“ Hello HamStar, I look forward to making you these dishes. I need a day to gather the ingredients. Please send me a friend request so when I have the ingredients, we can coordinate a time to meet at my Legacy space. Thanks for being my first customer!”

  Lance sighed. He hoped to sound professional. This was set to be his first sale, at a staggering amount of gems. This could easily make him jump a level, perhaps more. He finished taking care of some hygiene and other in real life tasks like chores and such before logging onto his console. He was met with Spex in his Home menu holding a large stack of papers.

  “ Spex? What's this? Lance said, looking at her holding the papers forward to him.

  “ To continue using the console you must agree to this consent form. Oddnet sent this, and is offering anyone who does not agree, the ability for a full refund on the console and any purchases made using the app store.”

  Lance looked at the stack of papers.

  “ Yeesh. Yeah okay, sign it. I agree.”

  “ Your response has been recorded and terms agreed. Thank you for your continued support.” Spex said as the papers disappeared. In place of them she handed forward a gift box.

  “ What's this?” Lance said, taking it from her.

  “ This is part of the agreement. You will now have full access to the information gathered by the Specter console about you. Please be mindful that this is information you should safeguard. Among that is the back-door access codes to your console. Oddnet does its best to protect each user from any malicious attacks, but these codes can circumvent Oddnet security protocols.”

  “ Okay cool, can you keep these safe here until I figure out what to do with them?” Lance said, handing the box back.

  Spex bowed then waved away the box. Standing upright she asked Lance “ Would you like to continue playing Wish Legacy? If so, I have added another item to the main screen that you may enjoy.” She pointed behind him. A thick Iron banded Door stood alone against the white. Above which the logo for Wish Legacy glowed. Lance smiled.

  “ This is a good one, you're getting better Spex. Good job, I appreciate it.” Lance walked forward and through the door. As he looked back the white background faded to black. He found himself standing in his tavern. Wellyn was in the kitchen area beyond the bar. Lance could hear some shuffling, so he approached.

  Lance came into the back room, Wellyn was organizing the boxes Lance had and all of his loose items that were about in the room back here. He seemed to commandeer the crate Lance had brought back and stuffed a blanket in it for a spot for Violet. He smiled at Lance when he came in.

  “ Hey ladd. Glad you're here. How do you like the arrangement?” Wellyn said, waving to the room. It was rather tidy and it seemed to be swept clean. A lantern had been placed on a new hook in the center of the room, lighting it much better.

  “ It's nice thank you, it was something I intended to do when I got in today. What brought about the cleaning?”

  “ Ah well, when you left last I mentioned I would be staying here a bit longer. And well my standards would not allow the disorder. No offense, you mind the dungeons gathering memories, and Violet and I will keep these areas tidy. I did take the liberty to go through your things. Which leads me to question you.. about this.” Wellyn held up an experience gem. At closer inspection it was the gem that held the small image of Graz the goblin inside. Lance had tried to use his Appraise skill on it to figure out what it was previously. Unfortunately it gave no information so he was waiting to find out its use later.

  “ Ah yes I got it from a goblin. I thought it was an experience gem but it wasn't so I was just waiting for the right time.”

  “ Mmm. Well, this isn't just a gem, it's this goblins soul. It's a Soul prism, they're rare to receive but you can use it a few ways. You can attempt to bend its will to yours, for servitude, mind you this is very frowned upon with intelligent souls like that of this goblin. You may destroy it, and gain an ability from it, however this is not always a positive effect. Or lastly you may ask it to become armament, it will take form if it agrees, if not it is wasted. This will create a weapon or armor with the Ensouled property that is much more durable than common memories.”

  “ Wait. Back up.. for servitude how? What do you mean?”

  “ Well, it would become alive here in your Legacy space. But its remaining life will be within this space. Unfortunately that means it would be bound here for good. Until it is either released from your bond, or… releases its will to live. Sometimes these are good things for poor souls taken too soon. Others have been known to abuse that power. Be careful because some people may just detest you for doing such a thing depending on their circumstances.”

  “ So it's like.. man that's totally not cool. What the heck crap is that.”

  “ How you treat your company is all about your interactions, Lance. Stuck in this prism this goblin does not exist. Choosing what to do from here is entirely up to you. You're not wrong for feeling awful about needing to make the choice but, trading this away may put it in the hands of those who would abuse the outcome. You must either destroy it, or attempt to find resolution for it. Even now it clings to existence.”

  Lance sighed he felt wrong about this situation, he hadn't known Graz long, and he'd killed a lot of goblins, eaten them. He didn't hate them though, it was live and die. The biggest lesson he learned about goblins was from Graz. They weren't all bad. It opened his eyes from this game being a kill or be killed, to a twisted, live or let live. Lance felt that haunt him. “ Ironic. Really.”

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  “ Pardon?”

  “ What about the destroy thing? I gain an ability? How does that work?”

  “ It's as simple as that. If there is anything about this goblin that was impressive you may attempt to gain it. It isn't guaranteed to be what you sought. But destroy it in any way, and you will reap the benefits.”

  “ Okay… and the last thing. The Ensouled thing? Graz becomes armor?”

  “ You know its name?” Wellyn raised his brow. “ That is a powerful tool. Yes it may become an Ensouled memory. Which is usually in the form of armor and weaponry. You don't get to choose what, and this is a risky method. If you fail the soul is lost. But if you succeed you will have a powerful ally. You must ask the prism, and it will decide.”

  Lance wanted to pull his hair out. “ So many choices all the time, this game's learning curve is steep.” He thought to himself.

  “ I don't think you should make this decision in haste. Ponder it, the prism won't go anywhere. Other than that ladd, I'll be seeing you.” Wellyn placed the gem in Lance's hand and began to walk out the room.

  “ I thought you were gonna stay?”

  “ I am, I have things to do elsewhere. I'm not a maid, that was courtesy, put away your things. This is a business right? Violet watch him I'll be back later.” Wellyn said, pulling a coat over his shoulders. Violet who sat in her crate blinked slowly at Wellyn in response an eye at a time, then she stared down Lance. “ Good girl.” Wellyn left.

  Lance looked around the room, Wellyn had done a lot in here. He had hung the weeds on twine from a side of the shelves. He used the platter Lance had made as a storage for the mushrooms Lance had as well. That was just about it outside of the tidiness. But Lance did notice that a bat hide had been cut and tied with strips making an apron that hung from the corner of the shelves here. It was crude but he liked it. The room was very bare but Lance was happy, he smiled feeling the need to fill it. He felt the stare of Violet on his back and turned around. She still sat in her crate and she was giving him a grumpy face.

  “ What Violet? He said to watch me, don't glare at me.”

  She wiggled her jelly-like form as if saying no and bounced away into the bar area. Lance didn't understand the body language. He then sent out an invitation for everyone to meet him here.

  Meanwhile in Kings Legacy space.

  King entered into his legacy space. The creaky bark-covered door opened to a forest with trees wider than trucks, and tree limbs stretched overhead, absorbing any amount of light that could hit the floor. Here on the floor of the forest bioluminescent plants and vines sprawled through the moss and shrubbery. King stepped through the path he had created to another tree with a door. This doorway and cavity it opened to were not natural as inside is where Kings Legacy space companion lay. As he closed the door the swarm of Chiten already present here in the room flew from the shell of a larger insect and made their home amongst his torso. A large horned beetle similar to that of Hercules beetle mixed with a Stag beetle clung to the far wall. It was about 6 feet wide and 5 feet off the wall. It lay against the wall stalwart.

  “ King. Is home. How is King?” the beetle said each pause met with a clicking of its mandible.

  “Good. Ready. And you Mushin?” King replied, imitating the way of speech with a click of his mouth.

  “At peace. Sit. Listen. Wind is strong. Change is coming. Find peace.”

  King sat on a wide brim of a mushroom that glowed the room alight to the left side of the room. He looked up into the tree and its hollow form played soft flute-like music through the holes in the tree to outside above. The trees here covered the sky from the ground, forcing wind through sections at a time. Pollen danced through the leaves above entering trees and leaving them from lower holes as the draft blew. It was wonderful, like a symphony of nature. King liked listening to the trees sing, the song always changed but it carried a slow rhythm that could be seen in the dancing leaves. He received a notification from Lance.

  “ I must go. Thank you.” King said standing, he walked to the opposite wall where his things lay piled atop the crate he had. After grabbing his bag and weapons he bowed then left the tree. Mushin said nothing but with a few clicks of his mandibles he began to walk upward into the tree.

  Reilly and Courage sat at Lance's tables in the front of the tavern. Lance was behind the counter loading mugs with a little bit of goblin alcohol. He rounded the tables as King entered. Lance raised the mugs. “Gray! Perfect timing. Courage any word from Valora?” he said sitting.

  “ She said give her about ten minutes from logging in to get here.”

  “ Cool, enjoy this while we wait.” Lance said, pushing the drinks towards everyone.

  Reilly grabbed the mug and took a sip. She was very pleased and threw the rest of it back. King did the same. Courage tasted it but coughed and put it back. Lance laughed at him. The other two asked for more. He pointed to the counter behind them.

  “ So you asked about that Dorkburgler guy. I've never heard of him but looking at his videos he seems cool. You should do it Lance. Being a part of content with other famous viewcubers is how you get more known, I'm thinking this is good for both of you. I didn't see any videos from him about Wish Legacy.” Courage said.

  Lance smiled. “ Yeah I thought so. To be honest the worst bit of this all is that I don't know what I'm doing. I just decided to post stuff because of the limited information we're allowed to share. And this game is so real.. I just kind of imitated a streamer I watch. Or watched that is.. haven't been able to put this down.”

  Reilly and King had a conversation of their own and took an occasional swig every few moments.

  “ Well to be honest. I don't know why you did so well. You must have broken the algorithm by being among the first to have any videos out that were half decent. I'd say right now it's critical that you keep going with it or it will fall off. I assume it's like a job to you now?”

  “ Eh, kind of. I'm still in college to be honest I'm trying to balance it. Time feels so spread now, the amount of time here, and the days move by slower kind of. But dude it's the first week still. I feel like I need to find someone, someone to trust with editing. Mine is so bad. When I watch people's videos I feel embarrassed. It's so basic cause I just cut it up.”

  “ Hmm. I get what you mean. Well you're in luck. I'm pretty great with computers. I'm sure I can figure it out. Let me do some. Not going to say I wont show off a little for some spot light though haha.”

  “ What? Seriously? Dude. Yeah please I'll pay you and everything.”

  “ Haha nah mate. Let's worry about paying for stuff until after I make something.” Courage smiled “He has no idea. Games are so much better this way. Maybe someday though…” He thought.

  King and Reilly both sat down quickly, Reilly holding Violet in her hands.

  “ Lance! WHAT IS THIIIS? ITS SOO CUUUTE AND SQUISHY!” She squeezed Violet tightly, her eyes opened wide, somehow you could tell Violet was blushing.