AI: Artificial Isekai

"How has your class been going?" I ask Elisa while spectating her final preparations.

The elf growls at me, "Wouldn't you like to know, traitor."

"I'll let you have the first hit the next time we encounter each other."

Her tone shifts immediately, returning to cheery. "It's been going well. The Guild trainees are as prepared as ever, and the mage portion is eager to learn. I even have a few active adventurers. Might do a practical session in a dungeon with them. I have to ask if they are up for it, though."

"Oh, they will be."

"Not everyone shares your inexhaustible thirst for dungeon blood," Elisa says.

"Morbid... Anyway, they'll be up for it. You'll see."

She shrugs, focusing back on the game. "You are not going to ambush me, are you?" A cutscene starting to play is not the response she hoped for. Elisa glares angrily at me for a second and then turns back to the display.

"Hello, Party Leader."

"Matching the lip movement is exceedingly creepy. Nice touch."

"Are you prepared to face the consequences of your actions?"

"What's with the black mist around you?"

"My new friends have opened my eyes to all that was once hidden."

"Oh, shit. Please tell me the fight is only two phases."

I laugh. "Come and find out." A leather bag is thrown next to my game character's feet. "Hmm? Another one of your cowardly tactics?"

The bag explodes into iridescent static, shattering reality and somehow generating a hole that leads to all planes of existence at the same time. My character's body is instantly atomized and spread across said planes. A glowing finger breaks through nothing and touches the spatial anomaly. With a bright flash, both the breach and the appendage are gone.

"There we are," Elisa says. "Skipped phase one, right?"

Black mist seeps from the ground, reforming my character anew. But his appearance is changed, corrupted. "Impressive, Party Leader. Now, shall we begin in earnest."

Four additional phases later, an absolutely exhilarated elf is smiling at the display. My giant eldritch god form has shrunken back to normal human size, as is proper for these situations. "End it. You've won. Like you always have."

Elisa thinks for a moment, and then just says, "No. It's okay. Want to rejoin the party? I hear there's a lich causing trouble up north."

"Do I have to act as bait again?"

"I mean, you have immortal eldritch powers. It only makes sense."

I turn to her, breaking character. "Recruiting a boss enemy to the party nerfs them."

She whips her head to me. "What! But you at least kept some of your abilities, right?"

"Yes."

Elisa looks relieved. "Good. Alright, how about this—you have to act as bait for three encounters of my choosing. Just three. Not too much to ask for, is it?"

"...Fine. But give me my wand back."

Elisa stiffens. "I... might have... sold it." As I slump in my chair, so does my game character collapse to the ground. Elisa issues a command, and the Porter picks me up. "We'll go buy it back. Don't worry, buddy." My character lets himself get carried into the sunset.

***

A Goblin Mage is cooked from the inside by a spear of lightning. Khi flicks her arm, sending another spear for another goblin. The previous, now well-done, goblin jerks upright and twists itself toward the princess. It casts a dim, red fireball at her. The second dead goblin joins its undead brethren, conjuring a white icicle. Electricity arcs from Khi's body and to the projectiles, destroying them in their path.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

More dead goblins rise up. There is a surplus around us, after all.

While dodging spells and dispatching undead, Khi moves her gaze around the chaotic battlefield, looking for her target. After a few seconds, her head snaps in a direction. A brilliant bolt of thunderous charge strikes at a cloaked figure with incredible speed, only to discharge uselessly against a black barrier constructed out of lopsided segments.

Before the Goblin Necromancer can counterattack, a metal rod drops from the sky and impacts the protective bubble, producing a deafening crack and throwing up soil and dust. Almost instantly after the first hit, another follows, as a lightning strike vaporizes the thrown debris, and anything else that might have remained intact. The dead fall to the ground, now true to their description.

Khi takes in a deep breath while assessing the situation around us. When she determines there are no more threats left, she turns to me. "Phew. Thank you for the assist. That was a strong shield."

"It's strong against sustained attacks but weak against focused ones," I say. Then I add, "Generally... Almost every variant of goblin that can be included in the spellcaster column is biased toward resilience rather than integrity when using barriers."

"Huh. Good to know. Should really brush up on my monster facts."

"There are exceptions, so be mindful of that."

Khi hums in response. A few mana crystals float to her hand, and she teleports them into a spatial storage pocket.

While the princess is collecting any crystals that are still left, I focus my mana senses. A thrum of power draws my attention, and I focus further, narrowing down to a direction. With some more effort, I finally determine the exact location of the dungeon's core. When Khi has finished her harvesting, a precisely aimed needle brings us out.

The weather has gotten colder, and there are small snowflakes being thrown around by an even colder wind. Even though it is still midday, the sun struggles to penetrate the gray clouds, leaving the sky dark and drab.

"Let's run back," Khi requests.

"Sure."

As we are leisurely making our way to the city, and Khi and I are discussing the ins and outs of goblin subjugation, Kor'To keeps his distance. The beastfolk warrior has been doing that a lot lately. I guess the deception during our lovely dinner really did chip his honor. Or he's letting Khi feel like she is not constantly smothered by her security, letting her at least have the illusion of personal time with a friend. Oh, well. I like him, but I won't force it.

Once we reach the city, the consequences of the weather become apparent. There is hardly anyone out and about. Most people have taken shelter, or not left that shelter at all. And the ones that are brave enough are deploying force shields to ward off the chilling currents, simple heating spells to keep warm, or both.

After some walking, Khi asks with trepidation, "Do you think Erysis and Nexen will be up for another spar soon?"

"Probably," I answer. "You don't have to go through me every time, you know. You can just ask them yourself."

Her tail's swishing increases in speed. "Yeah, I know... But—" A rapid twist of Kor'To's head interrupts her.

The head of security prepares to move, to intercept a thin projectile made out of dark magic and heading directly for Khi. His body flares with power as he moves in a blur, his hand already swatting up for a devastating attack. Only for a blinding flash a dozen meters above our heads to stagger him in his step. The dark spell is consumed by a spherical explosion that quickly collapses into itself. The other beastfolk security are already rushing to find the source of the malicious spell.

Khi looks doubly surprised by the development that happened, while Kor'To is only singularly vexed.

A voice next to us says, "Gone. Long-range teleport." Pemik returns to reality, giving a face to the disembodied words. His sudden appearance startles the two remaining beastfolk even further.

But as Kor'To realizes who just talked, his attention is once again turned outward, watching for more surprises. "The house might be compromised, Your Highness," he says. "We should take you home." He briefly glances at Pemik and then at me. "Why were we not informed of his presence?" The rest of the security return, having found nothing. "This will be reported to your Guild." He turns to one of the other beastfolk, ordering, "Palace."

As the mage starts gathering power for a teleport, Khi speaks up, "Stop. We are staying here." She issues a different order, "Take us to the house."

Kor'To interjects, "Your Highness—"

A single word cuts through his objection, "Now." Khi motions at Pemik and me. "Them, too." The command is swiftly followed, as we all appear inside a room. "Leave us." Kor'To does not argue this time, leaving with the rest of the security. Khi turns to me, her face unreadable. "You knew." There is no question. Just a declaration.

"A heads up would have been appreciated, but I do understand your reluctance to divulge such information." Right out of my playbook. I wonder if I can sue for copyright infringement?

"It would seem we have a problem, then," Khi says.

"Do we? Remember what I told you." I let my statement sit for a long, silent moment. "Do you still think we have a problem?"

She studies me, her demeanor entirely different. There is no playfulness or shyness, only cold, calculating scrutiny. "No. We don't."

"We should report the attack to the Guild," I say.

"Very well," Khi replies.

I turn around and start to leave, with Pemik silently following. But after a few steps, I stop and regard the princess again. "You should send a message to Erysis and Nexen. Tell them you are okay. They'll hear about it eventually, best to come from you. And you can ask about a spar, too." As I am talking, Khi's icy expression thaws, uncertainty and a smidgen of something else showing through. "See you later, Khi."

"...Yes. See you later... Lucius."

When we are outside, Pemik says, "You don't have any nefarious plans about me too, right? That was terrifying."

"Do you really need to ask after spilling to Erysis and Nexen?"

"Will a sincere apology help?"

"It won't hurt."

He turns to me, employing his brother's sparkly eyes trick. "Well, I am sincerely sorry."

You lil' goober, you know I can't stay mad at you. "Apology accepted." Not that I was actually mad, but I won't tell him that.