Heather the Necromancer
Book 5: Chapter 20: Face the truth

“And you are?” Heather said as a dark form stepped out of the inner doorway. The figure was nearly half as tall again as Heather with greenish skin. The ears were pointy, the eyes yellow pits over a tiny nose. The mouth smiled with sharp teeth that glistened in Umtha's magical light. Long dark hair fell about narrow shoulders over an equally slender frame. The arms were unnaturally long, ending in equally long fingers adorned with rings and hooked nails. It wore a white gown with golden trims belted at the waist to show its broad hips.

“My name is Iskathet,” the woman said as she stepped into the room. “And it has been so long since I had a meal.”

“I told you they eat adventurers,” Endril barked. “Run; some of us might make it out.”

Heather looked to him and tipped her head at the ghoul woman. “What? From her?”

“Do you not fear the undead?” Endril shouted as he stepped back.

“Not really,” Quinny replied. “I get along with undead just fine.”

“I kinda like them,” Frank agreed.

“They smell,” Heather added as all eyes turned to her. “What? They smell like graveyards.”

“Indeed,” Iskathet agreed. “Perhaps I could remind you what that smelled like.” She raised a hand that began to glow with black light. The floor under their feet suddenly became golden sand and began to churn as ghouls started to claw their way out. They began to form a ring around the walls, growing in number by the second. Before anyone could react, Endril fled for the door. Iskathet uttered a command word, and a wall of fire appeared in the doorway, barring his exit. Endril never stopped moving, instead vanishing in a puff of smoke to appear on the other side.

“Sorry, fools, but I did try to warn you!” he yelled from outside as he kept running.

“Well, that was certainly brave of him,” Heather said as she smiled. “But it solves a problem. We still have the door, and I get to investigate all the secrets now.” She turned to face the ghoul woman and threw out a hand as black smoke formed and became a scythe. “It’s time to deal with our new friend.”

“You are very brave,” the ghoul woman said and pointed a finger. “Kill them all, but leave me the golden one. I want to eat her myself.”

The ghouls began to rush in as Heather planted her scythe and uttered a cry in a loud voice, her eyes glowing with blue light as sparks of electricity filled the room.

“Rise and serve!”

Skeletons burst from the ground by the hundreds in the path of the ghouls who were suddenly barred by walls of rotting shields and rusty swords.

“What is this?” the ghoul woman said and took a step back. “Who can call to the dead with such might?”

Heather wasn't listening as she focused on the next spell. Never had she stood in such a large graveyard, and this spell had been boosted many times over with points since she last used it. With a wicked smile, black smoke began to pour out of the ground as she cased Howl from the grave. Skeletons screeched as the tendrils lashed out to fill them with burning power, swelling their size and might. Ghouls were tossed aside as the skeletons began to shred them, pressing the walls back and clearing a path to their master.

“How?” Iskathet said as she looked on in shock.

“Oh, I’m sorry, where are my manners?” Heather said as she turned to face their foe. “I’m Heather, Heather the necromancer.”

“Necromancer?” the ghoul wailed and put an arm up in defense. “But there are no more necromancers.”

Heather shrugged as if she had heard that a hundred times. “So they tell me, I guess they can't count.” She planted the scythe and gave the woman a hard stare. “Now, are you done being so rude, or do I have to ask Frank to slap some sense into you?”

Iskathet raised a hand to snap a finger, and her ghouls retreated, burrowing back into the sand, and the floor became stone once more. Heather called her skeletons to halt, and the group assembled to wait for the ghoul woman to make the next move.

“Why have you come here?” she asked, staying close to her doorway.

“Our caravan was attacked in the desert, and we lost most of our supplies,” Heather replied. “We came here to see if we could find food and water.”

“You had to know this was a lair?” Iskathet replied. “You knew this would lead to a confrontation.”

“Why would it have to be a confrontation?” Heather asked. “Can’t we visit like civil people?”

“I do not usually entertain hero players,” she replied and leaned against the wall. “Nor do any of them wish to talk beyond insults and threats. You are the first to come in a long time that didn’t seek my head and treasures.”

“We’re not your typical adventurers,” Legeis said.

“So it would appear,” she replied, looking over their group. “Two goblins and four humanoids, a very strange mix.”

“Are you blind?” Breanne asked. “Can’t you see our auras?”

“We're not close enough to see hers yet,” Frank pointed out.

“We are inside her lair,” Breanne corrected. “No doubt she knew we were here a while ago and has been watching us. You can see aura's over your spying device.”

Iskathet stood tall and stepped a few paces into the room, her mouth going wide as she finally got close enough.

“I have to admit, I simply did not look,” she said until her eyes went wide. “Oh, I see. Some of you are undead,” she gasped.

“Bingo,” Quinny said with a wave of her sword.

Iskathet somehow blinked her lidless eyes causing Heather to flinch. She finally approached, coming to stand just a few paces before them as she studied the group.

“A necromancer traveling with undead and goblins. Where have I heard this story before?” she asked.

“I can’t imagine,” Heather replied.

Iskathet stared at the blank mask of Quinny and the heavily concealed helm that marked Frank. She finally turned her gaze on Breanne, who was still in her elven form, eyes locked on with scorn.

“A ghost of some kind?” she asked.

“Banshee,” Breanne replied as the ghoul woman nodded.

Heather decided it was time to introduce the others, so she walked down the line, starting with Legeis, then Umtha, then Quinny, Breanne, and ending with Frank. When she introduced him as Frank, the ghoul, the woman snapped her gaze back to him and moved to stand before him.

“Are you ashamed of the race you play?” she asked.

“No,” he replied. “I needed to travel, and we don’t want to draw attention,” he replied.

She seemed satisfied with this answer and looked around the group again, finally settling on Heather. “You seem to be the leader.”

“No, I'm the one with a leash around her neck, and my friends come with me to keep me safe,” Heather replied. “But I tend to have the loudest voice, often to our detriment.”

Iskathet smiled, revealing those pointed teeth that were otherwise unusually straight. Despite being a ghoul, her skin was smooth with a natural sheen to it. It was a far cry from Frank's sickly-looking rubber skin that almost appeared to be a suit. Even more, her muscle tone was natural, not the sinewy with bony protrusions. The hair was smooth and well-groomed, giving her an almost human appearance. Heather was amazed at how human this ghoul woman appeared, and by comparison, how gruesome Frank truly was. It was the perfect example of how he didn’t have to appear the way he did.

“A leash around your neck?” the woman replied. “I feel like there is a story here.”

“A long one,” Breanne replied. “But once we don't often share outside trusted company.”

“I see,” the ghoul woman replied and took a more casual stance. “Well, as you are friends of the dead, I see no reason to be hostile. Welcome to my home. Please come inside; I will ensure you are not harmed but don't wander off. The place is laced with traps.”

“I am sure it is,” Heather said with a smile as they began to follow the woman in. Beyond the door was a long hallway wide enough to walk ten abreast. The walls were painted in blue panels with white lines. In some were what looked like star patterns, in others scenes from the desert often featuring the undead.

“Have you been here long?” Heather asked.

“Long?” Iskathet laughed. “I entered New Eden days after the offer was made.

“That was ten years ago,” Quinny said.

Iskathet nodded and rubbed at an arm. “I have lost track of time. Has it really been ten years?”

“Over ten years,” Heather said. “I just came in weeks ago, and it was ten years and like five months.”

“It feels like it has been much longer,” the ghoul woman replied as they arrived at another set of stout wooden doors. They parted of their own accord revealing a room with high vaulted ceilings supported by tall pillars of yellow marble and ornate stone arches. A red rug ran right down the middle of the room to steps that went up to a platform. Here there was a giant skull of black stone with horns on either side that curled down. Steps were carved into these horns so one could ascend to the top where a throne of dark metal shaped to look like bones rested. An enormous slotted red-eye burned on the wall behind the throne, giving the impression that something evil was watching.

“Whoah!” Quinny said as they entered the room. “This place is amazing!”

“Why didn’t I think of something like this?” Frank asked.

“Oh please,” Heather said with a roll of her eyes. “You practically built a city for the dead underground.”

“You have one of those too?” Iskathet asked.

Frank looked to her with a start as she smiled and motioned them to follow down the rug.

“You have a city?” he asked.

“It is far below, and nobody has been there in years, but I do have a city of sorts,” she replied.

“Does the pyramid have levels in it?” he pressed.

“Twelve,” she replied. “Five more above us, and six below. The city is below the pyramid, but unless you find the secret tunnels, you will have to pass the rotting horror as the bottom of the pyramid.”

“A rotting horror?” Heather asked with a raised brow. Frank proceeded to describe something that sounded like a mound of pulsating flesh covered in mouths and eyes and a dozen long tentacles ending in clumps of hooks. “Sounds lovely,” she replied as they approached the throne.

“Why put your throne so close to the outside?” Breanne asked.

“So guests do not have to brave the pyramid to meet me,” Iskathet replied. “I can move rapidly between the levels, teleporting between the city and the throne if I need to.”

Heather gave her a smirk to think she was prepared to entertain guests yet attacked on sight. “You have a strange way of showing people they are welcome.”

“I saw you the moment you entered my graveyard,” Iskathet replied. “I had no way of knowing you were friends until you were much closer. Besides, I am used to company calling for an invitation from outside.”

“We must have missed the buzzer,” Heather replied as they reached the platform, and Iskathet sat on the steps instead of climbing to her throne. “Do you get many visitors out here?”

“Some,” she replied. “Blackbast comes to visit me when she isn't busy with travelers.

“This is so cool looking,” Quinny said as she looked around. Now that they were closer, it was possible to see the nooks in the walls where two and a half meter tall mummies holding jagged swords and sporting black masks stood. Heather had no doubt those would come to life at a moment's notice and fight fanatically for their master. She wondered if such a thing were possible for her to make and made a mental note to learn about them and explore it later.

“So why they name Iskathet?” she asked while moving closer to study one of the mummies.

“I thought it sounded Egyptian,” the ghoul woman replied with a toss of her hand.

“That’s it?” Heather said with a raised brow.

“Was there supposed to be more?”

Heather shrugged. “I’m sorry, I guess I expected there to be some deep meaning to the name.”

“Is their one to yours?”

A smile curled Heather’s face as she acknowledged how silly the notion was. “I guess it was silly of me, especially considering my name is Heather and nothing fancy.”

“My name is Frank,” he added with a shrug.

Iskathet turned to him with a nod to acknowledge his statement. “Isn’t time you took off those silly disguises?” Frank and Quinny shared a glance and began to remove the armor that hid who they were.

“While we wait for that, what do you want me to do about your friend who ran away?” she asked.

Heather moved back to help Frank with the straps as she pondered the question. “Is he still in the graveyard?”

“He is just beyond the south wall, debating if it is safe to run into the sands,” Iskathet said. “I can see him for a dozen meters or so into the sand, but once he is beyond that, I will have to watch him with buzzards.”

“What are buzzards?” Quinny asked as she set her mask aside.

“Undead birds I use to scout the surrounding sands. I always have one or two in the air watching for intruders. It is how I knew of your approach before you entered my walls.”

“I need some of those,” Heather remarked as she tugged on Frank’s chest armor with a groan. “Why is this so hard to take off?”

“Because it’s tight to help hide my shape,” Frank said as Quinny joined to help pull. Together they yanked, with Quinny even putting a foot on Frank's rear for leverage. In a sudden pop, the armor came open, and the two girls flew back as the chest plate fell away.

“We need to get this suit refitted,” Heather said from where she lay with Quinny over top of her.

“At least my armor is mostly cloth,” Quinny added as the two began to climb back to their feet.

Frank was finally able to roll his shoulders and flex his arms as he stood tall, the light of the room glistening on his skin.

“Hmmm,” Iskathet said with a pleased smile and rose to step toward him. He was taller than her by a full head and over twice as wide, but she stood on her toes to meet his gaze. “You are a very muscular ghoul.”

“Umm, thanks?” Frank replied as he took a step back.

“Have you put many points into strength?” she asked and reached out to trace a muscle in his arm with a nail.

“A few,” he stammered. “I put a lot in toughness and endurance as well.”

“A man with endurance,” she cooed and smiled.

“I need to be able to keep fighting in long battles,” Frank replied. “Heather gets in a lot of trouble.”

“A champion as well,” she cooed. “Perhaps I will have a meal tonight after all.”

“What is going on here?” Heather asked as Quinny covered her mouth to stifle a giggle.

“Umm, did you spend many points in toughness?” Frank asked, not sure what she was referring to.

“I spent a great deal of mine on magic and skills,” she replied. “I would love to show you my abilities.”

Heather looked to Quinny and back to Frank as a thought dawned in her mind. For some reason, she suddenly felt jealous, and her need to interpose took over.

“Excuse me,” she said as she arrived at Frank’s side and latched on to his arm. “So, you never said if you had any food or water.”

The ghoul woman narrowed her eyes and glanced at Heather before staring at the way she clung to Frank’s arm.

“We will have to talk later,” Iskathet said and turned to climb the steps, resuming a sitting position a the top.

“Oh, we can’t stay,” Heather said as she pulled a dumbfounded Frank away. “We really need to find supplies and get going. I made a promise to deliver a package to a friend, and we can’t delay.”

“Of course,” Iskathet replied. “I have a source of water and some foodstuffs you could have. I will show you where they are later.”

“Thank you,” Heather said with a nod as she yanked Frank back to their lines.

“Heather? What are you doing?” Quinny whispered as she joined her side.

“Keeping us on task,” Heather said defensively.

“Your keeping Frank celibate,” Quinny whispered back.

“What?” Heather scoffed a little too loudly and released Frank’s arm. “I was just trying to move things along.”

Quinny gave her a hard stare as Frank turned to face them with a confused look on his face.

“Was she being nice to me?” he asked.

“She sure was,” Quinny said. “Now’s your chance, go talk to her.”

“Why does he need to talk to her?” Heather asked and got between Frank and Quinny.

Quinny put her hands on her hips and leaned over to stare Heather in the eyes. “Do you have something you want to tell him instead?”

“What? Me?” Heather choked. “Frank is a good friend.”

“Oh please!” Quinny laughed. “If you were a good friend, you would be helping him.”

“What are you two fighting about?” Frank asked.

“You be quiet,” Heather and Quinny said in unison as they stared each other down.

Frank stepped back as the two continued to argue, nearly bumping into Breanne.

“What am I missing?” he asked with a scratch at his head.

“Everything, dear,” Breanne said with a shake of her head. “Go talk to our guest while the girls sort this out.”

Frank shrugged and went back to the steps as Iskathet smiled.

“I, umm, guess they are arguing,” he said and cleared his throat.

“I take it the necromancer is protective of you,” Iskathet replied.

“Who? Heather? Yeah, she kind of goes crazy if I am in danger. I mean, I get beat up a lot because I tank things, but if I get into serious trouble, she goes berserk. We have saved each other a bunch of times now.”

“She seemed a little clingy,” Iskathet noted.

“Yeah, she started doing that a lot more recently. She's one of the first people I met here who was able to overcome my appearance. She's my best friend.”

“Are you sure she is just a friend?”

Frank's ears stood tall as he scratched at his head in confusion. “Well, yeah. I guess so. I mean, she hasn't said anything.”

“Have you tried asking her?” Iskathet asked.

Frank's face took on a red hue as he cleared his throat and looked back where Heather and Quinny were still arguing. “I can't. I mean, I'm a ghoul, and shes –.”

“Not like you,” Iskathet finished for him.

“I guess you understand,” Frank sighed.

“I do, in a way, but why did you go to such great lengths to look so gruesome? I have seen some male ghouls that are very appealing.”

Frank sighed again and scratched his head. “It’s a long story.”

“Come,” she said and held a hand out to him. “Your friends are busy, and I have something I want to show you. You can tell me all about it on the way.”

Frank looked to her hand and then over his shoulder to Heather and Quinny, who were still arguing. He caught sight of Breanne, who was waving him to go on, so he turned back and cleared his throat again. He took her hand with a nervous twitch as she pulled him up the stairs and led him through a door in the back. He could still hear them arguing even as they delved deeper into the tunnels.

“You need to make up your mind!” Quinny shouted with a pointed finger.

“Make up my mind about what?” Heather snapped.

“Frank!” Quinny yelled and threw her arms in the air. “Sheesh. You have been leading him on for weeks. Either put up or shut up!”

Heather blinked as if stunned by the words. “What are you talking about?”

“I am talking about how you feel about him!” Quinny said. “Sheesh, we talked about this before, remember?”

Heather put a hand over her face and let out a tired sigh. “We’re just friends.”

“Is that so?” Breanne asked, now joining the conversation. “Then explain your behavior a moment ago.”

Heather looked up and folded her arms as she dug in. “I was just protecting him.”

“From what?” Quinny asked. “His first potential love interest in this world?”

“That wasn't a love interest!” Heather remarked and then flinched to realize how loud she was being. Her face reddened, and she glanced around, confident Frank and Iskathet would be staring right at her. Thankfully neither of them were anywhere to be found. “Oh, thank goodness,” she sighed and went to reply. “Wait a minute! Where is Frank?”

“Gone,” Breanne replied. “He left with Iskathet while you two were bickering.”

“What do you mean he’s gone?” Heather shouted and spun around. “We have to find him!”

“You have to calm down and start being honest,” Breanne insisted.

Heather looked in a panic as she stumbled toward the steps calling his name.

“She has got it so bad,” Quinny said in amazement.

“She is behaving like a child,” Breanne snipped and stormed across the room to grab Heather’s shoulder. “Will you please come to your senses.”

“Where is Frank?” Heather cried.

“Why do you care so much?” Breanne asked.

“Because it’s Frank!” Heather shouted back. “I am going to go find him.”

“Heather,” Breanne said in a matronly tone. “Do you love Frank?”

She froze, her lower lip trembling as the words sank in. It was as if Breanne slapped her face, and now she was reeling with the aftershock.

“I-I don’t know.”

“Well, you had better damn well figure it out,” Breanne insisted. “Because you send him mixed signals all day long. One minute he's a pack mule, the next, you're clinging to his arm like you're married. He tries to talk to you, and you respond as if you hadn't even heard what he said. Quinny has practically beaten you over the head with it, and you still don't see it.”

“I don’t?” Heather cried. “I mean, he’s a really nice guy.”

“Is he a nice guy, or is he your guy?” Quinny asked.

“I don’t know,” she replied.

“This is going nowhere,” Breanne scoffed as she released Heather and looked to Legeis, who was slowly backing away with Umtha.

“We're, umm, going to explore the other side of the room,” he said. “Don't mind us.”

Breanne shook her head and waited for them to move off before turning back to Heather, who now sat on the steps with her face in her hands.

“Heather, we need to talk about what you feel about Frank,” Breanne reiterated. “It’s becoming a problem.”

“How is it a problem?” she asked, never removing her hands.

“You lose your fool mind whenever he's in any real danger and cry when you think he might die. You take him on all your little dates and go to him with nearly every problem. He’s more than just a friend to you, but it isn’t fair to keep him dangling when he obviously has feelings for you.”

Heather looked up at those words with a strange expression on her face. “He does?”

“Oh my god, you’re as blind as he is!” Quinny shouted. “It’s like a bad anime. I even told you after I caught you feeding him cake.”

Heather looked down and dragged a toe on the ground as she tried to work out her thoughts. “I guess I didn’t want to think about it,” she admitted. “I like Frank, I like him a lot, but I can’t look past his appearance.”

“You don’t seem to mind touching him,” Breanne said.

“That's different,” Heather said and looked away. “I was always a little touchy-feely with my friends.”

“Flirty is probably the better word,” Quinny said. “You like to tease boys, don’t you?”

“I don't tease them,” Heather insisted with folded arms. “I just played a little, but then college came, and I didn't have time for it anymore. I was focused on grades and building a life for myself first. I was going to worry about boys after I had a stable career.”

“And then you were drawn in here and had a slow mental breakdown,” Breanne said.

“Was it that obvious?” she asked, never looking up.

Quinny stepped to where she sat and put a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. “Well, your personality took big swings, and you made poor choices and set terrible, often selfish priorities.”

“I get the point!” Heather shouted. “I thought I was past all that.”

“You’re much better,” Breanne said. “But you’re still not at peace, not completely.”

“How can I be?” Heather asked, looking up with tears in her eyes. “This place might be a dream come true for you guys, but for me, it’s a prison. I am honestly trying to enjoy it now, and that’s thanks to Frank, but I will never fully be free of my desire to get out. I hate this world, and I hate how little control I have of my own life. All this Hathlisora stuff is making me question who I am and why I'm here. I'm chosen, but chosen for what? Why did they bring me here? I try not to ask myself that question anymore, but then I go to sleep, and I dream of things. I know they're memories, but they're not mine, their hers. If it wasn't for Frank, I would have lost my mind. He's my rock in this world. He makes it all bearable, even enjoyable sometimes. I-I need him.”

“Jeeze, Heather, I had no idea you were hurting that deeply,” Quinny said and sat beside her. “Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

“What would the point be?” she asked. “None of you can do anything about it.”

“Did you tell any of this to Frank?” Breanne asked.

Heather nodded as a tear fell from her cheek. “I tell him everything, except how badly I need him. I don’t want to be a burden to him, but I can’t do this without him.”

“Well, that's complicated,” Quinny said with a look to Breanne. “She needs him emotionally but not romantically.”

“That’s a little cruel to Frank,” Breanne replied.

“I know!” Heather cried and covered her face again. “I know.”

“Didn't you say you had a dream when you died, and a woman's voice told you she sent somebody to protect you?” Quinny asked.

Heather nodded and put her hands down in her lap. “I assume that is Frank.”

“Couldn’t it be your bone champion?” Breanne asked.

Heather sniffed with a slight laugh as she wiped and eye. “I guess he does go to great lengths to protect me, but Frank has always done it better. He's like a knight from a storybook, always rescuing the princess from her stupid mistakes.”

“Hey,” Quinny said and gave her a nudge. “You're not stupid. Your the smartest person I have ever met. You think of ways to use your stuff I have never heard of before. Like using your bone wall to create a ramp over all those traps so we could escape the roller. Or the time you used your plant powers to trick that bard.”

“I have to agree with that,” Breanne said. “You are quite creative with your powers and abilities. Look at how you weaponized your skeletons with those explosives or plants.”

“I guess,” Heather whispered.

“But you do have to decide what Frank is to you,” Breanne said. “You can’t keep him all to yourself when he wants something more, and you don’t.”

“Yeah, I hate to say it, but if you can't get past his looks, you need to set the big guy free,” Quinny said. “Iskathet doesn't mind his appearance; she looked kinda excited by it.”

“Please don’t remind me,” Heather said and threw her head back.

“They’re probably doing it right now.”

“Quinny!” Heather shouted, her voice echoing off the walls.

“What? I was just saying.”

“Must you always be so crude?” Breanne interrupted and moved to kneel before Heather. “You have to choose. You can’t keep leading him on if he means that much to you. Tell him you love him, or encourage him to seek love someplace else.”

“What if I lose him?” Heather asked.

“Then your choice is already made,” Breanne said with a sigh. “You won't ever lose him, but you are going to have to make room for somebody else to love him.”

“I’m a terrible person, aren’t I?”

Breanne shook her head. “No, you're a person in a lot of pain who has been trying to hide it for a very long time. It makes sense that you found strength in Frank because he obviously wants to offer his strength to you, but you can't keep him all to yourself if you have no intention of moving ahead with a relationship.”

Heather nodded and fell back, laying on the floor with an arm over her eyes. She took a deep breath and tried to collect her thoughts as images of Frank flooded her mind.

“Why haven’t one of you gone after him?” she asked.

Quinny was the first to answer, making Heather feel even more guilty. “Well, we talked about it a long time ago, and I said he was radiation mutant levels of ugly. But the big guy has kind of grown on me, and I don't see it anymore. I haven't wanted to make a move on him, though, because I couldn't tell if you were sweet on him or not.”

“I have to admit even I have allowed myself to think of it,” Breanne admitted. “But he’s far too young for me.”

“Oh please,” Quinny laughed. “You're like twenty-three at most.”

“I mean in real age, not this avatar!” Breanne snapped. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the Nʘvᴇl(F)ire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“Who cares about that?” Quinny said. “I wouldn’t refuse to date some guy I met in here just because he was a hundred in the real world.”

“It is a very distinct clash of mindsets,” Breanne replied. “You have no idea how growing up sixty years apart can change the way you look at things. A lot of people my age often find you younger generations to be frustrating.”

“That’s your problem,” Quinny said. “So long as I like the person, I don’t care about their age or what race they happen to be playing,” Quinny said.

“You’ve proven that already,” Heather snickered.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Quinny asked as she turned on Heather.

“Didn’t you tell me you slept with an orc?” Heather asked.

“Yes,” Quinny replied. “I don’t get so turned off by superficial differences. I know that's a human inside, so why be so resistant to it.”

“Sheesh,” Heather laughed. “It’s a wonder you haven’t kissed a girl.”

“I have kissed plenty of girls.”

Heather bolted upright with wide eyes as Quinny smiled right beside her.

“You have?”

“What's a matter, princess? You afraid of a girl?” Quinny accused with a wide smile.

“What are you talking about?” Heather pressed.

Quinny leaned in close, staring into Heather’s eyes. “I mean your reaction just now. That was the reaction of shock and disbelief at what I have done. Do you have something against kissing another girl?”

“I never said that,” Heather choked. “I was just surprised you had done it.”

“Surprised I had done it? Are you implying you have kissed a girl before?”

“No!” Heather said too loudly and then winced as Quinny leaned in closer.

“So you are afraid of the idea,” Quinny said softly. “Why?”

“I am not afraid,” Heather said. “I told you I stopped dating when I went to college. There were plenty of girls in couples all around me, and I didn't care.”

“Have you ever thought about kissing a girl?” Quinny asked.

“Why are we talking about this?” Heather asked. “We came here for food and water.”

“We're talking about it because we need to figure you out,” Quinny said. “You are slowly healing, and only now after all this time is the real Heather showing through.”

“Great, now you're my therapist,” Heather groaned. “So, what do you want from me?”

“I want to know what you like,” Quinny said. “Is it just boys, or does it include girls?”

“I don't want to have this conversation,” Heather groaned, but Quinny pressed the point, leaning over her face.

“Why don’t we have an experiment. Kiss me and tell me how it feels.”

“What? I can’t do that,” Heather said. “You’re my friend.”

“Then it will be a friendly kiss,” Quinny replied. “Here, I will turn my cheek. Just give it a peck.”

“Why are you doing this to me?” Heather asked and leaned away.

“Why are you doing this to her?” Breanne agreed as she watched with folded arms.

“Really?” Quinny replied and looked up to Breanne. “Are you a prude too?”

“Why would I be a prude because I don’t see the logic in asking Heather to kiss you?” Breanne questioned.

“I am just saying that if Frank isn’t her thing, she should consider somebody else. Maybe one of us.”

“One of you?” Heather stammered.

“Just forget it,” Quinny sighed. “But if this Iskathet doesn’t win Frank’s heart, I am going to see if he will date me.”

“Why would you date Frank?” Heather asked.

“Because you won't!” Quinny argued. “We just went over this. Tell us you want to be his girlfriend, or I am going to do it!”

Heather sighed and put her head down, admitting defeat.

“At least that’s settled,” Breanne added and looked about the room.

“I don’t want to deal with any of this,” Heather groaned. “I just want to go home.”

“You’re overthinking this,” Breanne insisted. “Sometimes it’s your best quality, and other times it’s a curse.”

“I can’t help it,” Heather said. “I keep trying to make sense of the madness of this place.”

“That’s where you go wrong,” Quinny said. “You keep trying to define a world that can’t be defined.”

Heather shook her head and turned to look at Quinny. “No, that’s where you’re wrong. This world behaves according to an order, and all its systems obey the same basic laws. Even when it appears those laws are broken, they are only following preprogrammed paths. The true secret is the pattern because knowing the pattern means you can manipulate the whole. I bet that’s how I broke the sun.”

“This is a perfect example of what I just said,” Breanne pointed out.

Heather went to reply, but Frank suddenly burst through the door and came to a stop just inside.

“Heather!” he cried as she jumped up in alarm.

“Frank! What's wrong?” she called, her hand going for her scythe.

He pointed back to the door with wide eyes. “You have to come see what she has down below.”

“Heather isn’t into that,” Quinny said with a bashful smile to Heather.

“Heather isn’t into what?” Frank asked as Quinny started to laugh.

“You just can’t help yourself,” Breanne scolded.

Frank looked confused for just a second more before going back to his original train of thought.

“She built this pyramid on the ruins of another player's stuff. When tunneling to make her lower chambers, she dug up something left behind from the previous player. You have to come to see it.”

“What is it?” Heather asked, trying to sound calm.

Frank stood tall and looked down as she felt a chill run down her spine.

“It’s a statue of Hathlisora.”

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