Digitized Online

by Richard J Thorn

  "No kill." I said and stretched out my arms. Trexxa ran to me and I held her close.

  "Why in the world do you have such a vicious creature following you around?" Orge asked, scratching his head.

  Esmerelda came up to Trexxa and hugged her. "She's not vicious. She's an integral part of this group. She's already proved her worth."

  Orge shook his head. "Okay, whatever." He then turned to me with a solemn look on his face. "She's getting closer. The end game is nearly afoot."

  "Fuck." I said and paced around the room. Trexxa followed me, no doubt wondering what was wrong. "Do we have time to bring more down? How are the others doing?"

  Orge nodded and looked at the empty pie tin. "We can bring a few more. And the others are doing just fine. A little confusion here and there, but otherwise they're leveling quickly. Did someone bake a pie?"

  Esmerelda nodded and scratched Trexxa's neck. "Yes, the goblins had it on them. Trexxa sniffed it and said it was fine."

  Orge shook his head, a wry smile creeping up one side of his face. "You guys are weird. So, I thought we'd do something a bit different."

  "Yeah?" I stopped in mid-pace and arched an eyebrow.

  Orge stepped closer to the raptor and hesitantly stretched out his hand to pet her. Trexxa hissed and he quickly pulled his hand back.

  "Trexxa! Orge is friend! No hiss at Orge."

  Orge looked up at me. "Does she really understand what you're saying?"

  "Oh yes!" Esmerelda interjected for me. "He can get her to do practically anything. Watch!" She told Trexxa to stand up on her hind legs and she promptly did. "Now stay." She ordered and walked across the room. Trexxa wagged her tail enthusiastically, but remained rooted in that spot. "See?"

  "That's remarkable." He tapped his data pad a few times and looked up at me. "You say you just got her?"

  I nodded.

  "That's strange." He frowned.

  "What is?" Esmerelda came up behind him and looked over his shoulder at what he was seeing.

  "Hmm." He tapped a few more keys. "She's not in the database."

  I stared at Orge. "Not in the database? What does that mean? Is every creature in the database?"

  He nodded. "See. I can bring up Esmerelda's imp. He's right here. All his stats, his health, mana, spells, everything. But there is no Trexxa. There's not even a raptor here."

  "No raptor?" Trexxa said inquisitively.

  The three of us laughed at her antics. "Oh Trexxa, never change." I hugged her tighter.

  "So..." Esmerelda frowned, trying to puzzle it all out. "What does this mean?"

  It was Orge's turn to pace the room. Trexxa paced with him. He stopped suddenly and Trexxa banged into him. He helped her up and dusted her off.

  "You're a special raptor, aren't you?"

  "Trexxa special!" She hopped around the room, hissing at everyone.

  "Have you figured it out?" I asked. "Did I just get a highly intelligent raptor or is there something else going on?"

  "Where did you get her? Did you just find a raptor egg laying around?"

  "Well, no. We found some lost centaurs down here and --"

  "Centaurs?" Orge's eyes lit up.

  "Yeah. They were lost and we helped them get back home." Esmerelda explained as she played fetch with Trexxa.

  "Really." Orge stroked his chin.

  "Why?" I asked. "What do you think is going on?"

  "I'm not sure." He again looked down at his data pad. "While there are centaurs in the game, there is no quest - hidden or otherwise - in this particular location that involves them." He looked up at me. "In other words, they're not supposed to be here."

  I stood rooted to the spot as a wicked chill raced over my body.

  Esmerelda said the words I could not.

  "Not supposed to be here. What does that mean?"

  Again he shook his head. "I'm not sure. Can you take me to meet these centaurs? I need to do some investigating. Something's not quite right and I'm not certain what."

  "Sure! Did we finish looting the room?" I asked Esmerelda.

  "Pretty much. There's only some scraps laying around. We can always come back later and make sure."

  I nodded. "Good. Let's go."

  Orge, Esmerelda, Trexxa and I headed back up to the entrance with Trexxa leading the way. She was in full hunt mode, picking off any and every small mammal she could sink her teeth into. And even a few large insects.

  "You really think there's something wrong?" Esmerelda asked as we backtracked our way out of the now-familiar dungeon. Orge clambered up the ladder and nodded.

  "Something doesn't quite add up. I'll explain more once I see these centaurs."

  April whinnied her greeting upon my return. I stroked the horse and mounted her while Esmerelda climbed on the back of her mule.

  "Nice mounts." Orge said as he and Trexxa walked beside us.

  We chit-chatted on the way. I was delighted to hear how happy Patch was now that he had real players to attend to. Apparently, his inn had become somewhat of a hub, bustling with all the new players we'd brought into the game. Just like the devs no doubt intended.

  By the time we got to the Centaur encampment, Orge and Trexxa had warmed to each other. Trexxa had a special way of worming her way into everyone's heart.

  "It's right..." I looked around as we rode into the clearing. "Here." I said, deflated.

  Esmerelda hopped off her mount and looked around frantically. "It was just right here! Where did they go?"

  I jumped down and joined her, studying the ground for any signs of them. But there were none. No tracks. No marks. Nothing that would indicate that anyone had been here.

  "Are you certain that this is the exact spot the centaur encampment was?" Orge asked, pulling out his data pad again.

  I looked around and everything was very familiar. "Yes! There's the tree I was sitting beside when she hatched."

  Even Trexxa ran around sniffing things as though she was perplexed.

  "Give me a few minutes to look into this." Orge said as he frowned and puzzled over his pad.

  "What do you think is going on?" Esmerelda sidled up to me as I stroked April's neck and rubbed behind her ears.

  I shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just grateful that we found her. She's a real gem."

  Esmerelda smiled. "She really is, isn't she?" She said wistfully.

  "Do you think there's something going on?" I threw the question back at her.

  "Well, according to Orge something is. You have to admit, Trexxa is smarter and more well-behaved than most people I know."

  We laughed at that.

  After a minute of furiously pounding on his data pad, Orge made some clucking noises then joined us.

  "Those Centaurs?" He looked up at me, his face a mask of confusion. "They're not real. Not even in the NPC sense."

  "What?" I asked. "How in the world can that be?"

  Orge showed me the data pad. "Look, I've cross-referenced every Centaur in the area with your account and it simply doesn't add up."

  "Doesn't add up? What, are you calling us liars?" I demanded, starting to feel my anger boil to the surface.

  "No. I'm not." He stated flatly.

  "Then what?"

  "We're getting help from the inside."

  Chapter 14

  "Can you please explain exactly what you mean by that?" Esmerelda shook her head, her long-flowing blue hair waving around her face, framing it perfectly.

  Orge took a deep breath. "See this?" He showed us the network. "There's been some recent activity right in this very spot. This is not natural. This is something that only someone outside of the program can do."

  "You mean like an AI?"

  "Yes!" He nodded. "My theory - and this is not something I can say with certainty - is that a rogue AI on the inside is helping us."

  "I'm not sure I follow." Esmerelda said.

  "Let's go deeper." Orge absently stroked Trexxa's head. "Remember when I told you to be careful because the AI has put out a
mark on you?"

  We both nodded.

  "I assume you've faced some mobs that just appeared out of the blue, right?"

  "Yes, that's correct."

  "Now imagine if one of those mobs helped you instead of trying to kill you."

  I stared open-mouthed at Orge. "Really? That can happen?"

  He nodded. "With an intelligent AI? Yes, absolutely."

  "So," Esmerelda chimed in, "You're saying that there's a rogue computer program that's helping us?"

  "It looks that way. I'll have to do some more sleuthing, but it looks like Trexxa is one of the digitized folks trapped in the nether."

  I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Some rogue AI was really helping us? I thought back to that little girl I saw in my dreams. Could that be her?

  "Let me get this straight." Esmerelda shook her head, knitting her brows together. "Trexxa here is an actual player character?"

  "Yes. That's the theory that I'm running with. This friendly helper brought her down under the AI's nose by infusing her essence into a raptor egg." He shook his head. "Brilliant, really. Either way, don't underestimate Trexxa. Someone chose her. She may have a hidden ability or something that will help us defeat the AI's minion. I suggest training her more. We already know she can talk. What else can she do?"

  "That's a good question. She's a fucking smart raptor, I can guarantee you that." I said.

  Esmerelda agreed. "It's almost like she can fully understand us. Almost creepy, really."

  "I'll do more checking on my end. You guys figure out how that raptor can help us. Maybe you can learn how to coax the information out of her." Orge pointed at Trexxa. "In the meantime, let's get started on the next trapped soul."

  We walked beside our horses to the beach. Other than the occasional question, no one spoke. I had to teach Trexxa not to chase after every bird and squirrel within spitting distance.

  Just before we reached the spawning point, we were ambushed by three Gnoll brigands, no doubt sent by the AI.

  "Aye, just give us all your gold and we'll let you pass." One said, his sharp teeth gleaming.

  "Fat chance!" Esmerelda laughed.

  "Trexxa, attack!" I commanded, and the raptor - who had somehow grown since the last fight - sprung into action, hissing as she leapt upon the leader.

  I quickly pulled out my bow and Esmerelda began casting spells while the gnolls were distracted with Trexxa. I swear that raptor was going to save our bacon more than she knew.

  And maybe that was the whole idea.

  I froze one gnoll as we all worked another one down until he had just a sliver of health and started to run away.

  "Uh uh you slimy vermin!" Esmerelda spat and cast her biggest fireball his way. He crumpled to the ground like a sad marionette.

  The fear in the second gnoll's eyes when he watched his friend get pummeled to death was comical. He, too, turned to run, but between me, Esmerelda and Trexxa, we slowed him down just enough that he was toast soon after.

  The third one - the leader, apparently - wasn't as cowardly as the other two. He advanced on us, his dagger gleaming and a wicked, evil grin on his face.

  "You will pay for your transgressions...Hu-mon!" The filthy beast growled, spittle flying from his mouth as he leapt upon me, knocking me to the ground.

  I could hear Trexxa hissing and growling as she attempted to pull him off me. But the gnoll was relentless. He slashed me with his dagger, then followed it up with a nasty bite to my shoulder.

  When I cried out, it seemed to send Trexxa into a frenzy. She began kicking and clawing and biting with renewed energy. She couldn't do much damage now, but I was sure that in the future that would change.

  Watching her go all out to protect me gave me the extra energy I needed to kick the filthy gnoll off my chest. Then I grabbed my own dagger and charged him. All the while Trexxa, Esmerelda and her minion were all beating the gnoll into submission.

  Even Orge had stealthed up behind him and got the final backstabbing blow on him.

  I looked at my health and realized that bastard had taken 25 hp off me. I fished one of Esmerelda's bandages out of my pack which healed up 20 of that.

  350 x 2 (x2) xp gained

  975 (x2) xp gained

  That brought me to just above 72k xp. Only 30k more to go to level 9.

  Trexxa came over to make sure I was okay. Once she made sure I was, she wagged her tail happily and went about her business. It was nice to know that no matter what I had someone on my side.

  "Everyone ready?" Esmerelda asked once she'd stripped everything of value from the dead gnolls. The lackeys only had a couple silver on them each, but the leader had much more. We relieved him of about 50 gp. No idea where he got them. Maybe his last victim?

  Once the bodies had been sufficiently looted and my shoulder had been patched up, we set back off to the spawning point. When we drew near, I pulled out the black stone, grasped it in my hand and felt the familiar warmth. The thrum of power that coursed through me gave me a buzz like no other.

  "Ready?" Orge asked as I slid into position. Esmerelda watched from afar.

  I nodded.

  "Ivanhoe is bringing down someone into the game." Esmerelda explained to Trexxa, who looked up at her inquisitively. "So, they're friend. Not foe."

  "Friend." Trexxa nodded in understanding. "Me like friend."

  Esmerelda laughed. "We all do, Trexxa, we all do."

  I closed my eyes and let the power course through me. Again, the feeling was extremely addictive. If I could, I would just hold it all the time. But I didn't want to let the power consume me.

  Esmerelda held Trexxa as she watched me perform the ritual. I closed my eyes, held the stone tightly and waited. As usual, the wind picked up and soon enough I heard the familiar thud.

  When I opened my eyes, there was a gruff, short man of about 30 standing before me. When he opened his mouth, I knew immediately that he was a Dwarf.

  "Heya! Nice to meet you. My name's Trevor." He looked around at his surroundings. "This is a nice beach you've got here."

  "Hello, Trevor. My name is Ivanhoe. Ivanhoe Darkwolf." I extended my hand to help him up out of the sand. "This here is Esmerelda, this is Orge and my little hunting partner, Trexxa."

  Trevor dusted himself off, answered a few questions from the computer and then stepped forward, eying us up and down. "So, what's going on here?" He scratched his bald head. "Do you always greet new players with a crowd?"

  Orge stepped forward. "Nice to meet you, Trevor. And no," Orge laughed, "there is a special reason why we are all greeting you here today."

  Trevor nodded and listened as Orge explained everything that was going on and why he was brought down here. We hung around long enough to hear that he selected to become a priest.

  "Why don't we head on over to Patch's inn to refresh and maybe see about picking up a new quest. We can go back to the dungeon later." Esmeralda suggested.

  "That sounds like a really good idea." We waved goodbye to Orge and Trevor and set off back to the inn. "My flask is empty anyway. And I'm sure that Patch will just fall in love with Trexxa."

  "Yes!" Esmeralda said. "He's just going to love the little tyke, isn't he?"

  We walked alongside our horses in silence for a bit. The rain had let up and the clouds had parted, but now they were starting to regather. We both knew what was coming. And we were both terrified.

  Esmerelda spoke the words aloud.

  "What happens if we lose?" She stopped, turned to me and frowned.

  "Against the AI's minion?" I asked, knowing full well that was exactly what she was asking about.

  She nodded. "Do we..." Her voice lowered to a whisper and she almost choked on the words. "Cease to exist?"

  I found a nearby stump and sat on it, rubbed my head and sighed. "I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that question. All I know is that right now we're in a fight for our very lives. From what Orge has explained, right at this very minute, the AI is literally devouring the trapped s
ouls of those who were fortunate enough to be digitized. But I don't know what that means. Are they just...gone? Lights out? What happens when there are no more souls to feed on?"

  Esmerelda gave a low whistle. "I hadn't thought of that." She shivered as Trexxa jumped into her lap. Absentmindedly, she petted the baby raptor.

  "This is why Orge is trying his best to bring as many down as he can. The more he pulls, the less she has to feast on."

  "Oh God, I just thought of something that scares the shit out of me." Esmerelda put her hand to her mouth and her eyes flew open. "With each digitized soul she eats, she's growing stronger."

  I nodded. "And with each one we bring down, we grow stronger. It's a race. We're going to eventually have to face her."

  Esmerelda pondered that thought for several minutes. In the meantime, Trexxa had flopped over on her back and was now enjoying belly rubs.

  "Can we defeat her?"

  I shrugged. "Certainly not at the moment. Orge said that the highest level character in the game was a 105th level dragon. That's likely what we're going to have to eventually face."

  Esmerelda shivered.

  "Bad dragon!" Trexxa said suddenly. Both our heads swiveled so fast it wasn't funny.

  "What about the bad dragon, honey?" Esmerelda asked, leaning down and peering intently in her deep-emerald eyes.

  "Kill dragon! Dragon has secret vulnerability."

  Esmerelda looked up at me. "What's she talking about?"

  "Trexxa? What do you mean about the dragon. Do you know something we don't?"

  Trexxa shook her head. "We talk later. Trexxa tired now."

  "She knows something."

  We tucked Trexxa into my pack - it felt weird carrying around my pet on my back - and headed on to Patch's place. The raptor gave us something to think about. Did the dragon - the AI - have some kind of weakness that we could use against her?

  That could be a massive advantage if we could find out what and how to exploit it.

  A light rain began to fall, coating the already wet earth with another layer of water. The walk back to Patch's was fairly quick. It had been awhile since I'd seen him and I was looking forward to catching up on the goings on of the place since I hadn't been around as much. Hopefully he wasn't too sore about the ale Esmerelda borrowed (and paid for).