by Mars Dorian
“I’m not going.”
Pause.
“Okay.”
“Can you step away a few feet from the door and turn your body away? I’d like to come out.”
Her statement bewildered me, but I was living in her house and had to accept her rules. So I turned and focused on the floor leading to the kitchen. Behind me, I heard the swish of socked feet tiptoeing on the floor. She locked her door and sighed.
“You can turn around,” Sparrow said.
She wore a turquoise pullover which reached down to her naked legs. A picture of Miku Hatsune, a humanoid persona voiced by a singing synthesizer application from Japan, graced her chest. Sparrow looked more and more like an anime character herself.
“I hope I didn’t bother you,” I said.
“It’s not your fault. I just get a little itchy when people try to step into my kingdom.”
Kingdom—Sparrow speak for her room. The more secretive she acted about her place, the more curious I became. What did she hide in her four walls beside the computer and VR suit? Maybe one day, she’d show me.
“Do you want to show me your message?”
“Sure.”
I flipped open my wristband and showed her the confirmation. Sparrow speed-read the lines. “It’s legit. I received similar messages in the beginning of my pro career. It’s basically a media promotion event where the next generation of players get touted.” She curved her lips upwards. “The food’s pretty amazing, and you get to talk to like-minded players. And since everything is paid for, it’s basically a free holiday. You should definitely go.”
She sounded excited but something held her back.
I said, “You sure you don’t want to join? I assume they’d welcome a pro player like you jamming around.”
Her face frosted before her lips relaxed into a faint smile. The light of the floor had darkened her face. “I feel more comfortable right here for now.”
I guess that counted as a ‘no’.
“But I’m curious to what you’ll have to say. This can be the first step toward your professional player career, Dashiell. Go, go, go.”
Done deal.
The main event started tomorrow, but the organizers offered an introduction party later tonight. I packed a few things into my sports bag and redeemed the coupon online. Thankfully, a Hyperloop ride to Austin became available in fewer than fifty-four minutes. The ticket would have cost me a small fortune if the company wasn’t footing the bill.
“Better grab a jacket,” Sparrow said as she watched me collecting my stuff. Outside, the raindrops splashed against the windows. A grey soup smeared the sky. I zipped up my jacket and stepped outside. A cool breeze wafted at my face and drizzle bounced off my water-resistant hood. Sparrow followed me and stopped an inch before the doorframe as if an invisible barrier was holding her back. At the end of boardwalk, I turned around. Sparrow stood leaning against her door with eyes wide open. She looked at me the way one would look at a loved one leaving. “May the Aeons shine your path,” she said.
I smiled. “No boss to fight at the event.”
She either grinned or squeezed her lips, it was hard to tell across the distance. “The real world harbors different kinds of monsters.”
The wind swallowed up her statement.
It was for the better, because I lacked a comment.
I waved goodbye and ran toward Boulder’s main Hyperloop hub. Exhaustion wracked my body, but I couldn’t wait for the real-world game event.
65
The Hyperloop capsule sped away. Granted, the digital voucher only counted for a ride in the economy class, but even standard capsules outranked every plane or train ride in terms of comfort and speed. My unit arrived in the central station of Austin, the Free state of Texas, which had become a leading hub for VR, tech business, and augmented game industries. Low taxes and creative freedom apparently seeded greatness.
I looked at my wristband and flipped open the city map, which marked the spot of my new location: Austin Creative Factory, the building where tonight’s game event took place. It was only a mile and a half walk before I arrived in front of the five-story, brick building. A few people wearing official Crystal Crusade merchandize gear gathered in front of the entrance and exchanged handshakes and toys from the game. I recognized key chains, a printed trading card set, and fictional novels, as well as banners and signed autographs.
Nerd level: platinum!
I passed by them and waved. They focused their attention on their goodies and ignored me.
Inside the lobby, the door scanner analyzed my wristband code and welcomed me with a British AI-voice, making him sound like the Queen’s own butler. “Welcome, warrior of Fourlando. You will find your room code and event schedule in your inbox.”
“Thank you, Mr. Door Scanner.”
A group of followers gathered in the lobby and squealed. Maybe they spotted a pro player or received an important update. From now on, I had to prepare for major geek emotions hailing from all sides. I didn’t mind. The world needed to have something going for it.
I was moving toward a pillar showing the floors and their event functions when a sweet voice called me from behind. “Hey, hey.”
I turned around and saw a cosplayer wearing a customized Ranger build heading toward me. She looked almost exactly like Wu during the field mission. “Are you Boltzmann, the WarTech?”
My avatar name was Dash, but ever since Rokkit called me Boltzmann, so did everyone else.
The rest of the fan group eyed my hesitation. Were they pranking me?
“I’m afraid so.”
She whistled. “Sweet! Can I have an autograph?”
The cosplayer handed me an old-fashioned pen which I used to sign her piece of paper. “You’ve had quite the rough start, haven’t you?”
She probably meant my amoral NPC encounters in the beginning. Strange, but these events seemed like far-off memories from a different life.
“It’s been a crusade, that’s for sure.”
“I really like your WarTech build and chain skills. The way you use charges and mines is pretty cool too.”
“Glad to hear that. It’s a challenging class but incredibly versatile once you experiment with the various skills.”
Her friends shot nervous looks at me, like I was occupying their best friend. She noticed it, too. “Well, I hope to see you later at the main event. I really want to hear more of your thoughts about efficient WarTech skilling. It’s so rare seeing someone getting proficient at it.”
“Find or message me when you have more questions. I’d love to help.”
“You’re the best.”
She went back to her group and engaged in whispering. The occasional wink crossed my eyesight. Seriously, the encounter warmed my heart. She was the first person to recognize me in the real world. My passion for the night just doubled. I took the lift to the second floor and dropped my bag in the small but comfy room which reminded me of roadside motels. I had arrived late, and even though the major networking started tomorrow, I wanted to join the crowds getting ready for the welcome party tonight. I took a quick shower, pulled over a fresh T-shirt featuring the official game logo, and reached the main floor of the event after passing yet another smart doorframe. This place featured more security than the Pueblo Police Department. Hundreds of people of various ages flocked to each other, holding colorful drinks and having a good time. In the far back, the service crew finished setting up a stage for the band Aeonsmith who was known for mixing J-pop with choral singing. I looked forward to their performance later on.
I grabbed a blue lemonade from a waiter’s tablet and entered the crowd where cosplayers, men in suits, service members, and fans merged.
I failed to recognize a single person, but everyone I made eye contact with greeted me.
“Boltzmann.”
A deep, male voice caught my attention. A guy with tan skin approached me. Built like a mountain, he smiled like a superstar. He wore a game T-shirt
pressed tight against his athletic body and seemed to bench-press boulders for fun. His chest showcased a TechMage wearing late-game light armor. My first thought he was a male-model for suntan lotion.
“Wow, man, I can’t believe it. I’m finally meeting you in real life.”
I looked at him and tried to come up with the name, but the face eluded me. Some kind of pro player who enjoyed fame in the US? He reached out his buffed hand and squeezed.
“I guess I know you?”
The young man grinned. “You really have no idea who I am.”
He observed me top to bottom, as if the analyzer worked for him in real life. “Look how far you have come—from girl killer to Syndicate slayer.”
He either watched my streams or had heard about them. My mind worked overtime but couldn’t link his face to a name.
“Ugh, can you give me a hint?”
“When you’re in the Finsterland Forest and find an NPC in a hole, do you take his axe or help him out?”
The realization dawned on me.
“Slowly but surely, eh? Let me help you out a little.”
He pretended to hold a mecha-staff, ready to cast an attack buff so I could shoot and slice faster. The name lingered on my tongue but I was almost afraid to pronounce it. It couldn’t be…
“L’ocean?”
66
“The one and only,” the guy said before he cracked up.
I swallowed—hard. L’ocean was a buffed-up guy. One pillar of my digital dream world collapsed. For the entire game time, I had fallen in love with a girl avatar played by a male. L’ocean, or Cruz, as his real name turned out to be, smirked like he pulled off the trick of the century.
“Your face is priceless. Disappointed?”
“Unexpected. I somehow expected a shy girl from Japan.”
“That’s fate for you. Always coming in unexpected ways.”
He pointed his drink at a blonde with freckles. She carried a rainbow colored glass with azure-blue straw and nodded my way. L’ocean/Cruz seemed to know her. “Our infamous WarTech expected me to be a shy girl from Japan.”
The unknown girl smirked and ran her fingers through her golden hair. “I’m not Asian, but at least the gender’s right.”
She handed me her ringed hand. “A pleasure to finally get to know your offline version, Dash.”
Everyone around here seemed to know my name and face while I poked in the dark. I started to sound like the clueless idiot from some forsaken village. “And you are?”
She exchanged an in-the-know giggle with Cruz.
Another fear crept in, another realization I was afraid to make. Could she be…
“I’m Yumi-D,” she quickly said to dispel my worries. “We invaded a Syndicate plant at Varmegarden, escaped through the sewers and liberated the town later on. I hope you remember my decoy maneuver at the gates—because I almost died out there.”
I smiled. Of course I knew her. Yumi-D had become one of my favorite co-players.
“No need to explain yourself. I’m glad you could come.”
“The power of online friendship,” L’ocean/Cruz said. He hugged us tight. “Who says VR games isolate people?”
My glance traveled around the crowds around us. Players, sponsors, media folks, and guests mingled. They exchanged numbers and autographs. It started to feel like a family festival. But one person was missing, one person I actually feared meeting in real life. The name almost choked my breath. “What about Rokkit? Is he here?”
L’ocean Cruz, answered first. “I doubt it.”
“You know him?”
“Only virtually. Never met the guy in real-life.”
“Seriously?”
His brown eyebrow arched. “Why the surprise? More than half of the players hail from overseas.”
“You know, back at the Academy, I thought you two were…”
“A couple?”
Yumi-D chuckled. “Real life drama. Nice.”
“I’m playing a couple of characters,” Cruz said. “L’ocean, the TechMage, is just one of them.”
For some reason, I had always believed that the game avatars likened to their real life versions, when in fact the opposite proved to be the case. Heck, for all I knew, Rokkit was being controlled by a ninety year old Babushka from Siberia.
A melody from the game soundtrack played in the background. “Concert’s starting soon.”
It felt so strange hanging around upbeat, positive people. Their energy seemed to nurture mine, and vice versa. I was inspired to jump back into the game and level up just to keep up with these go-getters.
“Is Holland Pax going to attend?”
“No, he had to cancel,” L’ocean Cruz said. “Probably hunting down the next sponsorship deal or partying with his harem of girlfriends.”
“Will any game developers be present?”
Both Yumi-D and L’ocean Cruz shared a confused glance with each other. “They never show up in public, Dash. The only company folks here today are the marketing peeps.”
I’ve heard that the core team of the company worked in mysterious ways, slaving away in some reclusive space unbeknownst to most. Some pro players even claimed the original founder had died a long time ago. Myths, surely.
L’ocean/Cruz’ wristband vibrated. “Gotta go real quick. But stay around for tomorrow, Dash. Lots of agents are buzzing around here. And with your solid viewership, maybe you can snatch some first-look deals.”
“Interesting. I’ll check it out.”
“I’ve got three appointments set up for tomorrow. This place is an ocean of opportunity.”
He looked up with his media-proof smile. “But we will see each other later at the concert, right?”
“I’m not logging off tonight.”
Yumi-D said goodbye to her friend and stayed with me. Even though I only knew her through her Ranger avatar, I felt kinship. Digital binds connected. And for the first time since my job loss, life looked good. New friends, and now even a possible sponsorship deal awaited me. The self-defeating Dashiell from before was now a distant memory.
Granted, I faced new challenges, but as long as hope loomed on the horizon, I had reason to go on.
“Look up, it’s starting,” Yumi-D said as she pointed toward the stage.
The bright light of the crowded hall swapped for darkness. Some pro player I had seen before entered the well-lit stage and greeted everyone with a voice amplifier.
“Welcome, fellow Crystal Crusaders. I’m glad y’all could make it to the hottest save spot in Austin.”
The crowd cheered and whistled.
The host continued. “Tomorrow, you will get to enjoy all aspects of the Crystal Crusade, showcased on three floors. The program is packed, so show up early.”
Fans and players around me clapped, so I joined them. The speaker continued. “You also get a chance to talk to industry professionals, agents, and the media. But for today, I just want you to enjoy the marvel that is the Crystal Crusade.”
In the darkness, a giant holo-projection pixelated above our heads. The beautiful world map of Fourlando glimmered in stunning hyper resolution. The main continent, its orbiting islands, and the vast oceans beamed back at me.
I recognized all the places I had traveled so far—the Academy, Lynchburg, Montobay, Varmegarden, and even the Holiplaze in the canyons. The spot where the mountain village existed remained unregistered, which struck me as interesting. But what caught my attention was the strange orb floating near the continent.
The Violet Lunar.
The crystallized 3D moon seemed to pop out of the projection and pulled me into its mysterious world. The natural satellite reigned as the last bastion no one dared to conquer. Its violet crystalline surface, clouded by a mysterious black fog, shielded its existence from prying eyes. Most players assumed an arid landscape infested by Reepo crystals, but no one knew for sure. Some players and pundits claimed the moon was impossible to enter, but the developers had claimed you could access anything you
could see in the world.
The crowd around me silenced and tuned out. My left hand seemed to move like a ghost arm and tried to touch the Violet Lunar, but the projection fizzled upon contact.
“Dash,” a clear voice said and broke the magical moment.
Yumi-D and L’ocean/Cruz had returned to my spot.
The 3D landscape of Fourlando dissipated above our heads. Only the violet shimmer of the Violet Lunar shone through the darkened hall. The crystalline planet seemed to call my name, wanting to pull me in again. Violet Lunar, I mumbled under my breath as Yumi-D grabbed my hand and pushed me through the crowds with a flaming smile. “Where’s your mind, Dash?”
“Floating around the mysterious moon.”
Her hand squeezed my fingers tighter. Her smile outshone the lights of the stage. Music started playing and L’ocean/Cruz unleashed his funky dance moves and made both me and Yumi-D chuckle. Her glowing glance swung back to me.
“Forget about the crazy orb,” she said.
Today I would, but somewhere in the future, after many more demanding quests, I was going to lift the Violet Lunar’s mystery.
I had to.
Dashiell’s adventures have just begun…
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