by Matt Moss
“Thanks. For everything.”
She stares at me, blinks, then walks into the portal.
I open up a teleport for me and Gio.
“Ready to go home?”
“I’m ready,” he says.
Back at the bridge.
“Let me see it. I want to see it again,” Gio says eagerly.
I search my inventory. A sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
It’s gone.
Giology can see the concern on my face. He becomes enraged.
“No! Tell me you have the staff!”
I shake my head, dumbfounded, unable to understand how Deana stole it from me so quickly. She was next to me for only a second, and I didn’t even get the sense that she was trying to rob me.
“NO!” Giology yells, then logs off.
How many times am I going to get robbed?
Damn.
Alterlife goes black as Giovisi turns my power supply off.
23
Desperation
18 HOURS UNTIL THE BLOOD MOON
I come back to reality inside the room at Like New Cleaners and feel the urge to strain against my bonds. It’s futile to break free, I know. But what I’ve been doing in Alterlife lately—with all of my powers and abilities—I want that here.
I want to fly.
But my body won’t let me. It’s weak. Helpless.
Destined to crumble into dust.
Is this where I will die?
Blinking, my eyes focus on Giology who is standing in front of me, breathing heavily and trying to control his emotions.
He clenches his jaw, crinkles his nose, crouches down and looks me in the eye. “Your friend Deana may have just killed all hope that we had in destroying the gods.”
“It’s fine. We don’t need the staff.”
He punches the concrete floor, stands up, takes a deep breath and crosses his arms. “I hope you are right about that. Because if the gods are not destroyed, humanity will come to an end. If we fail our mission, then it is all over.”
I adjust myself to sit taller in the brown, leather recliner. “We won’t fail.”
Giovisi narrows his eyes at me, then exits the room, leaving the door open.
I know what he’s doing.
Time for my medicine.
He returns with a syringe in hand. Places the pills in my palm.
“That’s too much,” I tell him.
He sticks the needle in my arm. I barely feel it anymore. Barely feel anything anymore.
“I’m upping the dosage. We’re at a pivotal point now, and we need the best Ace we can get.” Tosses the empty syringe onto the floor after he’s through. Hands me a glass of water. “I’ve reached my six-hour time limit for today. I’ll be back on in eight hours. Until then, keep training. While I’m away, I’ll go over our strategy for the war.”
“Okay.”
He leaves the room and locks the door.
I stand up and feel my legs tingle with numbness. Take baby steps.
Sure. I’ll jump right back in.
No problem.
Ol’ Ace will save the day.
Right after I piss in this five-gallon bucket.
Back on the grind. Back in the arena.
The guild continues to train.
After taking a hour-long beating from over a thousand players, we take a five minute break to swap groups.
Intelligence from constantly using Heal, Durability from taking physical attacks, Magic Resistance from withstanding their spells—all of my stats are through the roof. I don’t know if I can get any more powerful than I am now.
I’ll take on the guilds and the gods myself…
Slow down, big dog. You’re not that powerful.
It’s going to take every player here to win this war.
Though we’re outnumbered by a million, and we just lost the one item that could have swung the odds heavily in our favor, the Saviors are optimistic overall.
Why wouldn’t they be? They’ve never been in a war before. They know nothing of it.
They’re about to.
Time passes in the arena much more quickly than normal. It’s because I’m forced to stay alert; constantly monitoring my health and ready to use Heal at a moment’s notice. I also have to keep everyone else on their toes and not let them get distracted, though I rarely have to put somebody in line. They know when to ease off, when to restore my health, and when to hammer me with all they’ve got.
I’m proud of them. They’ve come a long way in a short amount of time.
The training suddenly stops.
“I didn’t order you to stop. Who gave the command?” I ask, breaking a Heal spell and leveling my senses.
“I did,” Precious says, walking towards me. Everyone backs up and gives her room but, judging by the looks on their faces, they remain ready to turn their attacks onto her at a moment’s notice. She’s a deserter. A traitor, for all we know.
The Dark Elf Assassin stands in front of me. “We need to talk.”
I hold my arms out. “Speak freely, then. We are all one guild here.”
“Alone.”
I move to protest—to tell her that whatever she has to say can be said in front of everyone—but think it wise to abide by her. She’s barely said ten words to me since we’ve known each other, and I take her words seriously.
“Alright.” I turn and speak to the guild. “You all continue to train. I’ll be back soon.”
We leave the arena among countless murmurs and whispers.
“You know they don’t trust you anymore, right? You left.”
“I know,” she says and keeps her black eyes straight ahead.
Removed from the arena and walking near the edge of the ravine, we find ourselves alone. “Alright, nobody’s around now. What do you have to say?”
She continues to walk as she speaks. “The King’s Blood has the Staff of Deity.”
“Tell me something I don’t know. Deana stole it from me.”
Precious snaps her gaze to me. “You were the one found worthy of the item? Deana said that she was.”
I scratch my head. “Yeah. I’m pretty sure Bart is a bad judge of character if he found me worthy.” I grin at her and catch the faintest hint of amusement in return. “But he did give it to me. And Deana did steal it.”
She fixes her eyes on the road ahead. “Xena is going to use the staff to control Thal after the rite. Through him, they will wield a power strong enough to destroy Alterlife.”
I shake my head. “I don’t understand. If the Gamemasters want to spread the virus to the real world, why would they want the gods to destroy Alterlife? That doesn’t make any sense. The virus is part of Alterlife. One has to play the game in order to contract the virus.”
She looks towards the palace in the distance. “It’s what I heard Xena say to Davi. They didn’t see me; didn’t know I was listening.”
Does that mean the Gamemasters and the gods have their own agendas? Are they playing against one another? The Gamemasters are using the gods like a dog on a leash.
Perhaps the dogs are about to bite back.
If that’s the case then, logically, the gods want the opposite of what the Gamemasters want.
To destroy Alterlife. So they can free themselves from the Gamemasters.
But why? Wouldn’t that destroy them as well?
Who knows? Maybe they’ve found a way out…
“Still hold faith in the gods, Precious?”
She takes a moment to think. “Yes. I believe they’re out of their fucking minds.”
I laugh out loud. “Can’t argue with that.” We step onto the bridge, stop, and turn to face one another. “Does that mean you’re back on our side?”
She cocks her head. “I never left the Saviors. I never will.”
I stick my hand out to shake. “I’m glad you’re with us.”
She grips my hand. “I have a message for you. It’s from Deana. She wants to talk to you; says to meet her in the place you first me
t, six hours from now.”
The tavern in Eden.
What angle are you playing, Deana?
Why does she want to see me? And after everything she’s done?
Don’t even think about going. It’s a trap. She can’t be trusted.
“Do the gods and the Gamemasters know we’re coming for them?” I ask.
She cocks her head, as if the question is ridiculous. “Of course they know. That whole vendetta you started with Cari and the gods? Yeah, it’s enough to make everyone believe you’re coming for them. They’re ready for you, and have been for awhile now.”
“That’s good. I’d hate to disappoint so many people.”
She turns to me, and does well to choke back whatever emotion she has. “On the day of war, I shall stand with you, beside my brothers and sisters, a proud warrior of Thannadas.”
“That’s today, Precious,” I remind her.
She smiles. “Right.” Opens a portal. “See you soon.”
After she leaves, I walk to the side of the bridge and look down.
Raise my eyes to the sky.
I don’t give a shit what the Gamemasters have planned, or what the gods want to do.
I have my own agenda.
And nothing is going to stop me.
I’m going to kill ‘em all.
Gio logs in and requests my presence at his palace.
I make my way through the NPCs working in the garden and in the palace, and find it peculiar that they have no notion of the world turning around them. They simply do what they were programmed to do, and that’s it.
Ignorance is bliss.
I climb the steps and meet Gio in his chamber. He turns as I walk through the door.
“How is training going?”
“Same as it has been. Good.”
He clasps both hands behind his back. “Your wife came by the cleaners last night. She was caught on camera snooping around, trying to find a way to break in.”
Jenny. She still thinks there’s a chance I’m at the cleaners, or that, if nothing else, there’s a clue there as to my whereabouts.
I love her so much. God, I wish I could hold her right now.
“Where is she?” I ask, my excitement of hearing about my wife quickly fading away into anger towards the man that stands in front of me.
Just kill him. End his life.
Virus aside, I don’t know if players actually die in real life if they die in the game. I haven’t heard of any cases in quite some time. Maybe at one time they did, but things continue to change. Whether Gio dies here or not, it still doesn’t change my situation. I’m still locked inside the cleaners with no way out.
My only hope is that someone comes to save me.
“Your wife is back home, I’m assuming. But it wouldn’t be wise of her to come around anymore.”
“If you even think about touching her, I’ll…”
“You’ll what?” Gio threatens.
The urge to end his life in this world is strong. But I remind myself that it wouldn’t do any good.
I take a deep breath and speak calmly. “I’ll kill you. One way or another, if you even think about doing anything to her, I’ll break free, and I’ll kill you.”
He raises his chin. “Kill the gods, and I’ll set you free. After that, I don’t care what you do.” He turns and walks to his balcony. Speaks to me with his back turned.
“Resume training, Commander. Our time is running out.”
I log out for a moment before going back to the arena.
Deakins. I know you’ve been gone for a while, and I don’t even know if you’re listening. If you can hear me, I need your help…
I give Deakins my wife’s name, address, phone number—everything he needs to get ahold of her. I don’t know how, or even if, he can help. I just hope he can. Somehow.
I also tell Deakins my location and who has me detained.
They’re armed and dangerous, Deakins. Tell her to bring help and to be cautious.
Talking to an artificial program that’s embedded in my psyche is not something twenty-year-old John Crussel would have ever thought he would be doing. Yet, here I am.
If only I knew then what I know now.
Please, Deakins. It’s my only hope.
I train in the arena for the next few hours until an alert lets me know it’s time to meet with Deana.
“Meric, see to the training. I’ve got something I need to do and will return shortly.”
Meric nods. “Yes, Commander.”
Outside the arena, I open a portal for Eden.
Back in Eden, I stand at the fountain and stare at it for a moment. Nostalgia takes me back.
This is where it all started.
A new player spawns next to me. Then another. They begin talking to each other, both excited to be joining the game.
“I hear you can make money by playing Alterlife,” one says to the other. “That’s insane, right?”
“That’s why I’m here,” the other replies. “Say, how about we team up for the time being; at least until we get our feet wet.”
“Yeah, that sounds good.”
They take off and begin exploring the town.
That was me once.
In it for the money…
I make my way to Bailey’s, catching stares and murmurs from everyone in town. Whoever is standing in the road cautiously steps to the side as I come through—a genuine look of awe or fear when they see me.
I never wanted it to be this way.
Inside the tavern, I see Deana at the bar, sitting in the same seat where she sat down next to me when we first met. As I walk to her, everyone else leaves the place.
They don’t even want to be around me. Have I been branded that bad?
Deana stands from her seat and offers me the stool next to her. “Ace. Thank you for meeting with me.”
I take the seat and order a beer. The NPC is quick to bring me one since there isn’t another soul in the place besides Deana and myself.
He places it down and I put it to my lips, savoring the flavor. It’s been awhile since I’ve had a drink.
“You’re not having a drink?” I ask her. She shakes her head and looks at the bar in front of her. “What’s up, Deana? Why did you call me here?”
She looks around, nervously. “Let’s go somewhere private.”
I look around. “Looks pretty private to me. There’s nobody here.”
She stands up. “No. It’s not safe to talk here. Finish your beer and let’s go.”
I chug it down, belch out loud and wipe my mouth clean. “Alright. I know of a place.”
Deana shakes her head. “Lead the way,” she says.
We go out the back door, hop the fence, and walk into the woods.
It doesn’t take long before it starts to look familiar.
I stop and look around.
“This is where it all began. The exact place where the old man gave me the Cloak of Invisibility .”
“And the legend was born,” she says with a grin.
I chuckle. “Yeah.
Silence sits thick among us, blanketed by the forest and our own apprehensions.
She breaks it. “Ace, I’ve made a terrible mistake, and I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine, Deana…”
“No. No, it’s not. I thought I was doing the right thing by helping the gods raise Thal. Hell, everyone in the guilds believes that Thal’s return is a good thing. But we’ve all been deceived.”
I give her an ‘I told you so’ look. “I remember trying to tell you that.”
She shakes her head. “I should have listened to you. I’m such a fool.” Looks down, then back up to me. “The gods told us that when Thal returns, he will make Alterlife whole once again. No more virus, no more death. And that he would bless the guilds with glorious gifts. That’s why everyone in the guild worships the gods now.”
“What happened? Why the sudden change of heart?”
“When I gave Xena the staff
in private, she told me the truth. Said that when Thal returns, He will destroy Alterlife and, in turn, the gods will be free; whatever that means.”
If the gods want free, then that means they are the virus in the form of gods? If they succeed in destroying Alterlife, I’d wager that everyone in the game would be carriers then. I’d also bet that they would act like they do here in the game—bloodlust with rage in the real world.
Like a damn zombie apocalypse. Except people don’t turn undead. They just die after they’re through killing.
Ninety percent…
She looks down and shakes her head. “Ace, if I could take it all back, I would. I’ve made such a terrible mistake.”
I raise her chin. Tears begin to well in her eyes, and I can see remorse written all over her face.
“Deana. I forgive you.”
Her eyes go wide with disbelief and gratitude. “Why? Why would you forgive me after everything I’ve done?”
“Because you’re my friend, Deana. You always have been.”
She wipes the tears from her face, leans in, and kisses me on the cheek. Doesn’t say a word. Doesn’t have to.
I hold out my hand. “Are you ready to join the Saviors now?”
She nods. “I’m ready to join you, Ace. But I can’t go back to Thannadas.”
“Why not? Deana, I don’t want you to be on the other side of the battlefield when the war begins.”
She takes a deep breath and puts her hands on her hips. “I’ve got to redeem myself first, Ace. I’m going to make this right. Trust me.”
“Deana, what are you talking about? Please, don’t do anything stupid or put yourself at risk.”
She laugh-cries, wipes her face one more time, then takes a teleport from her inventory. “Ace, I thought you would have known me better than that by now. What ever would give you the impression that I’m going to do something stupid?” She gives me a grin, then opens the portal.
“Deana, wait.”
She walks backwards, into the blue light. “I know I’ve let you down time and time again, Ace. I’ve let myself down. That’s not going to happen again. I’ll prove it to you. I love you. I always have.”