The next morning I nervously step on the escalator down to baggage claim at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix. There’s supposed to be a driver waiting for me somewhere around here.
It turns out calling my mother and packing for a few days doesn’t take all that much time. The previous day, after saying goodbye to Tessa, I had hours and hours to fill with my anxious thoughts. I tried quieting them with beer, but didn’t feel any effect until … well, let’s just say a few.
And then a few became more and then a few more to keep the buzz going as long as I was still awake. Until I literally ran out of alcohol in my house. I have to admit, I would almost be impressed with myself if I wasn’t still feeling it this morning.
And I am feeling it. Water and aspirin had made a tiny dent, but what I really need right now is just to go back to bed. I keep my sunglasses on and let the crowd guide me to the exit.
As the escalator reaches the ground floor, a quick glance to my left identifies a man and woman in plain black and white, work-casual attire, each holding two signs: Chapman, Miller, Bannon and Duncan.
That’s me.
Relieved that I don’t have to do anymore thinking for myself for a bit, I make my way through the small crowd of travelers and introduce myself. Just behind me, a tall woman maybe twenty years older than me arrives and introduces herself as Jeanne. She’s the mom from Canada that found her key early on the first day. Luckily for me, she also seems too overwhelmed and shell-shocked to make small talk, so we stand quietly, alone in our thoughts, waiting for the others.
After twenty minutes, we’re joined by David, a student from Atlanta whose exuberance is catching.
“Can you believe this?” he asks as he shakes my hand. “I mean, I’ve only just starting playing the Wild River Territory. I can’t believe we get to be the first to play in this new one.”
I actually forget about my headache for a brief time while we chat.
I catch the male driver looking at his watch and then exchange a look with his colleague. All of a sudden I realize who we’re still waiting for. Bannon is that … asshole. The YouTube star, the one that beat back other players to claim his key. The one who evidently believes he is God’s gift to gaming. Of course he’s the one we’re waiting on.
I hear an excited screech—the kind that preteen girls let loose when seeing the object of their desire. The kind of unselfconscious squeal that followed One Direction around the world. The female driver rolls her eyes and points to the top of the escalator over my shoulder.
Jason Bannon, aka Jargonaut, makes his way down to us, but is surrounded by a handful of fans, both male and female. He is smiling and joking and signing autographs and being altogether quite charming.
“I must be missing something. Isn’t he just on YouTube? Why do all these people know him?”
“‘Just’ on YouTube? He has something like three million subscribers,” Jeanne says.
My eyes widen as I stare at her.
“I know.” She nods. “It helps that he’s so handsome, but he seems a bit domineering. I don’t get the appeal, but my kids love him.”
Wonderful.
Once Jason finally makes his way over to us, the six of us jump into a van and had out. After about twenty minutes it’s clear that we’re leaving the city limits completely. Desert stretches for miles and miles, with beige sand blurring into low mountains in the distance. Peppered across the landscape are cacti and skimpy shrubs, the only visual evidence of life out here. It’s still mid-afternoon and the blue, cloudless sky overhead reminds me of how seldom I’ve actually been outside recently. Virtual reality technology has gotten better and better but nothing has been able to match the effects of actual nature.
And that quiet moment of watching the landscape out the window becomes a welcome moment of calm in an otherwise anxious day. We exit the freeway and turn on to a narrow, two-lane highway that winds up into the mountains. I can’t imagine what possible reason a gaming company would have for building such a remote, secretive compound. We pull down the long driveway, and drive straight toward a tall, cement wall. It’s maybe twenty feet high, and utterly solid. I can’t see past the gate, so I glance to the left out the window and count at least three security cameras but the wall is otherwise stark. The van is stopped at the gate and each of us is pulled one by one, asked to produce identification and questioned by security. Once we reach the buildings themselves we are separated and whisked through another series of briefings, legalese and even a medical exam.
It’s the strangest thing. I try to take mental notes so I can tell Tessa about it all later. I feel like I am in some kind of government conspiracy movie.
At around 7 p.m., finally, my personal Toterra Online handler, Theresa, walks me back to my private room.
“Ok, Asher. This is goodnight. One of the staff will be here soon with your dinner. Just one thing—do not eat past midnight.”
I frown. “Really? Why?”
“You’ll find out tomorrow. Try to rest. Calm your nerves. I’ll be back in the morning to collect you.”
She doesn’t need to tell me twice. I was exhausted before I even got on the plane. Honestly, any food they served me would be better than what I eat at home, but the perfectly rare steak and crispy potatoes just melt in my mouth. Toterra must have some kind of benefits and amenities here to keep their best talent happy.
My soft bed welcomes me soon after. I fall asleep again with images of goblins chasing me flitting through my mind.
The following morning, I realize this is all starting to feel real. Maybe it’s the disconnect from friends and real life that makes this immersion into Toterra Online’s world feel more solid. Maybe it’s just that I’ve had time to get used to the idea. Whatever it is, by the time Theresa arrives to walk me to the other side of the compound, I am ready.
She leads me to a low, concrete, fortified building through two security checkpoints, down in an elevator for two floors and the length of a wide hallway to the heavy metal door at the very end. Several of the other players arrive with their own babysitters at the same time and we file one by one through the door.
The room we’ve been brought to is the size of a university lecture hall, but missing the rows of desks. In their place are about twenty enormous, egg-shaped metal pods. I gasp and then try to clear my throat to hide the surprise, but just end up coughing. Theresa pats me lightly on my back as she guides me across the room to one of the pods. I’ve only heard rumors about what Toterra has had in development, but even those rumors don’t prepare me. The metal pods cocoon-like—plenty big for an adult, but cozy and confined to cut off all outside noise and light. From the articles I’ve read, these pods are full of the most cutting-edge motion-sensor cameras and wires that will literally read my brainwaves.
The room fills quickly, with each of the twelve key holders stationed at our assigned pod, and each with a Toterra Online employee just arms length away. David catches my eye across the room and raises his eyebrows.
This is incredible.
The last person through the door is Jeffrey Talbot himself. The President and CEO of Toterra Online came all the way to the mountains in the middle of the Arizona desert to send us off.
“Ladies and gentlemen.” Talbot begins charming us all even as he strolls down the aisle between the pods to the front of the room. “Welcome to Toterra Online’s Arizona facility. You are the very first non-tier-seven individuals ever allowed on this property.”
At this he has reached the front of the room where there is a small stage and a blank screen behind him. He gestures to the room.
“You have been invited here to both help Toterra promote our newest expansion, Camlan Realm, but also to help promote the most cutting-edge virtual reality hardware in the world. We call them Toterra Capsules and they are full-immersion gaming gear for the most professional players.
“They have been tested and used up to ten days straight. You will only be immersed for forty-eight hours, so there’s no need to w
orry. This is also, incidentally, why you all had medical exams and were asked to fast last night. You’ll need to observe some restrictions in game. Your health, safety and comfort is of utmost importance. That said, we have full confidence that your experience in the Toterra Capsule will be seamless and allow you to enjoy game play at an intimate level.
“We recognize, however, that this is likely a complete surprise to you. If there is any one of you that would still like to withdraw from the Challenge, now is your chance.”
He pauses and looks at each of us expectedly. Full immersion? For two days? I know I shouldn’t put my trust in a gigantic international corporation, but … come on. Imagine the publicity if anything happened to one of us twelve. They at least believe the Capsules are safe. But, there’s always the chance they’re wrong. Toterra’s biggest competitor, Galactic Games, collapsed under the volume of legal fees just a few years ago when their first full immersion VR pod failed. I heard that guy is still brain dead.
Across the room, I notice Jeanne whispering with her designated Toterra employee. She shakes her head, nods, and nods again more emphatically. The employee looks up at Talbot and gestures toward the door. Well, so, at least one of us can’t stomach the risk. Knowing that she is a mom, I wonder if those little reasons at home are factors in her decision.
So now we are down to eleven key holders. Ten opponents for me.
“That is disappointing.” Talbot’s voice booms through the room. “But the show must go on. My parting instructions for you, ladies and gentlemen: as with other expansions, you will enter Camlan as a Level Ten player. Unlike other expansions, during the next forty-eight hours if you die you will lose everything you have accumulated—both in experience and loot—and return to a Level Ten player.”
I glance at Theresa, but she doesn’t meet my eye. That’s a surprising tweak. Every other MMORPG I’ve played has consequences if your character dies, but never have I heard of losing everything.
“Whatever gear and leveling you have acquired at the end of forty-eight hours is yours to keep and whichever of you has advanced the highest level when that time runs out will be designated the winner.”
“Oh.” He interrupts himself to let out a hollow laugh. “We haven’t told you yet what the winner gets, have we?”
An overweight, middle-aged white dude wearing a cowboy hat at the front of the room answers loudly. “No.”
“The winner of the Camlan Challenge will receive one million gold for use in-game.”
I grin. That is more than anyone could even hope to use. But Talbot isn’t done.
“As well as a one-year contract with Toterra Online. Ladies and gentlemen, this is your chance to come a professional Toterra Online Ambassador.”
Whoa. As far as I know there are only two other Ambassadors in the whole world. They get to spend their days playing, testing new games and traveling all over the world doing interviews about gaming. It’s basically the best job ever. Oh my god, I would kill to be a T.O. Ambassador.
Talbot nods at all of us, looking each one of the eleven remaining key holders in the eye.
“Good luck,” he concludes with a jovial smile.
“Alright. Strip down.”
“What?” I had been watching Talbot exit the room, shaking hands down the aisle, when Theresa ambushes me with those instructions.
“Strip. You have to be totally naked in the Capsule.”
“Seriously? Is that why that list said not to worry about clothes?”
She grins. “Yes, actually. That’s exactly why. Come on.” She gestures impatiently.
Well, I guess. I look around to make sure everyone else is also complying with the no clothing rule before I realize that I am just staring at one of the girls taking off her jeans. Whoops. Okay. Focus. Shoes off. Pants off. Shirt off.
“Yes, Mr. Duncan. All the way.”
Theresa moves past me to open the lid of the Capsule. I don’t look at her when I drop my boxers to the floor and use my foot to push them toward my jeans.
One leg after the other, I climb into the Toterra Capsule. It’s spacious, and not nearly as claustrophobic as I expected it to be. Theresa keeps her eyes on my face as she gives me the final instructions. I realize this will be the last actual real life interaction I have for days.
“Asher, if at any time you want to forfeit the challenge just say those words out loud and the game AI will take care of the rest.”
I nod. I gulp. I let out the breath I didn’t realize I had been holding. As she talks, she helps me adjust my head into the well-fitted helmet of sensors and wires in the capsule. I am reclining, not totally flat on my back, but relaxed. I feel the bottom of the Capsule near my feet start to fill with some kind of gel. It’s not quite warm enough to be totally seamless, but at least it’s not cold.
“Just let yourself enjoy this, Asher. Don’t worry. Even if you don’t win, you still get to go back to your real life with this epic experience.”
Without waiting for a reply, she closes the lid over me. I hear a heavy latch to my left. The gel has now filled the Capsule to my knees. It’s completely pitch black in here. I almost can’t tell if my eyes are open or shut. I’m not sure what to do with my hands. I wonder if this will be like sleeping, when I get restless during REM. The gel is now full up to my stomach. Oh god, this is it.
While I have been paying attention to the physical sensations around me in the dark, the neural sensors around my head have locked in. It doesn’t feel intrusive at all, but more like when you have a guest in your house. They’re welcome, but you can’t be fully yourself.
I keep getting flashes of memory or scenes from my life. However this immersive VR works, it must hitch a ride on existing neural pathways.
Holy shit.
The gel is now up to my mouth. It occurs to me that no one has told me how to breathe in this. I close my mouth. I close my eyes. I try to take deep breaths as long as I can, but before the gel gets high enough, I black out.
Chapter 8
I blink seven or eight times. There’s only a dim light surrounding me, but it brightens little by little as I become aware of my lips, my cheeks, my neck, my limbs and the rest of my body. I have never done yoga in my life, but I have an overpowering urge to stretch.
After a few moments, the brightness stabilizes and my eyes adjust to take in the scene. A wide, crystal blue lake sits directly in front of me. I’m on a slight hill overlooking the view of the lake, what appears to be dense forest on the opposite bank, and a tall, jagged mountain range far in the distance. They’re snow-capped, which is interesting because the weather where I stand has got to be a universally perfect 76 or so degrees with cloudless sky overhead.
Glancing to either side, I notice the other ten players are also all entering the game, all in a line on this side of the lake. Each of our characters looks more or less the way we look in real life. No fancy race or outlandish alterations. Each of us begins in Camlan Realm at Level 10, dressed in what has to be the ugliest, coarsest, practically burlap shirt and pants that every peasant in every medieval movie I’ve ever seen wears. Except ours are clean, so at least there’s that. Male or female, we’re all dressed the same. Ugly.
And that’s the moment I remember I gave Toterra Online all the rights to my game play footage. Wonderful.
Out of the corner of my eye I notice a couple players break off from the group and start jogging around the shore of the lake. As in Toterra City, their character names hover over their head in a semi-translucent blue. Callidus and MissAtlas are the first of us to get their bearings enough to get started.
A game message appears in the air in front of me:
Welcome to Camlan Realm, home of knights, sorcerers and deep mystery. Your protection of the Realm is paramount to its continued security—
What the hell? I feel a hard thud on the back of my head and whirl around.
[-40 HP]
Jargonaut stands there, towering over me, manic grin on his face. I’m not even sure
he has done anything, until I realize he’s holding a rock in his giant hand.
With one more swing he hits me again, this time in the forehead. Fortunately, because it’s a semi-violent game, the developers have adjusted the pain experience to not be quite so realistic. Unfortunately, they haven’t turned it down completely.
[-57 HP]
“Well look at that, Mike! Jargonaut has already come out swinging.”
“It’s an interesting strategy, Johnny. Toterra Online games won’t let you kill another player, but you can injure them. Jargonaut seems to be counting on his ability to delay the others.”
I lie on the ground, stunned, my health down to 50% and try to figure out what is going on. I realize up in the periphery corner of my vision is a small rectangle streaming video. Two guys sit behind a desk, like sports newscasters, calling a play-by-play of what we are all doing. Great. So this is why we signed away our streaming rights? So everyone in the goddamned world could watch me get my ass kicked?
I rub my head where I have just been hit. My health slowly restores itself but goddamn did that hurt. As if losing everything isn’t enough, I now have a very strong psychological reason to stay alive. I want to avoid pain like that again, whatever it takes.
I mute the play-by-play announcers and revisit the welcome message still hanging in the air in front of me. When I wave it away, I notice at least five other players still milling nearby, muttering to themselves as they read the welcome message or examine their stats.
Seems like Jargonaut got to a bunch of us. I suppose—other than a completely sociopathic motive behind the attacks—it makes sense. Not only did he delay the rest of us, but he also established that he’s willing to do anything to win. That creeps me out, actually. I want to win. I need to win. But am I willing to attack another player to do so? Five other players? Ten? The thought rankles me.
Since I’ve already got such a late start, I begin jogging toward the lake while I also try to inspect my stats and inventory.
Attention: You have discovered Lake Galavant
Quest for Camlan_A LitRPG Adventure Page 4
