Alterlife III

by Matt Moss

  They will sing songs and praise our names throughout the sands of time.

  History will tell the tale.

  And we will become that of legend.

  Ten hours go by, and I can feel myself getting tired from the mental stress that comes from fifty people kicking your ass. Scratch that, more like eighty now. I keep upping the numbers as I grow stronger in both Durability and Magic Resistance.

  I’ve called on the second group of people now, since the first was forced to log off, and their initial reactions are the same as the previous ones. They can’t believe the gains they’re getting off of me. Wide-eyed, they attack with zealous intent.

  I’m about to nod off, tired of all the weapons in front of my face and the flashes of magic in my eyes. I pretty much loath the Fireball spell now because it consumes my entire vision.

  Feels like I’ve been in hell for the last ten hours…

  Through the flames, I spot Giology walking towards me.

  Satan? Is that you?

  “Ace. How are you faring?” he asks.

  “Like a banana in a barrel full of monkeys.”

  He pauses after the comment, not really knowing how to take it.

  Yeah, you know what I’m talking about, you sick bastard.

  “I think you should take a break,” he says.

  “I’m good.”

  “No. You haven’t drank or eaten within the last ten hours, let alone relieved yourself. You can’t sustain this pace. Either you log off, or I’m going to force you to log off.” He commands everyone to stop attacking me. “That’s enough.” They all stop.

  I speak to Gio. “Oh yea, I almost forgot about that last bit. I guess it’s time to use the bucket now before I piss all over myself.”

  My comment makes some of the players look at me in confusion. They don’t know my current situation and how Gio is holding me captive.

  Giology looks around nervously, then walks to me and speaks in a low tone. “Log off.”

  “Fine.” I look to the others. “Group up. Spar with one another until I come back, just as you’ve done with me. Raise your Durability and Resistance while I’m gone.”

  They split into groups and do as commanded.

  I meet Gio’s eye and try to keep my sarcasm minimal. “See you at home, honey,” I say, then log out.

  Still inside his room, we both take off our NueViews at the same time.

  He rises from his yoga mat. “You need to take care of your body here so you can perform there.”

  “I know. Hey, maybe I’ll go for a run around the block for exercise. Hit the local market up for some good food, eh? That’ll be good for me.”

  He ignores my comment. “I’ll be right back.”

  While he’s gone, I recline back in the chair and rub my temples.

  He’s right. I can’t keep this up.

  You have to. We’re less than a hundred hours away from the blood moon. Every minute counts.

  He comes back with a couple bananas and a glass of water.

  “I’m sending Yuna to the store. You need protein and vegetables. No carbs or sugars. Any requests? What’s your favorite food?”

  That’s a no-brainer.

  “Steak.”

  19

  The Gift

  After eating a large ribeye, spinach salad, and a side of jalapeños, I feel like a million bucks. Not just from the food, but from knowing that I’m the one who’s changing the fate of Alterlife. Not just Alterlife—I’m changing the world.

  All fine and dandy; I just hate being locked up against my will.

  Maybe this is the best thing for you. Too many choices and too much freedom can be a detriment to goals and ambitions.

  Giology returns to collect my dishes. “Would you like to return to your room now? It is clean and ready if you would like to move back there.”

  “Yes, that would be great.”

  Anything to get away from you and have some small shred of privacy.

  He points to where I’m sitting. “You’ll need to help me move the recliner again.”

  “Of course.”

  Back inside my room, Giology arranges the chair to face the door in the exact position it was before. “If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask.”

  “You wouldn’t happen to have a cell phone, would you?”

  “Very funny.”

  “What? Even a guy in prison gets one phone call.”

  He goes into his room and returns with my NueView. I take it from him. He pauses at the door before leaving. “What’s the longest you’ve stayed logged in before?”

  That’s a good question. I’ve never really thought about it. I remember being in Alterlife for days on end inside the roach hotel—inside the bathtub—but I can’t really say how long it was. I don’t remember.

  I just know it was too long.

  “Days, maybe. Why?”

  He leans against the doorway. “How were you physically able to do that?”

  I look him square in the eye. “I hooked an IV bag into my veins and dosed it with liquid cocaine to keep myself awake. A catheter took care of the rest.”

  He doesn’t act surprised. As a matter of fact, I don’t think anything could surprise him. But I can see the wheels turning inside his mind as he contemplates my past actions.

  “Interesting.” He steps towards me and folds his hands. “Very ingenuitive. Would you do it again? As I said, I can get anything you need.”

  Not just no, but… “Hell no.” I shake my head, still unable to fully shake the urge for more cocaine. Vices run strong in my family, and addiction is in my blood. “I won’t do that again. I’m afraid to.”

  “Perhaps an alternative then? Adderall is presumably safer and can be used for energy and focus.”

  “I’m not some college kid looking to ace my classes here, no pun intended. Look, I’ll be fine. Maybe just keep some coffee on hand around the clock, and a supply of beef jerky.”

  “I’m going to get some adderall. And some epinephrine for good measure.” He leaves and begins to close the door. “In case you change your mind.” Click goes the lock.

  After he’s gone, I ease back into the chair. I look at the NueView in my hands.

  He’s right. I can’t keep going like this. If I do, I’m going to crash hard; when that happens, I won’t be good for anything.

  We can’t afford to let that happen. And we don’t have any time to lose. Every minute counts.

  Maybe a small, constant dose wouldn’t hurt. The drugs he mentioned are safer than cocaine.

  Are they?

  I don’t know.

  I’ve never trusted big pharma.

  Back in the arena, everyone gets a piece of Ace the Great.

  Word of what we are doing spreads quickly throughout the guild, and now it seems that every person in Atlantis wants to jump in, as well they should. Even those who aren’t vested in warfare should be training, because it’s coming whether anyone likes it or not.

  We’re only as strong as our weakest links. To win this war, we must all become one strong unit.

  The grandstands are packed with players as they watch us train, each eager to partake and raise their attributes.

  Not all of you at once. Not yet.

  I’m getting stronger, but I’m not strong enough to take on that many opponents. It shouldn’t be long, though. I’m up to nearly one hundred attackers now, needing only twenty Mages to heal me. That’s with all of their stats continuing to rise at an incredible rate, as well.

  My gains aren’t too shabby, either. I’m closing in on a Durability rating of five-hundred-thousand. Three-hundred-thousand on Magic Resistance.

  There’s not much Strength for me to gain since I’m already the strongest player in Alterlife. With Thal’s Swords of Eternity, I’ll cut through my enemies like a sickle through straw; especially while dual wielding. I’m eager to test that out with my new, and gaining still, Durability and Magic Resistance ratings.

  After one hour
goes by, we switch groups.

  Meric commands everyone, raising his voice to be heard throughout the arena. “Alright. Next hundred up. Twenty Mages to heal. The rest of you attack with melee, ranged weapons, or spells. Those who just finished with Ace are to group together and continue sparring. We’ve no time to waste,”

  As everyone shifts about and prepares to spar, Meric walks to me. “The training is going well.”

  I nod, and finish healing myself. “It is. By constantly using the Heal spell, I’ll be a Grandmaster Mage by the end of the week.”

  “The power of Thannadas is quite something, eh?”

  “It is indeed.” I look around, then back at Meric. Something has been bothering me for the last bit, and I look to him for an answer. “When you all were forced to log out, near Baleton, what happened to Precious? She’s the only one I’ve not seen since.”

  Meric pauses, taking a moment to bite back what he would surely like to say about her before replying. “She stayed there. That’s what everyone thinks, anyway. Nobody has seen her since. Damn her and her love for the gods…”

  “Do you think she went to them? Did she join one of the guilds?”

  “I don’t know. Either way, I think it’s safe to say she’s not coming back. She’s spat on her allegiance to the Saviors and Thannadas. I’ve already counted her as foe, and you should too.”

  “Pity. We could have used her skills in this fight.”

  Meric spits on the dirt. “Bah. I’d rather have someone who I can trust to fight alongside me, even if they aren’t as skilled.”

  True.

  I think of Deana and how she broke my trust.

  “Alright, next group, let’s go,” I tell them.

  My vision is filled with nothing but magic and weapons for the next hour. Through the clamorous noise, cheers of excitement resound from each player as they become stronger and reach new levels of power.

  I try to drown out the noise and keep my mind on the mission.

  All while trying my best not to fall asleep.

  Another day passes by. Then another.

  Still haven’t slept.

  I’ve been living off of coffee and energy drinks. Logging off every hour or so to use the bucket while the players shift around and prepare for the next session.

  With my growing fatigue, the urge to use the drugs that Gio brought back is stronger than ever. He’s offered them to me at least three times today. Says they will help me.

  I’m sure they would, but every time I feel my resolve beginning to falter, I think of my family and they keep me from giving in to temptation. They’re all the strength I need.

  You would be doing it for them. More than ever, they need you at your best. The entire world does.

  That would not be me at my best.

  Still, the thought of using crosses my mind about every thirty minutes. I can’t help it. My brain and body are in a constant fog—bogged down, craving something more.

  Those drugs aren’t as hardcore as cocaine, you know? It’s just medicine.

  Yeah. But I wouldn’t be using them for medicinal purposes.

  My will wins another battle as I finish my cup of coffee.

  “Come on, John. Tell that inner bitch to shut up.”

  After psyching myself up for another round of Alterlife, I log back in.

  One more day passes, and I’m starting to feel like a zombie.

  I keep my interactions brief because I’m ready to snap and give somebody the sharp end of my tongue over the smallest thing. Especially Gio. Lucky for him, and me, he’s not made his presence known around me much in Alterlife. Not since he took me hostage.

  Over the last twenty-four hours, I’ve worked my way up to around five hundred players that are now engaging with me at one time. We take up most of the arena floor, and it won’t be long before they’ll have to resort to attacking me with ranged weapons and spells from the grandstands. Even now, with the hundred melee players that are attacking me, they only get about ten shots each over the course of an hour. If only I could clone Ace.

  Like the world needs another Ace. One is already too much.

  I check my HUD, and the timer I had set for the rising blood moon says it’s just a little under eighty hours away.

  I hope that will be enough time.

  Common sense tells me it won’t. We’re going against a million-man army, not to mention the gods. Yet, I still hold on to the belief that we will win the war.

  We’ve got to. With the stakes as high as they are, losing is not an option.

  As the hour comes to an end, the players shift around to prepare for the next round of sparring, Squirt runs excitedly into the arena and is calling for everyone’s attention.

  “Did you all hear? There’s a patch coming tomorrow, straight from the Creator himself!”

  Meric is the first to question him. “The Creator? What is this patch you speak of?”

  Squirt spins around to reply to him. “Something big—something about a new power item that the Creator has made. People are already saying that it could be a game changer for whoever finds it.”

  A game changer, huh? Interesting. I wonder if Deakins knows anything about this. Maybe he’ll know how to find it?

  Deakins is gone again. Who knows when he’ll return this time?

  Fance walks to the boy. “Are you saying that it’s a treasure hunt of some sort?”

  Squirt shrugs. “I don’t know. Nobody does. All that’s being said is that there’s an item coming soon.”

  “Treasure hunt or a dungeon creep, either way it’s going to be difficult to get that item, no doubt,” Meric notes.

  “This could be just what we need to assure our victory,” Seric says, joining the conversation. Players huddle all around, murmuring excitement among themselves, and are at rapt attention to the leaders of the guild. Seric looks to me. “What do you think it will be, Ace?”

  Part of me hopes it is a treasure hunt. With my Cartography skills and a map, I could find the location in no time. But I don’t think it’s going to be that easy. No, this is something different; something that nobody is going to see coming.

  I just hope it’s going to be good for the Saviors.

  If the Creator wants the gods and the Gamemasters destroyed, then he’ll sway the odds in our favor. This must be a gift from him.

  I speak to Seric. “I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.” Turn to everyone else. “Let’s get back to work. Tomorrow will take care of itself.”

  The following morning, after the patch is complete, a message pops up on my HUD as soon as I log in. Once it fades away, I go into the history and pull it back up, just to make sure I’m seeing it right.

  A new item has been placed somewhere in Alterlife.

  To obtain the item, a player or guild must find and collect nine rabbit pelts.

  The first to do this will be awarded the item, if found worthy...

  Happy hunting!

  Rabbit pelts? Really? Is this some kind of a joke?

  I recall the trade I made with the old man in the woods—the Creator. Rabbit furs for a cloak…

  It’s a message for me. He wants me to have the item. But he wants me to earn it.

  Fair enough.

  I call for a one-hour break in training to convene with the prominent members of the guild so we can come up with a game plan.

  As the excitement of the announcement wears down a bit, I devise a plan. It’s not much of one, mind you, but it’s something.

  “Well, this shakes things up a bit, wouldn’t you say?” Hedwig says to the group as he adjusts his thick bifocals.

  I cross my arms. “Indeed it does. But in order to maximize the guild’s potential, I need to remain here and continue as planned, so I won’t be able to help look for the rabbits. No sense in me running around the world when I could be put to better use here.”

  “Agreed, Commander. You are most valuable here. Seric and I will go search for the pelts,” Meric says.

  “And I.
Hunting is perfectly suited for a Ranger,” Fance states.

  Giology speaks. “We will need as many as we can get to search for the pelts. But everyone must be careful to not get caught off guard by those who dwell on the mainland. If found, you’ll be in for a fight.”

  “Aye. We need to be stealthy,” Fance says and rubs his chin. “And it won’t do well to go searching in big groups, nor will it speed up the process.” He holds a finger up. “Wait, dumb question: what if the other guilds have already found one of the nine rabbits? How can we collect all nine, then? Does it all come down to bartering between who has the pelts?”

  “I would guess that there are nine spawn locations in Alterlife, so everyone gets a fair chance. Whoever finds all nine locations first, wins. Good question, by the way,” I tell him.

  Fance nods. “That makes sense.”

  “How will we find these rabbits? We know nothing of the mainland,” Meric says.

  I take a screenshot of my map of Alterlife and share it with them. “There are still quite a few places I haven’t been, but it’s better than nothing. Use the map and barter coin for information with whoever knows the location of the pelts. Players, NPCs, whoever. The guild has enough gold and other valuables to buy some information from people. We’ll use that to barter the locations of the rabbits, as I’m sure it won’t take long for everyone to find most of the locations.”

  “There will probably be one that is almost impossible to find,” Hedwig notes. “Like the scratch-off lottery tickets. The bastards give you just enough numbers to get your hopes up, but you never win.”

  Squirt runs into the arena. “Did you all see the message?”

  “Aye. Everyone did, Squirt.”

  “I’m assuming since rabbits are everywhere…”

  “That they got patched out and only nine remain, yes,” Fance tells him.

  He scratches his head. “I thought so.”

  “What’s it mean by ‘if found worthy?’” Seric asks.

  “Some sort of a test, I figure,” I say. A message pops up on my HUD.