Pangea Online 3: Vials and Tribulations

by S. L. Rowland

  I lock eyes with Dean. Fury and passion burns within him. More passion than I ever had living here.

  “You’re not completely wrong, Dean. But you’re also not completely right either. I don’t know why I came, other than the fact that Mr. Green asked me to. I spent the past week stressing over what I would say to you all. I have a lot of bad memories living in this place. I’m sure you all do. It’s hard growing up without a family.”

  Dean sits back down. I start to pace, trying to find the words, and all eyes follow my every movement.

  “I used to believe that it was luck that got me out of The Boxes. Luck that I found the Developer’s Chest. Luck that I made it through each stage of the tournament. Luck that I finally found out who my parents were and the gift from my father that came from that knowledge.” I stop pacing and stand before them, pausing for a moment before continuing. “Yeah, I was lucky. But it took a lot more than luck. It took grit and drive and desire to turn that luck into action. It took friendship, too. More than anything, it was my choices that got me to where I am. I doubt I could have won the tournament if I hadn’t been from The Boxes.”

  Something Aleesia said long ago flashes across my mind. She said I can’t help everyone, so I should focus on the ones that I can.

  “So no, I didn’t come here to give you hope. I came here to help you. To give you choices so that you can make your own future.” I had no idea where I was going with this speech before I got here, but an idea finally comes to me. Now that I’ve acquired my family’s stocks in Pangea, I have more money than I know what to do with. “I’ll be buying you all haptic suits, so that you can fully experience what Pangea is really like. For those of you fifteen and over, you’ll be given a Premium Worldpass. This is contingent on keeping your grades up each semester. Anything less than a B and you’ll be stuck to the free worlds until the next semester. I can’t promise you a great life, but I can give you the tools so that if you want to find a way out of The Boxes, the only thing stopping you is you.”

  Some of the younger kids whisper to one another. I’m sure they are wondering if this is some sort of trick.

  “I’ll also be hiring someone to come and clean this place. You’ll finally be able to sleep at night without spiders keeping you company.”

  There are several hoots and clapping at that.

  “That is very generous of you, Esil. You have no idea the difference this will make in their lives.” Mr. Green turns to the kids. “What do you say we all say thank you to Esil.”

  “Thank you, Esil,” they all say in unison.

  The room seems more at ease now, so I spend the next half hour answering questions about the tournament and my life outside of The Boxes.

  “Alright, I’ve got time for one more question. What’s it going to be?”

  Several hands shoot up. For the first time since I started answering questions, Dean has his hand up.

  “Dean.”

  He brushes the shaggy hair away from his eyes before speaking. There’s less contempt in his voice this time. “Are you going to be entering the Pro-Am Tournament next month?”

  I shake my head. “I’m not sure what it is, but I can safely say my tournament days are behind me. I’ll place the order for your new suits and have the Worldpasses ready as soon as I—”

  Dean cuts me off. “It’s a new tournament Pangea is putting together, where a winner from a previous tournament has the opportunity to coach someone who has never competed. I was wondering if you had found someone to mentor yet.”

  “Like I said, my days of competing are over.”

  Dean nods, but I can see the disappointment on his face.

  I have zero desire to be in the public eye again. Besides, what I do in the Broken Lands is more important. “Thanks for having me.”

  Chapter Five

  The first thing I do upon arriving home is order the new haptic suits and Worldpasses for the orphanage. I pay extra for expedited shipping so that they will be delivered by drone before the day is over.

  I don’t know why I do it, but I check my messages and search for the Pro-Am Tournament Dean was talking about. Once I find the announcement, I notice it’s been nearly a month since the contest was announced.

  Greetings, Esil! As a winner of Pangea Online Developer’s Tournament, you have been invited to become a mentor in our newest tournament designed to pair the great adventurers of the past with the promising talent of the future. In Pangea Online’s Pro-Am Tournament, each contestant will be paired with a champion from a previous tournament. The winner will receive a full scholarship to the online college of their choosing, as well as the opportunity to intern at Pangea Online Headquarters. For previous champions, the winner will have a sizable donation made to their preferred charity in their honor. Please respond if you are interested in being a mentor.

  Thank you for everything you have brought to Pangea Online, and as always, never stop leveling!

  -Pangea Online Developers

  Interesting. It’s for a good cause, and I already know where I’d donate the money, but even if I wanted to, I’m not sure I could fit in a full-time training regimen on top of my responsibilities with testing the Broken Lands. Truth be told, I have no desire to be a mentor. I still remember the nasty messages and spotlight of attention from the last tournament. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, least of all myself—again.

  I close out the message and head toward the headquarters. Maybe I can help Buzz and Grayson train the new recruits in Carolton.

  The door to Benjamin’s office is open, so I step inside. He stares at a tablet, deep in thought, and doesn’t notice me as I enter. The man radiates success with his immaculately-tailored black suit and neatly-parted blond hair. There’s not a strand out of place. He shakes his head and sighs before setting the tablet on his desk.

  Something is up. I clear my throat and his eyes go wide when he notices me standing in the door frame.

  “Everything okay?” I ask.

  His surprise turns into a frown. “Shut the door and have a seat. There’s something I want to tell you.”

  For some reason, my heart starts racing. Whatever he’s about to tell me, it can’t be good.

  I take a seat. “What’s going on?”

  Benjamin runs his hand through his hair, setting it askew. “They’re shutting it down.”

  My heart jumps into my throat and for a moment, I can’t speak. “Shutting what down?” I ask the question even though I already know the answer.

  “Testing. The board thinks I’m too close because of my mom. They think I’m distracted and want me to focus on business.” He leans back against the tall leather back of the chair. “It’s a bunch of crock.”

  I look down and notice my hands are shaking. How could they do this? And what happens to the beta testers? All those people from The Boxes that I promised a job and a new life. What happens to Buzz and Grayson?

  I take a deep breath and try to find my words. “So what does that mean?”

  He intertwines his hands together and leans forward. “They’re off-shooting the research to another lab. A less invasive form of full-immersion is going to be integrated into Pangea with The Broken Lands being the first world to offer this new technology. It offers the same experience as full immersion, but without the neurological effects on the brain. No time-dilation either. We’ll slowly be pushing it across all of Pangea, but there is a lot of work on the back end.”

  “What does that mean for the beta testers?” It would be cruel to take this away from them.

  Benjamin smiles briefly. “Don’t worry, Esil. They’ll be taken care of. I’ve already signed off on keeping them on to test the new tech. The research phase will be moving forward with patients who have suffered from degenerative diseases.” He lets his hands rest on the desk. “I wish I could be a part of it, but I know my talents are better suited here. At least I can say I got the program up and running.”

  “What about the NPCs in the game? What happens to them?
” I’m ashamed I didn’t think of them to start with. Kindra and Carter have become real friends to me. They’re more real than any NPC I have ever met in Pangea.”

  Benjamin chuckles. “They’ll be fine. The programming for the NPCs is separate from the AI that is being offloaded. We’ll spawn new characters for the medical testing.”

  That’s a relief. It’s crazy to think that their entire existence could vanish with a simple command.

  “What now?” This is a lot to take in.

  “For now, you all get a mini vacation while we switch over the AI and prepare the new full-immersion lab. We sent out an email to everyone. It’ll take a few days to dismantle all of the equipment. You’ve put in a lot of work, so enjoy the rest while you can.” He gives me a half-hearted smile. “I’ve got a lot of calls to make. Shut the door on your way out, please.”

  I really should be better about checking my emails. I missed the tournament announcement and this. Who knows what else I’ve missed.

  I stand and head to the door, turning around before leaving. “You should be proud of getting this project off the ground. Even if you’re not directly involved anymore, this will help a lot of people because of you.”

  I close the door and head toward the lab, not sure if Aleesia will be there or not. After scanning my retina to enter the hallway to the lab, I stop in front of a window overlooking the laboratory. Technicians scurry around the floor below disassembling the massive units that have been used for full-immersion for the past year.

  The tanks have been drained of the blue gel filled with nanoreceptors. Drills zip as each screw is tediously removed and the glass casing placed on a dolly. There are close to a hundred units they’ll have to take apart, so this process will definitely take a while.

  I won’t be going back to the Broken Lands anytime soon.

  I shift my gaze over to the viewing deck and catch Aleesia just as she is leaving. The automatic door shuts behind her and she steps into the hallway.

  “This is crazy, right?” I ask.

  “Yeah, you would think we would have gotten more warning. It looks like I’ll be working from home this week.” She gestures to the laptop she’s holding.

  “Why? What is there to do if no one is logging in? Benjamin said we were all getting a vacation.”

  She laughs. “Maybe for you guys. But the programs are still running. The world of the Broken Lands still turns even if you aren’t there to watch it. Somehow less work for you means more work for me, so I don’t think I’ll be making it into Pangea tonight.”

  “Hmm, maybe I’ll see what Buzz and Grayson are up to.”

  Aleesia smiles. “There you go. Make the most of your free time. I really do have to get going though. Do you want to walk me out?”

  I walk with Aleesia to the pod waiting to take her to her father’s mansion located on a beautiful estate. I kiss her good-bye and head back to my apartment, messaging Buzz while I walk.

  Yo Buzz,

  It’s been a while since we explored Pangea. What do you say we hit up some of the old haunts tonight? Maybe a game of steamball?

  -Esil

  By the time I reach my apartment, he’s already responded.

  Esil!

  I wish I could. With my tournament coming up, I’ve got a lot of last-minute details to get ready. It’s kind of a blessing that they are shutting down beta testing for a bit. You’re welcome to stop by.

  -Buzz

  The scanner outside of my apartment reads my palm and I go inside. I flop down on the couch. For once, I have nothing to do. I reach out to Grayson. Maybe he’s free.

  Grayson,

  Want to go listen to the mermaids sing tonight?

  -Esil

  While I wait for him to respond, I play a mindless game on my tablet where I match different colored fruits together in order to get them to explode. I make it to level twenty-five before a message from Grayson pops up.

  Esil,

  I’m enjoying my time out of VR for the night. Maria and I are cooking if you would like to join us.

  -Grayson

  I’ll leave Grayson and Buzz’s mom to their evening together. As I sit on the couch exploding fruit on my tablet, hours pass, and before I know it, I drift off to sleep.

  When I wake up, it’s dark out. I call out to the apartment AI to turn on the lights and a soft yellow glow fills the room. The clock on the wall says it’s a little past midnight.

  Well, there went my evening. I get up to go brush my teeth and get ready for bed when I notice I have a new message. I don’t know how he got the number, but it’s from Dean.

  What could he possibly be messaging me about? I tap the screen on my tablet and the message expands.

  Mr. Esil,

  I wanted to apologize for giving you a tough time today. It’s hard to believe that anyone would be looking out for us in The Boxes. Mr. Green does the best he can, but this is not exactly paradise. We never talked much when you lived here, but I remember you always rushing through your work so that you could sit alone in your room and watch streams. When we look at you, we don’t see someone we can become. We see someone who got out and never came back.

  Except you did come back. You’ve done more for us, and for those in The Boxes, than anyone else.

  Mr. Green gave us our Worldpasses. The haptic suits will be here later tonight, but I couldn’t wait. I put on my headset and gloves and went and explored Triassic World. I’ve always had a thing for dinosaurs, and it was an amazing experience. I can’t wait to feel it with the haptic suit!

  The real reason I’m messaging you is because I wanted to ask you a favor. I know you don’t want to be involved in the tournament, but I was hoping to give it a shot. This is the only way someone like me would ever have the chance to intern at a place like Pangea Online. If you know any champions who are looking for someone to mentor, I would appreciate it if you told them about me. I don’t have a lot of gaming experience, but I promise to work hard if given the chance.

  Thanks for everything.

  -Dean

  I read the message over several times. He must have gone through a lot of effort to get that to me. I don’t blame him for reaching out. This would be a big opportunity for anyone, but for someone from The Boxes, it could be life-changing.

  Tomorrow, I’ll reach out to Aleesia and see if she knows any former champs looking to take on an apprentice.

  I hop in the shower and let the hot water wash over me. Steam quickly fills up the bathroom, making the glass and mirrors opaque. I try to clear my mind, but I keep coming back to Dean’s message. There’s something about him that reminds me of myself at that age. Maybe it’s the dream of something greater. Or grasping at straws. Whatever it is, it has struck a chord.

  After I get dressed, I send Dean a message.

  Dean,

  Meet me at my home portal tomorrow after your classes. I’m attaching the pass code.

  -Esil

  Chapter Six

  Fenrir rests his massive head in my lap as I wait for Dean to show up. I’ve already messaged Aleesia about finding him a mentor, but I don’t know how willing someone will be to train a kid from The Boxes. There’s still a certain stigma associated with living there. I remember the first time we took Buzz’s mom to the hospital. Even the nurses treated us like we were contagious.

  I scratch Fenrir behind the ears and he wags his giant tail, knocking the arcade machine I bought a few inches across the floor. It’s a mindless game, one from the 1980’s where you guide a hungry yellow circle as it tries to eat fruits and clear a maze of dots before being attacked by a gang of ghosts. I’ve sunk countless hours into its monotony.

  Over the past year, I’ve spent a lot of gold bringing my home portal to life. It’s filled with statues of great warriors, paintings depicting some of my favorite moments in Pangea, and plenty of knick-knacks to keep me entertained without ever having to step foot into a game world. I have a display with a livestream of the Mortican Mountains town square on o
ne wall. Sometimes I will just sit and watch the various heroes as they walk about for hours. It reminds me of all the people-watching I did when I lived in The Boxes.

  A portrait of Merlin, my pet owl, hangs over the fireplace on the far wall. It’s been more than a year since I lost him and sometimes, I still feel a pang in my chest when I look at it. The flames of the fire alternate colors every minute or so, cycling through every color of the rainbow.

  Once upon a time, this would have been my paradise. Nowadays, I find just as much solace in my own apartment. I come here for Fenrir, to keep him company. Maybe I’m crazy for thinking he needs me around, but I’ve always treated Pangea as more than a game.

  A loud ding announces a visitor outside of my portal. A moment later, a rift of energy opens and Dean steps through. Fenrir stands in a hurry and pounces on the poor kid. His face is stricken with panic until the wolf licks him, covering him in slobber.

  “Fenrir, down.” I pull the giant Asgardian wolf off Dean and offer him a hand. “Sorry about that. He doesn’t get many visitors these days.”

  Dean wipes the slobber from his face and slings it to the floor. He wears dull gray pants, a white t-shirt, and a pair of plain white sneakers. Starter gear from the education worlds. We’ll have to change that at some point.

  His eyes are wide with wonder as he looks around my room. “All of this is yours?”

  “It is.” I’m sure this place is like a mansion to him. I take a few minutes to give him the tour. When we’re done, I press a button on the wall and a portal opens. “Ready to get out of here?”

  He scrunches his brow. “Where are we going?”

  I grin. “Are you wearing your haptic suit?”

  He nods.

  “Good, let’s go see some dinosaurs.”

  I step through the portal and focus on the destination for Triassic World. It’s not a game world I’m familiar with, but if Dean likes it, I think it would be a real treat for him to experience it in his haptic suit. Who knows, if things go well then maybe one day, he can experience it in full-immersion.