"Hey Sebastian," I said, barging into his room. Today was an unseasonably cool day, and I was in high spirits. I stopped dead in my tracks, my smile faltering.

"Hey," Sebastian nodded in reply.

"Hello," Sam called cheerfully.

I waved at Sam. The two of them were seated around the board game in the corner of the room. I hadn't noticed any sort of movement or change in the pieces left in mid-play since I had first been granted entrance to this space, but now it looked like the board had been cleared off.

Sebastian noticed my staring. "Sam and I were about to play 'Solarion Chronicles: the Game'," he explained. "Why don't you join us? It's better with three players anyway."

"Sure," I said slowly, and made my way over to them. I slid into the remaining seat. The board on the table between us contained intricate designs and images of formidable dragons, ancient castles, foggy woods, and warriors in all sorts of complicated armour sets. Over it all was a trail painted to look like dirt that curved across the board in great swooping esses. A few decks of cards sat in dedicated spots on the board.

"Have you played this before?" Sam asked me.

"No," I shook my head. "I've played RPGs in the past, but they've all been on the computer or as video games."

Sebastian gave me a look of intrigue. "You'll pick this up in no time."

"I'm touched that you have such faith in me." I bowed my head.

Sebastian released a small smile. "Okay, here we go. Let me draw the scenario card." He reached forward and placed his hand on a small stack of facedown cards. He pulled off the top card and flipped it over. "Hmm, it looks like today's quest will take us into the Necromancer's Tower to try and reclaim the Solarion Staff from the clutches of Dreadlord Xarth."

"Cool," Sam enthused. "Yo, farmer, are you ready to choose your character? There's no farmer class so you'll have to try being something else."

I rolled my eyes. "Even if there was a farmer class, I wouldn't pick it." I chewed my bottom lip. "What are my options?"

"Healer, wizard, warrior," Sebastian recited.

Part of me itched to pick the wizard class, but I was wary. Playing the wizard would probably come with a lot of responsibility, and I wasn't familiar enough with the skills or rules of this world to feel comfortable in that role. Warriors always seemed like such clunky, meatheaded characters – perfect for Sam, I thought. That left me with one option. "Healer. I prefer to help others."

"Healer, huh?" Sebastian gave me a sly grin. "That's a very important role. I guess I'll pick the wizard then."

"Cool. Warrior's my favourite anyway," Sam said, beaming. Meathead confirmed.

"Let's begin," Sebastian said, clasping his hands together and cracking his knuckles. His hand automatically went to the next pile of cards, drew one, and brought it close to his face. He took a deep breath, signalling the start of our plunge into the world of Solarion Chronicles. "The King has entrusted you and your companions with recovering the Solarion Staff – a task which, if completed successfully, will ensure your place in the hall of legends as well as a sizable fortune of gold and silver."

As he set the scene, I felt a tingle of excitement work its way through me. There was a rich confidence in his voice, and I enjoyed how his tongue slid around the words. It all felt so natural – the three of us here, Sebastian narrating our crusade while Sam and I sat in blissful reverence. The crackle of magic defined this moment and I shivered with anticipation.

He moved on to the next card.

"After a long month journeying across unforgiving lands, you step out onto a precipice to see your destination looming in the distance. There, beyond a moonlit plain, lies the Necromancer's Tower, where Dreadlord Xarth usurps the power of the stolen Solarion Staff for his vile purposes."

Sebastian looked up, away from the card, and we locked eyes. The intensity of his gaze ignited a small flame inside me. A slow burn crept up my insides. "The tower lies beyond you," he said. "How shall we enter it, healer?"

I thought for a moment. There were so many options. "Go in the front. Fortune favours the bold."

Sebastian drew another card from another deck, and cleared his throat. "A skeleton guards the hallway before you. It looks dangerous. What do we do?"

"Fight the skeleton," I stated matter-of-factly.

"The skeleton lunges forward," Sebastian said, adrenaline coating his words. He looked at me to prompt a reaction.

I looked to Sam who merely shrugged. "I'm not the brains of this operation," he said. Meathead doubly confirmed.

I tapped my chin absently. "Raise your shields, crew," I said, after thinking for a second.

As though he had a shield strapped to his arm, Sam held his arm out to try and protect us from the skeleton.

"You successfully block the attack. The skeleton stumbles backward, giving you enough time to strike out and slay the foul creature."

Sam made a slashing motion in the air.

"You continue down the hallway, taking care not to step on the skeleton's remains." Sebastian picked up the next card. "You find yourself in a sewer-like corridor. To your left, a hallway glows with a peculiar green light. To your right, a staircase leads up into the dark. What do you do?" His gaze fell to me once more.

Right or left, right or left. I closed my eyes and imagined myself into the situation. There was more unknown if we were to go right, but on the lefthand route, there was a glow to investigate. I spoke my choice firmly as I opened my eyes, "Enter the hallway to our left."

"You are in a room. On your left is a ladder. On your right, three prisoners are floating in strange, glowing capsules. They appear to be in the process of some kind of transformation." Sebastian watched me carefully. "Could this be some sick experiment of the Dreadlord's? What do we do?"

I didn't even need to pause to think. "Destroy the capsules."

Sebastian gave me an approving nod. "After putting these poor souls to rest, you and your companions climb the ladder."

Sam and I mimed climbing a ladder.

"You've come to a door at the end of a hallway," Sebastian continued. "The time has come to face Dreadlord Xarth."

"Oh shit," I declared. "I'm not ready."

Sam snorted. "Good thing I'm the warrior, then."

Sebastian grinned and took on a dignified yet mischievous expression. "Intruders? How dare you trespass in my private chambers!" he said in an altered voice, and I realized that he was playing Xarth's part. "Ah, so you've come for the Solarion Staff…" Sebastian waved grandly. "Hehehe… fools. You'll make a nice addition to my skeleton army!"

"No," I squeaked.

"Dreadlord Xarth casts shadow beam," Sebastian said, returning to his narrative role. "You were able to dodge the spell, but your companions are gravely injured! What do you do?"

I looked from Sam to Sebastian and back again. My heart had unexpectedly jumpstarted itself and I felt a burdensome weightiness to my next words. Had Sebastian purposely framed this situation so that I would have to pick between him and Sam? That in itself was an easy decision, but I feared how much of my heart I would be revealing. I gulped. "Heal the Wizard."

"Cool thanks," Sebastian said with marked apathy, and I caught his face flush.

Sam raised a suspicious eyebrow as he studied me, but said nothing.

"Sebastian casts 'Pure Bolt'… a beam of white light hits Xarth square in the face. The Dreadlord shrieks and crumbles into dust. You pick up the Solarion Staff and hold it high. Order has been restored to the world."

"It's over already?" I gaped at Sebastian and he nodded.

Sebastian pulled out a small guidebook and flipped to a scoring page. He quickly scanned the page before saying, "You finished the scenario with an A rating."

Sam clapped and I whooped.

Sebastian looked pleased. "Hey, not bad! It took me like, three or four tries to beat my first scenario."

I bowed my head. "It was only possible because of your great narration. The whole experience was very immersive. I didn't want it to end." I could not keep my cheeks from burning as Sebastian and I looked at each other.

"Thanks," he said, blushing a darker shade of red.

Sam's suspicious expression returned as he eyed me and then Sebastian.

I stood up abruptly, wanting to draw attention away from the flickering flame in my chest that threatened to consume me. I didn't want to think about how good Sebastian's hair looked today, or how his voice made my stomach clench unexpectedly. "Well, I should go," I sputtered. "Got lots to do today. This was really fun, though. This might have been the most fun I've had in a long while, actually."

Sebastian stood as well, pushing back his seat. He nodded, but our gazes remained connected. "I'm glad you had fun. Thanks for stopping by. I'll see you later."

There was a breathiness to his words that complemented the look in his eyes and I knew I had to leave now before I destroyed the moment.

"Yes, I'll see you later."

Sam waved as I left, but he remained pensive. I couldn't meet his eyes as I scurried out.