"Val," I thought to her as Prajio and I hurried down the street, quest item in hand. "Is anyone coming after us?"

  'The two men who had fallen on their backs are now up, but they aren't in pursuit. I believe they are rendering aid to the others.'

  That was good, and I was confident those other two would get up eventually. Prajio had exercised restraint when he hit them. His blows were powerful enough to disable without permanent injury. I respected Prajio just a little bit more for that.

  It was highly likely my drugged-out friend upstairs was now taking a peaceful nap. The drugs would wear off eventually, and I hoped the powder didn't do any permanent damage.

  We kept up a steady pace, but we were in the clear. If alarms were raised, Prajio and I would be long gone, and I doubted the city guard would push their luck with a Kurskin.

  "That was impressive work back there, Prajio," I said. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

  "How much do you know of my people?" he asked me.

  "Not much, to be honest." It was true.

  "That is fortunate, as there will be fewer prejudices for me to correct. To answer your question, I learned to fight when I was a child, as do nearly all my kind, male and female."

  "So, can all Kurskins fight like you?"

  He trumpeted a laugh. "No. Not like me. Although many of my people are quite formidable." He spread out his palm before him, showing his rough skin and hard claws. "We are a warrior race, born for battle. However, not all of us relish the fight."

  I looked at him, expecting more. He looked pensive…or the lizard equivalent.

  "The greatest fighters I know tend to be the gentlest of men," I said.

  He looked at me quizzically as we walked to Delen's house. "Those are wise words for one so young."

  "I'm thirty-three."

  "And I am seventy-four. To me, you are young."

  I raised my eyebrows. "Wow. How long does the average Kurskin live?" I flinched at a minor shock of pain from inside my head. That question must have pissed Val off.

  Prajio grinned. "Many humans believe we are immortal."

  I shrugged. "Some say you are, and some say you aren't."

  "And what do you say?"

  Val seemed to think this was a dangerous conversation to be having, but my instincts said otherwise. "If you can die, you're not immortal."

  Prajio tssked. "Immortality does not necessarily mean one cannot die. It simply means that one can potentially live forever, barring extraneous forces."

  I looked at his bare forearm. "You are made of flesh. It may be harder than mine, but it's still flesh. All flesh eventually decays and returns itself to the world."

  "Most men east of the mountains do not believe the Kurskin to be divine," Prajio said. "Yet still, it is rare to find a human who has seen through the propaganda as clearly as you have. Most impressive." He slapped me on the back.

  It hurt.

  We walked for some time after taking a few odd turns just in case we had any tails. I was growing anxious about what came next.

  "Val, should I ditch Prajio before turning in this quest? I'm worried that my interaction with Delen may set off some alarms."

  'You should have ditched him before breakfast, you brainless buffoon,' Val said. 'But no… You decided to throw a tantrum and team up with the enemy. I know this is your way of rebelling against me.'

  "You tried to kill me, you psychotic piece of scrap metal!" Before she could wind up into a whole rant, I thought, "Please just tell me what I need to know. We're almost there. You can yell at me later, and I promise I'll pay attention the whole time."

  'Fine, but I better not detect a stray thought, Mr. McClane! Here is what I suspect will happen: Prajio will see you hand Delen the device and then watch Delen hand you money and whatever other rewards. You will level up with the experience you gained from your heist hijinks and the experience gained from completing the quest. You mustn't initiate the level up until you are alone. If you're near him, he will see you glow. That would be a bright red flag.'

  "Thank you, Val, that was very helpful."

  'There still may be complications,' Val continued. 'I cannot confidently predict how the system will react to the presence of another Player who is not in an active Party with you. Prajio assisted with the quest, and I would expect the system to recognize that at some point. We shall see what happens because you stand no chance of shutting Prajio out of the end of this quest. I promise you, he thinks this is some secret quest generated by the system. Just don't do or say anything stupid, and you can ditch him after.'

  "Maybe he could be an ally." I knew it was unlikely, but I was naive and needed some hope in my life. I couldn't do all this alone.

  'You would reveal yourself as a Player?' Val asked.

  "No, definitely not." I almost waved my hand in negation but remembered I was in public, and Prajio was walking cheerfully right next to me. "But if I could find out what type of person he is and build his trust. I don't know. It seems possible."

  Stolen story; please report.

  'It seems stupid. You are stupid. Eventually, Parjio will bump into your hand, and he'll see your idiotic action-hero name.'

  "So what? What are the odds he's even seen the movie? And if he has, John McClane is a pretty normal name if you ask me. I don't see any reason the AI would ban it or why the Kurskins would find the name odd in this world."

  'Grrr. Regarding your disgraceful name, let me say this. You know nothing of their culture. They enjoy things and take pleasure in sharing their experiences with others. They loved Earth's action movies, and Die Hard was voted number two in a galaxy-wide poll!'

  That made me pause. 'What was number one?'

  She sighed. 'Terminator Two.'

  "Well, at least I didn't name myself John Connor."

  'Who is John Connor? Are you making a joke?'

  "Watch Terminator Two tonight."

  'The universe is punishing me,' she moaned. 'It's the only explanation for my plight.'

  I ignored her. We were getting close to Delen's. The roads were busy today, and we had to make way for multiple buggies and horse-drawn carriages. Luckily, the road was wide. We passed by a bakery, and the scent of the fresh bread made my stomach rumble. I might swing back by once I collected my quest rewards.

  We found the house a few minutes later, and I knocked on the door with Prajio at my side. I heard something rattle to the floor inside, followed by muffled cursing. A few moments later, the door cracked open, and Delen peeked out. His eyes first landed on Prajio and went wide in shock. He almost shut the door, but thought better than disrespecting a Kurskin. He slowly widened it and was about to speak when he finally noticed me. His eyebrows scrunched together, and he glanced at what I was carrying. The door swung open.

  "You found it," Delen said. "I can't believe it. I had thought it an impossible task, but here you are." He looked Prajio up and down. "You found help, too, I presume?"

  "I did. Delen, this is Prajio. He was vital in retrieving your device."

  Delen bowed to Prajio. "You have my eternal thanks, sir. Your aid is a true blessing."

  Prajio didn't respond right away, so I glanced at him. His eyes were distant and unfocused - no, they were focused - focused on his personal interface. His lips formed a thin smile.

  It seemed that Prajio was now officially a part of this quest.

  "So, Delen," I said. "Unfortunately, we were forced to rough up some guild members. None of them are seriously injured, but I wanted to let you know just in case they come knocking."

  To my surprise, Delen laughed.

  "If those fools try to steal from me again, they will regret it, of that I can assure you."

  "How will they regret it?" Prajio asked.

  Delen rubbed his hands together and had a weird grin on his face. "Let's just say it will be a shocking surprise."

  "Ethan, you did not tell me your friend was so interesting. Please, clever Delen, what new magics have you engineered?"

  Delen smiled. "I have created a handheld device that can store electric power." He gestured to a table where I had set the device down. "It can absorb the electrics generated from the machine you just returned to me. It can absorb, hold, and release the power at will, just as this does." He tapped his returned invention. "Only at a much smaller and practical scale."

  Holy cow. In a day's time, Delen had revolutionised his initial design. He was incredibly intelligent, which probably meant he was incredibly intelligent in his previous life too. I wondered what he did before he became an NPC.

  A man like Delen could prove to be a useful ally someday. I would need to stay in touch.

  "So," Prajio purred. "In what way will you use this new device?"

  "There are two copper wires at the end of the device, which, when activated, will create an arc from the stored electrics. If someone were to touch that arc, it would be very unpleasant."

  Wow. A taser! I needed one.

  "Delen," I said. "What would you require to build one of these… uh, electric storage gizmos for me?"

  "I, too, am interested in this weapon," Prajio echoed.

  Delen held his hands up. "My intent was not to create a weapon, even though it can be used for defensive purposes. That said, after what you have done for me today, I would be happy to create one for each of you. All I would need is for you to cover the cost of materials."

  My pockets were light, and there was no guarantee I could sell Delen's watch for fifty gold. "How much would that be?"

  Delen's eyes turned upward, and I knew his sharp mind was calculating the exact costs. "I'd say right about nine gold each."

  "I'm afraid I don't have that much on me," I said. "Perhaps if I could sell your watch, I could return later."

  "Do not trouble yourself," Prajio said. "I can cover both of us."

  I looked at him, surprised. Was this who he truly was? Or was he just roleplaying as a friendly bounty hunter? "That's very kind of you. Thanks." I didn't know what else to say.

  "If one can help a friend out, they should do so," Prajio said. "It is only right."

  "I'll pay you back."

  "I do not need your money, Ethan. However, I do wish to discuss something with you after we finish our engagement with this gentleman."

  I nodded.

  Delen handed me the watch as promised and told Prajio he had another stashed away somewhere. Strangely, it was in the exact location from which he initially pulled mine. I wondered if the system generated an extra watch there or if Delen really had a spare for Prajio. He handed it over to the Kurskin, who thanked him.

  "Good sirs," Delen said. "I cannot thank you enough for acting on my behalf. Come back in two days, and I'll have your devices ready. And remember, while I cannot aid you in combat, if you ever require an inventive mind, don't hesitate to knock on my door."

  I received a notification that my quest was complete, but I ignored it for now. "Thanks, Delen. I'll come back soon. Stay safe until then, okay." I knocked on some wood.

  Prajio reached out to shake Delen's hand. Delen took it hesitantly.

  "It has been an honor to meet you, Mr. Brim," Prajio said. "Seek me out if ever you are in need."

  I had never told Prajio Delen's last name. My skin prickled as I realized Prajio had just inspected the man.

  We left the shop, and my anxiety ramped up. Back in the open, semi-stinky air, Prajio turned to me, and I knew what was coming.

  "You carry yourself well, Ethan. I am most impressed with you. You have talent, and you are far more enlightened than all the ravel in this waterlogged town. I could use someone like you in my company. I can assure you, my work pays very well."

  I feigned disappointment. "I would, of course, join you if I were able. But I'm sorry, Prajio, I can't travel with you. I have other obligations."

  His tongue flitted out and tasted the air. He cocked his head. "May I ask what those other obligations are? Perhaps I could be of assistance."

  'Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot!' Val shouted inside my head.

  Val's outburst didn't help as my mind scrambled for something to say. I tried to think fast, but was coming up short.

  "I'm searching for my wife," I said and instantly regretted it.

  'I hate you,' Val said mournfully.

  Prajio looked dangerously intrigued. He stepped forward. "You've lost your wife? My heart breaks for you, my friend. I've noticed that deep well of sadness in your eyes, and now I know the source. You must tell me, is there anything I can do to aid in this most personal and profound quest?"

  I frowned and shrugged. "There's nothing you can do. Truthfully, there's nothing much I can do either."

  "Whatever do you mean, Ethan?"

  "I don't know where she is," I said. "I don't even know if she is alive. Hope is all I have."

  Prajio put his hand on my shoulder. "There is a saying among my people – 'hope is the death of action.' Kurskins do not hope for anything. Hope does not affect the world. It is intangible. Hope is but a puff of smoke, doomed to dissipate at the slightest gust of wind. Too many people waste their time hoping for something to happen instead of taking the necessary steps to make it happen. You follow?"

  I nodded. "I follow. But my hope doesn't get in the way. It leads the way."

  He made a satisfied purring sound, which I interpreted as a contemplative 'hmm.' "What say you and I go grab a drink, Ethan? I could use some downtime and would relish more conversation with you."

  'Say no!' Val said.

  I shrugged. "Why not?"