by Dawn Chapman
Wisdom = 10
Charisma = 6
Luck = 4
Quick Points = 0
Skills =
Foot Soldier - Rank 6
Battle Mage - Rank 5
Merc - Rank 2
Sniper - Rank 6
Gun Smith - Rank 4
Nanite Engineer - Rank 6
Human/Machine Interface - Rank 6
Shadow Awareness - Rank 2
Deception - Rank 5
Special Traits Awarded x 3 – Any extras here do not show on your Stat Sheet Totals.
Healer = Internal AI Chip X Class – Crystalline and Silver metal chip with integrated healer nanites led by Xe Aria.
Intelligence = Internal prototype AI Chip, inserted on 17th birthday…….. with …. blanked out….
Shade Brain – One in a million, you managed to not only keep your memories, but you can also hide them. Your character sheet is elusive to even the strongest of will. Be aware, this will be your downfall in high company (expert and above).
Spell - Active - Minor Healing = Requires BATTLE MAGE RANK of 2 and x 1 Mana per second.
Spell - Passive - Medium Healing = Requires BATTLE MAGE RANK of 7 and x 10 Mana per second.
Spell - Passive - Intensive Healing = Requires BATTLE MAGE RANK of 14 and x 100 Mana per second.
This was freaking me out! The list of skills! I shivered.
There’s a reason for this. I heard my internal say.
Oh, do tell me? I retaliated. What possible reason could there be? Your denti body, came the answer.
You’re telling me that these are the stats of my denti? That thought freaked me out. Does this happen to everyone?
Yes, they are his stats, and honestly, I don’t think so, or this would be one hell of a weirder place than it is.
Weird, like the fact a voice in my head was talking to me and it wasn’t Xe. Something else, it had said so in the forest with the dwellers…
I didn’t get time to ask more. When I saw the light this time, I spluttered from the pod with nothing but pure anger in my veins. I wanted that guy in the field dead for what he did to me.
There was a lot of commotion, people still being woken and other doctors and soldiers roaming around. I didn’t wait for any of them. I grabbed the towel at the end of the pod and moved quickly to the exit. I pushed out and into the corridor where I could see the retreat being made from the field on large screens around us.
Cheers and whoops were coming from up ahead, and as semi-naked as I was, I forced my way forwards to try and see what was going on.
There were four team members ahead, and I could see them getting all the credit and the warm welcome a set of heroes should have. I watched. Their suits still didn’t give anything away. I had no clue who they were, but I wanted to know. That bastard was heartless, and I wouldn’t want him anywhere near me ever again. I didn’t care what kind of person he was—if I had a chance, I’d put a bullet in his head.
I saw Anna from my original spawning and made my way over to her side. I didn’t speak until the elite were about to pass, and I watched as she pretty much just fangirled over them all.
When they passed, I asked the question. “Who are they?”
“They’re the Jackals. Their team commander’s been here for a few years, but he soon took the leader board,” she said. “You’d do well to steer clear of them.”
I moved through the crowd quickly, not getting any looks for my semi-nakedness, and settled in a place where he had to pass me. As they got further in they stopped to remove their helmets. Their faces pinked from being outside. Fighting. I saw how stunning the woman was. Her almost flawless features paired nicely with the figure she had. I grinned. I’d love to get in there and stab them both.
When the guy removed his helmet, I saw a grizzled face, a few scars, and silvering hair. He was much older than me, easily in his thirties before he got here. I watched him as he turned around, basking in the glory from my kill.
Then his eyes met mine, and he faltered, checking his internal clock.
I grinned. Tapped the side of my head. I had his face locked, and now he’d seen mine again. I had respawned pretty quick. Penalties were there to make sure your new shell was fit for your brain to be downloaded into. As I was getting used to the procedures here, I was making deductions inside my brain. The memories I had of gaming, programming— everything was here, and it started to make so much more sense to me than before. I put that down to all the new ranks and skills. I was an anomaly from the get-go, of course, one I was sure they and the system wouldn’t want around for very long.
When the man’s smile turned away to look for the woman with him, she came up beside him and looked my way too. I didn’t say anything, I didn’t need to; they knew I knew. That was all that mattered. I wasn’t stupid. PKs were a thing in most MMOs. You’d never get away from them—I just hadn’t expected it so soon out the gate. But that had just been me kidding myself.
Name - Tyto Jack
Species = Unknown
Year of Death = 2617
Class = Fighter
Age = 36 + 11
Level = 25
Respawns = 17
Mech Command
Memories = UNKNOWN
Health = 77%
Mana = 45
Nanites x 732,125
Body Type = Model 212 Beta Class
Structural Integrity = Silver
Internal AI Chip = B Class
Skin Strength = 34
Blood Capacity = 17
Healing Speed = 42
Strength = 37
Dexterity = 8
Constitution = 46
Intelligence = 22
Wisdom = 24
Charisma = 4
Luck = 2
Name - Saskia Meninksi
Species - Human/Denti
Year of Death- 2621
Class - Rogue
Age = 24 + 8
Level = 17 Basic
Respawns = 23
Mech Warrior
Memories = 79% Sold x 2%
Health = 77%
Mana = 31
Nanites x 627,722
Body Type = Model 212 Beta Class
Structural Integrity = Silver
Internal AI chip = B Class
Skin Strength = 15
Blood Capacity = 13
Healing Speed = 14
Strength = 13
Dexterity = 16
Constitution = 12
Intelligence = 9
Wisdom = 9
Charisma = 29
Luck = 10
Both their stats screens read very interestingly. Tyto’s constitution and mana were off the charts. I couldn’t get the math to add up. I wanted to know how. I waited, though, and when Tyto and Saskia were ready they moved on, his gaze had been rock solid and calculating. But they weren’t anywhere near high enough to see past my Shade Brain. That must have been infuriating to know I could see theirs, but they couldn’t see mine.
He had no clue as to who I was, and I knew it wouldn’t stay that way for long. I had my first notable enemy inside the base, and I felt I was going to regret it. But I wasn’t letting some shithead take my life without him knowing how much it pissed me off.
I watched them till they’d completely gone out of my sight. Now the hunt began—I needed as much information on them as I could get.
I turned and headed back to the bunk. When I pushed the door, it opened to reveal my friends with their gear on, still dripping and talking about the fight. They took one look at me.
Rytin was the first over to me. “What happened? You didn’t respawn?”
“Not until just now,” I let out with a huff. “Let me in, I need to sit down.”
I suddenly felt pretty damned sick.
“Wait, you just respawned now?” Nehi was at my side, easing me over to the couch. “How long were you in? This doesn’t look normal?”
“There were no penalties assigned. I kept my levels.” I put my thumbs up at he
r. But didn’t admit to what I actually was. Now a level 10.
She shook her head. “How?”
I leaned back and recounted everything that happened to their astounded faces.
“I’m sorry about your gun,” I said to Nehi. Despite the fact she’d said she could lose it, I hadn’t wanted to.
“You hacked the command net’s comms?” Rytin laughed. “Damn. Would have loved to see their faces when they realised it wasn’t one of theirs on the call.”
“I want to know everything you do about the Jackals.”
Rytin’s face fell. “They’re pretty much as you saw today. Elite. They get the best jobs and gear assigned, yet they stick around here because it’s the best place to get more than their fair share.”
Oh, I knew that too well already. The fact that they might have gotten the boss kill, but I was still there. They think I lost things, instead I gained them. Even if there was no loot on that one that I could have used, they hadn’t given me a choice but they sure made theirs and an enemy to boot. I vowed to myself that if it were ever the other way around, I wouldn’t hesitate either.
“Do they know who you are?” Reece asked.
“He saw my face twice, and unless I can alter it to something else, I think I’m spotted as the newbie I am, and they’ll come looking for me. I know that if I were you, I’d think twice about having me stick around. You don’t need PKers like that hanging around when you don’t want to take a hit.”
“I’m not selling you out kid,” Rytin said. “But you did make one hell of an enemy today.”
“What would you suggest we do?” Reece asked, watching his sister carefully.
“We stick to our plan. I think we help Kyle here as much as possible.
He’s got some skill at staying alive against unusual odds—that’s good enough for me. He’s obviously in the right place, with a mind that knows right from wrong. If there’s anyone who can do some good out here in the dark, it’s him.”
I didn’t know what they were talking about, but if I could do good in something—anything—I wanted to.
“Training then?” I asked.
“Yes. We’re still aiming for the city; your sword is worth fixing.
Though we’ve been skirting some of our assigned missions on your first landing. We should get you settled into our routine now that you’re a few levels higher.”
It was the way he said it that left the ending open. I wanted to talk to him about my level change, all my new skills. But I couldn’t. They already thought I was something else; this would make it all worse, and as much as I wanted to totally trust them, I didn’t. “Only mission I’ve had was back on spawn day,” I said trying my best to avoid his stare.
“Do you even know where to look for new missions?” Nehi asked.
“I’ve seen a few pop up,” I frowned at her expression and added. “Err, no. Probably not.”
“Here.” She sat before me. “Just follow my instructions.”
One step at a time, she led me through the inner system, the settings, and there it was. I nodded at her. “I see it,” I said.
Rytin was the one first spoke here. “For your eyes only?” I swallowed as I read.
YOUR DEATH WAS A LIE. LONG TERM STORAGE IS REAL. BRAIN IN A BOX.
MAIN MISSION – TO BRING DOWN ARNDALE, YOU WILL SPEND MANY YEARS ALONE
THAT DECISION WILL BE YOURS
MAKE YOUR VOWS NOW…BUT YOU WILL BREAK THEM LATER
Chapter Nine
I followed Rytin out into the yard and stood watching everything. My first week here and I hadn’t expected anything like this. It was huge, indoors with a shielded roof, but it was obvious that there was nothing above it. I guess it stopped the damage if there were accidents. Training always led to accidents. I noted several groups of people amongst the hundreds in here. The way this system seemed to work was based on you at the bottom, fighting to get to the top. The yard was just that. Set out like one big schoolyard. Or the more I looked around, the more I thought maybe a prison yard. I didn’t like the sound of that. I’d expected it to be tough, but there were obvious gangs in here. I was worried.
“Expecting something different?” Rytin asked.
“Yeah. This looks like a prison yard.”
“They aren’t going to keep us any other way. You realise we’re just fodder in the war, right?” Nehi moved past me, and I watched how she straightened herself up.
She seemed to take on a whole different way of presenting herself out here. Her stature was obviously quite well noted, as people moved out of her way. Reece followed and then so did I. I didn’t want to be left in the doorway on my own.
This newbie could now be seen here. They hadn’t taken me in yet for fear of someone seeing the Shade Brain and wanting to test me. As low a level as I was, that made me a sitting duck. Now I was part of their team, and their routine was strictly adhered to.
It was good to have this repetition. It meant I could level up without being surprised on the outside.
Mornings were simple: food, and to the yard. That was a good start to any day. A belly full of nice food, spar, learn, and then more food.
Borix watched from the side talking to one of the other guards, and I made sure as I looked around I took note of what I could see. This still wasn’t the place where I wanted to attract attention. Though I knew it would come. I could already see different people watching me, talking.
“Some of the others are thinking of trying to poach you,” Rytin said. “It’s been longer than the twenty-eight hours—you ready to formally join us?”
“Is it necessary?” I countered.
“It’s your choice, but I would bet there’s a few who know what you did yesterday and that makes you a target.”
YOU HAVE BEEN ASKED TO JOIN RYTIN AND TEAM 48 ACCEPTING THIS WILL ALLOW THEM TO SEE YOUR BASIC STATISTICS, LEVELS, AND RANKS EVEN WITH SHADE BRAIN ACTIVATED!
DO YOU ACCEPT Y/N
So they’d see my stats after all, all of it even glitched and messed up as I was?
“There’s been a few changes,” I said. Rytin raised an eyebrow.
I clicked Yes.
Rytin nodded at me. “You weren’t kidding. I have no idea how. But, I am glad you’re with us, now kid.”
Reece whistled, and Nehi just laughed and said. “Fuck me, there’s nothing gonna stop you!”
Derk was the one who frowned. “Don’t attract attention.”
I was about to start asking Rytin some questions, but he moved away.
He paid me no more attention, having seen someone who obviously wanted him. He made his way through large groups of people with Nehi. The way they both walked, heads high, backs straight, told me and others they weren’t to be messed with.
“How do you think you’ll handle a challenge?” Derk asked pulling me out of my funk.
“I won’t take any shit, if that’s what you’re meaning.”
“Glad to hear it, but we need to gear you up some before anyone does try anything. They’ll send you for respawn if they think they’ll get something out of it.”
“Derk?” I asked.
He turned to look at me, so I said it. “How many actual respawns do we get?”
“You see it already?” Derk stopped following the others and pointed to a group of people at the far edge of the yard. “See them?” On my nod he added, “Well, they’ve nothing left to give the system. They are essentially still people. But they’re not. Easily moulded, easily just sent out to die. The system wants us all like that. The more memories you spend, the easier it is for it to take over. To run your body how it wants. Whether it be by respawn, or in selling.”
“I thought I was one in a million to keep my memories,” I said, confused. “It seems everyone gets to keep them?”
“Yes, essentially. We all think it’s a glitch, that we’re the lucky ones.
We’re only lucky if we don’t die and the system takes over. Or if you think the opposite, that you just wish it were over. Losing
yourself is hard Kyle.”
Those last few words stung. Losing yourself. I didn’t want to lose anything. “How long till you’re like them?” I asked. Not really wanting a figure, but also needing it.
“Averaged out, memories, respawns. If you’re lucky…one fifty, if you’re not then a hundred it is.”
It all made so much more sense to me now. Rytin’s respawns weren’t listed, but I knew he’d respawned. “What stops us from just becoming vegetables?”
“It doesn’t take the essential stuff, just the things we love the most.
Strawberry-flavoured ice cream. Music we liked. It scans us all when we’re first loaded, makes a list, and assigns them to the respawns, then it just doesn’t reload them.”
“But they’re technically not gone though, right?” Derk shrugged.
“So we’re just loaded minds into bodies, we aren’t stored anywhere?”
“The system would need to be too big.” He smiled, but it wasn’t a happy one. “With each of us stored only in the mind we’re occupying at the time. It has a much larger capacity, which it uses when we’re technically in limbo, without a storage device.” Derk tapped his head. “This is your storage.”
The more he told me, the more I resolved to stay alive. So much could go wrong with data transfers.
“So there’s a temporary spot inside the main system for us when we die till we respawn? But we can’t stay there?”
“Exactly.” He started to walk again. The others were on the far side of the yard now, and Reece and Rytin were sparring.
That did kind of make sense, yes. We reached the side of the mat where Rytin and Reece sparred. They were good to watch. I didn’t want to see either of them get hurt, though.
Rytin stopped, looked at me. “Care to take the mat?”
“I really think training like this with no real view on what I want to be is still pointless,” I said.
Nehi laughed. “You totally missed the point of this, didn’t you?”
