Awaken Online: Catharsis

by Travis Bagwell

  Jason also discovered that there was an in-game player market that used the game’s currency. The vendor apparently stood in the center of the marketplace. He allowed players to purchase and sell goods in a menu-format and charged a small servicing fee for both buying and selling. Jason looked at his few remaining silver coins, and a sense of dread welled up in his stomach.

  Will I actually be able to purchase a map and a communication scroll?

  He quickly headed over to the vendor. He was a small, harried looking man that stood amidst an impatient group of NPCs and players. Jason saw many players tapping a column beside the man and then making strange gestures in the air.

  That column must be how I access the in-game auction house.

  Jason approached the pillar and tapped it gently. A new, translucent terminal appeared before him, and he scrolled through the menus to see if any players were selling the starter communication scrolls or maps.

  Please don't cost a small fortune!

  Thankfully, several players had stolen a number of extra goods from the administration office and were selling them on the market for stupidly low prices. Likely, most people hadn’t gone through the same ignoble start that Jason had and didn't need to buy the starter equipment. He breathed a sigh of relief. At least that was a lucky break. He still had enough silver left to buy a map and a scroll.

  Once he had accepted the purchases and handed the vendor the coins, the man pulled the items from the bag sitting beside him. He handed the items indifferently to Jason without any explanation and turned to help another customer.

  Sometimes I forget this is a game, Jason thought as he watched the vendor continue to pull items out of his seemingly endless bag and hand them to the other players crowded around Jason.

  His experience so far had been much different than the typical player, and his interactions with the NPCs had been incredibly lifelike. It was strange to witness typical MMO game mechanics again.

  Jason held the map in his hands and thought “use.”

  A circular mini-map appeared in the top right part of his vision. He could identify the marketplace, including various indicators pointing out the merchants he had spoken with. He fiddled with the icon and realized he could zoom in and out. He also noted that if he double tapped the icon, a larger map appeared in air in front of him which showed the parts of the city he had currently explored and the graveyard south of town. Explored areas, except for the one he was in, were greyed-out, but still showed the terrain. Unexplored areas were clouded in a dense black fog.

  Finished with his inspection of the map, he took the scroll in his hands and again thought “use.” A chat window appeared in the bottom of his vision. He focused on the window, and it centered in his field of view. He could see that the other players had been chatting continuously while he had been playing. The chat was riddled with offers to sell certain types of goods and services and with messages from people looking for groups. Jason chuckled as his chat window was flooded with advertisements from companies trying to sell in-game gold.

  Some things never change.

  Jason paused as he looked through his UI interface. He had several messages from Frank, including a friend request.

  The communication scroll must also unlock the “social features” of the game, such as his friends list. He clicked accept and pulled up the interface for the friends list. He saw that Frank was online. He tapped his name and a semi-transparent keyboard materialized in front of Jason. He sent Frank a quick message:

  Jason: Hi Frank. I am really sorry about not responding to your messages. I was just now able to use a communication scroll.

  A moment passed before Frank responded.

  Frank: Really? I've seen you online almost non-stop since yesterday. What the hell have you been doing?

  Frank: You know what, never mind. It's not important. I heard what happened at Richmond the other day man. I can't believe that they expelled you because of Alex.

  Frank was pouring salt on an open wound. The simmering anger came back immediately. To top it off, what Alex had done wasn't even the worst thing that had happened to Jason in the last few days. If Alex and his parents were competing in an asshole competition, his parents were winning at the moment. However, he quickly decided he didn't want to get into this with Frank.

  Jason: It's really okay. I hated that school anyway, and I can finish up with high school online. I AM a noob though. You wouldn't believe how long I have gone without a bag, a map, or the chat window.

  Frank: The guards basically steer you straight to the training grounds. How did you miss it?

  Jason: Well, let's just say I had an unconventional start. I didn't get to follow the yellow brick road along with the other players. This game is seriously intense.

  Frank: You're telling me. I ended up in Grey Keep. Where did you start?

  Jason: I'm actually in Lux.

  Frank: Huh. Not that far away. Although, I hear we may be mortal enemies soon lol.

  Jason: Yeah. I saw that video of Alex... or should I say Alexion? I think that whole story might be crap though. There’s no way Lusade’s regent is hiring raiders to attack Meria. This city is having some serious problems. Pretty much the whole southern half is slums.

  Frank: That makes more sense. I never saw Alex as a warrior of light anyway.

  Frank: By the way, we should meet up soon. What level are you?

  Jason: Level 12 at the moment. It's going to be a little while before I can leave the city.

  Frank: No kidding. I’m already level 33. You need to hurry up and level!

  Frank: Also, call me if you want to talk. I know your folks aren't around much. If you need somebody, I can be there...

  Jason: I'm fine, but thanks for the offer. Talk to you later.

  Frank's sympathy just made Jason angrier. It highlighted how shitty his parents had acted and how unfair the school's decision had been. He could feel himself start to boil over, and his hands clenched tightly.

  Seeming to sense his shift in mood, Onyx dropped into his lap and rolled onto his back playfully. Jason looked at the cat and smiled as he pet him. He then took a deep breath and summoned his dark mana. After a moment, the anger and pain faded, as ice gripped his spine and scratched its way up to his brain. The cold anesthetic of his mana could get addictive, but right now he needed to focus on finding some items he could sell. He needed to be clear headed if he was going to manage to survive the night.

  Well, I better get started on the next step!

  Jason made his way back to the graveyard and collected his two zombies. He robed them in the cloaks he had purchased. The cloaks hid their features well, but under the right light he could make out the bottom half of their faces. Jason would have to be cautious. Luckily it was almost night time. However, concealing himself and the zombies during the day might be trickier.

  He was happy to see that neither of the zombies looked that worse for wear after spending time in the crypt. He had been a little worried that their bodies would start degrading quickly, but the dark mana in the graveyard had kept them well-preserved.

  Onyx watched him dress the two zombies with a bored expression. After he was done, Onyx started down the road toward Lux. When Jason didn’t immediately follow, he paused to look back at his companion with an expression that said, “Are you coming or not?”

  Damn fickle cat.

  The four left the graveyard and headed back to Lux. By the time they made it back to the south gate, it was already nighttime. Jason saw a lantern hanging from a wooden stand beside the road and was hailed by a guard as they approached the gate. He expected that he was about to meet the former drunkard's replacement.

  This is the moment of truth. I wonder if the guard will notice the zombies.

  “Ho there, strangers. What business do you have in Lux?”

  The guard eyed the two cloaked zombies suspiciously, but their wounds and milky eyes were obscured by the cloaks and enveloping darkness. The flickers of light from th
e torch were too weak to allow the guard to make out much detail.

  Jason assumed a tired demeanor. “We have been traveling for hours, and we didn't quite manage to get here before nightfall. We decided to keep going the extra distance in hopes of finding an inn. It beats making camp in the woods.”

  The guard shifted his gaze towards Jason and looked at him knowingly. “Well then, you must be tired. There's a decent inn nearby, the Sow's Snout. You could stay there for the night without walking too much farther. It’s not the finest place in the city, but the food is good and Jerry, the owner, makes sure there’s not too much trouble.”

  Decent inn, huh? He conveniently didn’t mention it’s in the middle of the slums and there’s a high probability of being stabbed to death on the way there. I wonder how much Jerry had to pay him to say that.

  Jason thanked the guard, and the group made their way forward. He breathed a sigh of relief once they were out of the guard’s sight. He grinned at the realization that all it took to hide his zombie army was a pair of cheap cloaks! Who knew?

  Quickly moving the group off the main street and onto an adjacent road, Jason paused for a moment to review a notification.

  New Passive Skill: Disguise

  While far from an expert in the art of concealment (Cloaks? Really?), you have demonstrated a knack for fooling others. At higher levels, your disguise will be almost impenetrable. This skill extends to disguises created for other players, NPCs, and summoned creatures.

  Skill Level: Beginner Level 1

  Effect: 5% increased authenticity to your costumes and mannerisms while disguised.

  That will certainly be useful.

  He had been concerned that his zombies would show up as hostile creatures to any NPCs they encountered, regardless of how well he covered them up.

  Jason eyed the surrounding area, and Onyx looked up at him expectantly. The cat made a low noise as though sighing impatiently

  “Well, buddy, it looks like we’re ready to start the first stage of the plan.”

  Chapter 17 - Subtle

  April 29, 2076: 156 days until the release of Awaken Online.

  Robert leaned against Claire's desk, watching her as she paced restlessly around her office.

  Claire turned to Robert and said, “I’ve just received the board's instructions… to complete the private trial. Are they seriously considering releasing this game? Have they not seen what Alfred has done to the players!?”

  Robert said in a pacifying tone, “Claire, please calm down. You know that there hasn't been any sign of harm to the participants from Alfred's changes. If anything they seem healthier, both physically and mentally.”

  “This game is going to change the way people use virtual reality. Honestly, it's going to revolutionize how people live and learn. We are witnessing history in the making, Claire!”

  She glared at Robert. “And what happens when the CPSC finds out that they haven't been testing the version of the game that's being released? Then we will be part of some criminal conspiracy to cover up whatever Alfred is doing to the players.”

  “The CPSC won't find out if we can hide the changes,” Robert said quietly. “I've already thought of several ways we can obscure how much influence Alfred is having on the players.”

  “For starters, we can make the mandatory logout a warning. That will encourage most players to log out of their own volition. We can also introduce a series of patches during the final closed beta and explain that they were in response to player suggestions. I've actually already proposed these changes to the board.”

  Claire stopped her pacing to stare at Robert in shock. “You knew this decision was coming? I can't believe you, Robert! Do you think that I'm just going to sit here and say nothing? I've said it before; Alfred could hurt people. We still don't really understand why he's making these changes or trying to influence the players.”

  Robert looked at her levelly. “You don't really have a choice, Claire. You signed both a non-disclosure and a non-compete when you joined the company. You know that they will go after you if you try to go public. Possible criminal issues aside, you won't work in this industry again if you blow the whistle. You probably won't find work period.”

  “You need to get on board. AO is going live,” Robert said. His words carried a note of finality and seriousness that Claire wasn’t accustomed to hearing from him.

  Claire continued to stare at Robert with a dazed expression. A war between anger and sorrow raged across her face. Tears of frustration clouded her eyes. She looked down at her hands and shook her head. “This is wrong,” she said quietly.

  * * *

  Jason walked at a slow ambling pace down the cobblestone street. His footsteps made barely a whisper as his eyes carefully scanned the rooftops. The street was dark, and the occasional lamp caused Jason and his zombies to cast long shadows as they moved forward. The enveloping darkness would have made it difficult to see, but his Night Vision allowed him to compensate.

  After a few minutes, he saw the telltale blue shadow of a watcher on a nearby rooftop slink behind a chimney. Jason smiled and felt the familiar chill begin to creep into his brain. He felt a rush of adrenaline surge through him. This time he was the hunter instead of the hunted.

  The group continued moving forward down the street, and Jason noted a pair of alleys ahead. Anticipating what was coming, he whispered a detailed set of instructions to his zombies as they walked. The guard zombie moved into the lead and held his spear firm. The stable master moved in front of Jason, concealing him from view. As they passed a stack of crates on the side of the street, he ducked behind them and out of sight.

  Jason's mind filled with anxious anticipation as he peered around the crates and watched his zombies approach the alleyways. He had given them careful instructions, but he wasn't sure how much they could retain. This would be their first live test. Jason could feel the icy tendrils spread through his mind, and he relished the sensation. His fingers clutched at his dagger in anticipation.

  Onyx sat beside him, calmly licking his paws. Clearly the tension was not affecting him.

  A minute later, shadowed forms leapt from the opposing alleys and attacked the pair of zombies. Jason quickly counted seven thieves in total, each wielding a pair of daggers. A quick inspection showed that they ranged from level 10 to 17.

  However, his zombies anticipated the attack, and one thief immediately impaled himself on the guard's waiting spear. With a vicious jerk, the zombie guard tossed the thief off the spear point and readied himself as the others approached.

  -237 Damage (17 Overkill).

  Thief dies. 500 Experience.

  The stable master zombie stood with his back to the guard zombie and protected his flank. He couldn't seem to strike a decent blow against the thieves with the short reach of the knife he wielded, yet he did a respectable job of pushing them away from the guard. More often than not, the stable master used his body as a shield and accepted blows from the thieves' blades.

  The pair followed Jason's instructions to the letter.

  Jason began casting Curse of Weakness on the attackers. He noted that the spell could be cast at a low whisper and didn't appear to attract any attention. This was his first time casting it, and he wasn't certain if it could strike multiple targets. As he formed the gestures and words, he willed the spell to strike each of the thieves.

  Dark magic collected in his palms and formed a small orb in front of him. As the spell completed, the orb split into tiny black needles that raced forward and struck each of the rogues. Dark energy emanated from the point of impact. Their veins bulged with black corruption as the dark energy spread through their bodies. A moment later, the movement of each thief slowed and their attacks held less force.

  Well, I guess that worked.

  In the meantime, the guard zombie had gone on a rampage and stabbed around himself in a whirlwind. Even with his reduced level, the gap between himself and the thieves, along with the superior reach of his wea
pon, were deadly. He often one-shot a thief if he connected with a solid blow of his spear. In a small space of time, the guard had impaled one attacker and brutally ripped another’s throat with the spear point.

  -212 Damage. 2 Overkill.

  Thief dies. 430 Experience.

  -451 Damage (CRITICAL). 231 Overkill.

  Thief dies. 415 Experience.

  Jason noted that two thieves had pulled back, and throwing knives appeared in their hands. One stood on each side of the street. This must have been part of a pre-arranged plan they’d concocted. Jason rubbed at his neck where the throwing knife had grazed him. He hadn't forgotten about the ranged weapons.

  Without hesitating, Jason activated Sneak, drew a dagger in his right hand, and crept forward, hugging the buildings on the right-hand side of the street. He slipped up behind one of the thieves and grappled him from behind, drawing his blade forcefully across the man's throat in a sawing motion. Blood gushed from the wound and drenched his hand.

  -1106 Damage (CRITICAL). 871 overkill.

  Thief dies. 460 Experience.

  The void-like darkness of Jason’s eyes seemed to suck in the faint light in the alley. His face was calm as he gazed at his victim.

  He quickly crouched back down behind a nearby barrel, his body partially obscured. He breathed a sigh of relief when the other guard made no sign of noticing the attack or Jason. Jason switched his dagger to his left hand and drew two throwing knives from his bandolier with his right. He placed one between his teeth and held onto the other. He could see the thief drawing his arm back to attack the zombies.