by Paul Ormond
“Under normal circumstances I would agree with you; however, these are unusual times and urgency was needed. I felt it best if you were to hear it from the source.”
“Hear what from the Source? I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name.”
“Apologies, Madam President. Diplomacy is not my forte, and I’m not used to audiences who do not know me by site. I am Commander Holrathu of Emperor’s Royal Guard, Supreme leader of His Majesties Forces and High Chair of the Master’s Council.”
“That is a lot of titles, Commander. What pressing matters bring you to our world, if I may ask?”
“You may, Madam President. I’m sure you are aware that we have been watching you for sometime. The Great and Glorious Emperor has taken a keen interest in your lovely little planet.”
“What is about our planet that interests your Emperor?”
“He is your Emperor too, I’ll have you know. This quaint civilization of yours sits upon an energy field of considerable abundance. Earth, as you call it, is far more than just a hunk of rock floating in an empty void.”
“It is far more than a hunk of rock to us, Commander. This is our home, and it is beyond precious to the humans who occupy it.”
“Yes, of course, why wouldn’t it be. But you’re not seeing the galaxy for all the stars. Your humble existence, while precious to you, rests upon a reserve of energy vital to the Emperor’s cause.”
“Are you suggesting we relinquish our planet in the aid of your Emperor?”
“That is hardly the case. I didn’t come here to discuss how to carve up your territory, and due to your level of development, you are unable to comprehend the vastness of the subject we are discussing. The Emperor is not your enemy, and we are not interested in fighting another war. I have come here with information that may be of interest to you. I offer you this tidbit of intel with no strings attached, but it would bring great joy to the Emperor’s heart if you were to appreciate our position and listen to what I have to say after I share my knowledge with you.”
“How come every time someone says: ‘no strings attached’ there is always some string attached.”
“Madam President, do not jest in this situation. The information I bring you will greatly impact the security of your realm. Once again, the Emperor is not your enemy, and the harmonious existence of your planet is of the utmost importance to him. There is no horde of ravenous attackers at your gates. The enemy lies within your borders.”
“We have been aware of domestic terrorists for some time, but they still operate on a rather low scale. What information are you offering us, Commander?”
“Something far more insidious than terrorism. As you well know, several individuals slipped through a wormhole on your planet some time ago.”
“Yes, we are aware of this situation, and we have been actively searching for our people since the incident. What you see here is the result of our efforts to bring them home.”
“Yes, by the looks of things you’re climbing the ladder of progress. But these subjects of yours have proven to be a thorn in the side of the Emperor. The disruption they have caused while within our domain has brought considerable damage to our planet, and I fear this path of destruction is heading your way.”
“Apologies, Commander, I’m not sure if I’m following what you are saying.”
“It appears I should be the one apologizing. Please forgive my vagueness, Madam President. Allow me to lay out the situation in a manner clear to all. Is the name Mitch Mythic familiar to you?”
“Of course, he a citizen of the United States, and he vanished through a wormhole earlier this year.”
“That is correct. This young man was present at the disaster involving the ill-fated Robert Chapman.”
“Yes, we are fully aware of the course of events during the MindHIve incident as we call it.”
“Yes, the MindHIve incident. I placed great faith in Robert Chapman, and I truly have only myself to blame for that situation. Should I have foreseen the outcome, I would have altered course, but even the Emperor was blindsided by Robert Chapman’s betrayal.”
“Do you have Chapman in your custody?”
“If he were in my custody, you would hear his cries for mercy across the multi-verse. Unfortunately, he perished in another terrible catastrophe. But Robert Chapman is of little concern at this point. It is Mitch Mythic and his companions that pose an imminent threat to your republic.”
“Those are bold words, Commander. How is it that our own people have become a threat?”
“It appears they have been influenced by an outside party with an ulterior motive. Mitch Mythic is still only a child, and he is easily manipulated. As your intelligence officials well know, Mitch was coerced into action by a terrorist from another domain hell bent on destroying the Emperor’s plans. Mitch fell for this extremist’s line of reasoning and became inundated with radical ideas. After crossing through the portal, Mitch and his companions fell in with a group of terrorist that wish to spread chaos across the galaxy. The leader of this group, a man known as Teron, ordered Mitch and his friends to steal the Emperor’s belongings, which, to our dismay, they managed to accomplish. Emboldened by their victory and in possession of a great power, we believe they will return to earth to start a revolution against the sovereign nations of your world.”
“That is an incredible insinuation, Commander. Do you have any proof of this?”
“Do I have proof? Would I travel across the multi-verse to make a hollow accusation? Madam President, I do not think you realize what it is that I am capable of.”
“No sir, I do not, and that is what frightens me.”
“I assure you, Madam President, I am not a threat to your realm. The Emperor wishes to remain at peace with all of his subjects, and, as I said earlier, he has a great deal of interest in your planet. It is with this in mind that I bring you this information. No one wants to see Earth plummet into chaos and war, the Emperor least of all.”
“We’re going to need to see some evidence of these accusations before we make any decisions, Commander.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Madam President,” Commander Holrathu said before he manifested a large holographic screen in the middle of the room. “Shall we start at the beginning?”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“SAGE HONEY, DON’T you think you’ve been playing that game a little too much?” the voice of Sage’s mother rang out from down the hall.
“I’m not just playing a game here, Mom,” Sage said after he pulled off his VR mask in frustration.
“I understand you boys are worried about your friend, but I’m not sure how playing a video game can help. Poor Mindy Mythic has been worried sick since all of this happened. It seems like a dark cloud came over this town when those MindHIve folks came here and it just never left.”
“You don’t understand, Mom. We’re not playing a game. Well, it is a game, but somebody is leaving clues about Mitch all over the place. If it is real information, then it will help, but if it is a bunch of lies, then I want to get to the bottom of this. Mitch has been missing for months now and nobody is doing anything about it.”
“I think you should let the authorities do their job. If you keep prying like this, you’re going to get yourself in more trouble. Look what happened with that whole MindHIve thing.”
“We saved the world, Mom.”
“By almost getting yourself killed.”
“The big dark cloud hanging over Kingsford is clearly you. No wonder Dad left.”
“You take that back right this instant, Mister. Your father is a self-absorbed alcoholic that ruined this family. He did not leave. I threw him out.”
“Yeah, we all know what happened. I was there. He may be a drunk, but I’m pretty sure it was your incessant nagging that drove him to the bottle.”
“You sound just like him right now. The things I have to put up with from the people in my life. I cannot believe I am hearing these words coming out of my son's mout
h. Go ahead, play your video game, and leave your poor mother here to wallow in misery. I gave up my whole life when I was pregnant with you. To think I just threw it all away. I could have been somebody. I could’ve left this armpit of a town and moved to Longdale, but instead I married your father because I thought he was rich and now look at me. Being berated by my son because I am concerned about his welfare. I feel like I am losing my mind.”
“Why are you being so over dramatic?” Sage said, dropping his headset on his chair and walking over to his mother seated on the sofa. “Dad is a jerk, and you know I’m on your side.”
“It doesn’t seem like it. The way you talk to me sometimes. You treat me like I’m your maid.”
“That is unfair. It’s just been us two in this house since Danny moved away. When have I not helped you out? It is as hard on me as it is on you. All of this craziness in our family, and Mitch missing it’s enough to drive me insane.”
“Oh Sage, I keep forgetting that you are still just a kid. You shouldn’t have to be worrying about all this. You should be enjoying the last few days before your season starts.”
“I wish I could, but this whole Mitch thing has really gotten me down. The guy has battled through a lot and he is such a talented player. I can’t believe he’s not gonna able to go to BC. He poured his heart into getting that scholarship. If he hadn’t been my line mate, I don’t think I would’ve gotten picked up by Longdale.”
“There is nothing wrong with being concerned about your friend, but I just don’t want you getting into trouble. You kids don’t realize how easy it is to screw up your life before you even get started.”
“I’ve gotten a sense of that. Just seeing what happened to Mitch has me terrified of what may come, and that is why I want to help him. He’s my friend, and he’s in trouble.”
“You just be careful, Sage. This MindHIve stuff, whatever it is you’re getting involved with, it sounds dangerous.”
“I’m not doing anything illegal. It’s basically investigating. DeathWorld is filled with players from all over the world. If somebody out there knows what happened to Mitch, then I’m going to find them and make them tell me what they know.”
“You might get in over your head and before you know it, there might be people knocking at our door. I don’t want to be on the news again, Sage.”
“Don’t worry, Mom. You can’t get sucked into a wormhole playing DeathWorld. You can get crushed by a troll, or eaten by a dragon, but there aren’t any wormholes that I know of.”
“Well, I feel better already. Have fun hunting monsters. I’ve got to go and meet my book club. We’re reading a novel about a vampire who falls in love with a mermaid.”
“And you made fun of DeathWorld?” Sage said before his mother grabbed her purse and headed to the door.
“I wasn’t making fun of DeathWorld. I was expressing concern about the amount of time you were spending in a game.”
“It’s not just a game.”
“Of course not, have playing with your friends,” his mother said while she walked out the door into the evening light.
Sighing as he stood from the couch, Sage grabbed his headset and climbed the stairs to his room. He dropped onto his bed and stared at the stuccoed ceiling for a moment before placing the device on his head. The MindHIve logo spun before his eyes while he dropped into a barren landscape. As the loading bar vanished, his HUD dropped into the foreground and he saw a message sent by Candace.
Hitting the button with his outstretched hand, a bubble appeared next to a holographic image of Candace:
“You in yet? I’m waiting near that pond with all those fish people. The ones that keep re-spawning. Find me on the cliff over the water.”
He flipped to the map and saw a green pip flashing on the screen indicating Candace’s location. Sliding the HUD away, he closed down his player screen and looked out across the rocks. Candace wasn’t too far away, but he would have to hump it on foot, which could prove to be dangerous given the terrain.
Stepping into a jog, he found a path leading through the rocks and clambered up the hill until he came to a stand of trees. Sunlight streamed past the thick trunks of the evergreens as he made his way through the woods.
The sound of gnashing teeth caught his attention after he stepped over a fallen log. Glancing past a clump of underbrush, he spotted a large hairy back bent over a bloody carcass enjoying a fresh kill. Careful not to attract any attention to himself, he crept pass the feasting monster only to see a shadow pass over him. A guttural roar rumbled in his ear and he looked up to see a hairy gargilla standing in his path. It gnashed its sharp teeth and pounded its chest before it charged forward.
He dove to his right before a massive fist crashed down behind him.
“Ah man, I hate gargillas,” Sage said after rolled onto his feet and pulled out his claymore. Striking out as the creature bore down on him, he sliced off its arm with one strike. As the gargilla fell to the ground, Sage was struck across the back and he slammed into the base of a tree.
Struggling to his feet, he spun around to see the second creature had finished its meal and was hungry for more. As it lumbered forward, it picked up a large rock and snarled. Raising the rock in the air, it shrieked in agony before it was able to strike. Several blasts of light lit up the forest and the gargilla disintegrated right before Sage.
Wiping the remains of the creature off of his suit, he looked up to see Candace striding forward holding a spell in her hand.
“Took you long enough,” Sage said as he got to his feet.
“I figured something was holding you up. I’d been sitting by that lake for nearly half an hour waiting for you to show up,” Candace said while she shoved the spell into the leather satchel hanging at her side.
“My mom was giving me hell for logging too many hours in here,” Sage said, stepping past the other creature. “Did you run any more of that intel we gathered?”
“I checked it against everything available, but it was still a little vague. Whoever is spreading these rumors is doing a pretty good job of keeping themselves hidden,” Candace said while they walked up the path leading to the cliff. “There’s something fishy about the whole thing. If Mitch really is back, why would he start making announcements on DeathWorld?”
“Yeah, it’s strange. But I’ve got a feeling it has everything to do with these Easter eggs popping up all over the place.”
“Isn’t it weird that they are just letting this go on?” Candace asked. “There is no way the government hasn’t caught onto what is happening. If the Cell really is stashing info all over the world, you’d think they would jump in and try to stop it.”
“Maybe, but we don’t know what is going on behind the scenes. It could be a trap to catch potential terrorists set up by the government. It could also be that they really don’t know what is going on. After everything that has happened, I don’t know what to believe anymore,” Sage said, following Candace up the path. “But I am determined to figure out what happened to Mitch. And I am certain that all of this is the key. We just need to piece it together.”
“Don’t go too far down the rabbit hole, or you won’t know how to get back out,” Candace said before they came to the cliff overlooking the lake.
“I hear that. The problem is I think we might have already gone too far. We’ve been through too much already. There is no going back.”
“You may be right. A year ago I wouldn’t have been caught dead playing an online RPG, but here I am killing gargillas and hunting down Mitch Mythic on a Saturday night. You sure know how to treat a girl, Sage Rhinus.”
“Oh, come on. This is way more fun than a normal date,” Sage said.
“Yeah, it's way more fun than doing something normal like being in the same room as your boyfriend.”
“You’re the one that said we should meet at the lake. I was just following your instructions.”
“After you told me to login.”
“You’re not even a little
curious about what is going on.”
“Of course I’m curious, but I don’t want to spend all my time slashing up ghouls and gathering xp. We have real lives too, remember.”
“I remember, but it’s not like we’re just running around geeking out. This is our friend we’re talking about, and he risked everything to save us. I think we owe it to him to keep looking.”
“Fair enough, but I don’t know if any of this will really make a difference. We could do an online fundraiser or something to help with the investigation.”
“As much fun as that sounds we all know they aren’t gonna tell us anything. This is the only clue we’ve gotten about what happened to Mitch and it just happens to coincide with this big inReal Easter egg dump. My gut tells me all of this is related.”
“Judging by how things have gone, I don’t think you are wrong. But is it bad if I just want to enjoy the last few days of summer? Some girls are getting together at Shaundra’s house. Her parents are out at the lake.”
“A slumber party?”
“Guys can come too.”
“A house party, that’s more like it. I’ll tell you what. Let’s do a little grunt work and then I’ll come pick you up, and we’ll go over to Shaundra’s together.”
“Sounds romantic. Should we slaughter some of these merfolk to gain a level or should we go explore some caves and look for loot?”
“You see, this is nice. We’ll have a DeathWorld date and then a real world date.”
“I don’t know if I count going over to Shaundra’s to drink her parent’s wine a date.”
“All that matters is we’ll be together.”
“I guess that is acceptable. So how do you plan on showing a girl a good time in DeathWorld?”
“Have you every heard of the Valley of the Damned?”
“It sounds charming.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
A BRIGHT GLOW lit up the cluttered shack as XiaoFan raised the smelting pot from the charcoal burner at the center of the room.