Daemon

the witnesses. Even then, you might have spies in your household.’
    ‘Enough. So what? Some digital graphics are upset at me. Who gives a shit?’
    ‘I bought your character because he was useful. He had title, lands, and income from his holdings. These things would have come in handy where we’re going – particularly your following of men-at-arms and any alliances you might have had with regional nobility. But now you’ll be branded outlaw and your lands and title will be forfeit.’
    ‘All right. I owe you a character. Should we buy another one?’
    Ross chuckled. ‘Now you’re getting the hang of it.’ He sighed. ‘No, let’s see if we can get out of town alive.’
    ‘Town? We’re in a town?’
    ‘Yes. This is your autumn villa. The one used during market season. It’s in downtown Gedan.’
    ‘As in the taverns of Gedan?’
    ‘That’s right. Although, thanks to you, we won’t be visiting any taverns. C’mon.’
    Ross’s assassin led the way, waiting impatiently as Sebeck tried in vain to navigate his character through the doorway and out to the road.
    ‘You’re like a retarded Sir Lancelot.’
    ‘Look, unlike you, I have a life, and I don’t have hundreds of extra hours to spend learning to play this game.’
    They made it out to the road, and Sebeck finally got a good look around. This was a surprisingly complex-looking world. They stood on a narrow cobblestone street in a picturesque medieval town. A bell tower stood above what looked to be a square, and the bell was ringing. Birds even flew past in the morning sky. ‘Holy Moses. This is really something.’
    ‘Incoming …’
    A mob of armed men headed down the otherwise deserted street in their direction. They didn’t look friendly.
    ‘Goddamnit, I didn’t want to use this, but we’ve got places to go.’ Ross’s character made some animated, generic hand gestures.
    ‘What are you up to? You casting a spell or something?’
    ‘No, I’m using a magical device.’
    Suddenly a shimmering portal opened in midair in the middle of the street. It revealed a tunnel that appeared to enter some extra-dimensional space.
    ‘Why don’t you just sprinkle them with pixie dust?’
    ‘I’m going to sprinkle you with pixie dust in a second. This is a fantasy world. Whether you think it’s cool is irrelevant. Several million people do think it’s cool, and the Daemon is using this to propagate in reality – so stop poking fun and get your psycho ass through the portal.’
    ‘Okay, okay.’ Sebeck ran his character through the portal. He immediately came out on a windswept hillside in knee-high grass. The hillside overlooked a rocky coastline. The sea shimmered in the algorithmic sunshine. It was beautiful. He turned to see Ross’s assassin run through the portal, a shouting mob close on his heels. Ross snapped the gate shut just as the crowd reached it. They were now alone on the hillside. The sound of the wind sweeping across the grass was their only companion.
    ‘Where are we now?’
    ‘About two hundred miles north.’
    ‘Well, that is handy. So what’s up here?’
    Ross’s ninja avatar pointed. ‘Turn around and take a look off the coast.’
    Sebeck’s character started backing up.
    Ross barked, ‘Left arrow key.’
    ‘Oh.’ Sebeck searched for the left arrow key on his keyboard. His view swiveled until he was looking off the coast again. There, in the distance, he could make out a jagged islet – perhaps a mile offshore and partially obscured by mist. Sitting atop the islet was a towering castle in jet-black stone.
    ‘Hello. Dr Evil’s beach house.’
    ‘Chat rooms say it appeared the day Sobol died. No one has even gotten close to it and lived.’
    ‘We’ll need to tell the NSA. They need to impound these servers.’
    ‘These servers are in China. Or maybe South Korea. The companies that own them are politically connected there.’
    ‘Well, the Feds can exert a lot of political pressure.’
    ‘So can corporate executives.’
    They stood staring at the castle. It was Sebeck who broke the silence.
    ‘Why didn’t you transport us inside the castle?’
    ‘I tried. This is as close as we can get. I can’t use scrying devices to see inside either.’
    ‘Sobol’s locked it up tight.’
    ‘Basically.’
    They stood there for several more moments.
    ‘So, how do we get in?’
    ‘Is it me, or did I just say that no one has approached the place and lived?’
    ‘We’ve got to find out what Sobol’s up to.