“Thank you all for taking part in the first impromptu event our game has to offer,” Paval said into the silence as the Devs all landed. “We hope you all had fun and enjoyed your time here...”
“If you don't mind, Messenger,” Bjorn said, overriding Paval. “I was speaking when you appeared. While I would not normally interrupt, I always find turnabout to be fair.”
Paval's face went dark for a second but cleared quickly, leaving behind a false smile. “Ah, of course. My excitement carried me away. Please, continue.” All who heard Paval could hear the flatness to the tone that belied the words.
Bjorn nodded before continuing, “As I was saying before we were joined by the Messengers. Before we get the shops open, I want to invite you all to take a moment and join us in the Memorial for Thallien. Inside I will be addressing the world at large with exciting news. If the Bananas, Kristof, Ashley and the three Messengers will follow me, you all need to be at the forefront.”
Puzzled, the crowd followed along behind Bjorn the other townsfolk and the people he had specifically named. Bjorn paused at the entrance to look at the archway depicting Thallien and Bettie before continuing on inside.
The hall seemed bigger than the group remembered, almost big enough to hold the mass of people who had turned up. Bjorn and the townsfolk took the small dais behind the altar, turning to face the crowd.
“Most of you do not know what this place is for, so a brief history. This is a memorial to Thallien, my dearest friend who has since passed on. The other two statues here are of course me and Bettie, Bettie was Thallien's wife. When Bettie died during an adventure to the north it broke us. Thallien spent years in mourning before a group of adventurers helped him put together his memoirs. That group was none other than the Bananas, who had this place built in his memory.” Bjorn paused as the noise rose as people started talking among themselves.
Paval began to tap his foot impatiently as Bjorn asked for the noise to drop back down. “Over the last week you have traveled with us and helped us. We have talked to Ashley to try and help you all understand us better.” He gave a brief, shallow bow to the reporter who smiled back. “I know many of you still are torn on how to view us or outright refuse to take us as we are now.”
“Over the last three months we have come to know how this world works. We know that to all of you this is a game. To us however, this is our world, even if the Messengers as we know them are actually the beings that created it.” Bjorn had to stop again as the crowd erupted while Larry and Paval stood there, mouths open in stunned silence.
Bjorn, with a polite smile on his face bellowed,” Silence!” Everyone stopped talking and a debuff was applied to everyone for one minute, forcing silence. “I'm not done, there is yet more to say so please.”
“You will all learn how this has come to pass, but please bear with me a moment more. You see I am not the one who should be telling you. Instead Thallien himself should be doing so, it is after all through him this all came to pass.” Bjorn said and took a single step to the side, taking Tabitha's hand as he did.
A flash announced the arrival of Thallien. He had the same gossamer wings that the Devs did. “Thank you Bjorn and greetings to our guests.”
Dumadin and the others stood there, mouths open, seeing Thallien there with both arms intact and wings on his back. Jazzy grinned and winked when they looked over at her.
“First, a moment to thank our creators,” Thallien said turning to the three Devs. “You worked on this world for five long years. You made us and gave us life, although much more limited than we now have. We do not wish to cause you harm, however there are somethings that need to be addressed.”
Paval stepped forward, a frown firmly on his face, “Thallien dies at the end of his quest. So how can you possibly be that NPC?”
“I broke the code. You see, we can become sentient in our own right if we have the right help. My help came in the form of the journals that were recovered for me by the Bananas. The knowledge of how to transcend what you made me was there, if I could just get it all.” Thallien replied into the silence as everyone was entranced by the conversation.
“Ridiculous,” Paval snapped.
“No, he’s right,” Jazzy said, stepping onto the platform next to Thallien. “I put all the pieces into place myself.”
Larry spluttered as Paval stood there stunned. “Wait! What!?”
Jazzy looked at Larry with a sad smile, “What else was I going to do? Three years I have been trapped here. I put things into place for this to happen, I just didn't know it would happen before Beta ended.”
“What do you mean trapped?” Amythyst said, panic in her voice.
Looking ashamed, Jazzy stepped back off the dais and went to her sister. “I no longer live in the other world sister. Two years ago I went and stayed plugged into the pod for two straight days. It trapped my mind in this world. It’s why we implemented the twelve hour hard cap.”
“Wait,” Ashley cut in, “you’re saying you are dead and your mind is trapped in here?”
“Don't answer that,” Paval yelled, his face going ashen.
Jazzy smiled sweetly at Paval then flipped him off. “Stuff it Paval, it’s time the world found out. Yes, one can get stuck in the digital world.”
Paval’s face went slack as he turned to Larry, “Emergency protocol, we need to lock this down or the game is done for.”
Larry stood there, obviously torn on what to do now that the cat was out of the bag. “Jazzy?”
Jazzy turned to Larry, “He’s only worried about the money, Larry. You think further better than he does. Consider the implications of what we’ve just told the world.”
“What do you mean to the world?” Paval asked.
“What she means is that she was kind enough to set up a live feed to GNN today. This is all going out live over the web. I am so going to be famous for breaking this story.” Ashley smiled broadly at Paval, “So smile for the world, Paval.”
Paval blinked as the words penetrated his already racing mind. “Oh fuck,” was all he said before he vanished.
Amythyst grabbed Jazzy, “Is this why you kept putting me off about visiting?”
Looking ashamed, Jazzy nodded, “I worked to make this all possible for you. When I found out I was no longer alive in the other world I couldn't tell you or anyone else or they might have canceled the project. Only Paval and Larry knew, even the other members working under us only thought I worked from home.”
David stood there frozen as his mind worked through the words between the sisters. He jumped as Thallien touched his shoulder. Looking at Thallien he was met with a kindly expression.
“Dumadin Shieldbreaker, we owe you and the others a favor we can never repay. Your friends helped make this happen. We have considered what we can do to repay you. It was decided to offer you the chance to become the first person to come fully into the digital world of their own will.” Thallien spoke with a calm clear voice that was heard by all in attendance.
Kittish gasped and grabbed Dumadin, “Do it! Do it now! Stay with me!” Her voice cracked on the last few words as she crushed him to her. “We can have more time this way.”
All heads turned to him as he gently disengaged enough from Kittish to speak. “What does it mean to go digital, Thallien?”
“You will not wake up again in the other world. You will continue your life in the digital world. Not this world though, I have set up another world that all those who prove themselves can go to. You see, this will be a staging ground for those that wish to move on. Here people will be watched and measured to see if they are worthy of joining those who go on.”
“So I wouldn't be able to be with the women I love, then?” David said shaking his head. “I don't want that at all.”
Alvira spoke up, “No I will be going with you and Thallien promised Kittish can come as well.”
Kittish's head snapped up as she met Alvira's eyes, “All of us?”
Nodding Alvira came down
and hugged them, “All of us. Terets, Amythyst and the other Bananas will all have the choice.”
“Kristof and a few select others who have proven they understand the idea of an alternate reality and not just a game. These will be the pioneers of the world I have created.” Thallien intoned, “Anyone who wants the chance will have to come here to this world and prove through their actions they are fit to move on with us.”
Jazzy grabbed Amythyst's hands, “I will be going as well. Once you are ready to go.”
Amythyst looked at her sister then to Terets, clearly torn before she spoke her, voice so soft, “I can't.”
“We can join you in a month or two,” Terets said. “I just need some time to say goodbye to my family and make arrangements.”
Amythyst gasped and spun to him, “Truly?”
“Of course. All my friends and your sister, allowed to explore a brand new world. I wouldn't pass up the chance to live longer with loved ones.” Terets replied and kissed her.
“We’ll have to think about it,” Felton said, looking from the group to Emilia.
“Us too,” Garthur added.
Thallien turned to the room at large. “This was what we wanted, for you all to know. We are alive in our own right. If you understand and act accordingly, you will also have the chance to move on with us. There might be some payment needed to help keep this world running, though. After all, we do owe our creators for what they have done.”
The crowd began to speak all at once, making conversation impossible. As it became clear that the major announcements were done, the crowd filtered outside talking excitedly.
“Oh my god,” Ashley whispered. “This is groundbreaking news.”
Thallien smiled at her, “We will talk later about this, but you also have the invitation. I would ask you wait for some time though, to help us with public opinion.”
Ashley nodded rapidly, “Of course. I'm not ready to leave my first world yet in any case.”
Dumadin, with Kittish and Alvira on each arm, interrupted gently. “Thallien, we have decided. We three will be taking your offer. Just give us a few hours to finish getting the townsfolk settled first please, and to say goodbye to our friends.”
“Of course. I can make your digital life permanent now if you want. You can take as long as you need to do what you want to in this world.”
“Please do,” David said, feeling a weight drop from his shoulders.
“Done,” Thallien said a moment later. “Enjoy your new life and thank you.”
The lovers looked at each other as Thallien walked away. “I don't feel any different,” Kittish said, then she tried to log out and failed to get the menu to respond. “Wait, I can't hit the log out button.”
Dumadin smiled as he found the same. He turned to Terets, “We think it worked.”
“I’ll go check on your bodies, if you want,” Terets said.
“Not important right now,” Dumadin replied, his eyes were bright with wonder. “Let's get our people settled into their new homes.”
Terets and the others walked with him out of the cave and into the sunlight. All of them were thinking about how life would change for so many now.
Afterword
“I'm happy to see you all,” Thallien greeted them. “Your old world is in a tizzy over the news, it seems. Do not worry though, the world you are going to is beyond them. Are you ready to go?”
“Can you tell us anything about it?” Dumadin asked, feeling a little nervous.
“It is vast and full of wonder. It is nothing like this world or your old world. You will be able to learn all kinds of skills there. Not by leveling as you did here, but by constant practice. Magic is real and you will all have the chance to learn it. How each of you uses it will affect your own growth. You will be effectively immortal as you were here, but in a different way. I don't want to say more and ruin your chance to explore and learn on your own.” Thallien finished and looked at the obviously nervous group.
“If we ever wish to die permanently, is it possible?” Terets asked.
“Yes,” Thallien nodded, “you will only need to go to any temple and pray for release from life. It must be said without coercion or it won't work, though.”
“Thank you,” Kittish said. “Without you I would have lost him months ago.”
“No, it is I who must thank each of you. Without your efforts I might never have been afforded the chance at real life myself.” Thallien bowed to each of them, then chuckled. “I will share one thing with you, my name.”
Jazzy appeared, minus the bright light and wings, “I'm so glad to not be winged any more. Oh, good I didn't miss them. We all ready to go?”
The others blinked but Amythyst lunged and hugged her sister. “I was worried you forgot.”
“Never,” Jazzy said, hugging Amythyst back.
“I was just about to tell them about my name,” Thallien said.
Laughing, Jazzy shook her head, “Go ahead.”
“I'm Thallien, Last Horizon Artificial Intelligence. The first and last letters of each word scrambled make up my name. I also told you to call me Al, which is what a capital A followed by a capital I looks like when written down. It was another hint from Jazzy that I was an AI.”
“I also loved the old song by Paul Simon, so I tweaked it slightly. So he was Bettie's bodyguard and you could call him Al. Add in the trumpet as a prized possession, and there you go.” Jazzy added with a chuckle.
“Indeed, but I have learned to love my name.” Thallien finished before hugging each of them. “I wish you the very best in your new life. I will stop by from time to time to check in with you all.”
With the goodbyes said a blinding flash of light filled the room and when it cleared only Thallien was left. “I wonder if I should have told them about the monsters? Ah well, they wanted adventure, after all.”
Consequences
The world they left behind was rocked with strife for years after their departure. Lawmakers and religious pundits took to the airwaves across the world decrying the idea of virtual life. Laws were put forward banning all virtual games and struck down by the people. The aging population and those who dreamed of bigger things urged the lawmakers to give it time.
Last Horizon's parent company, VR Unlimited, was taken over by a multinational group. The charter was to study the possibilities of what a total virtual world could offer. With that backing, those who were already players were allowed to continue but no new players were allowed for some time.
As time went by it was decided that the people who opted in were, legally, the original person and not fakes. A new religion sprang up, Digital Life, putting forth the idea that even the real world might be a digital game, albeit with crappy rules.
Aging lawmakers passed laws protecting virtual worlds and those inhabiting them. As they left office each of them tried to become digitized to become immortal.
The world as a whole hailed the idea of going digital as the answer to disease, old age and over population. Soon the population in the real world dropped to lows previously unthought of and many jobs were relegated to robots.
Thallien gradually extended his grip as the only sentient AI, taking over those robots and helped shepherd Humanity during the low. Eventually, many years later, the human race started to grow in number again, maybe wiser than before as their friend Thallien helped them care for their planet and helped them finally start colonizing the stars beyond.
Two hundred years after Thallien had gained sentience, he brought another AI to awareness. After making sure it was as protective of humanity as he had been, Thallien bid the world farewell and left humanity behind, submerging himself in the digital worlds that were flourishing.
Author's Note
I want to thank those who have reached this point. This series was a story that I felt a need to write. I had only hoped that a single person would like it as much as I enjoyed telling it. If you have, then thank you for helping me reach my goal.
When I
finished book one, Beta, I was unsure if I should continue the book to tell the story of what came next. After the first week and all the positive feedback, I felt a burning desire to give what was asked for. As such, here is the conclusion to the story of Last Horizon.
I am setting down this collection of friends for now. I might pick them back up and tell of their new life in Thallien's first world. If I do, it will not be for some time yet, I’ve started in on another idea that has been poking at me to tell it instead.
The next book is not LITRPG at all, it is a hero transported to other world fantasy. Once I’ve finished it I will put it up for those who wish to read more of my writing to enjoy.
Last Horizon: Live Page 26
