Chapter VII
*****
Let you mind start a journey
Through strange, new world!
Leave all thoughts
Of the world you knew before!
Let your soul take you
Where you long to be!
Only then can you belong to me...
The Music of the Night, from the Phantom of the Opera
*****
The four sprites stood in the middle of a small clearing. All around them was a forest, bright green with foliage. Massive trees rose high above, their leaves casting adding a green tint to everything far below.
"You two barely made it," Enzo remarked to Bob and Mouse.
"We wah in the dina," explained Mouse. "Well, I was, anyhow. I can't tell ya what blue-boy here was doin'." The hacker jerked her head toward the older Guardian. Bob looked away, blushing.
Mouse glanced over at Morgan. "Hey, you're tha new gurl in town, ain't ya?" The hacker walked over to the younger woman and energetically shook Morgan's hand.
"Uh, yes, I'm Morgan," said the ex-assassin. "Well, suga, my name's Mouse," the magenta-skinned sprite said. "This is here is Bob," Mouse said, pulling the Guardian over. He shook her hand, flashing her a warm smile. "Nice to meet you," said Bob.
Mouse turned to smirk at the younger Guardian. "And I see you alreda met Enzo."
Enzo rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's reboot."
He double-tapped his icon. The others did the same.
Morgan looked down at herself. Her shoes were pointed and of a brown material. Green tights covered her legs and disappeared a brown tunic. A dark olive cloak covered her shoulders. Perched atop her head was some kind of a green, pointed hat, under which her hair was pulled back in a bun. Glancing to the others, Morgan saw that they were all similarly dressed, in varying styles and colors, except for Enzo, who had a red feather stuck in his hat. She also saw that they each had a bow over their shoulders, quiver of arrows at their backs, and a sword at their sides.
"Now wha kinda craziness is this?," Mouse exclaimed as she examined her new clothing.
Morgan piped up. "I remember this game." The other sprites glanced at her. "I played this some time ago. We're Robin Hood and the Merry Men of Sherwood Forest. The User plays the Sheriff of Nottingham. The objective of the game is to take out all of the sheriff's men then confront him ourselves."
"Yep, you're right, Morgan," Bob said as he used Glitch's abilities to scan the game. "And we only get to use these." Bob motioned to the bow and rapier.
"Good thing that's all the user gets, too," Enzo remarked.
"The game tells us how to use these things, right?," Mouse asked no one in particular. The others nodded. With a lightening quick movement, the hacker nocked her arrow and pulled back the string. Turning around, Mouse grinned as she pointed the arrow at Bob. His eyes widened. "Wait, Mouse, what are you--"
Mouse released the string. The was a whistling noise for split-nano, and then a thunk as the arrow buried itself in the tree behind Bob, between his legs. The Guardian breathed a sigh of relief.
Mouse gave him a wry smile as she put down her bow. "I just wanted ta see if I could really shoot one of these." Bob cocked an eyebrow.
"Quit playing around," said Enzo. "Now according to Cursor," he continued as he looked over his keytool's display, "We don't have to fight off the sheriff and his posse all by ourselves. There are a large number of game sprites playing outlaws; we just have to find them."
"Why don't we split up," suggested Bob. "Two of us search for the rest of the 'Merry Men'; the others scout out the sheriff's stronghold." Everyone nodded in agreement.
"I've got Bob!," Mouse declared enthusiastically, grabbing the Guardian's arm. As the hack practically dragged Bob out of the clearing, Enzo shot him a mocking smile of pity. Bob grinned back as he and Mouse disappeared into the forest. The two remaining sprites could hear Mouse talking as she and Bob walked off. "Why did I hafta ta wear tights? But, I hafta admit, they don't look too bad on you..."
Morgan looked at Enzo. "Are they always like that?"
"Yeah, but then, she's like that with everyone."
The young woman began to walk forward. "Come on, let's find that basic user and get this game over with." She looked back at Enzo, a mischievous grin on her face. "Then maybe we can finish where we left off."
"Lead the way."
Morgan began to do so, but then stopped and turned around. "Um, which way am I supposed to be going?"
*****
The Guardian and the young woman had been walking along for several micros now, constantly on alert.
But Enzo's defense began to dwindle as they didn't encounter any enemies.
It's amazing, Enzo thought to himself. She moves without making a sound. Enzo looked at the figure moving along silently beside him. Morgan carried her bow in one hand, an arrow in the other, ready for use.
Even with all she's told me, I wonder why I feel that there's something missing here... Enzo gazed ahead, deep in thought, moving along, but not watching where he was going...
"Enzo, look out!"
The Guardian turned to where the shout had originated from, but by then, it was far too late. Enzo looked to see a large log swinging toward him. He was struck with such a blow, it knocked him into a deep pit directly behind. On the verge of unconsciousness, Enzo found himself toppling backwards into a huge crevice. A trap set by the User. How basic of me… All went black as he heard a scream above him.
Morgan dove to the edge of the pit, reached a desperate hand, and barely managed to grab the Guardian by the wrist, just above Cursor. Come one, Enzo, wake up please... Morgan tried to pull him back up, but he was far to heavy, and she was simply not yet strong enough.
"No!," Morgan cried out as she felt his hand slid through her hold. She held onto his fingers just for one more nano, then he was gone. "Enzo!," Morgan shouted as she hopelessly watched him fall.
There was a splash; she saw him quickly disappear beneath the surface. Realization flashed through Morgan's thoughts. Water! Maybe he's still alive! Her mind raced. With a sigh, she realized what she had to do. I hope I have enough energy for this...
*****
"No!"
Mouse and Bob stopped dead in their tracks. The group of game sprite outlaws they had accumulated thus far came to a standstill behind them. The two sprites turned to look at each other. "That sounded like our litta friend!," the hacker exclaimed. She started to run off toward the direction of the shout.
"Wait!," Bob ordered, grabbing her wrist. "You stay with the game sprites." Mouse looked at him suspiciously. "They need someone to lead them," the Guardian said, releasing her. "If I take too long, go ahead and lead an attack on the user."
Mouse started to argue, but a scream interrupted her. They both looked in the direction of the cry.
Mouse nodded, and Bob jogged off into the forest.
*****
Enzo drifted in and out of conciseness as he sank.
I can't believe I fell for something so simple... I hope Morgan's all right...
He blacked out once more.
*****
Dropping her cumbersome clothing and weapons on the ground, Morgan uttered a command "Conversion: Naiad."
Morgan shivered as the conversion moved through her body. Greenish-blue scales raised up out of her skin. A large fin grew out of her back, stretching from the back of her head to the small of her back; her hair disappeared. Additional fins appeared on the backs of Morgan's arms and legs.
Morgan held her head between her hands for several moments in agony. The discomfort was much greater that usual. The pain... my strength still must be low. I pray to the User I can hold onto this form long enough...
Shaking her head to clear it, Morgan stepped to the edge of the crevice and dove in without hesitation.