Alterlife

by Matt Moss

  I thought of becoming a Master Tailor myself, then a Grandmaster so I could tend to the cloak at any time. But a player can only be a two-time Grandmaster, and I have my eyes set on more valuable skills to hone. Skills made for battle.

  Deeper into the woods I go, thinking it wise to avoid the road for the time being. And according to the map, cutting straight through the forest is a shortcut. The sun is beaming through the trees, the forest, bright and green, and there’s a gentle roll to the land that makes for easy travel. A small stream winds in the direction I’m going, and the water is cool and invigorating.

  “These woods are so beautiful. Reminds me of the west coast with tall evergreen pines, ferns on the ground,” I say out loud.

  A stick snaps and my eyes dart in all directions, checking behind me first, then to the sides. A strange feeling sinks in, and I try to put my finger on it. Then it hits me.

  There’s no sound. No sign of a squirrel or bird to be found.

  As a man of the woods, I know that’s not a good sign.

  Another twig breaks, closer this time. I begin to walk. Nervous. Senses fully aware.

  A large Timberwolf emerges in front of me from behind a group of trees, about fifty feet away, his fangs showing white as he eyes me for prey. I equip my War Hammer of Lightning and hold my hand up to communicate that I mean no harm. “Easy, big guy. Easy.” I take a slow step back. The wolf snarls and snaps at me.

  Damn. The cloak is of no use. He’ll still smell me.

  A quick check—I've got two health potions. “Guess we’ll just have to do this the hard way.” I take my stance and wrap both hands around the weapon.

  It’s just a game. It’s just a game.

  I’m still scared shitless. I imagine that only someone who’s staring a Timberwolf in the eyes would understand.

  Suddenly, he charges.

  I swing wildly at the beast as he lunges, preemptively, and the hammer misses, hitting nothing but air as the force of the large animal drives me onto my back, knocking the weapon out of my hand. His breath falls hot on my face as he snaps for my throat. I bring my arm up in time to stop the bite, but his teeth dig into my arm, through the leather protectors. I scream and curse as the thing jerks its head back and forth, trying to rip my arm off.

  My health bar depletes rapidly.

  Memory flashes. As a young boy, father would take me hunting. He would always say if you’re attacked by an animal, go for the eyes.

  With my free hand, I manage to get my thumb over its eye and drive it deep. Like magic, the beast yelps and climbs off of me, running thirty yards and shaking its head in pain. The attack did critical damage, and the wolf’s health points drop to nearly half. I scramble to my feet as the wolf snorts and shakes its head, trying to recover. I use the time to retrieve my hammer.

  Its senses return and, again, it charges at me and I take a fighting stance, drawing the hammer back.

  Time the strike right this time or you’re dead meat.

  As I ready for the attack, the wolf flinches, crashes to the ground and slides to a stop at my feet, an arrow jutting from its side. I turn in the direction of the shot.

  “You,” I gasp.

  “You know, you really shouldn’t be out here by yourself. Being a noob and all,” Deana says and slings the bow around her back. She kneels down to collect the pelt.

  “I had him.”

  She stands up, shooting me a grin. “Oh, really? Pardon my intrusion, then. You can get the next one.”

  I admire the fallen beast. “No, that’s alright.”

  “Too challenging?”

  I cock my head at her comment. “It’s not kicking rabbits, that’s for sure.”

  She laughs.

  I smile. “I’m glad you’re here, Deana.” I rub my arm, thinking it would be torn to pieces, but it’s not.

  Family game, remember. Suitable for all ages.

  If this were an authentic virtual reality experience, if Alterlife was unrated, then my arm would be shredded to bits, broken, and I would be bleeding all over the place. Lightheaded from blood loss, I would try to wrap the wound as best possible with my good arm, but odds are that I wouldn’t survive these woods and they would become my grave. That’s in real, unaltered virtual reality.

  If it was really that intense, would the mind know the difference?

  I rub the back of my head. “Thanks for saving me.”

  “Anytime. But the wolves and bears and things that go bump in the night are your least concern. You’re being tracked,” she says in warning.

  “Impossible. I avoided the road and nearly got eaten to keep from being tracked. Are you saying that the Barbarian from the road followed me?”

  She furrows her brow. “Barbarian? No. The Bloodhound is on your trail—the best tracker in Alterlife. He’s a mercenary, loyal to anyone who’s willing to pay the most coin. And as of now, he’s working for the Black Knights.”

  “How do you know this?”

  “I saw you leave Faldron’s Reach and waited to see if anyone followed you, figuring you were up to something by the way you left in such a hurry.” She looks to the edge of the forest, to the direction I came from. “Last I checked, he was a half day behind you.”

  I cross my arms. “So let me get this straight; you’ve been watching me this whole time and followed me here?”

  “Yeah. So?”

  “Are you a stalker?”

  She shakes her head once, appalled. “No. Shut up.”

  “Could have fooled me with your stalker-like behavior.”

  She steps close to me. “I’m not a stalker. Just looking out for you is all.”

  “Why?” I search her for a tell.

  She looks away, then back to me as she speaks. “You know… you’re a newbie. I have a soft spot for newbies.”

  She’s lying.

  “How’d you catch up to me? I haven’t slowed down since I left.”

  “I’m a Ranger,” she says as a matter of fact. “So, where you going?

  What the hell, just tell her. Her skills may come in handy again. “I’m on a treasure hunt.”

  She laughs. “Really? Every treasure hunt I’ve been on has been a waste of time. The loot isn't worth it.”

  “It will be this time,” I assure her.

  She takes a deep, exhausting breath and lets her shoulders relax. “We’re being tracked, and we’ll probably be dead if found. It would be wise to go back to town. But there’s no talking you out of going on this hunt, is there?”

  I raise my chin. “No.”

  She shakes her head and holds an arm out. “Come on then, let’s go. With the Bloodhound on our heels, we don’t have time to waste. You lead.”

  I’m not real sure about her tagging along on this treasure hunt. Especially if it’s going to be as big as I think it is.

  Thal’s treasure.

  “Fine. Try to keep up,” I tell her.

  She cocks a grin. “Right.”

  Out of the woods we travel, and I update the map. The circle is much smaller now as my cartography skill has increased. “A couple more hours and we should be there.”

  “Do you have that much time before you get logged off?” she asks.

  “Let me check. Nope. Didn’t think of that.”

  She keeps her stride in time with mine. “I know of a place up here where we can stay the night. That is, if you don’t mind sleeping in the same room as me,” she says with a hint of humor, looking straight ahead.

  We’re just logging out at the inn. Not like anything else is going to happen.

  “Don’t mind at all. Lead the way,” I tell her.

  The next morning, my wife finds me cooking breakfast. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she walks clumsily towards me, the way she always does first thing in the morning with those pink bunny house shoes, ears flopping and all. “Well, isn’t this a surprise,” she says.

  I greet her with a smile and a cup of coffee. “Good morning, babe. How’d you sleep?”

 
“Fine, thank you.” She enjoys a sip from the cup. “Are the kids awake?”

  “Not yet.” I flip the bacon and stir the eggs. “Come here.” A kiss on the lips, long and slow.

  “Mmm, what’s gotten into you this morning?” she asks, one hand on my waist, the other on my arm.

  “Just excited about today is all.” I enjoy a piece of cooked bacon from the plate next to the stove.

  “Well, that’s unusual for you. I like it.” Her hands leave me and she grabs the milk from the fridge. “You do know it’s Friday, right?”

  “I got something big going down today at work. Can’t really tell you anything yet, being all top secret and stuff. But I will soon.”

  She pours us a couple glasses. “Top secret, huh? That’s great, dear. Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s going to be great.” She stands next to me. “But if whatever it is doesn’t work out, that’s okay, too.”

  I nod my head. “I know. But it’s going to work. I got a good feeling about it.”

  She hands me the milk after giving me another kiss. “I know it will… you just have to give it time. Just don’t wanna see you get upset if it doesn’t work out. You know how you can get.”

  “Yeah, I know.” I turn back to the stove. “But this time it’s different, Jenny. I promise. You’ll see.”

  Finally, we got some damn milk in the house. I drain the glass and smile at her.

  You’ll see.

  I log back in and find myself alone inside the small, barren cabin. I sit on the bed and wait. Thirty minutes go by. “Come on, Deana.”

  She appears in the room. “Sorry I’m late. Got held up.”

  I put my hand up, letting her know it’s okay. “Totally understand. You ready to find some treasure?”

  Flustered from being in a rush, she does a quick check of her things, then gives a sharp nod. “Let’s do it.”

  We strike out on the trail and follow the map. Fifteen minutes later, my cartography skill increases to level adept.

  “Congratulations,” she tells me as we climb a steep hill.

  Looking back, I scan the landscape from on high. “Do you think we’re still being followed?”

  She pauses and looks back. “I don’t think so. Perhaps the Bloodhound gave up after we logged out, our trail going cold. Still, he has a reputation for a reason. Best to keep alert.”

  “Roger that.” Nearing the peak, I pull out the map. “We should be able to see the location of the treasure once we reach the top.”

  Ten minutes later, we reach the peak and look down at a valley that cuts through three separate mountain ranges, two rivers merging into one at the southern end. Groves of trees are dotted around the small hills below, grassland making up the majority of the valley.

  “Can you see anything? A cave, a hole in the ground, anything that sticks out?”

  “The treasure wouldn’t be so hard to find if it stuck out, would it?” she asks sarcastically.

  “I guess not. You’re right.” I check the map again. “It’s definitely down there somewhere, but I can’t pinpoint the exact location.”

  Deana leans forward and her eyes shift, changing into something animal-like. They dart around the valley below, searching. “I see something. There,” she says, pointing to a grove on the north side. “A marker of some sort.” She blinks and her eyes return to normal.

  I turn to her. “What was that? That thing you did with your eyes?”

  “Eagle Eye. It’s a skill that Rangers possess. Allows me to...”

  “See like an eagle, got it. Guess I should really choose a class. Can you tell me how?”

  She turns to me. “It depends on what experience you gain as you progress. For instance, if you look at your cartography skill that is now adept, you can choose whether or not you want to specialize in that skill set. If you do, you will be able to access special abilities that go with the class, and those abilities can be enhanced and become more powerful over time.” She puts two fingers to the side of her head. “Careful how you choose, though. As I said before, you can only master two classes.”

  For a moment, I think about selecting cartography so I can get a better handle on the map because that’s what would be the most valuable skill right now. Maybe that class would unlock new skills that might reveal the exact location of the treasure, if not, it could at least make it easier to find. Then I realize that I don’t want to waste one of my choices on such an insignificant skill.

  “You said you saw something down there?”

  She nods.

  “Lead the way, m’lady. We’re never going to find it on top of this mountain.”

  An hour later, we finish the descent. As we trek through the valley, I look back at the mountain top from which we came for any sign of movement. There’s still no indication that we’re being followed. Deana wades across the fork of the river and keeps heading north. The small grove she referred to comes into view and within ten minutes, we’re there.

  “I really hate how long it takes to travel in this game.”

  “Still faster than real life,” she replies, standing, searching the ground in front of her.

  “Yeah. But it still sucks. They could have sped it up a bit more. So, This is the spot?”

  She stretches her back and looks from left to right. “Not sure. I saw something shimmer at the edge of the thicket here, like a knife blade or jewel in the light of the sun. Keep your eyes open for something like that.”

  We both walk around, peering through the shrubbery and into the thick grove of hardwood trees. I begin to get frustrated after an hour goes by. “We’ve covered the entire grove. How big was the shimmering thing you saw?”

  “How am I supposed to know, it was shimmering.” She curses and puts both hands on her hips. “I swear I saw something glimmer here,” Deana states.

  “I’m going to try over there some more,” I tell her, pointing just a bit to the south.

  “We’ve already searched that area.”

  “I know. I’m searching it again.” Walking towards the middle of the valley, I shake my head and pull out the map. The circle isn’t any smaller, and takes up a majority of the valley we’re in. “Damn it to…”

  I trip over something and hit the ground, cursing. I kick at the root or whatever it was that caused my fall and hear a thud as my foot connects with something hollow. I begin to rip away the vines and undergrowth to find a massive tree stump that’s been cut off close to the ground--struck by lightning or something, burned and broken, the center missing. “Deana, over here,” I cup my hands around my mouth and yell.

  “What is it?” she says, jogging up next to me. “Oh. Well, that’s something. How’d we miss that.”

  “It was covered with vines. Have you ever seen a tree this size? It’s as wide as a car. How far down do you think it goes?” I ask, peering into the dark hollow of the trunk.

  She picks up a rock and drops it in. We wait for a sound that doesn’t come. “Only one way to find out,” she says and takes a rope from her inventory. She makes quick work of tying it around a large rock nearby, knotting it tight, then throwing the other end down into the hole. “After you, treasure boy.”

  I look at her like she’s crazy, but don’t let on that I’m afraid. “I thought you said you saw something shiny?” I ask to which she shrugs in reply. I look down into the abyss. “This is insane.”

  My hand grips the rope tightly, and I descend into the hole.

  With a steady grip and a slow pace, down into the darkness I go, wishing I had a light of some sort. As if she heard my thought, a torch falls, the flame from it washing by me as it drops into the depths. I smile at Deana’s resourcefulness. “How much random stuff do you have on you?” I shout.

  A few minutes later, my feet land on wet stone.

  She slides down the rope, rappelling off the earthen wall, and lands beside me, making it look easy.

  “What are you in real life, a rock climber?” I pick up the torch and light the way, revealing a small tunn
el in front of us.

  She stands beside me. “You’ll never know about my personal life. Hey, Ace, be careful,” Deana warns. “Traps could be anywhere.”

  “Treasure hunts are booby-trapped?” I ask.

  “Some are, yes. Watch your step and stay alert.”

  I wave the flame in front so I can scan the tunnel. With trepidation, I go in and mind my footing on the damp stone. Further down we descend. The tunnel bends and winds, and a small stream of water leads the way into the belly of the earth.

  Moments later, we’re in the treasure room.

  I figured it would be more of a challenge, but no more than a couple hundred yards through the tunnel, I lay my eyes on the treasure. A chest, shimmering with a gold light, rests at the end of a long, narrow, stone bridge, an endless chasm surrounding it on all sides.

  Deana pulls another rope from her inventory and grabs an end, handing me the other. “Go easy and don’t fall,” she tells me, nudging her head towards the bridge.

  I feel the rope in my palms and ease towards the abyss. My foot shakes as I take the first step, knowing that there’s nothing but darkness below and on all sides of the shining chest. I fix my eyes upon it and trust my feet to instinct. Halfway across, I’m reminded of my childhood and how I would use the park’s wooden fence as a balance beam of sorts. For a challenge, I would even close my eyes and imagine I was a tightrope walker on top of a skyscraper.

  Now, I’m an adult and certain things go along with getting older; like a heightened sense of caution, fatigue, and a lack of physical prowess and coordination.

  I go weak in the knees as vertigo strikes, and fall to one knee for balance. I crawl on all fours the rest of the way, unashamed.

  I stand in front of the golden chest, as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. I reach out and, in response, it opens. Every item within rises above the chest and spins for show, then is immediately put into my inventory.

  I can’t believe what I’m holding. Thal’s treasure.

  Before I get too ecstatic, and before I can even turn around, the ground begins to quake and the bridge crumbles behind me, leaving me on the platform with the empty chest.