Nodding to him, I said, “I remember the meals Meg brought over when I was recovering from the accident. They were all very good. Better than anything I can make now.”

  “If she’s got any skill points left, have her think about Cooking. It’s a Game skill that lets her make food that buffs you like a spell. Might help with other stuff too. I haven’t looked at it enough to say for sure.”

  He held the door open, and we stepped inside.

  The smell hit me immediately. Chocolate…rich and warm, drifting from the kitchen like a wave that made my mouth water before my brain caught up. It was the kind of smell that made you think of birthdays and quiet afternoons, even with everything going on outside.

  There were eight other people in the living room, plus Megan, all smiling or laughing. Most were finishing slices of cake; the kind you knew was homemade just by the uneven frosting and the crumbs on the plates.

  “Hey everyone!” Ryan called out. “This here’s our next-door neighbor, Will Bannister. You’ve probably heard of him. They call him the First Mana Mage cause, well, he was. He’s also the one you saw on TV yesterday. He’s the, uh…Warchief of Eddington. If there’s a big fight, he’s the guy who leads it.”

  Sighing, I facepalmed, both hands over my face. Am I gonna keep hearing this forever? Peeking through two fingers, I gave them a wry look, spreading the fingers of my right hand between the middle and ring finger, thumb out.

  Dropping my hands, I said, “Yes, I’m William Bannister. Or William of Brinsford, as the game calls me now. I’m not a hero. I don’t want to be a hero. I was just the first one who stepped up and handled a few problems early on. The ‘Warchief’ title got stuck on me by Gar-Kosh. He’s the big green Orc who charged the other side’s line yesterday. He’s living out his fantasy…I guess I am too. The title just means I’m the guy in charge of the fight.”

  Turning toward the kitchen, I lifted my eyebrows at Megan as she stood in the entryway. “Ryan said something about cake? And coffee?”

  She blushed a little. “Saved a seat for ya. Be right out with both,” she said, vanishing into the kitchen.

  I took off my hat and hung it on the back of the lone open chair, adjusting my baldric so the sword wouldn’t bump anything. The chair was dark green wood with a pink-and-green flower-print cushion that looked like it came from their kitchen or sunroom.

  “OK, Ryan. What’s going on? Why the full house?”

  “These are the neighbors who wanna help,” he said. “We’ve been talking about how to do what you said. James and Jack here,” he gestured to the couch, “they’re still in high school. Play the same kinda games you do. They’ve helped the rest of us figure out what classes we oughta take. Thanks to them, we didn’t make too many more mistakes.”

  Stolen novel; please report.

  The two teens nodded. They were clearly brothers, close in age and appearance. James wore a short-sleeved chainmail shirt over a white tee and jeans. A triangular, or heater shaped shield as we called them, leaned against his leg. From the looks of the pommel, he had an unsheathed Viking-style sword in his lap. I hoped it wasn’t just a decorative wall hanger.

  “Hi, I’m James. This is my brother, Jack,” the younger looking one in chainmail said.

  “I would never have guessed,” I replied, deadpan. The room chuckled.

  “If I had to guess,” I continued, “you’re a Warrior class. Same for your brother, from the look of that sword and outfit.” The black judo Gi and sheathed katana in Jack’s hand were a dead giveaway.

  “You’re right,” James said proudly. “I took the Tank subclass. I’m third raid tank in our WoW guild and usually tank dungeons. I made the chainmail myself! Learned how online.”

  “It looks solid, even from here. The game’ll treat it as actual mail, so you’ll be able to take more hits than most. You’re already ahead of the curve.”

  Pulling up the Game Rules, I scrolled until I found what I was looking for. “Armor making’s a professional skill. You’ve got one we’re going to need. Try making the rings smaller next time…smaller rings give better protection.”

  “And buy up all the wire you can get your hands on. If supplies run out, you’ll have to make your own. Talk to Sir Andrew about it. He was the guy in full plate yesterday. He knows some local armor makers.”

  Just then, Megan appeared beside me with a steaming mug of coffee and a thick slice of very dark chocolate cake. She handed me the coffee first, and I took a big sip before setting it on the floor to take the plate.

  “Thanks, Meg.”

  “You’re welcome,” she said, smiling warm and bright.

  Digging into the cake, I shoveled in a few quick bites. It was rich, moist, and just bitter enough to keep it from being too sweet. “Delicious, Meg. It’s wonderful. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Her smile said it was worth the effort. My wife had been the same way. We were both happiest when the other was happy.

  “How about you, Jack? Another warrior?” I asked, turning back to the brothers, taking another bite.

  “Yes, sir. Samurai subclass. We get buffs for bows, two-handed swords, and polearms. I’ve done some kendo and judo. In WoW, my main is usually Armsman, but I can play most classes.”

  “Good combo. Samurai gets +1 for two-handers right out the gate. Add another +1 for being human and you’re already dangerous. Polearms too, once you pick one up. If you’ve got real kendo gear, wear it. The game’ll count it as armor. A hard breastplate might give you even more bonuses.”

  I went quiet for a moment to finish the last of the cake, letting the warmth of the coffee clear the chocolate from my mouth. The rest of the group didn’t stand out as much, but I noted three Mages, another Healer named Art R…always needed…and a Paladin Warrior.

  There was also a woman who’d chosen Necromancer with a Witch subclass, which surprised me a bit. A woman playing a dark caster wasn’t as rare as it used to be, but it still caught me off guard. The long black dress, though? That part wasn’t surprising at all.

  We had just wrapped up introductions when tires squealed outside, followed by a horn blaring long and sharp.

  I tugged up my sleeve and checked my watch. Two minutes past one.

  “Shit!” I said, standing so fast the chair legs scraped the floor. “I think they just spawned again!”

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