by Alan Bard
The Hyena let go and backed away so that it could leap from the bank. Its wounded friend was wailing, coloring the water scarlet.
It sucks that we can’t get the knife back. You’ll have a hard time with this one, Alpha said, its voice cold and malicious as always.
But it seemed to be right: the second Hyena wasn’t thinking of leaving anytime soon.
I suggest a tactical retreat. It’s very important not to confuse it with cowardice, said Zeta, the third voice, in a low, trembling tone.
They’re fast and their attacks are hard to predict. To win, we have to move unpredictably. There was an unaccustomed hardness Beta’s tone.
The dying Hyena emerged from the water, but I didn’t care about it. I backed away toward the waterfall, switching my gaze between the second beast and the twenty-foot-high drop. I gazed down into the abyss.
At that moment, the beast rushed at me and I jumped at it. We collided in midair and hit the water, sending it flying in all directions. However, I didn’t have time to get my bearings. The beast bit into the collar of my jacket, and I grabbed it by the throat. We were sinking fast; I barely managed to breathe in before we went under. All I could see was a snarling face, bulging eyes, and bubbles bursting from black nostrils.
Strange thoughts appeared in my mind, bringing up familiar pictures and unusual voices. Why did I remember my high-school coach? Was that even him? I must’ve been losing my mind.
The Hyena snapped its jaws, clicking with its mighty fangs, eyes bright and malevolent. I could hardly hold it by the throat. It kept trying to reach my chest with its claws, tearing my shirt to shreds. I couldn’t breathe. My vision was turning black...
Too much is at stake... I can’t afford to lose.
We sank to the bottom. I felt as if my lungs were being torn apart. I wanted to breathe, but couldn’t. However, I was determined to find the strength to keep going.
At last, the Hyena jerked and exhaled its last breath. I pushed the lifeless body away from me, trying not to look at its cloudy, but still-malevolent eyes. Exhausted, I swam toward the surface using what little strength I had left. The message that the Hyena was dead was not helping me see any better.
I gasped for air and almost choked. I crawled onto the bank, raking small stones with my hands. I still felt unable to breathe.
Rolling over onto my back, I felt my eyes widen in surprise.
Chapter 8
THE CULTIVATOR
I was so surprised that I had forgotten all about the pain. I had emerged not on the bank, but in a cavern hidden behind the roaring waterfall. Cavern—that’s what these things were called, right? It was some sort of a cave, that much I was sure of. The waterfall was the only thing standing between the outer world and me.
The water, illuminated by the sun’s gentle rays, looked almost like a curtain of dazzling diamonds. I felt the sun’s warm caress on my face and saw strange images appear before my eyes. It took me some time to realize that what I was looking at was a collapsed man in a camouflage jacket. He was lying on his side; floating above his head were several lines of corrupted text.
Name: Green %&???&& &??? &?
Status: The player has been disconnected from [Project Lost].
Degree of decomposition: ?? &???% %&??&&&& &???
But what was even stranger than that was a translucent purple Aztec mask that was hovering above the body like a hologram. The mask’s mouth was slowly moving, as if it was speaking. It looked like an animation from a very old computer game.
The corpse was relatively fresh; the man must’ve died just recently. I got up and staggered over to him. Had it not been for the gaping wounds in his torso, one would’ve thought that he was asleep. Because of the black stubble, he looked like he was in his early thirties, although Zara had hinted that all participants had to be in their twenties.
The mask kept talking soundlessly, as if it was trying to tell me something. Had the dead man left a message? Was that what the mask was all about? I thought that I was ready for anything, but this still looked strange. My gaze settled on the man’s leather bag.
No one would be carrying such a bag unless they had something useful on them, Alpha said.
I undid the straps that were keeping the bag closed and turned it over—dried leaves and a small gourd flask fell to the floor of the cave.
Sugar Tree Leaf
120 kcal
Eat little at a time, and only at need. For these things are given to serve you when all else fails.
Was it smart to eat the first thing I came across? It wasn’t. Was I proud of doing it? Not particularly, but I was hungry and didn’t mind the fact that the dried leaf tasted like a candied rag.
Once I had eaten, I looked at the flask.
Elixir of Vigor
Crafted by [Corporal Meriadoc].
Restores the body’s energy reserves, relieves fatigue.
Pretty useful thing to have in times like these. Well, lucky us, Beta said.
I took a sip without thinking, and it was as if molten lava had been poured down my throat and was spreading through my veins and down my spine. The pain in my bitten hand eased. I was wondering if it was magic or some sort of very strong painkiller. I shook the flask, looked at the liquid that had gathered on the bottom, and took another tiny sip. I was grateful to this Green guy and was wondering if he had anything else in his bag of wonders.
I then noticed a faint glow on his wrist, the same hue as the mask, but with red lighting running over it. Having given it a thought and overcome the initial squeamishness, I took the corpse by the hand. Staring at it, I felt as if I had been struck by lightning. The mask was gone; everything was gone. A message unfolded before me: not only did I see it, but I also heard someone reading it in my mind, in a hoarse and tired voice.
If you’re listening to this, no one has come to help me and I’ve met my doom. I’m pretty sure that this is where it all goes…
My name’s Green and I’ve no freaking idea where I am. Bastards… They fooled me and I tried to escape through their barrier with a random Teleportation Scroll. I ended up stuck in the middle of nowhere, unable to move or call for help. Geez, if only I had realized it a little earlier, I could’ve dodged some of their poisonous and paralyzing attacks... I could’ve gotten out of here…
Well, had I known how this would end, I would’ve cut off my hand with the Cultivator and tossed it into the portal. It would’ve been fun to see their faces when they realized that they didn’t get it.
Ah, screw it!
You’re probably wondering what this is all about.
I guess I can help you. I mean, why not, not like it matters anymore… If you’re lucky and we’re somewhere at the beginning of the Arena, you’ll find this useful.
First, you should know that you can get out of here. I know it for sure, even though I didn’t succeed. This place is a nightmare, but I’ll tell you something—you shouldn’t give up! Treat this as if it were in a fucking video game!
Be a jerk and an egoist. Don’t give a shit about anyone. In the Arena, it’s every man for himself. If you choose to trust someone, don’t be surprised when you end up with a knife in your back.
Ah, damn it, it’s getting worse… Let’s wrap this up. Have you noticed my bracelet? This, my friend, is a Cultivator—an artifact so powerful that it’s like a nuclear bomb against savages with spears. Artifacts of this class are very rare. It’d be a pity if such a relic rotted away with my body, so I decided to leave this message. Take it and go crush those freaks!
I failed… I was too stupid, too naïve even... I wanted to get out of here so bad that I failed to focus on what was really important: choosing my own path and killing to survive.
Just take the bracelet off my hand and put it on. Maybe this will help you in two months. In case you didn’t know, the Invasion is imminent. They will be here soon. You’ll need all the power you can get. The only question is how far you’ll have gotten by then—maybe you’ll still be a noob…
Anyway, good luck, dude. And don’t forget your buddy Green.
My head was buzzing. There was a crackle, and the message was cut off.
So what’s this artifact exactly? Excalibur or something? asked a new voice.
I crouched down in front of the corpse, not daring to touch it. The thin, skin-colored band was pulsating with a faint glow. And although visible, it didn’t seem real. This had to be some sort of a magic item.
I took a deep breath and touched it, slowly and cautiously. The band turned into a bracelet made of leather laces with a flat stone in the middle of it. I untied the knot without difficulty, as if the bracelet itself was helping me. A moment later, it was in my hand. On the back of the stone was a glowing symbol that looked like a tree with a lot of branches.
I think we’ve seen a similar rune somewhere, Alpha said curiously.
Are we really going to put it on? Isn’t this the moment when we turn from Bilbo into Gollum? Zeta asked.
Was I scared? Yes. Was I scared enough to drop the bracelet and leave? I wasn’t sure.
This whole thing might have been just a hallucination. I might’ve already been dead. The light I had seen behind the waterfall could’ve been the light at the end of the tunnel and not sunlight after all...
To make sure that I wasn’t dreaming, I pinched my arm. As I was dumb enough to pinch the one bitten by the Hyena, I yelped in pain and almost dropped the bracelet. Oddly enough, this little experiment helped me make my decision.
I put it on my left wrist and tied the cords with numb fingers. Once again, I felt like I had been struck by lightning, only this time it hurt much more.
You have received a unique artifact: [The Cultivator].
[The Cultivator] has been activated.
Learn the nature of the force. It’s more complicated than you think.
Glowing threads of energy burst out of the corpse as if they were being uprooted, causing it to twitch and move; filling the air, they wrapped themselves around the glowing stone and me. I had never believed in magic nor have I ever played the mage class in games, thinking that it was a bullshit gimmick. I always preferred the direct approach: a fist to the face.
The bracelet became transparent. I could still feel it on my hand, but it had adapted to the texture and color of my skin so well that it was very difficult, if not impossible, to see it.
I jumped up as Green’s body, deprived of the bracelet’s energy, began to shrink. His skin started to rot and his eyes were shrinking and sinking into their sockets—a few seconds later, a mummified body was lying in front of me.
What the hell?! Shit! That... Such things don’t happen in real life, I thought, looking at it with fear. These things simply do not happen.
I backed away from the mummy, shaking my head and cursing through clenched teeth. Then I spat on the stone floor, quickly grabbed Green’s jacket (not like he needed it anymore), tied it around my waist, and dived into the water. As I swam, lines of text flashed before my eyes.
A new skill has been acquired: [Cultivation]
This skill grants the unit the following:
direct access to [Hunting], [Research], and [Battle Modes]
redirection of the energy flow in the [Body Circuit]
control of the [Proxy Core]
Hunting Mode
Grants the unit the possibility of mind control.
Research Mode
Grants the unit the possibility to see the essence and structure of things and to understand them.
Battle Mode
Activates [Dynamic Prediction].
Grants the unit the possibility to create battle scripts.
The access level is limited by the unit’s current rank.
Attention! At the rank of a [Recruit], all Modes are equally supported by the system. At the rank of a [Private], the unit must choose its primary mode. In the future, Transformation Points will automatically be transferred to this mode.
The familiar figure with the spherical Core inside its head appeared before my eyes. Glowing ribbons were spreading downward from the sphere. The pulsating light that filled them soon went out. Ignoring these messages was hard, but I seemed to be getting better at it.
After a while, I passed through the waterfall and swam toward the shore, trying not to look at the floating Hyena’s corpse. Once I was back on solid ground, I realized that I had only two flasks left on me and that I was still missing my knife. I returned to the first Hyena, poked the corpse just in case, and retrieved my weapon. Having secured it to my belt, I wondered how I’d get back to my squad and what would I do about the water. Two flasks wouldn’t be enough: I could drink more than that in one sitting. Running back and forth didn’t seem like a good idea either. It’d be nice if I could find a bigger vessel, like a clay pot or something. I didn’t have time to give this idea a second thought before the system decided to give me a tip.
[Research Mode] has been activated!
Solution: [Water Container]
Components: red clay, water
Tools: fire
The slope near the waterfall was illuminated green, and a nearby bush yellow.
You mix clay with water and then bake it... I’m pretty sure that that’s how that goes. I was almost certain that the mysterious Cultivator had somehow connected itself to my network and reconfigured me. However, I wasn’t sure whether this was good or not. Don’t I already have enough things in my head?
I don’t mind it, Beta said.
I’m sure we’ll be able to think of something if we put our heads together! Zeta said in a low, anxious voice.
Now, we must be careful not to screw everything up... Alpha’s voice was cold and harsh. Keep in mind that Bojan would cut off your arm without hesitation. Be it envy or anger, the reason doesn’t matter—keep your head down, stay vigilant, and remember our primary goal.
Deep in thought, it suddenly dawned on me that I could pour a bit of the Elixir into the flasks. I wondered if this would be enough to restore their strength. I also wondered if I really needed any of them. Zara had said that we should work together, but I couldn’t help but wonder if it’d be all right to violate the rules and continue on my own...
I shook my head, abandoning the crazy idea; I wasn’t enough of an idiot to explore a strange island all by myself. Whatever my opinion of them was, I was better off with them, dysfunctional as we all were.
Having glanced around and made sure that nothing was lying in wait, I filled the flasks. The bitten hand began to ache and itch like hell. I threw off my tattered jacket to examine my wounds, and was surprised to see that the gashes had begun to heal on their own.
What had they done to us at the University? What were we turning into? Superhumans or monsters? The thought of it both excited and frightened me. This would make it easier for me to deal with Archie, but there was a chance that they might not let me go once all of this was done. In the best-case scenario, I’d be deprived of my powers and let go. But would I really need any of this to kick Archie’s ass? No. No, I wouldn’t.
I poured the Elixir into the flasks and headed back.
A part of me feared that they had left in the meantime, but they were all where I had left them, looking pale and downcast. Rio was the first to see me, and he smiled with the last shred of his strength.
“Nick! Please tell me that you’ve found water...”
“Long story short, things aren’t as bad as they seem,” I said loudly, hands on my hips. “I found water... I even brought some with me. Drink, have a breather, and I’ll show you where I’ve found it.” I kept my eyes on Bojan. “If any of you disagree, you can go fuck yourselves. So who’s with me?”
Everyone nodded silently. I handed one flask to the barely alive Jelena and the other to Rio.
“We’ll head out once everyone has had some refreshment!”
Chapter 9
OW
It took us about half an hour to get to the waterfall and another thirty minutes for the guys to ge
t back to their senses. While the others drank out of the stream and had fun, gathering their strength, I was on the lookout, making sure that the Hyenas didn’t attack us. Every once in a while, I’d hear rustling, but animals didn’t dare come any closer. I ate a couple of Leaves, handed out the rest to the others and after a while, we continued our way. I had decided not to tell anyone about Green, the Cultivator, and the Elixir, as I didn’t know how they’d react to such news.
The sky would sometimes light up with bluish flashes, as if something was happening in the fog that hung above the center of the island. However, there was no thunder or strange sounds, just a light breeze; the distant flashes didn’t look like lightning at all.
Behind a hill covered with brown-green grass, we discovered a burned-out clearing. No one dared to step on it, although it seemed like it’d serve as a good shortcut. In the distance, we saw ruins of a small building. Or just piles of stones—it was hard to say.
“Lightning hit it, I guess,” Eli muttered.
“Possibly,” I said and went around the clearing first, but stopped midway. There was a body lying in the grass.
Second corpse for today...
You better get used to it, Nick.
Red ants were crawling all over the skeleton dressed in a camouflage jacket and pants, getting into the broken skull and empty eye sockets.
Name: Alicia
Status: The player has been disconnected from [Project Lost].
Degree of decomposition: 98%
Someday this war’s gonna end.
Alicia? Poor girl...
I wonder why Green’s status was corrupted... Could it be that he had been there for a very long time? So we aren’t the first ones here... This means that they’ve been experimenting on people for a long, long time...
The second corpse didn’t leave the same impression on me as the first one did, so I calmly observed the reactions of my comrades. Seeing the nasty surprise hidden in the grass, Eli froze in horror and disgust, and Rio backed away. Jelena cursed in Serbian under her breath, but I not only heard her but understood her as well.