Bricklayer by day, Level 35 Battle-mage by night, Eddie Kilroy lives to play Realm of Battle as Killum, escaping the tedium of his job. Learning of a secret dungeon hidden in a vast swamp, Killum and his friends charge off to challenge it. After a grueling running battle with goblins, orcs, barbarians, and other fell creatures, they win through to the end. Only no treasure awaits the victors. Instead, they find an ordinary altar, but one which asks if they want to enter the Hidden Realms. Duh. Of course they do! Who doesn’t want to level up in the Game?
Big mistake. They can see no way back, no way to log out. Now, trapped in the Game, they face higher and more dreadful consequences – and all that with no certainty that they might ever return.
About the Author: Tom Gallier was born in Beaumont, Texas. He served 7 years in an Armored Cavalry Regiment (11th ACR Blackhorse Regiment), learning no useful skills. After the Army he went back to school to study electronics, figuring that would be a profession with job security. In 2008 he was laid off. It wasn’t the first time or last time he was wrong. But while in school, and holding down a full time job, he began writing in his spare time. In the mid-nineties he had his first short story sale and publication. He shares his life with his wife and their two dogs.