by J P Carver
He sighed and did so. To his surprise he felt his fingertips touch his palm, but his vision told him that he was just squeezing her arm. His head started to hurt. “What the—”
“I thought so,” Peyton said and turned on her knees to face him. “These people aren’t really on the station. They’re like the monsters we’ve been fighting. Me, I’m in a real body and I’m right in front of you,” she held out her arm. “Try to do the same thing.”
He did so and found that no matter how hard he squeezed he couldn’t feel his fingertips. When he let go Peyton rubbed at the red mark on her arm. “Sorry,” he said, but she shook her head.
“These are all simulations, but Audra doesn’t have the processing power to do such realistic ones. Something strange is going on here. We need to be careful around these peoples, okay? Don’t let your guard down.”
“What about the safe rooms, you think they’re telling the truth?”
She nodded and glanced back at Tavin and Hiragan who were picking through the rumble for the longest pieces of wood they could find. “To the best of their knowledge. I can’t imagine that safe rooms could be removed, they’re one of the hard coded things about the game. The size of the floor dictates how many safe rooms there are. I think it’s best that we just play along with them until we figure out what’s going on. Do you agree?”
“Better plan than wandering around this place. They can probably teach us the weaknesses of the creatures on the floor.”
She shoved his shoulder gently. “Now you’re thinking like a fighter.”
Hiragan and Tavin came back with a makeshift stretcher made of an old curtain and two pieces of wood. Geo helped get Klara on and the two men lifted her. Peyton walked beside the stretcher, keeping watch.
Geo lingered as he starred at the carcass of the drieger. He didn’t get any experience points for the kill and the body was still there. He opened his inventory and to his surprise there was a drop to loot. It was a purple cube that looked almost like an error.
Mania Cube: Hunger
#-#-#-#-#-#-#
He hadn’t seen a glitch like this before, and he almost didn’t loot it. He decided that it may be a good idea to show Peyton, and so stored it on the last page of his inventory before hurrying after the group
Old Friend
The group picked their way through streets that were half flooded or buried in rubble. Hiragan led the way carrying the front part of the stretcher. Geo brought up the rear, though he wasn’t paying as much attention as he should have been. He had his inventory screen open and was toying with the purple cube. He couldn’t do anything to or with it. The object itched at him in a way that he couldn’t describe.
“What’ca doing?”
He jumped and found Peyton walking beside him. She had her hands clasped behind her and most of the dust and dirt had washed away from her face and hair.
“Shouldn’t you be with her?” he asked and gestured toward the stretcher.
She quirked the left side of her lips up. “She’s doing well, actually. I’m all out of spells to heal her, so nothing more I can do.” She walked faster and turned so she faced him and walked backwards. “You seem awfully interested in something back here.”
He closed his inventory. “Was just thinking about what you said before.”
“Mm-hm, I bet. I wish I could still read your vital signs, but alas, that was all given up when I joined with you. I hope you appreciate what I sacrificed for you.”
“Oh, I see, you’re gonna turn it around so that I made you?”
She slowed and turned again so she walked beside him and bumped his shoulder with hers. “Maybe, it really was because of you, after all. You notice them yet?”
He had, but just faintly. He almost passed off the unease he felt to the dreary buildings, but he caught glimpses of people standing at high vantage points. They were nearing where ever this so called guild called home. “I think they’re just watching.”
“Well look at you being all observant,” she said. “Gonna make a warrior out of you yet. They’re perimeter guards. Who ever is running this guild has got a lot of people on their side.”
“Think it’s another NPC like these guys?” Geo asked and nodded toward Tavin and Hiragan.
“I’m not sure, it would make sense, but then, nothing about this floor is making sense. I wish I could remember more, it’s like something is banging against the door and I can’t find the key for it.”
“I think you’re right about something strange going on.”
She nodded. “We’ll find out soon enough.”
They went under a bridge that went so high the fog obscured the bottom. Hiragan made a right, and the street opened up in front of a church that towered over the square, its shadow heavy on the sett and debris. There were more guards here too, but they weren’t hiding like the others. Geo counted twelve, but he had a feeling there were a few he was missing.
The group went up the stone steps that felt like they went on forever and found themselves in front of two very large doors that looked like they hadn’t been moved in ages. There was a small door in the large right one and a man dressed in only a shirt and worn jeans came out to it. He went right to the stretcher and placed a hand to Klara and cursed.
“What the hell happened?” he asked and stepped from the stretcher. He looked between all four of them. Hiragan cleared his throat.
“The, uh, drieger caused us some problems, Kelson—”
“Oh? And who are these two? Never seem them in the city before.” He closed the distance to Geo and Peyton while his gaze raked them over. “You from around here?”
“Well, we came from below you, if that helps any,” Peyton said pleasantly. “But I think getting to know us should come after you save that poor woman’s life.”
Kelson sneered and seemed to want to say something, but thought better of it.
“She saved Klara, never would have made it without that lass there,” Hiragan said.
“You shouldn’t have brought them. We don’t need more mouths to feed.” He looked down at Klara. “Would have been better if she died too,” he said, but with a sad voice. “Okay, get her inside and tell Unioga to get a healer. You two,” he pointed at Geo and Peyton. “Follow me, our leader will want to meet you.”
The three guild members went through first and Geo followed. The church was huge inside, the ceiling disappearing into shadow. Lights were flicking gas lamps attached to the walls and made harsh shadows throughout the room. Hiragan and Tavin broke off to go down a set of steps to the right while Kelson led them through the main doors.
The nave was a mess. Broken pews littered the floor, and the ceiling leaked water into metal buckets, the sound almost maddening. Most of the stained-glass windows were broken or entirely missing, allowing rain to pool on the wooden floor.
Scattered about the room were people with moth-eaten blankets drawn tightly around them. Children coughed and groaned in their parent’s arms while fires flared and died with the chill wind. At the head of the church was a table where four people stood around a candle and talked, their voices low. Kelson made a bee-line toward that table.
“We got visitors,” he said and motioned back at Geo. “Hiragan says they helped take down the drieger he and the new bloods were sent to kill. Klara almost died.”
There came hushed whispers that Geo couldn’t make anything of and then Kelson waved for them to go over.
“What’s your names again?”
“I’m Geo and this is Peyton,” Geo said as the people at the table stared at him. They all looked ancient except for the person who sat across from him in shadow. “Mind telling us what we’re doing here?”
“Fox ears, Peyton? You really were in the gutter,” a female voice asked and Peyton jerked in surprise before rounding the table. She bent over and then threw her arms around the person as a giggle escaped her.
“Audra? What are you doing here?” she said and pulled the girl out of the shadows. She wor
e the same clothes as Hiragan, but they were a lot smaller. She stood to about Peyton’s shoulders and had long blue hair and large eyes. Geo looked around at the others at the table and they all looked on, amused.
“I could ask you the same thing. How the hell did this guy beat you?”
“I let him,” Peyton said and released Audra. She took a step back, her fox tail wagging and almost knocking over candles on the shelf behind her. “But you shouldn’t be here, why aren’t you in the boss room?”
She looked around, her blue eyes appraising those around her. “Not here, come on, we can talk in my study. The rest of you, make sure Klara has everything she needs and double patrols. I don’t want any driegers surprising us.” She then tapped the pile of papers in front of her. “We’ll discuss this plan later tonight.”
“As you wish,” the other three said in unison and broke apart.
Geo stayed in place as the little girl led Peyton toward a door. Peyton paused at it and waved at him. “Come on, what are you doing?”
He followed and they entered a dark hall, the only light from rain-speckled windows. A match flared to life and Audra lit a candle. “They don’t really understand what’s going on and I’d like to keep it that way.”
“That’s fine, but what happened? You shouldn’t have so many NPCs, and those driegers are kind of insane. How are you controlling it all?”
“That’s just it,” she said and held her hand in front of the candle as she walked toward the last door in the hall. “I’m not.”
The Fall From Grace
The door opened to show a bunk-room on the station. Beds were inset into the walls and the middle laid opened with a table and some chairs around it. The table was packed with old looking books and one thick tome opened, its text ink spotted.
Audra waved them in and then closed the door. “Welcome to the only safe room I’ve found on this floor after the simulation finished.”
“O—only safe room?” Geo asked.
I don’t think she stuttered. Has your hearing gone? Cotora asked, and it surprised Geo that he was actually happy to hear her voice. So your dirty trick with the poison seemed to have worked. Hi Peyton, you ready to let us out of this shit-show yet?
“Sadly, that isn’t in my power anymore.”
“Nor mine,” Audra said and plopped down into the chair at the table. She looked worn out and far older.
“You mentioned that you don’t have control,” Geo said as he went to stand in front of her. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
“Thought the words pinned the idea. I. Don’t. Control. Anything. Here,” she said, her face contorting in deeper anger with each word. It then relaxed with a hint of a smile. “Game and monster wise, I mean. I have some influence over those guys.” She waved her hand toward the door. “But only enough that I’m seen as a leader here. You really fucked things up, Peyton.”
Peyton narrowed her brow. “Meaning?”
“Meaning that Amber wasn’t cut out to run a damn calculator program let alone a full sixteen floor simulation.”
Peyton sat down and leaned toward Audra. “It wasn’t my choice.”
“Sure it was, you felt bad about that last simulation we ran before leaving for StarVega, and it gave Amber the opening she needed. With this one,” she crossed her arms and leaned back as she nodded toward Geo. “You got it a million times worse. I can’t believe you became a player for him.”
“I became a player to get back at Amber and finish this game. Besides, you’re a player, aren’t you? Last I checked only players were allowed in safe rooms.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t choose the damn thing. Everything was going great with the simulation until it glitched. Next thing I know the simulation ran for two hundred years and I got dumped in a broken world with monsters that acted on their own.”
“How can that be?” Geo asked.
“You’re asking the wrong girl. I’ve been trying to figure out where the drieger came from. They’re obviously based on some of my creatures from past games, but they try to kill and destroy everything. Only reason I’m still here is that not having to control them freed my processing power to make this guild of fighters.”
“So, I was right, they’re all just characters in the AR simulation,” Peyton said then reached out and grabbed Audra’s arm who protested. “Just settle down, I need to be sure,” Peyton said and squeezed.
“O-ow, stop it!”
“She’s real,” Peyton said and looked to Geo. “Her story has some holes, but it makes sense.” She turned back to Audra. “Where’s the boss room?”
“Hell if I know,” Audra said while she rubbed at the red mark on her arm and her wide eyes stared daggers at Peyton. “I was dropped into a fountain and been fending for myself since.”
“There must be something we can do,” Geo said as he looked at Cotora. “You know anything else about this place?”
My scan functions are limited on this area due to the lack of safe rooms. However, from what little I can garner, I’d say you’re all screwed.
“As inspiring as always, Cotora,” Peyton said with a laugh before turning her attention back to Audra. “So you hunt the drieger?”
Audra nodded. “They respawn like normal monsters, but their times are fairly extreme. We kill one and it could be a few days before we see it again.”
“Wait, how long was I on that sewer floor?” Geo asked as he looked at the two women. “It couldn’t have been more than a few days.”
“It was over two weeks,” Peyton said with a rueful smile.
Geo actually felt his heart skip. “No way, I’d have died. I didn’t really eat or do anything the entire time.”
“What do you think happens when you die?” Audra asked, a kindness in her voice that he hadn’t expected. “That you just wake up? You gotta be moved back to the safe room and there’s no reason not to take care of your needs during the transport. The only time it becomes an issue is when you don’t die often, but you’ll usually have enough elixirs and items to stay with it. We’d just kill you in game if your vitals dropped far enough and take care of it then.”
“Two weeks… christ. It’ll be years before I get out of here,” Geo said and dropped back to the wall and slid to the floor.
Psyche is now 81
Peyton knelt beside him and made him look up with a hand under his chin. He pulled away from her almost as if her touch hurt. “Hey, you won’t be here for years. I promise that.”
“If you’re making promises you can’t keep, mind making me one? Promise me you’ll punch Amber in her stupid face for doing this. It’s been a nightmare.”
“I keep my promises, Audra, you should know that by now,” Peyton said and grabbed Geo’s hands and squeezed them quickly before she stood. “Is there a source for the drieger? Or do they have spawn points?”
Audra pushed a few books aside and came up with a piece of paper. She cleared the table the rest of the way, ink and glasses spilling to the floor, and placed the paper down. Geo stood slowly, feeling like his body didn’t belong to him, and made his way to stand next to Peyton.
“They come from this area,” Audra pinned the paper with her finger near the top. It was a black spot in a detailed looking map of the city. “We’ve tried raids on it, but there are usually three or four drieger in the area along with some vamps. I just don’t have the man power to deal with it, not to mention even my most seasoned fighters are only level 8. They’d be slaughtered if we put in a real push without some kind of backup.”
Peyton studied the map for a moment, her ears flat on her head and her tail still. Geo watched her face change as she thought, hoping she might have a plan. She gnawed on her lip and straightened. “We’re only level 4.”
“Fuck me,” Audra said and slumped back into her chair. “I was really hoping you two would be my saviors and get me out of this hell.”
Geo enjoys playing savior, if you ask real nice and bat your eyes he might help. Cotora said.
�
�You’re just jealous because you never could do that to me,” Geo said and gave the glass eye the finger. “Besides, we didn’t get any experience from the drieger, and what’s with those vampires? They seemed normal but didn’t drop any experience either.”
“The vamps are basically the caretakers for the drieger, well, what’s left of them. We’ve been thinning them out pretty hard lately and they aren't respawning nearly as often. They were my monsters until they got out in the world. It seems like once the monster enters the city something changes them from monsters and to NPCs which don’t drop experience.”
“Okay, I think my head is just going to burst right now,” Geo said and rubbed at his forehead. “Just answer this, is there a place that we can work on levels? Sounds like we won’t be of much help at level 4.”
Audra looked between them and seemed to think on the question. She finally reached to her neck and, using a metal chain there, pulled a key from under her shirt. “There is one place, a dungeon. But, look, if they find out that you’re in the dungeon under this church they’ll try to kill you and it’d just be a headache. You have two days before I have to send the next set of new bloods down there, so kill as many monsters as you can.”
“Why would they care?” Peyton asked.
“Because I kind of made this whole hunter thing into a religion to keep control of the dungeon and in turn, the NPCs. I made it so you have to pass a test to enter and level up. We don’t have the time for such stupid stuff.” She got up and went to the door. Geo and Peyton followed.
I hope it goes better than the sewer, Cotora called. Or we really will be here for years.
“Thanks for the reminder, Cotora,” Peyton called as she walked out. Geo paused before leaving.
“You okay there?” he asked and saw the camera turn toward him. “Did you think something happened to me?”
I hoped something happened to you, but somehow you still find your way back to annoy me.