Awaken Online: Catharsis

by Travis Bagwell

  Jason really didn't know what to say. He had certainly experienced his fair share of abuse at the hands of the wealthy. It was as though a certain amount of money desensitized a person to the consequences of their actions.

  “I'm sorry Angie. Maybe we could do something to take your mind off of it?”

  I have a few hours I can kill outside of the game before I need to start marching towards Alexion's army. Angie really looks like she could use a break.

  Angie glanced over at Jason and grinned. “I suppose we could do something. Have you ever played any of the old console games they had back in the day?”

  “What!? You play video games? I didn't realize you were into that sort of thing?”

  “Are you kidding?” Angie replied, “I've been playing games since before you were born. I don't have the money to buy the fancier equipment you kids use nowadays, but I still have a few old consoles in the living room.”

  “That sounds awesome,” Jason said. Then he eyed her with a grin of his own. “That is, if you think your old woman reflexes can keep up.”

  His aunt laughed. “We’ll see about that!” She headed into the living room to set up the game.

  Jason smiled as he finished cooking the ramen. He then poured the steaming noodles in two porcelain bowls he grabbed out of a nearby cabinet and made his way into the living room.

  “Alright, where is the victory seat in here?” he asked as he entered the room.

  Angie chuckled. “Hey now! You aren't going to be acting so cocky when I'm cleaning the floor with you.”

  Jason and Angie spent the next few hours playing some co-op games on an ancient console she had attached to the screen in her living room. In between games they would eat ramen and joke about who had killed who in the last game. It was probably the first time in weeks that Jason felt genuinely happy.

  Eventually, Angie called it a night and headed back to her room. Jason could tell she was exhausted from working, but she had needed the downtime to relax a bit. To be honest, he had needed it to.

  Jason's device let out a ring that signaled an incoming call. He put in his earbud as he made his way back to his room and quietly shut the door.

  “Hello?” Jason answered.

  “Hey man, it’s Frank! I saw you had actually logged off for once, so I figured I’d give you a call.”

  “Oh, hey Frank. Yeah I needed a break. The longer I play, the stranger it feels to come back to the land of the living.”

  Frank chuckled on the other end of the phone. “No kidding! The game has only been out for about a week now, and it feels like a month has passed already. This time compression is really something.”

  “By the way,” he continued, “You sound good! I mean I didn't expect you to be sitting in your room crying all day, but you actually sound kind of happy.”

  It was Jason's turn to laugh. “I don't know if I would go that far, but I'm doing pretty well. You know, ever since I started playing AO, I've just been feeling different.”

  “No kidding! First you conquer a city, and now I hear you're about to take on an army. Wish I could be there!”

  “Well, I'll keep my camera on for you. I was going to send you the footage from Lux, but I figured you must have gotten the gist of what happened from the videos that were posted online.”

  Frank sounded a bit peeved when he spoke, “Yeah, yeah. That footage was okay, but you still owe me the real thing. There are large chunks of video missing from the stuff the players filmed in the market. Like how the hell did you transform a city?”

  Jason fumbled trying to think of an appropriate answer. He didn’t want to lie to his friend, but he had a feeling the old man wouldn’t appreciate him running his mouth. So he tried for humor, hoping to disarm Frank’s questions. “That's actually proprietary information. I'm not sure you have the appropriate clearances and such.”

  A long silence followed. “Really?” Frank finally asked. “I can see your sense of humor didn't survive your expulsion.”

  Ugh. That was a terrible joke. Maybe I've been spending too much time with Jerry.

  Jason replied, “Hey! Low blow with the expulsion crack. Anyway, I was actually just about to log back in. I have a ton of work to do to prepare for the upcoming battle.”

  “No doubt. Assuming you survive this fight, I may need to head over to the Twilight Throne and see the place for myself. I have to say, I'm curious.”

  Frank continued, “Oh. By the way, I was actually calling you regarding Alexion's army. I have some juicy information that you're going to love.”

  Jason was intrigued. “Really? What is it?”

  Frank laughed. “Maybe you should check the Rogue-Net forums. There is a post right now that has a ton of hits called “The Endless March.”

  Jason promptly pulled up the Rogue-Net forums on his device and found the post Frank had mentioned. He just stared at his device with his mouth open.

  “Is this real?” Jason finally asked.

  A laugh resounded on the other end of the phone. “Hey, I don't know. Apparently, Alex isn't focused on strategy. Maybe he thinks you’re just going to roll over and hand him the city.”

  Could Alex really be this stupid? Could the other players?

  Members of Alex's army were posting pictures, video clips, and detailed information regarding the army's progress and location. One player actually described the NPC sentries around the camp!

  The only thing Jason could think was that the players simply didn't take him seriously and didn't anticipate much resistance from the Twilight Throne. Either that or no one had yet considered how important tactics were in waging a war in AO.

  I really don't have any choice but to take the fight to them now. They're basically begging me to attack them with this kind of intel!

  “Wow this is amazing Frank. Thank you!”

  “You're more than welcome,” Frank said. “However, remember that you owe me some damned footage this time! Otherwise, I'm going to find you and make you give it to me.”

  Jason chuckled. “I'll remember, don't worry. I'll talk to you later Frank.”

  “Bye man.”

  As Jason terminated the call, he stood for a moment and stared at his Core. The information on the forum post was incredibly useful. He knew it would give him an edge, so he read further down the thread, gleaning any information he could find. After he finished reading, he tapped Core off and lay back on his bed staring at the ceiling.

  He had laid in this exact same position a couple days ago, his mind in turmoil as he tried to process what had happened at Richmond and with his parents. He knew that those things had only happened a few days ago, but they seemed much more distant.

  Jason had changed a lot over the last couple days (or week in-game). The thought of Alex or his parents just didn't seem to upset him the way it had in the past. He had been admitted to a new school, he had some money in his pocket, and he had even laughed and joked around with Angie tonight.

  He also had something to fight for. He had created the Twilight Throne from the ashes of his rage and pain. It had the potential to turn it into something incredible. The city was still in its infancy and they would probably lose this war, but Jason was going to make certain that every single one of the players and NPCs in Alexion's army regretted stepping foot near his city.

  Jason grinned, and pulled the helmet over his head. This next part was going to be fun.

  Chapter 27 - Slaughtered

  Riley was sitting in her usual spot in front of the campfire. Yet instead of watching the flames, she stared at the impenetrable darkness that ringed the camp. She thought she had heard something moving in the gloom. Dismissing the sound as a figment of her imagination, she turned her attention back to the fire.

  Over the last few days, the cloud cover had thickened until it completely blotted out the sun. Black clouds now constantly boiled in the sky and flashes of lightning could be seen arcing through the clouds. There was no longer a day and night cycle, just perpetual darkne
ss.

  Alexion had ordered the troops to bring out torches and keep moving forward. The flickering flames illuminated the road and cast long menacing shadows into the dense forest on either side. The claw-like branches of the trees hung over the road, bending and creaking in the wind. Both the players and NPCs seemed uneasy with the constant darkness, as the reality of what they were doing suddenly struck them.

  They were attacking an undead city in the heart of its kingdom.

  Riley didn't share their fear.

  In contrast to the known evil that rode beside her, the uncertain danger that the darkness carried didn't seem that frightening. To avoid any accidental encounters with Alexion, she had begun wandering the forests in the evenings. After two nights, she had obtained the Night Vision skill and her eyesight had become sharper. The road and surrounding forest no longer seemed so foreboding.

  The group had stopped for the night and set up camp in a large clearing in the forest. The NPCs had prepared their own camp as they usually did, and the players made a half-hearted attempt at lighting a few campfires. Most of the players then logged off to take care of real world necessities.

  From her position by the campfire, Riley could see Alexion speaking with the NPC commanders a few yards away. She was able to overhear their conversation, despite the distance. A small group of weary soldiers stood behind the leaders and shifted uneasily.

  “We need to post sentries along the tree line,” said one of the NPC commanders to Alexion. “It is clear that we are getting closer to the Twilight Throne. We need to be cautious.” The NPC motioned at the darkened sky as he made this last point.

  “The darkness makes it harder to see. We and we will require more men to ensure we have a complete perimeter set up around the clearing. It would be helpful if you could lend some of the travelers to help.”

  Alexion gazed steadily at the NPC and smirked haughtily. “I appreciate your input, but my people cannot be spared. Besides, do you really anticipate an attack in these woods? We have nearly 1,500 soldiers here. Would the undead really be foolish enough to attack us in an open clearing?”

  The NPC looked a bit put off by this response, and his colleague jumped in with an irritated tone, “Your arrogance will get us all killed. We know nothing about this traveler Jason, or the capabilities of the undead city. We don't even know how large an army we face.”

  Alexion chuckled. “I have my own spies in the so-called Twilight Throne. Their army is a fraction the size of mine, and, the last I heard, it was still garrisoned at the city. I think we can sleep soundly tonight.”

  His gaze moved to the haggard band of soldiers. “This group should be fine. Perhaps they could use the time to nap.”

  “A leader should give more respect to his troops,” Riley thought. “He treats them like idiots.”

  It was clear to her that Alexion had bought into the explanation that Jason had conquered Lux through an event quest. She thought that seemed unlikely. From what she had seen so far, AO didn't offer much hand holding. Riley felt that Jason shouldn't be underestimated and Alexion was a fool for not listening to his men.

  He was too cavalier with the lives of the NPCs and was quickly losing their respect. They didn’t respawn. It may just be a game to him, but for them it was their lives at risk. How he had managed to secure command of this army, she had no idea. She wasn't a tactical genius, but what the NPC commanders had said made sense.

  After Alexion concluded his conversation with the NPC leaders, they marched off grumbling. He waved at the small contingent of soldiers, and they fanned out around the clearing. Based on the direction each man was headed, Riley could see that there were large holes in the perimeter around the camp.

  She rolled her eyes and turned back to the fire.

  A couple hours later, the NPC and player camps had quieted down. The NPCs had long since fallen asleep, and nearly all of the players had logged off for the evening. Riley sat alone gazing at the flickering flames of the campfire. She hadn’t felt like taking her usual evening stroll.

  Suddenly, she caught sight of movement in her peripheral vision. She looked over to see a black cat approaching from the darkness. As he neared Riley, she could see that the cat's eyes glowed silver. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she watched the cat amble up to her.

  “What're you doing here kitty?” she asked the cat.

  The only response offered was a soft purr as the cat rubbed itself against her legs. She shook her head at the oddity of a cat roaming a desolate forest and gently pulled it onto her lap.

  Riley pet the cat absentmindedly as she turned her attention back to the campfire. Ever since she had spoken to the old man a couple nights ago, the events that had led her to this place played endlessly in her mind. As she rehashed the same events over and over, the guilt, shame and anger that flowed through her veins seemed to magnify.

  She hated Alex. If this silly war was so important to him, she desperately wanted to see this journey end in disaster and his dreams crushed. She hoped that Jason would succeed and that she could somehow be strong enough to help.

  As she was considering these macabre thoughts, she heard the first screams echo from the NPC camp. She turned in confusion, but couldn't see anything due to the distance and dim lighting. Maybe her wish was coming true.

  Indecision racked her. Was this her chance? Should she help the undead?

  Was she even able to help?

  As the screams grew louder and the sounds of battle washed over the clearing, the doubt and uncertainty won the war that raged in her head. She continued to sit stroking the cat. In her weakness, she had chosen to do nothing. Again. Shame and guilt curled and coiled in her stomach.

  * * *

  Jason was sitting in a tree to the southeast of Alexion’s army. He was mulling over how best to attack the army in the clearing.

  His minions had carefully scouted the enemy encampment, and he had personally made a full circle around the camp to get a sense of the terrain. The army had stopped for the night in a large clearing encircled by dense forest on three sides. The roadway lay to the north of the glade.

  The NPCs had split off from the players and established a formal camp. Rows of tents were arranged in a complicated pattern, and campfires were located at regular intervals. From his position in the tree, Jason could make out larger tents in the center of the camp. He assumed that the tents housed the administrative personnel and likely some kind of kitchen. On the north side of the camp near the road, the NPCs had used the supply wagons to form a makeshift corral to stable the animals.

  In contrast, the players had prepared a token set of campfires a few dozen feet from the NPC camp. The player “camp” was located on the east side of the clearing, nearly a hundred yards from the eastern tree line. Since it was now the fifth day of their journey, the enthusiasm of the players had apparently waned and most had logged off during the in-game night.

  Finding Alexion's army had been the easy part. The players in the army had continued to post information and videos describing in almost nauseating detail the progress of the army. However, it had still taken nearly a full in-game day for Jason to make it to the enemy camp.

  Jason had a reasonable amount of Endurance and had spent much of the journey traveling at a brisk jog. He only stopped every so often to regenerate his stamina. Since he and his minions did not need to sleep and had no trouble seeing in the dark, they had made excellent time. Despite their progress, Jason now only had two in-game days until the army reached the Twilight Throne.

  The large amount of running through the dark forest had allowed him to two points of Endurance, and he had leveled up his Night Vision once more:

  x2 Skill Rank Up: Night Vision

  Skill Level: Beginner Level 7

  Effect: 16% increased vision in darkness or near darkness.

  “Well, this is just great,” Jason murmured sarcastically as he surveyed the army in the clearing. He wasn't certain he had fully understood how many people and ani
mals made up a 1,500-person army. It was a little intimidating.

  This seems impossible.

  Looking around the tree he was sitting in, he noticed that Onyx was mysteriously absent. The cat had made the run without difficulty and then had disappeared.

  I'm sure Onyx can take care of himself. I bet he’s off sleeping in a tree somewhere. Lazy, judgmental cat!

  Shaking his head, Jason turned his attention back to the enemy camp. He reviewed his troops and their positions. His thieves and Night Children sat huddled below him at the base of the tree, while his guard zombies and the mages were farther back in the woods.

  During the journey, Jason converted one of his zombie guards into a lieutenant and he had formed a separate unit of the guards and mages. The sustained mana cost was painful (he was left with only 2,800 mana), but he had realized while traveling from the Twilight Throne that his guards didn't have any real stealth abilities. This meant that they would need to be his rear guard and would require someone to oversee them when Jason wasn't present.

  Jason had also taken the time while they were traveling to educate his new lieutenant on various types of tactics and explain his role. He had come up with a few defensive actions the rear guard should take in an emergency and had assigned the maneuvers to certain keywords that Jason could use telepathically. Right now, the rear guard was stationed farther south, away from the enemy camp. They would create a defensive perimeter if Jason and his other stealthier minions needed to retreat.

  His eyes panned back to the southern tree line. His thieves had already identified the sentries that ringed the camp. Using Sneak, he had managed to creep close enough to the soldiers to inspect them. He discovered that they were each approximately level 110. If this was representative of the other soldiers in the army, then the fledgling undead force in the Twilight Throne was in serious trouble.

  What surprised Jason was the number of sentries, or the lack thereof. Judging from the state of the camp's defenses, Alexion clearly expected Jason to hole up in the Twilight Throne and wait for his army to show up. In fact, after some hand wringing, Jason had decided to leave the fledgling army back at the city. They needed more time to grow in strength, and Jason was somewhat worried that Alex would hire someone to roll an undead character to spy on him.