by Quinn Dallas
"What is this place?" I marveled at the entire spectacle.
"Aliens Miss Prescott!" the professor snapped another photo. "We've found them!"
"YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING," my jaw dropped. Sure, it was one thing to talk about aliens in theory. But to actually find concrete evidence of them? I took in as much of the scene as I could. Centered among the carved symbols was a huge golden spiral. The enormous etching glinted in the light. The deep spiral grooves decorated with various polished stones. I touched the wall and ran my fingers over the surface.
"Careful young lady," the professor took more photos. "That spiral is ancient. We don't want to ruin it."
"There's something odd here," I responded. I went over the data in my mind. Was it possible this was a hoax? In the center of the spiral a huge crystal was embedded. How had a tribal people managed such craftsmanship?
"We should exercise caution Professor," I pulled my hand away from the wall. "This could be a cruel trick or worse."
"No, I'm convinced!" He shook his head, "That's why I came here. There's a mountain of evidence back in my office supporting my theories." The old man shivered with excitement. "A lifetime of work, proven at last!"
"While these carvings appear aged," I continued. "They were most definitely created using technology. There's no way ancient people could inlay these stones into the cave wall!" That was when I heard it. A slow hum that emanated from behind the wall. "Professor, do you hear that?"
"Yes, I do." he stopped taking photos. "Where is the video recorder on this thing?"
"Here," I took the phone from him and tapped the video icon. "Just hold it up and press record." The professor took the camera from me and stepped back to get a better view of the enormous spiral.
"Look something is happening!" his voice raised to an excited pitch.
The humming had become louder and I pressed my ear against the wall to listen. "The sound seems to be coming from behind the wall," I called out. "Is it noise from nearby construction or the highway?"
"No," he aimed the phone to get better video.
Once more, I pressed my fingertips against the inlaid spiral. It hummed with power. Whatever was happening had grown in intensity. Soon the walls shook with vibration. The center crystal began to glow. Small pebbles and debris fell from the cave ceiling.
"This shaft is collapsing," I called out. "We have to get out!" The professor didn't move. Instead, he stood there with his eyes wide. Warm air tingled along my back. Behind me the semiprecious stones on the wall hummed brightly with power. The light emanating from them so strongly the entire cavern grew bright as day!
A blast of air blew my hair back as the ancient spiral vibrated. I wanted to run, but my feet were planted firmly in the ground.
"Amy!" the professor called out. Yet I couldn't move. Four tendrils of energy sprung from the glowing center crystal. Each one attaching itself to my limbs. I winced in pain as the tendrils penetrated my flesh. Finally, a fifth beam of light emerged. The glowing arm of energy snaked towards my face. It hovered for a bit and then sprung towards me. I shook as the beam penetrated my forehead. An electric tingle ran over my body. The tendrils poured some unknown type of energy into me. I couldn't resist. I felt the odd sensation of something probing around the edge of my thoughts. I was losing consciousness.
White light surrounded me. My body floated in what appeared to be a tunnel of energy. Some force I couldn't explain continued to pull me. Too terrified to scream, my heart beat like a drum. An explosion of multicolored light overtook me and then there was darkness. A holographic display screen flickered into view. I marveled as a series of alien looking characters scrolled in front of me. Soon they dissolved and transformed into English. I read the message that appeared in glowing blue letters:
CRANIAL CONNECTION COMPLETE.
TRANSLATION MATRIX SUCCESSFUL.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS OPEN.
DIGITIZATION PROCESS 75% COMPLETE.
INITIALIZING PLAYER MATRIX PARAMETERS.
DIGITIZATION PROCESS 80% COMPLETE.
“What in the world is a digitization process?” I asked aloud. Somehow the Alien Technology was transmitting information into my brain. How exactly was it doing this and why? The holographic screen blinked and a new message appeared:
NEW PLAYER MATRIX PARAMETERS FOUND:
RACE: ELF
GENDER: FEMALE
CLASS: BARD
SUBCLASS: COURTESAN
TRAINING SCENARIO: 0456 A 9945 6798 Z
DIGITIZATION PROCESS COMPLETED.
The data stream flickered and then vanished. An image of me appeared and hovered in mid air. Next, the familiar image dissolved into a pixelated blur and then reformed. The transformation startled me. For one, the body was much more shapely, with generous breasts and hips. Her hair was much lighter and hung waist length. Rounded ears were now pointed. The entire image looking eerily identical to the figurine setting on my desk at home.
"Holy Crap it's Arwyn," I said aloud. "I'm transforming into an elf!" Normally, a role-playing nerd like myself would've been beyond excited. The alien machinery had plucked images of my role-playing character from my mind. Before I could process these events another floating message appeared:
SUBJECT TRANSFER TO CHALLENGE ENVIRONMENT WILL BEGIN SHORTLY.
A falling sensation overtook me. I plummeted downwards in the darkness, unable to control my descent. As I fell unconscious I wondered if this was my last moment of life.
A HOT BLAST OF AIR woke me. My head pounded and ached. Did anyone get the number of that truck? I mumbled while drawing up into a sitting position. The heat was unbearable. As I steadied myself with my hands, they dug into the sand. Sand? Through my blurred vision - the landscape before me came into focus. I was in the middle of an unforgiving desert.
This strange landscape was so breathtaking that for a second I forgot about the scorching heat which beat down upon me. The unearthly sky above looked like an angry painting, with streaks of red and orange. Saffron colored clouds floated above, forming a colorful kaleidoscope. But it was the bright red sun that took my breath away. It hung like a sparkling ruby, shining so brightly that I shielded my eyes.
I definitely wasn't in Ohio anymore. Wherever I'd been spirited, I needed to find shelter from the beastly heat. Not sure which direction I should go in, I spoke aloud: “Where Am I?”
To my surprise a HUD display materialized before me. The glowing screen hovered and a message began to scroll:
CHARACTER: ARWYN DAYSTAR
LOCATION: THE BLIGHTED LANDS (SOUTHERN DESERT)
MISSION OBJECTIVE: FIND SHELTER
So this was a surprise, apparently I had an objective to achieve. It dawned on me how much like a game my current predicament was. Well, good enough then. Playing games was my area of expertise. Perhaps I could find a way out this mess. Taking some time to think, I finally came up with a command.
I spoke aloud, “Display Map Please!”
The hovering screen flickered and a topographical map took its place. A glowing red circle obviously indicated where I was. Studying the mission-map l noticed an area to the west, circled in green. That must be my destination! I tapped the screen for more information. However, no response came. Instinctively, I waved my hand and the display map vanished. It seemed as if I was getting the hang of this! It appeared that I had been transported into some kind of gaming environment.
Realizing there was no other choice I headed westward. It seemed like I had walked forever. As I climbed over a steep hill, the hopelessness of my situation became clear. I was surrounded by a wilderness of sand. An endless terrain of dunes and whipping dust devils lay out before me. There were countless desolate hills dotting the area. It was like being in a vast ocean made of sand. My shoulders fell when I realized there wasn't a drop of water in sight.
There was sand in front of me, behind me, on all sides, and underneath me. Gazing at the distant view, loneliness and desperation filled my heart.
I was doomed!
A child of the digital age, I'd never truly been alone. There was always someone just a phone call or instant message away. I laughed as I pondered what the appropriate Facebook status for this event would be.
It awed and frightened me that I was so far away from home. There was no doubt that I was no longer on earth. The red sun and strangely tinted sky gave me all the evidence I needed. My entire life I'd been obsessed with the idea discovering new worlds. With geeky abandon I wondered what it would be like to visit another realm. Now all I wanted was to see home again. The endless desert loomed before me. A vast expanse of sand. Never had I felt so lonely or thirsty. I knew somehow this experience was virtual. Created by alien machinery for some purpose, I didn't quite understand. But the thirst felt painfully real. The science-geek in me knew that the human body can go for three weeks without food. But water was a different story. Sixty-percent of our bodies are made of water and each living cell needs it to survive. If I didn't get water within three days- would I die? Was this alien simulation just real enough to kill me?
Even though the energy was sapped from my body, my thirst motivated me to walk, one tired step at a time. There were no signs of visible life in this strange desert. Not even a hint of insects and reptiles around. I wondered if any such creatures were alive underneath the sand heaps. But this unfamiliar landscape was perfectly void. There weren't even any visible rocks or boulders. Every area of this expanse was covered in lifeless sand. The silence was the most disturbing. Only the wind whipping was audible. A low and ghostly wail that made me shudder.
"Well, Amy," I wiped sweat from my forehead. "You always wanted a real adventure!" When I had almost given up, that's when the circle of hills loomed into view. I squinted at the rocky ring ahead of me. The tops were covered in green! Hoping I hadn't gone delusional, I made out what appeared to be a tall palm tree peeking out above the ringed rock wall. That meant there was water! The holographic map appeared. The green indicator glowing, letting me know that I'd nearly reached my destination.
I ran toward the rock wall, my feet pounding the sand. Not stopping until a disturbing sound reached my ears- CLICK CLICK CLICK!
"Don't turn around," I chanted to myself. If I didn't look, then I wouldn't see what was behind me. Yet an overwhelming sense of danger fell over me. I swallowed hard and looked over my shoulder.
The thing behind me could best be described as a giant scorpion. It was covered in a thick brownish shell. With two large arms ending in menacing pincers that reached towards me. A large and mottled barbed-tipped tail arched over the creature's hard-shell body. It opened and closed its snapping insect-like mandible. Suddenly a floating display window materialized before me. I read it with dread.
CREATURE: DESERT SCORPION SPIDER
FIGHTING SKILL: EXCELLENT +3
ARMOR CLASS: EXOSKELETON +1
MOVEMENT: 22 MPH
ATTACKS: POISONOUS BILE
ATTACK BONUS: MELEE +2
The gamer in my assessed the situation quickly. I had no weapon on hand, and as far as I knew no fighting skills. My destination was about a yard away. In the real world, I could run pretty fast. So making a run for the marked destination appeared to be my best choice. Chances were good I'd make make it. There was no way hand-to-hand combat with a poisonous giant spider would work. So running it was.
The creature lifted it bug-like head and let out a disturbing gurgle. It's multifaceted eyes focused on me. Green venom dripped from its mandibles and landed on the sand with a hiss. Great! It had acid saliva- I prayed it wasn't a ranged attack. Do you remember that scene from Jurassic Park? The one where the fat guy gets a face full acid and is devoured by a pack of Dilophosaurs? I had no intention of meeting the same fate. Not wasting any time I ran towards the rock wall. It might be safer there. Perhaps I could climb high enough to avoid being a giant scorpion-spider's lunch.
Chapter 3
Run! I willed my tired legs to move. My feet pounded the sand with dull thuds as I urged myself towards the hill ring ahead. CLICK CLICK, CLICK! The relentless giant spider was on my heels. It's fetid stench warning me that the beast was inches behind me. Fighting back my intense fear I kept moving. Stopping meant certain death. Blood roared in my ears as I approached the steep hill wall ahead.
The mysterious ring of hills ahead seemed strangely out of place. As if someone invisible hand had plopped it in the middle of this desolate place. HISS! The sand next to me sizzled. The hungry beast had spit acid at me and missed. Luck had saved me from a very painful death. But how long would such a lucky streak last?
Not daring to look behind I kept running. Years of high-school track had its benefits. When I reached the wall my heart dropped. A daunting wall of smooth rock greeted me. I could possibly climb it, but not before my insect hunter had caught me for its next meal. I veered right on instinct. HISS! A blast of acid struck the wall. Lucky again! As I rounded a corner something caught my eye. There was a person-sized crack in the hill wall. Wasting no time, I squeezed into the crevice. While a tight fit, I just managed to get in before the beast caught up with me.
Its claws snapped at the opening, but were unable to reach me. I backed as far into the crevice as I could, it's rocky walls scratching my knees. There was barely enough room for me. Had I been just a few pounds heavier, I'd never have made it. Bits of rocky debris pelted me from above as the scorpion-beast scraped at the crevice with its pincers. No matter how hard it, tried it couldn't reach me. The giant insect pressed one of its unblinking eyes against the opening. I gave it the middle-finger
"Fuck you beastie, you won't be eating me today!" As if it understood me, it screeched and head butted the crevice. Frustrated that today's catch had eluded it
More pebbles pelted me and I wondered how long I could last in this tight space. There wasn't even room to sit down. A cool breeze brushed against my skin. There must be an opening on the other side. Pressing my hands against the cave wall, I scooted along. Fighting claustrophobia the entire way. If I became stuck, it would be the end. Perhaps being eaten by a giant scorpion would've been a quicker death?
The narrow passage widened as I made progress along it. This allowed me some more freedom of movement. Sunlight and air flowed from an opening at the end of the chamber. I forced myself ahead towards precious freedom. Before long I'd reached the exit and stepped into paradise.
An oasis surrounded me. Large palm trees surrounded a clear blue spring. The chirping of what sounded like birds greeted me. Steep stone walls surrounded this place. The archaeologist in me theorized this was a large crater of some kind. Over time sand and rock and accumulated around the sides, creating a formidable wall.
A metallic sounding ding rang out, and a Holo-screen appeared before me. I read the displayed messages with interest as they scrolled by:
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE EARNED THE FOLLOWING ACCOMPLISHMENTS...
FAST MOVING PREY: YOU AVOIDED BEING DEVOURED BY A GIANT SCORPION-SPIDER!
DESERT EXPLORER: YOU DISCOVERED THE HIDDEN OASIS. LOOK FOR WATER!
Too exhausted to be elated I scanned my surroundings. This place had the feel of being artificially created. Had the alien game crafted this oasis to give me shelter from the harsh desert? The plants were spaced in a such way that hinted at agriculture. Everything too neatly placed and arranged to have sprung up by accident. All thoughts of analysis were overridden by one strong survival instinct- Water! The large blue pond in the center of this garden drew me towards it.
With caution I sniffed the pond. The water didn't smell stagnant. It was a familiar clear blue. It seemed to support the local plant and animal life, so I assumed it would be safe for me. And if it wasn't—it beat being eaten alive by a sand scorpion. I cupped my hand and drew some water to my mouth. The crisp, clear taste of it was the most satisfying thing I'd experienced in a lifetime. Thirst overtook me, as I quickly scooped more handfuls of water into my dry mouth. My body welcomed the nourishing liquid. Before long I felt much better than be
fore. A translucent display popped up and I read the following:
YOU HAVE CONSUMED WATER: YOUR CONSTITUTION AND ENDURANCE HAVE IMPROVED!
Interesting, being a gamer, I wondered exactly what sort of stats I had. Scanning the hovering display I noticed there was a tab that read CHARACTER SHEET. Curious, I tapped it gently with my fingertip. The display flickered and entirely new set of information appeared:
NAME: ARWYN
RACE: Daystar ELF
PRIMARY CLASS: BARD
SUBCLASS: COURTESAN
Well, this was interesting. The Rogue class I was familiar with, but a courtesan? I knew what they were in the real world. Yet how would such a class play in a RPG game setting? Intrigued, I touched the SUBCLASS option with my forefinger. Once again the display flickered and more information scrolled by:
SUBCLASS DESCRIPTION - COURTESAN:
THE COURTESAN IS BOTH QUICK-WITTED AND CAPTIVATING. HER HIGH LEVELS OF CHARISMA ENABLES THE USE OF SIGNATURE SKILLS “BEGUILE” AND “SEDUCTION”. WHILE NOT A FRONT LINE FIGHTER, SHE'S AN EXPERT IN GATHERING INFORMATION AND DISGUISE. COURTESAN'S EXCEL IN THE ARTS OF PERSUASION, MANIPULATION, AND INSPIRATION. HER PRESENCE IS INSPIRING TO HER ALLIES, GRANTING FRIENDS A +TO HIT BONUS.
I mulled over the class description and wondered how such skills could help me survive in the wilderness. While I usually enjoyed playing a Rogue, this subclass I'd been arbitrarily assigned sounded all but useless. Wanting to know more I selected SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES next. An entirely new set of information appeared:
DEXTERITY: EXCELLENT (+2)
STRENGTH: AVERAGE (+0)
CONSTITUTION: AVERAGE (+0)
ENDURANCE: EXCELLENT (+3)
INTELLIGENCE: AVERAGE (+0)
WISDOM: AVERAGE (+0)
These were standard attributes I was familiar with. However, the whole scenario seemed curious. How in the hell had an Alien AI managed to know so much about MMO's? Perhaps it had plucked the information from my brain. If this was some sort of hallucination being fed into my mind by aliens, what did they hope to gain? Being a science-geek a I considered a few scenarios. This could be some sort of training program, used to teach alien explorers about a new culture. Or perhaps it was how the AI had chosen to communicate with me in particular.