Freya stared up at the dark ceiling. She mulled over Kamdale’s words as the rain continued to pour outside. After listening to the demoniclast’s story, Freya ate a small dinner and then retired to one of the inn rooms for the night. Having privacy like this was fortunate. There were few other opportunities like this to use her game system away from the eyes of the demoniclasts. 

Laying on an old straw bed, she opened the game messaging system. She had hoped Nightscythe overheard their conversation. She knew he was following them, but he had to make sure not to get caught. Judging from the quiet group chat, he hadn’t been able to spy on them. Sighing, Freya replayed Kamdale’s story in her mind so she could summarize it in the shortest amount of words. 

Suddenly, she scrunched her brows. Wait, did Kamdale say this happened two years ago?

Freya sat upright and began typing.

[Freya Evenkey: When did the game start? When did the first game player enter this world?]

She tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for an answer. Previously Infamous Biscuit made it sound like the game started less than a year ago. 

[Heilong: The main release was about 5 months ago]

[Heilong: but idk when the beta started]

[Heilong: Beta means the stage where people test the game before everyone can play it]

Thankful for the clarification, Freya calmed down a little. At least Kamdale’s timeline made more sense now. However, it was disturbing to know that this problem ran back to the first people to enter her world.

[Nightscythe: The beta testing began at least two years ago]

[Nightscythe: Did you hear anything about the beta testers?]

Freya retold Kamdale’s version of events: how he noticed strange people around his hometown to someone almost killing him while demons attacked. At the end, she added her own speculations.

[Freya Evenkey: I wonder if a druid was controlling the demons or a dungeon break happened.] 

[Heilong: Either way it sounds like us Earth players have a long history of trying to kill people]

[Heilong: I imagine they were trying to get Kamdale’s demoniclast sword]

[Heilong: Those things are valuable]

Freya frowned at Heilong’s sharp words. Unfortunately, they made perfect sense. Demoniclast swords had great game bonuses that would be attractive to any game player. And as Freya knew first-hand, some game players had no qualms about murdering non-players. 

We got our start in the game the same way, Freya remarked to herself. I got my player card after someone tried to murder me for a reward. It sounds like the same happened to Kamdale.

~~~~

Early the next morning, Freya and the other demoniclasts left Clesek. The silent brooding atmosphere was the same as when they arrived. Kamdale and Indrek said nothing to each other. Freya noticed her mentor hadn’t slept at the inn last night. She wondered if he had stayed in his old home or if he hadn’t gotten any sleep at all. He looked haggard and weary, even more so than Kamdale.

As she thought about their situation, her stomach twisted in worry about her hometown. While she considered Safka to be her true home, she still loved the town where she was born. If it became a ghost town and she had to stay the night in it, she wouldn’t sleep well either. Especially if its downfall was partially her fault. 

Kamdale blamed Indrek for not caring about their hometown. I don’t think it’s his fault, but it’s clearly weighing on him now. Biting her cheek, Freya realized something else. If Indrek finds out the game is probably responsible for destroying his hometown, will he turn to Kamdale’s side?

For the moment, Indrek seemed to be a neutral party. Freya hoped she could convince him not to attack game players. However, the Earth players were giving her very little to work with. 

Around midday, they stopped to let the horses drink from a stream. Freya separated a bit from the group to do her business and also checked the group chat. She had set it to silent, so she didn’t accidentally interact with it while Kamdale or the others were looking. Now she opened it to a flood of messages.

[Infamous Biscuit: We completed the dungeon in Brio Wyn]

[Infamous Biscuit: No sign of a dungeon break]

[Heilong: No players around either]

[Infamous Biscuit: We will keep looking but there’s very few demons here]

[Infamous Biscuit: The locals we’ve talked to said there hasn’t been any demon activity]

[Heilong: It is oddly peaceful]

The knot in Freya’s stomach tightened as she read the messages. While she was grateful demons weren’t ravaging the area, she’d much rather deal with demons than the other possibility.

[Freya Evenkey: Do you think this is a trap?]