Prologue


February 3rd 2059, the court room was metallically chilling with an eeriness that overwhelmed the 19 year old Will Johnson. This wasn’t your usual court case, a representative from every country sat behind the judge facing a stage with projection equipment, it was a trial to allow the online gaming fad ‘Inverse’ to continue in it’s usual business. As a 40 something Steve McField was taking the floor flipping through slideshows and explaining the detail of the safety features of real-consciousness gaming, Will Johnson zoned out and thought how he was once an avid fan of this game, he would play with his friends after school, upload his consciousness into the game and enter its virtual reality platform and become something he could never be in his real-life. He day dreamed about the different worlds he would visit, the different people he would interact with, the creatures he would battle furiously with and the friends he was so close with, it wasn’t long before the nightmarish events of April 17th 2057 creeped there way in.

“… The process is not dangerous, the consciousness doesn’t leave the body, it’s an illusion” Steve McField said. Will winced at the sound of his corporate like voice.
“‘Not dangerous’... It’s not a phrase I would use, after what happened.” The judge looked like she was going to shush Will’s small outburst but she had seen the hurt and pain on his face to make her mallet relax in her hand.
“Your right. How rude of me, safer is more appropriate.” Steve McField said in his cold corporate tone as he and Will share a pause, eyes locked in an animalistic like fashion. The pause becomes borderline awkward before Steve McField goes back to the presentation, a few pictures and diagrams pass as he talks more and more about the safety features of the game, how the player can not die in real life, when the character in the game is killed the player will become logged out of the game and wake up sitting in front of a computer monitor where they can speak to their guild members if the battle is still on-going or finished. However most of the features Will had heard all before, when the game had been released 7 years prior to 2057, it was also safe then.

“Please forgive me, Mr McField, I have never used this game before, but...” The judge took a few breathes to piece her train of thought together. “But if the player can feel everything as you say, touch, smell and so forth, what about the unpleasantries, pain? Hate?” Steve McField was about to answer the question but the judge had more to say, she opens her palm towards him to silence him. “What I’m getting at Mr McField, as you say the player can not die from using it, but can the player be tortured perhaps?”
Steve looks back at her with a wide smile, Will scowls in thought on whether Steve was being smug or generally amused.
“The player can feel pain so the game is fair, but because the pain is not real it can be measured and diluted, for example imagine a funnel, the funnel holds x amount of water, that water represents being tortured with fire, when it passes through the funnel, that fire will feel like a small prick.”
The judge looks confused by this, the technical aspect clearly goes over her head.
“So let’s say, in the game someone wanted to cut my little finger off, what would I feel?” The judge asks to try and get a clear cut answer.
“A mere tug.” Steve replies, with a smile, definitely smug.
“And if I cut myself on a tree?”
“You would feel that, it has be extreme intense pain to be funneled.”
Will grimaces with disgust at Steve McField’s words. Will who had once loved the game, now hated the game with every little bit of passion in him. On April 17th 2057, it was meant to be a routine play, in fact it was slightly different, as guild leader, he accepted a ‘newbie’ that day into his guild of seven. The guild were going to teach him the ways of the game, but it turned into a twisted nightmare, the memories he has are now lined with death, pain and fear as he imagines the scared faces of not only his guild but the millions of people he had saved that day, and the millions of people that had died, in real life, that day was no illusion.

“Can the player experience all the feelings sexual arousal?” The judge says in a harsh stern voice, but it wasn’t enough to break out a little chuckle within the court.
“Yes you would feel that.” Steve replies in a shared chuckle.
“I don’t find this funny Mr McField, this is a serious issue on mental health, pedophilia.”
“No more and no less then the internet causes anyway, however children under 16 are protected.”
“Why 16?”
“16 is the average age of consent internationally.” Steve gives off a sense of boredom with grilling, he had been through all of this before.
“And what about societies that are a little over 16.”
“With all due respect your honor, we know teenagers have sex regardless of law, don’t you think it would be better that its in a safe environment where they can’t get hurt or contract a disease?”
The judge didn’t expect that response, and she seemed stomped to continue.
“May I speak your honor?” Will says sensing her defeat.
“You may.”
“Steve, you can claim that everything is safer, but it doesn’t change the past, 3 million at out of approximately 4.5 million in that game died that day. That was no illusion.” He almost spits the statement at him.
“I thank you Will. For what you did that day, it required courage. But can one establishment really hold this burden of grudge on it’s back, if that’s true, surely the white people of America can still be punished for black slavery. Forget forgiveness, let’s just ruin the light of the future with the darkness of the past?” Bitterness seeps through Steve’s eyes towards to Will.
“I don’t blame your company Steve, but if you experienced what I witnessed on that day. I don’t believe you would want to keep this going. It’s like resurrecting the Titanic and claiming the unsinkable all over again, but it wont be long till it hits an iceberg.”
Steve scoffs at Will’s comparison, however the audience and even the judge herself seem to be in a thoughtful trance.
“Oh please Will, you don’t even have any reason to be here, you’re not a judge or a lawyer.” Steve raised his voice, and the judge is lift her mallet, ready to strike, she can sense what’s going to happen.
“Don’t you dare tell me I don’t have a reason. You were not logged in! I spent 20 hours in that game, watching people die, my friend die and feeling every bit of pain and you have the cheek to stand there and call it illusions. Well before you even think about claiming how safe and it all mind tricks, you can find 3 million graves and millions of liters of blood on your hands to prove you wrong!”


Inverse Introduction.

Inverse™ is a MMORPG, it is the first game to ever take your consciousness inside the game. The Inverse™ headset sends electrical pulses into your brain (similar to how your nerves communicate), so you see and experience how your Avatar see’s and experiences. Contrary to popular belief your consciousness does not leave your body.

Game Rules:

In ‘General World’ There are a set of laws which must be followed, you can find GeneralWorldLaw.pdf online. You may be reminded that any type of physical harassment is strictly prohibited in General World and it is neutral ground for all Guilds.
In other worlds, the laws are set by the creator but still have to abide by the ‘Laws Of The Game’.
Laws Of The Game:

3.1. Any type of malicious verbal harassment with the intent to personally offend and bully will not be tolerated. Including but not limited to, the race/nationality of the player.

3.2. Gaming Battle should be fair and in spirit of the game. Plotting and killing with the intent to personally offend and bully will not be tolerated. Including but not limited to, the race/nationality of the player.

3.3. Sexual harassment of any sort will not be tolerated.

3.4. Stalking and Physical harassment will not be tolerated.

3.5. Minors under 12 can not battle with children over 12 years of age.

3.6. Minors are up to the age of 15. 16 years and over are Majors.

3.7. Majors have a limited battling equipment when battling with Minors and should use appropriate language. Blood and Gore should automatically be replaced by a side health-bar when battling with a Minor present.

3.8. Inverse Inc. Have the legal obligation to prosecute any Major that commits the crimes of 3.1,2,4, and/or 7 towards a Minor.

Due to the majority nature of the game it is recommended for Majors and Minors to be in separate guilds. However family guilds are welcomed, and there places to accommodate these guilds.
Before playing the game, please read the “Safety Features and Procedures” and the “T&C”, when you log on for the first time you agree to have read both of the above.
Gaming should not be taken too seriously and it is recommended to be logged in no more than 4 hours at a time. After 6 hours you are automatically logged out for healthy and safety purposes.
As your body is in a sleep state, you may wake due to outside interference. Although this is completely safe and natural, it maybe disorientating, choose a quiet and low lighted room for game playing.
Inverse™ is a place for fun and fantasy. Enjoy your time and do not take gaming life to seriously.


Chapter 1: You N00b!

2057 April 14th - Three days till the incident.


My body is flying, no, fleeing. The wind against my skin is cold but I block all of that out. I am running so inhumanly possible, but it feels natural. The rocky uneven buildings, the cobbled streets and the strong smell of wet limestone seem a mere blur. Only one thing is in my sight. The one thing that is not blurry, the dark figure in front of me twisting and turning as it runs through the streets similar to a french mountain town.
“He’s a fast bugger!” I shout.
“Don’t worry dude, we will get him, no ones gonna piss on our parade” Ray says slightly behind me to the left. Randeep and Coleen also running behind me. I am the fastest out of our guild, also the strongest, kind of sad actually if you think about it. I’ve played this game way to much, but how could you not. Everything you ever wanted just a click away. It’s not real but it sure as hell feels like it.

We, my guild, of a usual six but Rachel was having some family time and Brett had given us the cold shoulder for unknown reasons, had been chasing the dark figure for the best part of fifteen minutes and I have had enough. With one swift action I send a smokey blue ball forms in my hand, the power surges from my shoulder, sending the muscles down my fore arm to tingle when it eventually leaves and shoots at the dark figure with full force knocking him to the ground. In less than a second I am there by his side, my knees knelt on the cobbled streets, Ray and the other two stop to a halt. I am close enough to paralyze the dark figure with the magic that I have left. One hand hovering above him to keep him down and my other hand ready to lift his head off the ground. I do so, and what stares back at us is some sort of demonic creature, with stanley-knife teeth and dark yellow eyes with no pupil, his skin is black and scaly. A custom job. The player had obviously created this design himself and it suited the scenery perfectly, we were in a town of the Obturiness world, a demonic gothic world. The oversized moon shone a plastic gray over the creatures face. Ray grimaced at the sight of it, Randeep un-intelligently spoke “Wow dude, ugly’d.”
I slowly lift some of my paralyzing skills, lowering from his torso downwards so his mouth and head were in full use.
“Why are you sending us threats?” I said, maybe a bit to harsh, but this guy had been annoying the hell out of us, sending us taunts and threats, he’s a newbie for goodness sake!
“I was told to, the vampires said if I did this I can be part of their clan.” His voice sounded a little hysterical.
“Tell us which vampires? or we will kill you!” Ray said in his jock-like fashion and stance.
“Ray stop it, leave it out he’s new.” Sometimes it was harsh to be new, people here got a power-surge, you’d be killed within three minutes and your money stolen and when you haven’t experienced it before, it was very… disorientating. “You don’t need to be scared mate, it’s not real remember, you can confirm which clan asked you to do this, but I have a feeling you don’t need to.” One certain vampire clan have been after us for a while. They are minors, and laughable by all means Vampires don’t have the best of reputations considering the majority were minors and minors didn’t have the luxury of full HD gore, but a cheesy looking health bar clinging to their sides like an embarrassing school uniform you had to wear every day. This clan is strong for their age, but not strong enough, they are just cocky little bastards.

“Are they the sparkle marble kind? or the stake in the heart kind?” Randeep asked.
“Stake in heart kind.” He said, much calmer.
“Yay. Classico old school’d” Randeep replied. He’s into the whole gamer speech, own’d, pwn’d, n00b, LPB low-ping bastard (no idea what it means either, something about connection) and anything else that is a acronym, words containing letters or ending in ‘d. I caught my breath as my whole body jumped, I suddenly felt this weird numb tugging push threw my stomach, an uncomfortable, painless but very common feeling here in Inverse. I looked down and there was a glowing sword stabbed nicely and snug into my stomach. My face was shocked then I turned my head to the creature, my emotions turned into slight amusement slight anger.
“You mother - “

My eyes were harder to open this time, dry throat uncomfortable and my clothes felt slightly damp from sweat. I gathered my bearing in my low-lit bedroom, it’s a plain bedroom with a few film posters, a half empty book shelf and a double bed in the center. The sounds of Ray, Randeep and Coleen’s shouting and splurging raided my ears badly, a small pain started to develop in my forehead.
“Damn that newb!” I shouted towards the screen, squinting.
“Guys, shut up!” My voice was all deep and groggy. Logging out of Inverse felt like waking up after a afternoon nap, you were hot, wet, and unapproachably cranky. It takes a minute or two to bring your thoughts together and to realize what you are looking at on-screen and what you are hearing. I can see that the creature was either logged out or killed, and only Ray was left.
“Ray? Come on log out. Did you kill him?”
“Totally!” A certain glee omitted from his voice, then his avatar disappeared off-screen leaving the usual message “No guild members logged in. See chat window.”
“You got newb’d and Ray toats killed that, thing.” Randeep’s voice also groggy and slow.
“I can’t believe he came at me after you, Will, I mean what am I the weakest or something? It is it because I am a girl?” Coleen spoke. I turned to chat window to bring up there webcams. Coleen had perfectly straight shoulder length auburn hair, she is very petite and innocent looking and very pale skin, her and Rachel always seem to look so well presented. Compared to Ray who was just opening his eyes, he’s short and stocky with black rough spiky hair and latino-like features, and Randeep, who is indian, with black scruffy hair a squared jaw and puny compared to Ray.
“I don’t think it’s because you are girl sweety.” Randeep said in response to Coleen. One thing I forgot to mention, Randeep and Coleen are boyfriend and girlfriend. It’s not some weird online relationship were actually a local guild, were in the same senior year at high school, bar Brett who is actually at college.
“And where was my night in shining armor hmm?” Coleen said half sarcasm half anger.
“OK, that’s my cue to leave you two to your domestic see you both at school tomorrow.” Me, Randeep and Coleen planned to meet at lunch and said our byes, I was pretty sure Ray went back to sleep, but he wouldn’t plan to meet anyway.

My name is Will Johnson and seventeen years old. I have dirty blonde short hair, I’m average height, blue eyes, I like to consider myself muscly but I am not stocky, more of a soccer muscly then rugby. Originally I’m from Birmingham, England, my accent is far from your usual london-stereotype, most people frown when I say England instead of some random european country. I came to the small town of Coatland, Ohio three years ago when my mum got offered a job here. We fitted in pretty well, mum made friends easily, dad loves to drink - he’s not an alcoholic but Ohio people are similar to the British with their drinking habits. My school in birmingham had completely different cliques so I guess I never really got pulled into a clique I was more of a floater, friends with everyone type of guy. Randeep is your average geek, always chatting crap you don’t understand sometimes makes you feel uncomfortable but he has a good sense of humor. Coleen is the cheerleader but she doesn’t have the stereotypical mind of a cheerleader, she is actually quite clever and a secret geek, that major classic Star Wars being her ultimate guilty pleasure, she is one of the few people that can really understand what Randeep talks about. Ray is the head jock in school, he doesn’t tend to speak to us at school, likes to keep Inverse separate to reality. It’s not like he’s trying to hide it, everyone in school plays the game, and our guild don’t have a custom look, we use are own image.

I was walking from Chemistry into the lunch room to be called over by Rachel sitting with Coleen and Randeep, another member of our guild, Rachel; she has brunette hair, blue eyes and is a serious athlete in the girls soccer team. Sitting next to Coleen’s petite body, she looked unusually bigger, but she wasn’t she was just extremely curvy and toned with a perfect bright wide smile, I wouldn’t say no to catch a glimpse at her in a bikini. I sat with them eating my cheeseburger as Coleen picked at a salad, Rachel was chewing on her cheesecake (she has a major sweet tooth), Randeep had already finished his lunch, he eats probably twice his body weight in food but still stands slim.
“Ray say anything to you?” Rachel asked me.
“When?” I asked.
“Today?” She said as if the ‘Of course’ was in implied.
“What do you think? Course he didn’t the only time Ray speaks to me in school is when he asks me answers to the question ‘Write a short story’ in creative writing workshops.” Ray is more of the practical type, he’s not all there, he excels at sports, theatre and art, unlike most of us who excel academically me, me excelling in Psychology and Biology.
“I think he’s going to surprise you today.”
“Why? What aren’t you telling me?” I asked suspicious. She just smiles.
“Oh, no. You can find out for yourself, but, I’ll just say, take it easy, and don’t say no straight away.”
“Is it going to make me angry?” I hate this, Rachel is always doing this, giving little tidbits of information, it drives me crazy, why can’t she be blunt!
“No, not angry.”
“Fine.” I say half assed, can’t be bothered with Rachel’s games but as soon as I turn my head to see Randeep and Coleen eating each others face Rachel’s games seem that more appealing.
As I look at Rachel, and admire her beauty, I start feel nervous, in the game, it’s different were generally busy but outside when we talk I feel more and more attracted to her. A few times I was close to telling her how much I liked her, but I just couldn’t, I think I am actually terrified. Girls terrify me, what if she rejects me, what if she just laughs in my face and calls me a freak. In first few weeks that I moved girls couldn’t get away from me, the new british boy with a strange accent was obviously appealing. Every break we had I would be asked ‘How do you say this?’ ‘How do you say that?’ now that it has died down. Hardly any girl had flirted with me, or at least I don’t think they have. How the hell are you supposed to know nowadays, unless there putting themselves on a plate for you.
“Your birthday soon, looking forward to it!” Rachel asked me in excitement I couldn’t help but smile back.
“Kinda.” I lied, I wasn’t at all, it was depressing. The few friends from England I kept in contact with are already eighteen, and enjoying the alcoholic nightlife.
“Oh come on! Turning eighteen is a milestone!”
“Not here it’s not. I wish I was in England enjoying my Eighteenth properly getting pissed off head dancing like a twat in some random bar at 4am in the morning.” I sounded a bit harsh. Rachel ignores it with a big smile.
“Oh, so Ohio doesn’t do it for ya, huh?”
“No I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I know how you meant it, to be honest if I was you, I’d feel pissed.” She laughs out loud at her self. “See what I did there?” Not really.
“Oh, yeah” I chuckle back.

My birthday is in two days, April 17th. No idea, what I am going to do, with thoughts of trying to get hold of some sort of drink, but that’s not easy in a small town, and american police are much harsher than english, $1,000 fine is not something I would like to pay out. another part of being in America that bites me in the ass, It’s illegal to drink under 21, it’s only illegal to buy under 18 in UK, you can still drink it in the home from the tender age of 5. I shudder at the thought of a 5 year old drinking a cold beer, and before I knew it my thoughts were back onto Rachel as I thought more into what to do about my birthday, unsure as to whether to hold a party or not. Before I realized it, it was the end of the day and the last bell signaled for us to leave.

“Will?” Ray’s voice peers from behind me. I shut my locker after already grabbing the things I need to take home.
“Ray, unusual to be speaking to your best mate in school?” I tried to sound normal but how could you be, what normal doesn’t speak to there mate in school.
“Dude, don’t be pissed you know my reasons, I don’t mix things, school isn’t socializing for me, it’s for -”
“You to build up your skills as much as possible.” I interrupted.
“It’s not like I got anything going for me so I have to put all my energy into sports and acting.”
“It’s OK seriously, what’s up anyway?”
We walk down the hall towards the exit.
“It’s Jamie, he wants to join our guild.”
“A newbie, no way.” I sound harsh, and this is going to seem arrogant but we have spent ages building up our guild to what it is now, three years of achievement and adding a newbie can seriously ruin that.
“Listen. He’s got no one else, I feel quite bad for him. Please, just give him a chance, were like strong as hell, if he messes up, we still win.”
“What if he messes up badly?” Now I know what Rachel meant, don’t say no straight away, think about.
“He’s learning from the best, he will be slow but he wont make major mistakes.”
“Stop blowing your own trumpet.” I laugh.
“Being the best I meant you, come on man, just give him a chance.”
We reach outside and it was pouring down with rain. I could feel the cold rain seep into my clothes quickly.
“Fine, give me a lift home and I’ll say yeah.”
“Awesome!”


My guild of six, is now a guild of seven, Me: Will Johnson, Ray Pallamino, Randeep Singh, Coleen Berlinger, Rachel Dunst, Brett Howard and now Jamie Krecziminski.


Inverse FAQ:

Does your Avatar need feeding?
Optional, you can choose to feed your character whenever you feel like, or you can have it as an official need for your character, for example, those living a ‘Inverse’ in ‘General World; would like it as realistic as possible, whereas those characters in the ‘Argon World’ food isn’t as obtainable, thus hunger is not needed. Same goes for toiletry needs.

Can you be healed in game?
Like many other games, healing is possible, but instead of clicking a button, you actually drink the potions to recover energy losses, magic and health. Just call the command and name of the item for example: ‘Inventory Energy Potion” and it will appear in your free hand or at your feet.


Chapter 2: A Minor Enemy

2057 April 15th - Two days till the incident.


The cafe was busy, full of different types of people and creatures from all over the Inverse world. It had a warm terra-cotta feeling to it with italian paintings and little bits of antiques. Me and Ray sat there scrutinizing the menu, Ice-creams, milkshakes, toasties and even the odd Health Cocktail, the best thing about Inverse, it all tastes amazing, and it looks like perfection, and you scoff down as much crap as possible and you will never gain weight or feel bloated (if you turned off the Food meter in Character Settings). The nice waitress came to our table, she was a computer personality, a character in Inverse who isn’t human controlled.
“Would you like to order?” She said in a perfect tone controlled english. Definitely a computer personality, her was too defined.
“Yeah, can we have the new york cheese cake and…” I said turning to Ray.
“Caesar Salad please” Ray said.
“Caesar salad? Seriously?” I said as the waitress went off behind the counter.
“What? I like the creamy cheese dressing.” He said defensively.
“Fair enough.”
I suddenly felt anxious waiting for the vampire to arrive. I don’t know why, this clan are beyond annoying. They seriously grate on me, with their constant “We will own you” messages and now sending newbies to poke at us even more. What the hell is there problem? Vampires have this certain reputation, for being mainly young and basically, stupid. Vampires were easy to kill, quick stake the heart, being a vampire you have to feed off other characters, which meant there hunger meter was always against them. Where as us don’t need to.

Were Nomads by the way. We do not have a specific world were attached to, no specific type of powers. We build our own strengths and weaknesses and buy and develop our own skills and powers. We do have our own house on an island out in the sea in the ‘General World’ you have to take a ship to the portlands, a set of exclusive islands for the rich, from ‘New New York City’ and fly four minutes from there. Portlands have a teleporting guard so that no one can enter the land, but it also affects us meaning we can’t teleport there, but it beats getting robbed. We have a reputable status among Inverse, not in all of it’s worlds of course, but not just anyone messes with us. Which obviously we were suspicious about these vampires, there just maybe puppets to a bigger plan. Being so reputable we are subject to such plots, with also the added bonus of being rich as hell in Inverse, spending the last four hours in the Inverse Multi World Market gaining almost four million in Cretchins (Inverse currency).

Mine and Ray’s beeper went off in sync. The beeper is to tell us that we had one hour to go before being automatically logged out. A six-hour real-time limit is put onto every single player in Inverse, for health and safety of course, it’s a proven fact that when you play this game you can sleep for longer before your body naturally wakes you up, someone had slept playing this for p to 56 hours, naturally the limit was enforced to keep our physical bodies healthy.
“This bitch best hurry up.” Ray mumbled after switching off the beeper.
As soon as he switched it off, a tall woman with long blonde hair, bright red eyes and extremely pale skin sat down opposite us in the booth. She was a little younger than us, that’s if she used her own image, and not a custom.
“Guys.” she stated, widening her eyes, I couldn’t help but hold back a smile at the cliche tone of her voice. You gotta love the vampires, they provide some sort of entertainment at least. A young guy probably of the same age, again pale skin but with short spiky brown hair sat next to her. His face was so stereotypically harsh, like he was going to pounce at us any second… Twat.
“What the fuck do you want? And when do you want to be killed?” Ray said. I tried to silence his anger.
“What is your problem? Do you even know who your dealing with here?” I said.
The girl stared at us again, with a wide-eyed expression.
“I’m so hungry I want to eat them now.” Said in the cheesiest tone along with a manic laugh. Dear lord. Me and Ray could not stop laughing.
“Please take this meeting seriously, or were just going to leave.” I said after calming myself down, the guy obviously took our laughter as an insult judging by his expression, so he should.
“We want to battle you.” The guy spoke, in a more natural tone. Thank god someone here was semi-normal even if he is planning a suicide mission.
“Right, ok. When, where get this over with.”
“Tomorrow.”
“Sure thing, but why may I ask?” I was pretty sure their just cocky and want would like to think they could battle us for more than thirty seconds but you never know if they’re was some kind of coalition between them and another guild that held a grudge.
“Do you know what I am, I am vampire. If I suck your blood, I get to take your power and some of your gold.” The girl spoke, again in a tone that wanted to make me either punch her in the face or laugh.
“Yes we did know that.” Ray said imitated the tone and the wide-eyed expression.
“Well I am very hungry and you two smell so appeasing.” She spoke again, with a manic laugh.
“You can have my caesar salad if you want?” He said bursting into tears of laughter, pushing the plate towards her.
The guy stood up in a swift motion leading to Ray to stand up to squaring up to him face to face.
“You don’t get to insult us twice.” The guy said edging his face closer to Ray.
“I didn’t need to, you insult yourselves.
People around stare at the two, waiting for them to lash out on each other.
“Stop it!” I said, before more trouble started. We can’t fight in General World it’s against the rules, if we do, we can be banned for a certain amount of time. If this fight is happening tomorrow I want Ray there. Ray takes a step back, putting his hands up in surrender.
The guy locks his eyes on to me.
“You may be the patriarch of your guild but not of me.” What a cocky little shit.
“Go on then, punch me. See what happens.”
He stares at me for a while, probably more than he needed to as if he was trying to let me know he was contemplating. Like I’d care whether he was going to punch me or not, see why vampires have are laughed at? It’s all drama with them.

Him and the girl left leaving a napkin with a small note on it, just to prove my point further. Drama freaks. The note was a time and a place, their land in the Obturiness World, Kravoc country, Vassyl. Vassyl is their clan name, they are one of the richest of Vampires, and do have a good set of skills, but no where near to our level. Which makes me wonder, what was their game? Were they really just naive and getting too big for their boots? “I say we log out and come back to Inverse at 11:30 and go to our home and sleep there, so our avatars are fully rejuvenated. Also gives us extra time given the time-code.” I said to Ray as the ship departs from the New New York ports.
“Sure thing. Whats the time-code of Kravoc Country.”
I closed my eyes to bring up a menu of information, like that similar to when you pause a game. With Ray’s question in mind a page of information bursts into mind, it scrolls fast that I can’t keep up before stopping to a halt.
“Time-Code 5:1” I said as I open my eyes.
As world creators deemed the six hour time limit too small, Inverse introduced time-codes, a system were they can digitally speed up or slow down how fast it takes for an hour to pass. 5:1 means every five minutes of gameplay, 1 minute of real-time passes. In the Portlands we also have this, with so much Cretchins under our belts we can afford to have the maximum, 8:1.

We gathered the rest of guild, not including Jamie, he hadn’t yet bought the game and the headset plus it wouldn’t be most practical to thrust him into a battle in his first few days. We logged in and arrived at New New York harbor, New New York was exactly like New York, but much greater, especially at this time of night, the lights were blanket of bright neon rainbow, the non-existent clouds would create a slow rain of tiny fairy light-like silvery twinkling orbs that floated around us slightly illuminating it’s path. Everything in Inverse had a kind of plastic matte look, it wasn’t real-life detail looking but it was close to it, then again it was all graphics and programming it was hard to believe this place was all that, bar the weird and wonderful creatures you would see. There wasn’t a massive cue on the harbor but you felt an edge of claustrophobia when you looked around, the creatures would do that to you, I was standing in front of our guild but in front of me was like green demon-lizard cross with cat-like eyes and a set of spiky horns on it’s head running down it’s bare spine ending in… jeans of all things. To left of me was Rachel typing away on her cell presumably on Second-Chat, the games answer to instant messaging, the plastic like look of the game didn’t do her much justice, she looked better in real-life more natural, her game character would always wear tamed violet eye shadow and matching lipstick to give it an edge.
“When is that ship coming? I’m getting impatient.” Brett said behind me.
“Quit moaning it’s coming soon.” Ray replied before I could.
Brett wasn’t always impatient, he was a happy-go-lucky type of guy, short blondish hair, longer than mine so he could rough it up with gel which made him look like he just got out of bed, however it suited his general college-boy look well, compete with branded hoody and roughed up dirty jeans. Brett has always been, the heartthrob of our guild, he’s gone through how many girlfriends I don’t know, we used to add them to our guild before some of them turned psycho and put a bounty on us, I recall one jumping at me from an alley screaming manically trying to slash my face with a knife (in the game of course). Despite his active relationships it doesn’t seem to phase him, hardly ever cocky nor arrogant and you can sit through hours of conversation with him. His flaws though, never ever answers his phone. You know when some just text you, and you literally give them a call the minute you receive it but they don’t answer, he’s one of them and always bloody late, and it’s getting worse it’s not even coming up to exam time yet.

The cruise ship finally arrived, it’s beyond anything you have ever seen. Cross between an early 1900‘s vintage cruise liner and an arabic palace with a gold outer shell that twinkled ever so subtle in the night. 10 pools, 20 bars, 16 restaurants and a shopping mall that could turn a tom-boy into a high-maintenance princess. As people went to there rooms I went to the keel of the ship, my favorite place. The wind brushed me gently it was my favorite place in the whole world, in real-life and cyber space, in a past life I was a captain of a ship, I was sure of it.

“Hey dude, hows you?” Brett said whilst joining me to lean with me on the railings.
“Yeah good thanks and you?”
“Yeah I’m cool. I need to talk to you.”
“No way if it’s another girlfriend -”
“It’s not that it’s really important.” For the first time I turned to look at him and seen a state of horror on his face.
“What wrong?” I said with concern.
“Back in New New York I think I stumbled across something, blue prints and plans.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know, I got a small look at them before they disappeared out of my hands but at first I thought it was a system upgrade, but they had weird bits of information about when people are logged in. I didn’t actually get a full read, but it was the vibe it gave off.”
I didn’t quite see the urgency, it may of been nothing, but it sounds like an upgrade, maybe plans for a new headset.
“Brett, you’re probably worrying over nothing.”
“Probably, but I don’t know I just got a weird feeling about it, I just wish I could see it again.” I patted his back, mainly for him to snap out of this worry, because his worry was making me nervous, really nervous. Suddenly I felt the need to panic, I tried to calm the need to hyper ventilate and everything started to blur. Run. Run. Run. Run. Run.
“Bromance’d” Randeep said with a smile, snapping me out before I could make a run for it. I realized he was referring to my grip on Brett’s shoulder.
“Sorry.”
“Dude I’m bleeding, I actually think you broken my shoulder.” I looked at his shoulder, in my fit of panic I had gripped his shoulder that hard I had broken it with my hand and pierced the skin, of course, he couldn’t he looked just as horrified as I felt.
“Shit, dude, I can’t move my arm!” He said in a raised cracked voice.
“Inventory - Health Drink.” Sandeep called out, and a small metal flask manifests in his hand passing it to Brett’s abled arm. He downs the drink fast causing his wound to light up in dull silvery way, and then the light diminishes, he moves his arm as if to test it out, and it works of course. I noticed then the facial expression I was carrying, a mortified, crazed young teen.
“What the hell Will?”
Exactly what I was thinking. I started to wonder if the Vampires had anything to do with this, some kind of spell or curse implanted on the blue prints Brett had seen. There was something fishy going on. Brett getting more late, his emotions influencing mine, us both not knowing what is causing them, these bloody Vampires that have been strangly hassling us. Something was up.


Inverse™ FAQ:

How does Time-Codes™ work?
Everything you experience in Inverse™ is psychological activity influenced by digital programming, including time, time in Inverse™ is a program like any other digital clock, thus telling your brain how fast time goes during gameplay. With Time-Codes™ and a World-Creator account or Elite-Guild account you can choose an alternative speed, thus tricking your brain that hours are longer or faster when they are not.


Can you choose to fly instead of walk?
Flying is one of the games best experiences, however again due to the nature of the game goals, flying can not be used as an alternative unless you choose a creature design that travels through flight (Like a bird). Every humanoid characters has a flying-meter. Certain residential areas of the game have a no-flying policy and you will not be able to fly in or to these parts, however roads, ships and airplanes offer the alternative.


Chapter 3: Warning

2057 April 15th - Two days and a half till the incident.


I stood with Brett, Randeep and Coleen at the Portlands Island harbor, it’s a small island, with an exclusive shopping centre and fancy restaurants, the harbor dangles on the edge of the island just outside the Portland gates. We were waiting for Rachel and Ray as they took the opportunity to socialize throughout the thirty minute trip.
“How is your arm?” I asked Brett who stood silently staring at the rest of the passengers coming off the ship. I was pretty sure he was pissed at me.
“It’s fine of course.” He said not acknowledging me.
“Of course, I forget.”
“That this isn’t reality?” Now he acknowledges me.
“Yeah, it’s hard not to.”
“It’s pretty sad when you think about it. Spending most of our time socializing in this god damn game then on the outside world?” His words struck a nerve, when you did really truly think about how much time everyone spent in the game you felt pretty pathetic. I can’t remember the last time I went out bowling, or to the cinema or to a group dinner outside of this world.
“Do you not enjoy it anymore?” I sure as hell did, no matter how pathetic it is, it was exciting, liberating and full of possibilities, I sometimes felt sorry for those who couldn’t afford to experience it’s full potential like we could.
“I enjoy it Will, but it sometimes throws me off how serious it gets.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well a lot of people treat it like real-life or forget that it’s not, and sometimes when we battle it gets into your head all of a sudden nothing else matters but the game, it’s scary how real this place can be. I’m sure tomorrow will remind you of that.” Tomorrow, the big battle with those idiots.
“I’m sure a ten minute battle will feel like nothing.”
My deep train of thought stopped to a wide smile as I seen Rachel and Ray appear out of the crowd walking towards us.
“Ready to go?” They both and we grab the love-crazy couples and join the crowd to enter the gates of Portlands, we can’t fly to our island until we enter Portlands officially, part of the teleport and flying block.

As we enter through the gates passing verification, which is actually just walking through the gates, if you are not a verified home owner or visitor to Portlands trying to walk through is like walking into an invisible wall. We walked to the east side of the island past the shopping center to the edge of the island the water twinkled with a shiny gray and you could make out the small islands in the distance.
“Let’s go!” Ray shouted in enthusiasm and we all took off in flight, just a matter of thought, easy as lifting up your arm. It was a strange weird feeling, like being on a roller-coaster my stomach churned with a weird feeling, not in an over sickly way though, just slightly that it tingled my body. We sometimes had races but not tonight we hadn’t been home in a while. Now and again Ray took the opportunity to dip harshly to break the velvet water into ripples like a dolphin. Nothing could ever beat it in real-life, this was as good as it gets. In the distance we could see our small island, with only about 30 feet of grass land circling our mansion guild hall and a small pristine beach area. The lights were on and it was probably the most inviting house I had ever seen, a brown mocha shell with lighter brown-creamy doors, pillars and windows. It was warm looking and even in the gray night it looked like a perfect summer home.

Landing was not as elegant as flying. You could just stop mid air and lower yourself but wheres the fun in that. Landing in a swift action requires skill and multi-task thinking, I had to lower yourself at a consistent speed whilst trying to move my legs in rhythm of a normal walk so I don’t topple over, in a sudden jolt I landed but tripped, I managed to stable myself and pivot around to watch the rest join. Randeep came too fast and fell flat on his face, obviously the pain wasn’t intensive enough for it to be funneled judging by the wincing on his face. Coleen held him up with one shoulder. I noticed Ray’s eyes go wide and his face tense as he gazed past me.
“What has happened?” Rachel screeched.
I turned around to be faced what they had been staring at. The doors to our beautiful get away, now smashed through, it looked like some had used a sword to completely splinter it, and knowing Inverse, it probably was a sword. The pillars had been defaced with black spray paint branding it “Warning”.
“What in the hell!?” I shouted in anger, knowing full well the facial expression I held was far pleasant.
We all ran in, by this time Randeep had been healed. Inside it used to be a silky cream thick carpet, antique like decor and deep terracotta plastered walls in the hallway, met by grand stairs leading to the bedrooms and bathrooms. To the right of the hallway was a matching living room with a 60inch plasma TV, and a four-piece black leather suite. But now it was a smashed bits and pieces on a black stained carpet with the grand stairs falling apart and slashed sofa’s with a sword.
“The plasma!” Randeep shrieked.
“The plasma? Seriously, what about the grandfather clock, and my swarovski set in the uber expensive cabinet.” Coleen argued. Her beloved set is visibly scattered among the rubble, sparkling under the light.
“I’m more interested and how this or these bastards got into this place?” I said looking around and that’s when I noticed him. Brett. Shying away at that comment, too quickly, very strangely and very very guilty-like as if he had just been grilled by a very pushy lawyer that just hit the sore spot of an alibi. It couldn’t be him? Could it?
Being late all the time, personality change, and the weirdness of cruise ride. I couldn’t help but notice Brett’s sudden extremely suspicious ways.
“Dude why are you staring like that at me? I didn’t do this.” Brett said defensively, a bit too defensively.
“I never blamed you for anything, you got something to hide you seem a bit defensive.” I tensed slightly feeling my body take over in a strong developing anger.
“Will, calm down your shaking, Brett couldn’t of done this.” Rachel grabbed my shoulder, it wasn’t helping, her touch just sent another shiver threw me.
“Will… will…” Randeep said over the murmurs of Ray and Coleen.
“What?”
“Take a step back you’re looking pretty scary, Brett wouldn’t of done this.” I instantly calmed, with a huge sense of regret, that anger was out of character, it felt similar to the panic-like attack I was having at the cruise. My head started to spin with fear.
“Like I said, I never blamed him for anything.” Looking more convincing but the fear was apparent in my voice. They all stared at me grimacing.
“Dude, you’re freaking me out, stay away from me for a while OK.” Brett said as he walked away stepping over the rubble on the floor. I was going to go after him, or shout an apology, but I didn’t quite know what I was apologizing for.

“Come on let’s look at the surveillance and contact with trouble shooting.” Rachel said placing her arm back on my shoulder leading us into the kitchen. Her touch felt a lot warmer now, my heart sped up, out of a different kind of fear.
Surprisingly the kitchen was as spotless as we left it. Untouched. The granite counters looking like new, the fully stocked fridge still humming away softly, the yellow walls and matching cupboards and draws still perfectly unmarked. I grabbed the house netbook which is always left on the kitchen counter and booted it up to the Inverse help screen.
“I don’t understand how they would bypass any of the security.” Coleen said shaken with distress. Randeep comforted her with a cuddle, I instantly thought about Brett’s comment about taking this seriously. I was concerned of course but not nearly as shaken as I would be if this happened to my actual house.
“Don’t worry Coleen, we can do a restore, once we send the images to the help desk, you will get your stuff back.”
“I know but it is obviously some kind of plot to get at us.”
“Your right, things haven’t been adding up, the vampires, my emotions, this.” I voiced my thoughts.
“Your emotions?” Rachel asked now she was concerned.
“Did you not just witness it.” Ray answered for me.
“Yeah but what is it Will?”
“I don’t know, it’s like I’m not controlling my avatar, or, someone is controlling me. Maybe it could a small glitch.”
“Or a hacker?” Ray said, almost pleased with himself of thinking of a possible cause.
“No way, Inverse is more tightly sealed than area’s 51 documents. No computer in the world could hack it.” Randeep explained, ruining Ray’s expressed to a now impatient.
I kept typing away at the email to the help desk uploading pictures, before checking th surveillance to upload it.
“Maybe just a small glitch, you should report it Will.” Rachel said now fully wrapping her arms around my shoulders resting her head on the back of mine I was searching through the surveillance. I could feel her hot breath on my neck sending a weird tingling down my spine to the end of my toes. Is this some signal that she likes me? She never does this in real-life? Maybe she’s like me, more confident in this place. I was thinking too much before I realized that I had missed part of the surveillance.
“Shit look at this guys.” Everyone -except for Brett- huddled around me staring at the screen. The house is completely fine till about twenty minutes before we boarded the ship. The screen went black for literally no more than two frames and the house was in it’s state that it is now.
“I don’t know about you, but that looks like a hacker to me.” Rachel said, I gave a grunt in acknowledgment.
“I don’t know how that’s possible though, if someone was hacking it were talking an extremely skilled hacker, or the creator is messing with us.” Randeep expressed, he was shocked by what he was seeing, of all people Randeep could diagnose anything, engineering problems, health problems and especially computer problems, he was even offered a job to work for Inverse help desk, and even he couldn’t diagnose the problem. It sent a bigger worry through me, a worry that well and truly should be there. Maybe I am taking it too seriously.
After a quick restoration the house was back and everyone seemed better from the events of today. I was alone in the kitchen staring out onto the gray beach, catching my eye on Coleen and Randeep. They playfully ran after each other until they ended up fallen onto the sandy floor kissing. I thought about how I wanted that, the intimacy, the closeness, the love. The thought of the word love made me wince, I was never the romantic type, I might even had some strange fear of love. The concept of it seemed too grown up, I couldn’t be doing with love, love is when you grow old and settle down and have kids. Call me cynical, but I never believed that two people my age could be in love. I often convince myself that my lusting over Rachel was nothing more than me being a horny teen-boy who just needed a shag but that was exactly what I was doing wasn’t I, just merely convincing myself of something that’s not true. I did have deep feelings for Rachel, maybe not love, but definitely borderline obsessive. I turned my gaze back onto the couple which then made me grimace and shut the blinds, let’s just say, it was ‘play time’ for Randeep and Coleen.

“Dude, you OK?” Brett came into the kitchen as I was purchasing items for tomorrows battle, his presence hanged onto awkwardness, but I tried to shake it off.
“I’m sorry… About earlier.”
“No, really I should say sorry. Your not the only one getting random mood swings. Like I told you earlier sometimes things just kind of click, I don’t know how they do or why they do but I get this sense like I just realized something, something big, then I uncontrollably panic.” He took a glass from the side and poured himself a glass of water from the sink.
“I was just about to send a troubleshoot.” I said to him as I put my eyes back onto the screen to do so.
“Don’t bother, you will just get the same bullshit reply I did, ‘Take four days off the game and if symptoms persist see a psychologist.’” Such a generic email, and of course, Inverse Inc. never blame themselves.
“How long have you had this for Brett? Have you tried taking time off?”
“You and I both know it’s not our mental health, and yeah I’ve had this for about a month.” A month! I knew something was up with him, but he should of shared this with us, it’s unlike him not to.
“Why didn’t tell us?”
“Didn’t think it was important.”
I heard the sudden clonking of Rachel’s high heels speeding to a halt at the kitchen door holding... hang on, Brett’s laptop?
“Look what I’ve just found Brett, in fact firstly, have you two cleared things up?”
“Yeah we have.” Brett smiled at Rachel, and she smiled widely back straying a behind a pause, not a short pause either. My heart sank, you’ve got to be kidding me, no, not Brett and Rachel, Brett wasn’t into classy girls.
“So?” I asked getting slightly annoyed.
“Bring up the news Will, on your laptop, have a look at the newest post.”
I turned to my computer, thinking it was kind of trivial and unnecessary, I was half expecting a stupid post on a new shoe line. What I really wanted to find out was what was Rachel doing in Brett’s room, or vice versa. Maybe I’m just wrong or over thinking things, here comes the feeling of rejection anyway.
“What’s going on?” Ray asked as he walked in.
I brought up the news and read the headline.

Moonstar, victim of a mass plot, Forte Power stolen.


The story was Moonstar, one of the strongest leaders of the medieval guilds and a friend of ours, had been attacked by a coalition of guilds in a lower rank than him, obviously planned. I was taken back as to why Moonstar hadn’t figured out earlier. He had obviously lost the battle losing his Forte Power, a characters strongest power, one of the few reasons why you do battle, one of the reasons why most likely the vampires want to battle us.
“Moonstar lost the battle!” Brett reconfirmed what we were reading.
“Moonstar is known for a bit arrogant, he was probably head over heels in himself that he thought he could take them on.” Ray added kind of happy, he was never a fan of Moonstar, major personality clash between them.
“But that’s not the end of it, the person that took his Forte was then killed shortly after, thus having it taken off of him.” She said as if to suggest something, but this happened all the time.
“Rachel, by the sounds of it he got the forte by sheer luck and he is in a much lower rank, he was bound to lose it within minutes of gaining it. This guy wasn’t experienced.” I felt bad explaining it, I felt like I just shat on Rachel’s christmas tree and she definitely gave me the look as if I had just did that.
“What I’m saying is, the guy was anonymous, if you just gained Moonstar’s Forte Power you would want to shout out to the world, it’s quite achievement, don’t you think it’s a bit weird for this randomer, to keep something quiet, maybe they want to be on the low down, maybe there orchestrating it.”
“Or maybe you think too much.” I scowled at Ray to remind him he should definitely think twice before saying anything, or make that think three times.
“Well excuse me for wanting to keep our three years of achievements in-tact what if they get Will’s Forte, we will lose everything.”
“Rachel. You think the Vampires are part of a plot?” I had thought about this, how it was weird the way the Vampires had been acting, sure we had to face people who thought they were too big for their boots, but never had they pestered us with so many threats.
“That’s ridiculous.” Ray speaking outloud… again.
“You are so much like Moonstar.” Ray’s face tensed, Rachel’s voice now raising, and Brett’s hand on her shoulder, this is the last thing we need, that I need, it was meant to be a relaxing break so we could be rejuvenated for the battle, but it seems the only people relaxing where at it like rabbits on the beach. “I bet that’s what Moonstar thought, ‘oh that’s ridiculous’” Imitating Ray.”’Oh, they could never beat us’ then bam! Forte gone and were back where we were.”
“I’m nothing like Moonstar, and were much better than Moonstar.”
“Get over yourself Ray!”
Now it was time to intervene.
“Stop it guys, come on, there’s we can do now we’ve agreed to this battle, they wont steal our forte’s and definitely wont get there hands on mine, I’ll use it against them if I have to.”
“Using your forte against Vampires? That’s laughable.”
“Ray shut it. I see your point and I see Rachel’s we shouldn’t be so quick to under estimate them, they’re messed up in the head so it’s possible they could be planing something, but they wont get passed us.”
My words sunk into the tensed atmosphere. There was a pause were we gathered our thoughts. Brett broke the silence with more re-assuring words, towards Rachel. I was glad to see his hand off of her shoulder.
“I’ll buy some potions, the sacred water, so if one of us is ambushed, it’ll buy you some time, before Will uses his Forte.” I have the strongest Forte it’s what makes me leader, I have the most desirable Forte, I’ve never actually used it, tried it out once, but never been in the situation to use against another guild.

Now feeling anxious for tomorrows battle we decided to keep our new information and mixed suspicions hidden from Randeep and Coleen, Coleen worried a lot, Randeep not so much but he would share the info with Coleen. Everyone to their rooms and into and I stayed behind downstairs in the kitchen staring into my screen finishing buying some battle products and other things, whilst searching news for anything that could lead us to what happened to our house and my emotions. I could say that me and Brett were fine now, but for some reason I can’t fully talk myself into thinking he is innocent. There is still a lingering feeling, that somehow he is involved in the house trashing or at least involved in something, he may well have been experiencing these emotional glitches for a month, but they have come so far apart in a minute or two episodes it doesn’t explain other things, his tardiness, his sudden impatience and now to add to the list, keeping secrets, and it doesn’t explain the look on his face when we walked into the house, when he shied away so quickly. Moonstar had been attacked on the 14th the night me, Randeep, Coleen and Ray had been chasing that petty demon creature, the night Rachel was having family time and the night Brett had been ignoring us, telling us he was busy doing something else and to ‘mind our own business.’

After not coming to much of a conclusion, I decided it was time to go to bed and to let my Avatar rejuvenate and my real body to have a proper deep sleep. Before I shut down my computer I received an email, from Amy Waddell, I had heard of her before, also a nomad player but no guild a loner, very skilled one as well setting up an assassinations business.

“Will Johnson,

I send you this warning. Your next, not just your guild, you. Don’t get me wrong Johnson, I don’t do threats, this is a general warning. I think you are in danger.


Kind Regards,

Amy Waddell.


Inverse™ FAQ:

Rejuvenation?
Your Avatar may sometimes need rejuvenation, which is just to sleep. You can do this by going to bed in your home, this does not log you out, this will send your real body into the usual sleep cycle until your Avatar is rejuvenated however you can choose to log out and your head set will wake you up but you can not log back in until your Avatar has had the full rejuvenation rest. This is not a necessary process unless you choose to battle opponents in Inverse™. Rejuvenation is only recommended for when you desire that realistic sleep effect in the game and before Battle, otherwise it’s deemed useless.


How does Inverse™ work?
Inverse™ Headset sends your brain into a sleep-like state*. A general sleep cycle has stages from Non-REM to REM. The headset prevents your brain from entering the REM stage of sleep (the dreaming part of sleep), allowing it to be stimulated by the external electro-signals, however still allowing you to be consciously responding back in a constant communication. The end result is you and the game in unison providing the best experience in online gaming, of actually feeling everything your Avatar goes through. The process is natural and doesn’t affect your physical health in anyway however Inverse™ can be an overwhelming experience we advise you take it slow for the first few months of gaming.

*Inverse™ will not affect your sleeping patterns and using Inverse™ in replacement of actual sleep is causing blatant sleep deprivation and is extremely dangerous to your mental health and may cause your brain to be slow in response to the game.

If at any point you find it hard to control your Avatar, or you hallucinate during gameplay you need to seek immediate medical attention.


Chapter 4: Number 33.

2057 April 16th - One day till the incident.


After the strange email from Amy Waddell I emailed back with:

Hey Amy,

I’ve given you permission to fly to our island, meet me outside the house tomorrow morning. You wouldn’t be able to come into the house, so don’t try anything funny, not really in the mood for it.

Will


I put my avatar in the rejuvenation state in my bed and let my real body fall into it’s normal sleep cycle.

I woke up in a middle of the medieval fields, unusual bumps and humps reaching far out into the distance, the various castles on the horizon some small, some really massively boasting empire. I looked around gathering my bearings wondering how the hell did I end up here in some medieval instead of my manor house on the island. I looked at my feet and noticed where I stood the lush grass is dead. I shuffled around a little bit and watched as the grass where I stood slowly keeled over and turned into a nasty crispy brown. What kind of strange customization, either that or something designed to track undesired folk like me. My eyes searched back up and everything had changed from a green blanket of romanesque wonder to a dead mess, smoke gathered from the castles in the horizon and the sky turned a deadly shade of violet.

Maybe there really is a glitch in Inverse, I couldn’t really comprehend what was going on but I was getting slightly panicky and it was best to look at this from the outside. I closed my eyes but no pause menu… violet outside glow seeped in through my eye lids and that was the only color I could see, not the silvery sophisticated matte finish of the pause menu. I re-opened my eyes, half expecting another change to the scenery, but I was left disappointed, no wrong word, scared fucking shitless is a better way of describing it. I picked up a few rocks off the floor choosing the sharpest one and I started feel hyperventilating, a flight or fight moment rushing through my avatar.

I grabbed the rock and pierced my wrist… I heard this painful bass screech, I didn’t realize it was coming from my own mouth. The pain hit me like a tsunami radiating from my wrist to my brain. WHY AM I NOT LOGGED OUT! I tried to scream but the sound was suddenly muffled, as I tried to tourniquet my wound with my sleeve I tried to scream help. But all that would be audible was H. I tried again but as my voice glided into full volume it would end up muffled.
“Sound proofing, once any type of sound goes over a certain decibel, it’s blocked. Were equal again Will. I urge you to try your forte, see how loud it can go.” A familiar, but dark voice seeped through muffled sound, perfectly audibly and elegant.

The pain started to numb and my world suddenly felt blurry, distorted. I looked up to horror as I seen Brett standing over me, smiling. He didn’t look the same, he looked older, changed in some way, his warm happy-go-lucky features have swapped to a harsh hardened face, like a war prisoner diseased by revenged.

“Wha…?” I tried to muster.

“Can’t do it? Always boasting your Forte Will, but even though I now have the same Forte, I wanted to make this fight fair, let’s see your hidden powers Will… I dare you to fight me.”

He came running at me in normal speed and kicked me in the face with his leather boots with a thick metal rim around the soles. My head felt woozy, the pain was unbearable. In super speed he was at the side to me, leant down towards my face chuckling to himself. I could feel the surrounding energy brush past me as he gathered it into his hand staring at me. Everything turned even more blurry, muffled light rotating making me feel sick the deadly sound like a small hurricane mixed a plane starting up. The bright violet energy forming in his hand stopped rotating.

I woke up in my bed with my headset on, still disorientated it took me a second to realize that it was a dream, or at least I am pretty sure it was, my computer screen was flashing a message telling me I had twenty minutes left before my avatar will be ready for use again. I took my headset off, removing the small metal circular plates around my temples, wondering, what if it wasn’t a dream, what if my connecting to the headset still let me receive messages whilst in proper sleep. I dismissed these quickly, my character was still rejuvenating, which meant the headset was switched off, it couldn’t have been. It was nothing more but my thoughts of Brett manifesting themselves into a nightmare.

I plucked up the courage to get my groggy self to open the curtains, as I shied away I noticed my mum standing in the framing of my door.
“Hey honey, When you come back from school I will be gone, sorry I’m going to miss your birthday.” She walked over and gave me a tight hug.
“It’s okay mum.” My mum makes a big deal out of family stuff, I on the other hand wasn’t that bothered she was missing my birthday, it sounds much cooler to have a free-house on your birthday than having your mother planning people to come over.
“Your dad already left for work, he didn’t want to wake you but he says bye. I left you some money to get food, I’ll ring you tomorrow to let you know where your presents are, don’t go snooping.”
“I wont I promise.” Yeah right. I hate not knowing anything, first thing I’m going to do is snoop although I was sure I wont find it, my mum is really good at hiding things.
“And please, for goodness sake, don’t play on that game for long, it’ll be the end of you that thing.”
“You know you should try it one day, I bet you will be hooked.”
“Exactly why I don’t want to play it, you get hooked to things that are bad for you, like drugs.”
“That’s a bad analogy.” I
“You know what I mean, that game is still new, I bet they will find out some long term effects of some kind. Before 1950‘s they thought cigarette's wasn’t bad for you and look at them now, cancer sticks they call them.” Did they really think that? I mean come on, it’s smoke people must’ve been that stupid. I brushed off my mums doubt in my mind.
“Oh well, have a good time!” I said, patting her on the shoulder then proceeding to get my towel from the chest of drawers.
“Have good time and a pat on the shoulders, thanks Will. I’m your mother not some, frat thingy-bobby. Give me a proper a hug.” She smiled and gave me a tight hug, again. “Have a good birthday.”

After a shower I checked my screen and seen that Ray and Randeep were logged in, I was going to log in myself but I didn’t see the point in spending only twenty minutes. Instead I put on some morning TV show going through news updates, the first time I watched the news in a while, there wasn’t much to going on in local Ohio, I was going to switch to national american news but with the house alone and quiet I was starting to feel a little homesick. I miss the busy roads of Birmingham, the heaving city centre, the sounds Birmingham’s famous bullring market, the merging shouts of the market owners claiming to have cheaper fruit and veg, and the customers shouting back their requests so they could be heard above the noise. I turned on BBC24 to watch what Britain had become, I had grew up in a Britain were the worse that could happen was snow, any bit snow meant national shut down and Labour were just another political party to moan about, but in the past five years, Britain had become much more of a civil war zone. Within three minutes of watching, my TV was bombarded with red breaking news banners followed by pictures of bombed and vandalized churches. The breaking news banner was describing a mosque planted with a bomb killing twenty four people. The reporter went on to talk about the incident of a eight year old christian girl that was beaten by a group of muslim extremists, right before election time five years ago, which sparked the nation to choose the neo-nazi racists, BFP political party. Ever since, not a day goes past where hate-crime hasn’t gone on somewhere. I decided not to depress myself with such things, I was glad I was living in america, but at the same time I did miss England but before I switched it off the reporter said something.
“Sebastian Ivanivichko the new head of a terrorist group based in Britain from a bigger band of pro-christianity extremists. His name is sparking up some hype with the police but no plans have been found, theres no picture of him not even a record, is this even a real person the public argue.” She turns towards her co-host. “It’s true how can we find or look out for a man who has more evidence of his non-existence.” The two carried on arguing in a normal reporter banter, but I swear I have seen that name before, suddenly I could feel my brain try to put a face to it but it was useless, it’s like having something on the tip of your tongue but you know you wont be able to get it. I assumed that I must of heard the name on the news before.

I prepared my special breakfast and got a knock on the door, which means it was Ray ready to give me a ride to school.
“What is that?” Ray said as he looked at my gooey treat on my plate.
“Blueberry poptarts with frosting paste on it.”
“Hells yeah! I’m surprised your not bouncing off the walls though.” I grabbed my satchel, wrapped my oozing poptart in kitchen roll and headed towards his joyrider car, it was red with flame patterns on the side and custom sound system, completely joyrider indeed.
“Man, theres no way your going into my car with that dripping mess your eating.”
“Your kidding me right.”
“Nope, finish it.” I scoffed three bites and started to feel sick, something as sweet as this needed to be eaten slowly, Ray smiled at me eyeing up the poptart, he could see I was struggling. I rolled my eyes and passed it to him.
“Thanks!” He said grabbing it from and heading towards his car with it in hand.
“Seriously Ray?”
“My car, my rules, now get in were going to be late.”
He speeded down the country-like roads putting the music on full blast. The subwoofer literally shook my chair at each beat, which suddenly stopped.
“I wanted to talk, it’s about you in the game.”
“Uh huh?”
“I’m worried about you Will.”
“You talking about me and Brett?”
“Yeah, Will, Brett told me about the time on the ship as well, when you broke his arm, I’m worried that you can’t control your character, I mean isn’t that like a major warning in the handbook, have you been sleeping?”

I know he was being a friend and all, but I felt like I was being grilled. I was suddenly angry that Brett and Ray had talked about me behind my back. If it was any one else, I wouldn’t give a shit.
“Yes I have been sleeping, and yeah I have reported it there’s actually nothing I can pin it down to and I’m guessing Brett didn’t tell you, he has also been having the same problem.” I failed to leave behind the anger.
“I’m not trying to get on your back about this Will, I am generally worried about you, we all are.”
“We all are? So what, Brett comes out as the good guy. Hasn’t anyone noticed what he’s been like the past month or so, leaving us, ignoring us and then talking to use like nothings happened.”
“Brett hasn’t come out as anything, I personally don’t care that much for him anyway. You on the other hand is the only person I can actually stand to be around. If I was gay I’d totally be into you.” He said laughing.
“That’s not cool.” I laughed back.
“Homophobe… anyway, back on the track, I noticed that email you sent to Amy Waddle, you haven’t told us about that Will.” That came out of nowhere.
“Amy Waddell, pronounced Wa-dell and you were all logged out slash sleeping, I weren’t going to wake you lot up for it.”
“You didn’t even post it on the Guild Wall.” I then wondered to myself why I didn’t bother to post it, I always did.
“It’s not mean’t to be a secret was it? Giving Amy permission to enter our island.”
“Ray, no, not at all.” Now I was being grilled. I gave Ray a look that said. What the hell dude.
“Well I don’t know, you might have had some kind of weird plan.”
“It was meant to be a secret, I’m setting you up.” I let that sink in and Ray did a double take.
“Seriously?” He smiled wide-eyed at me.
“No. Dude you don’t even know what she looks like.”
“I don’t care I would cyber sex a pig right now.” nice. Funny thing is, you could probably get that arranged.


We got to school just in time for the bell, which mean’t not enough time to talk to my friends before hand.


I ran to my two-hour psychology class and managed to nicely blend in with the queue that was still walking into the class room. I took my seat towards the back and got out my books. I wasn’t friends with many in my class but I sat next to, a really sweet girl, but she was ugly. As much as I tried not to think like that, you couldn’t help it. Buck teeth, glasses that magnified her eyes like some deranged crazy person and spots. She held her head high, literally, her chin was at a thirty degree angle and she would give you the side eye when she spoke to you.

The teacher went on to describe the discovery of digital conscious communication, of course most of us already knew. It was actually by mistake, an experiment was taken to see if the participants dreams could be affected by digital messages, during one of the early stages of sleep the psychologist’s computer started to malfunction, but actually it was the participant controlling it. After a brief overview of the study we all sat in silence writing an evaluation of it. I zoned out half way through thinking about my birthday tomorrow and I started to feel a little more excited about it, but there was still no plans. A gathering perhaps? I would be nicer to spend socializing time out of the game for once… or maybe I could set up a party in… No Will. Stop. Borderline pathetic.

Miss Franklin went onto to talk more, but her words seem to drone into an ambient background noise. I felt no need to listen anymore I was acing psychology, it was only till Miss Franklin stopped talking that I really noticed the therapeutic sound of scratching, I looked down to my notepad and seen deep black marks from my biro, I had bits of black dust like paper shavings scattered around my notepad, I had really dug into it with my biro causing at least four or five pages to be ruined. I brushed off the shavings receiving a disgusted sound from my ugly partner whilst she gave me a threatening side eye chinned up side eye.
“Thirty-three?” She said to me confused and intrigued.
“What?” I said looking deeper into her crazy person eyes… I think she can see my soul.
“Thirty-three, you’ve like proper sculpted it into your pad, whats with that?” I looked back to my pad and felt overwhelming sense that can only be described as ‘What the hell’ Across the page was colored black, but in the middle of my page, there was still white space, untouched patch of clean white paper that was in the shape of ’33.’
“I don’t know, boredom.” Was all the only thing that I could reply back to her. But why ’33’? I don’t live at thirty-three, I know it wasn’t in my cell phone number.

The bell rang for lunch and I stood waiting for everyone to leave and I met Miss Franklin at her desk. She was a fairly young for a teacher, perhaps mid twenties, slim with frizzy blondish hair, she started this year so I’m guessing she’s fresh out of university. Every guy thought she was hot, when she was teaching something I cared about, I felt my hormones kick-in to hyper drive suddenly every slight bend, brush of the hair and the V-neck sweater didn’t go unnoticed. If I met her anywhere else, probably wouldn’t have the same affect. School-boy fantasy type thing.
“Will, If you have a question make it quick, I’m starving, the bakery across the road closes soon and I need to get my sausage roll fix.” I’ve got a sausage roll you can have. There goes the hormones. I grimaced but I don’t think she noticed her accidental innuendo.
“Could you take a look at this for me?” I handed her my notepad at the page with the ’33’ on it. She took it from my hand and her fingers brushed mine, pulse heightened, electric surging through my body… uh oh, picturing Miss Franklin covered in sausage rolls wearing them like a dress. Stop it!
“Well what is it?”
“I was doodling and without realizing it came out like that?”
She took wind at what I was getting at and started to scrutinize the page, her glossy lips opened slightly revealing some of her mouth. Picture number two comes, she’s ripping off a sausage roll from her dress at the hip, and with slow anticipation, she takes a - Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop.

“Could be a lot of things Will, implicit memory, repressed memories, your subconscious. You play Inverse don’t you?”
“Yep.”
“Well some studies show, that those that because of the sleep-like state your subconscious takes in a lot more than it usually does, so when you do things like blind doodling, your subconscious is a little bit more active, so to speak. I mean this is quite clear so that’s my quick analyzation but it looks like the number is seriously playing on your mind, or at least your subconscious.”
I grimaced, the number doesn’t mean anything to me.
“Why do you think that?”
“Well, it’s extremely clearly drawn out in this blind sketching, and you felt the need to ask me about it, without realizing it Will, your mind can do some crazy things. I suggest not to get caught up with the meaning, but don’t be surprised if this number props up somewhere. If you really want to, look at Deitman and Kleitman’s study on middle memory and Inverse.”
She gave me back the notepad. I was glad that my hormones are now replaced with this itching urge to investigate.
“Like I said Will, don’t get to caught up with it, people have gone crazy looking for answers to strange subconscious messages and nine times out of ten there is no meaning to them, but the study might give you a clue as to where it could have come from. If you don’t mind, I got to get my greasy delight.” I grimaced again at my dirty mind.

I gave myself a quick glance down as I walked through the hall to check that my hormones didn’t take that extra step further as I got into the lunch room.
“Hey guys, fancy coming round tonight after our battle, for a little celebration type thing plus, it’s my birthday tomorrow.” I said to Rachel, Randeep and Coleen.
“We know it’s your birthday, were not bad friends Will.” Coleen reassured me.
“Why aren’t you doing your birthday bash on your actual birthday?” Rachel said in an almost persuasive tone.
“Well my mum and dad are back the day after so I thought, I clean up any mess tomorrow rather than get up extra early.” Knowing Ray, there will definitely be mess.
“We will be there.” Randeep said gesturing to himself and Coleen.
“I did have plans, but it don’t matter I’ll be there.” Rachel said, obviously hinting. I let that comment settle and before I got the chance to change the date, Coleen spoke first.
“What plans?”
“You know, just, plans.” It was weird of Rachel to talk in code, she was normally very open and especially to Coleen.
“If you want, I can change the date it’s fine.”
“No, no it’s fine, they weren’t important or anything.”
“Don’t feel like you have to come, I wouldn’t think any less of you.” I think I was trying to convince myself, but then again, it would take more than that to get me to think less of Rachel.
“I feel bad for myself for not going, I’ll be there.”

After lunch was an hours of independent study for finals, for most this meant an hours free from school, but I spent of it in the library, fair enough not doing much study, but I had a six page assignment for geography on how we could use less paper to save the trees, one of those topics was how we could submit our essays over the internet like at college, I felt a strong sense of irony as I was printing it. With thirty minutes spare I went back onto the computer to search for Deitman and Kleitman’s study, after a few clicks at other websites and online bookstores I managed to find the study in it’s entirety, I quickly skimmed to the conclusion section but it was just a elongated version of what Miss Franklin had already told me.

I took a brief look around to find that no one was behind me or watching what I was doing. The coast was clear, and I already felt embarrassed doing, my mind replayed the words from Miss Franklin like a broken record don’t get caught up with it. I shook them off and felt slight turn in my stomach while I typed ’33’ into google. I knew full well that I wasn’t going to find anything specific to me, but the sicky stomach feeling was reminding me of the dangers of getting caught up, obsessed almost. My cursor lingered on the search button I finally plucked up the courage to click search, maybe I was clicking my sanity away?

My stomach quickly relieved as nothing really took popped out to me. I knew that anyway but hopefully this will be the end of it. I looked back at my notepad and stared at it for a while, the number slowly started to creep me out. I started writing some calculations with my name and date of birth.

W= 23 - No point I carrying on with that.

04 + 17 + 2049 = 2070… Maybe if I could…

My stomach suddenly hit me with another churning like sensation. I then gave up on trying to think of ways to reduce it to thirty-three knowing full well it was useless, extremely obsessive and crazy. I went back to the computer and just hit the link to wikipedia. I skimmed down to reading bits and pieces that caught my eye. In religion Jesus was thirty-three when he died. Jesus also performed thirty-three miracles. Something else to do with the star of david. In the ‘Other Fields’ section there was only two that caught my eye, klu-klux-klan, KKK equals thirty-three, there a lot of klu klux klan movements in Britain due to it’s now high racism apart from it wasn’t hate for color of the skin but for religion. It maybe a possibility where I got ’33’ from. Wikipedia had a lot more, including thirty-three segments in united nations, it is quite an important number which left my mind at ease because that meant I could of got it from anywhere, but still didn’t explain why my mind was so bothered by it.


Chapter 5: Assassinated


“I’ll definitely be there!” Ray shouted over the distortion of his car subwoofer. He carried onto say something but it was all muffled so I did my usual ‘nod and agree.’ He continued to laugh loudly as he turned down the music, my ears took a while to get accustomed to the sudden silence and started to ring harshly for a while until it died down into the background.
“You can turn the music down you know, I’m not going to bite your head off.”
“Rubbish, last time I did that you went crazy!” I pictured it in my mind, I had a headache and turned it down, Ray gave me his fake bulging eye look.
“I’m a lot more considerate now, anyway I asked if I could bring Jamie along tonight, you know introduce him to the guild and that.”
“Yeah, of course.” How could I forget about Jamie all this time. Jamie was in our year at our school but like Ray, kept himself to himself a lot, but a hell of a lot more withdrawn and shy like, like a disturbed child it was sometimes a little too freaky, and there were a lot of rumors about him along the lines of he was sectioned and he is schizophrenic. He was in the drama club so you would of thought he would be the total opposite like the other kids. Loud, over the top and expressive, as well as sexually active, they share partners like pack of sticky M&Ms.

“How did you get talking to him anyway?” I asked wondering if he did speak to Ray, at the after parties Ray invites us to, Jamie was always in the corner or not there.
“I don’t know, no one ever spoke to him, call me a big softy but I felt sorry for him.”
“Awww.” I said ridiculing him, breaking out into a crackled laughter, it wasn’t very often Ray showed a heart. He retaliated my teasing with a side-eye of death as we call it, creased forehead, pin like eyes and scrunched up mouth like he was trying to fight back and intense anger featuring screaming insults and threats. Instead of opening his mouth he turned the music back up so loud that I swear I could feel my brain move around in my skull to the beat.

I was logged into Inverse at my game-home with Randeep and Coleen waiting for Ray, it was about an hours real-time before the battle with the minors. Rachel was going to meet us a bit later before the battle and I assumed Brett the same but he was taking one of his funny turns, not answering any phone calls or IM’s I gave up trying and willed it not to play on my mind further, plus I was too excited to get this over and done with so I could start the party tonight. I sent an extra email out to some other friends in my year inviting them along.

I dug myself into the sofa with my laptop that was prompt on my knee. I looked back at my emails to see if Amy had replied - nothing. It made me wonder if she was going to turn up today, I kind of hoped she didn’t, I really did not want another thing on my mind to deal with. The number 33 and Brett were more than enough, let alone this Vampire clan. But then again a fight with the best assassinator in Inverse would really help me unwind. My excitement of my birthday died down when I got an IM from my friend back home:

From: Sam Deeley
To: Will Johnson
Wish you were back here mate, Yeah last night I was proper rat-arsed! I sent a card to you, let me know if you get it… I think I did right it.

Notice the word Rat-arsed, british slang for drunk, which I can’t do, well not legally anyway, I’m sure there will be an elaborate plan to get hold some but I knew there was no point in trying. Feeling a little bit homesick I dropped my laptop to the floor and turned on the TV to BBC news. The noise from upstairs started getting louder to the point where I had to turn up the volume, I felt like shouting to Randeep and Coleen to shut up but it felt wrong to interrupt their very, very loud sexy time. I kept my focus on the TV, trying to make out some stories about the growing terrorists in Britain and the reporter sounding too half-assed to talk about a potential all out civil war brewing, these news reports were more than mundane to her. Another bang came so loud it made me jump, but it made me realize it wasn’t coming from upstairs, it was coming from outside. I got up to walk towards the window, where another bang and flash of light made me jump again. I ran from the lounge to the front door, I gathered a ball of blue energy, a death ball, in my hand to prepare. Bursting open the front door expecting some trying to get in, maybe those damn vampires, or maybe whoever it was that trashed our house the other day.

To my surprise I had seen Ray and a young woman, around early twenties perhaps, slim and extremely agile, if she had used her own image, you could imagine her to be a russian gymnastic in the olympics. Ray had his jock stance on the go, broadened shoulders and a deathly look similar to a frustrated toddler. Another powerful boom burst through the silence, as Ray sparked a green death ball from his band. The young woman wearing tight black leather top and trousers - or pants, not quite nowadays what talk to use - she had a twin holster around her waist holding not pistols but long curved knives, oh shit, thats Amy Waddell! What the hell was Ray playing at!

“Ray! Stop!”
They both turned around to look at me, Ray looked stunned but Amy just did this kind of smirky smile, it looked kind of cheesy, but it suited her face well, she definitely fits the assassin look.
“Well, well, your picture on the profile doesn’t do you justice, your quite the looker aren’t you.” She looked deeply into my eyes, and this warm, fuzzy feeling started to fill my body, it felt so good, instantly I craved it, it was like all your problems drifting away, all I wanted to do was just fall asleep on her shoulder and snuggle in her arms.
“Will, why don’t you invite me in, we can talk about that email I sent you.” Her voice, soft, gentle, soothing my ears and any chance of a headache would of disappeared, if I had one.
“Yeah of course you…” That soft, warm and fuzzy had gone. The only thing that’s warm was the molten embarrassment feeling that flashed harshly on my face, you fool Will!
“Amy! You said you had a message but if you’re gonna play stupid games with me you mighty as well leave.” My stance was now similar to Ray’s. I had the death ball thought lingering in the corners of my mind ready to bring it forward and shoot one at her. She maybe fast, but I’m hell of a lot more powerful, maybe I should take that charm power of hers. She glared back with that sexy smirk, her facial muscles fighting back at the corners of her mouth from an outburst of mockery laughter.
“I’m sorry Will, I can’t help myself, not used to this, in-game talking business.”
“What the hell are two talking about? Will? Kill Erin before I do!” Ray shouted.
“Erin?” I looked back at Amy.
“Sorry, was warming up, Ray’s stocky build took my fancy for a bit of training.” She glanced back at him. Ray flinched into attack mode baring his teeth like a wild dog.
“Don’t look so confused Will. Charming power works very well to create any illusion, it’s called using your brain.” I felt a stab of insult but the way she said it didn’t seem to be insulting nor sarcastic, just stating.
“Come on in then Amy.” I welcomed. Before she followed to took another look at Ray, his stance softened like jelly and his eyes caressed Amy’s face. It was strange to be looking on the outside, I’d never seen this power before, Ray looked almost like a new man. A man filled with lust.
“Ray, your lips seem sweet, may I taste them?” Amy’s calm whispering voice seeped in the air like a mid-tempo melody.
I cringed from the weird scene as I watched Ray, move close to Amy and touch her arm like a long-term lover, but there was something very weird about it, like a poorly acted C-movie, Ray’s cheesy rom-com moaning made me cringe, you could tell this wasn’t real. They kissed for at least ten seconds before it occurred to me that Ray would probably want me to interfere.
“Amy, stop that, if you wanted to kiss him you should of just asked him.” Like Ray said earlier, he would cyber sex a pig. Amy pulled back and continued to follow me into the house whilst Ray followed behind, confused.

Most of the guild was here now, apart from Brett. After I got past introduction we went into the lounge, Coleen looked at her eagle eyed, not trusting. Ray was just quiet, staring at her blankly, not sure whether he was trying to repress the urge to pounce at her after the incident outside or he felt so embarrassed by it all - he was choosing to play cool.
“I got asked to do a job by this strange man, I couldn’t see his face, the room was all dark, dimly lit and seedy, not unusual, some people like the theatrics of it, call me old-school but I’m not one for it. What struck me the most was what I was overhearing. A lot of names being thrown about. Your name, Will, followed by this man saying how it wont be long till he has you on his side, that it was only a matter of time.” Possibilities showered through me,
Moonstar?
Kratch?
The dragon master?
Volkert?
Dae Fu Lec?
A few more that had grudges with us, with me but surely they would of requested battle?
“It doesn’t end there, where is your other guild member Brett?”
“He’ll be here soon.” Rachel struck coldly before anyone else. She suddenly turned from a normal teenager to a defensive lioness. Eyes like claws penetrating Amy. Amy had a half-smile on her face as her gave flickered up and down Rachel for a moment.
“Brett’s name was mentioned, the man said that he is close to achieving his goal, the guild members wont be expecting it.”
“Bullshit!” Rachel blurted, before anyone could think. Rachel shone an aura of dark violet, the smokiness sent a small shock wave through the lounge toppling over a vase. Her eyes bright violet seemed strange on her smooth matte game-like face. She pounced harshly at her, Amy is fast, but not fast enough to dodge Rachel’s super form. Rachel powered up a punch in milliseconds, the violet smoke collected like a vent to her fist which she thrusted so hard, it sent a more powerful shock wave through the room. I tried to use my telekinesis to paralyze her but she was too fast in this form. Coleen pushed through to Rachel and used her inhalation power, with a swift swooping inhale, the smoky form of Rachel disappeared and transformed itself onto a now smoky yellow glowing Coleen.
“Bitch, give me back my power” Rachel screamed. Amy with fluid action pushed her off elegantly and slid back onto her seat.
“Calm down, Rachel.” Rachel relaxed but only for a moment, she pivot her gaze to Coleen.
“Don’t worry Coleen, I’ll wait till you can’t hold it anymore.”
“You’ll be waiting a long time.” Rachel spat. Her wrath of anger was normally sexy and sassy but this anger was a deeper one that I didn’t like, it wasn’t just angry banter, it was full on, I’m gonna kill ya! Kind of anger.

Randeep and Coleen held Rachel inside whilst I showed Amy out.
“If she crosses my path again she’s going to get it.” Amy muttered under her breath.
We got to outside and the sun was bright and twinkling on the sea.
“Amy, why did you tell me this?”
She took a moments pause before talking.
“Giving my choice of gaming style I come across a lot of plotting, but this seemed strange, there was something eerie about it. Especially with more and more of those strange battles going on, like the one that Moonstar lost. Someone is behind it all, and somehow I think it’s connected to your guild. This isn’t usual Inverse gaming Will. There is something sinister going on, rumors are circulating that Gespo members might be involved, and if I have to be honest, I’m not so sure that those people that I spoke to, weren’t Gespos’”
Gespo is slang term for those who use Inverse illegally, mainly terrorists groups and occultists trying gain following and spreading hate. I have been fortunate to catch one, a cult leader who thought that reptilian aliens were taking over the world, and we needed to appease them with real-life sacrifice. He was trying to seduce a young girl into joining, before I took him down and called the Antibodies.
“There has been more battles?” Ray said.
“Yeah Kratch this time, talks are in that the Pixies are next, their making their way around the big groups. I wont be surprised if your guild is hit soon.” Could the vampires be part of it? I mean it all seems a bit strange, and minors are normally the Gespo’s target, easily manipulated, an developed mind so easily corrupted.
“Why would any Gespos’ be interested in this, seems a bit trivial for them.” I thought aloud.
“I don’t know, but you can see my concern. Especially when your Forte is so desirable.”
“Well. Thanks Amy. Sorry about Rachel.”
“No problem, I’m sure her boyfriend will be alright.” Boyfriend? What? She was just sticking up for a friend wasn’t she? She knows how much of a player Brett is, he wasn’t her type.
“And I’ll see you later Ray.” Amy spoke in that tone again, Ray’s usual tense stature relaxed and she moved closer going to give him a hug.

If you blinked you would of missed it. Ray’s body glowed sky blue and disintegrated into tiny blue orbs, that floated into the sky, leaving only Amy inhaling some of the tiny orbs holding one of her curved daggers in the position that Ray’s stomach would of been. Instinctively I shot a death ball straight at her, she deflected it with her dagger and tried to fly away. A quick flash of opaque violet came at the side of me and suddenly the yellow glowing Coleen jumped twelve feet in the air and grabbed Amy’s foot and swung her in the air so fast that by the time I could channel my focus I was hearing the residual reverb of Amy hitting the floor. I put my telekinesis into action and held her there.
“I told you!” Shouted Rachel from behind me, I couldn’t be bothered with her weird mood, the her and Brett imagery still reminiscent in my mind it made me feel more angry towards to Amy who put it there. Maybe she knew I liked Rachel? Another part to her plan just to carry out a job.
“You seriously went to all that just to assassinate Ray and steal his forte?”
Amy’s head and body held tight only her eyes could dart to mine.
“No, I’m telling the truth. You know damn well I didn’t need to do that, my reputation isn’t based on theatrics.” I was in awe of trust issues right now that logic seemed to blur. I was finding it difficult to trust Brett. But for some reason she made sense.
“You seriously believe her don’t you!” Rachel blurted again. I ignored it.
“Who sent you?” I shouted, shuddering afterwards as the anger gotten worse. We need Ray’s Forte for the battle, this couldn’t come at a more annoying time.
“She wont tell you.” Coleen spoke, the glowing started to fade. I envied Coleen, she always happened to be calm. My uncontrollable anger bursts hadn’t surfaced yet, but I could feel it deep down. I was trying my hardest to fight it.
“That’s a lie, I would always tell if asked, but no ones ever gotten the chance to ask before.” Was she really boasting her reputation in her position? Pinned up three foot in the air by my telekinesis. I’m surprised she hadn’t just logged out.
“Well? Who was it?” I almost forgot Randeep was around.
“Joel The Dragon Master.” Who else... One of many of Ray’s enemies, the only one that would pull a stunt like this, he’s ruthless and has developed no respect for himself, just an idiot who prays on stealing newbie money. I let go of Amy; and Coleen stopped glowing, she had lost Rachel’s power, sending it straight back to her. By the time Rachel could pounce Amy was gone, she sighed a harsh pant and another flash of violet passed and I could see Rachel in the window inside the house.
“What is with her?” Coleen muttered.
“Will! Antibodies are coming.” Randeep pointed to the faint twinkling metallic chrome figures in the distance of the sea.

“Fantastic… What now… ” I breathed.


Chapter 6: The Antibodies

Stood seven feet tall, all four of them looked down at us. The light stood steady off of their metallic chrome figures, wrinkled as if they were rusting but without the sign of the brownish tint, they were unusually broad from the shoulders which thinned down to a normal build waist and divided into two strong bulky legs. They come across as male, yet they were naked and sexless. Large eyes bulged from there bold heads, a crystal blue iris floating on a deepest black of an eye ball. The feeling they emitted prevented anyone to come to anger. When they stood around us the sounds of the sea covering our little island suddenly become known, it was like being on a deserted island in the middle of the canary islands, all your troubles washed away at each swish of the tide. Antibodies served a high purpose within Inverse, computer generated helpers when you experienced technical difficulties, they will deal with problem you have like an automatic troubleshoot and those problems that can’t be dealt with by automatic means are reported to a moderator or administrator. They also served a different purpose and emit a completely different emotion, a side of Antibodies you would not want to meet, it was close to feared by all players.

“Will Johnson, ID number 08109595, you reported abnormal behavior with your character correct?” One of the Antibodies said, their voices sounded like two people speaking in unison, electronically altered and unreal. It walked towards me and towered over me. I felt it’s eyes on me and it was like I could speak all my troubles to it. It was a need to confide in it, like it was my best friend in the world. This was unlike Amy’s charm power, where you just felt lustful, trusting and completely overwhelmed, no, this was more, calm and collected.

“Yes. I have noticed an increase in temperament, sometimes it’s hard to control.”

“I will assume you have adhered to the rules of Inverse and have been logging out yourself every six hours of real-time gaming. Has there been any upset with the time limit?”

“I do not understand. Rephrase please.” I spoke clearly, I’m sure the antibodies would know what I have said before I say it, they can connect to the raw messages of our digital cognitive connection, see the raw communication going on between the headset and our minds, but I still felt the need to speak clearly, as if it were voice recognition.

“Have you ever gone over the six hour real-time limit without automatic log out or warning?” Even though they seem so peaceful like this, there voices still had a stern tone to them.

“No.”

The sky blue orbs that Ray disappeared into gathered in the place where Ray was killed. Orbs appearing faster and faster rushing to create a blue shining figure which flashed brightly like lighting into Ray.
“That! Stupi-” Ray shouted as he just logged back in, the effects of the Antibodies affected him almost immediately and the look on his face was like a dog that stopped defensively growling.

“Antibodies?” Ray questioned with no tone to his voice.

They shot him a look but returned their gaze on me.

“I will inspect your character and connection for any bugs. This is a normal procedure and nothing to be afraid of. In the rare event that anything goes wrong I assure you, your mind is completely safe from harm and you will be logged out immediately. You may choose to continue or cancel, however it is vital for Inverse to perform this procedure to ensure best playable experience. May I remind you if you wish to cancel, Moderators and or Administrators will review your report and may see it fit to delete or restore your character and it’s profile. Do you wish to continue?” All the long winded legal stuff seemed a bit worthless as you definitely swayed more towards continue, especially in this state, made me wonder if it was done on purpose. Like a pop-up advert that never let you close it until you clicked on ‘buy now.’

“Continue.” I spoke loud and clear but there lingered some doubt in my mind, a thousand thoughts bolted through my mind, one quite clearly stayed. If the Gespos’ are involved who is to say that the Antibodies are truly safe. My mind told me. No one knew what kind of power the Gespos’ possessed, these aren’t usual gamers, some of these people have real-life and strong power, it was like candy to a child for the conspiracy theorists.

The Antibody took a step toward, it’s metallic crooked hand raise above my head.

“Look into the palm of my hand and keep your focus there.” I did as I was told trying hard to keep my eyes still on his wrinkled palm. A slow moving light haze surrounded my body, engulfed and then -

“A…” Short second burst of imagery burst so fast in my mind it barely registered.
“wa…” Another.
“ne…” And another.
“hel…” Convulsion took my physical body.
“VIRUS THIRTY THREE!” A woman screeched and my body stopped convulsing.

It is all black, nothing else. I am not breathing but it isn’t uncomfortable. Did something go wrong? After questioning the situation, a face appeared out of the darkness. The light filled my mind, it formed before one of the medieval worlds, the violet stained sky and the burning castles in the distance. The dream I had last night, when Brett attacked me. I was in the same spot, the luscious green turning into the same nasty crispy brown where I stood. I searched around pivoting my body, and there was the same figure, I walked towards it slowly the blurred figure slowly coming into focus.

“Sound proofing, once any type of sound goes over a certain decibel, it’s blocked. Were equal again Will. I urge you to try your forte, see how loud it can go.” The same words but not the same voice, there was a slight accent to it, but not all the way still kind of americanized. I stopped myself in my tracks and whoever he was walked towards me in long strides.

“Wha…” I tried to muster. Again another repeat of the dream. I said the exact same thing.

The only thing that was different was him a face, pointed, squared jaw, with noticeably dark brown eyes on his pale face. Hair that was light brown, tidy and gelled back like a wave. I have never seen this face before and there was a feeling that urged me to recognize him, like his name hung so devilishly mischievously at the tip of my tongue.

My body gave way and I slumped to the ground. I tried to focus, tried to force my Forte into action, in anyway possible that could break me out of this dream, or whatever it was. I just wanted to be free of it!

“Can’t do it? Always boasting your Forte Will, but even though I now have the same Forte, I wanted to make this fight fair, let’s see your hidden powers Will… I dare you to fight me.” The man spoke again with an acid malice.

He came running at me in normal speed, I braced myself what would come next, the kick in my face -

I sucked in a breath as quickly as possible inhaling in it all in. I felt like I was floating, I tried to open my eyes but they couldn't focus, I was in my room surrounded by dark shadows, which then flickered to a palm of the Antibodies hand.

“What’s happening, the Antibody is going crazy!” I heard a familiar voice speak but I found it hard to picture their face or come up with their name.
A tingling sensation filled me head to toe, my whole muscles were paralyzed. The panic in my breathing became apparent, rasping noises left my mouth as I tried to scream or shout or make any noise possible! The harder I tried to move something, even just a finger the fast the flickering of my bedroom and Inverse came. The dark shadows in my room moved in different places every flicker. Their presence was pure evil and it felt like one was on top of me, sitting on my chest pinning me down, paralyzing everything. The tingle came rushing making it more uncomfortable, forcing me to panic more I couldn’t bare another second.

Then it stopped. Like nothing happened in the first place, no side-effects, no residual feeling, the only thing left was the panic beating in my chest. The antibody let go of me, but I forgot I was floating mid-air and fell to the ground losing my balance.

“What the hell was that!” Randeep shouted.

“Will are you okay?” Coleen came beside me helping me up. I managed to get back on my feet.

“Yeah, thanks, I’m fine.” I said, not quite sure of myself if I was telling the truth or not. The panic had died down and the thinking about it trying to understand got harder and harder.

“When your body stopped convulsing I thought you was going to come back, but then the Antibody started shaking like it was glitching. Then you started screaming and shouting! What happened?” Randeep carried on. Ray nodded in agreement as he came closer to take a good look at me.

“Not quite sure, all I remember was this face, and dark shadows… I couldn’t move… and the tingling feeling, the tingling feeling was horrible, it was petrifying. Felt like someone was -”

“Is that what you just experienced now?” I looked back at the Antibody who just spoke, in a normal male voice, it’s once crystal blue eyes glowed green, meaning it was no longer on automatic now. A moderator was controlling it.

“No.” I breathed, unsure what it meant, did it mean he had to delete my character and my profile? I didn’t want to take the risk either way. Ray shot me a meaningful look which meant are you sure you should keep this secret? I nodded to him back. Coleen and Randeep just bowed their heads ignoring my blatant lie. The Antibody or moderator now, looked back and forth between me and my friends.

“What happened?” He asked us.

“Well I was under inspection so I didn’t see anything.” I said.

“It kind of started shaking like there was a glitch and then it stopped and let Will go.” Ray explained to him.

“Well as far as I can tell, the inspection went fine anyway just that little mishap, sorry about that, were not quite sure what happened. I’m sure it’s nothing either way. Little mishap that’s all OK?” Was he convincing us or himself? I nodded anyway in agreement. There was something worrying him, there was definitely doubt in his voice.

“Well, Will, there is nothing in your inspection that shouts out glitch, so I just let it off as a few one offs, if this continues however, please tell us. You wanted me to check the house for a disruption? Something about a break in, you sent us the CCTV am I right?”
“Yep.”
“Right, if you don’t mind I’ll go in the house and do an inspection on it.”
We followed him inside the house with the rest of the Antibodies tagging behind us. The moderator lifted up his and and everything went into the crumbled mess that we had seen yesterday, he then swiped his hand and it seemed rewind time to the point just before the house crumbled, it was normal. He then forwarded time slowly, and again it looked frames of a film, one frame it was fine, the next it was a mess, no sign of anyone.
“hmm… just a mishap.” He said before clicked his fingers bringing the house to the present.
“What?” Randeep said in a angry tone. He took it badly, he expected at least some explanation, he could not take not being able to understand anything that went on in terms of computers.
“It’s nothing, Randeep Singh.”
“Maybe the Gespos’” He retorted. “There is missing time isn’t there, hackers work. I can help you find them if you want.”
“I know of your talents Randeep and the companies interest in you, but your still a kid. We can find out who it is.” The moderator slipped.
“Find out who what is?” I said, maybe a bit smug like.

He noticed his slip up and quickly tried to exit the house without saying another word. I hurried after him.
“The Gespos are causing them battles aren’t they? They’re planning something.”
“Don’t let rumors bother you Ray, they will only drive you mad.” He said still with his back to us rushing out of the door. I grabbed the arm of the moderator and the feeling hit us all like cold water. The phobia feeling, the intimidation of the once moderators, now Antibodies crystal blue eyes piercing through me, with one nudge the Antibody trusted me to the ground and all four of them lifted up to the sky and disappeared fast over the sea.

They were right, you really didn’t want to get on the bad side of Antibodies. In a split second they can go from content soothing to hugely feared.



Chapter 7: Tristanio

Rachel finally calmed down and cheered up, and Brett finally arrived. We teleported to the Krovac town in the Obturiness world. The Krovac town had flying and teleporting blocks and it’s stone demonic town was clothed by a nasty looking forest, thick tree trunks, some of which were bare and some had thin glistening stingers. The smell was musky and burnt my nose. The trees were tall and blocked out the suns sandy like rays, looking into the forest was like looking to the darkest bottomless pit. Once we get through the forest we can teleport to the battle area, but passing it was not always easy. The Obturiness world along with a few others were known not just for vampires, but their gothic creatures that laid in the woods and sometimes in the town.

“Wow, this is creepy.” Coleen said clutching onto Randeep.
“I have two wanweird bottles, that should be enough.” I reassured Coleen.
“I should hope so.” Brett breathed behind. I hadn’t spoken to him yet and felt no need to, I was still half on the fence whether to take Amy’s words seriously yet. No one else mentioned it so I don’t see why I should.

We walked mainly in silence through the trees carefully, with the exception of Coleen and Rachel nattering and screaming at the odd bug that crossed their path. I thought about what Amy said a little more, about Brett close achieving his goal, I tried to come to some conclusion or work out what that might be. The only thing that I kept coming back to, is Brett’s disappearances and his distance between himself and us, which we have all tried countless times to find out by asking him but with no avail. The thought of it nagged me for a while, I was trying to push together some evidence of him, the strange battles, this virus thirty-three, the dreams I’m having and that weird glitch I felt. Nothing seemed to fit, I was more lost than ever, but something kept telling me that I should be taking this more seriously as much as I tried not to, I mean, it’s all just a game… it should be just a game. I mentally shook my head in disapproval, ‘Will, don’t be stupid it is a game.’ I told myself, how do I know that’s not what Amy’s doing, just a playing a game, and maybe these battles are just people trying to play against the rules of the game, finding glitches, cheats and what not but I feared I was failing to be optimistic, especially if the rumors are true and the Gespos’ really are involved in this. But is this really their sort of thing? I let my mind calm and focused on where I was walking. The woods got darker and darker so I summoned a death ball in my hand to provide us with some light.

A distinctive low growl came from behind us followed by the sound of twigs snapping. I turned myself around and enlarged the death ball to brighten the small vicinity that it illuminated.
“Nothing’s there.” Randeep confirmed while comforting Coleen.
Just as we all turned back around the low growl came again, but it was much closer, much louder and more menacing. Again we turned around nothing there.
“It sounded much closer that time, I could of sworn it was behind us.” Ray said.
“It’s just this forest, it’s meant to scare us, otherwise it wouldn’t be a challenge.” Brett spoke for the first time, and I looked at him. He looked pan-faced into the woods, not one bother on his face, or any sign of enjoyment. I noticed how strangely close Rachel was to him, standing maybe a few centimeters apart, a month ago, Rachel found it hard to be close to him, telling us he was a nice friend but a creepy sleaze. I then noticed how them being close sent jealousy through my body and I realized how distant Rachel had been with me lately, since I attacked Brett under some strange anger influence. Just thinking about it sent more of those foreign anger emotions back. I stopped myself from lingering on that thought.

Coleen broke my trance with a scream. We all turned back to face forward and there were three dog-like creatures, no bigger than a golden retriever and similar in features but they had scraggy fur, more browner tints and sharp stanley knife for claws. Their crimson eyes like neon signs in the night when the light from my death ball hit them.
“There Moffits!” Randeep told us. I’d never seen a Moffit before, but I had heard about them, normally found in dark woods, their protection animals. When you come into contact with one, you have to beat it to be allowed to pass.
“There’s only three?” Rachel said. “They come in packs of at least ten.”
The growling trio stepped closer to us. Then one barked. A wave of thin transparent greyish light jet dodged me by an inch and hit the tree beside me. The tree trunk burst into large splinters but it didn’t fully penetrate the trunk.
I fired my death ball, and Randeep and Brett fired their powers. Randeep used his Pince Attack, shooting small but fast green energy pellets like a machine gun. Brett conjured and shot an Energy Grenade which burst a powerful creamy white which lit up the forest and revealed about twenty more Moffits.

“We got to run!” I shouted but no one needed telling, we ran left of where we was, shooting powers behind us when we had the chance. All of us were tripping over ourselves but regaining balance in the adrenaline of our panic. A swarm of deafening barks clouded behind us, along with the sounds of splintering trees being hit by their attacks.
“Wanweird.” I shouted, conjuring a wanweird bottle in my hand. We all stopped letting the Moffits come a little closer and it didn’t take long. I forced the wanweird bottle to the floor and a shockwave of smoky earthy yellow mist expanded and forced the Moffits back, thrusting some into trees, four of them closest to us were defeated and exploded into sky blue orbs. It wasn’t long before the scene was met by more oncoming Moffits. Running again and shooting more, our efforts seem futile, or rather I was getting more impatient. I gathered my focus and singled out the sound of the barks. Everything else, the sound of our breathing, the sound of the wind, the running and the birds dimmed into a muffle, like when you hear the distortion of music from a closed car. All I could hear perfectly was that swarm of barks, but that’s all I needed, their power is sound based, but so is my Forte. I’d never used my Forte before, never needed to, and a person using their Forte has to sacrifice a lot of their energy levels but I wasn’t using it’s full potential it would only take a fraction of my energy level for this. Keeping my focus I cut out that particular sound and deafened it, I brought my focus back and the sounds of the scene came back, except the barking.

“Will, did you do that?” Rachel said in response to the lack of splintering trees and barks.
“Yeah. Their power is gone.” And after I said that we all turned around to hit as many of them as we could, there defenseless almost, the only thing going for them now is their deadly bites. All of us were being slowly forced into a circle of defense as the Moffits were managing to surround us. We were all shooting different powers but it was getting useless, there were too many of them and we made the mistake of staying put. The only light omitting through the trees was the light from our powers, it was distorting our view of the Moffits and they were also fast, like trying to find focus of someone dancing in strobe lighting. If we all get killed now, we could miss the battle and forfeit some of our money and some of our powers and most importantly, our reputation. We did though, have one more chance.
“Wanweird.” I cried out and another bottle manifested itself in my hand, one Moffit eyed me angrily and looked like it was about to pounce any second. I held it up ready to thrust it to the floor but my arm was stopped.
“Cosain Muid!” The voice came from the man who grabbed my hand, then the Moffit pounced and hit an invisible force field like an electric fence it blasted the Moffit hitting a nearby stinger on a tree which caused it to slump and disintegrate into the blue orbs.
“Ar ais Moffits!” He shouted again lifting up his hand. The Moffits scattered into the darkness reluctantly into the darkness of the bottomless pit of a forest.

“Thank you.” I told the man, he nodded his head and smiled.
“No problem.” His voice laid thick with a french accent. I conjured a death ball to produce more light and so we could see our savior, who instantly received approval from the girls, with their not-so-subtle ‘oh hello.’ He was typical french features, matte-olive skin, glossy chestnut eyes and deep dark hair. He was also unusually tall around six-five at least.
“I’m Will -”
“Will Johnson, yes, yes I know who you are.” He said enthusiastically with a wide smile. “Big player you and your guild are! My names Tristanio or Trist for short.”
I shook his hand. He wore a black leather jacket with tight european-like jeans and leather boots, he had on a holster carrying an empty vial, one green and one ruby amulet around his neck. A modern wizard by the looks of things, they have to verbally call out their powers, bit of a disadvantage but they have a set of very desirable powers and enchantments that us Nomads can’t possess, like the ones he just casted to save us from humiliation.
“Could you help us please? We got a battle with the Vassyl clan vampires soon, we need to get out of here.” I asked.
“Of course, of course I just need small minute.” He gestured squeezing the air with his finger and thumb and then he bent down to pick some plants out of the ground and put in his pocket. Probably for a potion or something.
“So… Trist.” Coleen giggled. “I like your name.” she giggled more which came to an abrupt stop as she turned to see Randeep’s lifted eyebrow of disapproval on her.
“Just saying.” Coleen retorted.

“Ok, ready, let’s go.” And we all set off tagging behind him, it wasn’t long till we reached the sunlight and eventually the stone cobbled town of Krovac country, in keeping with the theme of the unsteady and unstable looking grounds and buildings of the Obturiness world. The town shone a browny tan color from the it’s stoney buildings, it had that usual eerie feeling that any town in the Obturiness world possessed, known of it’s home of all things gothic, demonic and vampirish it suited it well. I noticed how dead and barren Krovac actually was, I knew it wasn’t the most popular of town in Obturiness.

“I’ll see you all later.” Tristanio said.
“Thank you.” Most of us retorted followed by,
“Merci.” Coleen said in a sickly sweet tone.
“Ahh, Merci, yes.” Tristanio replied enthusiastically.

The town was unusually empty and sent an eerie wave across us. We decided to split up into twos to try and find some of the Vassyl clans, at least some sign, we were meant to be battling today and if we don’t find them we can forfeit our prized treasures from three years of reputation building, time was against. I was paired with Rachel, which gave me some time to think about things to say, and hopefully in a very subtle way try to find out if my suspicions of Rachel and Brett were true.

We were mainly silent for a while, walking on cobbled streets catching the eyes of large vultures parading in the sandy sky.

“Looking forward for tonight?” I broke the silence, the sound of echoed from the barren town.
“Yeah, I’ve got a surprise for you.” Rachel replied, in her usual manner which was strange and confusing, but I just let it pass.
“Yeah what kind of surprise?”
“It’s a surprise, I’m not telling.” I felt the usual nagging urge to know that Rachel tends to cause. I don’t let it get me, in our usual chit-chat I tried to plan some way to ask about Brett. Her Inverse attire only urged me to ask more, her dark satin clothing, purple eye shadow, matte-smooth skin and her glossy eyes piercing me. Each part of her screaming for me to crave her, I haven’t felt like this in a while and the urges came twice as strong.
“Are you dating Brett?” I couldn’t hold it any longer. Rachel turned her eyes to me one eyebrow arched, lips threatening to laugh.
“Hell no!” And her mouth opened wide as she laughed, echoing off the walls. I smiled along side feeling embarrassed, if our Inverse selves could show it, I know my cheeks would be red with blood of humiliation.
She regained her breath and her eyes travelled slowly from waist to meet my eyes, she took a small step toward, and placed her hand lightly onto my hand. She curved and weaved her fingers through mine, I could feel my heart beneath the chest of sleeping body thump faster and harsher. It sent a tingling sensation down my body, not like before, this was a pleasurable one and not at all terrifying. Like someone lightly playing with your hair. Untangling my hands from hers I let them move slowly along the curves of Rachel’s body. Our lips close to meeting.

The battle noises stopped us, coming from a few streets away. Separating ourselves we realized we could hear the sounds of footsteps around us, we both searched the cobbled street with our eyes and a green jets of light were flying past us, dancing around like a tiger playing with it’s victim. I looked up to see pale white faces on top of a building, staring down at us snarling and growling, a midst the pale faces were demonic gothic creatures dotted around. Still hearing the battle noises in the distance there must be more. I drank in the scene, my mind sent a sense of foolishness and embarrassment around me. I should have known, it was obvious, of course this was a trap I told myself before. Why would any of these minors pick a fight with us, but I was stubborn, I wouldn’t refuse a fight, but I should have refused this one.
“Do you not realize your breaking the rules little children?” Rachel said in a patronizing voice but you could also sense the fear. The same fear I have got. After what Amy told us, things have gotten serious, I don’t know how serious, I don’t know what could come of this, but I sure as hell will find out why.

“Do you not realize that soon there will be no rules. He wants Will’s power, give it to us and we can save you the embarrassment of being beaten by minors.” The guy said, the same guy from the diner me and Ray were in when we planned this fight. His red eyes flashing towards me and as he pointed.
“Who is he?” I asked. And in an instant he dropped from the building rooftop and stood only a feet away from us, the shadow of the building made him seem less pale but his eyes were still noticeably bright crimson.

He stared at us for a long minute and laughed mockingly.
“That’s it I’m calling the Antibodies, your in serious shit little boy.” Rachel fumed. “Inverse, deduction, triumph, tinsel. “ The four words that called upon the Antibodies when they were needed, of course they needed to be four words that were unlikely spoken in the same sentence. A minute past, his crimson eyes still threatening, the battle sounds still apparent but no Antibodies.
“Not going to work.” He said plainly at us.
“That’s impossible.” I spat back but his words seem more likely, no sign of Antibodies. When I said serious, this was beyond what I could imagine. They would have to completely change the foundations of Inverse to be able to manipulate it like this. These minors couldn’t do that, Inverse was more tightly sealed than the Government databases. There is absolutely no way they could of done this.
“What the hell is going on? You should seriously rethink your position, I mean it, this has gone past cheating. You could, no scrap that, you will be in serious trouble for this.” I said in a very serious tone to make sure that this guy fully understood what was at stake. I felt like a parent telling off their child, but it needed to be done.

All twenty of them dropped and hit the cobbled floor causing a horrendous noise to echo through the stone town. There was no way into his mind to change it, yet as I looked into his eyes to plea to him that, to make him realize his hard act person revealed a scared boy, it was apparent on his face. I knew then that Amy was telling the truth some of the Gespos were behind this whole thing, manipulating the minds of children into fear to do their dirty work, threatening them no doubt with false information, bluffing about how they know where they live. I could almost picture them, corrupting minds. It sent the worst anger through me, so much so I could my unstable side raising from it’s lair, my emotions were so strong so hard to control now, I didn’t know whether I could stop the anger outbreak this time. I didn’t know what to do, whether to back down and sacrifice my pride, that would of been the good thing to but at the same time whoever was behind this, taunting us, needed to know they can’t manipulate us. If we give up everything, for whatever reason they needed it for, they can come to us ourselves and face us.

I ran, and Rachel followed, the twenty odd demonic minors ran after us. If I stayed and fought I knew it would be the end of my stability. I was faster than Rachel, but she managed to keep up using her flash teleport her violet sparks glistened in the corner of my eye but it didn’t put me off. I needed to keep concentration. I needed to calm myself down.

We ran in a weird system taking random turns which to come at every second, but the vampires had heightened smell senses and they could easily keep up even if they were slower than us.

Me and Rachel both found ourselves hit by an invisible shield making our bodies convulsing before being thrusted back. I started to hyperventilate, there was no stopping this now. Calm down, Calm… I told myself. I decided to distract myself with the thirty seconds we had until the minors would be able to catch up, by looking around for anyone who set the shield.
“Ah, sorry, sorry, I turn it off now.” Trist said standing in front of us. Frantically apologetic.
“It’s ok.” Rachel responded hastily. Rachel got up but I was still on the ground trying to suppress my anger, the hyperventilation stopped, but I thought hard not to speak incase I truly let this glitch out.
“Will, are you okay?” Trist asked, but I couldn’t talk, I needed to concentrate. Rachel knew exactly what was happening she seen it before when I almost attacked Brett at the house after I accused him of trashing it.
“Trist, he’s going to be fine, but you’re gonna have to leave him and not ask any questions we will tell you later. Can you stop them from coming near us?”
“Yes-yes.” Trist agreed. The sound of a stampede getting nearer and nearer. Trist lifted up his hand.
“Cosain Muid!” He spoke loudly and an invisible shimmer in the space around us appeared for a second, as I kept thinking about that for a while I felt the anger calm into a molten flow. The vampires turned the corner and stopped still in a group snarl, eyeing up Tristanio. They must be familiar with him already.
“What happened? Why are you still here?” I asked Trist, and Rachel seemed surprised to hear my voice again, I got up from where I was sat confident that I’ll be okay.
“I came back, to find my guild, after I got the ingredients I needed when I was with you. But my guild have gone, and when I went looking, these children started to attack me.” Another snarl broke out as soon as his last comment was spoken.
“The shield wont last much longer.” Trist added.
“Then lets go. I don’t want to fight them, I’ll tell you later why Trist but I think it is important that we shouldn’t and one more thing could you call for Antibodies for me please?” He looked confused at my request, but he didn’t ask questions, part of me was not sure if he understood what I was saying.

“Inverse, mélange, chacun, étoile” Trist said using the french commands. The moments passing seemed forever and both me and Rachel looked anxious. Trist had a face full of confusion but he was strong enough to keep his questions locked for now.
“It’s not working, they’re not coming.” Rachel confirmed, and we got up and ran. I needed to escape from it all, but first I needed to get the rest of my guild. I ran a bit slower this time so Trist could keep up but also to follow the sounds of the battle.


Chapter 6: Forte

It was hard to keep my focus, in the italian looking town square that was thick with dust of broken stones and damaged buildings. We were massively outnumbered, but we were also strong. We were all in our aura form, are smoky colors dancing around the outline of our bodies, I felt stronger, faster and more confident, but I could feel myself soon tire. The death balls I was executing were becoming weak and more transparent in color, the usual silvery blue now becoming more faint and it was the same for all of our aura’s. I could hear Trist mumbling more spells and summoning this green electric sparks from his hands shooting them at the demonic creatures.

“We’ve got to go!” I tried to shout through the noise, but it was useless. Ray tried to run into the middle of the forty something enemy, that were dancing around us.
“You don’t have your Forte Ray!” Only acknowledging what I just said he was already there being bitten left, right and center, his green aura now becoming so faint he’ll be dead in ten seconds or so. I forced all of my aura into my hand and ran towards him, feeling the power surge I jumped and hit the ground with my glowing fist. A big boom erupted and it sent ten or so of them off of Ray hitting onto the buildings nearby, he was covered in bloodless bites. Nice to know that throughout everything in the game that seems to fail or glitch, the minors can still have a gore-free battle, to me it was creepier to see black teeth marks like bottomless pits.

I tried to help him out before more could come and attack but they were too quick. Trist used his levitation spell to get Ray out of there into safety. If Ray had his Forte, these people wouldn’t stand a chance, his Forte ‘psionic strength’ was like a walking talking body of steel. Rachel was flash teleporting all over the place trying to hit but not kill as many of the minors as she could, I watched her fluidness for a second too long before I realized I was being bitten. As I pulled away to attack the girl latched onto my arm, a burning sensation started to tingle lightly on the bite marks, I ignored it and quickly sent the girl away using my telekinesis, she fell to the floor not far from me and I conjured a death ball in my hand. Her crimson eyes wide stared back at mine, but the face she held was not fear, nor happiness it was shock. I noticed than that everyone around me was staring at me, at my arm. The death ball in my hand faded away with my focus, the burning sensation was suddenly increasing, I felt dizzy and nauseas. With every pulse of burn I couldn’t help scream, the blood started to ooze out and my aura was faded away.

Everyone stood mid battle staring at me, dumbfounded and mouth open wide they gawked at my un-funneled pain, when I thought that Inverse had been tampered with, the aspect of feeling pain never crossed my mind. It was too dangerous to be real. My body shuddered as it fell into a fetal position on the stone floor, my knees started to feel bruised from the fall but the shooting burn pulsating from arm to my toes was to excruciating.
“Omigod! Rune! What do I do now!?” the girl that bit me panicked.
“I don’t know, kill him!” Rune, the guy from the rooftop, said with much less panic. He expected it.
“What the hell do you think you’re playing at!” Rachel announced, I could hear her striding towards Rune. Someone from the statued crowd threw a green jet of light at her, she flash teleported on the spot, she wasn’t bothered about who did it, her eyes were set firmly on Rune. I watched her through my squinting eyes as she punched Rune in the face. He shook his head and bought his shame filled eyes back to Rachel.
“Damn! I hoped you would’ve be able to feel that. Sort this out now.” Rachel said like a parent disciplining their child and he didn’t like that one bit, he snarled loudly that you could hear over my whining.

Rachel was thrusted back onto the ground, Rune wide eyed and determined stormed towards me, Ray was shouting from behind me too weak to intervene, Randeep and Coleen were restrained, and Brett just stood and watched. Rune stood above, and conjured red sparks similar to Trist’s power.
“I’m sorry.” Rune said through a whimper.
“No!” Rachel shouted and he turned and hit her with a red lightning. She was trusted into the air before landing into a splash of blue orbs.

I tried to come to moral understanding that these were children manipulated by evil members of some cult. I tried to picture the children behind these brooding characters but it just made it worse. The control was slipping away from me, my Forte power was about to make it’s debut and I couldn’t stop it, couldn’t stop the molten flow burst into an eruption. The pain that I felt suddenly dropped into numbness I got myself up and picked up Rune by the throat, the screams and the shocked looked by those around me blurred. I conjured one swirling dark blue death ball and shot it at full speed into his stomach and he disintegrated into the tiny millions of blue orbs.

A scream shrieked from some one I couldn’t see, but I didn’t to, without thought I singled that sound out, as everything else turned into a muffle, a stream of pinkish translucent energy like liquid originating from the scream started to collect in my hand. The scream had stopped but the pink liquid emitted the high pitched noise like a looped reverb. I wasn’t seeing anything when I looked back at the forty-odd minors. I couldn’t even begin to imagine the fear within them, or even the fear within my friends around me. There was no stopping me, no stopping this lack of control that we call a glitch.

With a little tense of my muscle and a bit of thought, I amplified the pinkish liquid which now swirled like a ball of sound waves constantly vibrating. It shrieked louder than the original scream itself, sending a chilling wave everywhere. They covered their ears and some fell to their knees, the power intoxicated every thought within me, it felt good. I knew it wouldn’t hurt them, hopefully wouldn’t hurt them just make them feel uncomfortable. I don’t think my uncontrollable body would care either way. Using the sound in my hand I shot sparks of it at some of those kneeling, it sent a harsh smack noise like a head hitting metal as those hit flung backward and dissipated into orbs.

The eruption in my body wasn’t even close to ending, a vampire girl knelt beneath me, in shock she looked up at me, with anger in her eyes but also the realization that they lost this battle. I released the pink sound which stopped it from emitting the pitch leaving a few seconds of a calming quiet atmosphere. I singled out the heavy footsteps and streams of grey colored liquid from the ground collected in my hand, again with the muscle tense and the thought in my mind I amplified it into a ball as big as a basketball. An echoey bass filled the square, vibrating the pools of water and shaking debris off the buildings. I could hear the feint sounds of my friends pleading for me to stop, but it wasn’t enough to calm this uncontrollable force. I ran a few feet towards the scared characters and smashed the swirling ball of bass onto the floor. The stone patterns of the floor crumbled and a grey shock wave sent those closest to me at least fifty feet into the air dissipating into orbs as they flew. The wave covered the square in milliseconds and killed everything in it’s vicinity, it sent the buildings around us to demolish and crumble.

As the dust cleared into nothing my glitch was fully satisfied and released my body. I felt dizzy and hungry for energy and then the guilt shot at me, made my stomach churn and nauseated my senses. What did you do? I thought carefully to myself. The environment around me was a rumbled mess of what looks like something reminiscent of an atomic bomb.

I faced my other guild members, Brett, Ray, Randeep and Coleen with the face filled with both panic, fear and guilt. They seemed reciprocate all of them except the guilt.
“Where’s Tristanio?” I asked to break the ice.
“You killed him. He’s not part of our guild remember, he’s not immune to your powers. That big boom thing you did wiped him out completely.” Randeep replied. I let the thought sink in, I knew Trist was old enough to be able to get over it quickly, hoping anyway, but that still didn’t shake any of the guilt.
“That was wiped, it was scary as hell, but total awesome.” Randeep said again a bit more optimistic.
“What the hell is happening Will? You feeling pain, no anitbodies?” Coleen asked, I told them what Rune told us, how it confirmed all of what Amy said, about some Gespo members hiding behind minors to collect powers, altering the games outcome. But still there seemed to be no motive, and we didn’t know exactly what we were up against, but I had feeling it is closely connected to my glitch problem, and Brett. Everything seems to lead to Brett, everything about him was more and more suspicious, the way he’s not even saying a word now, looking dumbfounded at the rubble. Rachel and Trist logged backed in and we filled Trist in on the news, he seemed to accept my apology and he also told us about his guild disappearing and a guild member Nicolae whom he had his suspicions for, he wanted to join us as we all agreed unanimously to find out more. Something tells me that we wouldn’t have to look far, Rune said he was after my power so surely he will be looking for me.

“Where can we start?” Rachel asked.
“Someone who has had experience with the Gespos before?” Coleen suggested. Then it came to me, we know a guy. A ruthless, possibly one of the most rebellious person out of the Gespo circle who had been involved with them but was given a warning on the account he was manipulated.
“I know someone, Ray you’re gonna like this. We need to pay him a little visit to get your Psionic powers back anyway.” I said, he smirked back with glee.
“Joel The Dragon Master? Are you sure, Will? That was quite an extensive battle can we even get past his... pets?” Rachel said with a tone of worry.
“Sure we can, we’ve got plenty of replenishments to keep us going.” Ray was both excited but blinded by his fuel for revenge to actually question if we could get past Joel’s dragon pets.
“You do realize you’re the one that’s going to have to fight Joel to get your power back don’t you Ray?” Brett finally spoke.
“Yes.”
“Well, let’s face it, you got beaten by a few kids. How the hell you meant to kill Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego plus Joel himself.”
Ray’s face boomed with anger.
“Those kids ambushed me.”
“Completely destroyed you more like.” Brett’s goading worked. Ray squared up to him trying to intimidate him with his ‘badboy’ stance.

“Ar ais Ray.” Trist commanded with a spell, pushing Ray away from Brett before anything started. Just as that happened something took us by surprise. Orbs collected into a shiny figure, a girl, the same girl that was once taunting us into battle, that told us how she wanted to bite us in the diner meeting we had with her and Rune. But it wasn’t that girl anymore. It was a scared child, a frantic fearful face hiding behind the long bright blonde hair that danced in power not long ago. It was a surprise to the rest of the gang to think that any of the kids would log back here while we were still around, but I knew she wasn’t here for taunting, she was here for help.

“Look, I’m way over my head here. At first this was a game, but I don’t want to play anymore.” She said.
“You don’t have to anymore. Please tell us, what’s happening?” Coleen said in her usual warm motherly voice.
“He told us, this british man. He told us that we will be saved if we did what he was told, and if we didn’t. We would be killed… in real-life. He knew where we all lived he had our parents names even some of our pets names. He asked to kill you lot, he told us that there would be no Antibodies, but he never told us that there would be pain.” She revealed.
“Did he tell you his name? Or what would happen if you didn’t kill us.” Coleen asked.
“No name, no he didn’t tell us his name. He said he wanted us to aim for the kill, but he expects us to lose. There was money involved if we did manage to kill you and take the power. He also told us to give you this.” She held out her small shaking hand. “Item twenty-four” and a small piece of paper manifested on her palms. She passed it to Coleen who read out the words.”

The Collapse Is coming. You can’t stop it, Will.
All my love,
S.I.

“We heard rumors, that he was a religious person, but I don’t know. I don’t know anymore… I’m sorry. I was only supposed to leave the paper.” She said. She looked like she was about to whimper and cry.
“Are you sure there isn’t anything else?” I asked.
“He mentioned that, your guild member, him.” She pointed to Brett. “He was on his side and will help us if we said a word to him, I can’t remember well.”
“Liar.” Brett spat. He took long strides towards her.
“It’s what he said, I’m not lying.” The girl coward away from her as he got dangerously close.
“Trist!” I pleaded, I can’t use my power against him, he’s a immune.
“Ar ais Brett.” He casted and he flew backwards away from her. He got up again, I could see the glitch in his eyes, it had him in an internal grip.
“Brett! Stop!” We all tried to intervene, grabbing his shoulder.
“Calamity was the word!” She shrieked and he stopped still. Head not moving, eyes not blinking, chest not breathing. It was like switching off a robot.
“Brett?” I asked. His head shot towards the girl and his eyes started to pierce her wide frantic iris. The girl started to hyperventilate, then came moans of pain and a full outburst of disturbing screaming. Like she had just seen a dead body, or something that was the shock of her life. The screaming was loud and harsh, she wasn’t in pain, this was all emotional. The screaming was heart wrenching but I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what was happening let alone how to stop it.
Ray did the only thing he knows best. He punched Brett in the face and it snapped Brett out of his trance. The girl just curled into a fetal position on the floor and was squirming like a feral child. Brett took teleported before any of us could have asked him anything.
“Omigod what happened?” Coleen said as she comforted the girl in her arms and started to rock her. I was right all along, I felt guilty for being suspicious like I was two-faced friend, but now I was just disgusted with him.
“He must be with the Gespos.” I said.
“No I’m sure there is a perfect explanation about this.” Rachel intervened.
“Rachel! Look at this girl, look what he did to her! I’m sorry but I have to agree with Will this time. I don’t care if you’re seeing him.” My disgusted suddenly grew larger and larger. Rachel looked back at me scared.
“I’m not seeing him. I promise.”
“Save it. You and Brett are always late, or both too tired. I’m sure I’m not the only one who noticed that Brett and Rachel are always the last to log in, first Rachel arrives, then about twenty minutes later Brett arrives almost every time!” Coleen sounded venomous, the shaky catatonic girl in her arms had really gotten to her. Gotten to all of us, but it didn’t seem to affect Rachel… I didn’t want to think about her but Coleen’s accusations made sense, I’d been worrying about Brett’s absence and lateness that Rachel’s didn’t even occur to me.

“I’m not. I promise. You guys are always jumping to conclusions.” And she floated into orbs, logging herself out. I couldn’t care less. Everyone else looked back at me, expecting a reaction. No forget this, forget Rachel and forget Brett. He can run off and play games with his new found friend S.I. whoever the hell he is. I’m going to help this kid, if the Antibodies can’t catch this guy. I will.

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 15.12.2010

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