Chapter II: Fugitive
I woke up to the sound of shouting. I threw off my covers and climbed out of bed, pacing over to my door. When I opened it I was ambushed by my sister, who was an eccentric by nature, and cared little about how others thought of her. She came into my room without invitation, despite my partial nudity. I grabbed a shirt off of a basket nearby and slipped it on.
"Kaguya," I said, looking for a pair of sweat pants to put on over my boxers. "What are you doing in here? What do you want?" I tied the strings to hold up my pants and turned. She stared at me in disbelief.
"What," she began. "You haven't read the BBS yet?" The 'BBS' that she referred to was The World's very own Bulletin Boards, where people posted rumors, queries, applications, and anything else they could come up with. "I had believed you to be an avid reader of those, Shiro." She smiled and booted up my computer, and sat on the side of my bed.
"BBS?" I said, taking a seat before my terminal. When the computer was ready, I logged into The World and scrolled over to the bulletin boards.
"Scroll down here," said Kaguya, pointing at the post with the subject titled: [Comatose] "It's really weird, Shiro. Someone's fallen under while playing again. This hasn't happened in quite a while. I wonder if it's another bug."
I clicked on the post and read from it, to see what the fuss was about.
Subject: Comatose
Someone was rushed to the hospital last night! They say that the player was knocked unconscious or something and has not woken up. ~Redman~
Subject: Re: Comatose
It was a player known as Shota, the Heavy Blade. A friend and I were with him last night, scouring a dungeon. We found a Wavemaster at the Divine Statue room and he attacked us. He PKed my friend and me, and we haven't seen Shota since. I think that Wavemaster had something to do with all this! ~Swiftblade~
Subject: Re: Comatose
Did anybody get the Wavemaster's name? ~Rhiannon~
Subject: Re: Comatose
I did. The Wavemaster was known as [Navel]. Someone please catch him. Who knows who else will be next! ~Swiftblade~
I exited from the BBS and turned to my sister. "You're in trouble here, Shiro. What did you do to that guy, exactly?" said Kaguya, her expression grave.
I shook my head, and stood up. "I'm not…I'm not sure. I do, however, know that whatever happened, he deserved it. He and his two henchmen attacked me, trying to kill me. I defeated two of them, but that Shota guy was too powerful. And then," I walked over to the window, taking in the fresh sunlight, as if I were a tree. "There was a dumbbell. I think I was saved by that guy from a couple years ago. What was his name?"
"The Wavemaster? The one with this 'Guardian', you mean? You think he's returned to The World after so long?"
"It wouldn't be the first time. Gardenia came back, remember? What was the Wavemaster's name?"
"I suppose you're right," Kaguya stood up and walked back to the door. "His name was Tsukasa. I'd look into this if I were you. If you get in enough trouble, I'm sure the cops will eventually be brought in. Investigate this, Shiro. I'll do what I can, but your story doesn't check out just now." She left quietly, and I sat back down to think for a while.
I took my FMD off the desk and slipped it on. I Logged back in and jumped from Shiro Nayamura into the body of my avatar.
Server Root Town, Mac Anu
The town square at the back of town was especially crowded today. There was plenty of talk going around about the incident seen on the BBS and people wanted answers. At the center of the crowd, standing proud on the central dais was a woman with jet black hair, addressing the crowd. She wore emerald plate mail and a dark blue robe beneath. She carried a halberd with her to symbolize martial power.
She raised her weapon and slammed it on the platform hard, emitting a loud thunder crack. The crowd fell silent. She stepped forward, and spoke in a loud, commanding voice.
"As a representative of CC corp., I am here today to tell you all, in person, so-to-speak, that everything is fine. I have positioned a squadron of Emerald Knights in each root town, to ensure the capture of the player known as Navel. CC corp. wishes to maintain the peace in The World and will make sure that the suspect in question is interrogated thoroughly." It was different from the old days. Before now CC corp. had hidden these facts, and ignored them so that they could keep their reputation. However nowadays illegal activities were a public spectacle. Players enjoyed the capturing and destruction of cheat players who caused trouble.
A second player approached the woman on the dais. He was much shorter than her, and he toted around a large book between his arms. He whispered something to the woman, to which she smiled at.
"I have just been informed that the player known as Shota has been released from the hospital as of this morning." To this everyone cheered. "I promise you all that this matter is of utmost importance, and the Wavemaster will be dealt with."
After she saluted to everyone she disappeared. The page with the large book also took his leave soon after, once he was done taking statements from players who had information.
Θ Server Root Town, Dun Loireag
The golden rings faded as I entered the frontier town on the Θ server. I walked over to the Grunty Farm to check in on my grunty I purchased several weeks ago. Grunties were creatures that you could take care of and ride as mounts as they matured. They were cow-like creatures who spoke and had strange features depending on how they grew. I fed him the last of the grunty food I found while adventuring, and it grew a little. I patted its head, smiling.
One of the best things about The World is the part where you completely forget that you are playing a game. I had grown attached to my pet grunty, and enjoyed coming to see it when I could. I was accustomed to calling it Mr. Moo Moo, since it reminded me of a gentleman cow. I chuckled, and stood up to leave. When I turned I saw Gardenia and Lawk blocking my exit.
"Navel," began Lawk.
"What have you done?" Gardenia finished.
We moved over to the lookout and sat on the benches overlooking the cloudy hills in the distance. I told them everything that had happened since I saw them last. Lawk looked troubled. Gardenia was indifferent.
"Who cares if they think you're a criminal? You're not, right?" I shook my head. "Then you've got nothing to worry about. If you're innocent, they can not touch you. As for that merchant you spoke of. Had I been there, I would give him a beating he has never known." I smiled, and fell back on the grass, my hands up behind my head.
"So that Wavemaster's back?" said Lawk, scratching his chin. "Cool! I wanna meet him. Navel, where did you say you saw him?"
"No, Lawk. I don't want you going anywhere near him or his dumbbell guardian. Legendary or no, what he did to that merchant is unacceptable. Promise me, Lawk. Stay clear of Tsukasa." I pleaded with him a little while longer until he agreed not to wander off in search of the Wavemaster.
"What will you do now?" said Gardenia. "I mean, everyone in Mac Anu is looking for you. Lady Rain of the Emerald Knights has even stepped in for this one."
I shrugged. "I'll have to speak to her and tell her my side of the story. Like you said. If I'm innocent I will go free. What, do you expect me to not log in for a couple days like you did that time you were avoiding a stalker? I'm not easily scared away, Gardenia."
She nodded, waving her hand. "Whatever you say," She stood up, using her trident as a support. "Just be careful, all right?"
When she left, Lawk inched closer to me, and rested his head on my chest. "Navel, I'm bored." He began ripping out grass and sprinkling it over my stomach. "Can we go on an adventure? Just the two of us?"
I stood up, pushing him aside. I smiled, and he wrinkled his nose at me. "Sure. Where do you want to go?"
He rolled over and then stood up, carrying his staff with him. "Do you remember that place we met?" he gazed up in the sky, his eyes gleaming. "The sky was orange, with tints of purple in the distance. There was a hill overlooking the endless meadows below. Do you remember? The field of roses. I want to go there, just to sit and relax for a bit."
I bit my lip, trying to recall the keywords for such a place. When they came to me, I grabbed his arm and made a run for the Chaos Gate. I raised my staff and entered the coordinates. "Then let's go. Are you ready?" Lawk cocked his head at me, his eyes still glistening. The golden rings enveloped us before he was able to respond.
CC corp. Online Offices, Server
A large circular table sat in the center of a small, dark room. Eight chairs were positioned around it, and only four were occupied. The woman in emerald armor slammed a fist down hard, causing the table to rumble.
"You must calm down, Lady Rain," said her page, who sat at her side. "We will catch the Wavemaster."
Sitting across from the woman was a man in red armor, his hair a blonde mess. He stared blankly at her, his hands folded dutifully. "The Wavemaster, known as Navel, is being tracked down as we speak. He was last seen in the Theta server's root town, speaking to another player who goes by the name of Lawk. They passed through the Chaos Gate and onto a field in the Delta server not too long after. Since then, however, we have not been able to locate them. It is highly possible that they have passed through an area outside of our reach. I mean, it is not that difficult to imagine, is it? He is an illegal character, after all."
Lady Rain stood up, glaring down at the table. "I want him found. Now." She turned to leave, but stopped suddenly. "When he is captured, bind him. Bring him to me, and only me. Is that understood?" The page and the man both nodded, and she gated out.
"I had believed The World to be completely free of trouble, ever since Aura took control of Altimit OS. I wonder what went wrong."
The page collected his book from the table and stepped out of his chair. "I will speak to upper management. I'll see if we can get Aura to lure the Wavemaster out, to make it a little easier on Lady Rain. She has been putting in a lot of hours lately, and I don't want her overworking herself."
"Indeed," said the man, nodding in agreement. He then stood up, shook the page's hand and together they gated out.
Δ: Indiscreet, Solitary, Fertile Land
The two of us were spread out on the ground as if creating snow angels in the flood of roses. The amber sky was striking, with hints of purple here and there. The clouds were an indescribable mix of both. A slow breeze caused the meadow to flow like a majestic sea of flowers, creating the illusion of paradise. I heard Lawk sigh as we watched clouds roll by. I tilted my head to the side to look at him.
"Something the matter?" I asked, raising my arm to the sky, as if reaching to grab a cloud. I pretended that I caught one and crushed it. Lawk then sat up and looked down at me with a troubled expression. I raised an eyebrow.
He plucked a rose from the ground, examining it. "No," he began, pulling back the petals. "It's just, well, I love it here. Can I tell you something, Navel?" I nodded to him and he continued. "Sometimes I just wish I could stay here, you know? I wish that this was real."
I sat up and chuckled, plucking a rose for myself. "I think that all players here wish that at some point. But we make the best of it by playing as if it is real." He smiled, and placed an arm on my shoulder.
"I know that people think you're a criminal right now…but I refuse to believe it. I know you too well. Don't let them get to you, all right?"
"Wow, get off topic much, Lawk?" I grinned, and smacked him on the back. We shared a laugh and decided to head into the dungeon, as we did not do so on our first visit here.
The place was like a cavern, completely dark, except for where torches lined the walls. There were small trees growing in corners, where illuminated crystals stuck out from the walls. We passed through two floors without a single monster encounter, which I found strange. When we reached the bottom floor Lawk pointed out a figure in the shadows. When we came closer, it flinched. The figure stepped out of the darkness and revealed itself as a small child wearing silver armor and covering its face with a shield.
"Um, excuse me," I said, backing up. "Are you all right? Do you need any healing?" the child removed its shield and showed its face. It was a small girl, whose face was wet with tears. "Can we help you?" I asked, kneeling down before her.
She backed up a little, and shook her head. Lawk knelt beside me and smiled. "It's all right. Lawk the Protector is here, so there's nothing to worry about, k?" The girl nodded, but kept her distance. "Are you a newbie?" he asked. She responded with a slight "uh-huh" and wiped the tears from her eyes. This I found odd, since no player would simulate crying while alone, unless they were overly dramatic. When I targeted her, I saw that she had no hit points.
"She's an NPC," I stated. "This must be an event that activates when someone comes down here." I stood up and pulled out my staff. "Little girl, what is it you seek?"
Lawk stepped back as well, and cajoled her to speak up.
"You must find the Everglow Stone," she said, still crying. "It is the only way I can see in the dark. Will you help me find the Everglow Stone?"
A window opened on my screen giving me the choice of either [Yes] or [No]. Since I was the party leader, it was my decision. I selected [Yes] and the girl brightened up. "Where to?" I asked, and the girl stepped into the light once more, and pointed down a long dark corridor to our left.
"You will find the Everglow in the Shrine of the Black Snake," said the girl, biting her thumbnail. Lawk and I peered down the hall and nodded simultaneously.
"Let's go," said Lawk and sprinted off into the darkness. I followed quickly and we descended into the next level down. The number of torches dwindled the farther in we went, and the background music grew more malevolent. When the final chamber came into view, a thundering sound reverberated off the cavern walls, and the ground shook. We drew our staves and awaited the boss.
From the ceiling came a slithering beast as black as sin, its teeth large and sharp. It bolted towards us, and we dodged it easily. Its size inhibited it from being as nimble as our characters, and we were able to take it down rather quickly. When it died, a chest appeared in its place. Lawk opened it and pulled out a key. We hastened to the final room and unlocked the doors. Inside of the Gott Statue room stood a large statue, cradling a magnificent blue diamond the size of my head. I removed it from its resting place and we returned to the NPC waiting for us. We handed her the object of her desire and she thanked us.
When she disappeared, we were granted each five hundred GP and gained an extra level. In addition, we received an item that looked like a winged solar cross, which was strung onto a necklace. I handed it over to Lawk. "Here, you can have this," I said. He accepted it and blushed. I rolled my eyes, grinning. I turned, and raised my staff. "That was great. Level sixty-three!" Lawk cheered as well, and teleported us back to the entrance with a Sprite Ocarina.
"I had no idea there was an event here. There was no mention of it on the BBS," he said, cradling a couple of coins one hand and fiddling with the amulet with the other. "Well, that was fun, but I have to log off now. Gotta go practice my violin. Recital tomorrow." I waved to him and he left. I decided that the field was no fun without Lawk here, so I went back to Mac Anu.
Ω: Putrid, Geothermal, March
The land was dead. Petrified trees dotted the landscape, creating a haunted forest surrounding a bubbling swamp. At its center stood a large black tower, a blood red crest painted on its front. The symbol was that of the thunder wave. On a balcony high above the swamp stood a man cloaked in black robes, his hood up. He sidestepped as a woman approached, outfitted in a skimpy black bikini-like uniform and a witch's hat. She rested her head on the man's shoulder, a seductive grin on her face.
"Someone has discovered and completed the Everglow event," said the man, placing his arm around the woman beside him. "After all this time, things are falling into place." He gave her a little squeeze and let go, and turned on the ball of his feet and walked over to the double doors leading into the tower. Before he left, he was stopped by the woman.
"And who might the lucky candidate be, exactly?" she asked, her pointer finger caressing her bottom lip.
"Some Wavemaster equipped the collar. The player's name is Lawk."
"Good. A Wavemaster is nice, but I would've preferred a Blademaster or something," she said, frowning. "Oh well. We will just have to use what we have, then. Am I right?" the man bowed his head. She snickered. "Start up the Hama Program. We're almost there, Locke. There are only two things standing in our way now."
"And that is getting through unhindered, like him. For some reason he was not complete when he entered. We must fix that. Once we gain control of Morganna, everything will be perfect. And then there is the matter of Helba. She's been meddling lately, and has tried keeping tabs on our movements. It hasn't been easy, but we've managed to keep them at bay."
The woman turned to face Locke, her fists clenched. "I will continue making more of those dumbbells while you're at work. Do not disappoint me, Locke. I'm counting on you."
"Demosthenes," he said, turning the handle. "I will make you proud. Soon we will leave that dreadful world and never suffer its downsides again. I promise you that." And as he left, the woman watched as part of the balcony disintegrated, revealing damaged data. The field was corrupting, and she merely laughed.
"The World, and all of its wonders, will soon be mine."
