The Arena

by Drew Seren

  “The boss is pleased with yous performance, even against yous former friend,” Bo’ gestured to the tray. “Enjoy his gratitude. I’ll be back for yous all in a couple of hours.”

  Although the constant fighting was getting tiring, Horc nodded. “We’ll be ready.”

  Bo’ walked toward the door. “Good. The players are coming from near and far to watch yous guys.” Horc waited from him to close the door before turning to the platter of food.

  Tufkakes tossed a couple of slices of ham to Wolf. “You did a good job out there, Boy.”

  “We all did.” Baladara grabbed something that looked like a yellow peach.

  “I’m going to check with Rick.” Horc really wanted to grab something to eat but finding out if Steelmaiden was safe was his top priority.

  Sitting on the bed, he knew he didn’t have to be seated in order to access his text app, but he didn’t like texting while driving or walking, Horc brought up his texting app and sent Rick a message.

  How’d it go?

  Rick’s response was almost instant, like he’d been sitting with his own text app open, waiting for Horc’s message.

  We got them both. Mariann…Steelmaiden, will be back with you shortly. We’re getting her new toon ready to roll.

  Horc frowned. New toon?

  Steelmaiden is known to the AI. She’s even changing pods as we speak. A friend of hers who lives near her is letting her borrow a pod for this.

  After what she’d been through, Horc was a little surprised she’d be coming back online so soon. She doesn’t need to do that. We can get out without putting her at risk again.

  She’s a feisty one. She wanted to go right back in, but I talked her into waiting for me to design her a new character, just to be safe.

  Horc chuckled. Feisty was one way to describe Steelmaiden, and he wasn’t surprised she was similar IRL. You’ll give us a warning as to who and what she is?

  You bet. We want her as part of your party. We should be ready to go before the next round.

  That might take some convincing Bo’ it’ll be okay. Horc remembered how the Goblin had objected to them having four people when they’d first entered the arena and decided to be part of the games.

  When that happens, I’ll have to see what I can do to make things smoother. No worries. We’ll work something out. It’ll also give us an idea of what the AI is thinking.

  Sounds like a plan. I’m going to go get something to eat now and rest a bit before the next round.

  You do that. Try to avoid the close hand to hand next time. Your health dropped a little too low for comfort.

  Will do my best. Horc closed the app and looked over at Tufkakes, Baladara and Wolf eating in silence.

  “Did they get them both?” Tufkakes asked, pointing his banana at Horc. “As I Backstabbed the Beastmaster, I whispered to him to log out as he rezzed.”

  Horc nodded. “He said they had them both. Steelmaiden will be back with us shortly. They’re getting her a new toon.” Horc pursed his lips and glanced around the cell. “I wonder how we would tell if the AI is listening.”

  Baladara shook her head. “No clue. That does kinda add a new angle to this whole thing, doesn’t it?”

  “It does, and not one I like.” Horc slid off the bed and walked over to pick up a large roll that after tearing it opened, he stuffed meats and cheeses into.

  “You know, I really don’t want to spend every minute in this damned cell worrying about what we’re talking about.” Baladara chewed her banana.

  “Guess you don’t have any cone of silence spells, or anything like that?” Tufkakes asked.

  Baladara frowned. “And then what, we write everything down, or use sign language?” She shook her head. “Won’t do us any good. I guess that’s going to be our biggest hurdle in this adventure, out smarting an AI whose program we exist in at the moment.”

  A chill went through Horc. He didn’t like the idea they wouldn’t be able to plan things out. But the others were right, if the AI had figured out how to listen in on them, they might be in a world of hurt when it started using their plans against them.

  22

  A slight shimmer in the middle of the room announced Steelmaiden’s arrival, although the green text over her head read Titanya, Human, Warrior, Level 25. Her armor was dark chain mail from head to toe, and her sword was a massive two-handed beast that looked like it could kill its opponents by weight alone.

  “Hi Guys, miss me?” She grinned as she looked around the room.

  Baladara whistled. “Damn, Girlfriend, you look more dangerous than ever.”

  Titanya frowned at her. “Please, don’t girlfriend me. You’re a married straight man playing a female character. I’m really picky about who calls me girlfriend, and at this point, you don’t fit the bill. Besides what would your wife say?”

  Baladara laughed. “And how do you know I’m not Lisa?”

  “She’s got a point,” Horc added, stifling his own laugh. “Lisa was driving the toon for a bit while Mike got some sleep. If you know the two of them, you can spot the differences in them. I know this is Mike.”

  “What differences?” Baladara put her hands on her hips and objected. “This is a game. How can you tell one driver from another?”

  Just the look of indignation on his face made Horc laugh. “One of these days I’ll let you know.”

  “You guys got a nicer flat than we had below.” Titanya gave the place another look. “At least you don’t look as much like prisoners as Slasher and Greensleeves do at the moment.”

  “But we have an out,” Tufkakes said. “Tell you what, why don’t I see about slipping through the shadows and letting folks down below know that we have a plan.”

  Horc nodded. “Yeah, Bo’ will probably be showing up soon for our next round of combat, so if you slip out now, Steelmaiden…I mean Titanya can be our third.”

  “I can handle these fools,” Titanya said. “What I want is a shot at the pirate lord, Rothand. He’s got things to answer for.”

  “It’s the AI,” Horc corrected, “but we’ve got to get everyone out of the game so we can bring it down, and before we can do that, we’ve got to get all the prisoners free.”

  “And someone needs to tell all those fool players in the stands their lives are in danger if they sign up to fight in the arena.” Titanya started to sit on the bed nearest the door, then stopped half way down. She bounced the bed slightly and frowned. “Yeah, still better than down below, but no.” She straightened and went to lean against the doorframe.

  “We haven’t gotten fleas or bedbugs yet.” Horc said and then wondered if the game had been programmed to have such minute details.

  “Be thankful.” Titanya frowned and shook her head. “Both are all over the place downstairs. I wasn’t sure what it was going to take to get rid of them from Steelmaiden. Not playing that toon again until someone tells me what to do there. The damn bugs itch like crazy.”

  “You know, you make me thankful I’m not in a pod,” Baladara said with a sly grin.

  “We can fix that,” Titanya said.

  “Anyway,” Horc said. “Rick says they’re trying to convince players to not come to the island and get wrapped up in the arena, but most of them aren’t listening. It’s like they don’t care if they get caught up in the arena and can’t log out.”

  “We work with these people,” Baladara said. “We know how they can be at work, games only make them that much worse.

  “She has a point,” Titanya agreed. “I know the stands had more players in them each time I entered the arena.”

  “Agreed.” Horc leaned against the wall, trying to think of some way to get the other players to log out and wait for the fix to stop the AI before things got worse. But the others were right. Nobody had ever heard of someone getting stuck in a game. They probably thought it was some kind of hype to get more people playing in an attempt to figure out what’s going on.

  “While you guys discuss this, I’m hitting the shad
ows.” Without another word, Tufkakes faded away.

  “Well, he’s interesting,” Titanya said. “Nice addition to the party.”

  “That’s one way to look at him,” Baladara said. “The stuffed animal look takes some getting used to.”

  Titanya shook her head. “I don’t think so. I considered doing either a Procyan or an Ursan, but Human Fighter still gets better buffs. I was surprised the Ursans get Druid buffs, but not Barbarian or Fighter buffs. Procyans just get Rogue buffs. I went for the points with this one. I figure we need every edge we can get.”

  “Right.” Horc nodded. He hadn’t been thinking about racial buffs and things like that when he’d rolled up his character. He’d let everything but the name be random. He hadn’t planned on playing Halfworld longer than necessary to get the bonus money from work for beta testing. He defiantly hadn’t planned on getting stuck in the game. Also, he hadn’t expected to enjoy the game the way he was. Even if he still hadn’t admitted it to any of his friends, the game had grown on him and he planned on continuing to play, once they got the problems with the AI sorted out and it was safe again. He wanted to be like all the other players and not have to worry about if he was ever going to escape the game and be able to live his normal life again.

  The door opened and Bo’ stuck his head in. “Hey Yous Guys, it’s time for the next round.” He paused and his large eyes got even bigger. “Wait a minute, did yous’ Rogue become a Fighter?”

  Horc got off the bed and shrugged. “I guess you could say that. We’re still a party of three.”

  Bo’ frowned. “And only two of yous are the original party.”

  “But there wasn’t anything about that in the paperwork Greensleeves signed, was there?”

  “No.” Bo’ looked thoughtful, then shook his head hard enough that his long green ears flopped against his nose. “I guess there isn’t. It does change up the dynamics of the fight though.”

  Honestly, Horc didn’t care how much it changed up the dynamics of the fight. If Rothand had things figured out based on a party’s classes, then he might be in for a surprise. As long as they weren’t dealing with three people who could turn invisible, except to other invisible players, he didn’t think it was going to be a major problem, for them at least.

  The next group they fought in the arena was Greensleeves, Stanishollyshmite, and an Ursan Ranger named Ted who had a huge black bear at his side. Horc swallowed hard. He knew Tufkakes had enough time to get through and let Greensleeves know the plan, but that didn’t help the tightening in his gut about facing a partymate, and good friend, in the arena. The very thought of it made the games seem that much crueller.

  “Great, two with healing abilities,” Titanya said. “Let’s hope Tufkakes got through to them. Maybe he even told Stanishollyshmite” She pulled her huge sword as the opposite gate slammed shut.

  “He might’ve told Stan?” Baladara asked in a soft hiss. “Why would he tell Stan?”

  Titanya looked confused. “I thought he was supposed to let everyone know. It makes sense.”

  Baladara shook her head. “Yeah, but Stan? I bet he told the other two too. We really could’ve left them here for a while and let them figure it out for themselves.”

  “That wouldn’t have been nice,” Horc said. He wasn’t exactly fond of the mailroom morons either, but they didn’t deserve to suffer any more than anyone else did.

  “We don’t have time to debate this.” Titanya charged as Ted unleashed his first round of arrows. She headed toward the Ranger.

  As one of the three projectiles came at him, Horc dodged out of the way and rolled on the sand, coming up to release a Fire arrow at the other ranger.

  Baladara got off a spell and Ted’s next barrage hit an invisible barrier in front of them.

  “Isn’t that a little odd to you,” Baladara muttered as her hands began to glow red as she prepped a fireball. “I mean, almost like enslaving a cousin.”

  Horc couldn’t bring himself to fire on Greensleeves, even as the Druid’s hands glowed brown and the first tendrils of a sandstorm swirled toward them. “Oh, you mean an Ursan having a bear companion?”

  Wolf charged into the fight, engaging the much larger companion animal. The sight made Horc wince and he hoped his wolf would be okay. With Titanya helping him, he had a chance.

  “Yeah.” Baladara got off her spell and a Fireball caught Stanishollyshmite in the chest as the Paladin rushed toward them.

  “Maybe he’s looking out for a cousin.” Horc sent a Poison arrow at the bear, even as the Ursan shouldered his bow, pulled out a huge axe and charged toward them.

  “Could be.” Baladara got off a round of Magical Force Bolts that damaged Stanishollyshmite, but not a lot.

  The force of the sandstorm hit Baladara’s shield. Dust collected on the magical barrier and blocked out their view across the arena.

  “Damn.” Baladara rubbed her head. “That one’s got feedback with it.”

  Horc got off another Flame arrow as Ted lumbered closer. “What do you mean feedback?”

  “Magical feedback from the force of two or more magical…” Baladara shook her head. “Remind me when we’re done here to explain it to you.”

  The wind abruptly dropped and the dust fell back to the sand. Horc caught a glimpse of Tufkakes stepping away from Greensleeves as the Druid dropped to the sand. He started to shout an objection, but Ted hit Baladara’s magical shield at the same time the Paladin did.

  “Coming down.” Baladara muttered.

  Horc fired one last arrow at the bear that Wolf and Titanya were still fighting. He spared a glance at their health bars. They were close, but Wolf had slightly more than the bear. With luck, it would be enough. Titanya looked like she was holding out pretty well.

  Jumping back from Ted’s first swing, Horc dropped his bow and pulled his sword. He managed to get it out in time to block Ted’s next attack. The impact shook Horc, and he nearly dropped the sword as he struggled to maintain a good grip on the pommel. He was forced back by the sheer force of the Ursan’s strength. It was more than he’d expected.

  “You’ve been doing well, Half Orc,” Ted said. “But I’ve been doing better. If we win enough fights, they say we’ll get to log out.”

  “Don’t count on that,” Horc snapped as he swung his blade up to come in a little higher on the Ursan. His problem was, even though his toon was larger, compared to Elves and Humans, the Ursan had several inches on him, and a good fifty to seventy-five pounds. It was an uneven fight, even if they were the same class and within a couple of levels of each other.

  “Steelmaiden was a mighty fighter.” Ted swung his ax again, forcing Horc to dodge out of the way. “She won many fights and is no longer with us. She must’ve been allowed to log out.”

  From what he was saying, Horc realized Tufkakes hadn’t had time to get to everyone. He glanced around the arena, trying not to take his eyes off Ted too long. There was no sign of Tufkakes. The Rogue must’ve disappeared back into the shadows.

  Horc shook his head. “She got out another way.” He smashed his sword hard and fast at Ted, scoring a critical hit to Ted’s ax arm and dropping his health by three eighths.

  Ted staggered back under Horc’s blows, switching his weapon to his other hand and trying to block Horc’s attacks.

  “Be ready to log out when you die.” Horc said as he body slammed Ted, pressing Ted’s good hand and weapon against his chest. He kneed Ted hard in the groin, not knowing if that even worked in the game, or against an Ursan. Then as Ted wobbled back a couple of steps, he swung his sword as hard as he could at Ted’s head.

  He scored another critical hit, managing to decapitate the other Ranger.

  In the distance, a bear roared.

  Horc spun and reached for his bow even as he remembered he’d dropped it when Ted had hit Baladara’s magical shield. Ted’s bear was ignoring Wolf and Titanya’s attacks and charging toward him.

  Spreading his legs to give himself a better base, Horc
held his sword at the ready. He was only going to get one hit in before the bear plowed into him, driven into a fury at the death of his Ranger. The bear was down to under a quarter health. Even as it charged, Wolf and Titanya were scoring hits on it. Its health bar was down into the orange as Horc took his swing.

  He held his breath as his blade swung down toward the black shaggy head. Somehow, he missed. The bear slammed into him, driving him to the arena sand. Its teeth clamped down on his shoulder, sending pain through his body.

  No sooner had its weight hit him and the agony went through him, and it was gone.

  Horc blinked.

  The bear lay on its side next to him. Its health bar disappeared and it started to pixelate and vanish.

  “Okay, Dude, if you weren’t so attached to Wolf, I’d say ditch him and get yourself a bear.” Baladara shook out her hands. “That bugger was hard to take down.”

  Titanya nodded and stopped down to wipe her blade off in the sand. “I have to agree. I take it you dealt with the Paladin.”

  “Fairly easy if you know Stan’s weak spots.” Baladara grinned

  “But yous guys cheated.” Bo’ came out of the tunnel that led back to the combatants sleeping chambers. The goblin looked furious.

  “What do you mean?” Horc asked, spreading his hands, trying to look innocent. Then it hit him what was going on.

  “Yous brought four men to a three-man fight.” Bo’ bounced a small, nasty looking club in his hand. “That means you’re all disqualified.”

  Behind Bo’ several more pirates appeared out of the tunnel. They all had weapons out and looked pissed off.

  23

  Horc’s heart sank. He glanced at his health bar, it was under half. Titanya’s, Baladara’s were low too. Tufkakes was the only one with over three quarters. They weren’t up for taking on several fighters at or above their level. It wasn’t going to be a fair fight. He’d feel really stupid if he died both in game and IRL because the rapidly learning AI was trying to use players as its personal toys.