Fortress of Shadows — Carrie Summers

A giant telepathic parrot with a rather foul mouth, a horde of smelly goblins, and a tyrannical demon priestess…

Welcome to Devon Walker's “new normal.”

During her first weeks in the deeply immersive VR game, Relic Online, she's hacked out a home from a choking jungle, gathered a tribe of loyal followers, and earned a wisp stalker who insists she's some kind of champion.

But Relic Online isn't some wussy kids' game, and there will be no easy-street cruising for Devon. Like a monk racking up combo points, the system opens a fresh offensive by crippling her most powerful ability. Following through, it strangles the village food supply, sends demons bursting through rifts in the earth, and delivers a final, devastating throat punch by exploiting Devon's worst fear.

The players have discovered Devon's home. Now everything changes.