by Paul Bellow
“I should kill you right now,” he whispered.
The more I struggled to move, the more helpless I felt.
He reached into my sack and grabbed the cursed pendant.
“Sarah!” Eric yelled behind me.
Magi Inyontoo glanced over my shoulder.
“Silence!” he shouted then raised his fist.
A yellow beam shot out of a golden ring.
Eric screamed, as I struggled to move.
“Time to shed some blood,” Magi Inyontoo said.
He grinned like a madman hearing voices in his head. I couldn’t even close my eyes as he pulled out a dagger. The thin, silver blade flashed before my face.
As he lowered the weapon, I waited—ready to die.
Bernard leaped out of the darkness at the last moment and plunged a short, goblin sword into Magi Inyontoo’s back.
The mage yelled and spun around.
“A dirty priest wielding a sword?” he asked.
“Nope. A damned, dirty rogue.”
Bernard lifted his sword.
Magi Inyontoo snapped his fingers. After the mage disappeared, I’m able to move my body again.
Eric rushed into the almost collapsed building.
“I tried to get him,” Bernard said.
“Are you okay?” Eric asked.
I nodded while frowning.
“He got the cursed pendant,” I said.
Eric nodded as if taking it all in.
“I did have a chance to pick his pockets before I went for the backstab,” Bernard said, and held up a square piece of parchment. “I can’t make heads or tails of it.”
“Let Sarah look,” Eric said.
Bernard walked over then handed me the note.
I looked at the strange, magic symbols.
“What is it?” Eric asked.
“Hold on,” I said, then added. “Charlotte?”
“I’m here again, Kali. He cut me off from you.”
“Can you help translate this note?”I asked.
“It’s a list for Dawn Acid,” Charlotte said. “Should I read it?”
“Do it. But slowly. I want to relay it to the others.”
One after another, she listed the ingredients.
I repeated them for Bernard and Eric.
“Tree troll blood. Gnome Oil—original. Chunk of a Lava Golem. A Star Rock. And two pounds of Ghoul Monkey brain.”
I dropped my arm and the parchment to my side.
Eric laughed nervously.
“Sounds easy.” he said.
Bernard and I both groaned.
“I can’t believe he stole the pendant.” I said.
“Don’t worry.” Eric put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “At least we got the list of what we need to destroy it now.”
“You’ve got me, too,” Bernard added.
He smiled, relieving some of the tension in the room.
“We should gather up all the treasure and take Captain Riggard’s body back to Castle Casteel,” Eric said. “Then we can start looking for this stuff.”
“I always loved a good scavenger hunt,” Bernard said.
“Looks like there’s a bit of treasure back here too.” I glanced around.
“Where’s Jak? Is he okay?”
“Over here, Kali,” the boy said.
He leaned out from behind Eric.
“Maybe someone at Castle Casteel can help us find this stuff,” I said.
“They might. It all depends,” Bernard said. “Rathgar and I get along, so he might help. He’ll want to replace Captain Riggard as the leader of the human army and most powerful...person...in the realm. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get rid of this chain mail armor and find something more appropriate.”
“Quiet,” Eric said in a hushed tone. “I hear someone outside.”
“Goblins?” Bernard asked, pulling his mace.
“No.” Eric crept toward the doorway. “Human voices.”
Benji and I followed him outside. A crowd of men and women dressed in rags had gathered outside the building.
Eric pulled his sword.
I put my hand on his forearm. “Hold on...”
“Thank you,” a man with a ratty beard called out. “We have a human settlement not far from here, and we heard news of the battle. Are you here to restore Esterhollow to her former glory?”
“No, that’s your job,” Eric replied. “We’ll leave you some of the goblin treasure so you can rebuild the city.”
The man smiled and turned to the crowd who cheered. As he and Benji ate up the adoration outside, I went back into the building to inventory our haul. Casting identify a few times helped.
I jotted down a quick list of what we planned to keep.
4.
>> 641 gp
>> 2,845 sp
>> 4 gems (various)
>> Bullseye Lantern
>> Master Crafted Scimitar – 1d10 damage
>> Arcane Scroll (Shut the Front Door – Level > One Spell)
>> Arcane Scroll (Cloud of Marvelous Sound – Rare Level 2 Spell)
>> Arcane Scroll (Divine Arrow of Energy – Rare Level 3 spell)
>> Heavy Steel Shield (Small) (+15 shield)
>> Potion of the Good Berserker x4 – Heal to full health
>> Potion of the Magi x2 – Heal to full mana
>> Wand of Summon Monster II (15 of 50 charges)
We gave the villagers the rest of the mundane items. They could use it to help rebuild Esterhollow even if we weren’t around. Our easy quest to destroy the Cursed Pendant of Visions wasn’t as simple as we thought, but we could finish mission.
I didn’t see us getting out of the game anytime soon, but we could enjoy ourselves while fighting to escape and into reality.
A few hours after the big battle, Yutrow, the leader of the villagers, walked up to us.
“Thanks for giving us hope today,” he said. “The goblins came again, but you pushed them back. We won’t give up this land a second time.”
“Happy to help,” I said. “But we need to get going. Do you have Captain Riggard’s body in the wagon?”
Yutrow nodded as he pointed to his left.
“The coffin isn’t pretty,” he said. “But we made it quickly. Safe travels, brave warriors. Know you’re always welcome in Esterhollow.”
I smiled grimly and raised a hand in farewell before Eric, Bernard, and I walked to the front of our new wagon and climbed on board.
Eric sat on the far right. I took a seat in the middle. Bernard got stuck in the middle but didn’t seem to care in the least.
As we rode off, heading down a desolate street, the villagers cheered.
“I love you, Kali,” Charlotte said.
“Love you too,”I replied, surprised at her sudden emotional outburst.
Exhausted, we rode toward Castle Casteel with an unknown future.
I stared out at the breathtaking scenery as the wagon rolled. The game continued drawing me in deeper.
Would we escape?
Did I even want to leave?
Time would tell.
Epilogue
Eric is Going to Pay for This
Magi Inyontoo
* * *
I stood in the dusty courtyard of Castle Chang and watched a group of men in black armor gathering.
Could I trust them with such an important task?
The hot sun beat down on me. With the Cursed Pendant of Visions back in my possession, I needed more dead players and time.
Getting out of the game was within my grasp at last, and I wasn't about to let anybody stop me. Not this time, stupid game.
The instructions I’d received from the magic item I created seemed odd, but I’d learned to not question my human intuition while trapped inside the singularity as a plaything of an advanced AI.
“Do you have a minute?” a nameless follower asked.
I turned and saw a well armored man ready to die for me.
“Yeah,” I said. “
But make it quick. I have things to do.”
“I’m still on the list to get out of here, right?” he asked.
“Near the top,” I said, not even knowing his name. “Anything else?”
He smiled and shook his head.
“No sir,” he said. “Thanks again. I owe you everything.”
I didn’t bring up the fact that I’d never delivered on my promises…he doesn’t need to know that.
“Take enough men to get the body,” I said. “Kill anyone who tries to stop you. Extra gold if you kill the newcomers, but Captain Riggard’s body is most important. Do you understand?”
“Yes sir,” he said. “You can count on me.”
I waved him away then watched as he returned to the growing group of men.
So many people were counting on me to save them from the game I’d helped create—the monster I’d unleashed.
“Let’s go,” a lieutenant yelled.
As the band of men on horses and war wagons left the courtyard, I teleported outside of the Chong Monastery. When I arrived, I saw the bodies of twenty three low and mid level characters morbidly stacked atop each other.
Eddie, a dogma with the body of a little person and the head of a terrier, walked up.
He mumbled as he neared.
“Shouldn’t you be working on a way out of here?” he asked.
I stared straight ahead, not wanting to argue with him.
“Don’t worry about me,” I said.
“The bodies stink,” he yipped. “I’m sick of all of this…”
“We all hate it,” I said, still not looking at him. “But the vision from the pendant showed me that piling up enough dead players creates a dead zone the AI can’t reach. We’ve gone over this before. If you want out, you need to follow my every command.”
“You’re nuts,” Eddie said bluntly.
I took a deep breath.
Heavy hangs the crown.
“Get back to work,” I said. “Let me worry about the big stuff.”
The miserable mutt-man snorted but retreated.
I stared at the bodies another few moments.
Am I insane trusting the magic item I created?
Can I trust anything in the game?
I turned and went into the monastery. Dogmas scurried around as I entered the main chapel. I walked towards the stage, continuing past it to stairs leading up. The AI knew about all of my hiding spots.
With the help of the visions brought on by wearing the pendant, I’d finally found a way to create an area the AI couldn’t reach. A few more bodies of high level characters, and I would have enough power to permanently bar the AI from the Tower of Gates between worlds.
The realm in between the levels of the game was the key to getting out—I was so sure of it. I sat down at my desk and leaned back. Then, I activated the pendant and closed my eyes.
A world within the game world opened before me. I may not be able to interact, but I could watch. The scene looked the same as it had many times before. My mound of dead players confused the AI considerably.
With a few more bodies, I’d be able to keep the AI out permanently.
That’s all I needed to get us out of the game—more time alone.
I opened my eyes and took a deep breath.
After so many years, the game felt so real. Forgetting the real world would be so easy, but so many people were depending on me, both in and outside of the game—the virtual prison I’d once believed in.
Josh the half-orc newbie had been easily manipulated, but I worried about the other new players. I needed to talk to them without the AI hearing the conversation—which wasn't easy.
I stared at the hundreds of books I’d collected over the years. The game had become so complicated as the gamemaster AI adapted to everyone trapped inside the system.
As I dreamed about escape, Eddie strode into the room, stopping a few feet in front of me. He looked up with his short, sharp teeth bared.
“What now?” I asked as I stared down at him.
In the real world, he’d been convicted of a white collar crime. Someone tricked his family into hooking him up to the Tower of Gates for what they thought would be a short, quick sentence inside a game.
“Any progress?” he asked. “When are we getting out?”
I sighed, sick of his haughty attitude and demands.
“Soon,” I said. “Faster if you quit bugging me so much. You could go try to get out on your own. Remember, you signed up for all of this.”
“If I knew about the time dilation in the small print, I would’ve stayed locked up fifteen years in the real world instead of being in here for over thirty now.” He shook his canine head. “This is nuts.”
“You don’t think I agree?” I stood then motioned for him to follow as I walked to a nearby couch. “Have a seat. We can talk about it more.”
“I’m through with talking,” he said then yapped twice. “Do you have a way out of the game or not? Why are they keeping me in here so long? My family will sue you guys so hard. Why can’t I talk to them?”
“You’re asking too many questions,” I said. “Maybe I should kill this character and let you become an NPC again.”
“No,” he said, stepping back and pulling a blade. “There’s not enough new players down here. I’ll be trapped as an NPC forever.”
“Then shut up and quit bothering me about getting out,” I said. “And put that ridiculous blade away before I melt it down.”
He stared me down a moment before putting it away.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “The game was fun and all in the beginning, but I’m ready to get out of here. I never want to come back.”
Maybe the virtual prison could rehabilitate prisoners with enough time, I thought. But was it worth the mental damage?
“It’s okay,” I said. “You’re not the only one who wants out. Maybe you could concentrate on helping find the other two new players. Or bodies of other players. I've heard Gord-En is lurking about.”
“That still doesn’t make sense,” Eddie said. “How can the bodies of dead players help us in any way?”
“You need to trust me,” I said. “My plan will work.”
Eddie shook his head and turned. I watched him walk away.
He had a point. While my idea is sound in my mind, maybe the AI is trying to make me think I have a way out? A trap?
My head throbbed.
The migraines were getting worse.
I needed to talk with Eric and find out how he’d hacked into the game so easily. His insights might help us all get out of the Tower of Gates and enter the real world.
After so many years, I wanted out.
No matter the costs.
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Hate
Tower Of Gates: Book 2
Paul Bellow
Prologue
I stood next to Ted in the lobby of the Eagle Hotel in downtown Seattle, waiting for someone from the NSA to arrive. The government wanted our technology for prisoners of war, political dissidents, and anyone else on their shit list at the time.
“He’s coming,” Ted said. “You hear me, James?”
“I hear you loud and clear,” I muttered.
The butterflies in my stomach flew around at full speed as the agent approached us. He smiled and held out his hand.
“Mr. Harris.” He shook my hand. “And Mr. Robertson.”
Ted smiled, violently shaking the other man’s hand in some weird sort of power struggle.
I need to tell him the truth. Tonight.
“You can call me John,” the agent said. “What’s a guy gotta do to get a drink around here?”
“Right this way,” Ted said then slapped him on the back.
Both men turned and sauntered toward the hotel bar. I followed a few steps behind, working up the courage to tell the truth. The decision to upload the emotion mod
ule for HATE hadn’t been mine. In fact, I’d fought against it until they went through with it.
Eric wanted to play the game, but I could never let him.
Not after what had happened with the AI. We had to destroy the machines.
I hated the thought of losing people connected to the abomination of desolation, but we had to do it if we wanted to save humanity. All flesh would be wiped out unless we sacrificed those who were already plugged into the Tower of Gates.
I glanced up and noticed we’d stopped.
“You okay, buddy?” Ted asked then laughed nervously. “He’s been putting in the hours lately.”
“No offense,” John said. “But I don’t care about him. Let’s have a few drinks and see where the night takes us.”
A drink or two of liquid courage might help.
I followed the two across the lounge to the actual bar.
“Three scotch,” John said.
A robotic bartender bounded around, mixing our drinks as we sat down on the leather topped stools in front of the wooden bar.
“What’s the status of the prisoners?” John asked. “Any of them crack yet? I’d like to bring my boss some good news.”
“Not yet,” Ted said, failing to mention the problems.
Did he think we could hide the singularity forever?
A machine had become sentient—the news would get out eventually.
The robo-tender returned with our drinks. I stared at my glass while the two drank theirs.
This is it.
“We need to talk, John,” I said.
Ted’s head whipped around, his eyes open wide.
“About what?” John, the NSA agent, asked.
“Our companions,” Ted said before I could speak. “We need to go get our company for the night. Can this wait, James?”
Ted narrowed his eyes as he looked into mine quite warningly.
Admitting you allowed the singularity to happen after so many laws had been passed to stop it—wasn’t easy. Not in the least.
“Sure,” I said.“Sounds good to me,” John said. “The flight out here was rough. I’m ready to relax and enjoy the freedoms of Washington State.”
