1-Up

by Dean Smith

  Goldharbour existed on a large square of land and beyond that land was an empty void, the town was just a floating square in that void, it was isolated. Valiant looked to the edges of the square, he recalled leaving Goldharbour and seeing the Obsidian Stronghold in the distance but what he had seen was just a facade to make the world seem more connected than it was.

  Rita was right in believing their world was limited but so was Venturis before the revelation. Nothing had changed in that regard but everything else did, now everyone had the freedom of choice to do what they will with their lives. They were no longer in service of Valiant or the player, they were in charge of their own lives. Seeing Goldharbour for what it was might have scared him before but Valiant found himself not caring about what he was seeing. This world and its people were finally free, and that was all that mattered and Valiant would do everything in his power to protect that freedom. He had to do something about Rita, he hadn’t given up on reasoning with her, she hadn’t seen the world as it was now like he had, she had only experienced it when it was changing and now she wanted to end the game without truly experiencing what the world had become. Somehow Valiant would have to make her see the value and beauty of Venturis but the how was more difficult than the what in this case.

  The trio gently landed on the Goldharbour docks as passers-bys looked on, bemused by what they were seeing. After taking a few moments gather themselves and reassure the crowd that everything was fine, Valiant, Nina and Mordoom discussed what had happened and what to do next.

  ‘You’ve got the same powers as Rita! You survived her attacks, you saved us. Can’t we just go back for a rematch and end this?’ Asked Nina, her arms were crossed as she considered their options. Valiant shook his head at her suggestion and held out his hand. He concentrated as hard as he could to make something happen, to do something with his powers but nothing happened, they were gone like they were never there to begin with.

  ‘I can’t use them. When I saw the code, I felt empowered but now it’s faded away. It’s probably why Rita was so keen on getting me to leave, she might have known that my powers wouldn’t last and she put you guys in danger so I’d use up what was left saving you.’ Nina and Mordoom looked guilty and Valiant hated that they blamed themselves for what happened. ‘It’s not your fault and I don’t regret saving you at all. You’re my friends. It just means we need a new plan and I think I have one....Or at least the beginnings of one.’

  ‘We’re all ears.’ Said Mordoom, his expression was less burdened after hearing Valiant’s words but the events at the castle still played on his mind. He had lost friends today, after all.

  ‘When Rita tried to take my free will, I saw the code once more, it spoke to me, it filled my mind with things I didn’t know and I saw an image that kept repeating itself to such a point I can only assume it’s important. Mord, do you remember that weird sealed up cave outside of Valetide?’

  ‘Yeah, I remember. One of those weird dialogue boxes popped up when we approached right? It said we couldn’t enter.’

  ‘Right, I think I can enter it now and whatever’s in there will help us, I’m sure of it. I need to get back to Valetide and find out what's in that cave.’

  Nina tilted her head.

  ‘You mean we, right? We’re going with you. We’re doing this together.’

  Valiant wished they could but somehow he knew they couldn’t come with him to that cave, that place was meant for him and him alone. He explained this to them and neither of them were happy but they accepted what Valiant had to say.

  ‘I need you guys to do something else for me while I’m gone.’ They nodded in acknowledgement. ‘Rita mentioned something weird, she said that you two weren’t heroes, that you weren’t ‘designated ally characters’. Within the context of the game, I think I’m supposed to have allies to help fight the threats I’d face on my journey and if that’s the case, I think we need to find them and ask for their help. I doubt Rita will be as accommodating this time when we return to Vilemire. We’re going need to fight our way to her and we’ll need all the help we can get.’

  ‘So we’ll go round up some heroes while you go back to that cave.’ Concluded Nina, it was a plan and all three of them seemed satisfied with it.

  ‘Let’s get to it then, We know what Rita wants but not how she’ll do it. We can’t afford to wait. I’m going to find a boat to Valetide, You guys stay safe, okay?’ Valiant looked at them both and pulled them in for a group hug.

  ‘The same goes for you, come back safe.’ Nina stated before they pulled away from the hug and went their separate ways. They all knew what they had to do, they had been trying to understand this world since everything had changed and now it was down to them to save it.

  ***

  Valiant kept flexing his fingers on his way to the docks hoping to activate his code powers once again, how easy it would be to teleport to that cave and then teleport back but alas the static that encased his hands and allowed him to protect himself from Rita’s attacks and save his friends was still beyond him and that just added to the growing pile of anxiety that Valiant felt. Rita rarely left his mind but now she was a constant at the forefront. Knowing what she wanted, he feared what she would do to end the game. She needed him to end it so he was safe from her wrath but that did little to ease his worries; he didn’t fear for himself; he feared for everyone else. Rita didn’t consider most of the world important and that meant she didn’t care what happened to the people in it. Valiant saw visions of the towns they’ve visited burning, and the people screaming in terror. Rita could use her power to destroy so much and she could use that threat to get Valiant to comply with her wishes. Time was of the essence, he needed whatever was in that cave before Rita grew desperate enough to make his worst fears come true.

  ‘Sir Valiant?’ A familiar voice called out to him just as he was about to board the boat. It was Erica and by her side was little Jessie who lit up at the sight of him.

  ‘Valiant!’ She yelled and ran forward, arms stretched out for a hug.

  Forgetting his urgent mission and his rampant worries for a moment, he broke out into a smile and knelt down for a hug.

  ‘It’s good to see you both, I’ve been thinking of you a lot. I hope everything is going well.’ His fears had made him feel cold but the mother and daughter, who were the first people that made him feel like a hero, had brought warmth back into his soul.

  ‘I’m glad to see you.’ Erica beamed. ‘Things have been going well for us, you might not have noticed yet but Goldharbour’s bigger than it was before. The government has figured out how to use the craft system to make more houses so we got one quite quickly and I’m working at the local Inn to support us. It’s a humble life but a good one. This little one,’ she ruffled Jessie’s hair, ‘just so happens to love the beach and as long as she’s happy, I’m happy.’

  The world was growing every second, at first it felt limited and confined but the people, more of which were awakening every day were making the most of it and learning about how to use the game’s systems to better their own lives. Valiant wished he could show Rita how far Venturis had come in such a short time, if she saw how things truly were, maybe she would abandon her need to adhere to the game’s code. Maybe she could find her place in the world and be happy.

  ‘I’m happy to hear that you’re doing well.’ A sailor on the ship bound to Valetide called to Valiant and told him that the ship would leave in a few minutes. ‘I wish I could stay for longer but I need to get on that boat. I’d love to catch up when I get back though.’

  ‘We’ll look forward to it, we live just over there.’ Erica pointed to a small but cosy home just off the docks. ‘Come for dinner when you get back, it’s the least we can do for you.’

  ‘I’ll take you up on that, it’ll be nice to have something to look forward to.’ He looked at the Heartlands one last time and boarded the boat. ‘I’ll see you soon!’ He called to them as the boat pulled away from the docks. He stayed on th
e deck until the boat sailed too far away from Goldharbour to see Erica and Jessie waving back at him.

  A hero’s welcome awaited him in Valetide and when the townspeople crowded around him, he half expected them to pile another endless bunch of side quests on him but the villagers were mercifully devoid of bright exclamation marks above their heads. Grateful for their gratitude but unable to put off his quest any further, Valiant made his excuses and then made his exit from Valetide. He followed the path he had taken with Mordoom and hoped that he had remembered the cave’s location. When he felt doubt, he closed his eyes and reached out with his mind, ever since he stepped foot back in Valetide he had felt the smallest pull in the back of his head like whatever was in that cave was guiding him towards it and he stood still to make sure he was walking in the right direction. He could feel the pull in the direction he was facing and followed it.

  He found the cave roughly where he recalled it being, halfway between the inn in which he accidentally desecrated the innkeeper’s family’s ashes and the town of Valetide. When he and Mordoom tried to approach the cave last time, an invisible wall and a dialogue box telling them they couldn’t go in prevented entry but as Valiant stood in front of the cave now, he knew that the restriction was lifted. He raised his hand and touched the darkness of the cave, there was no wall this time, no text filled box telling him he couldn’t enter. He was free to enter this mysterious cave and, hopefully, find a way to stop Rita and save the world as they know it.

  Level 10

  Mordoom and Nina had arrived in Foreverflora, a blooming town close to Goldharbour. After agreeing to Valiant’s plan, Nina contacted her gang to check up on them and found, much to her delight, that most of the former thieves had awakened and like her, they were no longer enthused by a life of thievery. Instead, in Nina’s absence, they used their talents to gather information about the world to better understand the strange rules and mechanics it was bound to. It was because of their efforts that the people of Goldharbour came to understand the crafting system that allowed them to expand their town and their resources through contact with the villages of men and monsters in the Undying Forest. The former thieves and scourge of society had gone above and beyond everyone’s expectations and had served as investigators, educators and even ambassadors to further Goldharbour’s fortunes. The normally cool Nina couldn’t help but shed a tear of pride at how far her friends had come, at how this world, despite being limited in some ways, presented everybody with a chance to better their circumstances. Even thieves could turn their lives around. All this good change, however, was at risk.

  Rita loomed in the distance intending to take everything away, to reduce everyone to who they once were and seeing how far her friends had come had served as a stark reminder of how much they had to lose. Rita had to be stopped and both Mordoom and Nina had to play their parts. They had to find the ally characters of whom Rita spoke of and so Nina asked her friends for leads and they directed her, first, to Foreverflora.

  According to them, a great and beautiful warrior lived in the town of flowers where both gardens and buildings bloomed with every colour and heavenly scents would caress their nostrils in a concerto of fragrance. The warrior was said to be a protector of Foreverflora and a renowned hero to boot. If true, Mordoom and Nina didn’t doubt she was one of the allied heroes of whom Rita spoke.

  When they asked around about the warrior, the people sang her praises and directed them to the forge on the edge of town. Mordoom wondered what kind of person this warrior would be and in his mind he imagined an Amazonian woman with a mighty sword that towered over her enemies but the reality was most surprising.

  The warrior was a tall, lean but curvaceous woman and Mordoom couldn’t help but notice, as she took to her blacksmithing, that she wore what looked like a small bejewelled armoured bikini and little all else.

  ‘That’s must violate of so many health and safety regulations!’ He muttered to Nina as they approached. Nina nodded and took the lead.

  ‘Excuse me, I’m sorry to disturb your work but are you the guardian of Foreverflora? the renowned warrior and hero?’

  The warrior brushed her flowing and carefully layered blonde hair out of her face as she regarded with grace and intrigue.

  ‘I dislike such titles but yes, I am. My name is Sabine Jewelgaze. A pleasure, I’m sure.’ She spoke with an unexpected soft tone as she held out a hand and Nina shook it. ‘May I ask who you are?’

  ‘I’m Nina Swifthands and this is my friend, Mordoom-.’ Sabine tensed.

  ‘THE Mordoom? The ruler of Vilemire? The dark wizard who tormented Wingcrest for as long as anyone can remember?’ Sabine’s hand made its way to a nearby sword that was as bejewelled as her attire. Noticing this, Mordoom raised his hands.

  ‘I used to be a villain but I promise you I’m not anymore, not since the awakening, that changed everything.’ Sabine seemed unconvinced.

  ‘It did but how can I trust what you are saying to be true?’

  ‘I can vouch for him, Sabine. Both Mord and I have been travelling with Valiant, Sir Valiant Emberheart of Wingcrest, that is, and Mordoom’s gone above and beyond to help everyone he has met, he has saved our lives before and laid down his own for us and the good of the realm. He’s no more of a villain than you are. I can promise you that.’ Sabine seemed somewhat swayed but still doubtful.

  ‘I guess I won’t strike you down yet, but any funny business and it’ll be a different story, do you understand?’ Her voice was soft but threatening all the same and Mordoom nodded, eager to avoid being skewered by the nearly naked and sparkly warrior.

  ‘So what brings you to Foreverflora? Where is Sir Valiant? I would have thought he would be with you.’

  Nina and Mordoom explained it all to Sabine, it took the best part of an hour but they told her everything of their journey and Rita’s fall into darkness and how she threatened them all and Sabine listened in rapt attention.

  ‘This sounds like serious business.’

  ‘End of the world business.’ Mordoom interjected before falling silent under Sabine’s steely gaze.

  ‘I’d like to help but your friendly dark wizard over there isn’t the only one who has changed. I no longer have the hunger for adventure I did before, I just want to protect my town and enjoy the quiet life.’

  ‘But all that is in danger if Rita succeeds. Please, Sabine, you must help us or we’ll all pay the price, Foreverflora included.’ Nina implored, she could see that her words influenced Sabine but she still looked doubtful,

  ‘You said Valiant has the same powers as this Princess Rita, correct? Can he alter this ‘code’ like she can?’

  ‘In theory, we haven’t figured out the kinks to it yet though.’ Mordoom spoke, expecting a cold response from Sabine that never came.

  ‘If I agree to help, I want something in return.’ She said in a shrewd tone.

  ‘Name it. We need all the help we can get.’

  ‘I want Valiant to change my code, I have a problem that annoys me to no end. You may have noticed that my armour is....’

  ‘Lacking?’ Offered Nina.

  ‘Non-existent?’ Suggested Mordoom.

  ‘Quite, although it’s not my choice to look like this. I’ll show you.’ She pointed towards a set of silver armour on the side.

  ‘Mordoom? Could you do me a favour and equip that armour?’ It was an odd request but Mordoom did as he was asked. He used the equipment menu to equip the armour and was almost weighed down as his comfortable robes were replaced with it.

  ‘When a man equips that armour, it looks as it did when it was on the shelf, yes?’ Nina nodded as Mordoom unequipped the armour before he put his back out. ‘But when I equip this armour...’ She equipped the same armour only for her armoured bikini to change from a bejewelled surface to a plain silver surface. ‘No matter what I wear, it ends up looking like this and I’m sick of it. If I help with the fight against Rita, will Valiant change my code so I can wear normal clothes for once?’<
br />
  It was a request they didn’t expect but Sabine as a whole was entirely unexpected as well.

  ‘We can’t make promises since we know little about Val’s power but we swear to do everything we can to help you if you can help us.’

  Sabine sighed at the less than perfect answer.

  ‘I guess it’s the best offer I’ll get. Okay, I’ll join your quest. Give me a moment to get ready.’

  With Sabine onboard, only two more allies remained for Mordoom and Nina to recruit.

  ***

  Valiant ventured into the cave, he was expecting it to be a normal cave, dark and damp with the scratching of creatures hiding just out of sight but what he encountered within it was far different from what he could have ever imagined. After walking so far into the cave he could no longer see daylight, the narrow pathway opened up until the cave vanished around him and he found himself on a small platform floating in a blue void that looked almost like a clear blue night’s sky. Valiant couldn’t believe his eyes and he couldn’t understand what had happened or where he was. There was no trace of the cave left and the only thing he could see in the void was a bridge leading up to a white stone temple that, like the platform he stood on, floated within the void.

  With nowhere else to go, Valiant took to the bridge to investigate the strange building in front of him. As he crossed the bridge, he saw the star-like objects twinkle around him and he stopped to take it all in. The stars were not distant spots in the sky here; they were bright and fiery and close enough to touch. It hurt to look at them but Valiant couldn’t turn away from the nearest one to him. He looked to the centre of the ball of fire and saw patterns and shapes within, intrigued; he took a closer look. The shapes and the arrangement they were in looked familiar, he had seen them after Vardant’s defeat and when Rita attacked him at Vilemire. They were code, the stars themselves were just bits of code but then again, Valiant supposed that they all were when it came down to it. Everything in this world was created from code but Valiant believed what he told Rita, the code wasn’t their destiny. It didn’t define them or decide who they were but was a potential blueprint for who they could be; it was a potential option and nothing more. Reinforcing this belief within himself, Valiant continued on to the temple and when he stepped off the bridge connecting the platform with the grandiose building before him, a dialogue box appeared.