I was one of Dungeon Master's pupils, with Hank and the rest, and I was Eric's girlfriend. Dungeon Master appeared and told us that he was dying and his powers must be passed on to Venger. However, Venger was nowhere in the Realm to be found. So, Dungeon Master needed one of us to serve as Dungeon Master until Venger resurfaced. We were all apprehensive, but when none of them could bring themselves to make a decision, I volunteered. Dungeon Master immediately transferred his knowledge, powers, and responsibilities to me, and then left to rest. This instantly caused Eric to distance himself from me, but he did it respectfully. He understood how the power would change me, and seemed not to want me preoccupied with our relationship amid my new obligations to the Realm.

The next thing I remember is being in a village where the people were paying tribute to me as the new Dungeon Master by each placing a crystal stick in a shallow white box. Soon, the box was overflowing. I appreciated the gesture, but I wished they weren't doing it since I was only temporary. But I didn't say anything because I didn't want to be disrespectful to their customs.

As I watched the villagers carefully stack the crystal sticks, I was distracted with thoughts of the power of a Dungeon Master. I remembered the "fun" the previous Dungeon Master had had before Warduke had captured him. But I found I wasn't at all tempted toward frivolity or abuse of the power.

It was a bright and sunny day and I was in a room at an inn with Presto, who was wearing a white, long-sleeved pullover and off-white jeans. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, talking to me as I paced the length of the small room, but I was too distracted to hear a word of whatever he was saying.

The door wasn't closed all the way and I could see Venger pacing outside, like he couldn't make up his mind about coming in. I went closer to the door to better see him. He was facing to my left, but had twisted to his right to look at something. Standing like this, the toned muscles of his torso were easily visible through his tight red top. I felt a shock of arousal course through me, but I forced such thoughts from my mind and opened the door. He rushed right past me as if he wanted to give the impression that he'd only just reached the door as I'd opened it.

"I need to talk to you," he said as he went by me.

"I know. I need to talk to you, too. But, first, get rid of Presto."

Venger half turned and impatiently flung an arm in Presto's general direction. Presto vanished just as he lifted his head and went wide-eyed in alarm at the idea of Venger "getting rid of him."

I don't remember the beginning of our conversation, but we talked civilly until he took a threatening tone. But something wasn't right with him. I could hear in his voice that he was having trouble maintaining his usual malice, and I knew exactly what was happening to him.

I told him that I knew he couldn't carry out his threats. And I did know this. I knew that he wasn't entirely incapable of evil, but that he was very averse to it now. His response was to dig the fingertips of his right hand into my left cheek as if about to rip my face off. I didn't so much as flinch; he wasn't hurting me at all.

I said, evenly, "I know you won't hurt me, Venger."

He held his hand there a few seconds more, trying to defy the changes in himself, but then finally removed it when he realized I was right. He backed away from me until his shoulder hit the mantle of the fireplace behind him. "I'm warning you," he said.

"Don't you see?" I asked, wanting to make him understand what was happening to him. "If the Realm is powerful enough to choose its own master, then it's powerful enough to purge you of Evil!" (It made sense in the dream, OK?)

Then, I quickly closed the space between us and surprised him with a kiss. As the shock of it wore off, he put his right arm around my waist, but then he eased me back, and I rested my hand against his chest. He looked as though he had just thought of something very important, and I knew the Realm had just called to him.

"I have to go," he said.

"I know." I knew that he was becoming Dungeon Master and felt compelled to go where the Realm wanted him to go and do what it wanted him to do. That's what it was to be Dungeon Master. He disappeared, and I was alone.

It was night. Still retaining a little of the power of a Dungeon Master, I transported myself to where Presto and the others were. I tried to explain to Presto what I'd discovered about the Realm and Venger and the role of a Dungeon Master, but he couldn't understand. I looked around, wishing there was someone there who could understand, and I saw the old Dungeon Master sitting in a wheelchair about fifty feet to my left. I walked over and sat on the ground beside him.

"You understand," I said.

He nodded. "Tell me what you've learned."

I explained that I understood that there was a sentience to the Realm, and that I understood its power. I knew that it hadn't purified Venger before because Venger was not yet its to change for its use. It all made perfect sense.

Then we � Old Dungeon Master, the Young Ones, and I � were in a brightly lit bedroom. Eric was standing close to me, but still kept his distance. Dungeon Master looked at both of us and said, "It's OK." He meant that it was alright for us to show our affection since we were boyfriend and girlfriend after all. Eric and I put an arm around each other like we were just pals. Then Dungeon Master said again, "It's OK, go ahead," so Eric and I held each other.

As we embraced I said the word "Meridian" twice. I didn't realize I had spoken until I finished the word the second time. It was either Diana or Sheila (who were standing next to each other) who asked me, "Why did you say 'Meridian'?"

I felt a little embarrassed, but decided to confess. "I said it because I know that's where Venger is...and I love him, too." Eric looked a little disappointed, but he didn't say anything.

I then transported us all, except the old Dungeon Master, to Meridian. We witnessed a small group of animagi who would sneak into villages as foxes and steal from people. They would take their loot to horse-drawn carriages hidden in the woods. We watched as Venger turned them all black � the animagi, the carriages, and the horses � and banished them to the woods they had been hiding in. As their punishment, they wouldn't be able to leave the woods, transform, or be seen as anything other than black figures with green fluorescent outlines for many years.

With a smile, Diana said, "If this is the adventure that comes with a new Dungeon Master, then we have our work cut out for us."

They all exchanged smiles, and I knew that they would begin another era as champions of the Realm under a new guide.