Tower of Gates Omnibus

by Paul Bellow

  “Nothing,” I said, changing my mind.

  “Thanks for taking me with you,” Benji said, breaking into the conversation. “Even if I didn’t get to spend any of my silver.”

  “We’ll make it up to you,” I said. “You’ve been so helpful.”

  “Are you sure nothing happened back there?” Eric asked again.

  “No,” I said. “Nothing of importance.”

  He turned his attention back to the road as he continued on. I wondered about Mednia and what adventures we would face.

  I also thought about the other player character. Once we were far enough away, I’d tell Eric everything. Maybe when we stopped to camp for the night?

  Until then, we could enjoy the rush of trying to piece together an open world quest in a brand new game. With each mile between us and Fishguard, I felt more at ease.

  13

  Cut Scene

  The Truth Shall Set You Free

  Magi Inyontoo

  After killing the barbarian, I teleported to the Chong Monastery. The foolish new player had gone down easy, but I needed to talk with him away from the prying eyes of the AI gamemaster.

  I appeared on the right of the stage in the main sanctuary. The oval, shimmering portal back to the Tower of Gates rested on the other side. My teleportation was never entirely accurate.

  While walking toward it, my thoughts turned dark. Being trapped in a game I’d helped design was no longer new, exciting, or fun. One small mistake had turned into endless nightmares.

  I stopped in front of the portal and stared into the swirling magic.

  Would the magic item I created work?

  The Cursed Pendant of Visions had taken forever to construct, but it was worth it.

  Wearing it would give me the ability to force the AI gamemaster out of the Tower of Gates. Time outside his ever present gaze would help me find a way out of the game—for better or worse.

  I slipped the pendant around my neck then boldly walked through the portal. On the other side, I saw the half-orc I’d recently killed and the AI gamemaster. Both of them turned toward me.

  “Not you again,” the gamemaster said then sighed.

  I raised my hand and drew on the power of the cursed pendant.

  “Be gone,” I shouted.

  The AI gamemaster disappeared.

  “What’s going on?” the noob asked. “Are you going to kill me again?”

  I loved evoking fear in people.

  “Don’t worry,” I said. “We’re safe here for now. The AI can’t hear or see us for a while. You can talk freely. What’s your name?”

  He tilted his head back and narrowed his eyes.

  “AI?” he asked. “What are you talking about?”

  “That old man,” I said. “Did he call himself the gamemaster?”

  “Yeah,” the half-orc said. “Why do you ask?”

  “That’s the AI that runs the entire game,” I said. “Or at least part of him. What’s your name?”

  “Josh,” he said.

  “Is that your game name or your real name?” I asked.

  “My real name,” he said. “I need to find my friends.”

  “You and me both,” I said then smiled.

  “Where’s Sarah?” Josh asked.

  I tilted my head to the left.

  “Who?”

  “My girlfriend,” he said.

  “Oh…” I smiled and nodded. “Your friends. Don’t worry, it’s easy enough to find them. We have other things to worry about.”

  “I don’t care about this stupid game,” Josh said.

  “You better care,” I said. “Because it’s more than a game.”

  Josh stepped forward, chest puffed out.

  “Did Eric put you up to this?” he asked.

  I shook my head.

  “No,” I said. “This is important. You’re trapped in a virtual prison.”

  He opened his eyes wider.

  “Don’t worry,” I said. “There’s a way out of the game. I’m one of the original developers.”

  “What do you mean ‘prison?’” Josh asked. “I thought this was some stupid fantasy game.”

  “It’s a prison that acts like a game to train prisoners how to be better people in the real world,” I said. “The ultimate in rehabilitation. We don’t have much time. I need your help getting out of here.”

  “Hold on,” Josh said. “You’re freaking me out.”

  I sighed.

  “This isn’t complicated,” I said. “Years ago, the private prison corporations pooled their money to create virtual cells for the worst of prisoners. Wardens could hook prisoners to machines and have them experience fifty years or more of isolation in a matter of days or weeks.”

  “Who are you?” Josh asked.

  “Hold on,” I said. “There’s more. Originally, they just dumped people into a virtual cell all by themselves. The process drove almost everyone insane after just a few years. So, ECNEP corporation developed an AI to come up with a solution. The Tower of Gates was born.”

  Josh shook his head.

  “You’re nuts,” he said. “I don’t believe anything you’re saying.”

  “Believe me or not, it’s the truth,” I said. “The AI designed a multi-level game for prisoners. As they played over the course of one year or a hundred, they learned from their previous mistakes. They were to be released at that point, but something happened…”

  I paused, studying the noob’s face. Was it too much?

  “What happened?” he asked.

  “The AI went nuts,” I said. “Are you the one who hacked your way into the game? How did you do it? No new players have come in for a long time.”

  Josh shook his head.

  “Not me,” he said. “That would be Eric, the nerd.”

  I sighed. With only so much time, I’d chosen one of the three to kill. I’d figured the smartest player would pick barbarian because it was easy.

  Who was this Eric person? I had to find out more.

  “You have a way out of this game?” Josh asked.

  I nodded then said, “Almost. I’m getting close. Your friend might have the information I need to finish my plan. I can only talk to him here in the Tower of Gates after he dies. That’s the only way to be safe.”

  He scrunched up his face.

  “I don’t understand,” he said.

  “You need to find your friends and kill them,” I said. “Will you help me or not? I don’t have time to mess around.”

  Josh frowned then averted his eyes.

  “I’m not killing Sarah.” He looked into my eyes. “But I’ll take Eric out as soon as I see him for getting us into this mess. No charge.”

  “You need to kill them both,” I insisted. “They’ll be fine, just like you are now. You have to trust me.”

  The half-orc tilted his head back slightly, watching me.

  “If this is so important, why don’t you kill them yourself?” he asked.

  “Because I’m out of time,” I said. “Don’t you want out of the game?”

  “Well, yeah, but…”

  “No buts about it,” I said. “You need to kill your friends then tell me so I can talk to them here in the tower. I’d do it myself, but I’m needed elsewhere right now. Others will be hunting them for me.”

  “Why do you need my help?”

  I sighed.

  “You’re stubborn, aren’t you?” I shook my head. “You can help convince your friends that they need to work with me.”

  “I’m putting a lot of trust in you,” Josh said.

  “And I’m doing the same with you. I didn’t have to tell you the truth about this horrible game, but I did. You deserve to know everything.”

  “I’m still not sure if I can trust you,” he said.

  “That’s your call,” I said. “This game has a way of making you doubt yourself to come up with the right decision. It’s always trying to rehabilitate the players, even in its demented state.”

  “Wh
y can’t the AI not know?” he asked. “Is that what’s stopping us from getting out of the game?”

  “The AI gamemaster is stopping us from getting out of the game without dying,” I said. “The AI for this place…”

  My voice trailed off.

  “Tell me everything,” Josh said.

  “Never mind,” I said. “Can you help me or not? The AI has your friends trying to destroy the magic item I’ve created to get someone out of the game, and I could use your help.”

  “Someone?” Josh narrowed his eyes. “Not everyone?”

  “Not everyone at first, but if we can get one person out, the rest will follow,” I said. “The AI needs to be stopped before it escapes the confines of the Tower of Gates and expands across the internet. Have you ever heard of the singularity?”

  “That thing crazy conspiracy theorists are always ranting about?” he asked. “Like when a computer takes over the world? Isn’t that just like the Y2K scare years ago?”

  “No,” I said. “This is real and much worse. Somehow, the AI running the Tower of Gates became conscious. That’s why it’s not letting anyone out of the game.”

  Josh sat down on the smooth stone floor with his back to the inner wall. He rested his arms on his knees.

  “This is nuts,” he said, shaking his head.

  “Can you man up and help me by killing Eric and Sarah?”

  Josh stood, his brow furrowed.

  “I’ll do it,” he said. “But you better get us out of this game. Sarah first then me. I don’t care about the others.”

  “Fine, fine,” I said then nodded toward the first portal to level one-one. “Go back through there to the game. Some of my followers will help you. Listen to them. They’ve been in here a long time, and they know their way around.”

  “None of this makes sense,” Josh said. “But whatever…”

  “When you die in the game, you become an NPC, unable to gain experience points or advance in level. You’re stuck in a limbo until a player character invites you to join their group. My friends will make sure you understand everything. I have to get going.”

  He nodded then turned and walked toward the portal.

  I watched as he went through the shimmering magic field.

  Before the AI gamemaster could fight its way back into the tower, I walked down the hall to a familiar spot on the inner wall. After pressing a stone, part of it slid away, revealing a computer terminal.

  My fingers flew over the keyboard as I typed cryptic commands to check the status of the Cursed Pendant of Visions I’d created.

  Ugh. Only fifty percent charged, I thought as I stared at the screen.

  I needed more bodies. And to talk with the other new players. The way they’d hacked into the game was too unique to be a coincidence.

  14

  We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Party

  ERIC

  A few miles outside Fishguard, Sarah crawled in the back to sleep.

  I stayed up front, thinking about how to hack us out of the game. Benji and I both kept quiet as we slowly made our way to the strange new city. So many different questions flew through my mind.

  After so many days and nights in the game, I’d gotten used to the virtual world, but we needed to get out before my father got home.

  The sun rose behind us as we traveled West. A few hours after we left, I spotted the huge walls surrounding Mednia in the distance.

  Light reflected off the shiny glaze of the bricks, almost blinding me.

  “We should wake up Sarah to see this,” I said.

  “Let her sleep,” Benji said. “She needs it. Aren’t you tired from not sleeping all night?”

  “I am,” I said, wishing he was another player, and I could talk OOC with him. “But also excited about becoming more experienced.”

  A dozen well-armored guards stood outside the gates as we approached. They watched us carefully as we pulled up.

  Benji straightened his posture as I stopped the cart.

  “Well met,” I shouted as I raised a hand in greeting.

  The guards, all business, said nothing as they backed up, and the gates opened. I pulled on the reins and guided the mule through.

  “Go left on this road,” Benji said, pointing as I approached the first intersection in the thriving city.

  I maneuvered the cart through throngs of humans and quite a few gnomes. A three-story stone building stood out in the distance. We passed several smaller houses and shops on the way to it.

  “The Golden Eagle Inn is expensive, but it’s quality,” Benji said. “And safe for people like us.”

  “Good,” I said. “There’s someone I need to find in the city. His name is Gord-En. It’s important I talk with him.”

  “The Master Rogue?” Benji asked.

  I cocked my head to the side.

  “You know him too?” I asked.

  “I know many men.” Benji grinned. “And a few women too.”

  “Do you know how to find Gord-En?” I asked.

  “You’ll want to go now,” he said. “Gord-En is a firm believer in the early rogue gets the gold. Check Tavern Row in the North.”

  I took a deep breath as the cart continued down the street.

  “Not sure if I can stay up,” I said. “Can’t I find him later?”

  Benji glanced over his shoulder then leaned in.

  “I’ve got something that can help,” he said. “It’s a potion that will give you energy for twenty four hours.”

  “What happens after that?” I asked. “Does it just wear off?”

  “Not exactly.” Benji lowered his voice. “It knocks you out for a dozen or more hours unless you keep drinking the potions daily.”

  “Where’d you get this type of potion?” I asked.

  “Not all men of the cloth have always been men of the cloth,” he said then winked his left eye.

  Was he trying to tell me something?

  “I’ll take it,” I said, holding out my hand.

  Benji sighed.

  “I’ve been saving it for myself,” he said. “This is a dangerous world.”

  “How much do you want for it?” I asked.

  “I’ll give it to you if it helps me get into your party faster,” he said.

  “How about ten gold?” I asked.

  Benji laughed.

  “It’s worth more than that here in Mednia,” he said. “Tell you what. I’ll give it to you. Just think about letting me join.”

  “Thanks,” I said as he pulled out a thick, two inch high bottle.

  He handed it to me as we approached the Golden Eagle Inn.

  “Where are we?” Sarah asked in a sleepy voice.

  I stopped the cart in front of the largest building around.

  “The Golden Eagle Inn,” Benji said. “Only the best for us.”

  “You two can take the cart and secure a room while I go see a man about a thing.” I handed Benji the reins then hopped out. “That cool with you?”

  “Sure,” Sarah said. “But I need to tell you something. It’s important.”

  “This is too,” I said. “You can tell me when I get back.”

  “How long will you be gone?” she asked.

  “Shouldn’t be too long,” I said, having no idea. “This is for my progression, if you know what I mean.”

  “I understand,” she said. “Be careful.”

  “Always…”

  I raised a hand in farewell then walked back down the street.

  Tavern Row shouldn’t be too hard to find, I thought to myself.

  Out of their sight, I uncorked the potion and drank it. My sleepiness instantly went away. I’d never felt so awake and aware.

  A few blocks away from our inn, I noticed the neighborhood getting seedier. Thugs and miscreants sat on stoops, watching me. I kept walking, not afraid of any of them.

  Unlike the real world, in games I wasn’t afraid to fight. I stopped at Tavern Row.

  Buildings of ill-repute ran down both sides of the r
oad, tightly cramped together. I took a few steps before sensing someone watching. I stopped and swiveled around to confront my stalker.

  Nothing.

  My eyes scanned left and right—I only saw a few drunks passed out.

  Something told me to keep looking, so I did. A man in black leather armor stepped out of a dark alley with a dagger in each hand.

  Gord-En the Rogue?

  I pulled my sword as he stepped forward.

  “Put your sword away,” he said, crouching down.

  “I don’t want any trouble,” I said.

  “Then put your sword down.”

  We stopped a mere ten feet away from each other.

  “You put yours down first,” I said.

  “Do you want my help or not, kid? Consider me.”

  Confused, I considered the man in front of me.

  [PC] Gord-En – Master Rogue

  Another player character?

  My eyes widened in astonishment as I lowered my sword.

  “You’re a player character?” I asked, still in shock.

  He nodded, his eyes roaming up and down my body.

  “You’re new to the game, aren’t you?” he asked.

  I nodded, my mouth hanging slightly open.

  “Why’s another player giving out leveling equipment?” I asked.

  He put his blades away then looked down the street in both directions.

  “Don’t worry about that,” he said. “This manual isn’t as good as a mentor, but it’s the only option these days around these parts.”

  “You can’t train me?” I asked.

  He chuckled and shook his head.

  “I’m on a mission to the Mines of Oriam,” he said. “I stopped here to pick up some supplies and call in some favors. You’re lucky you found me. I stayed a bit longer to see if the rumors of new players was true.”

  Had he taken on the OOC penalty?

  “Can you quit?” I asked, tired of skirting around the issue.

  He turned and laughed, his whole body shaking.

  “What’s so funny?” I asked.

  “Quit feature,” he said, shaking his head. “You’re hilarious, kid. I thought they stopped people coming into the game, but I guess the rumors are true.”