Awaken Online: Precipice

by Travis Bagwell

  “Why don’t we hand out the new helmets to the players we’re signing on for our new streaming channel?” George suggested. “This might entice more people to sign with us and would give you a way to keep close tabs on how the new equipment is performing.”

  Robert considered this proposal for a moment before an excited grin crept over his face. “That would work perfectly. Some of these streamers play almost continuously. They also put themselves in rather extreme situations. This should get us the data we need to fine-tune the new equipment.”

  George raised a hand to forestall another excitable rant from the engineer. “That sounds like an acceptable solution then. Before we get too far along, we also have some news for you. We will need your help on a new project.”

  Robert raised his eyebrows and looked at George with interest. If there was one thing George could count on, it was that Robert loved building things.

  “We want you to design new game masters for AO,” George said with a small smile.

  Chapter 1 - Conflicted

  October 12, 2076: Eleven days after the release of Awaken Online.

  Alex Lane sat alone at a kitchen island. A wild party raged around him, and he could feel the vibrations of the house music through his stool. One of his ‘friends’ had decided to live it up while his parents were out of town, resulting in the ongoing destruction of an elegant 8,000 square foot mansion. Alex suspected it would be difficult to hide the effects of numerous spilled drinks and the drunken antics of his classmates when the boy’s parents returned. However, that wasn’t his problem.

  He took another gulp from the red plastic cup in his hand. He had abstained from the beer, needing something stronger. The clear liquid in his cup left a burning sensation in its wake as it ran down his throat. He didn’t choke or gasp at the feeling. Instead, he held himself perfectly still and accepted the painful sensation. It was good to feel something.

  A voice behind him shouted over the music, “Hey man, did you see those videos of the Twilight Throne? That was seriously awesome.”

  Another voice replied with a laugh, “No kidding! The fight with the paladin guy was ridiculous. I wasn’t expecting him to pull out that flaming sword. That guy was a serious badass.”

  At their words, a strange feeling welled up inside Alex. The sensation was tantalizing. He found it more intoxicating than the molten liquid in his cup. It partially filled the aching hollowness in his mind.

  Alex turned his head slightly to catch sight of the pair, but he had never seen them before. They must not attend Richmond. They had clearly been drinking, and one of them stumbled slightly, leaning heavily against the nearby sofa.

  “My favorite part was that bone demon! Could you imagine that thing running at you like raaaawr!” The guy mimed claws in the air as he let out an over-zealous roar, teetering forward clumsily.

  The other teen laughed. “Psshh that was nothing. You see that chick that blew off Sir Lancelot’s head? Now that was something else!”

  “I bet he didn’t see that one coming!” the first guy responded.

  As he overheard this last exchange, the strange feeling vanished, and Alex was left feeling… nothing. The void that perpetually lingered in the back of his mind returned with painful suddenness. He watched the pair silently and took another gulp of the fiery liquid in his cup. It was futile; it wouldn’t fill the emptiness. He just felt hollow - always hollow.

  A voice whispered in the back of Alex’s mind. It told him that these two idiots were responsible for this feeling - for the numb purgatory that was his life. Perhaps there was an answer. Alex could punish them. They deserved it, didn’t they?

  One of the two teens looked around at the party before elbowing his friend. “This party sucks, man. There aren’t any hot girls here. Let’s head out.”

  “Fine by me,” the other replied with a shrug.

  As the two made their way to the door, Alex stood to follow them. His vision swirled momentarily. He had drunk too much, yet he could still walk. The insidious whisper railed at his weakness, urging him forward. The pair walked out the front door of the house and onto the front drive, Alex following closely.

  The house was located on a small estate. High stone walls ringed an impeccably manicured lawn, and expensive automobiles lined the circular drive. Antique street lamps had been installed along the pavement, faintly illuminating the courtyard. No one lingered outside with the rager happening inside the house.

  As he stepped outside, Alex shut the door firmly behind him. Then he calmly approached the pair who were still bickering about the coolest scenes from the fight outside the Twilight Throne. The voice urged Alex on. These two had it coming. He didn’t feel any sense of fear or excitement over what was about to happen - only the void-like emptiness.

  As he passed the two teens, Alex abruptly slammed his foot into the side of one boy’s knee. Alex played varsity football for Richmond, and he put every ounce of his considerable strength into the blow. He heard a sickening crunch, followed closely by the boy’s scream of pain. The sound was drowned out by the loud, thumping music of the party behind them.

  The injured boy’s friend turned to Alex, his eyes wild with fear and confusion. He backed away from Alex and stumbled slightly. “What the hell, man? What are you…?”

  His voice was cut off as Alex’s fist connected with his face. The boy went down with a heavy thump. Once he was on the ground, Alex kicked him viciously in the stomach and face until he stopped moving. He heard a whimpering sound behind him and turned. The other boy was trying to drag himself away, his leg dangling uselessly beneath him and tears streaming down his face.

  “Stop! Please stop,” he begged.

  Alex hesitated for a moment. The voice in his mind screamed at him. There was no room for weakness, it insisted. Alex shook his head, and his resolve firmed. He walked up to the boy, stomping on his injured leg. The teen let out another tortured scream. Alex kicked him repeatedly in the face to quiet the shouts of pain, blood splattering his shoe.

  Then it was over.

  Alex’s breath came in a heavy, even rhythm. He glanced at his knuckles. The skin was already starting to discolor and his fingers throbbed. He looked at the two boys who lay unconscious on the ground. He didn’t feel any guilt or remorse. Instead, the familiar tantalizing sensation welled up inside of him again. The voice practically purred in approval.

  It was good to feel something - to feel anything at all.

  ***

  October 13, 2076: Present Day.

  Jason was sitting on one of the stiff, ill-formed seats that lined the passenger car. The cushions of the seat were hard and pressed into his back uncomfortably. He was currently riding one of the city’s many electromagnetic trams. Sunlight filtered in through the window, illuminating the cabin. He glanced out of the window to his left and watched buildings speed past below.

  The traffic congestion in the city had reached a ‘critical mass’ several decades ago, and it became nearly impossible to travel anywhere by car. The city council had been forced to overhaul the entire transportation system. Most of the city’s residents now either used driverless cars or the city’s intricate tram system. Only the rich could afford to purchase their own cars. As a result, the sky above of the city was crisscrossed with rail lines that ran in intricate patterns, held up by supports that sprouted from the tops of the tall office and apartment buildings that stood in neat rows on the ground below.

  Jason’s expression was troubled as he watched city beneath him. His hand slowly twisted the Core on his wrist. It had been two days in the real world since his encounter with Onyx.

  I suppose I should call him Alfred now.

  Jason hadn’t logged back into AO since their conversation. He wasn’t certain how to respond to the request Alfred had made. It simply left him feeling confused and worried. He was nervous about logging back into the game and uncertain what he would say to Alfred when he did.

  His confused thoughts were interrupted by a
ring from his device. Jason looked down and saw that Frank was calling him. He put in his earpiece and thumbed the display.

  “Hey, Frank. How’s it going?” Jason asked, trying to assume an upbeat tone.

  There was silence on the other end of the line. For a moment, Jason thought he had a bad signal. Then Frank asked, in an annoyed voice, “How’s it going? Really? Did you seriously forget your promise?”

  Jason sat in confusion for several seconds. Then his palm struck his face. “I’m sorry man. I promised to send you gameplay footage of the fight against Alexion’s army, didn’t I?” A lot had happened since he last spoke to Frank and it had completely slipped his mind.

  “Yeah, no kidding, you promised me! But have I seen any footage?” he asked. The irritation had begun to leave Frank’s voice. Jason could tell he was trying to mess with him.

  Jason grinned. “Didn’t you see the videos posted by the other players? I bet you have a sense of what happened.”

  “Oh, don’t give me that noise,” Frank interrupted. “You know that the other videos were terrible. It’s just a bunch of swirling bones and people dying. The only decent clip was of you acting like the lord of darkness and slitting that player’s throat.”

  A flash of guilt crossed Jason’s mind. “I actually feel bad about what I did to that player. It was necessary, though. Maybe others will hesitate before attacking me.”

  Frank snorted. “I sure as hell wouldn’t mess with you. That was some scary shit, but I think you may have just painted an exceptionally large target on your back. You basically challenged every player in the game. I heard there’s even a real money bounty on your head now.”

  That was news to Jason. He had been avoiding the forums the last couple days while he tried to clear his head. Once he logged back in - if he logged back in - he would need to be more careful.

  Frank sighed before continuing in a more subdued voice, “I’m not really angry at you. I spoke with Riley the other day at school, and she explained about your home situation. I know you’re juggling a lot right now.”

  First my parents and now Frank. Is she just going around telling everyone about my personal life? Maybe I need to talk to her. Although, I guess she saved me from the awkwardness of having to tell everyone myself.

  Jason hesitated. “It’s not so bad. It has been hectic, but I spoke with my parents a few days ago. They agreed to let me stay with my aunt, and I think we reconciled. I actually started classes at the Calvary School earlier this week.”

  Of course, that leaves out a couple of other important events. For example, the part where the game’s AI confronted me and trapped me in the game.

  “That’s great to hear!” Frank said.

  He paused for a moment before continuing, “I’m actually calling because I have a favor to ask. I’m traveling toward the Twilight Throne in-game. Do you think I could join up with you? We need to do some dungeons like old times!” Frank sounded like his usual overly-excited self, but for some reason, it felt a bit forced.

  Jason’s first reaction was suspicion. However, he didn’t have any reason to mistrust Frank. His family had plenty of money, and the other students at Richmond (including Alex) constantly harassed him about his weight. Jason doubted that Frank was conspiring with Alex or that he was being blackmailed. He wasn’t sure why Frank seemed a bit on edge, but there was probably another explanation.

  It’s strange that I have to consider betrayal or blackmail as real possibilities now.

  It might also be fun to start playing AO a bit more like a traditional MMO. Jason had always enjoyed doing dungeon crawls with Frank. Besides, he could use some allies. It was only a matter of time until the Twilight Throne was attacked again.

  “No problem,” Jason replied. “I can’t promise when we will be able to tackle a dungeon, though. I have some things to take care of first in-game. It may be a little while until I log back in. I’m on a tram right now.”

  “Thanks, man!” Frank replied, an odd mixture of relief and excitement in his voice. “Where are you headed?”

  “Um, I’m actually on my way to Cerillion Entertainment headquarters. One of the guys that works there scheduled a meeting with me.”

  “What?!” Frank exclaimed. “Why would they want to have a meeting with you?”

  “Gee, thanks. You know how to make a guy feel really special,” Jason replied dryly.

  “You know what I mean. Even with the splash you made in-game, you’re just some random teenager. What would they want with you?”

  “I think that they’re going to offer me an exclusive streaming contract,” Jason replied honestly. “I spoke with one of their representatives over the phone a few days ago. I’m just not certain whether I should accept it.” It was a potentially lucrative deal, and he needed the money, but there were some downsides.

  Frank paused for a moment before replying, “I think I see what you mean. You’re worried they’re going to give away your abilities and strategies, aren’t you? Like what Alexion’s army did by posting videos online?”

  “That’s the gist of it,” Jason answered quietly, “but I need the money. Unless I can convince them to let me have a pretty heavy hand in editing the video, I don’t think I can sign an agreement.”

  “Well, I’m sure you will figure it out. If you can conquer a city, you can bust some corporate balls, right?” Frank asked with a chuckle.

  “I sure hope so,” Jason replied with a weak laugh. If he were honest, he was nervous about this trip. It was one thing to be confident in-game where there were infinite do-overs and death was impermanent. This was the real world. There were no save points, and there were lasting consequences for his actions - like whether he’d be able to buy food next month when his item sale money ran out.

  Jason’s Core emitted a dinging sound. The device had synced with the tram’s schedule, and it was alerting Jason that he was almost at his destination. Jason shook himself out of his morose thoughts. He just needed to act and not dwell too much on the consequences. At least he’d learned that from AO.

  “Hey, I have to go. I’m almost at my stop. I’ll let my subjects know that they shouldn’t kill you on sight,” Jason said, grinning slightly.

  “Very funny! Good luck on your negotiations!”

  “I appreciate it. Later, Frank.”

  “Bye.”

  Jason terminated the call by thumbing his Core. His eyes moved back to the window. From his perspective, the buildings below appeared to slow as the tram approached the station. Soon the vehicle came to a complete stop, a chime sounding through the cabin. Jason pulled himself out of the seat and made his way down the aisle.

  He stepped out of the tram onto a platform with a group of other people and looked around. Dozens of people milled around the station, some jostling Jason in their hurry to get off the tram. Jason hadn’t traveled much inside the city when he lived with his parents. He could count the number of times he had used the public transit system on one hand. As a result, he was left floundering in a sea of people.

  Jason looked around the station for any trace of a sign. The platform was encased in a material similar to Plexiglas (but infinitely more durable), and so the walls were transparent. It gave the impression that they were floating in the sky. He imagined these stations would be a nightmare for someone afraid of heights.

  After a moment of anxious searching, Jason spotted glowing LED signs embedded in one wall pointing him to the elevator banks on the side of the platform. With a destination in sight, he began weaving his way through the crowd.

  A few moments later, Jason stood at the street level. This was an affluent part of town, and towering office buildings lined the street he was standing on. If the platform was crowded, the street was packed. There were hundreds of people talking on their Cores, eating, chatting in groups, and marching between the buildings. As Jason looked up, he also noticed transparent tunnels above him. The bridges connected many of the buildings at various levels.

  In the chaos
around him, Jason wasn’t certain which direction he was supposed to be heading. He found a relatively quiet corner where he wouldn’t be jostled by harried pedestrians and thumbed his Core. A translucent keyboard was displayed along the length of his arm, and he typed in “Cerillion Entertainment.” A three-dimensional map of the area, complete with crisscrossing aerial sidewalks, appeared in the air above the Core. A faint green dot (representing Jason) pulsed and a green trail appeared, marking the way to his destination. He was apparently several blocks away from the building.

  What did people do before technology? They probably just wandered around aimlessly.

  Fifteen minutes later, Jason arrived in front of yet another office building. This one stood out from the rest. It had its own courtyard with fully-grown trees lining the entrance. The branches overhung an enormous fountain in the center of the square, jets of water dancing in the air and rustling the leaves. Above the fountain, the words “Cerillion Entertainment” were emblazoned across the front of the building.

  Jason walked up to the large glass doors leading into the building’s lobby. His hands were sweaty, and he could feel his heart racing. He hesitated in front of the doors. Could he really do this by himself? He was just a kid. He closed his eyes for a moment, wishing that he could channel the numbing cold of his dark mana.

  “You can do this,” he said softly. Then he opened his eyes and forced himself to keep walking.

  As he entered the building, Jason slowed and surveyed the room nervously. It was as grand as the fountain outside. The lobby was nearly two stories tall, and large columns supported the ceiling. The floor was comprised of marble tiles positioned in intricate designs. It looked more like a Greco-Roman palace than the lobby for an office building.

  “I take it you’re Jason?” a voice said from his right.