by Tony Corden
Noah smiled and said, “How many do you have?”
“Five, but I’m a teenage girl. I never know what I’ll need.”
Deathmaster said, “Seriously though, you seemed very evenly matched.”
Noah shook his head and said, “Not even close. Atherleah’s spells are stronger than anyone I’ve ever faced. Her ability to multiply the spells using two hands is a serious advantage. Although we didn’t see what happened inside the building I was watching when she totally destroyed the building, where she underwent, ‘the Concourse of Courage’. After watching that I asked my clan’s enchanters to double the protection in my suits. I should have asked for triple, and even then, it may not have been enough. My armour isn’t just damaged, it's destroyed. I may need to borrow some armour for my next battle.”
Turning to Leah, Deathmaster said, “I’m not going to ask why you healed Delta Knight, we all heard your answer. What I want to know is, do you regret that now, having lost?”
Shaking her head, she said, “Not at all. I meant what I said. Actions always have consequences. Some consequences you can’t factor in. Hindsight is really only useful as it informs the future. Using it to flagellate yourself is both pointless and harmful. If I’m in a similar situation in the future I’ll be more aware of possible consequences, but right now I still think, for me, it was the right thing. That doesn’t necessarily mean someone else in a similar situation should do the same thing I did.”
Deathmaster was about to ask another question when a waitress dropped a plate of nachos in between the three and said, “That’ll be three gold.”
Leah checked with Gèng if the nachos had been added into the ‘beer’ agreement. Gèng replied, “Yes, although you get the full five per cent and none goes to Yuè Fēi. A menu is already available at the front counter, and over ten thousand meals were bought in the first thirty seconds.”
While listening to Gèng, Leah grabbed three gold from her purse and handed them to the waitress. One was a Dryad gold, one from Yilinlar and the final one was Elfaun. The waitress held them briefly between her two fingers to prove they were authentic then pocketing the money moved away.
Leah grabbed a corn chip and waving to the plate said, “Have some, I can’t eat all of it.”
Noah reached for one and said, “Thank you, I doubt that though. Every teenager I know seems capable of eating at least this much.”
Deathmaster also had a chip then said, “I noticed you are using your own coins. The news of them has been overshadowed by this contest. Do you really think you’ll be able to compete with the official coins of Dunyanin?”
“Absolutely. It’s not only coins. The new Imperial Bank of Vatan is opening new branches every day, and we have plans to establish branches on the other continents. Dunyanin, as a world, is evolving. Merkize is only one of the exciting new things that are happening. Çaresiz is now open for players, and new quests, like the one involving the Lanetli, will mean greater travel between continents. Opportunities for commerce abound. No, I’m confident my coins are here to stay.”
“You sound like you are in an advertisement for Dunyanin.”
“I am. This whole exercise is a showcase of what is available on Dunyanin. But don’t think because it’s a marketing exercise that it isn’t real, that it is all somehow just a show. No, I want to win. As far as I know, each of the contestants wants to. I want to be the first person to step on to Merkize and explore what’s been created by Dunyanin’s developers.”
Delta Knight nodded and said, “Atherleah is right. We are playing a game, we know that. But the game is a part of our modern way of life. It is an avenue for people to relax, pursue hobbies, exercise, and make a living. I enjoy playing, and if I’m honest, I enjoy the fighting. I look forward to being able to play with my kids. This event has reignited my excitement.”
Deathmaster took a sip of his beer and said, “Do you mind if one the crowd joins us? He has a question.”
Both Leah and Noah said it was fine, and a man dressed as a merchant sat down at the table. He had a beer in his hand and seemed nervous. Leah waved at the plate of nachos and said, “Please share the meal. We can always get some more. Do you play?”
The man nodded and reached for a nacho. Without eating it, he said, “I play on Taramore. I own a small shop which sells ingredients to healers. It’s relaxing after the stress of my real-world work.”
Noah said, “What do you do?”
“I’m a surgeon. Most of the procedures these days are done by AI, but I’m always on standby just in case. I work with the AI to set up treatment plans and review cases.”
Deathmaster said, “You had a question for Atherleah?”
“Yes, most of the people on Taramore have got behind you rather than the ‘sea-witch.’ I was wondering about your injury. It’s been hampering you all day and seems to be getting worse. I thought wounds in Dunyanin healed without carryover.”
Leah said, “They do. There is no carryover. I recently hurt myself in real life. Dunyanin, like most virtual worlds, provides the player with great neural feedback which exercises the body as well as providing the sensory data to help the game be genuinely immersive. Whereas many people who play can buy premium packages which reduce things like pain thresholds and the like, I didn’t have the funds when I joined. Someone like Gottes_Krieger_10, who was recently eaten alive, probably has their pain threshold reduced to ten per cent and then, in addition, Dunyanin applies breakers just in case something goes wrong.
“On the other hand, my feedback loop is set at fifty per cent. I feel more, and my muscles generally receive greater stimulation. Because today is a competition, the players haven’t been able to medicate or change the settings. If it weren’t a competition, then I would have the feedback at zero and be feeling nothing. I could do that because the multi-verse allows those who are ill or disabled to have fully functioning avatars which take account of their injuries or disabilities.
“During the competition though, it wouldn’t be ‘fair’ if I didn’t feel things the other contestants did. Unfortunately, I hurt my shoulder, and the stimulation and feedback are painful. My doctor has my arm strapped to minimise harm, and my PAI is monitoring it at all times. It’s just one of those things.”
The doctor said, “Both Yuè_Fēi_Lóng and Delta_Knight_01 focussed on the shoulder, is that fair?”
“Of course. I never mentioned it, and as warriors, we all look for weaknesses in our opponents. Delta_Knight_01 is weak in ranged attack, which is why I attacked from a distance. I mentioned Seishin_no_kage_12 in another interview. She’s been hamstrung all day with the arena set up as it is. Many of the places I go, I’m at a disadvantage. Overcoming the disadvantage is a part of the challenge.”
Nodding, the man faded from sight and Deathmaster said, “The next bout is about to begin. Are you able to stay?”
Leah shook her head and said, “I’d like to, but I need to rest.”
Noah said, “I also have things to do. I have to go find some armour.”
Both Leah and Noah stood and walked out together. Noah said, “Please don’t take this the wrong way Atherleah, but you are very self-confident for a teenager. Precocious in fact.”
“I grew up poor, Noah. Generation after generation of people stuck in a life without much chance to have the things everyone else seems to have. My family loves me deeply, but if I want to get anywhere, then I have to do it. I can’t depend on the government or the system. I have nothing except a will to succeed. I know I come across as arrogant to some people, but if I don’t step up, then I won’t be able to look out and see the world.”
“Step up. I thought that was only an Americanism. I often tell my kids to step up to the plate.”
“I don’t play baseball, we have cricket in Australia. No, it comes from a poem my grandfather used to recite. It’s called The Stork Tower. The higher one climbs, the further away is the horizon and the more you can see. He would often tell me to ‘Step up and look out’. In many wa
ys, it’s my motto for life.”
After a few more pleasantries, Noah said, “The bout is starting, and I need to see if I can get my armour fixed so I’d best be off.”
“Take care. If you can’t find anyone, then come see me. I’ve some skill as a blacksmith.”
Noah nodded, and Leah teleported to her room.
39
Chapter 39
December 17, 2073 - MERKIZE CONTEST - Part 8
DUNYANIN - CONTEST
When she arrived both Мастер_Cмерти and Merideath were already in the arena and the second trumpet had just sounded. The Orc headed, at a jog, straight for the sea elf. Even so, he was watching her very carefully. Merideath hadn’t moved except to turn and face her opponent. She lifted her staff and began striking the ground with a steady beat. Each time she hit the floor of the arena, a metre high wave of fire would spread out like a ripple with Merideath in the centre.
Мастер_Cмерти watched the first wave warily, and as it got close, he slowed and cut down through it with his machete. His magic seemed to work, and the wave parted in front of him. Taking another step, he sliced through the next wave. Merideath changed the rhythm, mixing up both the tempo and the force with which she struck the arena floor. The harder she hit the taller the wave. The orc tested the fire by walking through a small wave, as it passed him, his skin begun to blister and some of the fire stuck to him and burned like napalm. His recuperative powers healed him, but he was busy chopping through waves. He even tried using a small spell of water magic to push them out of the way. Merideath’s first wave reached the edge of the arena, and instead of fading, it rebounded and blended with the next wave setting up an enormous diffraction pattern. Мастер_Cмерти became aware of the rebounding wave a he looked toward Merideath and saw a wave sweep past her after hitting the arena boundary behind her. She slammed her staff down as it went past and the waves intersected in places to create sections which were three and even four metres in height. The Orc turned and saw the wave heading at his back. As he'd done before he threw his head back and screamed. His scream spell had some effect, but it wasn’t able to stop the wave, all it did was disrupt the pattern even more.
Slowly Merideath increased the tempo and the force with which she struck the ground, playing to a song only she could hear. The whole of the arena became a moving web of fire. Leah was amazed at the sheer magnitude of mana Merideath had at her command that she could keep each of the spells going. Мастер_Cмерти had stopped advancing and was in trouble. Despite his great strength, agility and recuperative power he was struggling to meet each wave of new fire, much less the rebounding waves. Surrounded by waves, the orc triggered another spell, this time he spun in a circle with the machete horizontal to the ground, all the while emitting a deep-throated roar. The waves were all beaten back, and for a moment, he had a clear area around him, but already the next wave was bearing down on him.
He fought ferociously for several minutes, but the sheer magnitude of the flames eventually overcame his strength, and he burned. After his death Merideath allowed the flames to slowly dissipate. With a superior nod at the charred body, she faded from sight. Leah hadn’t moved since the bout began and as the orc’s body dissolved, she realised no one else had either. The arena was silent. Nobody made a sound.
Shaking her head at the ferocity and single-mindedness of the attack, Leah closed her eyes and sank into a comfortable pose to think through her options. She began by considering how she would have dealt with Merideath’s ‘Waves of Death’. Sharon sent a message asking if Leah was free to move around the common area until Ivan and Yuè Fēi fought in the final battle and if she could maybe watch it with the officials. At first, Leah was going to say no, but she knew Sharon was only looking out for her reputation.
Leah stood and made her way to the large room. On the wall, she saw a board which listed the winners and losers so far. She grimaced at the two losses against her name then laughed at herself knowing she’d done very well considering she was the least experienced of all the players.
Looking around, she noticed most people were involved in conversations. Two people, however, stood by themselves. The first was a woman who she identified as Seishin_no_kage_12’s PR representative and the other was the main judge, Eitan Malka. Leah headed for the woman, who looked up as Leah approached. Leah greeted her and said, “It looks like you’re having a tough day.”
The woman introduced herself as Tomoyo Muranaka and said, “It has not been optimal. Thank you for your comments, they have lessened some of the hurt.”
“I only spoke the truth. Often it is the most skilled members of a team whose skills keep them from receiving the acclaim they deserve. One of my mentors once said, ‘If you do your job properly, no one will know you did it.’”
Tomoyo nodded, and after another thank you, she excused herself and moved away. Leah shook her head slowly but knew it wasn’t her problem. As she turned, she almost bumped into Eitan Malka who had come up beside her. She said, “Pardon Mr Malka, I didn’t see you there.”
“It is of no consequence. I wanted to thank you again for diffusing the situation before. I doubt the question will go away though. I also wanted to warn you that I, and my fellow judges, are not permitted to give any judgement on issues unrelated to the actual official aspects of the contest. I have already shared this with both Gottes_Krieger_10 and Боевой_молот.”
“That is understandable, Mr Malka. I have another judge in mind.”
“Please call me Eitan. In the scheme of things it is a small wager, maybe paying the amount would smooth things over. I only say this because rumour abounds that some people will use this as an excuse to question other aspects of your life.”
“Ah, like the murder charge. I’d hoped the earlier conversation had put that to bed.”
“You, it seems, have no such luck. Appeasement, perhaps, can lessen the damage.”
“What damage might that be, Eitan?”
Looking around, he said, “Damage to your reputation Atherleah, most people are fickle.”
Smiling, she said, “Some are, maybe even, as you say, most are. The ones who count, the ones whose opinions I value, those people will test what they hear, examine what they are shown, and evaluate for themselves. Those people would be horrified if I gave in to a bully just because someone threatened to call me names.”
Eitan excused himself, and Leah saw him give a small shake of the head to one of the Dunyanin Administrators, it was the one who played the dwarf.
“Gèng, what is the name of the dwarven administrator, and why would he be interested in the bet between Gottes and Ivan?”
There was a brief pause before Gèng replied, “I matched his features with the publicly available images of Dunyanin employees and the closest match with a certainty of 97% is Herman Weismann. He’s on the board of Dunyanin and holds five per cent of the stock. He’s also on the board of a leading European Pharmaceutical company called Essenz Pharmaceutical. Essenz recently signed a major sponsorship deal with Gottes_Krieger_10 using his reputation as the Paladin for Purity. With all the interest in the Merkize contest, they’re probably worried about brand recognition. Gottes_Krieger_10 has lost both bouts, but if he’s also involved in a betting scandal, then they could lose millions.”
“Any other connections?”
“Jaap Van den Heuvel is also a member of the Essenz Board. He and Aleta own fifteen and a half per cent of the company. They were with the Kodomans in Ascendent.”
Just then a trumpet rang, and everyone turned to the far wall which disappeared and gave everyone a view of the arena. Ivan and Yuè Fēi were standing at opposite ends. When the second trumpet sounded, Yuè Fēi moved his hands in the same gesture of respect he’d shown Leah. Ivan came to attention and lifted his head slightly as he looked over at Yuè Fēi. Bringing his head back to the normal position, he took a ready stance. Slowly the two men began walking toward each other. When they were three metres apart, t
hey stopped. Yuè Fēi equipped his sword, and Ivan brought his war axe to the ready position. They watched each other in silence for a moment then both exploded into action.
For five minutes they moved back and forth, pummelling each other, neither of the men giving an inch. Leah was entranced by their skills and wondered how she’d survived so long against Yuè Fēi. He used the four new moves, but Ivan was prepared. It was similar to Ivan’s fight against Namus’ Paladin and yet, at least to Leah’s thinking, completely different. One was a pair of barbarians hammering at each other until one died. This was two highly skilled warriors testing the other’s mettle. In the end, it was Yuè Fēi who was victorious, but Leah thought it could have gone either way. Ivan overextended an uppercut, leaving himself open. If Yuè Fēi hadn’t taken advantage of the opening, Ivan might have won with his return.
Both bodies disappeared, and the common area was in a frenzy as reporters tried to get something substantial to report. Sharon looked over at Leah quizzically, but Leah shook her head. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. Instead, Leah stood on the side, watching the various interactions, her stance sufficient to let people know she was unavailable. Mostly Leah pondered the different connections she observed between powerful and wealthy people. She wondered how, and even if, Ivan and Yuè Fēi had been able to stay out of the murky aspects of fame for so long. Did they have hidden agendas? Could she trust anyone?
She hadn’t found answers to the question when Yuè Fēi and Ivan entered the room together. They came from the direction of Deathmaster’s studios, so she imagined they’d been in an interview. Seeing Leah, they headed in her direction. Leah said, “Congratulations, Yuè Fēi, I’m pleased someone finally taught Ivan here a lesson.”
Both men laughed, and the three friends discussed the fight for several minutes before the two warriors moved away to discuss the battle with different journalists. Sharon came over and said, “You look like an outsider standing here and not talking with anyone. You need to relax a little. So far you’ve done well, nothing too controversial and you’ve made some good connections. All my fears were unfounded.”
