It was four in the morning when Rosa got the call. Groaning, she rolled to the other side of her bed and picked up her phone. It was Don Cavelero, a guy who charged people to use his portal network, and who had occasionally notified Rosa about jobs he'd heard of. Not the prettiest little flower in the bunch, but he usually had the smarts not to call people when they wer sleeping. Whatever this was, it must be important.

She answered the call. "What the Hell, Don? Do you have any idea-"

"I know, I know." He cut her off. "Look, I've got a good reason for waking you, just hear me out, alright?"

Rosa narrowed her eyebrows, even though don couldn't see her. "Talk fast."

"You know, it doesn't matter how tough you are, you can't threaten me from half an hour's drive away. Okay, listen, I've been getting a lot of business lately. Yes, I know you don't give a damn, but here's the thing: everyone's coming from Ecetopia, and three quarters don't even care where they go. The richer ones are offering three or four times my fee just to leave immediately. I think something's going down over there. It's not widespread panic, not yet, but I think maybe one or two smaller cities have gotten word, and they're all getting out while the rest are oblivious."

"Don, if you're right, this is major. You can't just go making guesses about this kind of thing."

"I get it, but there's more. I think I know what's spooked them. When this first came up, I started digging around. Ancient libraries and tombs and stuff; this is the real deal. Some lich guy is apparently coming back to life, that's what my pal said. Rzail, or somewhere like that. Just thought you'd want to check it out."

Rosa thought about her time in Ecetopia. She knew the area. "Rzail? Can't be. There's nothing in Rzail, nothing except-" Oh. [i]Oh, no.[/i]

"Nothing except what? Rosa, what's going on?"

"Don't worry. Just have a portal ready in fourty-five minutes. I'm going to Ecetopia."

"Have you forg-"

"No, I haven't forgotten. I can pay."