The Virtual Realm

by Daniel Perusko

  A five story pyramid stood before him, covered in a sleek black coating, with various windows adorning the outer walls. A large river flowed in front of the pyramid, stretching to the sides as far as the eye could see. Of all the structures they could’ve chosen, a pyramid? Did these Phoenixes think themselves Egyptian pharaohs? But the slippery walls were covered with the blackness of space, rather than being made of the typical sandy colored stones. It seemed like a mesh of an ancient shape combined with a futuristic coat on the outer shell. Dusk couldn’t decide if they were going for a past or future theme. Fifteen foot high walls encompassed the structure, a clear indication that Phoenix didn’t want just anyone setting foot on this property. The pyramid itself was of a gigantic scale, towering far above him, jutting into the deep night sky above. The fireflies lit up the lush plain as crickets joined together with the sound of the rhythmically streaming river to form the choir of nature.

  “Incredible,” Dusk gasped in wonder.

  Tsuki smiled, having expected such a reaction. “Isn’t it though?”

  “How... how can you even afford something like this? Forget that, how can you even make this? This doesn’t look like something that would even be in the game.”

  “Well, like I said, we’ve been level 50 for a while now and we’ve been working hard this whole month. You’d be surprised at how wealthy you become when you do dungeons over and over. No one else has even seen the gear that we sell, so we’re able to sell some of the gear for a high price, due to the rarity of the item. Then there’s the crylla obtained from selling materials, and the raw crylla gained from treasure chests in the dungeons. As for how this structure exists here... Well, did you know that you can create your own buildings in this world?”

  “No, that’s something I actually didn’t know. How would one go about doing that?”

  “Well, I don’t know the specifics of that; you’d have to ask Drew... I mean, Reaper. What I can tell you though, is that parts can be ordered online, and then edited through some complicated menus and programming knowledge. Reaper is the one who created this place.”

  “Drew you mean?” Dusk made a slight jab at Tsuki’s slip of the tongue.

  “I suppose. Now, while we’re on the topic of names, what’s yours?”

  Dusk held up an open palm towards his teacher as if he were stopping a car.

  “Stop for a second. What do you mean parts can be ordered online. We can access the internet from here?”

  “Hmm, when I say online, I mean a private website. Either the creators of this game or the ones who implanted the virus made their own websites. Players are allowed access to only those specific websites. They can’t actually access the outside world.”

  “I see,” Dusk nodded, finally understanding. He didn’t think it’d be so easy to actually contact the outside world. Raven, the bastard responsible for imprisoning them in this digital lockup went through quite the trouble to implement a complex inner network of quality of life functions while keeping an unbreakable net between the outside world and his prisoners.

  He must get his rocks off playing God. I can’t wait to wring my hands around his vile neck.

  “Enough about that, Dusk, what is your name?”

  “Hmm, my real name is Drake; and you?”

  “Not telling!”

  “Are you serious? After I just told you my name?"

  “Yep!”

  Dusk's loud sigh shook the air. He wanted Tsuki to realize just how frustrated she was making him. It was too bad his irritation seemed to be giving her strength.

  “You know, I kinda hate you.”

  She flashed him a great big grin that stretched from ear to ear. “Nice try, but I know you don’t.”

  Dusk simply grunted in aggravation. She had him.

  “Anyways, why did you guys pick a black pyramid like this for your house, and why is it so extravagant?”

  “Why not? This is the face of our group, of Phoenix. This is our home, our headquarters. It is one of the first things people will think of when they think of us. Why not present it in the image that we want them to see?”

  “That’s my question though, why do you want them to see a black pyramid? Why not some other type of design?”

  “Ever the curious one, aren’t you?” Tsuki replied. Her eyes were fixated on the man in front of her who seemed to have an unquenchable thirst for answers.

  “A pyramid is used as a safe house against disaster from celestial bodies.”

  “Interesting.” Dusk actually had no idea what she was talking about. He had never heard of pyramids having such a function. Was this a part of some religion or something? Or had he slept through an important history lesson during his elementary school childhood?

  “Anyways, enough about that, let me show you around.”

  Dusk followed his chaperone through the gates leading to the compound. A various mix of flowers could be seen, such as luscious violets, red roses, and bulbous pink tulips. Several trees and bushes mingled across the landscape. One particular tree had a swing hanging from its branch, and several blankets and pillows around the base of the tree. It was the ideal setting for a picnic if there ever was one. To his right, Dusk spotted a pool outlined by a smooth jet black surface. Deep reflections rippled in the water, made even more beautiful by the cyan fluorescent lights that lurked beneath. The fragrance of flowers and chlorine pleased his sinuses.

  Tsuki made a slow sweeping motion with her left hand, showing her new house guest the attractions. “This is our garden. I often come here to meditate. I love being here, being one with nature.”

  “Meditation? You do that?”

  “Of course, meditation is essential to being a strong person. Don’t you meditate?”

  “Well, I don’t actually sit with my legs crossed or anything like that. I guess when I take a shower it’s like meditation for me; the sound of the running water relaxes me greatly, most of the time.”

  “The vital component to meditation is clearing your mind completely. If you can do that, you’re meditating. It doesn’t matter what posture your body is in.”

  Dusk folded his arms as he stored the raw data she was uploading to him in his mental archives. He needed more data, this download wasn’t finished.

  “You said meditation makes you a strong person, what do you mean by that? You mean mentally strong?”

  “Yes, but there’s more to it than simply that.”

  “Let me guess, it’s not time for me to know.”

  “You’re beginning to catch on.”

  “What the hell? How many times have you guys told me that today? It is not yet time for me to know. Why can you not tell me?”

  Tsuki hugged Dusk, finding his extreme curiosity to be cute. He was such a pure spirit—albeit clouded with rage.

  “Relax, okay? You’ve only been in our guild one day on a trial basis. Things worth knowing, things worth having, they don’t always come to you right away. You need to be patient. With hard work and patience, what you seek will inevitably come to you. Just be patient, okay? And strive to be your best always. If you do those two things, I can promise you’ll be stronger.”

  “Striving to be my best is something that comes naturally to me,” Dusk responded with a sprinkle of arrogance. “Being patient, however, I’ll have to work on that.”

  They continued onwards in their journey, digging through the outer crust of the structure as they made their way to the mantle of the pyramid. The first room that Dusk saw upon walking in was what appeared to be the living room or lounge. He peered up and saw several staircases spiraling around in an unending ascent all the way up to the apex, or fifth floor of the structure.

  The ground floor rested under a feast of dark leather couches stretching around a polished glass table. The centerpiece of the table was a replica of the very pyramid they were standing in, shrunk down small enough to fit in the palm of their hands.

  This room seemed to be the intersection for human traffic, with four shiny glas
s doors each branching off into its own comfortable road of sanctuary.

  “This is our living room area,” Tsuki explained. “We sometimes gather here for recreational purposes.”

  “I like the design of this room. Looks so sleek and modern, plus I love the color black.”

  “Oh, why is that?”

  “There’s no deep reason behind it, I simply like how it looks.”

  “Hmm, interesting. My favorite colors are red and black.”

  “Really? I’m a little bit surprised actually.”

  “Why? Because you thought my favorite colors were white and silver?”

  “It was that obvious, huh?”

  “I picked this character avatar because I thought she looked beautiful, but red and black are indeed my favorite colors.”

  “Well, since you asked me, I’ll ask you too. Why are your favorite colors red and black, Tsuki?”

  “I like red because it represents passion and fire. I’m a very passionate person. With black, I associate black with sleek and modern. I love technology.”

  “I see, so you have reasons behind why you like the colors that you do, unlike me. Very interesting.”

  “Liking a color simply because of the way it looks is a reason in itself, just a different one.”

  “Hmm, I suppose so.”

  Dusk said as he floated aimlessly through a sea of thoughts. The depth of this woman...she would make an ocean look shallow. The fact she could see through him so easily, he wasn't yet sure how to feel about that. It normally sent rage coursing through his veins, but even though she could see his soul, he never felt judged. It was as though she was accepting him for who he was.

  “Now, I have more to show you on this grand tour. Follow me.” Tsuki made a wide arcing motion with her left arm, indicating for Dusk to walk with her.

  The next room was a desert of beige, where a large white table and chairs resided in the middle of the room, acting as the oasis. A basket of scrumptious fruit sat in the center of the table, beckoning any passerby to take a bite.

  “This is our dining room. Even though eating isn’t required in this world, some of us love the taste of good food every now and then.”

  “Some of us, huh?” Dusk smiled mischievously. “And who cooks the food for everyone?”

  “Me. My cooking skill is maxed out.”

  “Wha... how is that even possible?” Dusk asked, the words coming out as awestruck. In three weeks of cooking, Stacy could only attain level 21. There were 100 levels in total and the climb to 100 only became more costly and time-consuming as time went on. Yet if what Tsuki said was to be believed, she had already maxed her cooking?

  Why am I even surprised?

  “It’s a hobby of mine. Oftentimes when we weren’t leveling or doing dungeons, I’d be cooking. What Reaper did in his off time was building, for me it was cooking. I love cooking, here and in the real world.”

  Dusk chuckled to himself. “Of course you do, because you’re a g...”

  Before he could finish that sentence, Tsuki unsheathed her sword with a flash of speed, the tip of her blade already a mere inch from his throat.

  “You weren’t going to say it’s because I’m a girl, were you?” Her voice struck firm.

  Dusk threw both of his arms up in surrender. Quite fitting, as that is how he felt at this moment with her bladed silver practically touching his neck.

  “N-no, of course not.”

  “Good, because I absolutely hate sexism pointed towards women, even as a joke.”

  “I see that now,” Dusk chuckled nervously. To say her reaction had made him uncomfortable would be an understatement. Best not to piss her off.

  “Why does it bother you so much? They’re just jokes, right?”

  Tsuki promptly sheathed her sword as she locked her eyes unrelentingly on the newcomer.

  “Many times throughout my life, I haven’t been taken seriously just for the simple fact that I am a woman. Especially in the gaming world, everyone automatically assumes...” Tsuki attempted her best idiot guy impression, “Ha, because she’s a woman she sucks at videogames lol.”

  Tsuki’s countenance returned to her normal feminine self, albeit irritated. “My capability has been doubted more times than I can count simply because I have a vagina.”

  Dusk lowered his arms back to their sides, finally able to move freely without having to worry about the threat of having his head sliced off. He had a spark of sympathy for the silver swordswoman. “I see. I’ve been witness to that myself several times against other lady friends I’ve had. It must have been tough on you, sorry.”

  “It’s fine, but now you know. Just don’t make any more sexist jokes pointed towards me.”

  “Understood. By the way, you know whenever you beat me in those duels I wasn’t angry about it because you’re a woman, right? I don’t care about that. I was just angry at losing in general.” Dusk spoke almost in a pleading manner, desperate to prove his neutrality in this matter. He really didn't care about her gender when it came to dueling. An opponent was an opponent to him. He would take them down whether they had a penis or a vagina, it mattered not.

  “I know, believe me; otherwise you would’ve heard an earful from me about it.”

  Tsuki sucked in a deep breath, readying her response. “The female role is not embraced in our world. We have stumbled over ourselves and denied our female counterpart, and our world suffers for it. Both roles have to be embraced fully for our society to progress. Men and women each have their own strengths. We are not identical, but complementary. Men and women are supposed to work together, not against each other. The genders represent opposite ends of a balance, positive and negative. Neither is better than the other, yet it is only when those charges work together that we can truly achieve greatness as a species. Just look at the process of creating life. That is nature's blueprint—her way of telling us both genders need to use their strengths to fill in the other gender's weaknesses. Yet this truth seems to have been forgotten somewhere along the way. Technologically we have advanced quite rapidly, but socially our progression has been ever slow over the millennia. Our world cries out in pain over this, Drake. In order for our world to prosper, balance is required.”

  Obviously this was a matter of which she was passionate about. He couldn't deny that what she had said made sense. It seemed this applied to all matters where humans held differences. These distinctions needed to be not only accepted and embraced, but utilized so that humanity as a whole could fulfill their potential. Yet in these modern times, though steps towards this were being made, it was still all wrong. Very well, he would engage in a little verbal sparring.

  “Certainly it’s true that men have had the dominating presence in the direction of our world for... well... ever since history first documented humans. I suppose that all comes down to physical strength. I’m not going to say it’s correct but, the fact that men were physically stronger is what gave them the final say in our society in the end.” Dusk wasn't even sure that was the case anymore. Humans now lived in a society where physical prowess was no longer coveted, thanks to the evolution of technology. In this new world, mental mastery reigned supreme, but what would after happen if one day all that technology disappeared? Would the humans of today even know how to survive on their own power?

  “Deciding a person’s worth based on their physical strength alone is utterly primitive.”

  “Of course, I agree with you. But what do you mean when you say our world is suffering?”

  “What do you think our world is, Drake? It is a living thing just like everything else. Everything in this earth is one. The earth is currently being sucked dry by humans. She will only take so much before she fights back.”

  “Everything in this earth is one. The earth is going to fight back. What do you mean?”

  Tsuki presented a teasing smile towards Dusk. “More detective work for you, you figure it out.”

  “Again? Seems like I’m always playing detective wi
th you.”

  Tsuki giggled playfully. “Man, Scarlet was right, it’s so easy to rile you up.”

  Dusk turned away from Tsuki in a huff, not wanting to look at her self-satisfied face.

  “Pft, whatever.”

  “Now, let’s continue the grand tour.”

  In the next room, the flavor of stainless steel dominated their visual palate. Within resided a sink, dishwasher, refrigerator, stove, oven, and microwave. The counter surfaces were stained in a mesh of black and white marble, a culinary collage of light and dark. Several sharp knives rested safely in their sheaths, just waiting to be used to prepare mouthwatering pleasures.

  “As you probably guessed, this is our kitchen,” Tsuki declared proudly.

  “Yeah, I’d like to see you cook one of your famous meals here sometime.” Dusk showed a friendly grin towards Tsuki. Where did that come from? He wondered. I never say anything that openly nice to anyone...

  Tsuki’s face morphed into a smile. Dusk’s kindness was quite unexpected from someone so cynical; a pleasant surprise for her to be sure.

  “Thank you. I wouldn’t mind showing you how a master chef works. Now, on to the next stop."

  The next room, comprised of cherry wood, seemed to be built for entertainment purposes. Among the toys within were dartboards, pool tables, TVs, and a substantial bar area if one wanted to take their taste buds on an alcoholic journey of liquor or wine.

  “This room is for when we want to have fun, or even get drunk. Though getting drunk is something that we rarely do. I personally only get drunk about three times a year at most.”

  The mention of alcohol caused Dusk to think back to a time of disgrace when he had fruitlessly attempted to snuff out the smoldering fires of his suffering with beer, of all things.

  “Yeah uh... about two months ago, I got hammered like four nights in a row.”

  Tsuki gasped; her mouth slightly agape. “You should be careful with that, Drake, you might become an alcoholic.”

  “Nah, I’ve always been able to control that without a problem. As proof I haven’t had a drop of alcohol in two months.”