Continue Online (Part 5, Together)

by Stephan Morse

  “Or we could use real torches.” Awesome pointed ahead. “Anyone got a match?”

  “Sure,” I said while heading toward the torch.

  Xin and I essentially held each other up across the room. SheHulk squinted against the darkness. Part of her shield glowed with an extremely soft light that hadn’t been present last time we went cave-crawling together.

  “Don’t bother. Nothing stays dry out here.” Dwight brushed by and grabbed the torch out of my hands, then shook it. “That’s why we invented the gloves.”

  TockDoc grumbled, “You mean, why I invented them.”

  “You couldn’t have invented them without us,” the formerly armored man protested. His eyes looked even more bugged out than TockDoc’s in the fading light.

  “You couldn’t have survived out here without me pulling everyone together.”

  “Dwight,” Xin called to the annoying man.

  Confusion wrinkled his brow. “What?”

  “I’ve killed seventeen people today,” my wife said with a frighteningly flat tone. “Don’t make it eighteen.”

  The look of him losing all color made me want to clap. Instead, I squeezed Xin’s hand briefly. His sputtering response was distraction enough to recover the unlit torch. SheHulk outright laughed while TinkerHell looked mildly embarrassed at her friend’s behavior.

  “I love this bitch,” SheHulk said while bobbing her head. She tried to imitate my wife’s lighter tone of voice. “‘Don’t make it eighteen.’”

  Xin said nothing but clung onto my free arm. I checked her health bar again for signs of damage, then I reviewed her clothing for holes. It didn’t look like any [World Eater]s had successfully damaged her digital body.

  “Hold on.” I lifted the unlit torch toward my mouth, then carefully used [Breath of Flame]. Heat crawled up my neck then splattered onto the torch’s top.

  Bright light flooded the room. A sea of shrinking eyes greeted me. Notices went off about [Wilderness Survival] skills and many others, increasing the torchlight’s radius. After they got over the shock of intense illumination, we all started looking around.

  “God. I thought I saw you do that while we were fighting. It makes your neck look so fucking gross,” SheHulk said while glancing over her shoulder. Her body shuddered as her armor scraped against itself.

  I knew Xin was tired because she stirred a little but didn’t get upset. Honestly, I agreed with Elane. Spitting up a ball of fire, then walking around with it warming my hand felt disturbingly like holding phlegm.

  At least this time it had gone directly onto the torch.

  Ahead was a doorway that reminded me of the one above, just before the [Sage’s Guardian #4]. I glanced at the others and shrugged.

  Dwight ran toward it first. His form disappeared around the corner, and the clattering of armor could be heard as he jumped downward.

  We waited for the sound of monsters but only heard, “Goddammit!”

  A ringing noise hung in the air, followed by a crack and a shuddering wall as someone went flying. Exposed wiring swung in the torchlight as the vibrations settled. Dwight’s groans could be heard after each large crash. The same exchange of sounds repeated three times.

  “I’ll… wait out here,” TockDoc said abruptly. “I’m not good with fighting.”

  Awesome nodded to the townsman, then motioned Elane ahead with two fingers. We stepped forward with the short Hispanic woman leading us. She held up the mace and prepared to smash any obstacle that might present itself.

  I tried to ready [Morrigu’s Gift], but my grip felt weak. Fighting Nam Redrum twice had taken a lot of out me. Thinking about our hectic fight made a shudder pass through me.

  Our doorway opened into another wide dome area. No monsters stood below. Instead, rounded stairs led up to a brightly lit throne. The ornate chair was made of thick black wiring and looked terribly uncomfortable.

  A man stood in the brightened air. All around his feet were hats of every size and shape. Dwight’s stumbling form kicked a mess of headpieces around just before the other man flicked a coin in Dwight’s direction. The idiot’s body went flying backward into a wall once more.

  We stood on the floor above, looking at the scene with equally stupefied expressions. Every time Dwight drew closer, the man amid a sea of hats flipped another rapidly spinning coin. Each casually spiraling piece of metal sent the player backward.

  Everyone else slowly descended the ladder, but I held Xin and [Blink]ed closer. The man flipping coins was an old friend of mine. Or close enough for me to feel secure in his presence.

  “Damn. This hat doesn’t fit either,” the man within a pile of hats said.

  There were at least fifteen stacked atop his head like a leaning tower. A golden band sat in one of his hands and glittered in the torchlight.

  “Who the fuck is that?” SheHulk demanded as she stomped toward the throne. I waved a hand to stop her from approaching him. “Is that a boss? Is that the Sage? Why can’t I identify it?”

  “Calm down, girl,” TinkerHell said.

  “That’s because he’s a Voice,” I said while staring at the man.

  Ray looked tired and ragged. The formerly gritty half-shaven look had devolved into uneven patches. Both of his eyes hung with bags. His state looked worse the longer I stared at him.

  “Are you okay, Ray?” I asked.

  “Hermes.” He tipped his head and two hats slipped off. He looked at the ground with both lips curled down and seemed close to tears. Eventually, the man shook his head and held up the ring of gold. “Do you see this, Hermes? It’s shaped even more oddly than your gift. Of this world, and not.”

  “Ray, should you be here?” I tried to focus. The last time a Voice had been present, outside my wedding, was slightly before a [World Eater] popped out and destroyed pieces of the landscape.

  “I flipped a coin,” he said dryly. “Twice.”

  I nodded as if that made all the difference. Perhaps it did. Ray was the Voice of Gambling. He honored his bets even if the outcome displeased him. The endless string of hats sitting upon the Voice’s head made me worried though.

  “Is that what we need?” Awesome whispered to me.

  I assumed the golden circle in Ray’s hands was our prize, but I didn’t know for sure. I held up the torch and scanned the room while Dwight charged by again. He must have been desperate for the final prize hidden in this room. He’d been obsessed enough to stay in this town when the servers were going to hell.

  This time, he managed to stay on his feet and avoid being pushed back. Blood dripped from his face which he tried to wipe away with metal armor. Another coin hit the man’s exposed belly and sent him tumbling backward again.

  “There’s nothing else in here but that throne, the skeleton, and Ray.” I didn’t bother whispering. “That’s got to be what we need for the event.”

  “You’re the expert on Voices,” Awesome said. “Any suggestions on getting that from him?”

  “We could hit him,” SheHulk offered while thumping her shield.

  One eyebrow lowered while I tried to figure out what was wrong with SheHulk. She sounded worse than HotPants. Maybe the two of them would get along well. The image of them both screaming obscenities while charging into an enemy hoard chilled my bones.

  “Or gamble,” I said firmly. “Ray’s the Voice of Gambling.”

  “I’ll bet you anything!” Dwight yelled quickly. “Name your price!” The clanking man collided with a wall again after Ray flipped a coin.

  We all watched as Dwight groaned. I looked around the room and tried to consider something more suitable. It dawned upon me that Ray might be missing his hat. [Wild Bill] sat calmly on my head. I lifted it off and held it out toward the Voice.

  “I would bet you this hat,” I said. “Those others don’t seem right for you anyway.”

  “You’ll wager my old hat against this one?” Ray looked at me and kept a good poker face. Only a slight lilt to his voice and his slow swallow gave away h
ow desperately he wanted [Wild Bill].

  I nodded.

  “You chose the wager, so I’ll choose the game.” Ray pulled off one of the many hats and waved its pocket over an outstretched palm. A single coin appeared, which he proceeded to play across his knuckles. “Coin flipping is what started this. Flipping another coin should be fair.”

  My mind rapidly went through the numbers. Ray’s mark had faded off, so universal bad luck no longer applied. I needed an edge but only knew of one way.

  “Hey, beautiful,” I whispered to my wife. “How about a kiss for luck?”

  Xin’s mood had been in a funk ever since our fight with Nam Redrum. She gave me a nearly passive peck on the cheek that failed to do anything for me or trigger a system message.

  I slid one hand along Xin’s chin and lifted her face. Her eyes held mine. They were unwavering and still, as if heavy thoughts sat locked in a cage inside her. Foolish me, we hadn’t talked at all about what had happened earlier.

  My voice stayed low as I leaned forward to speak in her ear. “It’s okay, babe. I’m alive, but if you’re worried, then kiss me like you mean it.”

  She loosened a little as our lips touched. Her arms reached around my neck, and I closed my eyes to blot out everything but her and the weight of her body against mine. Her dress served as a negligible barrier to the heat between us. A tiny tongue slipped out and licked my lips, and I nearly forgot about the wager altogether.

  “Really?” SheHulk said. “Can’t you two get a room?”

  “No, we’re married, so it’s a honeymoon suite,” I said.

  Xin laughed a little before returning to her sleepy stance. The sight made me a bit sad, but hopefully we, as a couple, were okay. Maybe she was upset over the deaths, or over our odd exchange of dying.

  [A Kiss For Luck] buff gained!

  Seemingly random events are more likely to work in your favor until the next quest is completed or twenty-four hours has elapsed.

  “It’s not cheating, right?” I asked Ray.

  “A kiss from a beautiful gal is never cheating, Hermes. Not in my book.” He smiled and, for a moment, the suave, calm version of Ray I had first met surfaced. “Ready?”

  I nodded.

  He passed one hand over the other, and a fresh coin appeared. I hadn’t noticed the prior one vanish. Ray flipped the new coin up. It hummed briefly, and I stared as it fell. He caught it, then slammed it down on his other hand.

  “Call?” he questioned.

  I shook back and forth while humming. “Heads?”

  Ray lifted the hand away, and his lips tightened briefly. With a grudging nod, he lifted the golden loop in my direction. I took it and stared at it. The hoop was big enough to fit over my head, but not all the way.

  “That’s ours!” Dwight stood, and his footsteps slammed through as he charged toward the golden circlet. “We guarded this place for months. We figured out how to hook it all up!”

  A gong sound rippled through. I looked up in time to see stars appear over Dwight’s head as the man stood there looking stupefied.

  “God, I love this skill,” SheHulk remarked.

  Dwight opened his mouth as his stun wore off, but the short Hispanic woman slammed her shield into him again. More stars appeared, then finally he fainted in our direction. I wanted to cheer.

  Xin’s eyes drifted down for a moment, and she stared at the fallen player. She reached out with a bare foot and toed the man’s shoulder. A snore erupted, which made my wife roll her eyes.

  “We got it.” I nodded.

  Awesome approached to look at the circlet. His lips pursed together in a half frown.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “You may want to go for double or nothing,” Ray stated. His face lit up with a sly grin.

  “Oh?” I looked over with a raised eyebrow. “What are you betting now?”

  Having both items was pointless to me. There was no way normal players could wear a dozen hats like Ray did. Handing back [Wild Bill] felt like the right thing to do.

  “The key you came for.” Ray held up a large golden key I hadn’t seen before.

  “What?” I stared at the round circlet in my hand. [Identification] showed me what the item was.

  Skill Used: [Identification]

  Results: [Mechanical Hades Crown]

  Current Essence: 121

  Details: This headpiece was crafted by the greatest smith to ever live on [Arcadia] and represents the second greatest work he has completed. People wearing this helm have a chance to spread the legend of M. Shell to people across all the realms.

  Every departing soul may choose to gift the helm’s bearer with their essence. This can be used to [Empower] abilities beyond their normal range. However, each [Empowerment] will use a proportionate amount of essence.

  In addition, it can be used to manipulate bodies who are currently missing their souls. Stronger bodies will require more essence and have a chance to resist.

  Will transform with other armor pieces and provide a unique look.

  I shuddered at the implications. This item sounded like a player killer’s wet dream. If I read the text right, I might be able to treat autopilot players like puppets. The idea revolted me but might be useful as we approached an end game.

  The text did not say key anywhere. I nodded while staring at the other object in Ray’s upheld hand. There were two items down here, but Ray must have hidden the other one until he needed it.

  “You would really risk not turning the key over to someone who can use it?” I asked.

  My mind raced. An AI—because however fancy Ray was, he still existed only in the digital world—held the key to the salvation of his people. Due to how he was designed or raised, he wouldn’t, or couldn’t, let it go without the gamble. The Voices may be friendly, but they weren’t altruists, not in the slightest.

  He shrugged. “Life’s a gamble. You should know that. Every time you swing that blade, you take a risk and hope that your skill is greater than the enemy’s.”

  “Do you mind if I verify it’s the right item this time?” I asked.

  Ray nodded, and another hat tumbled off. His face twisted, and one foot kicked at the fallen accessory. I approached, afraid that he may flick a coin in my direction, but Ray eventually calmed down and held out the thick key.

  Skill Used: [Identification]

  Results: [Altered Matrix] key

  Details: This key has been crafted by a Grand Master of Smithing and Enchantment. At its heart lays materials unseen in the world of [Arcadia]. No one knows what may happen if this key is inserted into the proper lock.

  Once per day, this key can open any lock, magical or mundane.

  “Damn,” I said with unfelt calmness. We had been that close to solving this simply. My lip hurt from where teeth dug into flesh. Finally, I nodded.

  Ray smiled, then brought out a second coin. He flipped it into the air. It hummed, and I once again shook my head.

  “Call?” Ray asked.

  My eyebrows went up as I gave in. “Heads.”

  He lifted his hand and once again scowled. The coin indeed matched my wild guess. Ray’s hand grabbed the edge of my crown. He shoved the coin into it, and the material melted while he gave off a disgruntled look. My [Mechanical Hades Crown] vibrated even more intensely as he shoved a second coin onto its rim.

  Finally, he let out a breath and stepped back. The crown in my hands glowed with a fading light. I studied the small lumps of metal he had attached to the ring. Both had melted into small leaves, making it look like a truly Roman, or Greek, head adornment.

  [Mechanical Hades Crown]:

  With enough essence, it is possible to use [Empowerment] upon another. Travelers and Locals are unable to be increased so. Pets, companions, and weapons are eligible to be empowered.

  I didn’t know how to use that new ability yet. Nor was I sure how it qualified as double or nothing. Maybe he valued the key and this gift as equal to [Wild Bill], or maybe he hated the c
oins that much. Still, it was neat and I got the key I wanted.

  Now I had both hats and the [Altered Matrix] key. A shuddering sigh passed through me. We were one step closer to making everything easier for Xin and the other AIs. Dozens of people could be saved—maybe even hundreds—or their data. I didn’t know exactly how it all measured out, but simply knowing I had reached this stage felt great.

  The realization took a moment to sink in through my sleepy brain. Tension unknotted in my back. Standing straighter became easier. The weight on my chest loosened. As all those improvements happened to me, Ray looked that much worse.

  I held [Wild Bill] again toward the Voice. Gifting him the hat would never work, not with his nature, but another wager might.

  “Third time’s a charm?” I offered Ray. He desperately wanted the hat back but had to abide by his own nature. Dealing with him was no different than James and his endless questions, or Mezo’s lust.

  “I don’t have anything else to wager,” the Voice said.

  “Wild Bill against your… tie.” I picked something completely random and hoped, this time, he would win.

  Ray looked downright depressed after failing a second time. Maybe he had been aiming to use this opportunity to exchange for [Wild Bill] all along. I turned [Wild Bill] over my own palm and generated a coin. Ray snorted in defeat and shrugged. I took that as a go-ahead noise, then I flipped my coin with a less smooth motion. Hermes as a character had enough [Coordination] to grab the falling coin and slap it onto my wrist.

  “Call?” I asked.

  Ray’s head lifted, then he narrowed both eyes.

  My head shook, then one eyebrow rose. “Long odds say its heads again. The smart bet is on tails.”

  I hoped he won, whatever choice the Voice picked.

  “Third time’s a charm,” he said with a composed face. “Heads?”

  My hand lifted, and a smile pulled back my cheeks. Heads it was, for a third time. Three coin flips in a row had given me the hat. It felt appropriate to pass [Wild Bill] back for the same reason.

  “Heads it is.” I nodded, then handed over [Wild Bill]. My scalp felt chilly without the wide brim. Most of the time I forgot the item, and all my others, were even equipped with abilities, but part of me missed [Wild Bill] already.