by Cosimo Yap
Alan attempted the jump, but his foot caught on the edge of the counter. He fell face first, but turned it into a sort of roll forwards with Eve’s guidance. He managed to level the gun up at the wolf as it leapt at him again, aiming and firing immediately as Eve highlighted his vision green.
The wolf’s body crashed down onto him, shot in the head repeatedly. As Alan glanced over at Kitana he saw that she had also finished off the fourth hound, a black haired… mole?
What kind of hounds are these? Alan asked.
The hounds of the Predecessors are genetically modified beasts, often used as disposable scouts or in death match tournaments.
Huh, that might piss off some animal activists. Oh, wait, they’re digital creatures. Wonder if it's still animal cruelty.
The wolf’s body glowed softly, and when Alan selected it a small screen opened up, displaying a small vial of blood, and an accept or decline button. Alan thought accept, putting the vial that appeared in his hand into his bag. He walked over to the black bear. It had also been killed by a headshot. Eve had pretty good aim. He got another vial of blood. Checking his XP, Alan found he’d gained a level and a half from the kills.
“Um, good job, shall we head back to the bunker?” Alan said.
“Let me examine this body first.” Kitana walked over to the first brown furred creature.
Negative, Eve responded.
Why not? Alan asked.
You have a decreased chance of survival should you return to the base.
What? Why would we be more likely to die if we were together with the others? Even if we had to help them fight off hounds, wouldn’t it be better for us if they survived in the long run?
Main contributors to a likely death: A 56.36% chance of the shield generator exploding, and a 3.4% chance of betrayal, both accompanied with a high uncertainty.
Wait, the shield generator is going to explode? Also, what do you mean betrayal?
The shield generator was improperly installed by the human named Daisy. As configured, once the shields are at 50% there is a high chance of unstable reactions. Additionally, many actions performed by various group members do not quite align with standard human behavior.
Okay, ignoring this whole “standard human behavior,” which I doubt you’re able to classify correctly, if you prioritize the survival of our entire group as highly as you rank my own survival, what should I do next?
Message Thiago to evacuate everyone away from the shield generator as soon as it begins to reach the 50% level. They are planning on simply firing from behind the force field at the approaching predators. The predators will have to attack the shield, while the shield has been programmed to allow projectiles from inside the shield to be fired outwards. You may send an emergency message to Thiago which will appear in front of him, similar to a Game message set by the Administrators.
Okay, send the emergency message.
I am unable to perform various actions such as sending direct messages to players by rules in the Game enforced by the Administrators. Similar, I am unable to assume direct control of your body or manipulate any of your central nervous systems, only give visual aids.
Um, okay, send Thiago the following emergency message: SHIELD GENERATOR WILL EXPLODE— Wait, can you show the explosion radius on their minimaps Eve?
Affirmative.
Okay, so the message will be this then: SHIELD GENERATOR WILL EXPLODE AT 50%, INCORRECT SETUP. EVE WILL SHOW EXPLOSION RADIUS ON MINIMAP.
Message sent.
A few seconds later, Alan got a reply message from Thiago. A digital keyboard appeared before him and a small chat box.
Thiago: What do you mean incorrect setup?
Alan: I’m not sure, but it’s probably going to explode once it reaches 50%.
Thiago: Why didn’t you tell me earlier? The hounds will be here any minute.
Alan: I didn’t know beforehand! Don’t let the shield reach 50% or get everyone out of the blast range before that happens.
Thiago: Alright, fine. We’re going to have a discussion after this though.
Thiago ended the chat.
If you survive, Alan thought darkly. Thiago seemed decidedly ungrateful. Alan might have saved everyone’s lives, after all.
By the way, how did you know that Daisy set up the shield generator incorrectly?
I have been monitoring the actions of everyone who gave me access to their interface.
Wait, when they agreed to let you configure their minimap, they also gave you permission to see what they see?
Indirectly, yes.
Okay, so when you say you saw non-standard human behavior, this was when you were watching what they were doing? Wait, by non-standard, do you mean they’re all aliens or do you mean behaving oddly or do you mean people have been discussing betraying us or something like that?
My conclusion did result from observing the other players from their point of view. By non-standard I mean there have been arguments and displays of both attitude and strength not normally associated with law abiding teens or young adults.
Alan rolled his eyes, he doubted most teens would act in a rational, “law abiding” way when inside a virtual world free to do what they wanted. Was he going to ask Eve for specifics, though? It seemed like an invasion of privacy, but better safe than sorry…
Can you give me specifics?
A few seconds passed.
… Negative. I have been prevented from providing you with details. Additionally, my privileges have been revoked by an Administrator, and I have received a warning. I am to only view the Game through the information you receive or cameras I am able to access through you.
Huh, interesting, so there is an Administrator observing us, no doubt evaluating our every action. Odd though that they didn’t do anything until I requested the information directly. Whatever, back to the Game.
Eve remained silent.
Alan looked over to Kitana, who was kneeling over the brown furred creature that she had killed earlier. It was so disfigured that Alan couldn’t make out what it was. Kitana had her eyes closed.
“Have you figured out what it was?” Alan asked.
Kitana opened her eyes. “No. I am ready to return to the base though.”
The body disappeared as Kitana looted it, a large brown pelt appearing in her hands.
Should we return? Alan asked.
Yes, though you should first reload the gun and reactivate the safety.
Oh, right.
Alan reloaded the gun with Eve's guidance. He put the gun in his back pack, double checking the safety, as it was too big for his pocket, unlike the knife. Alan and Kitana began a light jog back towards the base. Looking over at the message that described the first round, Alan saw that only seven enemies remained.
Once they were halfway back to the base, only three enemies were left. Thiago and the rest had made decent progress. It was starting to get dark, though, and none of the street lights had power. It was odd, jogging along city blocks as the sun set. Alan noted the lights downtown were on.
Upon cresting a hill a quarter of a mile from the base, a giant cat leapt out at Alan from a tree. In the moment before it leapt and hit Alan, Kitana unsheathed her katana and cut at it as Alan sidestepped out of the way. Mid-air it somehow leapt aside and darted behind a building.
Eve, why didn’t you notify us!?
It went undetected and most likely has supernatural abilities in addition to a high stealth ranking.
Alan glanced about hurriedly, trying to see if he could spot the cat. From the brief glance he’d gotten earlier, it looked like the creature that had been in the hologram depicting the hounds, a cross between a bulldog and a saber tooth tiger the size of an SUV.
Kitana motioned Alan over. “You face one direction, I’ll face the other. We’ll walk slowly along the road. Do you know how it moved midair, or why your AI can’t track it?”
“Um, I’m not sure, it definitely has some sort of special ability though.”
/> Alan took out his gun, looking around warily as he and Kitana walked along the road. It was quiet. Too qui—
A giant gust of wind knocked Alan to the ground.
ABOVE YOU.
Alan looked up to see the hound leaping from the top of a house at Kitana. Once more, Kitana cut at the monster but it leapt backwards mid-air. Alan took a shot at it but the bullet’s trajectory shifted, missing the animal by inches. The bulldog-tiger hybrid pounced at Kitana once more, but then changed directions, going for Alan instead.
Alan shot a few more times at the hound, but each time the wind buffeted the shots. Two bullets hit non-lethal areas, decreasing the creatures healthy by 10%. Alan tried to leap out of the way, but the hound simply shifted mid-air to follow him. It clawed his chest with a ferocious swipe. Alan leapt backwards with the swipe, but he was still knocked to the floor, his gun sent flying.
Alan closed his eyes feeling an intense pain in his chest, more mind numbingly painful than anything he’d ever felt before. Even with his eyes closed he could still see his HP. It showed him at 50%, slowly draining, bleeding from the chest wound.
ROLL RIGHT, Eve shouted in his brain.
With strength from surging adrenaline, Alan threw himself to the right, screaming at the pain caused by his movement. Alan had imagined being shot, or stabbed, or burnt, yet this somehow felt a thousand times worse. He could think of nothing but the pain, oblivious to all else.
OPEN YOUR EYES.
Alan slowly opened his eyes, seeing the hound fighting against Kitana, dodging her strikes with the help of the wind.
FOLLOW THE GUIDE, STAB WHERE IT SHOWS YOU.
Alan tried to ignore the voice, tried to ignore the pain, yet he knew that if he wanted to do well in this test he’d have to do his best. The least he could do was kill a magical cat.
A now familiar blue outline of a man appeared before Alan, charging at the beast. Alan prepared a furious, incoherent war cry, but Eve said, Don’t, so he didn’t. He charged in the direction of Kitana, doing the best he could to ignore the pain, the dampness he felt on his chest. His vision began to blur.
STAB FORWARDS NOW, CONTINUE RUNNING FORWARDS.
Alan charged forwards with all his might, with the speed and last ditch effort of a runner at the finish line, thrusting the knife forwards into thin air. To his disbelief, he watched in slow motion as the hound leapt sideways onto his knife as it tried to avoid one of Kitana’s swings, cutting its own throat on the edge of Alan's knife. The hound opened its eyes in alarm and pain as Kitana used the distraction to finish it off, decapitating it with one smooth, golden tinged slash.
Alan collapsed, and knew no more.
***
Kitana gazed down at Alan, wondering if she should let him die. It might turn out for the best. She dismissed the thought as the battle high slowly wore off, leaving behind the dull grey world she knew too well.
Kitana bent down, examining Alan's wounds, locating his first aid kit and using the inside materials to patch him up as best she could. It was surprising how quickly Alan adapted, how quickly he had learned to fight. And worrying.
But no, she would wait. The full consequences of actions had always evaded her. Walking over to the corpse of the hound Kitana absentmindedly swept her gaze over its entrails, clinically examining for any weak points she should note and send on. Nothing was pixelated.
It had been a good fight, a worthy opponent, everything she had hoped to find in the Game. It was only tainted by the end... no, not tainted, but different. She would have to learn to start acting with a team. Kitana passed the item the creature had dropped, the loot as Alan had called it, on to him, a demonstration of her acknowledgement. Unlike most of the others she had never had any underlings before, but that didn't mean she couldn't start.
Kitana bent down, lifting Alan up and throwing him over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She began walking back to the bunker. The life in her eyes slowly dimmed as the world seemed to revert to its natural state. Colorless.
Chapter 5
Alan woke up, then almost immediately turned over and went back to sleep as he always did. Except, this wasn’t his bed, it was some sort of military cot. He recalled the Game, and everything else that happened, but still briefly considered going back to sleep.
No.
Alan forced himself awake, to sit up, to look about him. He was no longer the Alan that would sleep in at every chance he got, content with living a normal life, getting a normal job. He needed to start pushing himself, to try harder than he’d ever tried before. He was a Gamer now.
Alan looked around, and saw that he was back in the underground bunker, though most of the lights were off. The motionless forms of the others surrounded him. It was around 5 a.m. in the morning, explaining why everyone else was asleep. The countdown for the first round had been replaced with a new one, which displayed 12:32:17. It didn’t say who their enemies would be.
Surprisingly, despite the grievous wound that had been inflicted upon him, Alan felt fine. He ran his hand against his chest and instead of finding any bandages like he expected, he found the beginning of… muscles? That was surprising. As Alan stepped off the cot he felt soreness spread throughout his body. Did the Game really need to be that lifelike? Whatever.
Alan glanced at his HP bar as he stretched, it was full. He was now level 27.
Hey, Eve, do you know what happened after I passed out?
Kitana bandaged you up and brought you back to base, where Daisy healed you completely.
So, you were still active even though I was unconscious?
Yes, as long as you are alive I should retain awareness.
Interesting.
These messages appeared while you were unconscious.
A slew of messages appeared before Alan:
x2 Level up!
As you have been knocked unconscious, your loot has been transferred to the Administrator in Underground Bunker 11. Contact them to receive your items.
Congratulations for surviving the first round of the Survival Test!
x3 Bonus for all members of your group surviving and helping to defeat the boss!
+7500 XP +3000 credits
x5 Level up!
The next round begins in 24 hours, prepare as best you can! Explore! Fight! Build! Plot! Experiment! (Rank: ???)
Nearby settlement found! Investigate the City of San Francisco at your own risk. (Rank: G – C)
Enemies abound. Numerous sightings of various races and factions in the vicinity of Underground Bunker 11. Scout out possible enemies and discover what it is they want. Defend your base against scavengers. (Rank: F)
Huh, so I guess these last three messages are quests of some sort?
Affirmative.
Alright, well, I guess I should go spend my ability points.
Alan walked over to the Administrator in the corner of the bunker. It handed over another vial of blood, apparently the only loot from the boss, which was rather disappointing. The Administrator brought up the ability point purchase menu when asked.
Alan had 78 points to spend, the additional 3 coming from his Skilled ability. He was fairly certain he wanted to get the Gifted ability as well, as it gave him an additional ability point to spend on stats every five levels it was best to get it as early as possible. That left him with 28 points to spend.
Hmm, Eve, any ideas on what might be a good ability to spend the points on?
What is your definition of good?
That was actually a rather pertinent question. Before he began playing it, Alan had thought the Game would be more like a sort of fantasy game, and had decided upon playing some sort of rogue or warrior character. Instead it was a sort of military sci-fi shooter, based upon what he’d seen so far. None of the marines he'd seen wielded melee weapons, though Kitana seemed to be doing fine. He had to ask her why her sword had been glowing, though.
Additionally, everything was so lifelike, sometimes to a frightening level. Alan had been genuinely a
fraid of dying in the last moments before he collapsed. The level of pain was unbelievable as well, the creators of the Game hadn’t mitigated that much at all. If he ended up getting hurt that much every time he went into battle, he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to handle it…
That meant he should probably try a ranged character of some sort. A standard assault class might be best, but fighting in the front lines would probably result in Alan getting shot, or worse. So, that left becoming a sniper. That probably made the most sense; with Eve’s abilities to calculate everything, she’d be able to make all the calculations a spotter would ordinarily do. Her ability to recognize nearby enemies would be quite helpful too. Of course, a sniper would only be useful in an open field of battle, and was rather vulnerable in enclosed spaces. Maybe he could get Kitana to teach him more swordplay, or better yet be his bodyguard.
Okay, so I think I want to purchase the sniper ability, do you believe that sort of ability would be useful? Alan asked.
Affirmative. Based upon your low tolerance for pain, such a choice suits us.
Alan rolled his eyes, then purchased the Gifted and Sniper ability for 75 points. Like before, he didn’t feel any different, but once he actually used a sniper rifle he’d probably know how to use it; the sneak ability hadn’t come into effect until he began to try to sneak about. He probably should have made sure that the aliens had sniper rifles, but whatever, too late now. Human weapons seemed fairly effective too, at least at this level.
The last three points were put into improving Alan's perception, at Eve’s request. To his surprise, the range at which Eve could detect things extended a few inches as a result. He’d never bothered with such a stat in most of the games he’d played, instead deciding to invest in more important things like strength or agility or intelligence. It might be useful to have expanded senses as a sniper though, especially with Eve.