by Cosimo Yap
Bursting through the front lobby entrance, Alan began to eliminate guards left and right, each hand acting independently, taking out any guard that even started to raise its weapon in Alan’s direction. Thirty seconds later, the first floor was clear.
Alan rested, regaining energy and retraining the marine program he had lost earlier; then he cleared the next eight floors in a similar manner. In the end, he was fighting a preprogrammed encounter, so his enemies weren’t the brightest. They didn’t learn from their mistakes, but only increased in strength and number. Whenever Alan was in any real danger, he activated his armor’s advanced invisibility, then retreated and recouped his energy. Still, he felt more powerful than ever.
Alan entered the tenth and final floor, his advanced invisibility active. It was a completely open room, with no one in it. He quickly cycled through the electromagnetic spectrum, but didn’t detect anything. However, when he reached out with his other senses, he detected the faint signature of four different sets of power armor.
He attempted to hack into them, but the connection was so weak that it was like crawling through a thin trench. Still, he finally managed to form a connection and initiate a hack. The armor had a defense unlike anything he had previously seen. There were no shield barriers; instead there was a massive metallic pyramid, without any noticeable entrance. Eve tried an attack, but only did fifty damage to the structure’s 100,000 HP, its armor simply too high to attack effectively.
The four sets of power suddenly leapt into action about the room. The attempted hack seemed to have been noticed. Exiting the floor, Alan wondered what he should do. There were four unknown enemies, and he didn’t have time to re-clear the entire building before the tournament if he died here. He stared at the corpse of a previously defeated enemy, then grinned. The corpse still had all its items and armor equipped, as the simulation was set in a war zone. In war zones every item a player possessed dropped on death, regardless of rank.
Basic invisibility active, Alan went about floor to floor, looting every piece of explosive that he could find. If his enemies didn’t want to reveal themselves, he’d just blow them all up.
LEFT, Eve shouted.
Alan immediately activated hypercognition as he leapt to his left. A fiery, blue sword of pure energy stabbed where he had been standing a moment earlier, and a Haxlard in grey power armor emerged from the air. Alan fired a torrent of shots at the Haxlard as he retreated, throwing a handful of grenades he had unlocked for good measure. He split his consciousness to begin an attempt to hack the Haxlard’s energy sword, which hopefully had a weaker defense than his armor.
The Haxlard evaded the majority of the laser fire, deflecting laser bolts that he couldn’t dodge with his sword. A single laser bolt hit the Haxlard, decreasing his shields from 76% to 74%. He made a powerful swinging gesture and a wave of force erupted, knocking the thrown grenades back at Alan. Two exploded before Alan was able to dodge, halving his shield energy.
Meanwhile, Alan had connected to the Haxlard’s sword. It had a similar pyramid defense, but the smaller pyramid only had 10,000 HP. It would take a little over three minutes to break it down, which didn’t seem like that long in reality—but in the heat of battle it could seem like forever. It also didn’t take into account what defense might lie inside the pyramid, and Alan wasn’t sure if Eve could do what he wanted her to do.
I can, she sent. Keep the Haxlard busy.
Easier said than done, Alan sent as he ducked under an overhead swing. He threw a body in the Haxlard’s path. The Haxlard cut through it like butter, unimpeded. The combined drain on his Computational Energy from hypercognition, as well as divided mind and maintaining a set of marines, was too much—he had maybe a minute of its use remaining. Alan wasn’t confident he’d be able to survive the encounter.
As he was about to round a corner, Eve yelled, STOP.
Alan froze, barely able to dodge a blow as he tumbled to the floor.
You must maintain line of sight for hacking! Eve sent.
Alan analyzed the next attack coming from the Haxlard. There would be no way to escape unscathed. He blocked the sword swing with his left arm as he began to scuttle backwards. The sword cut through his arm, eliminating the rest of his shields.
He screamed in pain, leaping to his feet. The Haxlard continued his onslaught, showing no signs of tiring.
Just three more minutes, Eve sent. Recall your divided mind. I know what I’m doing, it can be done without your help.
Alan reformed his full consciousness, somehow managing to maintain composure mid-battle. A few minutes passed as the Haxlard chased Alan without success, Alan remaining mindful to keep his enemy in his line of sight. It wasn’t hard, considering the Haxlard was generally an inch away from slicing off his head at any given moment.
Finally, Eve sent to Alan that she was ready, and a series of moves sprang into his mind. He charged the Haxlard as he thrust forward. As the blade was about to pierce Alan’s chest, it vanished, turned off by Eve. Alan used the Haxlard’s momentum to throw him off balance with a knee to the groin. The Haxlard loosened his grip on the sword, about to pull out another weapon, but before he was able to, Alan kicked out his legs.
Already unbalanced, the Haxlard fell to the floor as Alan grabbed his outstretched weapon. Alan pointed it at the Haxlard’s head, and Eve reactivated the weapon. The blade re-extended and pierced straight through the energy shield and helmet of the Haxlard. He died instantly.
One down, three to go, Alan sent, staring at the left stump on his left hand.
The next three enemies turned out to be trivial kills. Having learned from his mistakes, Alan set up a series of explosive booby traps on each floor, as well as at the entrance to the tenth floor. Then he gathered more explosives. A second invisible enemy was blown to smithereens this way, and the last two enemies decided to stay on the top floor. A mistake.
Once Alan had gathered every single grenade, remote-controlled explosive, and energy weapon he could find, he set them all up on the 9th floor, directly underneath the final two enemies. He set every explosive on a timer, then sprinted down to the first floor.
He emerged outside just in time to see the beautiful display of pyrotechnics, a massive explosion that took out the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th floors of the building.
A message appeared as Alan’s arm reformed, good as new:
Intermediate Combat Test concluded. You have been awarded a Combat Ranking of A188723231, and Potential Combat Ranking of S+.
+200 Levels +100 ability points for gaining 200 levels with one action.
Aww, I didn’t get +200 ability points, Alan sent to Eve.
100 seems to be the max the Game grants at once, Eve replied.
“Good, you can hold your own in combat now,” Cerberus said. “Catch.”
A coin appeared out of nowhere, and Alan caught it with his superhuman reflexes. He stared at it—it was a Black Coin. This one, however, had an armada of spaceships on one side, and a picture of the Enforcer fleet and a pile of energy crystals on the other.
“I would like to formally invite you to the Dark,” Cerberus said. “Also known as the Revenants.”
A message appeared:
New Faction Invite: The Revenants!
A unique faction, you may join the Revenants regardless of your guild or government. However, many factions will deem you hostile should they discover your involvement with the Revenants.
“Despite what many would have you believe, we have no goals other than the sharing of knowledge, a marketplace for anything Game-related,” Cerberus said. “We have no leaders, only members, who are free to act whichever way they personally desire.
“Past ‘Great Cyberwars’ were simply portions of the faction believing that information should be widespread, to better protect players from the dangers of the Game. Other wars were portions of the faction intent on wealth and fame, such as the reckless group that attempted to invade the Vault on Khersath.”
“The Black Coi
ns are our own version of marks; the Scout coin you had is worth about 100C, the Enforcer coin is worth 10,000C. Should you join, you will be provided with a wealth of new information, quests, and access to our network, the darknet. I’ll be able to sell you actual attack programs, provide you a 10% discount for upgrades, and I can connect you with members who are able to acquire advanced capsule upgrades as well as improvements for your AI. So, what do you say?”
“I…need to think about this,” Alan said.
“Take your time, the offer is always open,” Cerberus responded. “If you spread information about me, though, know that it will be traced back to you and nothing will see the light of day. Our members are in key positions in every major organization, even the Administrators, and don’t take kindly to those who would reveal our secrets.”
Make your way to the Coliseum, the tournament begins in thirty minutes, Eve sent.
All right, Alan said. He began making his way back to the entrance portal.
“Where are you going? You still haven’t cleared the last section of the training ground,” Cerberus said.
“I’m going to the Champion’s Tournament,” Alan said.
“Ah, yes. Head back right after.”
“Oh, and I almost forgot, Celeste told me that she wanted to talk to you face to face,” Alan said, his head still swimming.
“You told her I sent you? Why would you do such a thing…I’m using you as my excuse, as this is your fault. You took a week to deliver her message!” Cerberus said.
Alan shrugged, then made his way to the capsule room on Ænigma and teleported to Coliseum. He sent a message to Aurora, letting her know he was on his way. As he walked up to the Coliseum, he examined and prodded people’s defenses. It seemed like most only had large energy shields protecting their equipment. This was going to be fun.
What do you think, Eve, should I join the Revenants? he sent.
It seems like a good choice. You can always deny your involvement with the group, and the potential benefits seem appealing.
I agree, Alan replied as he walked up to the Coliseum entrance.
There was a flash of blue light.
AC— Eve began to send.
And Alan died.
Chapter 8
Alan regained consciousness in his Home, which was now devoid of furniture. He checked his message log:
You have died! Current respawn point: Error.
Due to the nature of your death, no memories lost.
As you died within an Academy non-combat zone, your items were gathered and are available for pickup at an Administration Center.
Level loss: 30 levels. You are now level 508. All credits lost. 30 ability points lost.
Skill proficiencies have decreased.
All stats permanently decreased by 30.
Another Game of Assassins: Failed.
Respawn reconstruction: 12 hours remaining.
What the hell, Alan sent to Eve. She didn’t respond.
A hand appeared mid-air. Cerberus.
“What’s going on?” Alan asked.
“You died,” Cerberus said.
“What killed me? Where is my respawn point? Why is there a respawn timer?” Alan asked.
“Unknown. Here. Moving data takes time.”
“Huh?”
The hand tapped an invisible surface. “Must everything be spelled out? Whoever had you as their target in the Game of Assassins assassinated you. I set my capsule as your respawn point. The Administrators don’t acknowledge Revenant respawn points. As your levels increase, you will gain a respawn timer that grows longer as you level up and become more powerful.
“Standard Administrator capsules do not recognize or acknowledge hacker abilities or augments; thus you’ll find it takes twice as long to revive in one of their capsules. They might question you regarding the unrecognized modifications too. I’d try to avoid such confrontations.”
“You didn’t tell me any of this,” Alan said. “And you can just set my respawn point?”
“You didn’t ask, or check,” Cerberus said. “Revenant capsules are unregulated: their owners can customize them as they like. I personally like to manage the players who respawn here. Be thankful, your death losses would have been greater if you had some other capsule set as your respawn point.”
“Why?” Alan asked. “Shouldn’t respawning be as simple as restoring the last moment you were alive, a simple brain scan?”
“You think that the Game is capable of sending signals to your brain, halfway across a galaxy or farther, and then back to the network of servers? No computer network, no matter how fast, would be able to do that simultaneously, considering the number of players the Game contains. You are in the Game, Alan: your mind, your soul, your very being. When you log back out you return to your mortal shell, but until that point your body is empty. You, the being that is here right now, are part of the Game.”
Alan took half a step back. He recalled the Chief Administrator’s words, that the Game was an out-of-body experience, that his reality would change. He’d dismissed them as rambling nonsense, but now…
“Wait, does that mean that when I die, I actually die?” Alan asked. “Am I simply a copy of myself, reconstructed with the same memories?”
“Enough questions,” Cerberus said. “You are not ready for the answers you seek, nor do I have them. The great geniuses of the Institute have wasted lifetimes on similar existential nonsense, and have been unable to reach a conclusion.”
“I thought the Revenants were all about the spread of information,” Alan said.
“Information that people deserve,” Cerberus said. “Do you think everyone should possess information capable of destroying the universe or driving them insane?”
Alan took a deep breath. “I want to find answers. I want to be ready for them. I want to join the Revenants.”
Messages appeared:
Faction Change! Title Established.
You are now an initiate of the Revenants, granted the title Revenant Initiate. This is a hidden title and faction. Only players you designate will see the title and faction.
As a faction member, your Faction Standings will be influenced, and your actions will influence your faction’s reputation as well as your own.
Faction Bonus! 10% Discount for all Open Revenant transactions.
Faction Bonus! Increased experience gain while in Open Revenant space.
Faction Bonus! Increased attack damage while in Open Revenant space.
Faction Bonus! Allowed to travel to freely within Open Revenant space.
Faction Bonus! Allowed to interact with many Revenant-only establishments.
Faction Bonus! Increased performance from Revenant equipment.
“Good.” There was a momentary shimmer in the air and then Cerberus appeared. He looked like an Administrator in the flesh, with the exact same bone structure and facial features, except entirely biological. To Alan, it was like seeing a statue brought to life.
“Are you an Administrator?” Alan asked.
“No, I am a Teacher,” Cerberus said, smiling. The gesture looked a bit off on his face.
“A Teacher? A teacher of what?”
“Not of what, but whom. If you want answers, you must provide payment. It’s too soon to discuss Revenant matters. You are now a trial member. I will give you an initiation quest when your training at the Academy is complete.
“If you wish to master hacking, contact me to complete your training. It will take two months and 15,000 C, as well as 3,000 ability points. Do not waste my time.”
“What am I supposed to do as I wait here? And where do I get 3,000 ability points?”
“I do not know or care. The capsule has the standard Arcade and Market connections. Goodbye.” Cerberus vanished, leaving behind blank, white space.
“How am I supposed to access the Arcade or Market?” Alan asked aloud. Two screens appeared:
Do you wish to connect to the Arcade?
Shifting scen
es of futuristic battle played forth on the screen, fantastic displays of light and destruction.
Do you wish to connect to the Market?
Displays of wealth appeared, stacks of rare metals and platinum marks. Exotic goods, weapons, armors, and crystals adorned the side.
Eve? Alan sent. It felt as though there was a weak response, but it was unintelligible. She was likely being reconstructed along with the rest of Alan’s hacking abilities. With nothing else to do, Alan connected to the Arcade.
Light exploded in front of Alan’s eyes. He blinked, and when he reopened his eyes he was standing in an open field. Dozens of weapons flickered in and out of existence in front of him, circling like flashing power-ups. Hordes of monsters, aliens, and people began popping into existence all around him.
“Welcome to the Arcade!” an announcer shouted. “Experience any adventure, watch a thousand stories unfold, re-live your memories. With enough credits, the possibilities are endless—“
“End introductory segment,” Alan commanded. “Bring up the list of games. Category: Earth-based fantasy. In the future when I connect, just bring up a menu.”
“Settings saved,” the announcer replied.
***
With a swipe of his blade Alan slew the dragon. His followers cheered him on as they began collecting the dragon’s hoard of gold. The captured princess smiled at Alan, beckoning him closer. Alan began walking toward her.
What are you doing? A familiar voice sounded in his head.
Eve? Well, I’m just continuing the campaign that I started in the RPG before I entered the Game. It’s a thousand times better when you’re the character.
Why are you not studying or resting? There are eighty-five days and eight hours left until our term is finished! Remember that we must master two skills and acquire 8 more Rogue Commendations before the term limit, the sooner the better, so that we can explore the treasure planet, Volta. It’s estimated that a player earns ten platinum marks for each day they spend there!
