Kristof took a seat next to Camelia, close enough to make it clear they were together. “Greetings Ashley, I’m a big fan.”
Ashley took in the exchange and her smile broadened, “Nice to meet you Kristof. Tell me, how did you and Camelia meet and how long have you been a couple?”
Kristof blushed and cleared his throat looking at Camelia, who smiled proudly and held his hand. “We met at the party Camelia just mentioned, actually. It was amazing the connection we felt and I promised her I would return. My job got in the way for a while and I was not able to get back into Last Horizon for some time. When I finally did get back on I felt horrible, as I was that guy who said he would call and then didn’t. I was sure she would hate me and shied away, afraid to go to her and explain.”
Camelia gripped his hand tighter, “It damn near broke the little trust I had in adventurers.”
Kristof nodded, “Then this latest trouble started in Stoutbank and a friend told me to man up. He all but dragged me to Camelia and forced me to speak with her.” He paused, his eyes misting slightly and his smile growing. “I really do need to thank him for that. We’ve been together again now for some days and the bond we have is becoming stronger.” He paused as Camelia leaned over and gave him a soft kiss.
“He really has proven to be the man I hoped he was,” Camelia said softly.
Ashley paused, shocked at the sheer depth of emotion that was displayed to her. “It doesn’t bother you at all that she is just an NPC?”
Kristof frowned and his eyes narrowed slightly, “Camelia is a person. She has the same dreams, desires and drives as you or me, Ashley. I would thank you for not talking about her like that again.”
Blinking, Ashley sat back. stunned at the force in Kristof’s voice. “I’m sorry,” she stammered before turning to Alvira, eager to move past that point. “Alvira, Bjorn has told me I need to talk to you about the attacks on you?”
Alvira sat there, a beauty even by the standards of the game, “I am willing to speak of it some. The word you used, NPC, is like a curse we have found. Adventurers use it to describe us, did you know that? It is like an NPC is not human to them at all, as if we are not alive but animated dolls to them. Could you tell me first why that is?”
Ashley blinked, put on the spot by Alvira’s sudden reversal and making Ashley feel defensive. “Umm, hmm.” Ashley, paused trying to think of a way to explain what she had been asked to explain to them. “NPC is an abbreviation for Non-Player Character. It denotes a person who isn’t a player, but part of the story we are a part of. Normally NPC’s are backdrop only, a few might be important quest givers.”
Alvira nodded, “So only ‘players’ have life then is what you are saying?”
“Yes?” Ashley said, suddenly unsure of herself.
“So Kristof there, who has found love with Camelia, would be the same as you finding love with a vase?” Alvira didn’t raise her voice and her tone was cold and clinical. She held up her hand as Kristof began to speak up, “Wait Kristof, Camelia knows I mean no harm to either of you. I am very happy she found a man who cares for her. I myself have found love also, as you should well know. I want to hear what Ashley has to say on the topic, as she seems very important to the other adventurers here.”
Ashley was red and her mind raced as she tried to come to grips with basically being called a bigot. Alvira wasn’t wrong, after all most players did treat NPCs like items or background noise and not people. The NPCs here in Last Horizon, though were seeming to be so much more than that. Ashley opened and closed her mouth a few times as she started to speak and stopped. Eventually she bowed where she sat and spoke softly. “You are not wrong in your assumptions of how adventurers seem to view NPCs. I myself seem to have belittled you all and not even considered it until now. Now that you point it out, I realize it is wrong. I apologize for my manners and attitude to each of you, and to all of those I spoke with before. This does create a bit of uncertainty for us as adventurers, though. If you are not NPCs as we have known them we will have to find a new way to address you as a whole.”
Alvira smiled, “I accept your apology. The first step anyone has ever had to take to be recognized as a living breathing being is to get others to view you as an equal. As soon as you label others as less than yourself you open the gate to bigotry and hatred.”
The screen cut back to Ashley in the studio, “That right there proves Last Horizon’s greatest triumph in my book. The people who populate the game are so much more than just NPCs as we are used to them. They each have a history, yes it was written for them, but it gives them the same motivation that your life has given to you. They have hopes, dreams and desires of their own. They feel hatred and love as you or I would. When we come back we’ll speak with Alvira about her past and what she thinks prompted Vengeance to attack her.”
The friends sat in silence for a moment, each of them wearing a small smile. “She really took charge there, didn’t she?” Will said, shaking his head.
“She is a very aggressive woman in her own way, after all,” Miriam smirked and got up to clean the table during the break.
“I wonder if sis watched this before she handed the tape over to the studio?” Lavender mused with bright eyes. “She spent so long with the AIs to make sure they would be as human as she could make them.”
“I just want to hear Alvira talk about her view point,” David said. “It was amusing as hell to me to watch the reporter on her back foot trying to answer Alvira as it was.”
“Dessert is ready,” Miriam said placing a chocolate brownie before each of them and taking her seat again.
“I thought you said after the interview?” Will said.
“Well if you don’t want it,” Miriam replied and reached for his plate which was snatched away from her hand.
“No, no I was just making small talk,” Will said hastily before licking the brownie. “Besides, I licked it which means its mine.”
“Licking things to claim them as your own? Is that how that works?” David mused trying to hold back laughter.
“Why not, it worked for me when I claimed you dear,” Miriam cut in, which made the table break into laughter.
By the time they got hold of themselves the commercials were ending and Ashley was back on the screen. “Welcome back to the in depth interviews with the NPCs of Last Horizon. We pick up now with Alvira and her thoughts on what prompted Vengeance to target her.” The screen cut back to the camp at that point.
“What can you tell us about Vengeance’s attacks focusing on you?” Ashley asked.
Alvira sighed and looked up at the night sky for a moment. “Have you ever had your memories taken from you?”
Ashley blinked, but shook her head, “Not that I am aware of.”
“All of us have,” Alvira looked back at Ashley, her eyes bright. “Each of us non-adventurers has had pieces of our memory taken from us. Oh, we still recall the events from about eight months ago until just a couple of months back. However, the faces and names of the adventurers we interacted with are gone. How would that feel to you, to have people you knew and cared for taken from you?”
“I don't know,” Ashley said honestly. “I’m pretty sure I would be mad about it.”
“How does one express anger at the gods then?” Alvira said bluntly, “Only they could have done what was done to all of us. When adventurers first came to this world we welcomed them with open arms. I found love with two of them, a special couple who welcomed me like I belonged with them. We loved and laughed for the first five months of adventurers being here. The sixth month they left to go to an event called a Carnival.”
Ashley nodded when Alvira paused, “It was a very well attended event.”
“They never came back and at the end of that event our memories were taken from us.” Alvira said, her voice rough from suppressed sadness and her eyes glittering with unshed tears. “I lost two people who gave me life and a reason to smile every day. To add insult, the gods even took their faces and
names from me. Tell me how you would feel about that? Would you enjoy gods ripping pieces from your life?”
Her eyes round, Ashley shook her head,” No, gods no. You all experienced this?”
The merchants gathered around Ashley nodded their heads sagely and Bjorn spoke up, “The pair she speaks of were part a group. They became Legends to us, they even helped preserve the memories of my best friend who died shortly before that Carnival. Thallien was the best person I've met in my life time. He and Bettie, his love, took me with them on adventures many of you dream of. The group of Legends brought back his completed journal that they helped him piece together before his death. I can't even thank them properly as I can't recall who they are or if they are even still here.”
Ashley nodded, “I don't think any of us considered what it would be like for you when the game reset. This is truly something that could change the foundation of how we view this game.”
Kristof cut in, “This only seems like a game and it is run by VR Unlimited and looked over by the trio of founders. However to the people here talking to you, and to some of us players who are more open minded, this isn't just a game anymore. This is a different reality, an alternate reality that happens to be in a virtual space.”
Ashley looked at him, her eyes going wide for a second, “Wow. Yes, with as human as you all seem I can totally see how this could be viewed as an alternate reality as opposed to a game.”
The scene cut to Ashley in the studio, “Consider that for a moment. Might Last Horizon be the next best thing to a new alternate reality and not simply a game after all? We will be back right after this break.”
The commercials started up and the friends looked at each other in silence for a second. “Kristof is right, Miriam and I have thought that for some time now.” David spoke softly, “It doesn't feel like a game really, does it?”
“No, you get so immersed that it takes on its own life,” Will agreed, holding Lavenders hand. “We get to be young and carefree enjoying everything without restraints.”
“I get to dance and walk and love again all thanks to the new reality,” Lavender said, a single tear tracking down her cheek. “My sister did her best to give me this world and I treasure it.”
Miriam reached across and squeezed Lavender’s hand, “We all treasure it. We are all indebted to her for the effort she put into the game. Larry as well, for his contributions. Paval, meh.”
The group chuckled a little at her casual dismissal of Paval. “I wonder where Ashley will take the interview from here? Alvira didn't tell much of the history really.” David mused and got some more coffee before rejoining them, his limp very pronounced.
“You okay?” Will asked as his friend sat back down.
“Pain meds are fading. I will be in agony before we log in and when we log out. The twelve hours between give me life for a bit longer.”
His friends didn't comment, holding back their words knowing he wouldn't want to hear them. The silence stretched for a time before Ashley came back on.
“Welcome back to our last segment of interviews. We’ve covered why this event is taking place, but more than that what Last horizon might truly be. We’ll touch upon the event again here briefly as we end.” Ashley finished speaking and the screen again showed the camp.
“Alvira, I think we got sidetracked, albeit for good reason. Do you have any idea why Vengeance is targeting you?” Ashley asked.
“Before the Carnival my two lovers had enemies. These enemies attacked me in my store like Vengeance did a couple of months ago. Both times I was told how worthless I was, how I was just an NPC whore. How they were going to cause pain to people who cared for me by killing me. While I don't know for certain the group that attacked me before was Vengeance due to our missing memories, it seems very likely.” Alvira said, her voice edged with hate as she spoke.
“So Vengeance tried to kill you before the memory wipe. They obviously failed and appear to be determined to keep trying.”
“Very likely. All because of the people I loved, who I can't recall anything of. They failed the first time because my lovers gave me a very rare item, an Elixir of Life. It brings a person back from death once a day. To get one of those is a Legendary feat and they used it on me. They gave me my life, twice over now as Vengeance killed me when they attacked a couple of months ago. Only the Elixir saved me again.” Alvira again had tears in her eyes as she spoke, “I just want to love them again like I used to and thank them for all they gave me.” She finally broke then, the sobs wracking her body.
The others all gathered around her and knelt down, lightly touching her and whispering words of comfort to her, leaving Kristof and Ashley the odd people out. Kristof looked at Ashley then back to the group. “Tell me that doesn't move you.”
Ashley sniffled, “No, it does. The sheer emotion they feel is so real. I feel bad now calling them NPCs more than ever.”
A few minutes passed and the group of merchants broke up, leaving only Bjorn behind to speak with Ashley. “I hope that gave you want you wanted, Ashley.”
Ashley watched the group move off before meeting Bjorn's gaze. “More than I had hoped for. It has changed the way I view everything here. It very well might change a portion of the world. I thank you and them for taking the time to speak with me.”
Bjorn nodded, pausing for a moment before speaking. “Bettie died, which broke me and Thallien. He became a hermit and withdrew from the world and I built my Inn. We rarely saw or spoke to each other anymore, then the Legends came along and helped him. They recovered his old journals for him to allow him to finish his story. He left it for them to bring to me and then they laid him to rest for me. I can't even imagine what the world would be like if Thallien died and his quest was unfinished. That is all I have to add at this time. Maybe I will speak more about it next time.”
Standing, Ashley took Bjorn's offered hand and shook it. “Thank you again, Bjorn. Please let them know how grateful I am to all of them.”
The screen came back to Ashley in the studio, “That concludes our program tonight. A few final words for our followers here. With what you have learned, can you really consider Last Horizon to just be a game and the people there to just be NPCs now? I know I won't. Will VR Unlimited consider how the people of that alternate world are affected by their actions? How we players hold every advantage over them as we are immortal and they are not? I would take this time to ask the Devs to consider reversing the perma-death for NPCs. If you agree with this idea email them, flood their inboxes with messages until they hear from us and do the right thing. Thank you, and good night.”
The program went to commercials and Miriam killed the TV. By the time she had done that the other three all had wireless devices in hand and were sending emails to support Ashley's call to action. Miriam did as well and the group just sat there for a moment.
Will stood up and smiled at his friends, “Maybe they will listen. We should get going so we can be there on time for our shift.”
David walked them to the door with Miriam and saw them off. As the door shut Miriam spoke softly, “Should we tell Alvira it is us?”
David nodded his smile full touched with sadness, “Yes.”
Revelations
Dumadin stretched, greeting Terets and Amythyst who were climbing out of the wagon already. Kittish appeared beside him a second later. “Well, should we go brace her now or wait for camp?”
“Best to wait for camp tonight,” Kittish replied, “Besides, we need to get caught up.”
The duo got out of the wagon and greeted Garthur, who was talking with Terets. “Hey guys, was just telling Terets we had one decent attack today but that was it. Everyone’s been buzzing about the in game interview, though. Going to watch it as soon as I leave.”
“We’re on duty, so go have fun. How’s the wife been handling the event?” Dumadin asked, curious.
“Better than I would have thought, actually. She isn't doing the full day but she comes on for an hour or two
here or there and talks with the merchants. She hasn't complained about just traveling along, so I call it a win.” G chuckled as he climbed into the wagon, “We still have some days ahead of us though, so we shall see if it lasts.”
They said goodbye to him and then broke up to go talk with townsfolk and players. Most of the players were talking about logging off to see the interviews or discussing the interviews. A few of the players asked Dumadin and Kittish for their opinions on the interview.
“Ashley and Kristof have the right idea, this really is more an alternate reality then a game. Here I don't feel the pain from my bones breaking down. I get to live a life of happiness with no pain from my cancer.” Dumadin would normally answer them.
A few seemed disgruntled, “So we should treat them like people? Why? If VR Unlimited pulled the plug on the game they would cease to be.”
Last Horizon: Live Page 19
