Alterlife III

by Matt Moss

  She folds her hands in front. “You truly are a remarkable man. One with many talents, so it seems.”

  “I’m a country boy. I know how to survive.”

  I really want Jill to play some Hank Williams Jr. right now…

  Quiet.

  She smirks. “That’s cute.” Paces around as she speaks. “Now that we have the ninth rabbit, it’s just a matter of time before we obtain the item. That will assure us of our ultimate victory; not that we need any assurance.”

  “Why do I hear uncertainty in your tone?”

  Her smirk fades and she glares at me.

  I give a sharp nod. “You’re scared. That’s okay. I would be too if I were you. You don’t understand how powerful I have become.”

  She exaggerates a frown. “You think because you killed some monsters inside of a cave by yourself, that you’re suddenly unstoppable?”

  How did she know that? Was she watching somehow? Did Deana already say something to Cari about the Draugr before she entered the portal?

  She continues. “You’re going to fall, Ace; one way or another, you’re going to lose. And there’s nothing you can do about it.”

  I lunge towards her and strike with both swords. She disappears then reappears on the platform across the way.

  I spit into the abyss. “I’m going to kill the gods. And when I do, I suspect that I, in turn, will kill you too. Or will, at least, render your power useless, as the gods are bound to you and act as your hands in this world.”

  She raises her hands like a prophet. “The blood moon rises soon. And when we bring Thal back, he will be the most powerful being in existence, and nothing will be able to stop him. Not even Ace the Great.”

  I’m not going to lie, part of me wants to go head-to-head against Thal myself now that my power has increased.

  Without the Amulet…

  Yeah, even without the Amulet.

  “Good. Bring him back. I’ll send him to hell, too, along with the rest of your minions.”

  She laughs and shakes her head at me. “You’re such a fool, Ace. And a pest. One that will soon be exterminated.”

  “I’m through talking. The next time you see me, I’ll be holding the severed heads of your gods.”

  I take a teleport from my inventory and prepare to use it to return to Atlantis.

  A thought strikes me.

  What if that’s what Cari wants? What if she’s baiting me to open a portal so she can travel to Atlantis? From what Giology said, not even the Gamemasters and the Gods know that it exists.

  If that’s what she wants, then why didn’t she use…

  Deana.

  Yeah. Deana’s been there and could open a mass teleport to Atlantis at any time. If the guilds wanted to, they could overrun the city at a moment’s notice.

  Maybe she hasn’t told them about Atlantis.

  Where did she tell them she found the Sanctum Stone, then?

  “Is that Deakins you’re talking to?” Cari asks. She flashes, then reappears behind me. “I know that he’s been talking to you.”

  “How did you know that?”

  She gives a wry grin. “I didn’t. But you just told me that he does. Interesting. Very interesting.”

  Damn. I just fell for the oldest trick in the book; the same one I used on her before. Idiot!

  What’s it matter? Not like it means anything.

  “Tell him I said hello. And that I’ll see him soon,” Cari says as a promise.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  She slicks her short, blonde hair back, then regards me with a stern look. “The fated hour approaches. Goodbye, Ace.” After saying farewell, she vanishes.

  She spoke those last words as though she pitied me; something about her tone implying that there’s no way I’m going to win this fight.

  That I’m going to lose; that I’m going to die.

  If she believes that, then she’s got another thing coming.

  I open a teleport and return to Atlantis.

  22

  Worthy and Wanting

  24 HOURS UNTIL THE BLOOD MOON

  I tell Giovisi about my theory of how the guilds might attack Atlantis.

  He agrees and has thought the same ever since Deana stole the stone and left.

  But he doesn’t fear the guilds, nor the gods.

  Says that Atlantis is safe; protected by the Creator.

  I think he’s smoking crack.

  The Saviors gather in the Colosseum and we place the ninth rabbit pelt with the others. A message pops up on everyone’s HUD:

  Congratulations!

  Through a test of skill and courage, you’ve collected all nine rabbits.

  You have now earned a pass to Sanctorium.

  Only three may enter.

  Good luck, brave warriors.

  “That’s it? Good luck?” Fance grumbles. “What the hell does that even mean?”

  “Anyone have any idea where Sanctorium is?” Meric asks.

  “Nope.”

  Another message:

  New location added to your map: Sanctorium

  Hedwig throws a finger up. “I know where Sanctorium is!” Everyone chides the old engineer.

  Giology walks to me. “Can you take us there?”

  “Who’s our third?”

  “We don’t need a third,” he says in a hushed voice.

  “When do you want to go?”

  He looks at me as though that was a dumb question.

  I suppose it was.

  Deana and the others are no doubt already on the way.

  We don’t have any time to waste.

  Near to Thal’s mountain, far to the north of Condren, lies Sanctorium.

  Lucky for me, I’ve been to Thal’s mountain before, and I can teleport myself and Giology there.

  “According to the map, Sanctorium is only a couple hours away.”

  “Let’s get going. Lead the way,” Giology says.

  We make good time on our journey despite our lack of communication. Every time I try to bring up a defense strategy in case the guilds were to invade Atlantis, or which battle tactics would work best for attacking the gods before the blood moon rises, he either dismisses me with short answers or doesn’t say anything at all. Like some solemn cowboy from the old west, he rides beside me and keeps his gaze fixed straight ahead.

  He’s got a great deal of pressure on him right now, being the Guildmaster of the Saviors. You remember what that’s like, right?

  I do.

  He’s probably concerned about this item, too, and worries that neither of us are worthy of having it.

  He’d probably be right.

  Journeying around the side of a mountain range that’s too steep to traverse over, we finally make it to a place where we can pass. The horses struggle a bit on the mountainside, but it’s nothing they can’t handle. Thirty minutes later, we reach the top of a peek.

  “There it is,” Giology says as he peers into the distance, pointing to the top of another mountain in the distance. “Sanctorium.”

  “We should be there within another thirty minutes if we travel along the range to the west.”

  Giology nods and follows my lead.

  He always follows my lead.

  Everyone does.

  Sanctorium reminds me of an Aztec temple. I’ve never seen one in person; just in the movies.

  There’s a sense of dread here, and a feeling that this place is as old as time.

  “Incredible,” Giology gasps. “Ancient. Powerful.”

  I realize this is the first time he’s been to the mainland. It’s all new to him. But even I can agree that Sanctorium is unlike anything I’ve seen in Alterlife before.

  “It’s something else, that’s for sure.”

  I wonder how many heads rolled down these steps as the people who inhabited this place made sacrifices to their gods.

  Giology jumps from his horse and begins to run towards the steps.

  Damn fool. He’s got no sense.
Doesn’t yet know that this world can kill you quick.

  I jump from my horse and chase after him. “Gio, wait.”

  Giology climbs the long stretch of steps, running with excitement. He stops at the top and freezes.

  I catch up to him and see Deana, Gage, and Patrick walking out of the temple.

  “Do you have the item?” Giology asks them in desperation.

  They don’t reply. Patrick storms off to the side and opens a teleport.

  I wave. “Oh. Hi, Patrick.”

  “Fuck you,” he replies, then walks into the portal.

  Not worthy.

  “Gage, how are you, ol’ buddy?”

  “Shut up, Ace,” he replies as he walks towards the same portal. Before he goes, he looks at Deana. “Deana, let’s go.”

  Deana hops onto the top of a pillar base and makes herself comfortable. “You go ahead, Gage. I’ll catch up soon.”

  Gage clenches his jaw; he wants to chide her but doesn’t. He walks into the portal just before it fades away.

  Giology storms up to Deana. “You… you stole the Sanctum Stone from Atlantis. Return it at once, or else,” he threatens.

  Deana raises an eyebrow at him, then looks to me. “Is he serious?”

  I step around Gio and stand close to Deana to separate them. “What happened in there?” I ask as I nod towards the temple.

  She shakes her head. “Nothing. We weren’t worthy,” she mocks and then chuckles to herself. “Suppose that’s fair, though.”

  “Who is the judge?” I ask.

  She leans back on an arm. “A Daemon. His name is Bartholomew, and he is very adamant that you call him by name.”

  “Noted.” I turn to Gio. “You ready?”

  “You need three to enter,” Deana notes.

  “Says who?” Giology retorts.

  “The instructions. Didn’t you guys read the message? Only three may enter.”

  “I didn’t take it literally,” Gio says, a bit embarrassed.

  “That’s a first,” I tell him. Turn to Deana. “Is that why you hung back instead of going with your friends? You want to be our third?”

  She hops down. “Maybe. But not because I want to help you. I’m just curious as to what the item is.”

  “Fair enough.” I extend a hand to the entrance. “Ladies first.”

  “I’m not going in with her. She’s a thief, a traitor, and a disgrace to Alterlife,” Giology states and crosses his arms.

  “Ouch. I’m hurt,” Deana replies and puts a hand to her heart.

  I throw my hands up. “It’s the only way, Gio.”

  He shakes his head and sticks his hand out. “Give me a teleport. I will return home and bring back a third.”

  I shake my head. “No. We do this now. It won’t be long until the guilds send people here in droves to see who’s worthy or not. Sooner or later, I’m betting that one of them will be.”

  “This is insane. We cannot let her go!”

  I throw a hand up. “She’s already been inside and was found unworthy. What more do you want? It takes three to get in, we have three here, so let’s go.” After speaking, I glance at Deana and can see that my words stung her pride a little.

  Good. They should sting a little.

  Giology ponders my logic, then reluctantly agrees. “Fine. Let’s just go.”

  “Lead the way,” I say to him with a grin.

  We stand in a great hall lined with pillars of stone. Upon the altar, perched high above many steps, sits the Ancient Daemon upon a throne. His horn is much longer and more gnarled than a regular Daemon’s horn, and his body, more lean and corded with muscle. His face sits comfortable, confident, in a way in which only the knowledge of a thousand years can yield.

  Its voice calls out—a harrowing, clear baritone.

  “Who enters Sanctorium?”

  Like it really needs to know.

  Giology steps forward in eagerness. “Giology, from the city of Atlantis. First born son of Thannadas.”

  “And who is your companion? The one standing in the middle, not the girl. She’s already been found wanting.”

  I glance at Deana. She looks to me and shrugs.

  My turn.

  Step forward. “I’m Ace the Great. You may have heard…”

  “I know who you are. I know who everyone is,” the Daemon interrupts.

  “Then you must know that ‘Daemon slayer’ is part of my repertoire.” I give the beast a confident grin.

  It laughs. “I do not fear death, Ace the Great. In fact, I welcome it. I wonder if you do the same?”

  I nod slowly. “Sometimes. But in those moments, I realize that I have a purpose. No matter how small or insignificant that purpose may be, I’m here for a reason.”

  Adjusting itself on the throne, the beast leans on an arm and sizes me up.

  “And would you say that you’ve come all this way by yourself? That you’ve earned everything on your own?” it asks.

  “No. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for my friends. But as far as earning what I’ve got? Yeah, I’ve worked for that; for both the good and the bad.”

  The beast rubs its chin.

  “The man to your right wrongs you, yet you still work together.”

  Does it know that Giovisi is keeping me hostage? How does the Daemon know that?

  There’s no way it knows. How could it possibly know?

  “We work for a common cause,” I say.

  Giovisi protests, stammering slightly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Ace and I are friends.”

  “Silence!” the Daemon commands as his body flashes red-hot.

  Giology looks down in shame.

  How’s it feel to be put in your place, Gio?

  The Daemon sits up straight and speaks. “The woman to your left betrays you, yet you still count her as a friend.”

  I look to Deana. “She is my friend. No matter what.”

  She holds my gaze.

  The Daemon hisses, then reclines back on its throne. “If I give you the item, what will you do with it?”

  It knows that nobody knows what the item is. Most people would probably ask what the item is first before answering that question—being quick to reply with a question of their own. I wonder if doing the opposite is a requirement for being found worthy; answer all of the questions first without asking one in return.

  “With or without the item, I will continue on with what I have set out to do. The item will not change my course of action.”

  “And what is it that you are set on doing?”

  “Destroying the Gamemasters and the gods. Restoring Alterlife to the way it should be.”

  The Daemon leans forward and flashes red. “And who are you to say what way Alterlife should or should not be? Who are you to say the Gamemasters are at fault for anything?”

  “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. Right or wrong, my purpose is set. My path, made clear; I will walk it to the end.”

  “Whether you are right or wrong in your actions, that doesn’t matter so long as you hold to your purpose?” it asks.

  Good question. One that makes me pause in reflection.

  Of the choices I’ve made that have brought me to this point, how many have been right? And how many wrong? Who decides which is which? A choice I believe to be right may very well may be wrong in another’s eyes. Likewise, the Gamemasters are doing what they feel is right. And I know they’re wrong.

  If there’s one thing that Alterlife has taught me, it’s that there’s always a reaction for every action. And that there are some things you just can’t get back. That sometimes, there are no do-overs.

  We do the best we can with what’s put in front of us. To try to be a good man is the best I can do. Though I struggle everyday, I hold on to the hope that, someday, I can live up to it.

  I find my words. “It matters to me that I’m right, just as much as it does that I’m wrong. I don’t want to hurt anyone, and I try to avoid doing so by all means
possible. But, at the same time, I do what is necessary for the greater good.”

  My family.

  The Daemon stands from the throne and offers me the item.

  “You have been found worthy in my eyes. I reward you with the Staff of Deities. By using the power of the staff, you gain control over the gods of Alterlife. Use it wisely, Ace, for it has great power that can change the course of the world.”

  The staff leaves the Daemon’s grasp and floats through the air until it reaches my hand. Gnarled and ugly, it looks like some old stick from the woods.

  “Thanks, Bart.”

  The Daemon flashes red at my naming of him.

  I laugh and raise the item to him in gratitude. “You’re not so bad, you know… for a Daemon.”

  It extends an arm. “Farewell, Ace the Great. May the Creator bless you.”

  The three of us turn and leave the temple, and I place the staff in my inventory. I notice Deana walking awfully close to me, but she doesn’t say anything. Maybe now that we have the item, she’ll come back and join us. Especially after knowing the staff’s capabilities; even more so after knowing what the Gamemasters did to my family.

  Outside, standing on the steps, Giology can hardly contain his excitement. “I can’t believe it. This will change everything!”

  I agree. This may very well be what we need to win the war.

  You knew that, though, didn’t you, Creator?

  As Gio and I talk in excitement, Deana steps away from us, preparing to depart.

  I rub the back of my head. “Well, this is awkward,” I tell her.

  She shrugs. “You win some, you lose some.”

  “There’s still time for you to change your mind. Join us and we’ll make everything right.” I extend a hand to her in invitation.

  Giology doesn’t say anything, though I know he wants to. If it were up to him, he’d probably lock her in a room for the rest of her life.

  Deana wipes the bangs from her face. “I’m sorry, Ace. Like you said, our paths are set.” She opens a portal.

  “Hey, Deana.”

  “Yeah?”