[System Alert: You have been invited to join the Blackwind Brotherhood. Do you accept?]

  The sudden invitation threw Kael for a loop. His plan had been simple: grind the bandits outside the dungeon. They were in his level range and had a chance to drop a weapon upgrade, which he desperately needed. The bow he was carrying was quickly becoming obsolete against level 20+ enemies.

  But the game, it seemed, had other plans.

  Kael closed his eyes, searching his memory for any information related to this path. Nothing. In his past life, no one had ever mentioned being able to join the Blackwind Brotherhood. This was uncharted territory.

  He glanced at his own status, the glaring 400+ Infamy score a constant reminder of his outlaw status. He had no other choice.

  "Accept."

  The bandit guard at the gate broke into a wide grin, clapping Kael heartily on the shoulder. "Wise choice, brother. You've come to the right place. Once you're with the Brotherhood, you'll never have to worry about the law again."

  Kael kept his skepticism to himself. Safe? As soon as the player base hits level 20, there will be a line a mile long here to farm this dungeon. This place is a ticking time bomb.

  He followed the guard up the winding mountain path and into the heart of the Blackwind stronghold. It was a sprawling, rough-hewn fortress built on the highest peak of the Shadowcrag Mountains, ruled by three chieftains.

  At the head was Korbin the Blade, a level 25 warrior known for the massive executioner’s blade he carried.

  His second-in-command was his brother, Bork the Ironhide, a level 25 behemoth whose defense was said to be legendary.

  The third brother was Fenris the Fletcher, a level 25 master of crossbows, daggers, and deadly mechanical traps.

  The guard led Kael into a large hall where the three chieftains were in the middle of a discussion. They all fell silent as he entered, their eyes fixing on him with keen interest.

  "State your name and business," Korbin the Blade boomed, his voice deep and gravelly.

  Kael offered a respectful nod. "The name's Dawnbreaker. I killed more than my fair share of people outside the village, and now I'm looking for refuge with the Brotherhood."

  Fenris the Fletcher sneered from his seat. "And how did you manage that? With that little twig you're carrying on your back?"

  Kael simply smiled, taking Whisperwind from his shoulder. "See for yourself."

  He turned, aimed toward the open doorway, and unleashed Phantom Barrage into the night sky. A single arrow transformed into a celestial shower of thousands.

  "Impressive!" the chieftains exclaimed in unison, breaking into applause.

  "A fine trick," Fenris admitted, his tone shifting from mockery to respect. "It strongly resembles the signature move of the old General, Alaric Thorne."

  "General Thorne himself taught me Phantom Barrage," Kael replied.

  "What?"

  In an instant, all three chieftains were on their feet, a palpable aura of killing intent flooding the room.

  Kael knew they'd misunderstood. "Wait," he said quickly, raising his hands. "Chieftains, don't get the wrong idea. I am no agent of the law. I met the General only once. He saw some potential in me and gave me a few pointers, that's all."

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Bork the Ironhide flexed, his massive muscles straining against his leather armor. "He's lying, brother. Let me kill him."

  "Stand down, Bork," Korbin commanded, holding out a hand to stop his brother. "I don't sense any malice from him." He turned his gaze back to Kael. "Forgive my brother's thick skull, Dawnbreaker. But you must understand our suspicion. Your sudden appearance is… convenient. We cannot trust you. Unless…"

  Seeing the unspoken offer, Kael cut to the chase. "You have a task for me. Speak plainly."

  "Good!" Korbin grinned, appreciating Kael's directness. "We will allow you to join our ranks on one condition. Go to the home of a man named Greg in the village below. Find something that belongs to us—our family's secret manual—and bring it back."

  "That would be simple enough," Kael said, feigning reluctance, "but I'm a wanted man. My name is flagged red. I can't even get past the village gates."

  A system notification chimed.

  [System Alert: You have accepted the quest: Find the Brothers' Secret Manual.]

  Korbin chuckled and pulled a folded object from within his coat. "A minor problem. Wear this, and not even your own mother would recognize you." He tossed the item to Kael.

  Kael caught it and felt a jolt of surprise.

  [Mask of Deception]

  Allows the user to alter their appearance. Cannot be seen through by characters under Level 40.

  Uses: 10

  Duration: 24 hours

  [System Alert: Luck bonus triggered! Your reward has been upgraded!]

  [Shapeshifter's Mask]

  Allows the user to alter their appearance. Indecipherable by characters under Level 60.

  Uses: 100

  Duration: 48 hours

  Kael had used disguise items before, but they were always expensive, single-use consumables. One with a hundred charges was unheard of. He put on the mask.

  [System Alert: Please select a new name and appearance.]

  Kael typed in a name: Ullr.

  For the appearance, he chose a tall, burly frame with a rugged face—the complete opposite of his own. He checked his status. The name hovering over his head was now a pristine white. The blood-red Dawnbreaker was gone. He felt like a different person entirely.

  He did a quick turn, satisfied with his new look, and gave the chieftain a nod. "Thank you, Chieftain. I will not fail."

  Korbin nodded back. "From this moment on, Dawnbreaker is Ullr, and Ullr is Dawnbreaker. Do not forget it."

  After a few more words of caution from the brothers, Kael realized he wouldn't be considered a true member until the quest was complete. He bid them farewell and, under the guise of "Ullr," swaggered down the mountain.

  At the base of the hills, Kael spotted dozens of players hiding in the bushes and shadows. Their eyes were all fixed on the path leading up to the stronghold. Bounty hunters. He realized they were here for Ashveil's $500,000 reward.

  He smirked. Using his night vision, he slipped past their perimeter in the darkness, completely unnoticed, and jogged back toward the starter village.

  The quest itself seemed straightforward. Greg had been a bachelor. His house had been vacant since his death. It was a small place; a thorough search would turn up the manual eventually.

  As he neared the village, however, he overheard a conversation that complicated things.

  "Hey, why has Captain Edward been so obsessed with Greg's house the last two days? He's even got us posted on night duty here."

  "The Captain said he communicated with Greg's spirit yesterday. Apparently, Greg left something important in the house."

  "What could it be? Edward's been searching for two days and hasn't found a thing."

  "Who knows? Maybe it has something to do with the Blackwind Brotherhood."

  Kael listened from the shadows, his easy confidence evaporating. Edward has already been searching? And found nothing? This is going to be harder than I thought.

  He needed to get inside, and that meant getting rid of the guards.

  He slipped into an alleyway and quietly took off the mask. Then, he stepped out and let out a soft cough.

  The two guards saw his blood-red name and immediately drew their weapons. "It's the wanted criminal! Get him!"

  Kael took off running. As he sprinted through the streets, he attracted two more patrols, their shouts echoing through the quiet village. Arrows whistled past his head. After leading them on a winding chase through several alleys, he ducked behind a building and quickly put the mask back on.

  A moment later, a squad of twenty guards rounded the corner and skidded to a halt in front of him.

  "Hey, you!" one of them called out to Ullr. "Did you see a red-named fugitive come through here?"

  Kael pointed back the way they came. "The one with the bow? Yeah, he went that way."

  Without a second thought, the entire squad of guards thundered off in the wrong direction.

  Seeing his chance, Kael wasted no more time and hurried to Greg's house. He slipped inside, but his heart sank.

  The place was a disaster. It had been utterly ransacked. Furniture was overturned, drawers were pulled out and emptied, and the floor was littered with the shattered remains of teacups and flowerpots.

  Damn it. A cold dread crept in. Was I too late? Is the manual already gone?