Jack, José and Snowy had reached the meeting point in Sunsgate safely.

  Looming ahead, the building merged seamlessly with the city wall. Battlements lined the roof, and patrols marched with clockwork precision.

  “I think this is the place, Dad. Can you stay here with Snowy?”

  “Sure,” José said, patting Snowy. “You don’t mind, little doggie?”

  Snowy yawned.

  Jack shook his head, amused. No matter how often he corrected him, to Dad, a ground sloth was just a shaggy, oversized mutt. Snowy didn’t seem to mind, and the two of them got along fine. Jack felt comfortable leaving his dad with her—and with the bees.

  Besides, the area was crawling with soldiers. Even if IronIre could spare a squad of assassins while still defending their fortress on Siege Day, they wouldn’t risk causing trouble near a citadel like this.

  Jack messaged Horace: “I’m here.”

  “Come around to the stables,” came the reply.

  He followed the flow of knights and soldiers leading horses around the structure. On the far side, the stables clung to the wall—half timber, half stone, all stench. The scent of manure hung thick in the air, softened only by hay and damp leather. NPCs bustled with pitchforks and buckets, while a few players tried not to gag between ranching quest.

  Horace and the crew were easy to spot near the paddocks, where soldiers trained mounts. They were beside three ground sloths that looked just like Snowy had before she evolved. Perched on one was a perky yellow pterodactyl: Sunny.

  Jack ran up to them. “Hi, guys.”

  “Hey! Where’s Snowy?” Marie asked.

  “I thought I wasn’t allowed to bring her here,” Jack said. In retrospect, he hadn’t really thought it through. If these were stables, animals were obviously allowed in.

  “Well, you are.”

  “Wait a sec—I’ll message my dad to bring her around.”

  “How’d it go, bringing your dad?” Amari asked.

  “Fine. Had to teach him the very basics of gaming on the way here. Can you believe he didn’t know how to allocate stat points? He’s been playing all week with the same starter stats.”

  Horace laughed. “Classic.”

  “How’s Uncle feeling about the treatment tomorrow?” Rob asked.

  “You can tell he’s a little distracted, but being in the game helps him keep his mind off things. Honestly, I don’t think he would bat an eyelid if it weren’t for the VRX helmet. At least this way, his body can get some rest before the procedure.”

  “Good to hear it. We were only waiting for you two. I think we’re just about ready to go.”

  “Ready when you are,” Jack said.

  Horace waved over a nearby NPC. “Hey, Jaffar!”

  An NPC in a turban and spotless white robes, somehow untouched by the surrounding muck, jogged over. “Yes, sir?”

  “Everyone’s here. Can we leave?”

  “Of course, sir. I’ll call the escort. I must remind you, though—having them escort you from inside the citadel instead of from outside the gate incurs an extra 500 gold fee.”

  “That’s fine. We just want a safe ride out,” Horace said.

  “Of course, of course.” Jaffar kept glancing at Jack.

  “Something wrong?” Horace asked, noticing the look.

  “Ah, pardon me, sir... will this gentleman be joining the expedition?”

  “I am,” Jack said.

  Jaffar straightened, his tone turning crisp. “Why didn’t you say so sooner, Mr. Horace? Had we known such a prestigious guest was coming, we’d have prepared a far more generous offer. In fact, why don’t we waive that 500 gold fee altogether?”

  Jack smiled. Watching NPCs flip the script like this never got old, especially when Horace was the one caught off guard.

  Horace blinked, looking between Jack and Jaffar. “Really?”

  “Courtesy of the house,” Jaffar insisted.

  “Please, do!”

  As Jaffar hurried off, Horace threw an arm around Jack and gave him a noogie. “You... I need to bring you along whenever I shop.”

  “Stop it, or I’m reporting you to the GMs for bullying,” Jack said, swatting him away.

  “Ha! You wouldn’t.”

  “So... new mounts?” Jack asked, nodding toward the sloths. “What happened to the horses?”

  “Sold ’em,” Horace replied, deadpan.

  “Just like that? Cold. Weren’t they your friends?”

  Horace burst out laughing. “They were dumb as rocks. Basic personality scripts.”

  “And that’s why you didn’t pass the test to get the Ranching major,” Amari said.

  “Hey! Shush. Stop exposing me.”

  They all laughed just as José rode up on Snowy, her shaggy form looking oddly regal beneath him.

  Soldiers stepped aside as the massive megatherium lumbered toward them. Nervous horses edged back. As Snowy approached the other ground sloths, she sniffed at them, grunting in a way Jack hadn’t heard before. The other sloths responded in kind, in a back-and-forth of chirps and grunts.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  A system notification popped up:

  You’ve found playdates for Snowy.

  +5 affection with Snowy.

  He blinked, pleasantly surprised. He’d never had Snowy interact with other sloths before. If he’d known it could raise affection, he would’ve tried it sooner.

  “Did you get the playdate notification?” Amari teased, catching the look on his face.

  “Yeah! So cool.”

  “Sit down, doggy,” José said with calm authority, interrupting Snowy from her grunting conversation with the other sloths. Snowy obeyed, settling her bulk with a soft grunt. He slid off her back and joined the group.

  “Everyone, this is my father, José. Dad, you already know Marie.”

  “Hello, dear,” José said warmly.

  “Hi, José. How are you?”

  “Good, good.”

  “And these,” Jack continued, gesturing toward the others, “are my friends: Horace and Amari.”

  Horace stepped forward and shook José’s hand. Jack noticed the moment stretch just slightly. Both men gripped firmly, veins taut.

  “Strong handshake, son,” José said with a smile.

  “You too, sir. How’d a strong man like you end up with such a scrawny kid?” Horace said, grinning at Jack.

  Jack rolled his eyes. “Ha-ha. Very funny.”

  José turned to Amari. “Captain Amari, I’ve heard good things. Thank you for looking after my son.”

  “Your son’s a real talent,” Amari said. “He’s been a big help.”

  As the two talked, Horace frowned and mouthed at Jack: Captain Amari? Why is Amari getting credit for taking care of you?

  Jack gave a helpless shrug. Maybe he’d painted Horace as the lovable goof and Amari as the dependable one. He’d just said it as he saw it.

  “Thank you all,” José said, raising his voice a little to include the whole team. “For helping my son gather the funds for my treatment. If you ever need anything from the Sousa family—just ask. Day or night.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Amari said.

  “Well… I’ll stay out of your way and keep an eye on Snowy,” José said, taking a step back to give them space.

  Once he was out of earshot, Horace finally spoke. “Your dad is a man’s man. Old-school. I like him.”

  Jack narrowed his eyes. Horace seemed too enthusiastic about having his dad in the party. He had a sinking suspicion. With Marie holding the high ground in their banter wars, Horace was already scouting for a new target—preferably one carrying years of embarrassing dad stories.

  Not that it would happen. Not today. Horace was too focused on his caravan duties. But he could see the hint of mischief in his eyes.

  I’d better ask Dad not to share any of my embarrassing childhood stories.

  “Shall we double-check the list?” Horace asked, slipping into supervisor mode.

  “Not again,” Marie groaned. “You’ve already checked five times.”

  “Fine,” Horace relented. “Jack, what about you? You good?”

  “I think so.” Jack opened his inventory. About a fifth was food for Snowy and the bees, another fifth water. The rest held tools: camping gear, a bone carving kit, pottery supplies, his bush knife, and ocarinas.

  “I’ve got what I need for crafting, travel, and keeping my animals fed,” Jack said.

  “Good, good. Everyone, grab these,” Horace said, handing out sandwiches.

  Jack took his. The sandwich had a ticking durability timer—just ten minutes before it turned to ash.

  “Eat it!” Horace urged. He jogged over to José and passed him one as well. “Here you go, sir.”

  “Thank you,” José said with a nod.

  Jack bit into his sandwich and recognized the flavor immediately. He’d had this sandwich before at the Breach map. Aurox salami, if he wasn’t mistaken. But as he chewed and the heat came out, he realized this was a slightly different version. Not so spicy as to overwhelm the other flavors, but enough that it made him sweat.

  You’ve received [Spicy Aurox Salami Sandwich Buff].

  Stamina increased by 200

  Health increased by 200

  +5 attack

  +5 defense

  +5 block

  +10% fire resistance

  Duration: 2 hours

  “OK! Now that we’ve all eaten, to your mounts!” Horace called.

  Marie whistled. Sunny swooped down, and the moment she mounted up, the pterodactyl launched skyward, catching a hot updraft that let it glide without flapping.

  The rest of the group fell into formation—Horace at the front, Jack and José riding Snowy behind him, then Rob, with Amari bringing up the rear.

  Soon after, the rest of the caravan arrived. Jack counted fifty soldiers in total. None wore steel armor; in the desert heat, it would’ve been unbearable. Instead, they were clad in light leather gear. Their horses were laden with supplies—extra water, rations, and other materials—all procured by Horace.

  One of the NPCs trotted forward on his horse and saluted. He had a shaved head, a square jaw, and a look of someone who didn’t know what the words ‘joke’ or ‘funny’ meant. His light armor bore a three-star insignia on each shoulder.

  “Greetings, sir. I’m Captain Apollos—”

  He trailed off, mid-sentence. His eyes swept across the group, slowing as they passed over Horace, Marie, Amari, and Rob. But when his gaze landed on Jack, it caught—then froze. His brow creased. Slowly, recognition dawned, spreading across his face.

  “Captain?” Horace asked, glancing back. “Anything the matter?”

  “It seems we were missing some important information about who we’d be escorting, sir,” Apollos said. His tone had shifted, now bordering on reverent. “Would you be so kind as to wait a moment?”

  Horace blinked. “Uh... yeah?”

  Without another word, Apollos spun his horse around and barked an order: “Hold formation!” Then he galloped off in the direction of the fortress.

  Jack called out to Horace. “What just happened?”

  “I don’t know…” Horace said. He turned. “Yo, Amari. Did you see that?”

  Amari called back, “Yeah. Strange!”

  Even the veterans in the team looked genuinely confused.

  The knights remained perfectly still, as if frozen in place. The only movement came from the occasional flick of a horse’s tail or the restless shifting of hooves.

  While they waited, Jack spoke to Horace about their escort. “Didn’t realize the caravan would be all soldiers.”

  “Some caravans are made up of mercs,” Horace replied, still distracted. “But soldiers have 30 item slots we can use per horse, and they’re stronger than similarly leveled mercs.”

  “How much did it cost to hire all this?” Jack asked.

  Horace sighed. “Five thousand.”

  “Credits?!” José blurted from behind.

  “Five thousand gold translates into about forty-seven-fifty credits, roughly, sir,” Horace said automatically.

  Jack felt his dad tense behind him. The scale of the game’s economy could be surreal. He didn’t blame him for being in shock.

  Apollos returned a few minutes later—trailing a second group of knights, escorting a man who looked like he’d ridden straight off a military recruitment poster.

  He rode a white warhorse and bore a glaive with a shaft so thick it looked like it had been repurposed from a city signpost. His salt-and-pepper hair was tied back, and his beard neatly trimmed. Five golden stars gleamed on each shoulder plate.

  As he approached, every soldier in the vicinity snapped to attention.

  “Well, well,” the older man said, his voice a deep rumble. “You weren’t exaggerating, Apollos. Our guests truly are the Defending Heroes.”

  Jack raised an eyebrow. Was he talking about their legendary title? The one they’d earned after completing the Breach run?

  Jaffar, who’d been handling the logistics of the caravan, approached the new arrival. “My lord, I didn’t realize- I’m so sorry.”

  “That’s all right,” the old man said. “There are things that only trained soldiers can notice.” He had his horse approach the sloths. “I am General Hannibal, the one responsible for the defense of Sunsgate.” He had his horse pass by Horace and approach Jack.

  Jack gulped. Even though Snowy towered over this man, somehow, this NPC still seemed taller. It was a feeling similar to when he’d seen the Slayer atop his T-Rex.

  “Son, did you hire this caravan because of the cube in your possession?”

  “Can you see into my inventory?” Jack asked, surprised.

  The general remained silent. He obviously could; otherwise, how could he have mentioned it? “Yes, sir. We’re planning on starting a village in the desert.”

  The tiniest smirk appeared on the general’s lips. “Well, if that’s the case, if you don’t mind, I’ll be personally overseeing this expedition. Is that OK, good man?” he asked, riding back to Horace’s side.

  Horace straightened, deference in his voice. “It would be an honor, sir.”

  “Good. Captain Apollos, fetch Captain Dinah. This group is conduits of the king’s will, and we’ll make sure nothing touches them.”

  “Yes, General.”

  Jack glanced at Horace, who was watching the general as if he were a movie star. Amari, Marie, and Rob shared a similar look.

  He couldn’t help but study the man more closely. The general sat relaxed on his white horse, and was the only one in the escort wearing plate armor—as if the heat of the desert wouldn’t touch him. The longer Jack looked, the smaller he felt.

  Just how powerful was this old man?