[ WP ] For almost 15 years , a group of players has met every week , rain or shine , to play Dungeons and Dragons . They are just now starting to suspect that the DM might actually be the Lich they 've been fighting all these years .

And here we go.... 
 
 I draped my coat over the back of my chair. It was my chair at this point; I had sat there every session, every week, since I was a freshman in high school. Victor had actually procured it from his parents' home when he moved out, along with the old dining-room table and the rest of the chairs. I sat down and glanced about the table. All 4 of us were there. Mike sat across from me, grinning as always. Next to him sat Will, his nose buried in a manual. Will had n't changed much in the past decade and a half. He was arguably the most stereotypically `` nerdy'' of us, but he made more per year than the rest of us combined, so I was n't going to be the one to find fault with that. At the head of the table sat Victor, our resident dungeon master, and master of stories, combat, and the Forgoten Realms. In all my years playing D & D, I had never met a more knowligable dungeon master who had been able to make the world feel so real. He made it seem like he had actually been there. Victor was going over his notes. Then smiled to himself and began to softly chuckle. We all sat up ridgedly; we knew what that meant. Mike swore under his breath as Will began to nervously laugh. `` You're going to love this...'' Victor began as he launched into the adventure. We had finally found the fortress of Da'gul, a powerful Lich who had conquered the entirety of a land known as The Icewind Dale by way of mind control ( and zombies, lots of zombies ). After battling through the corridors, sneaking bast armies marshaled in courtyards, and slipping past cunning traps, we finally reached Da'gul's thrown room. `` As you enter, you see that the ceiling is incredibly high, at least it appears so, as it is obscured by darkness. The pillars are cylindrical and immaculately carved with images of- hang on a sec. I'll be back.'' Victor stood up and walked hurriedly in the direction of the bathroom. We looked at each other for a moment, then began to laugh with uncanny synchronicity. `` What the hell made him decide to leave at a time like this?'' Mike asked as he stood to stretch his legs. In doing so he bumped Victor's dungeon master screen. We all glanced at the source of movement, then noticed the box. That box had sat there every session, without fail. It was made of a finely crafted dark metal, and had a small latch on the side. Victor had told us at least 300 time that that was his notes and dice box, and none of us were to under any circumstances touch it. I wondered what had kept us, Mike in particular from touching it after all these years. We had just been filled with a.... an un-desire to touch it, let alone open it, until tonight. 
 
 Mike made a show of walking to the front of the table. `` Ladies and, well, just ladies!'' He began, motioning at us. I snorted and he continued. `` For 15 years this box has sat here, and none of us has had the balls to touch it. Something seems wrong with that. So... for your viewing pleasure...'' He opened the box. His face turned from a immature grin to surprise. `` What the hell? Guys! Come see this.'' Will and I hurried up from our seats and ran over. The box was certainly not filled with notes and die. There scraps and strips of paper, each of which glowed with a sickly, unnatural green light. Scattered throughout the scraps were what appeared to be keepsakes- old rings, necklaces, several photographs, all of Victor. These glowed especially brightly. `` What the fuck...?'' I murmured aloud. I could feel my heart pumping in my chest. `` Is it? No... no. It could n't be. But is it?'' Will was muttering to himself. He did that when he was thinking. `` What is it?'' I asked him. He motioned towards the contents of the cask. `` You've read the manual entry on liches, have n't you?'' He asked. I had, when I was a senior in high school. Before I had a chance to answer he continued. `` It read that liches gain immortality by storing their souls and vital essence into personal items and incantations recorded on strips of paper. Like... like this'' The poor man seemed genuinely upset. `` Oh come on now!'' Mike interrupted. `` You do n't actually think that Victor is an undead wizard who can control minds and zombies? Do you!?'' He asked, grabbing a scrap of paper as emphasis. 
 
 
 The paper turned to ash as his hand touched it. 
 
 
 There was a sudden cry of pain from the bathroom. We both jumped back, scared, terrified even, but intrigued. I touched one of the photos. It fell into a small pile of ash that spawned a small cloud of green smoke. Another grown of pain came from the bathroom. We looked at each other. This could n't be happening. How... why was this happening? We turned our attention back to the box until he heard footsteps in the room. Victor looked at us, he looked like he had just lost a fist-fight, and was furiously typing something on his iPhone. He smiled. `` Let's be seated.'' He said, motioning towards our chairs. We felt compelled to oblige, and did. He wiped his nose, then went back to narrating. `` You see the Lich. He sits upon a thrown of ruin, and seems undaunted by your apparent boldness. In fact, he laughs as his minions pour into the room from unseen doors and corners. 
 
 *BAM CRASH* 
 
 We jumped as sounds of breaking doors and windows shook the house. I turned behind me to see a group of heavily armed police officers break down the front door. Others had burst in through apparently every window on the ground floor. Victor laughed. The officer in charge walked over to him. `` He came as soon as we got your message, lord'' he reported, giving a quick bow. `` Yes, and it's fortunate that you did.'' Victor told him. The officer looked and Will, Mike and I. `` You should probably apprehend them.'' Victor nonchalantly said, chuckling to himself. `` This ca n't be happening. This is fucking impossible.'' Mike kept saying to himself. `` Uh, Victor, mind um, mind explaining?'' I asked. `` Explain what?'' He spat back. `` You've been finding out the details of this one for the past 15 years. Funny how easy it is to miss truth disguised by fantasy.'' My jaw dropped. All the undead attacks, the adventures, the defeats, the fall of Icewind Dale. They had actually in a sense happened. I felt faint. `` You wo n't get away with this!'' Will yelled. Mike winced at the cliched line, but Will was n't finished. `` We've beaten you in the game! We know how to do it now we'll-'' he was cut off when Victor ( Da'gul? ) raised his hand. `` Yes... yes, you've played a game. But, dear Will, real life is not an epic of monsters and heroes. In real life, there are no heroes, only opportunists.'' He coldly uttered. `` Officer, take them to the crypts. They... know to much.'' 
 
 
 EDIT: Formating
