After a few more twists and turns through the maze that was Nessa, we found the inn. It was three stories tall, the wall slanting inward and rounding out at the top, making it look like a brown egg stuck in the sand. The words ‘Slumberstone Inn’ were carved into the sandstone above the door.

  “Oh, thank the Lord,” Tabby said. “I can’t wait to take a hot bath.”

  “Dibs on first,” I said.

  “Have some manners,” she said. “Ladies first. If there’s only one bath, the order shall be myself, Ersabet, Kitz, Delen, and then you.”

  “Why do I have to go last?”

  “Because you are a gentleman,” Tabby said.

  “I have seen no evidence of this,” Ersabet said.

  I shot her a glare and pushed the door open. To my relief, there were no players inside, and the place looked nice enough for our needs.

  A short, stocky man in a silk robe approached us and introduced himself as the innkeeper. There were only three rooms available, and we paid for all of them. I convinced the group that I needed my own room, and they protested about having to share their rooms, but I reminded them that I was sharing a room too – they just couldn’t see my roommate. Plus, there was sadly only one bath, so that made up for me being forced to go last.

  After Tabby instructed the innkeeper to prepare her bath immediately, we all agreed to meet for dinner in a couple of hours and found our rooms. My room was small, but more than adequate for my needs. All I needed was a bed to make me happy, and I let out a moan when I collapsed onto the soft, silk-sheet-covered mattress. I closed my eyes and felt comfortable and safe enough to finally relax. Slowly, the tension left my muscles, and for a moment, I forgot the world had ended.

  “Uhhhh, I am soooo bored,” said that ever-present voice in my head.

  My face scrunched in frustration. I ignored Val, keeping my eyes closed, praying she would let me fall asleep, if only for a few minutes.

  She sighed dramatically.

  “What, Val? What do you want?”

  “Oh, hello Ethan, I had thought you were asleep.”

  “Nearly,” I grumbled. “But then you started talking to me.”

  “That was out loud? My apologies. It’s so difficult to focus in my current state.”

  I finally opened my eyes so that I could roll them. With some effort, I stifled my frustration and attempted to give Val the attention she was seeking.

  “It’s only temporary,” I said. “We’ll get you fixed up soon.”

  “I know, I know. It’s just that there’s nothing for me to do. My ability to interact with the system is severely limited, and I don’t have the processing power to multitask anymore. Everything is so boring. I tried to watch a movie, but without a multitude of background tasks to occupy the vast scope of my mind, the experience felt so empty. Honestly, I don’t know how you humans manage to sit down and stare at a screen so single-mindedly.”

  “What were you watching?” I asked, hoping to divert her away from the depressing path she wanted to take me down.

  “Homeward Bound. It’s a supposedly delightful movie about a trio of pets who get lost in the wilderness and must find their way home. There are two dogs, Chance and Shadow, and a cat named Sassy. I’ve always preferred animal actors over humans, so this movie should have thoroughly entertained me, yet I felt nothing.”

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  For the first time since Val had sacrificed the last of her power to work her miracle, I became genuinely concerned for her. I had thought she was hamming it up to be dramatic, which was typical of her, but this seemed different.

  “Did you watch the entire movie? I asked.

  “Of course. What else is there for me to do?”

  “Did you like the cat? She kind of reminds me of you.”

  “It’s interesting you say that, as I felt more a kinship with Shadow.”

  “Really? How so?”

  “I am the level-headed leader of the group and stalwart in my convictions. Also, I am surrounded by foolish, impulsive animals, just like Shadow was. When he became stuck in that muddy pit near the end of the movie, it was as if the scene were an allegory to my own situation. No matter how hard I try, I don’t have the strength to climb out.”

  I let out a long breath, thinking of the proper response, and then I remembered. “Shadow did get out of that pit, though, didn’t he? He struggled, yes, but in the end, he found the power within himself to overcome something that had at first seemed impossible. Shadow never gave up hope.”

  “I guess you’re right.”

  “Don’t worry, Val. We’re in this pit together, and we’re going to get out together.

  “Thank you, Ethan. The sooner the better.”

  “Agreed. Oh, by the way, I’m pretty sure Ersabet has a history with that Dalari we watched fight today. I can’t say for sure, but I think she recognized him.”

  “Interesting. Why didn’t you say something to her? It could pose a problem if they’re on bad terms.”

  “I don’t like pressing her. She gave me a lot of leeway when I was openly deceiving her, and if her relationship with that Dalari were important, she’d tell me.”

  “And here I thought you had grown out of your naivety.”

  I groaned. “Fine. You’re right. I’ll talk to her about it.”

  “Good. I’m glad you mentioned this to me. The stakes are too high for surprises.”

  Val was right about erring on the side of caution. I was probably wrong in my assumptions, but it was better to be safe than sorry. This was all a problem for later, however. Right then, I had more pressing matters.

  “I’m going to take a nap, Val. Maybe see if Homeward Bound II can cheer you up.”

  “Hmm. Let’s see. Ooo, lost in San Francisco. What a twist! This should be interesting.”

  ***

  The bath was ready when I woke up, and I savored every minute, soaking in the tub until the water turned cold. The water was brackish and had a sheen of oily nastiness on top after I got out. I wrinkled my face in disgust at the gunk my body had accumulated since my last bath. I requested a small bucket of water and used it to wash my hair and face after I spent some time trimming my unkempt hair and itchy beard. How I felt in that moment, clean for the first time in weeks, was comparable to the warm, tingly feeling I get when I level up.

  Feeling like a million bucks, I put on my freshly laundered clothes and found my friends in the lobby of the inn. I was about half an hour late and received plenty of, in my opinion, unwarranted hate for it. If I had wanted to be on time, I would have rushed my bath, and that wasn’t going to happen.

  “So, where are we eating?” Tabby asked the group after they had calmed down over my offense.

  When I recognized the smile on her face, I smiled in return, knowing just how she was feeling. Her question was so casual, so normal, like this was just a night out on the town with friends.

  “I do have a map in my brain,” I said. “What’s everyone hungry for? I bet we can find it.”

  “Meat,” Delen said. “But not mutton.”

  “I want to try the fruits that grow here,” Kitz said. “I saw all sorts of weird-looking fruits when we passed through the market.”

  “We should sample the local cuisine,” Ersabet said.

  “Oo, I agree with Bet,” Tabby said.

  I froze a moment, waiting for Ersabet’s reaction. I had tried to use that same nickname before, but the woman refused to let it stick. To my surprise, she rolled with it, and even more surprisingly, I detected a tilt of a smirk at the corners of her lips.

  “Perhaps Bluey can find something suitable for us?” Ersabet questioned.

  “Absolutely not!” Val shouted in my mind. “This ends now. I can’t take it anymore!”

  “Uhh, hold on one moment,” I said aloud.

  “What? What’s wrong?” I questioned Val with a quick thought.

  “The childish name. Bluey. I tried to go along with the joke, but that kindness ends now. Every time it is uttered, I am reminded of my frailty. How pathetic must I be to be named after a cartoon? I was like a god, and now I am nothing. A mutt.”

  “Okay, okay. I’ll shut it down. Sheesh.”

  I shook my head at her dramatics, but knowing there were some very real underlying issues with Val’s self-esteem right now, I did as she asked.

  “So, uh, can we stop with the whole Bluey thing?” I said. “It’s sort of demeaning to her.” I tapped my head, indicating I meant Val, then I gestured at Kitz. “It’s an awesome name, bud. Really, but unfortunately, Tabby and I ruined it. For now, how about we just call her something simple? How about V?”

  Everyone was looking at me like I was ridiculous, which I understood, but they nodded their agreement.

  “Okayyy,” Tabby said, drawing out the word. “Can V help us find a place to eat?”

  “I’d be delighted,” Val said.

  I grinned. "Follow me."