Rowan woke first. Grace had curled herself near him, her left calf between his legs, head on his chest, in the same position she fell asleep in. Strange, I don’t feel any cramp… A rumination assaulted him. Has sex been an impulse for Grace? A reward for saving Lizzie? Or an attempt to secure a protector in a changing and dangerous world? His sigh woke her up.

  “Mooorning…” Grace yawned, stretching herself, blushing, and avoiding his eyes.

  He swallowed a lump and tried his hand at a compliment. “Thank you. It was a beautiful night.”

  “You silly!” she fondled his cheek. “I just indulged myself with a treat. You’re cute and… a good man.”

  Her words had many meanings, but Rowan decided not to dwell on them. “I think I’ll go out for a hike. I need to clear my mind.”

  “Weather looks nice,” she looked outside, getting up from the bed. “Will you… come back?”

  Her voice had a slight shake, and he understood. The last night had been more than casual sex. She yearned for a true partner, a relationship. “At least for tonight. I have to check out what’s happening with all this alien stuff before making a decision… If the situation returns to normal, I’ll return to Louisville.”

  “I understand,” she nodded, a little sad.

  “But I’d like to stay in touch.” He searched her eyes, keeping eye contact for a moment. He was single, and she was too. That was clear enough. Step by step, they could build something or call it quits if it didn’t work out.

  Grace smiled back. “And if things are not normal out there? Will you stay?”

  Rowan sighed. He liked his job and life, but the world going haywire was a possibility. “I guess I could rent a room here, like Dmitri.”

  “If you work for it,” she giggled and moved to grab his thing, making Rowan yelp and cover his groin with a pillow. “Sorry!” Grace double facepalmed. “This is so not me… I’m going crazy.”

  “Don’t worry about it. So… how are we going to… err… act?”

  “Oh, goodness… Yeah… Well, Lizzie sleeps late on Sundays, so... You go down first, I’ll sneak in my room and come down later.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “You shall not pass!” they suddenly heard Lizzie screaming. “They have to cuddle and kiss as long as they need to. He’s good daddy material. I won’t let you ruin it for me.”

  “Oh, my God!” Grace blurted. “The little monster is up."

  "And figured things out," Rowan pointed.

  "Of course, it’s half past ten,” Grace sighed, checking her phone.

  “Rowan Allinder, come here this instant!” another voice yelled.

  “It’s Isla,” Grace said.

  “Yeah... I guessed that much. Let’s dress and see what she wants.”

  “She called your name, not mine. I’ll take a shower.”

  “Pfff… I feel the need to hide under the bed.”

  “True, Isla has this effect on people. Go.”

  Throwing a T-shirt and his pants on him, as well as a pair of espadrilles he had in reserve, Rowan hurried down the stairs. Lizzie was hopping to the left and right, blocking the way with her wide-spread arms, while the furious and fuming policewoman tried to go around. Such good looks, but when she yells, goodness!

  “Morning, Isla,” Rowan said.

  In a silent answer, Isla showed him both her middle fingers.

  “Hey, that’s rude!”

  “You think so? Then have some more," she repeated the gesture. "Enough talking, you’re coming with me."

  "Am I under arrest? What have I done ?” Rowan protested, raising his palms heavenward.

  “What have— never mind. I’ll show you what you did.”

  “Hi, Isla. What’s up?” Dressed in a bathrobe, Grace had appeared on the staircase, meaning she had postponed her shower.

  “I’m borrowing your boyfriend.”

  “What do you mean?” Grace jerked her head back, pretending to frown in befuddlement.

  “You did cuddle all night, right?” Lizzie stomped on the floor with a menacing tone in her voice. “Tell me you did your duty. I need a daddy!”

  “That’s no way to talk to your mother, miss!” Grace counter-attacked. “Go dress, we’re going to church.”

  “Pleeeeease, let’s stay home….” the girl wailed, collapsing in a heap on the floor and grabbing her head between her hands. “Church is so boooooring.”

  Grace stood firm, pointing behind her, somewhere on the first floor. “Request denied. Some discipline would do you good. Now go dress!”

  “What church are you going to?” Rowan asked while Lizzie climbed the stairs with sagged shoulders, like going to the scaffold.

  “Whatever I feel like at the moment," Grace said. "I’m not much into religion but love praying with others.”

  “Hm… I do the same.”

  “Go to the one around the corner,” Isla said softly, with a smile that was more of a grin. “You’ll have a nice surprise.”

  Grabbing Rowan by the elbow, she pulled him after her, frowning to avoid any way of interpretation. He was supposed to follow or else. She’s so hot when she’s angry… If only her voice had not been so strident. Like a hysterical goose choking on a bone… Yet, she’s so sexy…

  “Morning, Rowan.” Outside, Dmitri was watering the garden.

  “Hi. Tell Grace I’ll be back as—”

  “Don't hold your breath,” Isla said. "This will take a while." The police car was parked in front of the house. Isla opened the back door, gesturing to invite him to go in.

  “Am I in trouble for teleporting those FBI agents?”

  She shoved him in, slammed the car’s door, got in the front seat, and drove off, tires screeching. Twenty seconds later, they stopped in the parking lot from the day before, and Rowan’s eyes widened.

  “What the fuck?” The church, the northeast-situated one, had been a building of medium size the day before. Overnight, it had become a cathedral of epic proportions, mixing Gothic arches with Art Nouveau decorations. Isla faced him, her voice muffled by the security window.

  “See what you’ve done, now?" Isla yelled so he could hear her through the reinforced window. "That thing you unleashed changed the church into fucking Downton Abbey."

  “You mean Westminster Abbey?”

  “And the whole town into a Disney amusement park.” She drove off again, but this time at a snail's pace, allowing him to take in the view of the valley. On the other side, the part of the town tucked inside a meander was now surrounded by thick medieval stone walls. The river itself had also changed. Muddy yesterday, now it rolled with majestic and deep pure waters.

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  “Some buildings were moved around or changed to make place for the new stuff,” Isla said. “We have tons of complaints about that.”

  “It looks better like this if you ask me,” Rowan said.

  “It’s not the looks the problem.”

  “Then what?”

  “You’ll find out in due time,” she sneered.

  They arrived in a large square, surrounded by cute German romantic-style buildings that would have looked appropriate in Bavaria but less so in West Virginia. Scores of people were walking and staring around, their voices akin to the buzzing of a beehive.

  "In there," Isla said curtly, pointing to the larger building. Rowan could tell she was refraining from dragging him by force. The passersby began to cheer, clap, or wave at them. He waved back instinctively. "Let's go already," the policewoman said through her clenched teeth.

  "I had no idea this would happen." Rowan pleaded as they walked on. “Err… No one was hurt when things changed, right?”

  "Let me put you up to speed," Isla paused after they entered the lobby, which was covered in intricate wood panels. “Last night, everybody got a message on their phones or social media. The title said: ‘Welcome to the Apocalypse!' There were balloons and confetti emojis around it.”

  “Apocalypse, with balloons and emojis?” Rowan stuttered. “That’s kinda crazy!”

  “Yeah… Then, it continued: 'A UFO crashed, and because of that, your planet has been Awakened to Mana and the System. A grave menace had appeared near Elkins, yet a Hero saved the day, protecting your Town and County. You’re safe inside their limits.’ Then, people were sent a video of that Grove Event with the DireDeers. You appeared… heroic. We were given an hour to vote if we wanted you to become our Count in a Constitutional Monarchy of sorts. Guess what? You won with seventy-three percent.”

  “Oh… Really?” Rowan widened his eyes. He wasn’t what was called a people’s person.

  “Then, during the night, everybody in town got sleepy, by a spell or something, and in the morning, everything changed. And no, no one got hurt.”

  "But I have nothing to do with it!" Rowan yelled, balling his fists. "All I wanted was for me and the kids to be safe."

  "Then I guess you should make up your mind," Isla shrugged, waving her finger around. "Because this is supposed to be your mansion and our county your domain."

  Rowan opened his mouth but closed it back as a blue text appeared in his view.

  Quest: Make up your mind. Issued by the System at Isla Culloden's suggestion.

  Earth has irrevocably changed, for the better or the worse. In this new world, only a few have the power to stand up and protect their fellow citizens.

  You have until midnight to accept or reject the Count position bestowed upon you by the System and the people's will.

  "I need a moment!" Rowan said, closing his eyes.

  "Welcome!" a voice startled him the next second, ruining his chance to gather his thoughts. "I'm Jim, the mayor." A man in his early sixties, with shabby chic clothes and the vibe of an old retired teacher, rushed to shake the younger man's hand. "Come, the council is waiting in the reception room."

  Fuck… Can't I have a moment alone? Rowan sighed but followed.

  [Elkins Town’s Core AI to Rowan]: I suggest you go with the flow for now. You'll have the rest of the day to decide upon your quest. Know that I would be delighted if you'd accept to be my master. Why don't you start by inspecting the building? I put a lot of hard work into designing the most exquisite multipurpose mansion for you, following the newest trends in the multiverse yet respecting the local culture as well.

  Ah, here you are! Why didn't you say anything?

  [Elkins Town’s Core AI to Rowan]: First, you ordered me to shut off. Then, I was obliged to enter privacy mode as you engaged in lewd conduct with that human female, Grace. My executive decision protocols have kicked in, and I had to assume command for a while. But now that you’re back, I’m glad to help and follow your orders. Just say the word.

  Can't you lose the color and the long name for starters? I get dizzy just by reading it… Can I just call you Cory or something?

  There was a short pause before the entity's voice returned to his mind, this time without the color.

  [Cory]: Excellent suggestion. I—

  The AI continued to talk, but so did the people in the large room, shaking Rowan's hand and presenting themselves. About ten men and women of different ages said things that made no sense, often speaking over each other. Rowan nodded, pretending to listen while walking his eyes around, often phasing out.

  The space was about a hundred and some feet long and sixty large, and it had large stained glass windows with flowery motifs in art-nouveau style. The parquet was intricate and shined, and a small water feature was in the center—a fountain with a nymph statue. A strange detail contrasted with the rest. A giant wood or charcoal barbecue grill on the farthest wall, inside a massive fireplace ten feet tall and at least three deep.

  [Cory]: I notice your interest in the piece de resistance. What can be more posh than an open space in which you can entertain the guests with a barbecue during a ball? My interior design subroutine is quite pleased with it.

  Err…

  "And we hope to have the plumbing redone within a few weeks," the mayor said.

  "Sorry?" Rowan shook his head.

  "Oh, you don't know, right… Let me show you the toilet." The mayor escorted him to a door on the side of the hall. It gave first into a tight couloir, then into a small adjacent room, four by four feet. Inside were only two features: a hole in the ground, a Turkish-style squat toilet displaying total darkness beneath, and a sort of faucet stuck in the wall. A small pile of squares of paper cut from newspapers sat near the hole. "It’s the one and only toilet in the building. We couldn't figure out what the wall device does…" the man confessed. "But I did a number one in the hole, and it… disappears. Maybe it disintegrates matter…"

  [Cory]: It teleports human detritus into a recycling plant I built out of town. The design of the toilet is based on the most commonly used type of facility on Earth: the squatting toilet. The wall device is simultaneously a water or a sonic cleaner. There is a rune that activates—

  "Sorry!" Rowan yelled. He had mistakenly touched the rune at the same time the AI spoke. A beam of water had missed him by an inch, hitting the mayor in the face and kicking his glasses off. They fell into the hole and vanished.

  "It's OK, I have a spare," the older man shouted as they both ran out, closing the door. "At least it works."

  “That’s the main problem with what happened,” Isla said. “Toilets are a nightmare; the streets are too narrow, and there’s no parking space at all!”

  “The new center town design is medieval, to say the least,” the mayor sighed.

  "Look, sir," Rowan addressed the elderly man, "I… don't think I'm cut for this job… It's… just too much."

  "I see…" the man nodded slowly, wiping his face with a handkerchief. "Why don't we move to the meeting room and talk?" He gestured toward another door and arrived in a more classical conference room, followed by the rest of the people present. Luckily, the room had a normal table and chairs. Rowan was obliged to take the main seat as everybody else had occupied the rest.

  "You're aware the world changed, right?" the mayor continued.

  "Yeah… but how much?" Rowan said.

  [Cory]: Just a bit now, but it will be by a lot very soon. It’s an Apocalypse, after all. Duuuh!

  "Mutated animals started to appear around the county… strange rabbits with horns, snails that growl and jump you…”

  [Cory]: About 1% of the fauna will mutate inside a high Mana Zone. 0.1 percent outside.

  "The good part is we didn't have any fatalities… that AI sent us warnings on our phones… The beasts are territorial and haven’t attacked anyone yet."

  [Cory]: Monsters stay near small Mana Nodes. I marked their position on the County’s mini map.

  "A few people hunted some and got that thing… the System? We have about… I dunno… Isla?"

  "Maybe fifty people with classes. Most are Hunter class, uncommon tier. And a few Rares. Two Scouts and one Ranger… A guy who used a bow," the policewoman said.

  "But none is so strong as you, son," the mayor said. "We… kinda hope you'd stay and help us… I and the council will take care of the usual business, you know… taxes, roads, stuff… and you’ll do the… err… protecting part. We thought about paying you two hundred thousand a year plus bonuses."

  [Cory]: By protecting, he means the fighting. There will be a lot of dangers. I recommend you ask for three hundred thousand a year.

  “What happens if I refuse?” Rowan asked. “I have a life, you know… a normal job, and so on.”

  [Cory]: There will be elections. However, my simulation tells me that eventually, Isla will become the local warlord. Apocalypses tend to concentrate power in the hands of those who fight.

  "Son, considering what the government did, I don’t think your normal life will last long,” the mayor said.

  “You mean the kidnapping attempt?” Rowan frowned, remembering how the feds planned to dissect him and the children.

  “[Cory]: That was only the beginning. After the feds were teleported, they sent the army but failed to enter the County. Then… they tried something else.

  "Look," the mayor forwarded Rowan his phone, displaying a short video. The town, viewed from afar, was enclosed in a forcefield. The landscape had transformed into a nightmarish desert to the valley's east. Burnt, destroyed, some stumps showing here and there, and hills battered into piles of mud.

  “My God!” Rowan exclaimed. "What happened?"

  "A few hours after the force field went up, the government threw a few tacticals nukes at Elkins… No attempt to communicate, nothing. The AI filmed this and forwarded it to the Council. It said the radiation and the shock were stopped by the County quantum forcefield… for which we should thank you."

  "Shit! How many more hits can we withstand."

  "The AI said there's no limit."

  [Cory]: Nukes are no match for a Quantum Forcefield. If I may insist, please accept your new position. The townfolks are really nice, and you would fit in perfectly. Outside, chaos will only grow. There's next to zero chance any normal government will survive the Change.

  Rowan remained silent for a long moment, drumming his fingers on the tableboard. The news was a bit too much to process instantly. "OK, I get you… I need time alone to figure it out and make up my mind. You’ll have my answer before tonight."

  “Thank you, son,” the mayor offered a handshake. “We count on you.”