by J E Reed
Once they broke from the trees Kikyo pulled her into a sprint until they reached the gate. A million questions burned in her mind as she followed him until they found Elliott. He appeared to be in deep conversation, but Kikyo interrupted.
“I need to talk to you.” Elliott looked him over, his merriment shifting to something darker. He excused himself and followed Kikyo, with Kiuno tagging along.
“What happened?” Elliott asked, his eyes darting between them.
Kikyo looked at her once then back to Elliott. “I found them.”
“Found who?” Understanding set over his features even as the question fell from his lips.
“They were…in pieces. Scattered.” She’d never seen Kikyo’s face so pale. “It’s fresh.”
Elliott didn’t hesitate. “Close the gate.”
REALM: 1
DAY: 39
Rain clattered on the roof above as Kiuno sat with her back against the wall. Night had long since fallen. The wind howled between rickety buildings, pulling at the wooden planks. Thunder shook the ground as cracks of lightning shot across the sky. She wondered if this torrent would ever end.
Most stayed inside the safety of the houses, but she opted to remain outside, the air too thick among the crowd. Small droplets hit her occasionally from the leaking roof and caused her to shudder. That, amongst other things.
A week had passed since Kikyo discovered the bodies, and she silently thanked him for sparing her the sight. He’d been distant, and Elliott spent a lot of time consoling him. She guessed from his experience in the military he understood the shock. It left her feeling lost.
Elliott followed Kikyo back to the site the following day and dragged the bodies back in bags. He informed everyone about the tragedy and fear spread.
Forced to stay behind she watched their sulking figures enter the forest and return soon after. Elliott stacked the bags on top of one another and placed wood between them. The stench from the fire sent several retreating to what they claimed as home. She stayed and watched as the flames consumed the bodies and tried not to gag.
A figure running through the dark brought Kiuno from her reverie. Elliott sought shelter beneath the same roof and shook droplets from his arms and hair. He sighed sinking to the ground.
“Rough day?” she asked. They’d all been feeling worn since the discovery.
“Not any more than usual.” Silence fell as they listened to the rain and rhythm of the storm.
Elliott ran his fingers through his hair. She couldn’t see them now, but she envisioned the dark circles that had formed under his eyes in the passing days.
“Hard to believe it’s been a month,” she said.
He didn’t comment at first. “Too long.”
She tilted her head to look at him, but his gaze went far beyond the gate. Perhaps far beyond things she could imagine.
“You should sleep. Nothing is going to brave this storm.”
He seemed to examine the area once again before laying back and folding his arms. “Wake me if anything happens.”
MIDAFTERNOON, KIUNO busied herself cleaning fish when the boy on watch sprinted to Elliott. She watched their frantic exchange and jumped up to follow when both dashed to the gate.
Kikyo sat perched atop the wall, bow in hand. The sight worried her.
“What’s going on?” She came to stand beside Elliott but didn’t need to wait on his response. Riding toward them were twelve people on horseback.
Her heart skipped.
A month of waiting, a month of worry, yet it wasn’t relief that flooded her now.
Were these men responsible? Could they have killed in such a horrible fashion? What if they were the people who’d put them here to begin with?
“What do you make of it?” she asked, her eyes darting between them.
Elliott was silent, studying, the apprehension on his face painfully obvious. “I’m not sure yet.”
Each kept their gaze fixed, the small group getting closer by the second. Elliott turned to the three boys standing beside him. “Get everyone inside, block the doors and keep quiet. Kiuno, go up top and take your bow.”
Her blood raced. “You think they’re coming to—”
“I’m not taking chances.” His stern voice silenced her.
The three ran off as instructed, and she watched confused people slowly obey. Elliott’s gaze never left the men. After a moment, he turned to her. “Up.” She nodded and grabbed a bow before climbing the wooden ladder, an eerie silence settling around them.
Seconds ticked by.
Kiuno glanced at Kikyo and envied his readiness. He knelt with an arrow prepared, the string just taut enough so it wouldn’t slip and one foot forward to shift at a moment’s notice.
Kikyo. The epitome of calm. Able to take in each moment as it came to him. Only once had she seen his countenance falter.
He sat ready, poised.
Kiuno clenched her hands to stop the shaking. They had the advantage. They could shoot without—she paused and shook the thought from her mind. Killing wasn’t an option but injuring, she could manage that. Force them to run if things got out of hand. She wasn’t a murderer and wasn’t about to let this place turn her into one. Glancing at Kikyo, she wondered if he felt the same.
As the thunder of hooves slowed, she could make out the newcomers, but it did little to ease her fears. They looked almost barbaric wearing leather and having swords fastened to their belts.
Swords. Could they have hacked other human beings to pieces?
All eyes turned to the archers. Threats to be considered. If they had any idea how much her hands were shaking, they’d laugh.
Kikyo rested his hand over hers, and she startled. His gaze didn’t shift. His warmth was a welcome comfort that told her everything would be fine. She took a deep breath. Kikyo’s steady hands returned to his arrow, and they waited.
Two men dismounted and handed the reins to their companions. The one closest to them nodded to her and Kikyo before turning to Elliott. “Greetings. My name is Eldridge, and this is Tyler.” Kikyo shifted when the male stepped closer to the gate and extended his hand.
“Elliott.” He eyed the two but stepped forward anyway. Her heart clenched.
Tyler leaned in, whispering something to his companion, but Eldridge waved him off. The way he and Kikyo glared at one another was unnerving.
“What can I do for you?” Elliott asked.
“We might be able to shed some light on your situation if you’re open to listen. We’re not here to cause anyone harm.”
“Then why are you so armed?” Elliott’s tone made her hair stand on end.
“Because it’s dangerous out here. We’ve traveled a long way, and this is necessary to survive. Things aren’t quite as bad in this realm, but I assure you some parts warrant our attire.”
Realm?
Elliott remained silent.
“We aren’t the ones who put you here.” Eldridge rolled up his right sleeve to reveal a light gray stone. From where Kiuno sat it resembled the one around Elliott’s wrist. Tyler did the same. “We were abandoned just the same.”
How was that possible? They had horses and weapons. What prevented them from going home?
“Please, I know things have been rough for you, but I promise we’re here to help.”
She glanced at Kikyo when Elliott nodded and opened the gate.
They entered and dismounted one at a time. She tried to watch their movements but chewed her lip. Was getting information worth it? It wasn’t as if anyone else had come for them.
The gate closed, and the horses were let loose. One man in particular caught her attention. He appeared much older and didn’t carry a weapon. Instead, he pulled a bag from the animal and looked around pensively before heading to the corner with the others, the exact corner where she slept.
Tired of staring, Kiuno set her bow on the wall and tucked her knife in her shoe. Kikyo grabbed her arm, a warning in his gaze.
“I’ll b
e careful.” He would be watching. As would Elliott. There wasn’t much to worry about with those two around. Kikyo nodded and released his hold, walking down the wall where the strangers had gathered.
Elliott acknowledged her presence with a nod when she stood next to him.
Stay vigilant.
Rather than jumping to an explanation, Eldridge asked for a tour and Kiuno followed. People poked their heads out, and she clicked her tongue in frustration. So much for staying hidden.
He wanted to know how they survived, where they found water and who oversaw organization. The conversation felt forced to her ears, but she understood. He was trying to build trust. The way Elliott kept his hand around his dagger told her it would take a lot more than cheap talk.
After their short walk, Eldridge appeared impressed. Elliott granted him the opportunity to speak with a few people before they started back in eager silence. None so much as turned to look at her.
She desperately wanted to know what Eldridge had to say, but kept quiet following Elliott’s lead. Kiuno was sure he had a plan.
There was a large blanket spread across the grass with the older man seated in the center. Eldridge welcomed Elliott to have a seat, but Tyler almost knocked her over as he stood to block the path. She prayed Kikyo didn’t put an arrow through him right there.
“Can we help you little girl?” She glared at him and the way he spat ‘little girl’.
“She’s with me,” Elliott said. He walked over, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Eldridge raised one brow. “Really? Has she helped you establish all this?”
“She’s played a role in it.” Elliott gave her a reassuring smile. She got the message and took a breath.
“Interesting.” The three seated themselves around the blanket. Eldridge spoke again, seeming to whisper to himself. “Where should I begin?”
“Wherever you feel is best,” Elliott replied.
Eldridge straightened and cleared his throat. “This might be a little overwhelming so bear with me. Have you connected your given names to anything?”
Elliott shook his head. “Nothing specific.”
“They’re names used in a game.”
“Chronopoint?” she asked, unable to contain the question.
Eldridge nodded once. “Everyone who came in contact with that game is here.” He waved one hand over the area.
“So, there are other villages like this one.” Elliott confirmed.
“More than you can imagine, we’ve been moving from place to place recruiting those left behind.”
“Recruiting for what?” Elliott gave him a confused look.
“To go home.”
Silence fell between them.
“Do you know where we are?” she asked.
Eldridge let out another long sigh. “I do…”
She could feel the tension growing as Elliott tried to keep his patience. “We’ve been here over a month, people have died, and we haven’t heard a word from anyone outside. I’m willing to accept just about any explanation.”
The way Eldridge looked at them made her wonder what kind of horror his next words would hold. “All right then.” He straightened and said, “We’re in a world that has been completely fabricated by someone with extreme intelligence and a sadistic nature.”
Silence.
“What do you mean fabricated?” she asked.
“I mean, it isn’t real.”
“That doesn’t make sense, if it isn’t real, then how are we here?”
“This world is virtual, created by a computer system. Someone with more knowledge on how technology works could explain the finer details. We’re still mapping the realms to determine how large it is. We haven’t come across the reason either, but it seems we’ve been placed in a world similar to the game we once played.”
They waited for him to laugh, to tell them they’d seen the smoke in the distance and were sent on a rescue mission, but Eldridge stayed silent, shifting his eyes between her and Elliott.
Kiuno opened her mouth once and closed it again. “What you’re saying is, you don’t know how to get home.”
His expression softened. “Not the exact path, but we’re working on it.”
“But this is crazy,” she exclaimed, “How could someone take random people and transport them to some virtual world? That just isn’t possible!”
“It is possible, and unfortunately we’re among the first to see it happen. It was difficult for everyone when they first heard the news. A new age of technology is being developed, but no one knew it already existed to this magnitude.”
“If this is just a virtual world, shouldn’t we be able to wake up or something?” she asked.
“I wish it were that simple. We aren’t sleeping. What you see are our real bodies. It took me seeing the portals to begin understanding. Somehow, we were broken into particles before being reconstructed here. It’s been tested with inanimate objects, but no one imagined it would be tried with humans. At least not yet. The sad part, was the experimenting involved during the initial stages.”
“What do you mean by experimenting?” She shuddered.
“I mean, not everyone made it entirely intact. It wasn’t a pretty scene.” He grimaced.
Kiuno felt as though her heart would beat from her chest. This wasn’t real.
Elliott interrupted. “How many people are we talking?”
“Dead?” Eldridge clarified.
“No, how many are here?”
“Seems like thousands, tens of thousands maybe. I don’t know how many played. We meet more every day.”
Kiuno saw the worry on Elliott’s face. “Every single person who played is here?”
“It seems that way, though we don’t exactly have a record to go by.”
She let out a shaky breath, her stomach feeling as though a lead weight had been dropped in it. If everyone who played was here…her husband, her friends…where had they ended up? Were they safe, did they even make it through the transport process?
A month.
Her thoughts raced. They should have explored sooner. They should have found someone—
But they tried…
Those people were torn apart. What if her husband—
Her mouth went dry, and she clenched her fists.
“How do you know all this?” She could hear the accusation in Elliott’s words.
“A book. They’re in random towns and give a vague explanation.”
“What does it say?”
“There are ten realms, and a portal connects each. To keep it simple, if you reach the tenth you get to go home.”
“That’s a far cry from Chronopoint’s game play.”
Eldridge chuckled. “You should be thankful. If this was Chronopoint we’d all be killing one another.”
Silence fell over them again, and she tried to steady her mind.
“You’ve seen these portals?” Elliott asked.
“We’re already in the fourth realm and headed to the fifth soon.”
Elliott paused, and she could feel his eyes on her before he continued. “Why do you say this world is dangerous?”
“It goes beyond basic survival. There are beasts that wander the wilderness, no doubt created from the demented imagination of a lunatic. Naturally, they create a problem.”
“And you’re recruiting to minimize casualties?”
Eldridge nodded.
“What about those unable to fight?”
“They’re kept safe behind walls sturdier than this. There are other groups at the front as well, each with their own leader in place.”
“Are these groups based on previous friendships?”
Eldridge nodded. “Several are. It’s what has spurred us forward. With trust established, leadership fell into place naturally.”
Kiuno remembered laughing at the idea of the game’s involvement. It seemed so ridiculous at the time. What kind of crisis would they be facing back home with so many missing? Could anyone get them ou
t? Did they even know where to start?
She tried to fight the tears. People were sacrificed, used as test subjects for the creator to get things right. How many died for nothing?
Everyone…they’d be going by their gaming names. Not only had her name been cleared from her memory, but all others had as well.
Her husband would be Elite. That one was easy, and her cousin went by Silver. Then there was Scorpios, Maltack, and Blue. They’d all been dear friends and the originals to their alliance. Then there were the other leaders like K.J. and Reece. So many that could be anywhere…or already gone.
“How did you come by your clothing and weapons?” Elliott asked.
“Fortune smiled on us, and they were already in the villages when we arrived. Oddly enough, some know how to craft them as well. I suppose their talents were once hobbies.”
“And your group’s primary focus is getting out of this place?”
“Of course. I’m hoping the fifth realm will have been found before we get back. I’ll admit we’ve made mistakes and lost people from our ambition, but it’s opened our eyes.”
Eldridge continued. “We may not have a list of people who got dragged into this mess, but we’re working on a record of those within the ranks. It’s not a perfect system, but if you know anyone, we’d be willing to look.”
Kiuno glanced at Eldridge and then to the older man who’d been silent throughout the conversation. She swallowed to relieve the lump that had formed in her throat. “Elite.”
He pulled a large book from his pack and opened it toward the middle. Lines crossed out several names, and she couldn’t help but assume the worse.
He flipped through several pages before shaking his head.
“Scorpios?”
Again, the same process ensued with another disappointment. Kiuno gave him a handful of names, but not one turned up.
What were the chances they’d bypassed Eldridge’s group? Probably good if this place was as big as they claimed.
“Don’t be discouraged. We’re only one group living in the fourth realm. There are dozens out recruiting. They could have arrived in the time we’ve been gone.”
Kiuno could feel Elliott’s eyes on her but couldn’t bring herself to meet them.