by P. J. Frost
Suddenly, Erinye looked extremely uncertain. “I... I think I... that is... yes... I... he... there was someone... wasn't there?”
“Yes, there was,” I confirmed. “He was just here. So what happened to him? Where did he go?”
The Empress froze for several seconds, and then something strange happened: She pixelated for a few seconds right before our eyes. I glanced over at Quorull, and she nodded, confirming that she was seeing the same thing I was.
A blip. A glitch. A split-second conflict between two opposing bits of programming.
When Erinye returned to her solid form, she blinked, looking at her own hands as though she had momentarily forgotten they were attached to her. After a few moments, she replied, “I... do not know.”
“Of course you don't,” I said, “because you're programmed not to notice when the players in this game log off. It's the same reason you knew I wasn't lying about defeating the Bograh. You're programmed to know whether it's really gone or not so you can accurately determine whether to reward us for it or not.”
“This word you use,” Erinye began haltingly. “'Pro-grammed.' I do not understand this. And what is this 'game' you keep speaking of?”
I sighed heavily, thinking about the monumental task that was ahead of me and where I should begin.
Chapter Eight
“Okay,” I started off. “So. You have... stories, right? Tales that people tell in order to entertain each other? Some are recited by bards, while others are written into books, yeah?”
The Empress nodded, fascinated. “Yes, what of it?”
Now that her expression had changed from the mask of sinister arrogance she had been wearing before, I had to admit that she was actually extremely attractive. There was something almost childlike in how raptly she was paying attention to my explanation. I nearly felt sorry for her – if she believed what I was about to tell her, there was no telling how she would react to such a shock.
But I couldn't afford to care about that. I needed to know if she had any answers about what had brought me here and how I could return to the real world.
“Well, the world Quorull and I come from is very different from this one,” I continued. “In it, we have the ability to actually, um... control the stories from the inside, as characters. Essentially, we can make the characters in them do whatever we like. Like, uh...”
“Puppets,” Quorull suggested helpfully.
"Exactly." I snapped my fingers. "So we are able to influence the actions of the ones within the tales and create the outcome as we see fit. Those are the 'games' we play. Do you understand me so far?"
Erinye nodded, wide-eyed. "Truly, you are a most formidable wizard if you are capable of such things."
“That's just it,” I explained. “In our world, anyone can do this, not just wizards. In fact, in that world, I'm not a 'wizard' at all. The only reason I appear to be a wizard in this world is that it's part of the story, you see? That's the fun part of the game... pretending to be powerful warriors. If I just played as my regular self, it would be boring.”
“If this is true,” the Empress replied warily, “then why would 'players' such as yourself not simply spend all of their time within this 'game?'”
“Believe me, it's tempting,” I answered. “But even though the game is enjoyable and amusing, it doesn't provide the things we need to survive: Food, shelter, and most of all, the... um, 'gold coins' to secure such things. Also, we still have strong attachments to our own world. People and places in it that are important to us.”
As I said the words, I was surprised by the truth behind them. I never thought I'd be trying to make a case for why it was preferable to live in the real world instead of WarriorWorld, but now that I was, it made me think of the elements of my actual life that I did appreciate – and take for granted, more often than not.
I liked seeing Coral smile at me when I walked into work. I liked walking home from the CTA stop and grabbing my usual dinner on the way.
Everything about my life had felt like drudgery for as long as I could remember. But now that it had all been snatched away from me, I actually found myself missing it and wishing I had taken advantage of it more fully when I had it.
“In my case,” I went on, “I entered the game, but when I tried to leave it, I wasn't able to get back out again. I'm stuck here, with no idea how to get home.”
“If I understand your meaning,” the Empress mused with a frown, “then I am a part of this 'game' you speak of? I am no more than a character written into the story, a soulless prop for you to interact with?”
I grimaced, uneasy about what would inevitably follow. “Yes, that's right.”
Her eyes blazed with fury. “How dare you question my reality, mortal?! I am Erinye! Ruler of the Furies, Monarch of Monsters! My existence cannot be disputed!”
I knew I'd be going out on a limb in terms of what I had to say next, but it couldn't be helped. “I understand how you feel. Anyone would be upset and indignant if someone told them that. And I'm sorry. But tell me, please: When was the last time you had a good meal?”
She tilted her head, confused. “What nonsense is this? I consume nourishment whenever I please! I eat the flesh and drink the blood of my enemies...!”
“Yeah, okay, but when was the last time you actually remember doing that?” I prodded. “Yesterday? Last week? When?”
Erinye shook her head as though trying to clear it – and then blipped again. It was barely perceptible, but I had definitely seen it happen and looked to Quorull again for confirmation. She nodded.
“I... I don't...” The Empress was stammering again, as though the gears in her brain were grinding to a halt. “I... can't... I...”
“How about your past?” I asked. “What's your favorite memory of when you were a child?”
The look on her face was becoming increasingly stricken, and I was starting to feel bad for her. Even so, I couldn't let up. Not when I was so close to making her understand.
“I was harvested from the Horror-Trenches of Horgoloth,” Erinye recited proudly, throwing her shoulders back and puffing out her enormous chest. “When I was old enough to pick up a blade, I was forced to fight my siblings to the death! Thus would I ensure that the weak perished, while only the strongest among us survived!”
“Yeah, okay,” I agreed softly, “but can you tell me any specific memories you have from that time? Moments when you were genuinely happy, or sad, or scared?”
Her face fell, her eyes filling with dawning horror.
“You can't,” I persisted, “because what you were programmed with was just data. Not real experiences.”
“You are... persuasive, Sorcerer, I must admit,” she said. “As many of your kind are. But it will take more than a few tricks with words to convince me that I am not what I believe myself to be. Regardless, if your plight is real, then it is a tragic tale indeed. If there were some way for me to help you, I would gladly do so. However, I do not know what it is that you wish of me.”
I shrugged. “The truth is, I'm not entirely sure what you can do for me either. It's just a suspicion I have. See, yours was the most recent, um... 'story' added to the game. And whenever new stories are added, they usually contain clues to other stories that haven't been told yet. So I'm thinking maybe you know something that will be useful to me without even realizing it. I'm asking you to search through every legend, every myth, every rumor or hint you might have heard about anything that sounds like it could be related to what I've told you. Please?”
Erinye turned away for a moment, tapping her spiked heel pensively. It looked like she was actually thinking, but I knew that what she was really doing was searching the files within her programming.
The thought of all this was still mind-blowing to me – the fact that real-world elements could be incorporated into the architecture of the game so smoothly. What could have made all this happen? It couldn't possibly have been some outlandish accident that had brought me here. Someone had
to have meticulously engineered all of this.
But how? And why?
Finally, Erinye turned to face me again. “As I've said, the suggestion that I am naught but some fantasy invented for the purposes of others' amusement is... ludicrous. But I have heard certain whispers of a gateway between our world and another: Limbo, the Land of the Dead. A place that some refer to as 'The Forever Realm.'”
An alarm went off in my head, and once more, I exchanged a knowing glance with Quorull.
“ForeverRealm Studios,” she confirmed. “That's the name of Kolbe Tacker's company. That can't be a coincidence.”
“Then this information is of use to you?” Erinye asked hopefully.
“Definitely,” I replied. “What more can you tell us about the Forever Realm?”
She shrugged. “Little is known about it. What lies beyond the boundaries of death is a mystery to all. However, there are some who say the gateway is guarded by a powerful necromancer: The White Lich. His fortress is high in the frozen wastes of the Mountains of Mortiis. There, he commands legions of the deceased to emerge from the portal and return to our world.”
“You said 'some' say these things,” Quorull prodded. “Who? Who have you heard this from?”
Erinye's face went blank again for a moment, then she gritted her teeth in frustration. “I... know not! But why? Why can I not remember these things? Am I under some accursed spell?!”
“In a manner of speaking, yes, you are,” I told her. “Except that the 'magic' that's robbed you of these memories is what we call programming or coding. Technology, not sorcery.” I turned to Quorull. “Can you look this stuff up on the game's maps, wikis, and message boards? See if you can find anything about the White Lich or the Mountains of Mortiis?”
“I'm already on it,” she said, “but it doesn't look like there's anything there about it. This must be a whole new section of the game that they're getting ready to roll out. It might not even be fully constructed or integrated into the rest of WarriorWorld yet.”
I nodded. "Then there could be holes in the programming at that point in the game. It could lead to answers and maybe even a way out. It's a stretch, but it's the best lead we've got. Erinye, can you tell us how to get to the Mountains of Mortiis?"
Her face lit up with delight and relief. The effect was kind of lovely, actually. “Yes! Yes, I can! That is something I can recall!”
“Excellent!” I exclaimed. “In that case, would you be willing to draw us a map?”
Erinye fell silent again for a moment, as though considering this carefully. Then she said, "These things you have told me... about my existence... they have unsettled me tremendously. I would like nothing more than to dismiss it as nonsense or the ravings of lunatics. But no matter how hard I try to do so, I cannot. Some part of me knows I will remain unsatisfied until I am able to prove your insane theory wrong for myself. Therefore, I intend to accompany you on your journey. I will personally guide you to the Mountains of Mortiis, and to whatever mysteries lie beyond."
Quorull raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Um... really? You can do that?"
“I am the Empress of this realm!” Erinye roared, spreading her wings. “I may do as I please, and all who dare stand in my way shall perish by my hand! So speaks Erinye, Mother of Monsters!”
It was a great speech, but I knew full well what Quorull had really been asking. Since Erinye was the central figure in this quest, it stood to reason that technically, she wouldn't be able to leave it – she'd have to remain here so she could play her part over and over again every time new adventurers came through to complete it. So could she really do as she said and join us on our new mission?
I supposed we'd find out soon enough.
“The sun has set,” the Empress observed, “so we shall start out at the first light of dawn. Until then, you may dine with us, and rest for the travels to come.”
She had a point: My Health and Magic meters may have been full, but my Food and Rest meters were getting low. I reached into my Bag of Cherishing to draw on some of the food supplies I'd collected over the course of the game – cured meats, cheeses, and fruits and vegetables. I looked over at Quorull and saw she was doing likewise.
We both consumed our respective items. Each time I “ate” something, it was in my hand one minute, then gone the next with a brief chewing sound effect and the barest flicker of a flavor on my tongue. I supposed I shouldn't have expected or even wanted anything more from the experience. Food had always just been fuel to me after all, right?
But the whole “rest” thing brought up another point.
“Hey, Coral,” I said, “what time is it in the real world right now?”
“It's almost two in the morning,” she answered.
“Aren't you going to need to sleep for real soon? So you won't be a zombie at work?”
Erinye's interest perked up. “You have the living dead in your world?”
“No, it's just an expression,” Quorull told her. “And Sid... you are literally stuck in a computer game. I'd call that kind of an emergency situation, wouldn't you? I just put on a pot of black coffee, and I called in to tell them I was sick and wouldn't be coming in tomorrow. I'm not leaving you alone in here, okay? I'm not going anywhere until we figure out what's going on and find a way to pull you out of here.”
I reached out and squeezed her shoulder. “Thanks. That means a lot to me. So I guess we should get some sleep in-game to recharge, huh?”
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
Normally, this would be the point when we go to our stat screens and set our "Sleep" chronometers for a specific number of hours. This allowed gamers to get a certain amount of rest – unless that was interrupted (by someone attacking, for example). Sure enough, I could see that Coral had done that because her avatar curled up on the ground and promptly fell asleep.
Once again, without a stat screen to rely on, I had to improvise.
I tried lying down on the ground as well, and surprisingly, I felt my eyelids grow heavy almost immediately. As they closed, the last thing I saw was Erinye standing over me. Her expression was strangely tender.
“Dream well, Sorcerer,” she intoned. “No harm shall befall you under my watch... this, I vow.”
That's good to know, I thought, drifting off.
Chapter Nine
I didn't have any dreams – or at least, none that I remembered.
Waking up in the digital form of my avatar again was extremely disconcerting. How many people could honestly say they'd ever awakened to find themselves in a body that wasn't their own?
Well, Gregor Samsa, I guess, I mused. But that didn't go so well for him, as I recall.
I looked for Quorull and saw her standing a few feet away from me. “How long was I out?” I asked.
“I set my sleep timer for six hours,” she told me, “but you know how it goes. To me, basically, no time passed at all. How did it feel to you? Sleeping inside the game, I mean?”
I rose to my feet, yawning. “Just... like sleeping for real, mostly.” I could tell that my Rest Meter was full again, and instinctively, I felt it too. I was still hugely thrown off by being trapped in WarriorWorld, but I somehow felt refreshed and more mentally prepared to deal with it.
“Good, you are awake!” Erinye approached, draping a cloak over herself and pulling the hood up onto her head. “Come, we shall start our journey at once. I have left Jagsgyar, the head of my Chameleon Guard, to rule the Valley of the Monsters in my absence. This raiment shall disguise me during our travels.”
"Sounds good," I answered. "So, which way are we headed?"
“We must depart from the northernmost point of the island,” Erinye said. “There is a ferry that will take us to the shore from there.”
“What will it cost us?” Coral asked. It was a good question – in WarriorWorld, nothing ever seemed to be free. Every object or service rendered had a price attached to it. Usually, it involved paying an exorbitant amount of gold coins, trading a valuab
le artifact, or agreeing to slay some monster.
But Erinye shook her head. “There shall be no cost. The boatman is one of my loyal subjects. He shall do my bidding.”
“Good to know,” I said. “Let's shove off, then!”
The three of us ventured through the jungle, past the area where I had found and destroyed the vicious Bograh. I couldn't help but notice that this time, the sounds of birds and animals could be heard nearby. The wildlife was already starting to settle back in now that the beast couldn't threaten them anymore.
The mechanics of this place are so realistic, down to the tiniest details, I thought. In fact, I was almost positive that the longer I remained, the more “real” everything around me seemed. It was getting harder and harder to remember that it was all a bunch of 3D graphics engineered by coders.
Was it just because I was getting used to being here? Or was the reality of it all actually sharpening somehow, becoming more tangible and believable? Was my continued presence infecting the place with the concrete reality of my own world?
So many mysteries and only one clue: The Mountains of Mortiis.
It took a couple of hours for us to walk to the harbor. During that time, I kept expecting us to get attacked by mutant dinosaurs, more Araculas, or other hideous monsters.
Erinye saw how tense I was and laughed heartily, slapping me on the back so hard I almost fell on my face. “Take heart, friend Sydnar! No creature shall disturb our travels upon this island... for all of its denizens bow to me, their mighty Empress!”
“Just when I was starting to get used to not having someone with a massive ego around,” Quorull snickered under her breath.
“Pffft, I'll take her over Donal any day,” I replied.
Quorull rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I'll bet you will.”
“What?” I asked defensively. “What's that supposed to mean?”
She didn't answer – she just walked ahead, chuckling to herself and shaking her head.
I snuck a glance at Erinye and suddenly realized that it was the fifth or sixth time I had done so in as many minutes. I figured that must have been what Coral had been referring to, and I felt a flare of embarrassment.