Free Web NovelChapter 131: Chapter 127: Eldritch Grace
[Only what you need. One small flask or vial each.]
My heart does a somersault. The Eldritch Doe has granted our request. Everyone in the family will get the nectar, within reason. I know that Lamant has small potion vials and flasks aplenty.
[Thank you!] Lightning kisses all over the doe’s face, and so do I. Lobo does the same. [We will bring them all here tomorrow morning before we leave these woods.]
The doe merely nods. Her soft fur glistens with our kisses. Then, she dances in a half-circle and trots off into the darkness. We have been dismissed.
Hearts full, we retrace our steps back to the camp. When we arrive, everything is silent and still. Everyone is asleep, especially the cubs.
[Do you feel anything yet?] Lobo asks.
I shake my head. [No, you? Lightning?]
She utters a little "mrrrp". [No. Maybe it takes time to take effect. I just wish we had information about what that effect is and when we can expect to feel something.]
Lobo wags his tail. [Maybe we need to sleep first. Now we can. Let’s get back before anyone misses us.]
The warm tent awaits. Slumbering amber balls of fluff, Finn and Leonie snooze in the tent. Their little ears and whiskers don’t even twitch when we rejoin them, surrounding them like parentheses. Our cubs are safe and happy and sleeping.
I lick Lightning goodnight, satisfied with our efforts. [Goodnight. I hope this elixir helps.]
[Mmmm. Sleep will help too. Goodnight.]
I close my eyes, sleep, and dream.
* * * * *
In the dream, I stand inside a strange electronic grid. It reminds me of the holodeck from Star Trek or the computer-generated imagery from Tron.
The Eldritch Doe and the Mushroom Man, both looking holographic or computer-generated, wait for me. I also see similarities with the Matrix trilogy. After all, in a way, System is feeding on us, just like the tyrannical machines in that movie. We may not be batteries to power it, but without us, it has no power.
"You summoned me here," I say, relieved to speak normally for once. To hear my own human voice again.
The Mushroom Man inclines his head with its untidy hair cascading down around his shoulders. "Yes. Because you are nearing the end of your quest. You can’t falter now."
The Eldritch Doe adds, "System will make it even more difficult from here on out. Not just in the tournament, but in everything. It can’t afford to lose. Losing is what it fears above all else."
The Mushroom Man agrees. "Losing is worse than death as far as System is concerned. It has tried this many times, with many games and many virtual worlds. All have failed."
I put two and two together. "So, this is its last chance. It’s like a cornered beast, which means it’s the most dangerous one of all."
Wisely, the Eldritch Doe nods. "It did not plan on all of you fighting as hard as you are. And it foolishly believed that its schemes would remain hidden."
I shrug. "Guess it never heard of gamer forums, or how closely we stick together. And it never counted on the power of family."
The Mushroom Man agrees. "I think you would call this the ’collective consciousness.’ That is what these forums are. The collective wisdom."
"As much as the Internet allows," I quip. "But you are right. We can tap into the wisdom of all the players who want to beat the game."
"Some of them want to keep the game going," the Mushroom Man warns, with a shake of his wild hair at such foolishness. "They do not understand the cost."
"No," I agree. "They don’t know, any more than Damon and I did. They think it’s just a harmless game, like any other. They don’t see the trap laid for them. I’m certainly not going to become a holy roller and an anti-gaming crusader. The majority of online games and video games are safe, or at least, I hope they are. Most people who create and play these games do so for the love of gaming. Yes, there is big money involved. People spend billions on gaming, including mobile games with all those seductive in-app purchases. But most of it is, I’m guessing, benign. Except for video game addiction, of course. And let’s not forget community. Gamers have their own little community that no one else shares. It’s social. The stereotype is of loners, antisocial misfits, sitting in their rooms eating microwaved food prepared by their moms, getting fatter. I’m sure those people exist, but they’re not typical. There are even e-sports leagues and live streams of games on Twitch."
Mushroom Man and the Eldritch Doe process all this.
"You are right," the Eldritch Doe replies. "It is like any other pursuit that you people engage in, You can do it to excess. And there are those who want to exploit that tendency. System is merely the latest offender."
The Mushroom Man stares at me with a blinding intensity. "You mentioned live streaming the games. It has not been announced yet, but--"
[INCOMING ANNOUNCEMENT.]
* * * * *
I wake up in the tent, heart pounding.
Did System invade my dream? Did it hear my rebellious manifesto?
[INCO,MING ANNOUNCEMENT.]
No. No. I just heard the announcement in my sleep. It became part of the dream, the way sounds in the waking world do.
Lobo blinks his eyes, and so does Lightning. Attuned to System’s announcements, they are immediately alert and awake and wary.
A display;ay pops up, and the words are bewildering. Startling.
[Attention All Game Players. The Beast Taming Elimination Tournament will now be live streamed on Twitch and other live streaming entertainment platforms worldwide, as well as on YouTube. Players from around the world will compete. The human world as well as Tanglewood will be watching. The countdown begins now.]
A countdown clock accompanies the announcement. [6 Days Five Hours 23 Minutes, 0800 WCT (W City Time)]
What???
System is live-streaming our victory, or potential defeat?
