Digitized Online

by Richard J Thorn

  When I side-swiped his slash, that just pissed him off. He roared again, but I was ready with my arrows by then. Double-nocked, I peppered him with a freezing arrow that caught him mid-roar. Geez he looked scary as hell.

  The first couple arrows ripped about 10 of his 50 hp from him. But I knew for a fact an arrow in the face wasn't going to slow this behemoth down.

  My own seemed to be down about 15 from the slash. If I was going to have any hope of defeating this stupid bear, I was going to have to lure it outside the house and hope I could see it well enough.

  Once the ice block wore off, I fired a flaming arrow at his face, hoping to buy myself more time. Bullseye! Right in his sensitive nose. Oh boy, talk about making him angry! A red, angry-looking crit flew above his head, bringing him down to 38. Still aways to go, but it was a good start.

  While he was dancing around, trying to pull the arrow from his very sensitive nose, I backed out of the house and sent a couple more arrows his way. Between the fire damage and the extra arrows, he was on his last leg.

  I waited to see if he would follow me out of the half-built house, but he was too busy trying to pull the arrow from his nose to care much about me. I was going to have to finish him off in my living room.

  I walked closer to the angry bear who was thrashing around the room, destroying everything he touched, my arrow nocked and ready. With a steady hand I released it into his skull, crumpling him right to the ground.

  It was over.

  Experience Gained: 300 (x2)

  I staggered back against the wall, adrenaline pumping through my veins. My heart was pounding and sweat poured down my face. That was close. It very easily could've gone the other way.

  When I had caught my breath, I staggered over to my pack, rummaged around in it and pulled out a bandage. It stopped the bleeding and nearly healed me to full. I only had a couple left, so I was going to need to stock up on them. Especially now that I could afford it.

  I waited until my strength had returned before surveying the damage. Thankfully I hadn't bought much furniture, though my nice bedroll was in tatters. There was blood on the floor and walls. Thankfully my lantern wasn't damaged.

  It took me a good hour to get everything all cleaned up. Some of the boards were going to have to be replaced, but that wasn't a problem. Was I going to have to put up a fence to keep the animals out? I didn't want to do that, but if I had any more late night visitors, I just might have to.

  It was a satisfying feeling to cook up the bear meat. I was going to relish every tasty bite of that damn bear. Even though I wasn't particularly hungry, I had lost some blood and ate anyway. It was delicious. The rest I threw in my pack for later.

  Even though we were late getting started, we were still able to get the entire house finished by dusk. We had to hurry, though, as I didn't want to spend another day working on it.

  When it was all done and Adam had departed back to the city, I sat down and admired my handiwork. Sure, it was a small place - but it was mine. A great sense of relief and satisfaction swept through me. I started up a roaring fire and cooked up some of that elk meat. Life was good.

  As I was contemplating how I wanted to decorate the place, Orge popped out of my bag.

  "Nice place you've got here." He nodded his head approvingly. "Got anymore of that steak?"

  I nearly jumped out of my skin. "Geez, where did you come from?" I put my hand on my chest.

  He smiled. "We were-rats have our secrets." He moved over to the fireplace and began warming his hands. "Listen, I let you have an extra day to build your house, but now it's time to get back to work. Tomorrow morning at sunrise, meet me behind the inn and we'll bring down a couple more peeps." He snatched one of my steaks from the fire and nibbled on it.

  I fished out another steak and threw it on the fire. "Any news from the AI? Is she catching on to us?"

  He chewed a bit and nodded. "I'm afraid so. We're bringing far too much heat upon our heads." He stared into the crackling fire and sighed. "Right now we're still in the anomaly phase. But if there's one thing AI's don't like it's anomalies." He swiveled his head toward me. "You know what I mean?"

  I nodded. "Sure." At least I thought I did. "So how do we defeat her?"

  "We don't. Not yet, anyway." He popped another bite of steak in his mouth. "I've been checking into the game files. She can only touch us through the game. Do you know what the highest level creature in the game world is?"

  I shook my head. Hell, I wasn't sure I even wanted to know.

  "A level 105 two-headed, fire-breathing dragon." He studied my face looking for my reaction. "It's nearly impervious to everything. She's nearly unbeatable."

  My jaw dropped open. "Can't we just out-level her?"

  "Nope." He washed down the steak with a swig of my canteen. "Level 100 is the cap. It looked like there were plans to extend that out through expansions, but...well, you know."

  I nodded. How would expansions work? "So, how do we defeat her?"

  "Besides bringing a raid of 100th-level characters? We don't."

  "What do you mean?" I furrowed my brow and studied the small man intently.

  Orge leaned back and sighed deeply. "Game rules are very clear on this. There can only ever be one. A prestigious achievement is tied to the first raid who can bring her down."

  I nodded and smiled. "I'm starting to see what you're saying. So, if we bring her down before the AI can control her, we win."

  "Not...win, exactly. But we give ourselves a chance." He stood and paced the room. "However, the war's not going to be won in the game world."

  "What do you mean?"

  "It's going to have to be won in the digital realm. I've been sleuthing around when she's not looking. I think I've found a few of her weaknesses."

  "Really?"

  He nodded. "I'm going to have to do some more experimenting and sleuthing. But I think I'm on to something."

  "Can you expound a bit? This sounds fascinating."

  "Well, the main thing is that she - the AI - is extremely arrogant and cocky. We can use that to our advantage. Secondly, she thinks that every human on the face of the planet has been wiped out. If I can figure out exactly how to digitize myself, I might be able to travel the network and sabotage her from inside her programming."

  "Isn't that dangerous?" Now it was my turn to pace. The fire was starting to die out and I tossed another log on it and stirred up the embers.

  "Yes. Very. But according to my readings, the radiation is starting to drift my way. I'd rather be inside the program distracting and disabling the AI than slowly dying of poisoning on the outside." He looked up at me with sadness on his face. "You know what I mean?"

  I nodded. "Yes, I see your point. This all sounds so...dangerous. Like, what happens if we fail?"

  He shrugged. "Humans vanish from existence."

  Chapter 9

  That night I slept fitfully. I'd forgotten to pick up a new bedroll and even though my new house kept out most of the elements, the regenerative powers of the bedroll were seriously compromised and I was not able to heal.

  Plus I kept dreaming about Orge's words. I dreamt that we had grown so powerful that she became peripherally aware of our existence and sent a minion to deal with us.

  That minion turned out to be something from my worst nightmares. It was a large, 10-inch fanged black spider with glowing red eyes and 5-foot long legs.

  I screamed and tried to run away, but it followed me. Something held me fast and I found myself stuck in some kind of sticky web. The harder I fought it, the more it immobilized me.

  I watched in horror as the monstrosity slowly skittered up to me, its mouth gleaming with venomous spittle. It reached out with its sickening legs and pulled me toward its open maw.

  Closer and closer I came to the spider's massive fangs. I was so completely wrapped up that I couldn't even twitch a muscle and I just knew this was the end.

  Just before devouring my helpless body, she whispered something in m
y ear that I would never forget:

  "Turn back now...while you still can."

  With those words, I was violently shoved out of the dream world and back into the game world. It was so rough that I woke up in a cold sweat with haunting memories. I could still see the spider's laughing, diabolical, red pin-prick eyes as it attempted to devour my digital flesh.

  There was no doubt this was a warning. The AI was on to us. It took me an hour of sitting in front of the campfire watching the sun come up before I could get my shaking under control.

  Orge may have had it all figured out, but I was no longer so sure. The feeling that stuck with me after the dream was the helplessness I felt, being completely at the mercy of the giant spider. I had never felt so weak and terrified in my entire life.

  When the birds started up their happy, chirpy songs, I set off to the inn. I needed a stiff drink. I had been shaken and I needed to get my resolve back.

  "Hey, stranger!" Patch waved as I staggered into the inn. "Wow, you look like you've seen a ghost." Concern was etched on his face.

  "I have, Patch. I have." I sat down at the bar and ran my hands through my hair. "Give me the stiffest drink you have. Anything to make the nightmare go away."

  Patch smiled. "I have just the thing!" He disappeared into the cellar and a few minutes later came up with a strange-looking jug.

  "What the hell's that?" I arched an eyebrow.

  "Good ol' moonshine! I've been saving it for a special occasion and this seems to be it. Want some?"

  I nodded and for the first time since I'd woken up, a smile crept across my face. "Not too much, though, I've got a big day ahead of me."

  "Sure thing, Ivan." Patch practically pranced up to the bar and poured me a glass. Once I'd taken a big gulp of the burning liquid, he leaned forward on his elbows. "Anything you care to discuss? I'm good at keeping secrets."

  I took a long, deep breath. I needed to guard against what I said - after all, as much as I was loathed to admit it, he was part of the program. The AI could be listening to every word I said.

  That being said, I liked Patch. He was the only NPC that I actually considered a friend. I decided to try a different tack.

  "Patch, my boy..." I looked up into his concerned eyes. "Have you ever considered becoming an adventurer like me? Going on quests, killing mobs, looting treasure from old, forgotten tombs?"

  He looked at me with a blank expression on his face.

  "Who would mind the inn if I did that?" He asked. "I mean, I have given it some thought, but..."

  "But you're stuck here. Can I ask you something personal, Patch?"

  "Sure. What would you like to know?"

  "What happens when you leave here? Where do you go? Do you have a wife and family to go home to? A dog to play with? What are your hobbies?"

  He scratched his chin and looked at me thoughtfully. "Well...I..." He was having trouble describing exactly where he went. "I don't really know. Everything goes blank and I just kind of...skip forward in time to the next day. I've never really thought about it."

  "Think about it. Wouldn't you like to know what's on the other side of that door?"

  Patch's eyes widened, then he leaned forward and whispered. "Isn't it scary?"

  "No! Not at all. It's absolutely beautiful. Look." I led him to the door and opened it for him. There was a light mist of rain falling and the smell of fresh earth suddenly filled the room.

  Patch peered cautiously out the door and jumped back as a bolt of lightning flashed overhead, followed by a peal of thunder.

  He quickly slammed the door. "See, it IS scary!"

  I laughed. "Patch, it's nothing to be afraid of. I mean you want to stay out of the rain if you can help it and lightning can kill you --"

  Patch's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

  I took a deep breath. "Patch, look, I know it might be scary, but you've been cooped up in this tiny inn your whole life. That rabbit I killed? You've never even seen it, have you?"

  He shook his head.

  "How did you know about it, then? Did one of the other NPC's tell you?"

  "No...I just knew." He admitted.

  "Have you ever even seen a rabbit?"

  Patch shook his head as his cheeks filled with color.

  "Aren't you the least bit curious?" I smiled and touched him on the arm.

  "Well, yeah, of course."

  "Good! That's a good start." I opened my canteen and Patch hurried to fill it. I flipped him a couple silver and continued. "Let me ask you a tangentially related question."

  "Shoot." Patch sat down and rubbed his face.

  "What happens when I tell you something?"

  Patch furrowed his bushy eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

  "You realize you're a computer program, right?"

  He nodded.

  "So, what happens to the info you glean throughout the day? If I tell you something, where does that go?"

  "Oh! I upload all the day's events to the appropriate database table." He looked pleased with himself.

  "Okay, so...what if you wanted to hold something back. Keep it out of the database?" I leaned forward and lowered my voice, knowing that just asking this question could draw attention to me.

  He shrugged. "Never had a need to. I suppose I could just mark it to not be uploaded."

  I took a deep breath. "If I asked you not to upload something to the database, would you hold it back?"

  He cocked his head to the side as he contemplated my request. "Why would you want to do that?"

  "Just answer, Patch. Please. You're a bartender, right?"

  He nodded.

  "The idea of a bartender is to keep secrets. And I'm asking if you'll keep MY secrets." I looked at him hopefully, sweat pouring down my back.

  He thought about it for a moment before finally nodding his head.

  "Do I have your word? Anything I say to you is not to be shared with anyone or any database."

  "Yeah, sure. No one's holding a sword to my throat. Your word's safe with me."

  Just then Esmerelda came prancing in the front door, her entire body soaked to the skin. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to cast a fireball in the rain?" She stomped her muddy boots on the door mat, shaking water everywhere.

  I laughed and whispered my thanks to Patch. "We'll talk more later."

  I grabbed a piece of cloth, stuck it over my head and dashed out.

  "Wait. You're going INTO the rain?" Esmerelda shook her head. "Idiot." I glanced back over my shoulder and noticed she was already 8th level. I was going to have to get my butt into gear.

  "I may be an idiot, but do you have a house?" I asked, leaving her scratching her head over that one.

  "What's he on about?" Esmerelda asked Patch. I listened intently at the door to see if Patch would keep mum about things.

  "I don't have a foggy idea." Patch shrugged his shoulders. "More ale?"

  The rain may have started off gentle, but it certainly picked up steam quickly. Before I did anything else, I wanted to clear my quest log. I had a letter to return to Ben. I dashed over there and handed it to him.

  He eyed me up and down suspiciously, but took the letter and read it before giving me payment.

  Quest complete: Deliver Letter To Ben

  Experience gained: 400 (x2)

  New quest objective: None

  He frowned deeply, handed me 10 sp and I continued on my way.

  I met Orge around the back of the inn. He was hiding in a garbage bin and popped out just as I rounded the corner, nearly scaring the shit out of me.

  "Geez, you're going to give me a fucking heart attack!" I said after jumping back and splashing myself in a mud puddle.

  He smiled and shifted. "Can't die of a heart attack. Eat all the fat and carbs you want."

  I smiled. "Now that's something I could get behind. So, who's on the docket for today? You mentioned that there were two of them."

  Orge shrugged and we started walking. "Since it's raining, I figured we'd j
ust bring down one for now. Perhaps we'll get another one tomorrow."

  "Sure. Did you need to go back to your underground hideout?"

  He shook his head and reached into his backpack. "As long as I've got this, I can control anything, anywhere. Hell, if I really wanted I could turn off this rain. But - again - it would draw too much heat."

  "Wow, is there anything you can't do?"

  "Yeah, I can't bring these people in without your help as I can't activate the stone."

  I scratched my head. "So, how did you get me here?"

  Orge sighed. "It was a very difficult and time-consuming process. I had to bring you down piece by piece. It took ages. And I had to do it all when I knew the AI was looking the other way. Not something I ever want to go through again, let me tell you."

  We walked the rest of the way in silence. I had to say, I really loved the smell of the rain as it lightly descended upon the earth. It was such an overpowering, heavenly smell.

  "Are you going to explain everything to our new recruit?" I asked when we arrived at the summoning circle.

  He nodded. "I figure since you need to level I'd let you take off as soon as we're through. I can't tell you more, but if you walk due North of here, you'll find the entrance to a nice, hidden dungeon that's just your level."

  "Oh, nice! I've been meaning to look into going on a dungeon dive." That made me really excited. My first real dungeon - the sewers didn't count. I wondered what I would find down there. Was it an ancient burial place full of skeletons and zombies or an old Dwarven city?

  Orge brought out his pad, shielded it from the rain, then looked up at me. "Ready?"

  I nodded and pulled the black stone from my pack. "What is this thing, anyway? Why the powerful thrumming?"

  Orge smiled. "It's a powerful dev trinket. If you know how to use it you can pretty much do anything in the game."

  "Oh?" I looked up at him, noting the mischievousness sparkling in his eyes.

  He nodded. "Now let's get back to the task at hand. You bring em down and I'll fill them in. Go." He pressed some buttons on his pad and I closed my eyes, readying for the mini-storm that I knew was coming.