“I just wish there was a way to monitor his progress, even contact him to see how he is getting on,” replied Amy. “Surely there is some way to override BeyondMind’s privacy protocols?”
Calladyce looked up at her and gave the girl one of his patient smiles he used when he had to refuse her something. “You know that’s not how the process works. For Matias to be truly rehabilitated, he must work through his problems on his own. He must learn to control his aggressive tendencies and to co-operate with others. The simulated world we have created must, for him, be as real as our own. If he thinks it’s a game and that we can just interrupt it whenever we feel like it, we run the risk of him not progressing at all. He will just go through the motions and be no different at the end of it. Matias must change, that is paramount.”
“Even if it kills him,” Amy retorted, unable to stop the bitter words from leaving her mouth until it was too late. She had still not gotten over the fact Matias could die in the game.
A sad look crossed Calladyce’s face and he leaned back in his chair. “It is the only way. The process must be as real as possible, even if that means death. Matias must be given a truly genuine reason to want to change.”
“Must we be so harsh?” Amy pressed. “Can’t we change the parameters? If nothing else, we could end up in trouble with the Department of Justice. I’ve said before, the prisoners here are still their responsibility and they have rights.”
“We have permission to use lethal measures from the highest authority,” Doctor Calladyce said. “The President herself knows what we are doing here and it has all been approved. It was wrong of me to keep you in the dark over that for so long, but I didn’t know how you’d react and I didn’t want to lose you. This is the way it has to be, I’m afraid. I don’t like it any more than you do, but we have no choice here. It will be the same for the others that are immersed and, with stage two about to go live, it’s inevitable that not everyone is going to make it. If you wish to leave the project now, I will understand, though it will be a painful blow to me. Your imagination and expertise have been invaluable, and on a personal level I will be deeply hurt. You’re like a daughter to me. Needless to say, if you do want to leave, you will go today. And obviously, you will not be allowed to discuss our work here. I warn you here and now though, you will be watched, Amy, by extremely powerful people. Beyond this island, I cannot protect you, and I don’t know what they would do if you try to go public with what we are doing.”
There was a long silence, and Amy knew she was going to stay. It wasn’t because she was frightened of any reprisals, though that did worry her somewhat. Her overriding concern was to see where the project was heading and to be an active part of it. They had taken virtual reality beyond the limits of anything that had been developed before, and they hadn’t even gotten started. The Alchemy Worlds were just the beginning. Already, they were looking to design even more diverse and larger universes, and she was a key part of their development and evolution. Through BeyondMind’s near limitless capabilities, they could change the very fabric of reality itself. She thought about Matias, huddled small and vulnerable in the membrane bubble attached to the computer, and her heart clenched in her chest. She couldn’t give all that up, not even for a human life.
This understanding settled over her like an iron cloak, dragging her down into an abyss of self-loathing. She realised that if she walked away now, she was walking away from making history. She’d become a nobody again, forgotten and dismissed to the waste bin of oblivion. Walking away now would mean losing out on the chance of becoming as legendary as Ursa Calladyce herself.
“Don’t worry,” she said, making herself look Calladyce in the eye. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ve come too far to turn away now, no matter the cost.”
A smile spread across Calladyce’s weary face, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Good girl,” he said, and he carried on with his work.
Amy sat down at her desk and pretended to do the same. Though, in reality, her mind was racing as she formulated a plan. Yes, she was a coward and selfish person, but that didn’t mean she was completely cold. There was at least something, no matter how small, that she could do.
* * *
“I don’t know,” Shane said, passing her the joint. “BeyondMind’s security levels are super tight.”
“There must be a way,” countered Amy. She took a deep drag, and a glorious feeling of relaxation swept over her naked body. Shane sure knew where to get hold of the good stuff. “You’re part of the tech team. You’re bound to know a few backdoors into the mainframe.”
Shane yawned and stretched his arms. The motion elongated his skinny torso, making his ribs more pronounced. He lay back onto the bean cushion and scratched absently at his left nipple. “We’re just the hardware monkeys. If a cable is loose or you need a screw tightening, then we’re your guys. Everything else is restricted and I’m way too low-grade to have clearance.” He turned on his side to face her and gave her a suggestive smile. “You need any of your screws tightening, by the way?”
Amy smirked and gave him back the joint. “Is that all you ever think about?”
“I’m a geek, of course that’s the only thing I think about.”
She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. The hair of his beard tickled her face. “There must be a way though,” she said, pulling back her head. “What if there was a major emergency? If BeyondMind gets into trouble, you must have some way to override the protocols and make contact with Matias’ consciousness?”
“BeyondMind never gets into trouble,” Shane said, taking another drag and staring up at the stark white ceiling of Amy’s self-contained apartment. All of the IT support staff lived in the accommodation block on the other side of the penitentiary, as far away from the prisoners as possible. Though not as grim as the prison facilities themselves, the block had very little character, and Amy found it quite oppressive at times. “It’s the most advanced quantum computer in the world,” he clarified. “BeyondMind regulates itself, has its own power source and defence grid. It takes care of the subjects it’s connected to, completely. It doesn’t need anything from us lowly humans. We’re just window dressing. But you should know that anyway, you designed it.”
“The Calladyces designed it,” Amy clarified. “I only used it to develop the Alchemy Worlds simulation. Come on, Shane, there’s got to be a way to find out what Matias is doing in the game?”
Shane let out an exasperated sigh. “Why are you so obsessed with that guy? He’s a real psycho, you know. Do you like him?”
“Of course not!” Amy protested. “But you got to admit it’s pretty callous just to leave him in there to get on with things. I made the Alchemy Worlds to be a dangerous role-playing game. He could die in there at any time. All of the convicts we put in there could die at any time. Doesn’t that bug you?”
Shane shrugged his shoulders. “I just follow orders, and who cares about the scum they lock up here, anyway? They’re all dangerous. Let them take out their rage on goblins and orcs, and if one of those monsters sticks a spear up their butts, that’s their problem. Not ours.”
Amy didn’t argue. In many ways, she agreed with him. A lot of the guys here were murderers, rapists and worse. They deserved everything they got; however, Matias was different.
“I just want to check up on him,” she said. “Only for a few moments, maybe just have a quick conversation. I know you could do it. You’re one of the best hackers in the world. That’s why you got hired by the Calladyce Foundation. As I recall, you either came to work for them or would end up in jail yourself. If things had been different, it might have been your butt with a spear up it.”
“Enough already,” growled Shane, snubbing out the dregs of the joint. He wrapped his arm protectively around Amy and she nestled against his chest. “Okay, just suppose I could get you to link up with Matias, and I mean just supposing because it’s nigh on impossible, what would I get out of it?”
<
br /> She smiled up at him and began to trail kisses along his chest. He loved it when she did that. “I’ll make it worth your while,” she promised in her huskiest voice. “Anything you want?”
“Anything?”
“I’ll even wear the barbarian warrior woman outfit,” Amy replied.
“Hell yeah,” Shane grinned from ear to ear. “You got yourself a deal.”
They pressed together and he kissed her hard. Pleased with her guile, she ran her fingers through his long hair and cupped his face in her hands as his kisses grew more passionate. Her fingers brushed against the small bump of scarred flesh behind his left ear. He clung to her tightly as she played with it and she let out a blissful murmur.
She should help out Matias more often, she thought to herself.
Chapter XV: Into the Secret Land
Unleashing a howl of pain, the mongrel centipede thrashed against its chains and shook its scaly canine-like head from side to side. Moss mubbs swarmed around the monster like bloated little termites, shrieking and snarling as they poked it with staves and crudely made spears, urging it ever forward along the forest path. A wagon rumbled ahead of the strange procession, the chains holding the mongrel centipede attached to its rear so that it forced the distressed creature to keep moving. The wagon itself was being pulled along by two beetles roughly the size of ponies. They had shiny metallic blue carapaces and thick squat legs.
From his hiding place on the nearby ridge, Matias watched with disgusted fascination. Holding up his Alder Eye Journal, he focused it on the thin, leathery creature wearing the strange headdress that was driving the wagon. He waited for the Ruby of Recording to do its job and then opened the book to read the entry:
Creature name: Kobold (Standard Noseslicer warrior of the Pus Needle Tribe)
Level 2 (medium mutated humanoid)
Alignment: Cruel neutral
Savage warriors native to Arieon’s grassland and swamp biomes, kobolds are unfriendly creatures who have an intense fear and mistrust of other races as well as their own kind. Keeping to small tribal communities, they live in virtual isolation in remote regions, engaging in near perpetual warfare with rival tribes and clans, and preying on vulnerable travellers entering their territory. Not as dangerous as a lot of the critters out there, but not to be underestimated when engaged in combat.
“Will you stop pointing that book at everything that moves, damn you!” Krumer hissed, crouching down by Matias’ side. “Someone will see!”
“They’re too busy with that foul beast to notice anything else,” pointed out Geeber, scratching down the length of his broken nose with one dirty finger. “See, I told you the truth,” he added, nudging Jaggen. “Weren’t no lie that they were taking a monster like that to the colony. You thought I’d only said it so we’d turn back.”
“I said I believed you, didn’t I?” Jaggen said gruffly to the scout. He turned away from the man and scowled at the scene below them, as if hoping his black look would be enough to scare the creatures away. “The question is why are they even trying to get that thing into Kragg in the first place?”
“It’s for no good, that’s for sure,” piped up Mardon. “We should go back to the village. We don’t stand a chance against that thing.”
Of the thirty other men in hearing distance, many nodded their heads in agreement. The others just stared down from the ridge with fear. Matias looked them over in contempt. They were a pitiful bunch, with their cobbled-together armour and rusting weapons. Yet, this was the best force Jaggen could assemble for this crazy mission.
“You can leave right now if you want,” Jaggen said, “but don’t expect a warm welcome back at Ironthorne. I’ve given Grad his orders. He is to bar the gate to any man here who returns and does not give the secret password, which only I know and will only give out if needed. You’re welcome to try and force it from me Mardon if you want.”
Mardon didn’t sound too pleased at that prospect, and Krumer gave him a ghoulish grin. He and Jaggen made a formidable pair. The rest of the men here were cowards at heart—Matias could tell that straight away—, so it was unlikely they would dare try anything.
“It’s madness,” Mardon said. “There are too many of those mubbs, and that beast they got will devour us whole!”
“Mubbs are no real challenge if you know how to handle yourself,” Matias said. “As for the mongrel centipede, it’s too frightened to be a real danger. It’s in reality a docile creature that would run away if it got free of those chains,” he continued, repeating what the Alder Journal had told him about the monster. It’s too stupid to be a genuine threat, a bit like you Mardon.”
The big man glowered at him and reached for his sword hilt. Krumer stopped him with a warning glance. “Then, we are in no immediate danger, druid. Is that what you’re telling us?” the scar-faced man growled.
“Sure,” said Matias. “We could take them down and they wouldn’t know what hit them. A couple of drill arrows to the mongrel centipede’s head and it’d be down before you know it. As for the mubbs, even this rabble could deal with them.”
Krumer nodded his approval. He looked to Jaggen. “What do you think? Shall we strike now?”
“Attacking now means we don’t know what the creature was brought here for,” replied Jaggen. “If not to use in battle, there must be some other reason it’s being taken to the colony. An important reason.”
“It’s foul business, whatever it is,” Mardon said. “Black sorcery, no doubt.”
“We follow them,” Jaggen said, ignoring the man, “in single file and quietly. Mardon give the order. I want to see what all this is about.”
Looking less than pleased, Mardon passed the instruction down to the rest of the men, and they started creeping along the ridge running in parallel to the mongrel centipede’s route. It was a slow process as the howling monster begrudged being made to move a single inch, and the moss mubbs were almost near hysteria as they tried to force it along. It seemed likely that there was a very important reason for the creature being brought to Kragg, for them to put up with its stubbornness and bad temper.
After what seemed like ages, they came in sight of their destination and Matias got his first look at the legendary gnome colony. More correctly, he got his first sight of the huge brass pillars and engraved pediment that marked the underground entrance to the Upper Hall. The entrance was set into the base of a rugged cliff face, a gaping oblong of black stretching upwards and across by easily several hundred kilometres. The huge mongrel centipede and its retinue suddenly looked small and insignificant beneath the tenebrous opening.
Matias also felt small and insignificant, and a splinter of fear worked its way through the skin of bravado that the cuirass and equipment had given him. Despite his claims that the mongrel centipede was essentially harmless, it could easily crush him if it got loose. He hadn’t forgotten his first, frantic battle with a moss mubb either. They might be small, but they were ferocious. At least, there were thirty saps along for the ride. He could use them as cover if he had to make a break for it.
Coming to the end of the ridge, Jaggen gave the order to halt and the men took refuge in a small clearing. “Keep the men here and make sure they keep their heads down,” Jaggen ordered Krumer. “Matias and I will follow the mongrel centipede into the Upper Hall and see what they do with it.”
“What? Why me?” Matias exclaimed.
“The gargoyle slayer is not afraid is he?” Jaggen said, giving him a wry look. “I have need of someone who knows how to keep quiet and can sneak around, unlike these noisy plodders. That fancy equipment you scavenged could come in handy too.”
“I didn’t sign up for this. I only came along because Sour Root promised to reverse what the gargoyle did to me and I’d stop looking like a freak anymore,” Matias griped. “You’re a crazy old man. Take Krumer with you, he’s a crazy old man too. You make good company.”
“Krumer has to stay with this mob to make s
ure they don’t run off while I’m gone,” said Jaggen. “Some would choose exile if it meant saving their own skin. Now, get moving.”
Realising it was pointless to argue, Matias followed after Jaggen. If he were honest, he’d prefer to stay with the old coot anyway. Back there, he’d be stuck with Mardon, his remaining buddy Trub, and Krumer. All three were on the top of his list of suspects who helped Opon lure him into the cavern of the gargoyle. He trusted Jaggen even less, but at least it would be an even fight if things went sour.
Keeping low and moving through the undergrowth, the two men neared the entrance without being spotted. They took up a hiding place giving them a good vantage point of the doorway. As they watched, five more kobolds emerged from the darkness within to meet the wagon driver. One of the five on the ground called up to the driver in a sharp, sibilant language that Matias didn’t understand. The driver responded in the same tongue, sounding irritated. There followed a tense interchange between the two, all the while the wagon trundled forward. Before long, the wagon was at the entrance and the five kobolds had to get out of the way to let the procession carry on through. The kobolds backed to the side, hitting and spitting on any moss mubb that passed close enough as the mongrel centipede was pulled inside.
Matias and Jaggen waited for the procession to disappear inside. A little while later, the five kobolds went back inside as well. Jaggen got slowly to his feet and pulled Matias along by the arm. “Come on.”
“Are you kidding me? What about the kobolds?” Matias hissed back.
“Stop whining. They’re all too occupied with the centipede to notice us.”
Going on a wide circuit through the trees, they came down at the right hand side of the doorway. Moving cautiously along the huge eastern pillar, Jaggen paused and pointed to Matias’ rucksack. “Put those goggles on and take a look inside.”
The Alchemy Worlds: Enter T(he)rap(y): A LitRPG Adventure Page 13
