass. “Cheers. Go on, I’ll just sit quietly and follow this fascinating exchange.”

  “So, in the end, what’s your game?” Rowan asked, looking the billionaire in the eyes.

  “Game?” the man laughed. “Humanity’s survival is not a game. I’m adapting the new technology to help our society. And I hoped to get rid of the—”

  “Competition? That’s why you attacked us?”

  “I didn’t attack you.”

  "So now you play the 'I'm the good guy' part?" Rowan frowned.

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  “Since my fate is sealed, I’m telling things as they are. This is a loose coalition where many powerful people have their own plans. Kidnapping your friends, that was the FBI. The ambush near Gladsheim Peak, the Knyaz. The incursion and the border invasion were the President’s ideas.”

  “Rest in peace,” the Warlord poured a few drops on the floor.

  “My plan was to make sure the crazy aliens leave our planet before activating the cores, that’s all. Maybe you’re unaware, but there are many of them around."

  "Man, this thing is good," the Warlord exhaled, pouring himself more Bourbon.

  “On top of the mercenaries and the Vampires?”

  “Of course,” the billionaire waved his hand. “Starting with the crew of the Traipenent."

  "You mean they survived?” Rowan gasped.

  “Some died on the ship, fighting the monsters. The rest entered a dungeon, which protected them from the Warp.”

  “This means Cora's folks might still be alive!" Rowan exclaimed. "This is wonderful news!"

  "I don't know who's who. They planned to return to the ship, but your County appeared and blocked their way. Then nukes started flying, and the US army was all over the place.”

  “Yeah, those were crazy times,” Rowan nodded.

  “The Cat Folks had a few cores and a tech to get the convicts out. They made a deal with a Necromancer and a few others. The Necromancer, a tall, scary guy, went scouting. We accidentally met and talked, and I offered them transportation and a safe place to hide here in Canada in exchange for a share of the cores and information about how the System works. We worked together to find a few cores but failed to get the one that mattered most to them, the hyperdrive.”

  “You mean the Racing Dungeon?"

  "Yes, they The aliens managed to expand four dungeons, linking them together in a cluster. If they add the Hyperdrive dungeon, it can behave like a spaceship."

  “Did you know anything of this?” Rowan asked the Warlord.

  The man turned his palms up and forwarded his lower lip, showing a most befuddled expression. “I had no idea. They hid really well… or the System thought keeping me in the dark was better. It’s still young, obsesses to put out challenges."

  "What happened next?” Rowan turned his attention to the billionaire.

  “The Necromancer spied on you on several occasions. He can stay in The Space for long periods.”

  “That’s bad…” Rowan said.

  “At some point, he succeeded in taking the sensor from you. Then, he gave it to me, and with it, I found eighteen cores between Korea and Japan. I gave them six to fuel their ship and kept twelve to activate on Earth once they’d be gone."

  "I found fifteen in your vault," Rowan said.

  "Yes, I found myself a few before that. The problem is the aliens badly need the Racing Dungeon and know you got it. They plan to attack Elkins tomorrow evening to steal the Hyperdrive.”

  "Good luck with that," Rowan laughed. “We consumed it.”

  "I’ve heard enough, and so did the System,” The Warlord interjected. “It's allowing me to take care of this. You have cleared a Secret Quest Chain by identifying the Neeks’ Boss and obtaining enough cores to be sure your planet can't break into smaller pieces. Reward: two AP per real core and twelve levels. You are now level ninety-eight. Your Town also earned ten levels and is now sixty. New Quest, this one’s from me. Decide the Neeks’ Boss's fate. Secret reward.”

  "Err… what about the red text, man?" Rowan complained. "This is underwhelming."

  The Warlord frowned. "Don’t be childish. The quest has a timer of five minutes."

  Rowan rubbed the nape of his head in what was often a signature move for him. After thinking a few seconds, he went to the mantle and touched the core. A second later, it vanished, melting in the air. He stood there, immobile, for a minute before returning to the couch.

  “I turned the resort town into an Awakened one, and the locals voted for the takeover. You’re under arrest, within its limits, for the rest of your life. If you attempt to leave the area, you guess what'll happen.

  "You can keep this hotel and its assets, but we'll take over your fortune. Hear me well. You deserve to die. Indirectly or not, you killed people. My people. But you also saved many lives around the US, stopping the infighting. That I don’t get myself involved with the non-awakened zones doesn’t mean I don't care.”

  The Warlord applauded, only a few claps, but his serious expression showed he didn't mean to laugh at Rowan's expenses. “It’s a fair call. One level and one AP for making the judgment, the same for sparing his life. Your first Skill Point as a bonus. I, The Warlord appreciate you showed mercy, for mercy is a battle.”

  “Can't you use the red text?” Rowan pleaded again. "It doesn't feel like a real quest like this."

  “Tough luck. I, The Warlord wish you to get over your disappointment because disappointments are a battle. Now… we're getting to the real deal, and trust me, it's a big deal. You beat me in a game of wits and found the Neek Supreme before I did. I'm not omnipotent and had to run around doing stuff, but these are only excuses. You deserve a prize, and I’ll give you a choice. Do you wish for me to leave your planet, or to stay and offer you more challenges?”

  Rowan snorted, filled the glasses again, and left the almost empty bottle on the table with a nervous gesture. “That’s a shitty prize. I have no choice but to tell you to stay. The bad guys out there are afraid of you. I don't want to fight some Insurance Companies sending Mercs after us to take back the cores.”

  “I understand…" The warlord massaged his forehead. "Well… once the cores consumed, they won't have any more reason to come. But for the record, you're strong enough to go toe to toe with some mercenaries, and not enough trouble for any serious planet to invade."

  "Then you decide," Rowan said. "You like it here? Stay. Wanna go? Go."

  "Of course I want to stay here," The Warlord said with vehemence. "This planet will be fun for centuries. But you’re right, my offer was meaningless. So, for the record, let’s say I still owe you a favor. Now, I’m forwarding you two System-issued quests. Here’s the text since you like it better.”

  Solo Quest: Clear the four-dungeon cluster before tomorrow at midnight and capture as many cores as possible (from 10). Reward: 1 Skill Point/core. You are not allowed to bring other people on this quest. Hidden reward from the Warlord if you capture all the cores.

  Main Quest: Stop the impending attack on Elkins before midnight tomorrow. Rewards: Continued existence. 10 Skill Points. Penalty for failure: The aliens will transform Elkins into a ship and take off with the whole town.

  “So,” the Warlord continued, grinning. “You’re level one hundred, and it's time you chose your build… Do you have another bottle? This stuff's really good.”