Alterlife III Read online

  What could a man like Giovisi be hiding behind that door?

  In front of us at the end of the hall is the back entrance to the place—a solid steel door with a small window in the top. Locked, of course.

  She goes to the last door on the right, which is next to the steel exit door, opens it, and motions for me to go in.

  “Thanks,” I tell her.

  I lock it shut and relieve myself in the urinal. As I piss, my eyes wander to the bidet that’s beside me. I’ve never used one before and have always thought them to be odd. And I’ve never seen one in the bathroom of a business before; yet another thing that exposes more about the man who’s hosting me in this place.

  I wash up, and the soap smells good. Instead of a hand dryer, there are paper towels to dry my hands and open the door with, for sanitary purposes. Nearby trashcan to toss the towel into. This is how every place of business should operate their bathrooms.

  The asian woman is still standing in the same spot, hasn’t moved a muscle.

  “Hey, what’s your name?” I ask.

  She stares at me with a blank expression.

  I wait, not giving a damn how long it takes or how awkward it is. I match her stare and count to twelve.

  “You’re going to make me choose a name for you then. And trust me, I’m not very good at choosing names.”

  She extends an arm out, telling me to go back down the hall.

  I point a finger at her, narrowing my eyes. “Your name is Yuna.”

  She cocks her head, not curious or caring.

  “It’s from the Final Fantasy series. You never played? Man, those games were great.”

  She signals for me to walk with a sharp nod of her head and a finger point down the hallway, followed by the press of a hand against my shoulder to nudge me on.

  “Alright, Yuna, I’m going.” I lead the way, speaking to her as I walk. “So, Yuna, how long have you worked here? Do you like it? How’s the management treat you?”

  I get no reply, which doesn’t surprise me. She’s a tough case to crack. Looks like I’ll have to find another way to dig up some more info on Giovisi.

  You could just ask him what you want to know.

  That’s the thing; I don’t have any questions in particular. I’m just hoping to find out more in casual conversation or random observations, and go from there. But neither him nor Yuna here are being particularly welcoming on that matter.

  I suppose it’s all business. Like Deana says, the less people know about you in the real world, the better.

  Which reminds me, I need to get in touch with her after I get settled in with the Saviors.

  I wonder where she’s at and what she’s doing.

  Giovisi still waits by the open doors as we return. He finishes rolling up the sleeves of his gray button-up shirt.

  “Are you all set?” he asks, his hands pressed together as he looks at me with calculating eyes behind his wire-framed, thinly lensed glasses.

  I drop the duffle bag from my shoulder and carry it by the strap. “All set.”

  “Excellent,” he replies and holds his hand out for me to go inside the room. “Is there anything we can get you? Water? Snacks?”

  “I’m fine. Thanks.”

  He inclines a courteous bow. “As you wish. See you in Condren.” He closes the door and I lock it from the inside. The room still appears the same. I drop my bag next to the chair and go to press the button on the wall, changing it to glass.

  Giovisi is standing inside the room, talking to Yuna who’s standing in the doorway.

  I look about his room, to the water feature in the back, to the incense in front of the mat, to the various plants all around. Odd to surround yourself with such things when it doesn’t really matter. I mean, everything fades away when you’re in VR. What’s the point of…

  Giovisi suddenly reaches out and he grabs Yuna by the jaw, clenching tightly. Her eyes go wide with fear as he grips her, pulling her face slightly closer to him with a strained arm.

  I think about hitting the window-wall, warning him to let go of Yuna. I debate on unlocking the door to run over and help her. To watch a man treat a woman like that makes my blood boil. But this isn’t my house. And it’s none of my business.

  Right now isn’t the time to cause a scene.

  I need Giology’s help if I’m going to defeat the gods.

  I clench my fist as I watch him reprimand her for whatever it is that she did.

  Yuna gives three sharp nods and he lets her go. She takes a deep breath, and her eyes cast down as he lets his arm relax and straightens himself up. She looks him in the eye, says something, then walks away.

  He closes the door, locks it, and turns around to face the room. Standing there, he admires it. His demeanor looks as calm as ever, even after his aggressive act of abuse.

  Kneeling before the incense, he takes a box of matches from his pocket and lights it. He places the stick softly on the floor and slowly rises to stand. He removes his shoes, sits cross-legged on the mat, takes a remote from his pocket and places it next to him, then breathes deeply to center himself.

  This guy is a nut job. Seriously, he’s got some screws loose.

  Maybe I should just go...

  Yeah, a smart person would probably take the warning signs and leave immediately.

  But a desperate person would roll the dice.

  I’m all out of options.

  After taking a few deep breaths, Giovisi picks up the remote and presses a button.

  “Ace, can you hear me? Don’t be alarmed, this is just a communicative link between the two rooms.”

  The guy has speakers linked to the rooms. I look around, but can’t find them anywhere. Must be above the ceiling tiles.

  “Yeah, I can hear you, Giovisi.”

  “Good. And please, call me Gio. Are you ready to go?”

  Before I reply, I pause, wait, and watch to gauge his reaction. Wait for him to look at the window-wall because he knows that it’s there. But does he know that I know?

  The NueView rests beside him. He closes his eyes and breathes, centering into a meditative state again. Rolls his neck around and opens his jaw repeatedly, stretching the muscles in his face. His eyes open and he looks at his watch.

  He doesn’t know that I can see him right now.

  “Yeah, Gio, I’m ready. Are you ready?”

  He takes the NueView and straps it on. Pulls the Brianwave over his head. Places the contacts in.

  “I am ready, Ace.”

  “Alright. See you in Condren.”

  I press the button, walk away from the window-wall, and ease into the chair.

  Before I put the system on, I take my pistol from the duffel bag and tuck it behind my back.

  Back at Condren, I meet Gio at the fountain.

  “Ah, there he is,” Gio greets. “Let’s go meet the guild. Everyone is waiting.” He opens a portal. “Are you ready to see Thannadas?”

  Sure, why not?

  “Ready!”

  He smiles at my exaggeration, then walks through the blue, buzzing teleport.

  I stand there for a moment and stare at it. Check my inventory to make sure I have some teleports of my own in case I need to come back.

  Don’t make him wait.

  Like I give a shit if I do? People wait on me. I’m Ace the Great.

  Always was.

  Always will be.

  Emerging from the teleport, I find myself standing in front of a fountain.

  Gio stands beside me.

  Birds fly around us; at least three different species cawing and chirping as they soar overhead.

  I look around and marvel at the difference, as if I’m in another world.

  The city is made of stone, built in the middle of a rainforest or jungle of some sort. All of the stone buildings and houses are surrounded by lush trees of green, and the entire ground is comprised of short grass and moss, save for the dirt roads that are fighting back the growth of vegetation.

  A
Tiger walks by and growls at me.

  What the fu…

  “Welcome to Atlantis,” Giology says and holds his hands out in appreciation of the city. “This city is my home. And home of the Saviors.”

  From his perch upon a merchant’s shop, a monkey yells at me as it spits and bares its teeth. I glare at the little hairy bitch and quickly feign like I’m going to throw a rock at it. The nasty beast then proceeds to shit in its hand and hurl its steaming hot feces at me. It lands in the fountain.

  I raise my right arm and middle finger to the monkey, stopping it at a ninety-degree angle with my left, flashing him the ‘up yours’ signal.

  “Nice place you got here,” I turn around and tell Gio.

  He grins and holds a hand out for me to walk beside him. “It is unlike what you are used to, I’m sure. Please, walk with me.”

  As we travel down the dirt road, the monkey screams at me again. I turn my face back to it and shake my head, my lips moving silent threats in warning.

  Players are all around talking, trading, continuing with Alterlife the way they used to before the virus came into the world; as if it never even affected this place. All around me, the city abounds with smiling faces and life. Their clothes are loose fitting, comfortable, and brightly colored. Their statures, hair, skin, and eye colors, all different variations. Various character types outside of human, such as elves, dwarves, and orcs.

  We follow the street to the right, towards the giant palace in the distance that’s surrounded by waterfalls cresting from high cliffs. Looking down the main street to my left, it’s hard to tell how large the city is from the foliage of the jungle that encompasses it.

  “This place is unusual to say the least. But it's very beautiful.”

  Gio replies. “Thannadas has always been this way. The Creator made it so. Beneath Atlantis lies an infinite well, supplying the city with its life-giving waters. Healing waters.”

  “Healing waters? It restores your hitpoints?”

  He tilts his head to regard me from the corner of his eye. “That and much more. These waters heal the soul. That is why the land is so abundant and why I founded the city here.”

  Pause. Back it up.

  “I’m sorry, I thought you just said that you founded the city.” I chuckle. “ Must be the humidity getting to me.”

  Gio claps his hands together and looks about the city with pride. “I can attest that the humidity is high in this place, but it did not cause you to mishear my words. Indeed, I created this city.”

  This guy has been playing with monkeys for far too long.

  “C’mon man. I get it. This is your city. Cool. But you didn’t build it.”

  He stops and turns to me, serious. “Is there something that you don’t understand? Is it so hard to comprehend that such a thing is possible?”

  “For the ‘Creator’, no. That’s what game creators do. They make Alterlife what it is.”

  “Then you do not understand what Alterlife is.”

  “Oh? Enlighten me.”

  He stares into my eyes. “It’s anything you want it to be.”

  Bull shit.

  I put my hand up and shake my head. “Alright. Say you did build Atlantis. How? You’ve only been online for, what, maybe a year? How is it possible to build something like this in that amount of time?”

  He smiles at me and continues to walk down the path. “What do you know about history, Ace? About kings and pharaohs? Of empires such as Rome and the men who ruled it?

  I recall my high school history class. “Not much. Other than they controlled the world in some form or fashion.”

  He holds a finger up. “And how do you think they achieved this?”

  “They were born into ruling.”

  “And their ancestors, how did they set up their dominance?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “They took control of the most valuable asset that this world has to offer.”

  “Gold,” I say.

  “No, not gold or silver, or any precious mineral. Those are all commodities with a value associated to them.” He stops and speaks as he looks ahead. “The most valuable thing in the world is the minds of men.”

  I stare at him as he narrows his eyes in confidence, possessed by whatever it is that he knows and feels.

  He continues. “That is what created the empires of old that ruled the world. That is what men of power seek and use to their advantage.”

  “Are you saying that’s what you did here?”

  He turns to me. “Yes.” Again, he walks towards the palace.

  This guy is smoking crack. Drinking bleach at the cleaners?

  I can’t wrap my head around the fact that he built this city, and the townsfolk who walk by regard him as some sort of a saint or messiah. They show it in their faces, all giddy like a teenage girl, but respectful at the same time—like the man’s a high priest. Some sort of cult religion.

  The rulers of old built empires with slaves. Drove men against their wills. These people don’t look like slaves.

  “Hey, Gio, I’ve noticed the absence of temples, you know, given why I’m here and all. What’s up with that? No Thal-lover-boys in Atlantis?”

  “We do not worship the gods here.”

  Gio continues to walk and talk about the city, idly waving and greeting players who pass by. They seem to love him here, almost revering him to be a god himself, though not quite to that extreme. More like a love and respect for the man instead of fear.

  How did this man get so many people on his side? Is there a brainwash potion I don’t know about?

  Stepping onto a stone bridge that’s at least a football field long, I look over the side and feel a slight tinge of panic. I’m not a fan of heights. Falling from here would probably be a thirty-second drop to the river bottom below.

  “This was one of the first things constructed here in Atlantis. When scouting for a suitable place to build my palace, I knew the other side of the canyon, near the high cliffs and majestic waterfalls, was the perfect spot.”

  “And on the first day, you spoke the words and it was so,” I sarcastically remark.

  Gio slightly turns his head and grins at the statement. “After the bridge was built, and the palace erected, the rest of the city came into being.”

  A hundred questions come to mind, but this guy likes to hear himself talk, so I’ll let him keep talking. All of the answers to my questions will be revealed by him in time.

  In front of us, a man sits cross-legged on the stone bridge with regents in hand. He adds what he’s holding to a glass vile and POOF, the mixture goes up in a flash of light and a ball of smoke. In surprise, he falls back, jumps up in frustration, and throws the glass container off the bridge to the canyon below.

  Gio walks towards him and speaks. “You did not use the correct amount of Rock Salt for a Fireball Potion in the final step. Next time use three parts Rock Salt and mix carefully, after you add two parts Levulose and one part Water. Birch Sap is only needed to seal and bind the potion to keep it stable.”

  The Adept Alchemist throws his hands up, frustrated. “I did all of that, but it still didn’t work.”

  Gio folds his hands together. “That is because you were impatient and did not give the potion enough time to bond before sealing it with the Sap. An Alchemist’s greatest recipe is layered with patience. Try again,” Giology tells him with the authority and knowledge that comes from being a Grandmaster Alchemist.

  “Yes, Lord Gio,” the man replies.

  Gio continues walking.

  “You’re a Grandmaster Alchemist, too?” I ask, walking beside him.

  “Yes.”

  Of course you are. Why wouldn’t you be?

  “I’ve never seen magic potions before. Is this a new patch?”

  “No,” Gio replies. “They have always been in Alterlife, just like Healing, Mana, and Stamina potions.”

  “I’ve never seen them before,” I say again.

  “Then maybe they do no
t have them where you’re from,” he states.

  “So these magic potions can produce spells similar to a Mage?”

  “Yes. But no higher than an Adept level. The more powerful spells cannot be replicated through Alchemy, and the damage and skills of a high level Mage cannot be matched.”

  “That’s cool. I always wanted to know what it was like to choose a Mage class. I guess these potions will give me a sense of what being a Mage is like.”

  “Why didn’t you choose to be one, then?”

  “Because I chose Warrior and Dragoon. You can only choose two classes.”

  Gio turns his head to me while we walk, a look of curiosity upon his face.

  “Right?” I ask, now questioning everything I’ve come to know in Alterlife.

  He places both hands behind his back and looks straight ahead. “As I said, anything is possible in Alterlife.”

  No way.

  “How many ranks of Grandmaster do you hold?” I ask with trepidation.

  “Five.”

  “Impossible. I’ve tried to raise other skills, but only achieved the level of Master as they wouldn’t go any higher. Even Thal’s Amulet, which I’m sure you’ve heard of, didn’t raise them anymore once I became Grandmaster in my two chosen classes.”

  He holds a finger up. “Then how is it that I have achieved multiple Grandmaster classes, and you have not? What is the common difference among us?”

  I think about his question. His ambition for greatness matches mine, maybe more so than mine, and we both have a keen sense of how to bend Alterlife to our will. Him more so than me, apparently. So what is the main difference between us, omitting all other tangible facts and breaking us down to our very core?

  Location.

  “Thannadas. Atlantis.”

  Gio stops and turns to me, and he places both hands on my shoulders in excitement. “Yes! That is the only difference between us, between everyone on your side of the world and mine. Now you know.”

  “So the rules in Alterlife don’t apply in Thannadas?”