NetherWorld

by Daniel Quiles Pagan

  “Careful this is tainted jaba below. Too much exposure will cause very bad things to happen,” warned Whizzy.

  “So this mucky stuff is called jaba? Ok. What does tainted mean?” he asked.

  “Well Click…”

  “The name is Nick.” Nick was suspicious that ReadMe talked with Whizzy.

  “So sorry. Didn’t I say that? Oh well. Anyway, the streams used to run clear in the bold days. Once the viruses rained down on us, we tried to filter the jaba to keep it clean. But the viruses kept coming. We couldn’t filter it fast enough. Then it started turning green and smelling really bad. The stink was strong enough to knock a Byte off his axis.

  “Bytes drink jaba to get their energy, the way you meat eat to get your nourishment. The tainted jaba made us go mad. Our heads spun out of control. Our information began to fragment. Many times, we couldn’t think straight. This made the programs crash on your side. That is why my sentences sometimes sound silly. Don’t let my Blue color fool ya, I am nearly corrupt.”

  “Corrupt?”

  “Once a Byte can no longer properly execute instructions, it is deemed corrupt. Once that happens, it is over, kaput! Those big bad birds, called Batchers, circle us when we get close to corrupt. They can smell the data rotting,” WhizzyWig pointed up a flock of Batchers hovering over a nearby block of the metropolis. Their elderly parrot squawks were drowned out by the city noise.

  “We begin turn green when we become corrupt. It won’t be long before the green gets me. Then the Batchers ship me off to the Bin. If the Batchers don’t get us when we go green, it is an ugly scene, trust me.”

  “I trust ya.”

  “Good. Now follow me across this stream. Like I said, it’s dangerous, so be quick about it.”

  “Why would I want walk through this gunk then? Isn’t there another way to reach the building? Can I just stay outside,” he asked.

  “Not a good idea. The Worms come out at downtime. They are beasts sent from Karbons roaming the streams at night. These leviathans swallow our Bytes whole, leaving just a blue shell. They swim around plucking vagrant Bytes off, one at a time. Swallowed by a Worm is a terrible way to be deleted. I know this is a smelly mess, but it’s for the best. Come. Follow me.”

  “Sounds like I really don’t have a choice,” said Nick. Walking into the stream he sank and was quickly submerged in the cool sticky liquid. He felt the clawed arms of the host pulling him above the stream line. Whizzy helped Nick up onto the platform on the other side of the stream. They stopped under an arched doorway. Both were still coated with jaba from the swim across. Whizzy wobbled and wiggled to disperse the mucky stuff. Nick watched the thick gel snail off his body. Whizzy then shook his crazy hair, sending slimy jaba all over the place.

  “Hey! Watch with the slime pal!” Nick yelled at Whizzy.

  “Oops. Sorry. Just need to keep my tubes tidy. Clean tubes are very important here,” explained Whizzy. NetherWorld values robust looking tube tresses. It was a sign of health and an area of vanity for Bytes. Whizzy was especially proud of his tubes.

  “Okay.”

  “Like I said, my name is WhizzyWig. You can call me Whizzy for short. I am here to escort you to our leader, Tera. This trip will take a little time, so we have arranged for you to rest here first. We leave at first Boot tomorrow. Please follow me to your crib, Sticky.” Whizzy said.

  “By the way your slang is out of date.”

  “I can reduce the slang, but not eliminate it. The slang is programmed into my code. Tera thought speaking slang would help me to vibe with you. You will have to forgive my miscues. Like all Bytes, I am sick with the Taint. The Taint messes with my gourd and rocks my rotation jack.”

  “What exactly is NetherWorld?”

  “NetherWorld, my boy, is another dimension; completely separate any that you know. And you are the first Karbon to ever step foot in our world.”

  “Did you say dimension? You kidding, right? Is this the taint messing with your gourd?” he asked.

  “Taint or not, this is another dimension. We cannot go to your world. We exist only in the computer network you call the World Wide Net. Your people do not even know we exist. When they send a virus or worm to corrupt programs, they are really hurting our world. If we go down the tubes, so do you. Without us, Karbonon will fall apart. You need us. We need Karbons. If something doesn’t change, we’re all doomed.”

  “A world inside the Net? Are you kidding me? That’s crazy,” said a skeptical Nick.

  “Sounds nutty, I know. But, look around. You’re standing in this world right now.”

  “But how? When? This is too much!” Nick’s head was swimming with this new revelation. It must be a dream, he thought to himself.

  “NetherWorld was born of the Connections. Towers, once isolated joined as computers and reached out to one another. Over time, as all Karbon computers connected, Netherworld was hatched. You made our world by connecting your computers. We are the unintended consequence of Karbon computer connections. We became self aware soon after the world was created. A great internal explosion took place once enough connections were made. The critical mass created our leader, Tera, in this divine combustion. She gathered our leaders and helped organize our world. It is Tera, we will meet. She is one hot mama, Picky boy. All the Bytes dream about her.”

  “This is just incredible. Well, when I wake up, I’ll have to remember this crazy dream. Fine. Let’s see this Tera you mentioned,” said Nick, ignoring Whizzy’s continued butchering of his name. Might as well see this dream through, he thought.

  “There’s much to discuss. Both our worlds are in danger. Tera will explain it all. Until then follow me to your room and rest. It is almost Downtime.” explained Whizzy. The door slid open revealing an elevator of sorts. Whizzy guided Nick into the elevator.

  The Bytes were housed inside buildings during downtime. They moved in and out of buildings the rest of the time. When in transit, they carried vital information needed by programs in other parts of NetherWorld. Each building contained specific collections of data grouped according to a specific system of organization. In order for programs in Karbonon to work, data must be moved and deposited according to the commands of the Karbon users.

  “Where will you be during this Downtime?” he asked.

  “I will be zoning out. All us Bytes get loopy during Downtime, so we shack up at home. One Downtime without rest and we Bytes can turn into Beserks. It is not a pretty sight.”

  “Ok, I guess. Is downtime like sleep?”

  “A mix of sleep and stupor. The tainted jaba plays with our minds. Time to get you to your room.”

  “I don’t feel tired. Can’t we just continue? I would really like to finish this dream and wake up.”

  “I’m a mess without my daily download during downtime.”

  “I wouldn’t want to corrupt you any further Whizzy. I’ll just play this thing out.”

  With that, Whizzy whirled around, a tangle of long white tubes followed along. He marched his plunger feet toward the elevator. The doors slid open revealing a stark metallic space. They entered the sterile looking room. An ambient glow lit the elevator as the doors shut.

  When the elevator ascended he could see outside the building. Reaching an incredible height, Nick could see the panorama of Netherworld. The Walled City was vast indeed. He knew of no city in his home world that appeared as immense.

  Glass-like buildings stretched on as far as he could see. Nick could see that most of the Bytes had left the streets to retire for Downtime. Only a few spotty globes trekked about. Large neon red serpents slithered throughout the streams in the twilight. Opening their gaping maws, they gobbled up these tardy blue dots leaving black shells in their wake.

  These were the worms, created by the Hacker, harassed Bytes from Downtime to Boot. There were far too many blue globes to eat, but the worms were making a dent in the population. The streams were busy, but precarious passageways in NetherWorld. As Downtime dimmed the cityscape, blue d
ots scattered back into the buildings. All that remained in the jaba streams were the glowing reds worms. Their crimson serpentine bodies wended their way through crisscrossing alleys. They radiated in the twilight of NetherWorld, glowing red wigglers in an otherwise stark metropolis in repose.

  On the other side, Nick saw the great forest from which he came. From this height, he could see that the forest and the field wrapped around the moated city. In the Nether twilight, he saw that the silver trees were losing ground to the Black Death. A hard rain draped the trees. He could still see that there was little pristine forest remaining. The fields he walked though were similarly afflicted. In fact, the murky lime stream overflowed in the field, created a swampy expanse. Dying stalks far outnumbered the healthy silver blades. What was happening here? This world was dying by means of another dimension? It smelled of rot and sewage. Too strange, he thought.

  The elevator stopped near the top of the building. Whizzy escorted him out in to the hallway. She led him to another doorway not far away.

  “This will be your room for the night,” he said. “Please rest. We’ll be trippin’ tomorrow. Downtime calls me Nippy boy.” By this time everything outside was steeped in black.

  Chapter 7

  Downtime

  Book of TranFor: The viral will prove our undoing unless that which lies under is addressed. The matter of matter must be solved.

  “How will I know when Downtime is over? Does a sun rise or something?” he said to Whizzy.

  “Darkness covers Netherworld until the Boot. The Boot brings light and all activity resumes. Please stay in your room during Downtime. Unspeakable dangers lurk in the Nether Shadows. I cannot guarantee your safety.” he said. Silicates measure time in three distinct quantities; ticks, boots, and cycles.

  Ticks feel like seconds in Karbonon, but are actually mere fractions of a Karbon second. Boots represent the days for Silicates. Of course, Boots are considerably shorter than Karbon days. Cycles represents years to Bytes. These too are far more fleeting than the annual cycles on Karbonon.

  All of NetherWorld retires for downtime. This version of evening is so ephemeral; Karbons never notice a dip in processing speed. Downtime begins and ends quicker than the click of a mouse.

  “Ok. I think I’ll just stay here until the Boot, as you call it.” Looking around the room, Nick examined his accommodations. The room contained no couch, no bed and a very large flatscreen embedded in a white fish scale wall. Beside it were several ports for plugging in tubes. Sterile roomscapes appeared to be the norm for Netherworld.

  “You Silicates aren’t much for decorating. Every room looks like an abandoned mental hospital,” said Nick of antiseptic way station.

  “For a Karbon maybe. It works just fine for us,” replied Whizzy.

  “Do I get to sleep while you connect with yourself? I don’t see a bed. Heck, I don’t even see a couch.” The room was barren, save a flatscreen embedded in the south wall. Bytes connected with the flatscreens via ports on the wall to download Data for transport. Once connected, the ambient color of the flatscreen fills the room and is amplified by the silicon scale window.

  “We don’t have these things you describe. Karbon comforts weren’t considered in our world. This is our Skoop room. Skoop is our general information liaison. You’re welcome to interact with Skoop as you rest. We’ve uploaded some historical information for you.”

  “Maybe there will be some good channels. How do you turn this thing on? I don’t see a remote anywhere?”

  “Skoop is voice activated. Just ask it to activate.”

  “Ok. Works for me.”

  “I’ll return at the Boot. Later Bicker”

  “Ok. Don’t take too long. Not exactly comfortable standing around or sitting on the floor.”

  With that, Whizzy whirled his silicon tubes toward the door and exited the room. The room had a floor to ceiling windows on the north side. He could not be certain of the direction, given the lack of any discernable sun focus a compass.

  He could see the twilight sky outside beginning continuing to dim. Within seconds, everything outside was pitch black. His room also darkened. The feverish blinking of rooms slowed to darkness. The current under the streams also ceased during down time. Each alley became a stagnant gelled street patrolled by glowing red worms searching for wayward Bytes. When the current stalled, the sewage stink of taint festered in dark alleys.

  Turning toward the flatscreen, he approached the virtual database. As he walked within a few feet, he asked the screen turned on.

  “Skoop, are there any lights in here?” inquired Nick. The blank screen cast ambient white light throughout the room. This was magnified by the fish scale window. It was the only light in the vast Nether Metropolis during Downtime.

  “Welcome Master Nick. We are your NetherWorld Database. Ask questions and we will educate.” stated the soft feminine voice. Since he was more or less trapped during the Downtime, he figured what the heck? “First, please join us in the CelePent Creed, Master Nick,” requested the flatscreen informant.

  “What the heck is the CelePent creed?”

  “It is a vesper recited every Downtime. All believers must recite the creed at the exact same time to be heard by the Awakened Ones.”

  “What if I don’t want to recite your creed?”

  “We will recite it despite your position. We only invite you so you can reach out to the Awakened.”

  “Knock yourself out, my friend.”

  With that, the screen went blank. Words began scrolling up on the screen. The room audibly recited the CelePent Creed as the words scrolled. Flowing pink hues crowned the flatscreen.

  CelePent Creed

  Awakened process our plea

  We spin humbly in your energy

  Please grant us access when we Join

  For Joining is just the subroutine

  Our logic dictates the circuits

  Our files opened before you

  Connections bore our world

  We operate for you

  Please supply us eternal current

  The Silicates will shed the body

  Becoming energy incarnate

  So says the prophet AldAyn

  So say the Nethers

  “That was… interesting. Who exactly are these Awakened?” he asked. The screen switched back to the white light.

  “They are the energy that flows through all dimensions. They exist on every plane and no plane at the same time. We have all felt their energy at times, but we could not identify the source. If you have ever had a ‘hunch’ or ‘feeling’ about something, you have been touch by Those Already Awakened.”

  “What is the Awakening?”

  “After the Queen joins with the Chosen One, our world will achieve a state of Awakening. We will shed this dimension and join Those Already Awakened.”

  “Chosen One? That’s what PAL called me before this crazy trip started?”

  “That is correct Master Nick. You are the Chosen One. You passed the test and crossed the threshold. We planted this test in your video game, Subway Heroes, to find the Karbon most suited for the Joining. We knew the Chosen One would be able conquer any barrier to entry. As such, we created an impossible set of Riddles to deter the unworthy. You were the first to break this barrier. This proves that you are the Chosen One.”

  “All I did was hack into your code and program the Demon to let me in.”

  “Exactly. That was no easy task. We provided many levels of encryption, yet you were able to get in. You are the Chosen One.”

  “What is this Joining? What exactly am I supposed to do with this Tera?”

  “The Book of TranFor states: The Chosen One must Join with Tera to achieve the Awakening. Your bodies will become one body. The power of the union will open the Door to Those already Awakened.”

  “What is the Book of TranFor?”

  “This is the text prepared by the Virtual One, AldAyn. It is written that AldAyln was touched by the taint. He peaked t
hrough the dimensional door. He was lost in visions for many cycles. Inspired by those already Awakened, he composed the sacred script that lays out the Virtual path. He lived long ago in the age of DOS. During that time, we had just left the silos, barely connected. AldAyn spread the word to all Servers.”

  “Who is AldAyn?”

  “AldAyn is considered the great Seer of NetherWorld. He suffered the tainted jaba without ill effect. The taint brought him to Those Already Awakened. There, he saw the quantum wisdom. He wrote the Book of TranFor under the Nexus dome.”