Pivoting at the ankles like a vampire, Rain rose from his cloud-soft bed. He took with him a cape made not from bat skin, but from his decadently poofy comforter, charged with the spiritual weight of Ameliah’s arms. Soft, fluffy slippers formed around his feet as he floated down to the floor.

With a yawn so large he needed to enlist Snek’s help, he wrapped the blanket tight about himself and shuffled toward his desk. Once the tiny avatar had rehinged its jaw, it slithered across the desk to greet him as he settled into the chair.

Good morning, me.

In response to a thought, a steaming mug of hot cocoa sprouted from the desk like it was being 3D printed in time-lapse. Poking a hand out from under the blanket to grab the handle was almost a physical pain, but the warm, rich liquid immediately soothed the discomfort away. Rain released a satisfied sigh and set the mug on a coaster as three wide-screen monitors flickered to life. Tethering his interface to the workstation, he opened a fresh document and began to type.

To-Do 3061-06-01

Tree unlock

Essence exchange

Figure out how much time I have before Ameliah wakes up

Core Maintenance

Unity prep

Read zone codices

Update minimap utility

Status report to the high council

Check on Ascension

More and better ramscoops

Armor and shields

Learn how to be a musical Tesla coil?

Pattern 22

Finish to-do list