Lidarion: Chapter 3

For the first few hours Bernard took in everything. Everything he could remember consisted of was little life he had in the capitol of Lidarion, the trip to Border wood keep and the last three years in the home that was his world. Squints had two horses pulling a small covered wagon, which held their things and something large, wrapped in blankets. Bernard wanted to ask about it more than he wanted to ask about the conversation he had overheard the night before, but the beauty of spring had him in its grip and so he pushed aside his concerns to enjoy the sights and sounds of the seasons as they traveled north.

By the afternoon Squints hadn’t said much, mostly giving him the names of flowers, animals, rivers, lakes, hills and far off mountains. They had stopped for lunch in a clearing and had unfortunately scared off some deer, they didn’t run far and stuck to the farthest edge of the clearing eating from a field of beautiful yellow flowers. There was a river a few hundred feet away from the road. Bernard had gone over to fill their water skins but sat for nearly an hour just listening to the river. He had stayed still long enough that the deer chanced coming closer to pick at some small berry bushes. It was peaceful in a way that he had no memory of.

Back on the kart they followed the road which pretty closely followed the river. “My father used to bring me to this river when I was younger. We’d spend summers out here away from civilization.” 

Bernard looked at Squints who continued sharing his memory. “At the time I just wanted to get back to my books, it’s a cruel irony that as an adult I dream of the summers I spent here.”

Bernard had no memory of his childhood or his father. He was both sad for and jealous of Squints. “I think your father may have known he was giving you a gift you wouldn’t know how to appreciate until you were old enough to understand what you had received.”

Squints looked at Bernard with curiosity. “Are you talking about the initial experience or the memory?” He asked.

Bernard shrugged his shoulders. “Aren’t they both just love in different forms?” He asked.

Squints smiled. “That they are.” He confirmed.

The rushing river and the creaking wheels of the wagon filled the silence. They hit a divot in the road and the large object wrapped in blankets shifted in the cart, knocking against the wooden wall of the cart.

“What happened to my memory?” Bernard asked quickly. As if he was worried he might lose his courage half way through the question.

Squints smiled a little. “How much of our conversation did you overhear last night?” He asked.

Bernard looked at a tree as they passed. “My sister is worried about things ‘going back to the way they were before’” He answered in question.

Squints nodded. “Indeed she is.” He confirmed.

Bernard looked at Squints. “How were they before? What is it that I can’t remember and why can’t I remember it?” He pleaded.

Squints sighed heavily. “The simple answers are, not good, a lot, because we made a mistake.”

Bernard shook his head. “I didn’t come on this trip for simple answers Squints.”

Squints nodded. “I know. You want the whole truth.”

Bernard nodded resolutely. “I do.”

Squints stared him down. “Even if it changes everything you know about everyone you love, including yourself?” He asked.

Bernard nodded. “Squints, I don’t actually know much of anything about anyone, especially myself.”

Squints sighed again. “That’s a fair point.” There was silence again for a moment as he considered where exactly to start his narrative. “I guess the most important place to start would be the end of the Machine Wars, six years ago.”

Bernard was instantly lost. “Machine Wars? No one has ever said anything about a war less than a decade ago.”

Squints nodded “Because we made sure you would never hear of it, at least, not until you were ready.”

Bernard looked at the road ahead. “So what does this war have to do with my missing memory?” He asked.

Squints shook his head. “The war has almost nothing to do with your memory loss. The war was how Trent ended up coming home to Lidarion after a long fifteen year absence.”

Bernard did the math in his head. “That’s over half his life.”

Squints nodded. “Generally that’s the point of banishment.” He offered. “How about I start from the Beginning?” He offered.

Bernard nodded. “Please.”

The XP: Chapter 3

Pratchett turned out to be an elderly merchant NPC pacing in front of his ramshackle shop. It was picked cleans and barely standing and Pratchett looked like he was having a panic attack. 

Yermum walked up and gave a simple wave. “Hi.” Which broke Pratchett out of his worried pacing.

“Hail and well Yermum. Terry said you might be coming by to take up my quest.” He said forcing a sad smile on his sunken face.

“What is your quest?” Yermum asked. Looking at Pratchett’s busted up shop.

Pratchett pointed to his ruined shop front. “The villainous Thieves of Ire robbed my shop and kidnapped my grand daughter. The town security forces are too afraid to go after them.” Pratchett dropped to his knees to beg, “Oh please Yermum! Rescue my granddaughter!”

Yermum looked down at the man who was crying at his feet. “ummm….ok.” He agreed.

Pratchett smiled genuinely for the first time in days and there was a sparkle in his eye. “Oh thank you Yermum! I know my daughter will be safe in your care.”

Yermum nodded and ran off in the direction his mini map pointed him.

Half a zone away Bob, Blackout, and Stygian emerge victorius from the Sea of Ever Burning Fury. Their bags full of loot and pockets full of coin. Stygian’s happy voice echo’s from under his massive helm. “I should have come back a long time ago.” He admitted

Blackout nods. “Seriously, you missed out on some sweet opportunities.”

Blackout couldn’t see the glare but he could feel Stygian staring him down. Far to their left Yermum is being chased by one of the Thieves of Ire. He doubles back to try and loose the thief but agros another one who joins the first in chasing him down.

“You do know that most people place this game for the actual fun of it right?” Stygian asked.

Bob nodded. “We have fun all the time.” She pointed out.

Yermum has agroed another two thieves, He is just barely ahead of the pack of murderous NPC’s and getting closer to the trio.

Stygian turns to face Bob. “Selling gold and items on the black market!” he throws his hands in the air.

Blackout shrugs his shoulders. “That’s fun for us.”

A few of the thieves give up the chase and head back to their original target area’s. Yermum has given up and is now just running blindly as quick as he can.

“It goes against the end user licence agreement and could get us banned!” Stygian shouted.

Bob threw her hands in the air like she was being held at gun point. “Oh no! not the EULA! Stygian why do you care?” She asked.

Yermum blows through the middle of the trio followed by the last three thieves from the mob, which the trio disposes of as reflex actions. Bob, Stygian and Blackout all look over to Yermum who is now laying down arms and legs splayed out on the road. He is gasping for air.

Stygian disappeared his comically large sword. “I don’t really, I just wanted to make sure you weren’t gonna get pissed if I kept some of this gear cause it seriously puts my current stuff to shame.” He said stepping over Yermum.

Blackout followed him. “What did you expect after being logged out for two years?”

Bob walked around Yermum and took a quick glance down at the noob. “You’re welcome.” She said before catching up with her friends.

Yermum sat up and watch the trio head back toward town. He got to his feet and ran to catch up with them. “Hey!” He shouted, The trio stopped and turned to face him. “Um, thanks for that, back there, saving my life and all.”

Stygian shook his head. “Don’t mention it.” He said turning toward town again. Blackout and Bob followed his lead.

Yermum continued the conversation “You guys seem pretty hardcore.” He stated.

They didn’t turn around this time. “And so, very busy.” Blackout said without looking back.

Yermum jogged to keep up with them. “Busy with what?” He asked.

Bob rolled her eyes. “Important things, high level things, and judging by the way you play, things you won’t be seeing for a really, really long time. So, do the world a favor and go back to the World of Waterslides.” She snapped, as they entered town. Yermum stopped walking and they began to separate from him. Bob grits her teeth and stops walking. She Glares at Stygian whose metallic whistle of innocence echoes under his helmet. “I hate you.” She points at Stygian.  She turns around and motions Yermum over. He is all smiles as he jogs back to the group.

“We’re going to need to get him trained and geared.” He pointed out.

Yermum nodded. “You won’t regret this.” He offered.

Bob shook her head. “Too late.”

The foursome headed to the item shop in town and Stygian’s metallic laughter echoed off the buildings.

University of Console Heroics: Chapter 3

Foster and the rest of the students are sitting in rows on the floor of the Intro to Energy classroom. Each of them attempting to mimic the pose and breathing patterns of their teacher Cynthia sitting on the floor facing them at the front of the room. Foster is the only one with his eyes open, awkwardly looking around the room at all the serenity he is clearly not feeling. He looks up at his teacher, her eyes also closed, she takes a deep breath in, and slowly exhales.

“Ok everyone.” She alerted the room with her eyes still closed. Foster shut his tight quickly so as not to stand out when she opened hers. “That’s enough for today. You can open your eyes and relax now.” 

The class including Foster opened their eyes and relaxed their sitting positions. “For class Wednesday I would like you all to work on your breathing. Three seconds in, and three seconds out. The point is learning to control your natural instincts, the fun flashy stuff come later. Are there any questions?” She asked stretching out her legs. The class remained quiet. “All right then, good first day, I’ll see you all on Wednesday.”

The students move quickly to gather their things up and leave the room. Cynthia is in no such hurry. Foster stretches his legs out folds himself in half. Cynthia looks over, then decides to get up and sit in front of him. Foster sits back upright and sees Cynthia sitting in front of him. “Sorry, I’ll get out of here.”

Cynthia shakes her head. “No you’re fine, it’s not like you were doing much in the way of meditation during class, a little extra practice will be good for you.” She moved her legs back into sitting cross legged.

Foster copied her awkwardly. “I didn’t really think the basics of fighting were going to be sitting in silence and breathing, no offense.” He verbally stumbled over his thoughts.

Cynthia smiled a little. “None taken. Sitting in silence and breathing is hard for many people because they have spent their entire lives controlling things through physical force.” She closed her eyes and this time Foster copied her. Letting his visual awareness of the room and of Cynthia transfer to his ears and his nose. “Hitting, kicking, screaming, yelling, taking up space and making sure people know it.” She continued at a measured and calm pacing, almost hypnotically. “Self-control and self-awareness are forms of mental control, two forms of control that many people and many Combat Studies majors have a very hard time learning to wield.”

Foster was finally starting to relax, his breathing was still an uneven ragged mess but he felt less awkward just sitting with his eyes actually closed. “You make it sound like brute force is inherently weaker than mental prowess.” He stated.

“Not weaker, just enslaved. All biological life is enslaved to their own mind.” She opened and eye and looked at Foster who legitimately still had his eyes closed and was trying intensely to count three second breathing windows silently to himself. She closed her eye. “For what is brute strength but the will of the mind made manifest by your body.”

Foster lost his count. “So, like, I am my own worst enemy.”

Cynthia smiled. “But with proper training you have to potential to be your strongest and most loyal ally.” She opened her eyes, so did Foster. She got up and walked over to her bag.

Foster put his left shoe on. “Oh! Um, so, do you know Dean Thompson?” He asked with all the awkwardness back in his voice.

Cynthia zipped up her bag. “Used to.” She offered. “He, stopped talking to me a while ago.” 

Foster contemplates this as he shoved his right foot into his sneaker. Then stands up and grabs his bag. “Hey, um, I really appreciate the extra help and everything.” They stopped at the door. “But if you don’t mind me asking why he would tell me to say hi to you for him if he has been ignoring you?” The question rushed awkwardly out of his mouth.

“If you need to know so badly, ask him. I haven’t gotten anything useful from his answering machine.” She said bitterly.

“Sorry, it’s really none of my business.” He apologized.

She shook her head. “He’s the dick for using you as a messenger. You can’t exactly mind your own business when someone is actively shoving your face in theirs”

Foster shrugged his shoulders as he Followed Cynthia out of the room and shut of the lights before the door closed.

Shades of Justice: Chapter 7

Raptarus couldn’t see or smell anything. He could feel his body floating in this place that lacked both gravity and light.

“Raptarus” A voice filled the darkness.

“Who said that?” he asked, pointlessly scanning the all-encompassing void.

“I Did.” The voice was everywhere and nowhere all at once.

“And who are you?” He asked, beginning to get annoyed.

“I am the nightmare of possibility that exists just beyond the edge of every light in the universe.” The voice did not echo, it was just there, even and ever present. His annoyance gave way to the slight chill of fear.

“Stygian.” He whispered.

“So, you have heard of me.” The voice seemed pleased.

“I cannot imagine there is a living warrior who has not heard the only name on the lips of death.” Raptarus offered reverently.

“And what would a warrior give to swear fealty to that name?” The question settled into an empty space in Raptarus’s heart that he had never known or even dreamed existed.

“I would die to serve the hand of darkness.” Raptarus admitted.

“That you have already done I require, more.” The voice demanded.

“I would bring you the heads and hearts of all those would stand against you.” Raptarus offered.

“This would please me greatly.” Stygian admitted.

“Then it shall be done.” Raptarus bowed but realized it was pointless in the darkness.

“Do agree so quickly. I Require the shattered remnants of Lumarion. Extinguish the light that guides others to peace and prosperity.” Stygian demanded.

“Gladly my lord.”

“This is no easy task. I expect you to fail pathetically before I arrive.”

Raptarus clenched his unseen fist. ‘I will see the Shades of Justice and Lumarion dead with my own eyes!”

“That is impossible. One of your eyes belongs to me now. But in its plae you will find possibility. Darkness so black you can call upon the void for nearly anything you might want to accomplish your task.” Stygain offered.

“With this weapon, I shall sunder the earth.” Raptarus yelled at the void.

“I didn’t say it wouldn’t hurt.” Stygian amended.

There was no telling how far Raptarus’s screams made it into the void as Stygian implanted the shard of possibility into his now empty eye socket.

Blood and Profit: Chapter 33

Connor checked the synchronization status between the bio computer and the rest of the ship a final time. Once it passed thirty three percent anything that went wrong would mean a catastrophic failure in the bio computer and another two years to grow a replacement. The sync status showed thirty seven percent. He took a deep breath and not for the first time missed the physical presence of his nanobot generator.

“Sir, team one has secured the landing bay.” One of the other twenty four members of his personally selected team announced.

Connor pushed off from the wall he was resting against and made his way over to the other side of the computer bay. He felt around the wall until he a panel lit up. “Thank god for sloppy corporate oversight.” He sighed with relief. He pulled his right suit glove off and placed his hand on the panel. It scanned his hand and the extremely well disguised door slid open revealing a maintenance hallway. He floated in zero gravity as his team went through the door into the artificial low gravity of the hall. Once they were through he passed through as well and the door closed behind him.

Every member of the team removed their suits to reveal tactical gear. Within a few minutes each of the newly revealed soldiers were assembled into four teams of six people. Their helmets had visors with heads up displays that showed them the way to the battleships bridge.

Connor had placed an arm band around his bicep that injected him with nanobots at the required intervals. He took the offered pistol from the leader of the squad he would be traveling with throughout the ship. He then quickly turned to the rest of the men. “With Laborite soldiers on the ship we’re moving to plan C. You all know your targets and goals, be smart, stay safe, shoot to kill.”

The men nodded and exited the maintenance hallway, splitting off in different direction to secure choke points along the route from the landing bay to the bridge and decrease any resistance. He and his team turned into a major hallway that they were planning on taking to the bridge and discovered an entrenched group of Laborite soldiers. He ducked back down the side hallway he had come out of along with two of the soldiers, one had taken a very powerful suppression bolt to the face and was dragged by his unconscious hand into the safety of the opposite side of the hallway by the other two members of the unit. “I need reinforcements in the primary command hallways follow my teams path and you’ll come up right behind us, there’s a group of at least six soldiers behind combat barriers and we need to clear them out.”

The channel wasn’t silent for long. “Bravo team is closest, we’ll double back.” Bravo team lead confirmed.

Connor switched channels until Rusty’s name came up with a countdown timer next to it. “Rusty we’ve been delayed, we’re going to be five or so minutes late getting to the bridge.” Connor alerted him.

Rusty’s voice came through along with what sounded like an warning alarm in the background. “You made it onto the ship, the timeline only really matters for everything except securing the ship.” Connor

“Unless we’re forced to move to plan B.” Connor pointed out.

Even with the alarms in the background Rusty sounded calmer than Connor expected “Lets worry about plan B if and when we get to plan B.”

Lidarion: Chapter 2

Bernard had cleaned himself up and changed into a tunic and pants that were more formal in nature and less covered with dirt. He made his way down the steps but was stopped by the conversation that he overheard happening on the first floor. Squints was discussing the trip with his sister and Trent.

“It’s long past time Brooke. For this and many other things to come to an end.” Squints stated with sadness in his voice.

“And what do we do if the truth returns everything back to the way it was?” She asked worry in her voice.

“The truth may not be the best option, but nothing can turn back time now. We have to deal with the way things are. And as unpleasant as it will be, I think Squints is right.” Trent offered.

“It would be less unpleasant if you didn’t decided this all needed to happen on a road trip to the other side of the planet.” Brooke pointed out.

Bernard was confused, he had no clue what ‘truth’ they could be talking about and whatever it was had to relate to him, and Squints had offered to take him on his trip to the Minotaur cliff city.

“Brooke I’m not saying you shouldn’t be a part of this process. I just think he’ll need proof, and some time to let it all sink in.”

Bernard couldn’t stand it any longer and came around the corner. “Let what sink in?” He asked nonchalantly.

Brooke was holding back tears and forcing a smile on her face. “That you’re not my baby brother anymore.” She explained.

Bernard returned the fake smile. “I haven’t been your baby brother in a long time, not that I can remember but just based off my age you had to have given up this “baby brother” thing years ago.” 

He pointed out.

She got up and gave him a genuine hug. “We may be adults now, but you’ll always be my baby 

brother, and I will always love you.” He returned he hug which lasted longer than any of their other hugs that he could remember.

“Brooke I’m going to be gone for the summer, not the rest of my life.” He pointed out. She reluctantly let go of him and made her way into the kitchen.

“Yeah well. Neither if you is leaving till the morning, Dinner will be ready soon and I want to hear all about the darkest night celebration in the capitol.

Bernard listened along with Trent and Brooke as Squints regaled them with tales of the winter festival from their previous home. The food and the performances, the fireworks and the nightly celebrations of dance and song. He knew that there was more than just the sadness of temporary distance in his sisters heart and the fact that he could think of nothing but his own lack of memory as the cause or some form of symptom of that sadness worried him.

They ate dinner together and talked of old times. They told stories that Bernard had no real memory of but had heard so many times he could recite whole sections of them himself. He had initially been excited about his impending adventure with his friend, but try as he might he was unable to shake the feeling that his entire life would never been the same come tomorrow morning.

The Xp; Chapter 2

It’s a busy day in Finderal. A large city built around the player economy. At the very center of the city sat a large fountain depicting the three characters that started Finderal when the game was a text based Multi User Dungeon. Bob sat down and pulled her Sabertaur off her back. The combination of guitar and giant sword was slightly taller than she was if she stood next to it but she played it with a level of skill that made the imposing size of it disappear. Another player logged into the game sitting next to her. “I really appreciate you coming back Stygian..” She said without stopping her song.

The other player was hidden under layers of black and blue armor. “I was getting bored with real life.” Stygian replied.

Bob stood and slung her Sabertaur on her back again. “Do want to check your bags or need to do anything else to get familiarized with the game?”

Stygian stood up and shook his head in the negative. “No, let’s get going. If I start rummaging through my bags it’ll take me weeks just to figure out what’s worth anything anymore.”

Bob nodded and made her way out of the center of the city. Stygian followed. “Blackout’s meeting us at the dungeon entrance.”

Stygian laughed. “That fool is still around?”

Bob nodded. “And leveled half a dozen characters.”

The crowds were thick as they made their way through the scrolls and potions district. “so why the rush all of a sudden?” Stygian asked.

Bob was shoving people nearly twice her size out of her path. “Blackout’s got and acquaintance, who has a roommate that’s a data miner. He found the stats for a series of weapons in the expansion that’s about to come out that use nothing but old world materials.”

They cleared the scrolls and potions district and were now on the outskirts of town. Once they had finally put some distance between them and Finderal. Stygian continued their conversation. “Am I missing the part where this isn’t just sliding for dollars?” he asked slightly annoyed.

Bob turned around to clarify face to face. “LOTS of dollars.” She held her hands out wide as if describing an impossibly large fish. “Orb’s of questionable sanity are required for each one of these new weapons and this dungeon drops them like they are going out of style.”

Stygian pointed at something behind Bob. “Same shit different day, eh Bob?” Torcano asked.

Bob turned around angry and annoyed. “Jeez B.O. did you even try to fight him?” She demanded of her friend who was sitting defeated on the ground.

Blackout pointed at Torcano. “He snuck up on me, and my name is Blackout not B.O”

Bob shrugged. “Coulda fooled me, cause you stink.”

Stygian shook his huge armored head. “You two fight like an old married couple.”

Torcano looked at him in pleasant surprise. “Stygian! It’s been so long…I hardly recognized you!” he laughed.

Stygian shrugged his huge armored shoulders. “I’ve lost weight.” He offered. As they fist bumped.

Torcano turned his attention back to Bob and Blackout. “All right then, who tipped you of about the orbs?” he asked, looking intensely in Blackout’s direction.

“The…matriarch?” Blackout offered hesitantly.

Torcano shook his head. “Uh huh, sure she did. No matter, it’s an easy fix. I wouldn’t bother farming them here from now on. I dropped the percentages back down to a more reasonable level.

Bob kicks at the dirt. “It really gonna be like that?” She asked.

Torcano nodded. “Sorry Bob, it’s my job.”

She glared up at him. “Being a dick is NOT your job.” She accused.

He smiled right back at her. “Always the silver tongue.” He turned his attention to Stygian. “I’d say welcome back but you were gone for nearly two years, been back almost twenty minutes and you already got wrapped up with these two, might want to think about finding new people to play with my friend.” Torcano offered before he waved his hand and disappeared in a flash of light.

Blackout stood up and brushed himself off “well, now what?” He asked.

Bob thought about it for a second and then perked up. “Sea of ever burning fury?” She offered.

“The sea of what?” Stygian asked.

“Oh man! Wait till you see this place, the artists really out did themselves!” She started heading off in the direction of the sea.

Stygian and Blackout followed. “Any good gear for a Ruffian in the sea?” Stygian asked.

Blackout nodded. “The gauntlets of eternal rage.” He answered.

Bob turned around and talked to them while walking backwards. “Oh yeah! Those drop off the magma squid!” She waved her arms in an attempt to interpret the squid, making both Blackout and Stygian laugh.