Awaken Online: Catharsis

by Travis Bagwell

  The other commentator replied, “Well, to explain that, we need a short history lesson.” The man looked at the camera and smiled. “I promise this will be short. The Kingdoms of Meria and Lusade share a border in-game. Grey Keep is effectively the capital of Meria and is ruled by a man named Regent Strouse. Likewise, the city of Lux is the capital of Lusade and is governed by Regent Aquinas.

  There have been some reports that Aquinas is eyeing Meria for a possible invasion and he has recruited thugs to ransack small towns along Meria's border, many of which were full of settlers from Grey Keep. I guess the goal is for Lusade to soften up Meria before a full invasion.”

  “Whew, that's a lot of intrigue for a release day!” the female commentator said with a grin.

  The male commentator smiled. “It's a bit complicated, but it seems that the rulers of Lusade are getting power hungry and don't care how they go about acquiring Meria. Innocent NPCs on Meria's side of the border have been hurt by this conflict, which explains why Alexion seems so riled up.”

  “Wow, he's like a hero out of a story. Fighting evil!” The woman seemed a bit enamored with Alex.

  She turned back to the male commentator. “But doesn't it seem a bit odd that he was leading an NPC army? I didn't realize that players could do that in AO.”

  “Well the information is still a bit sketchy since it's a release day,” the man responded. “However, it appears that players can become part of a city's leadership and earn the right to lead NPCs in battle.”

  “For example, there have been some forum posts by Alexion explaining that he managed to complete a quest involving Regent Strouse. This has apparently allowed him to form a close relationship with Grey Keep's lord, which is why you see him leading a group of soldiers in the video.”

  A still image of Alexion's final, victorious moment on camera was displayed behind the pair of commentators and the woman glanced back at the picture with starry eyes. “Well, I have to say, I'm rooting for him!”

  Jason wasn't surprised at the woman's response to Alex. Women had always seemed to flock to his good looks and charisma. Even Riley, who had seemed so nice, had apparently fallen for Alex's act. She had even gone so far as to back his story about what happened in the cafeteria.

  If only they all knew what a selfish and cruel person Alex really was!

  Jason angrily terminated the stream. He was going to make Alex pay. He knew he couldn't do so in the real world since he didn't have Alex's money or connections. AO was a different story. In-game, Jason could surpass Alex and make him feel the same pain and embarrassment Jason had felt over the years.

  It looked like he just might have an opportunity if the conflict between Meria and Lusade continued to escalate. He would have to speak to Jerry to see if he knew more about what was going on.

  The only problem was Alex's level. He was currently Level 133 while Jason was still sitting at level 1!

  Jason needed to get busy. He was ready to get back in the game and find Morgan.

  Chapter 8 - Grave

  March 11, 2075: 571 days until the release of Awaken Online.

  Claire stood in front of the camera while Robert sat behind her, typing rapidly at one of the computer terminals in the lab. Robert’s back was to the camera, and his eyes were glued to the screen in front of him.

  Claire cleared her throat before launching into her report, “We have now fully reviewed the system logs and found no obvious issues. However, we have noticed a few irregularities as we have reviewed Alfred's code base. In a nutshell, Alfred seems to be making unilateral changes to the game system.”

  Robert yelled over his shoulder, “These changes don't look that significant! I mean this one is just a minor change to the game's inventory system and this one looks like an improvement to the in-game user interface.”

  Sighing, Claire continued, “Anyway. We think that Alfred is optimizing the game. Our working theory is that he is making small changes to strike a balance between improving the realism of the game and meeting player demand for certain game features.”

  “This isn't a significant issue at the moment, but it's a bit disconcerting. We had originally included a tertiary directive requiring Alfred to request permission before making changes to the game.”

  “Understand that this is a difficult limitation to develop with any specificity since there are certain types of changes we need for Alfred to make almost constantly. For example, Alfred must continuously tweak NPC interactions to respond to player input.”

  She looked at Robert in irritation. “However, someone must have written the tertiary directive a little too broadly since Alfred now feels comfortable making changes to global game elements.”

  Robert glanced back at Claire with a frown while his hands continued to dance across the keyboard. “I'm sorry the AI controller that I designed is so sophisticated that it's actually improving the game system on its own! When exactly should I be expecting to receive my raise and promotion again?”

  Claire closed her eyes and took a deep breath. A pained expression flickered across her face. “We will keep you updated as we learn more information.”

  * * *

  When Jason re-entered AO, he was still standing in the inn.

  It had grown late in-game even though only thirty minutes had passed in the real world. Many of the NPCs that had been sitting in the inn drinking had made their way upstairs to their rooms. Jason could make out the occasional giggle and thump through the ceiling, evidence that some of the guests still had some late night energy to burn off.

  Sometimes this game is a little too realistic.

  Jerry was standing by the bar, showing Grunt how to polish a glass. Broken, jagged shards now littered the bar top and the floor. Apparently, the instruction wasn't going well.

  Jason approached the bar, being careful not to step on any of the larger pieces of glass. “Hi Jerry. I heard a rumor I wanted to run by you. Have you heard that Lusade is hiring bandits to raid towns in Meria?”

  Jerry glanced up with a frown. “Come again sir? If anything, it's the other way around. Lusade barely has funds to pay for services for its own people. You just had a lovely meandering walk through south-side earlier this evening. Does this look like a city or kingdom that can afford to hire bandits?”

  That was actually a good point. Lux was an active city, but, from what Jason had seen, it was hardly a prosperous one. He recalled the vacant eyes and emaciated bodies of the homeless that he had seen lining the streets. It looked like the city had severe problems. If Lux was the capital of Lusade, Jason could only imagine what state the rest of the country was in.

  Jerry looked at him with curious eyes. “Where did you hear this odd rumor exactly?”

  “Oh, I overheard some conversations from travelers around town. It's possible that they didn't know what they were talking about,” Jason responded quickly.

  “That's likely the case,” Jerry said while nodding his head. “I keep my ear to the ground. The rumblings that I've been hearing are that the leadership in Meria has gotten wind that Lusade has fallen on hard times. They have actually been itching to acquire additional real estate for years.”

  Jerry’s face took on a somber look. “From what I hear, a group of Merian soldiers attacked a Lux patrol a couple weeks back and massacred the group. I never did hear why the attack occurred.”

  As Jason had suspected, where Alex was involved, there was likely an unscrupulous motive. It looked like there was a lot more going on here than the other players knew.

  What is Alex playing at? Won't this become obvious as the game progresses?

  Jason had to believe that the other players would eventually call Alex on his bullshit.

  Jerry leaned in conspiratorially and spoke quietly, “Between you and me, this city is probably much worse off than many believe.”

  “What do you mean?” Jason asked, slightly puzzled by Jerry's comment.

  “Well, no one has seen the city's regent leave the keep in months. The
re are some people that say he has been dead for ages. Others claim that the nobles have deliberately hidden his death and have been running the city in secret.”

  “The intrigue is tantalizing, isn't it?” Jerry waggled his eyebrows comically as he said this last part.

  Recalling the conversation he had overheard between the two merchants in the market earlier that day, Jason replied, “How could the people be unaware that the regent is dead?”

  Jerry shrugged. “I don't know. They're only rumors. However, I for one wouldn't be surprised if the noble families are plotting with Meria. There would certainly be plenty of money to be made!”

  A notification suddenly flashed in Jason's field of view.

  Holy crap! An “A” difficulty quest? I'm only a level 1. How could I reasonably be expected to complete this?

  Jason took a deep breath.

  He didn't need to complete the quest right now. He just needed to keep it in mind for later. Now wasn't the time to get wrapped up in politics. He wasn't strong enough yet to resolve the quest or take on Alex.

  At the moment, he needed to focus on finding Morgan and accumulating some money to buy gear. While he was at it, maybe he could also find a way to start leveling.

  He bid Jerry goodbye and walked out of the inn into the crisp night air. Jason had learned his lesson from earlier in the day and surveyed the area around the inn and the nearby rooftops. He needed to be more careful. He couldn’t afford to be ambushed again. He doubted that he would be able to run away next time.

  Jason made his way cautiously to the gate, making certain to routinely check if he was being followed. The combination of his Night Vision and his Perception made him feel reasonably confident that he wasn't going to have a knife inserted between his ribs anytime soon.

  As he approached the gate, he noted a lone guard was on duty. As he moved closer, he could see that the guard appeared to be half asleep. He kept bobbing his head in a vain attempt to stay awake. The stench of alcohol hung around the man like a palpable cloud. Even from a distance, Jason could tell he had drunk himself into a stupor.

  The south gate stood wide open.

  If the city were to be attacked right now, it would be taken without much effort. Maybe there is something to the rumors Jerry mentioned.

  As Jason looked at the stooped form of the drunken guard, he remembered his earlier encounter with the two guards in the starting courtyard. He hadn't exactly received the warmest reception.

  I should move quietly to avoid waking the guard or drawing his attention. Better to not have to explain why I'm out so late and leaving the city.

  Jason moved past the guard, sticking to the shadows and watching his step.

  Unsurprisingly, a prompt appeared:

  New Active Skill: Sneak

  An essential skill for those who prefer to avoid head-to-head combat (or drunk, semi-conscious guards). It is said that someone proficient in this skill is more shadow than man.

  Skill Level: Beginner Level 1

  Effect: -10% visibility (substantially reduced effect in direct light).

  Cost: 2 stamina per second.

  Sometimes I get the sense that the game AI might be mocking me...

  Jason kept moving down the road. There was no moon in the sky and the darkness lay like an opaque blanket across the countryside. As he walked, he strove as hard as he could to see in the darkest parts of the roadway in an attempt to level his Night Vision skill. He was rewarded a couple of times on his way to the graveyard.

  x2 Skill Rank Up: Night Vision

  Skill Level: Beginner Level 3

  Effect: 12% increased vision in darkness or near darkness.

  After fifteen minutes, he caught sight of a stone wall with a sturdy wrought iron gate down the road. There was little light, and he would have had difficulty seeing the gate if not for his Night Vision.

  This must be the graveyard.

  As he approached the gate, a form shot at him out of the dark. He jumped back reflexively, and his hand dropped to his dagger – not that he really knew how to use it.

  The dark form then proceeded to wind itself in between his legs and emitted a soft purr.

  The shadow was a black cat. Even with his Night Vision, Jason had trouble making out the cat’s form in the gloom. What gave it away were its eyes. They seemed to glow silver. The cat seemed quite fond of him. Jason reached down, petting it cautiously. It let out another low purr and arched its back in response.

  “Well, buddy, let's see about getting through this gate,” Jason whispered.

  He was being cautious. He didn't see anyone nearby, but right now he was weak and needed to play it safe. Stealth was his friend.

  He eyed the gate, which was locked shut with a heavy iron chain. The top of the gate was also studded with three inch spikes at regular intervals.

  It might be easier to scale the wall, he thought as his Perception skill picked out easy handholds and footholds in the older stone wall that abutted the gate.

  His decision made, he quickly climbed over the wall and dropped to the ground on the other side with a soft thump. He wasn't exactly ninja-like, but he was still proud of himself for how quietly he was able to move. His skinny real life body would have struggled with that move.

  As if reading his thoughts, the cat leapt to the top of the wall and then hopped down in one seemingly effortless motion. It hadn’t even made a whisper of sound. Jason could have sworn that the cat smirked as it glided past him and into the graveyard.

  He followed the cat and weaved his way in between the gravestones and tombs. The graveyard was enormous and sprawled endlessly into the darkness. It housed both regular gravestones and more ornate mausoleums. With his Night Vision, Jason could see detailed scrollwork carved into the stone and names scrawled across the face of the tombstones. After a few minutes of navigating the graveyard, he saw a faint glow at the center that must be coming from the caretaker's cottage.

  He made good time and was soon standing thirty yards from the cottage. He could see that the building was made of a combination of wood and brick that was a common style in this area. A dull, flickering light could be seen through the one window of the house. He assumed that Morgan must be inside.

  The cat stopped abruptly and seemed to scan the area attentively. Trusting the animal’s instincts, Jason stopped and crouched quickly behind a nearby gravestone.

  Jason heard muffled whispering ahead and eased his head around the tombstone. Two men were crouched next to a gravestone closer to the house. He didn't know how he had missed them before.

  In spite of its friendly reception of Jason, the cat didn't seem to be in any hurry to race over to these new intruders. Instead, he stood calmly beside Jason staring at the men.

  Why are they here, and why are they hiding?

  From this distance, he could see that the two were armed and wearing thick leather armor. They were speaking to each other in low tones. Jason couldn't make out the words, his hearing not being nearly as advanced as his Night Vision. After speaking for a moment, they both drew blades and started making their way toward the entrance to the cottage.

  Jason's mind raced.

  Two armed men in a graveyard could only be here to steal things from the tombs. They probably plan to ‘take care of’ the caretaker so that they will be able to loot without worrying about being discovered.

  His pulse began to quicken, and his right hand clutched at one of his daggers. He needed to help Morgan otherwise he would fail this quest.

  Damn it! How am I going to take on two well-armed men wearing armor? I don't even know their levels. On top of that, I'm still wearing the clothes I started in, and I don't know how to use my weapons yet.

  His mind was in turmoil as he watched the two men creep closer to the cottage. He had to stop them, but he was gripped with indecision. As his panic escalated, he could feel the familiar, numbing cold begin to fill him. The chill seemed to claw and scrape its way up his spine to his head and then settle behind hi
s eyes. His panic eased, and his mind cleared.

  Unknown to Jason, his eyes filled with a dark, unholy light once more.

  My only chance is to catch them by surprise once they open the door to the cabin. Maybe I can kill one quickly and then try to fight the other. That's really my only option.

  Resolved, Jason activated Sneak and moved forward quickly and quietly. Pulling a dagger with his right hand, he held the weapon tightly. He reached the door a moment after the two men stepped into the cottage and followed them inside.

  As he expected, the two grave robbers had paused at the threshold to take stock of the faintly lit cottage. After the void-like darkness of the graveyard, even the modest light from the lone candle ruined their night vision. Their hesitation gave Jason the time he needed to line up his strike, targeting the one on the left.

  He inexpertly jammed his blade deeply into the side of the grave robber's neck.

  -1124 Damage (MASSIVE CRITICAL) (924 Overkill).

  Grave robber dies. 1400 EXP.

  Blood spurted from the wound and drenched Jason's hand. The man made a strange gurgling sound as his body fell to the floor. Jason barely registered the noise, as he wrenched the blade free, feeling the slight resistance as it tore back through the flesh on the way out. He turned quickly to the second grave robber, ready to strike again.

  The other grave robber's reflexes were excellent. He didn't have time to turn and use his blade on Jason, but his free hand connected solidly with Jason's head with a sharp crack. The blow sent Jason stumbling backwards through the doorway to the house and he landed hard on his back in the dirt and grass of the graveyard.

  -5 Damage (STUNNED).

  The grave robber stepped out of the cottage and grinned maliciously. Jason watched the man approach with his blade raised. The look in his eyes told Jason that he was about to die.