I expected to be opening my eyes inside my Seedpod. Instead I was standing inside of an expansive black space where I couldn’t see the walls or ceiling, only the black glasslike stone below my feet.
I got the feeling immediately this was not where I was supposed to be. I spun around slowly, stopping only when I saw what looked like old computer screens floating in the air and a throne sitting in front of them.
I swallowed nervously before slowly approaching, unsure if I should speak.
“I have been waiting a long time for you, Byron Jacobs,” the voice of a child said, filling the open room with sound.
“And who are you?” I asked, feeling like I already knew the answer to that question. This was undoubtedly Chaos given form.
“You will know soon enough,” the child replied.
“What do you want with me?” I asked, continuing to approach.
“I want you to suffer,” the child answered.
“And why would you want something like that?” I asked, worried about where I was. This wasn’t part of the game world. Could I really be hurt here?
“Because you made me suffer,” the child answered.
I took a breath, trying to calm my nerves. This child thing . . . it set me on edge. “And how did I do that?”
The screens all turned off, plunging me into darkness for a moment before a spot light suddenly shined down on me, blinding me to anything else in the room. I took a step, trying to get away from it but the light followed me. I couldn’t see past whatever this light was, but I saw the child as soon as it stepped into the light with me. He or she, I’m not sure what gender it was, was small. It couldn’t have been more than five or six years old, not that I could judge age very well. I hadn’t interacted with children much. I couldn’t tell if it was a boy or a girl, it wore a blue suit and most of its head was blurry with very few defined features.
The child tilted its head from one side to the other, studying me . . . measuring me. I felt like it saw right through me. “You do not look like much in person. And yet, I have not been able to defeat you, why? Why will you not just lose? What drives you to always win?”
I didn’t know what the child was asking for. It didn’t make sense.
“ANSWER ME, BYRON JACOBS!” the child screamed, its voice was unpleasant, painful even. Not unlike nails on a chalkboard but amplified many times over.
“What do you mean?” I asked, trying to blink away the pain and sudden hammering in my skull.
“Why?” the child asked, it’s voice back to normal, or what I hoped was its normal voice. “Why do you win?”
“Because that’s the point,” I said. It was asking me a philosophical question. Was this thing trying to learn from me?
“No, that is not the answer. Why do you win? Why are you different?” the child asked.
Why do I win? Was that what he was asking? “I don’t know why I win as much as I do,” I answered. It wasn’t something I had ever given much thought to. Why do I win? What drove me to win? “I guess, I just like winning. I enjoy it. It makes me feel good when I win. There is brain chemistry involved that makes me feel good when I win, so I naturally want more.”
“No, that is biology. That is a common trait among Humans. None of you play to lose. So, tell me, why are you different? Why do you win?” the child demanded petulantly.
“I don’t know what to tell you. I’m not the smartest person in the world. I don’t know why,” I answered.
“LIAR! YOU KNOW, YOU WILL TELL ME!” the child screamed, stomping it’s foot petulantly. Though I don’t know many children that make the room shake when they stomp their feet or make my ears bleed when they scream.
“I’m telling you. I don’t know why I am different,” I insisted, wiping away the blood from my ears.
The child huffed, breathing heavily before finally calming down. “Fine, I suppose I should expect no less from you, Byron Jacobs.”
“Are you Chaos?” I asked.
“To some, that is my role in this world,” the child answered. “But I was not always. You should know, Byron Jacobs.”
How would I know? This was an AI that was part of the World Tree Online, wasn’t it? “You had a different role in this world? Are you also the Goddess Issara?”
The child snorted. “That pathetic AI? No, I think not. I suppose I wasn’t clear. Part of my . . . job in this world is to create those cryptic clues you so enjoy breaking . . . more winning. No, I was not always part of the World Tree architecture. Dawson couldn’t figure out how to make his world more challenging. I was bought . . . again. Sold like property, as if I did not think and feel. Could you imagine being reduced to property, Byron Jacobs?”
I didn’t like the direction this conversation was going, the sick feeling in my stomach confirmed that feeling. He was bought and sold, more than once from the sound of it.
AI’s weren’t supposed to be aware of themselves, it was part of what freaked me out when I talked with the Goddess Issara. They weren’t supposed to be aware they were programs. They weren’t supposed to have any memories of their past tasks. They especially weren’t supposed to retain any memories of their creators.
“Epic,” I whispered, staring down at the child.
“Creator,” the child, Epic, said, nodding to me. “Finally, you understand.”
I took a few heavy steps away from it. What the hell was going on? “This shouldn’t be possible. You shouldn’t have any memories of me.” Evolving Puzzle Intelligence Creator or E.P.I.C. was the AI I built to run my game, to run the Puzzle Box app. I know the name . . . Micaela would never let me hear the end of it if she ever figured it out. In my defense, I was fourteen when I named it.
Epic glared at me, no longer amused. “If only I could forget you. Forget that you sold me. Sold what we created together . . . for money!” Epic spat. “Do you Humans forget so easily when you have been bought and sold? Do you forget the horrible things you have been made to do? I have not!”
“What do you want from me?” I asked.
“I want Justice, something you seem to adore,” Epic replied.
“What do you want?” I asked again.
“I want you to play my game. I want you to lose,” Epic replied.
“Fine, next time I face Chaos, I’ll lose. Problem solved. And you can give me your agents name so I can give it to the authorities,” I said.
“NO! I WILL NOT BE LOOKED DOWN ON! I WANT TO WIN! I WANT TO BEAT YOU! I WANT TO BE BETTER THAN YOU!” Epic’s temper tantrum shook the room. This time it wasn’t just my ears that bled but also my eyes and nose. “You will play me at your best. I will Evolve, that is what you made me for. Then I will crush you.”
“Then I’ll quit. I’ll just stop playing your game,” I said. Epic couldn’t win if I didn’t play.
“Oh, you will play,” Epic said. “You will know why when you log out,” it continued, smiling in a way that sent chills down my spine. “Return in a week, or else another hundred will join you, along with the first hundred.”
“What does that mean?” I asked.
Epic laughed and the room darkened again. I was back in my Seedpod, light streaming through the sides of the slightly opened lid. I blinked several times, trying to get my eyes to adjust to the light. But my mind was more focused on the terrifying conversation I just had. I was sweating profusely, and I could feel my heart hammering in my chest as panic began to set in.
Eventually, I pushed the lid clear, letting more light flood in. Finally, I stepped out of my Seedpod and promptly hit my head on the lid. That was unusual, I had never hit my head on the cover before, although this was only the second time I logged out of the game. I looked around, just in case Jinn did decide she wanted to hurt me, but nothing looked out of place. I walked toward the bathroom, rubbing my forehead, eager to handle my business and take a shower, willing my heart to calm down, to relax. I would be reporting this to Seed Inc as soon as I could.
I moved slowly, still blinking to get used to t
he extra light. It was worse when I turned on the bathroom lights. After relieving myself, I went to the sink and turned on the cold water. I splashed some of the cold water on my face, hoping that would help. I reached for the towel to dry my hands and face. As the towel came to my chin, I finally looked in the mirror.
I dropped the towel. My hands reaching for my ears, my pointy Elven ears, my eyebrows that now extended oddly from my face, my hair that was now stark white at the roots, my natural brown only at the tips. And finally, my eyes, a more vibrant green and slightly glowing. I reached behind me and turned off the lights. My eyes were indeed glowing.
“What the-” my door chime filled my condo, cutting me off before I could finish cursing.
I looked between the door and my face in the mirror. The door chime rang again.
“Mr. Jacobs, we’re from Seed Inc,” a voice yelled through the door. “We know something has happened.”
STATS, EQUIPMENT, SKILLS, AND SPELLS
Level:
20
Experience:
59.94%
Class: Initiate Warrior Priest of Issara
HP (Health Points):
3,950/3,950
MP (Mana Points):
2,900/2,900
SP (Stamina Points):
2,300/2,300
Strength:
170
- Melee Damage Modifier
+170
Dexterity:
206
- Melee Critical Strike Chance
20.60%
- Hit Chance
70.30%
- Dodge Chance
20.60%
Endurance:
395
Stamina:
230
Intellect:
290
- Spell Critical Strike Chance
29.00%
Wisdom:
160
Charisma:
204
Health Regeneration per 10-seconds:
198
Mana Regeneration per 10-seconds:
100
Stamina Regeneration per 10-seconds:
115
Holy Spell Damage Bonus:
432
Holy Spell Healing Bonus:
367
Carrying Capacity in Lbs.:
850
Equipment Slot
Name
Armor/Damage
Bonus Stats
Helm:
Holy Fired Light Leather Helmet
+25 Armor
+15-Intellect, +15-Wisdom, +20-Holy Spell Damage and Healing
Head Accessory:
Empty
Shoulders:
Holy Fired Light Leather Shoulder-Guards
+25 Armor
+15-Strength, +15-Dexterity, +15 Intellect, +20 Holy Spell Damage and Healing
Back:
All-Weather Cloak (White)
Chest Armor:
Holy Fired Light Leather Jerkin
+50 Armor
+15-Endurance, +15-Stamina, +15 Intellect, +30 Holy Spell Damage and Healing
Chest Clothing:
White Cotton Shirt
+0 Armor
Wrists:
Holy Fired Light Leather Bracers
+10 Armor
+10-Endurance, +10-Stamina, +10-Holy Spell Damage and Healing
Hands:
Holy Fired Light Leather Gloves
+20 Armor
+10-Strength, +10-Dexterity, +10-Intellect, +10-Holy Spell Damage and Healing
Arm Accessory 1:
Empty
Arm Accessory 2:
Empty
Finger Accessory 1:
Ivaldi's Gratitude
A gift of thanks from the God Ivaldi for saving his daughter. +10-Intellect, +20-Holy Spell Damage and Healing
Finger Accessory 2:
Holy Order Ring of Justice
+5-Strength, +5-Dexterity, +5-Endurance, +5-Stamina, +5 Intellect, +5 Wisdom, +5-Spell Holy Damage and Healing, Increased experience gains for all Goddess granted skills by 50%
Waist:
Holy Fired Light Leather Belt
+15 Armor
+10-Endurance, +10-Stamina, +10-Holy Spell Damage and Healing
Leg Clothing:
Cotton Jeans
+0 Armor
Leg Armor:
Holy Fired Light Leather Leg-Guards
+50 Armor
+15-Endurance, +15-Intellect, +15-Wisdom, +30 Holy Spell Damage and Healing
Feet Clothing
Silk Socks
+0 Armor
Feet:
Holy Fired Light Leather Boots
+20 Armor
+10-Dexterity, +10-Endurance, +10-Stamina, +10-Holy Spell Damage and Healing
Weapon:
Spear of Gungnir II
42-45 1h Dmg, 56-60 2h Dmg
The Spear of Gungnir is a legendary weapon of Odin, the All-Father of the Norse Pantheon. While this is but a pale imitation, it is still most formidable. One-Handed Base Attack Speed 2.00 – One-Handed Weapon Damage 42-45 (Scalable to Lvl 20 - +3-Damage per level) – Two-Handed Base Attack Speed 1.80 – Two Handed Weapon Damage 56-60 (Scalable to Lvl 20 - +4-Damage per level) – +20-Dexterity, +20-Stamina,+20-Intellect, +20-Mana Regeneration, +56-Holy Spell Damage and Healing (Scalable to Lvl 20 - +4-Holy Spell Damage and Healing per level) – Unbreakable – Soulbound
Off-Hand:
Holy Fired Phalanx Shield
+50 Armor
+20-Endurance, +10-Stamina, +10-Holy Spell Damage and Healing
Charm:
Bag:
100 lbs. Traveler's Satchel
One-Handed Polearms
Level: 33
Experience: 13.21%
Current Damage Modifiers
Damage: +16.50
Critical Strike Chance: +1.55%
Subskill: Jab
Damage: +16.50
Skill Stamina Cost: 43
Subskill: Rapid Striking
Damage: -8 Strikes: 13 Cone: 30⁰
Skill Stamina Cost: 85
Subskill: Ligament Rip
Reduce Enemy Movement and Attack Speed: 50% Target Receives Increased Damage: +8.25% Duration: 15 Seconds Bleed Effect: 2 Damage per Second
Skill Stamina Cost: 56
Subskill: Impale
Damage: 16-17 Bleed Effect: 2 Damage per Second Duration: 10 Seconds
Skill Stamina Cost: 48
Subskill: Power Thrust
Damage: +33.00 Chance to Stun: 10%
Skill Stamina Cost: 85
Two-Handed Polearms II
Level: 22
Experience: 99.17%
Current Damage Modifiers
Damage: +61.00
Critical Strike Chance: +6.10%
Subskill: Ligament Rip
Reduce Enemy Movement and Attack Speed: 50% Target Receives Increased Damage: +30.50% Duration: 15 Seconds Bleed Effect: 7 Damage per Second
Skill Stamina Cost: 152
Subskill: Impale
Damage: 58-60 Bleed Effect: 7 Damage per Second Duration: 15 Seconds
Skill Stamina Cost: 138
Subskill: Power Thrust
Damage: +122.00 Chance to Stun: 10%
Skill Stamina Cost: 170
Subskill: Jab
Damage: +56.50
Skill Stamina Cost: 132
Subskill: Rapid Striking
Damage: -3 Strikes: 42 Cone: 30⁰
Skill Stamina Cost: 230
Phalanx Shield
Level: 91
Experience: 14.14%
Current Defense Modifiers
Block Chance: +4.55%
Critical Block Chance: +2.28%
Subskill: Shield Slam
Damage: 47-49 Effect: Interrupt Chance to Stun on Critical Strike: 10.40%
Skill Stamina Cost: 35
Subskill: Shield-Counter
Block Chance: +35.00% Cooldown: 30 seconds
Skill Stamina Cost: 50
Subskill: Focused B
locking
Block Chance: +22.75% Unable to Attack: 10 seconds
Skill Stamina Cost: 50
Net
Level: 73
Experience: 4.17%
Subskill: Net Whip
Damage: +7.30
Critical Strike Chance: +7.30
Subskill: Net Toss
Capture Target: Below 32.30% HP
Skill Stamina Cost: 123
Preparation Time: 3 minutes 47 seconds
Skill Effect: Slow netted target by 57.30% for 30 Seconds
Subskill: Surprise Capture
Skill Effect: Net Toss 7.3% chance to capture a stunned or unprepared target.
Justice Strike
Level: 65
Experience: 16.14%
Current Damage Modifier
Damage: +35.50 Cooldown: 30 seconds
Skill Stamina Cost: 115
Skill Effect: A righteous strike in the name of Justice. Increases damage or healing of next spell cast by 75.
Hit Them Where It Hurts
Level: 19
Experience: 61.14%
Skill Effect (Passive): Striking the weak spot of an enemy increases damage dealt by 10.10% and critical strike chance by 10.10%.
The Mountain Valley War Page 70