by Sarah Lin
"Stashing items for a second run? That happens." Yet something had changed in the voice, which paused for a moment, then coughed. "Actually, that energy consumption does look funny. Send me the data."
The words meant nothing to the Keeper, but his being itself responded. For a moment he felt as though a hole had opened within him and energy was pouring out into a void. It was pure bliss, and he felt sorrow when it ended. There was a long pause, then another sigh.
"Dammit, I guess I've got to come through."
A moment later, power built up in the cell, so bright that none of them could look at it. Just before the blinding light overwhelmed them, it vanished, leaving behind a man. The Keeper breathed a sigh of relief as he felt all was right with the world again.
Admittedly, this was strange. Usually the new adventurers wore rags, but there was something special about them. He had met many men and women over the years and immediately knew that they held the spark of greatness. Yet this one seemed very ordinary, just a thin man in straight black pants, a fine white shirt with buttons up the front, and a bizarre cloth that wrapped around his neck and hung down.
And yet the Keeper felt within himself a great certainty. Bowing slightly, he opened the cell to let the new adventurer join their world. "The signs declared that you are an authority without equal, but they did not declare your name. What would you like to be called?"
Instead of answering, the man stepped out of the cell. He raised a hand to the air and flicked it several times, as if moving an invisible object. Then he frowned and began to move down the corridor. That was not what was meant to happen, so for a moment the Keeper was stunned. The other two didn't seem so troubled, walking along beside him on either side.
"My name is Elleane," the blond woman said. "I've guided your kind before and I will do everything I can to help you. Perhaps you have memories of another world or a desire to be a hero... I do not know what higher power has acted, but those desires have been granted. This is your new life where you can be the legend you were meant to be."
Marrin scoffed. "Oh, fuck off. It's just as likely he wants to gain power and loot. I'm Marrin. Don't let Elleane force you onto her straight and narrow path. You can do whatever you want here."
The man rubbed his eyes. "God, I forgot we set up one of those binary morality meters in Alliandelle."
Gathering himself, the Keeper rushed ahead of them. There was a proper order for such things, and he could not allow this adventurer to disrupt it. Though within he felt certain that this adventurer was of more importance than any other, he was the Keeper. Maintaining the order of the world was his job.
Moving to the door at the end of the hall, the Keeper reached the door first and grabbed the handle, holding it closed. "Before you leave this place, you must remember who you are. We have shown you the door, now you need only find yourself to wa-"
The door disappeared beneath his fingers when the man made a gesture. As the Keeper stared at it in shock, the man walked through the door into the clearing. He didn't seem even slightly awed by the peaceful sight, he just turned back to them and sighed.
"You really don't get it yet? I'm not an adventurer. I'm Quality Control."
X X X
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Acknowledgments
Thank you to all my alpha and beta readers for their feedback.
Thanks to LitRPG Society for the community.