I am not a praying man. I never have been. My family tried to get me to go to church. I couldn’t even tell you what denomination my parents were. Here I am, in sandals and a leather vest, holding a magically transforming spear, horns on my head, a magic brand on my shoulder, back pressed to a pillar of cave rock, and I’m trying to figure which god I’m supposed to ask to watch over my soul.

  Is it Zeus here? The almighty System? Does Sadie have a religion? She probably honors Pan, Satyr Lord of Wine and Song. Not a half bad choice.

  I don’t think I believe in reincarnation, but there’s a spot in the back of my mind that’s wondering if in this world, I get a do-over. Maybe the System loads the last save point. Was that when I show up? My last kill? I’ve seen no notifications of checkpoints or anything like that.

  I tense my grip on my weapon as I hear a sudden sound that could be either rain on a metal roof or bacon frying.

  “Dom.”

  It’s Jes. The sound was her teleporting—slipping, gating, or whatever the hell she wants to call it. The minotaur is an unknown distance behind me, beyond my protective pillar which presently feels as strong as tin foil. Fifteen feet in front and to the right, Sadie hides behind another stalactite. Jes just popped in behind one of two pillars further up by Sadie, but I’m not sure which.

  “Plan?” she asks.

  “I am not the planner here!”

  Just as Jes opens her mouth to reply, the minotaur bellows again. It’s like a fog horn. I flinch and scrunch my eyes closed to keep out the sound. Dust flutters down onto my head.

  I need a helmet. I need about three hours to figure this out.

  I need to wake up and take command.

  “Jes, spells available?” I call as the bellow fades, not attempting to keep my voice low.

  “I can slip maybe one more time,” she guesses. “I can speed someone up for a burst. I can give someone an emergency escape port ability. Invisibility for a bit. Nothing huge. I’m sorry, once I’m through my spell points, casting direct from my vitality is painful and dangerous.”

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  Considering I don’t get this wonderful spell point pool as a summoner, I am well aware that casting magic takes a toll.

  “What about the way you cut Baco in half?” I ask as calmly as I can.

  “That’s a portal trick, can’t pull it off on a target I can’t see and we have to be right there. And if I do that right now, I’ll pass out. To tell the truth, that was incredibly draining and I was doing it for shock value. On a stronger target, the more it would hurt.”

  “Baco is here!” Sadie calls. That’s excellent. I didn’t ask, but she knew I was gathering intel.

  “Jes,” I decide, knowing there is no time to debate. “Hyperspeed Baco. Baco, run out there, zip by him, get him to turn, hide on the other side. We reposition. Hit Sadie with your escape ability.”

  “I’ll be tapped out,” Jes says. “What about you?”

  I have no clue, lady. Priority is get everyone to a better position. I hate to say it, but if the minotaur turns and squishes Baco, it’s like Jes pointed out earlier: He can be resummoned.

  Can I?

  “Move,” I bark. “Get your spells on them.”

  Jes sprints to Sadie’s hiding place to cast a glyph on her.

  The minotaur charges. I feel each pounding hoofstep in the ground and the pillar.

  “NOW!” I scream, abandoning my stalactite, and running away from the beast.

  There is a high-pitched zinging noise as Jes casts hyperspeed on Baco.

  Baco whips by me. Purple sparking bits of lightning flicker off the ground where he was. Baco decided to go full charge. I’m surprised there’s no sonic boom.

  I step out and turn to see what way the minotaur is drawn so we can reposition.

  The Baco comet veers past the monster as planned. The oncoming charge stops and the minotaur stands to full terrifying height and doesn’t even turn to Baco. His eyes lock on me. He adjusts his bracer and points directly at me. He makes a fist, flexes his muscles, and grins at me with his unholy bull mouth.

  I don’t know if it was a spell, but I have zero doubt that I have been marked for death.

  The blur of Baco that is kicking up dust disappears into the rocks and cave features beyond our foe. He did exactly what he should have, only it didn’t have the intended effect at all. All it did was make the thing stand up. I guess it may have caused a three second hesitation, rather than steamroll me into the ground, so there’s that.

  Jes and Sadie are all-out sprinting away, heading out of the cluster of stalactites and toward some boulders large enough to duck behind, which is hopefully not a mound of waiting minotaurs.

  “You want me?” I shout at the minotaur. I haven’t decided which way to run. His eyes are glued on me. I shouldn’t endanger Jes and Sadie. “You want me, Bullface?”

  I pull off the most intense weapon flair I can. Stakespear moves like a snake around my body, under my arm, around my neck, around my waist. I have to look like this is all part of the plan.

  “Legend tells of a fearsome beast,” I say, sidestepping away from Sadie and Jes. “I go all the way through this labyrinth and you’re all I get? I am so disappointed.”

  He drops to all fours and launches at me. Maybe three leaps until he’s on me. I’m not sure what my plan was, but time to change it. I sprint away from the rest of my team. My body turns to electric dust.