Life Reset: EvP (Environment vs. Player) (New Era Online Book 2)

by Shemer Kuznits

  Sincerely,

  Suzanne de’More

  Legal Department

  10 – Penelope

  Jackson frowned as he looked at the whiteboard and twiddled the marker in his fingers.

  There was no denying it, he was stuck. He had spent the last few hours reexamining his work, and his calculations simply didn’t add up.

  Jackson was part of a team of scientists that were trying to build a gravitational model of a theoretical star system, but try as he might, he couldn’t determine the Interstellar Medium specifications.

  “Ahem, hi, Jackson.” Penelope entered the room. The 19-year-old woman looked slightly out of place with her white scientist garb, like a child putting on grown-up clothes. “I’m almost done with the Celestial Sphere model. Are you, ahem … nearly done?”

  Jackson’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “Sorry, Pen, I’ve been staring at this board for ages, but I just can’t seem to figure out the precise Kepler ratios for the stars. I’m afraid it looks like we’re both stuck here for the night.”

  “Oh.” Penelope’s cheery demeanor evaporated. She’d been looking forward to going home. Something very important was about to happen today. “Can I have a look?”

  Jackson shrugged. “Be my guest, but one of those bodies is also a Neutron Star. It just won’t fit into the conventional –”

  “Got it!” Penelope beamed, adding a few more numbers and diagrams to the board. “There. You just forgot to account for the gravitational effects of proximity to the supermassive black hole of Andromeda. I’ll add it to the model in a jiffy.”

  Jackson stared slack-jawed at the board as Penelope put some notes on a piece of paper. He stood there for a long moment even after the young women had left the room.

  “How the hell did she do that?”

  “What was that, Jackson?” Another scientist poked his head through the door.

  Jackson coughed, embarrassed. “Sorry, Goldstein, just thinking out loud. I’ve been working on my part of the model for ages and Penelope glimpsed the solution in a heartbeat.”

  “That’s Penelope for you,” Goldstein said. “She might be young, but she is gifted.”

  “Still.” Jackson shook his head. “It’s uncanny.”

  Goldstein shrugged. “There are smart people, and there are smart people. Gifted people. She has something, a spark. It just comes to her naturally.”

  Jackson’s lips tightened.

  Goldstein chuckled. “Don’t pout. Think about it; without her, you’d be pulling an all-nighter.”

  Jackson's expression became thoughtful. “You know what, I think I’ll use the time to catch an early show. The new Star Wars just came out.”

  “Good idea. Maybe I’ll join you.”

  “Don’t you have your own project to finish up first?”

  “Penelope helped me with that an hour ago.”

  Jackson smiled. “It almost feels like cheating.”

  Goldstein had a glint in his eye. “On the bright side, we can go and have some fun while still on the clock.”

  “You’ve got a point. Hang on, I’ll get my coat.”

  ***

  Penelope felt elated.

  She’d finished work at a reasonable hour today, unlike so many other days when she had to work through the night. She loved her job, but it was a demanding one. For some reason, people kept asking for her help with finishing their projects. She didn’t mind helping. She was fascinated by the challenges. Complex problem solving was a hobby of hers. Despite that, the extra work often left her drained. Too many people depended on her, and she felt obliged to do her part. That left her social life and leisure time extremely lacking. Lately, she’d started to feel as if her job was the only reason for her existence. The notion weighed on her more and more every day. She needed a way to blow off some steam.

  And now, she’d found a way.

  Penelope looked at the state-of-the-art FIVR capsule sitting in her bedroom.

  This was the answer to her problem.

  Penelope used to love gaming. As a teenager, she was considered a casual gamer, often playing alongside her uncle, who was a pro gamer. She’d love to play more, but her busy study schedule only allowed for several hours of game time a week. Once she started working and doing research at the university, she could no longer afford the hours required for that activity.

  That’s why, when the company contacted her and presented a unique opportunity to join NEO as a monster race, she jumped at the offer. She had tried out NEO before – everyone did. When the game first came out, she could still find a little time for gaming and experience the hype on her own. That was why the offer to experience time 12 times faster was especially appealing to her. She could have a full gaming session in what would only be a few moments in real life. How could she say no to that?

  So she signed their ridiculous waiver and NDA agreement. They did seem extreme at first, but the company had given her the FIVR capsule, so she could live with a few limiting clauses.

  The technicians had just finished installing the machine and she was eagerly waiting for them to leave. When the last one finally grabbed his tools and left, she almost ran to the capsule, eager to log in.

  “Penelope Katie Britt,” she whispered to herself, eyes shining, “it’s time for you to have some fun!”

  She got inside the gleaming metal tube and waited. The lid closed above her, and cables snaked to her head, connecting to her temples. She closed her eyes.

  She was floating. Weightless, inside a black void. The experience might have seemed claustrophobic to others, but to Penelope, it felt like she was suspended in space, a place she endlessly probed during her work. It felt familiar, serene. It was very different from her last brief experience playing NEO.

  A pleasant, elderly male voice spoke. “Welcome to New Era Online. Selection of starting area is locked. Deadlands, Goblin’s Gorge. Please select a race. Note that the goblinoid template will be applied after you make your selection. Would you like to review the template details?”

  “Erm … yes, please?”

  Goblinoid Template

  Trait: Goblinoid (+1 Physical -1 Social)

  Goblinoid Features

  Low-light vision

  Reputation Default: Hated

  Reputation with goblinoid races: Unfriendly

  “Hmm, that’s interesting.” Penelope didn’t comprehend what most of the lines meant, though low-light vision was easy enough to decipher.

  She dismissed the message, and a line of creatures materialized before her like puppets on display. Penelope studied the options with interest. There was a fierce-looking female Orc, her gray skin tough and callous. A human, an elf, the usual lot. That was not for her.

  As she continued browsing the list, the races became more exotic; deep dwarves, half-gnomes, drow, goliath, a snake-like creature that was listed as ‘Githyanky,’ a scaly looking lizard woman, and …

  “Oh, yes!” Penelope exclaimed, looking at a distinct feline shape. Catfolk.

  The female catfolk had cute cat ears, a furry tail, and light whiskers. Penelope adored cats.

  “Catfolk selected,” the disembodied voice said once she confirmed her selection. “Please select a name for your new character.”

  “Erm … Penelope?”

  “That name is already taken. Please try another.”

  “Cutie Kitty?”

  “That name is already taken. Please try another.”

  She paused, mulling over her options. She’d recently conducted an experiment using the gravitational pull of Jupiter’s moons. That in itself wasn’t anything special, but she liked the name of the most recently discovered moon.

  “Raystia.”

  “Name accepted. You may now enter a personal background for your character.”

  “Erm … I’m just happy to be here and looking forward to exploring the game. I’m looking to have fun!”

  “Accepted.”

  “Your character will be reincarnated in five
seconds. Four …Three … Two … One.”

  Received: Rusty Crude Dagger

  Received: Travel Rations X 2

  Received: 10 gold

  The blackness around her became hazy, colors slipping into her view. They became sharper, forming into distinct shapes; ground, sky, mountains. She was standing on a stone shelf next to a small gravestone and what looked like a pagan-styled shrine.

  The sensations were so real, though her thoughts felt sluggish for some reason.

  This is so exciting! Raystia raised her arms, enjoying the sensation of her virtual body. Then she froze. She stared at her arms, uncomprehending. Instead of the cute fuzzy arms of a catfolk, her furry limbs looked gaunt and scary. She gasped, clutching her face.

  Her fingers felt sharp features, gaunt cheeks, and long, sharp teeth. No, no, no … this was all wrong. She patted the sides of her head and touched small skinny ears. A monster. Her mind still felt like it was stuffed with cotton. The initial shock transformed into horror. She opened her mouth to scream when someone spoke behind her.

  “Good evening, miss. Allow me to welcome you to our humble settlement.”

  Startled, she whirled around to find a horrifying, emaciated monster staring back at her.

  “Greetings,” it said.

  The thing had insect-like mandibles. She couldn’t help herself, her mind was still fuzzy. She opened her mouth and screamed.

  ***

  Raystia was ashamed. Once her head cleared up and her mind no longer felt sluggish, she was able to get a grip on herself and appreciate her surroundings. Now it was clear what ‘goblinoid features’ meant.

  She stood at the edge of the stone shelf and observed the small settlement. The place was buzzing with activity. Small goblins were scurrying all over the place, carrying things, building things, working. Several fierce looking hobgoblins, armed and armored, were patrolling. She thought she even spotted an Ogre for a moment, trodding behind one of the largest buildings. This place was fascinating. The valley below was divided between an open grassland and a large forest. The structures were made mostly of wood, giving them a natural appearance and a rustic, rural feel.

  This was just what she was looking for.

  “As you can see, miss,” the tall, gaunt creature next to her said, “the hamlet is quite small; any help you might offer in its development would be highly appreciated.”

  Though she was no longer seized by the illogical feeling of dread, she was still wary of this creature. “Erm … Kaedric, was it?”

  The mind eater nodded, his mandibles clicking together.

  “Is it safe here?”

  “Goblin’s Gorge valley is quite safe. The forest is constantly patrolled, though the occasional beast might still be encountered there. Outside the valley there is a thick forest teeming with wild beasts and monsters. I would advise you to prepare well before venturing there.”

  “So, um … I think I need better weapons. Is there a place where can I get some equipment?” She looked disdainfully at the rusted dagger tucked at her belt.

  “There are some gremlin-run shops over there.” Kaedric pointed at some weird looking constructions at the southern part of the valley. “In addition, we have several workers capable of manufacturing various items, but you would have to come to an agreement with them yourself.”

  “Oh, alright.” She hesitated. Her uncle once shared with her what he claimed to be a magical phrase when interacting with NPCs. “Do … can I offer you my assistance with anything?”

  Kaedric looked at her, his mandibles slightly ajar. Is this surprise? she wondered.

  “There might be … one thing,” the creature said slowly. “I would have to feed soon.”

  “Oh!” She brightened up. “Should I run to your cook and bring you something to eat?” Simple fetch quests were easy and not very rewarding, but for a first-level player, they were just the thing to gain experience with relative safety.

  “No, I do not require sustenance at this time.”

  She furrowed her brow. “But you just said …”

  “I need to feed. For that, I require a live, intelligent, humanoid creature.”

  That caught her off guard. She stared at him in horror.

  His mandibles twitched. “I am forbidden to harm any of the sentients in the valley, but I would need to feed soon, or the result would be … dire. If you’re able to help me, I shall offer mine in return.”

  What the hell? she thought, blinking. The company did mention she would be playing as a monster, but she never imagined the experience would be so … monstrous.

  She grimaced. This was her one and only viable option to spend time gaming, so she should just embrace the experience. When in Rome, she thought with dark humor, crack open a skull and feed it to a hungry ant-man. “Well, I guess I can give it a try.”

  You received a new quest: Braaaaains!

  Kaedric, the administrator of Goblin’s Gorge, has asked you to bring him a living, intelligent humanoid creature to eat.

  Quest Type: Advanced

  Time limit: 5 days

  Reward: +50 reputation with the GreenPiece Clan, +200 reputation with Kaedric, 400 XP, 20 gold

  She was not an experienced gamer, but the quest reward looked quite generous.

  The tall creature nodded in approval. “Then I will offer further assistance. What type of weapon would you like to use?”

  “Erm … I’m not really sure,” she confessed. “I don’t want to stand too close to enemies, so… something with range?”

  “In that case, I suggest you go talk with Bosper, our clan’s bowyer. Tell him I sent you.”

  “Erm, thanks, um, sir.”

  Stepping down a ladder, she found herself walking through the green valley. Goblins were scurrying around her, and she nearly bumped into one carrying a basket as she walked, trying to take in her surroundings.

  “Oops, sorry … Ooooo! Bunnies!”

  She approached a large enclosure. A low wooden fence surrounded a patch of ground riddled with holes. Rabbits roamed freely inside, playing and eating.

  A lone goblin female was walking among the rabbits, sprinkling something on the ground that lured the rabbits to it. As Raystia watched, the goblinette bent down and picked up two of the munchers.

  “Oh, hello there!” Raystia called. “May I hold one of them?”

  The goblin ignored her and carried her cargo to a small wooden shed.

  “Erm, hello? I asked if I –”

  She stopped as the goblin grabbed a cleaver from a nearby shelf and slaughtered the two rabbits with two efficient strokes.

  Raystia paled. This is a game? It was a very different experience than what she had envisioned. Still, Penelope was not vegan, and she had no illusions as to where meat came from. Though she would have liked to cuddle the cute bunnies for just a little while.

  She found a serious-looking male goblin next to the pond, working with bits of wood. Using a sharp knife, he carved a piece of spry branch, shaping it into a bow.

  “Erm, hello.”

  The goblin paused his work and looked at her.

  “Are you Bosper? I was told you might be able to make me a bow.”

  The goblin grunted. “Dread Totem tells me make many bows for clan. Not for you.”

  “Kaedric sent me to you.”

  Bosper blanched. “I mean … of course I can make you good bow. But I run out of willow branches. Bring me five good branches and I will make you a decent bow.

  You received a new quest: Willow for Bosper

  Bring Bosper, GreenPiece Clan’s bowyer, 5 willow branches.

  Quest Type: Simple

  Reward: +20 reputation with the GreenPiece Clan, 100 XP, a willow bow.

  “Great!” Raystia brightened. “Only, uh … what does a willow tree look like?”

  The goblin rolled his eyes at her.

  A few minutes later, Raystia left the grumpy goblin. He’d described the tree with great detail and had even loaned her his axe to cut down t
he sturdy branches.

  She skipped happily through the settlement. She was having fun! This place was different than what she’d expected – more savage – but it was beautiful nonetheless. There was a certain charm to living in the wild.

  Not paying too much attention to where she was going, she bumped headlong into something solid. She fell on her backside, feeling muted pain in her posterior. This game was so realistic! She looked up to see what she had run into. Two thick tree trunks blocked her path. Her gaze continued upward and the tree trunks merged into a wide and powerful torso.

  An Ogre leered down at her, snarling. “You dare challenge me? I BE THE CHAMPION! I will kill you!”

  He lifted his huge arm as if intending to swat her like a fly. Raystia squealed in fright, shielding her face with her hands.

  A shrill voice sounded from behind. “Hey, ‘ye big ugly brute. What’chya think you be doing with this wee lass, eh?”

  The voice gave the Ogre pause, interrupting the intended blow.

  Raystia risked lowering her hands and looked behind her. An old goblin female with warts all over her face and wearing an apron was standing with her hands on her hips. She glared threateningly at the Ogre.

  “She dared challenge me!” the brute protested.

  “Na she didn’t, ‘ye lumbering halfwit! Now you better be going elsewhere, or I’ll be telling our Dread Totem about this.”

  “Argh, Dread Totem said not to kill clan,” the Ogre mumbled to himself.

  “Or guest. She be our guest, now git!”

  To Raystia’s great relief, the monster lowered his hand then trotted away, leaving her unharmed. She took a deep breath. That was a close call. She still felt the rush of adrenaline from the encounter and she was starting to get curious about this ‘Dread Totem’ she kept hearing about.

  “Ye hurt, child?” the old goblin woman asked her.

  She shook her head. “No, thank you, erm …”