Friday.

The slamming of files and notepads signalled the end of the final class for the week.

The weekend had arrived.

"Plans?" Ash asked Jace.

His best friend responded immediately. "Lunch. Pick up some food and supplies. Home. Dungeon."

"B-but what about my social life?"

Jace gave his trade mark half-smile. "You go ahead and party. I've got work to do."

"That's not work!"

"It is. If I go virtual, I will be effectively doing overtime, right? Simtrixx will pay me the extra hours."

"How many hours are we talking about?"

Jace shrugged. Ash's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "You are planning to dungeon the whole weekend?"

"I need to level up to be eligible for the Portal and collect materials. Then I will go see Kirana for her trial."

"So ... Level up, then continue with the Orb Trials?"

"Yeah, that's the plan."

"Virtual?"

"I think I'll alternate between virtual and normal play. I might not last the whole weekend if it was 100 per cent virtual," he said, thinking of all the damage his avatar seemed to sustain during all his encounters.

"Okay. I'll join you when I can. You may need my help in the higher level dungeons. No one can solo those. I'll help you get a team together."

"A team? Who?"

Ash smiled mysteriously. "Oh, just some friends," he said vaguely and winked.

-----------------

"What is he doing? Why isn't he moving? What is he waiting for?" Nadine asked impatiently.

Zen shrugged helplessly, he had absolutely no idea what the Ghost Lord was doing. Well not much actually. What was he thinking? That was the real question.

The Games Master has studied the winners of Season One. It was his job to know every aspect of the game, including the characters and especially the five Gatekeepers. It was essential to create ideal challenges. Study their strengths, their weaknesses, how they moved, how they think and how they interacted with each other.

Zen had already ascertained that Constantine and Kirana were more than friends, they worked and complimented each other's gameplay perfectly. They may be lovers or a couple in real life. The five Gatekeepers had a good relationship, often trading amongst each other and helping each other out. Zen suspected they may know each other in real life. Who is to say that they didn't become real friends during the competition?

Only Nadine, Director of the Virtual Reality Division knew who the real Players were and their avatars. The other heads of departments only knew what was relevant to their respective departments.

Nadine and Zen were watching Lazarus. He was in his chambers, holding the cursed saber. When he had retrieved it from his Inventory, they got excited. He must be thinking of dungeoning with it right? It would be faster and more efficient. However, after taking it out Lazarus had turned it over several times in his hands, unsheathed it and sheathed it back. Then he had just sat there staring at it. It had since been an hour.

"Notify me if he does anything significant," Nadine finally instructed Zen. She had better things to do than to watch their star player sitting around. She left the room. Zen would inform her when Lazarus made his next move.

--------------------------------------

Lazarus had spawned into his chambers and staggered to the wall. He felt dizzy and disoriented. He had barely reached it for support when he had started coughing. The pain in his chest was getting worse. The guards posted outside his chambers rushed in at the noise.

"My Lord!"

"Are you alright? Shall I get the Keeper?"

Lazarus gasped for breath. "No need ... I'm fine." He wiped blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. He waved them out.

"No one is to enter without my permission. I have work to do."

"Yes, My Lord." The two guards bowed and returned to their stations, closing the door quietly behind them. Outside, the two NPC guards exchanged worried looks. They had seen the blood their lord had tried to hide. Lord Lazarus was not okay. They were going to report to the Keeper or the Battle Master as soon as they changed shifts. They would know what to do.

Inside the chamber, Lazarus stumbled his way slowly to a couch. He sat down in relief. His head was spinning. The orc poison worked in stages it seems. The coughing and chest pains were now coupled with dizziness and weakness. His Health regeneration speed was also deteriorating. Not good. He had to find a solution quickly or he would soon be useless.

Health, 73 per cent.

After resting for a while, he opened his Items menu and retrieved the cursed saber from his Inventory. Some things had to be done in virtual. He wanted to feel the saber again to confirm what he had felt earlier was real.

The second he touched it, he felt a cold numbing power from the saber. It crept up his hands, slowly up his arms and into his chest. He was not alarmed, he had felt it before when he was fighting the saber's former owner. He waited and was not disappointed. Lazarus smiled as the cold power coursing through his veins changed to a welcoming warmth. Almost like it recognised ... wanted the person holding it to be its owner.

The pains in his chest faded. The weakness he felt a moment ago disappeared. Even the dizziness was gone. He was feeling better by the second.

Lazarus held the saber reverently in his hands, turning it over and over. He admired the detailed markings on the sheath, running his fingertips lightly over the intricate patterns engraved on it. What was it? Was it some sort of magic runes? He had never seen such markings before. He needed to show it to Constantine or Isis. They would have a better idea.

Lazarus gripped the leather bound hilt and unsheathed the saber. The sharp blade slid out soundlessly, glinting in the light. A second wave of power enveloped the assassin. He sucked in his breath. Awesome! He felt so alive, so free, so powerful!! He checked his status and watched in fascination as his Health climbed.

Lazarus, Assassin, Level 75. Health 88 per cent.

92 per cent ...

95 per cent ...

100 per cent!!

Ahhhh! He sighed in pleasure. He had not felt this good in a long time. The constant pains in his chest were gone. He couldn't feel the effects of the orc poison in his body at all. Amazing! He stared at the wonderful weapon in his hands. He sheathed it and ran his hand lovingly along its side. He understood the lure of the saber now. How could anyone understand its awesome powers until he held it? It was not a curse, it was a blessing!! You had to touch it, hold it, feel it ... He fell into a pleasant hypnotic trance.

Message!

A loud beep broke him out of his trance. The assassin looked uncomprehendingly at the message icon for a while, then reached out to touch it.

Valentine : Hey! Where are you? Which dungeon are you running now? Give me coordinates and I'll join you!

Valentine... who? Lazarus frowned in confusion. The name was vaguely familiar.

Message!

Valentine : Where are you? I see you online. Laz?

Lazarus shook his head as awareness came back to him. Valentine ... VAL! Of course! He frowned at his temporary confusion. Checking the time, he was shocked to note that three hours had passed. Had he been sitting here admiring the saber all this time? He could not remember. He had zoned out.

Decisively, he returned the cursed saber to his Inventory.

"You are very dangerous ..." he muttered at the saber under his breath as he stowed it away. He realised that he had fallen into the saber's hypnotic trap. He had to be more careful the next time.

Reply Message.

Lazarus : Meet me at Dungeon 45.

Valentine : Wow! 45 already? Okay.

Status check.

Health 99 percent.

Lazarus sighed. Without the saber in his hands, his Health had already started to decline once again. He had to hurry with his plans. He now realised how dangerous the saber was. He was not its owner but could very well become its slave, just like that warrior. It was both a blessing and a curse.

He knew now that one did not own the saber, it was the saber who owned its user.

He ported to Dungeon 45.