I have mixed feelings about this chapter. I feel like it gets a bit stale, and I think I rushed some character intros a little bit.
Feedback would be much appreciated, especially so I can know whether or not the chapter does stale out at any points.
MH: I expected a meteor would be headed for you
RR: You what now?
MH: it's all in this walkthrough I found
MH: maybe I should send it to you
RR: No time
RR: Give me the summary of my situation and help me the fuck out
MH: ok, long story short
MH: the game is bringing about the end of the world
RR: Is there some way we can survive this?
MH: yes
MH: first, did you pick up the cruxite dowel?
RR: Please, plain English for now
MH: the blue cylinder that the cruxtruder made
RR: Yeah, I've got that
MH: put it in the totem lathe
RR: Remember what I just said about plain English?
MH: the thing that had a slot for the pre-punched card
RR: Oh, ok
MH: it also looks like you've tier 1 prototyped your kernelsprite
MH: although I don't think I would've used the secret agent doll
RR: Kernelsprite?
MH: the blue sphere
MH: I'll explain later
MH: how much time do you have left?
RR: 2 minutes and 45 seconds
MH: did you put the dowel in the lathe yet?
RR: One second
Matt slid down the ladder and made his way to his dog. Scooping the animal up in his arms, Matt turned and climbed the ladder again, then set the dog down on the balcony. He ran to the Totem Lathe and slapped the pre-punched card into the slot. The Lathe carved the Cruxite Dowel into a totem, which Matt promptly captchalogued.
RR: 40 seconds left
RR: Now what?
MH: put the totem on the alchemiter's pedestal
Matt did as he was told and placed the totem on the Alchemiter. The Alchemiter's arm scanned the totem, and then there was a flash. When Matt opened his eyes, he saw that a blue tree had bloomed from the Alchemiter. A single apple hung from one of its branches. After a moment the apple fell, and Matt dove for it, catching it moments before it hit the ground.
MH: sweet catch
RR: What next?
MH: well… I hope you're in the mood for a snack
RR: The meteor's very close now, so if we could cut the bullshit I'd appreciate it
MH: take a bite of the apple
Matt quickly reread the message. The idea sounded stupid, but he didn't have much choice. He looked up at the meteor and decided that if this was the end, he'd go out with style. He leaned against the Alchemiter and took a bite out of the cruxite apple, staring at the meteor until it was too bright to keep his eyes open. The meteor finally struck, engulfing the neighborhood in flames.
Years in the future, but not many…
A Disgraced Deserter, dressed in grey rags that ended in a hood shrouding his face, trekked through the desert landscape, leaving a steady trail of footprints behind him. His target, a white object in the near distance, was the only thing breaking the monotony of sand dune after sand dune. After a little while he finally reached the object. His white eyes narrowed as he brushed sand off his find, revealing a green spherical emblem.
'Interesting.' He thought to himself, rubbing his chin.
…
Matt slowly opened his eyes. He'd felt the heat of the meteor fade away, replaced by a cool breeze. He looked over the edge of the balcony and saw nothing but clouds. His house now appeared to be floating on some sort of island in the air, clouds obscuring what lied below.
KID
He turned around, ignoring the voice he was sure he'd imagined, just in time to see the Kernel split from the Sprite into two separate pieces, then each go in an opposite direction, one traveling up and the other down. The Sprite then underwent a further transformation, now looking more like a ghost-secret agent.
RR: Ok
RR: Where am I?
…
Elsewhere in the house, Sis calmly did her laundry, either unaware or apathetic to the events that had just transpired. Outside the room, several sinister looking pairs of eyes watched Sis' every move, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.
…
MH: somewhere called the medium
MH: although what that exactly means, I'm not sure of
RR: Ok, so now what?
MH: that's for you to decide
RR: Great
Matt looked up and noticed his dog, Monty, barking insistently at the Sprite. The Sprite remained motionless, and Monty continued to bark and growl. Eventually, Monty just jumped at the Sprite. There was a flash and Matt barely caught a glimpse of the Sprite before it disappeared through a wall and into his house.
KID, QUIT STANDING AROUND AND GAWKING AT THE SCENERY AND HEAD INSIDE ALREADY.
What? Matt was sure he almost barely heard something that time. It was like an imperceptible voice on the edge of his subconscious. It was either that, or he was just going fucking crazy. His phone vibrated again.
shutterbugSlick [SS] began pestering recklessRhythmic [RR]
SS: bro
SS: theres a meteor headed for my house!
RR: Shit, are you serious?
SS: fucking yes im serious
RR: Ok, I know how to get you out of there
RR: I'll get in touch with you in a bit
SS: alright make it quick
recklessRhythmic [RR] ceased pestering shutterbugSlick [SS]
Shit, Matt would have to hurry. He raced to the ladder only to discover that it now ended with a drop into nothingness. That was a problem.
RR: A little help?
RR: I need this ladder to get me to the side door
MH: alright, give me a second
The ladder extended sideways, reaching the side door of Matt's house. Matt climbed down the ladder and started the perilous walk to the door. His heart stopped for a second when he slipped and started to fall. His hand lashed out and he was barely able to grab the side of the ladder before he continued to fall into oblivion.
…
A lump formed in Leslie's stomach when Matt slipped. Moving quickly, she tried picking him up with the cursor so she could move him to safety; it failed, and only elicited a spastic reaction from Matt, who flailed around, trying to shake off the cursor.
…
Matt swung back and forth when he felt something try to grab him. Eventually he lost his grip and started to plummet downward, only to land on a…dog bed? Yes, Matt had landed on a bright blue dog bed, which was being held up by his Sprite. Matt looked at the Sprite curiously; it had apparently transformed again. It now possessed the head and paws of Monty, as well as a tail, while keeping the suit and hat of the secret agent doll.
"Monty?" Matt asked, not quite believing what he was seeing.
"Arf!" was Monty's only response as he moved the bed back towards the ladder.
Matt stepped onto the ladder again and opened the side door. "Um, thanks, I guess." Matt said. He reached out and scratched Monty behind the ear.
"You're welcome!" Monty responded, wagging his tail.
"Wait, you can talk? What's going on?"
"I'd love to tell you, but don't you think you should help your friend first?"
Matt's eyes widened. "Oh shit, you're right!" He turned and quickly made his way into the house, making a mental note to ask Monty how he knew about SS in the first place.
The inside of the house was in a state of disrepair. Things had been toppled over, and there was oil everywhere, but no culprit was in sight. Matt made his way up the stairs, keeping an eye out for any intruders, or Sis; he'd like to make sure she was alright. When he arrived in his room he saw that the door was completely stained with oil. Matt swallowed the lump in his throat and opened the door.
The inside of his room was just as messy as the rest of his house. Oil had smeared the walls, ruining his posters. The bed was in just as bad a condition. His desk was marred by less oil, leaving his computer usable, but his server copy of SBURB was gone. Frustrated, Matt turned around to find the most horrifying sight he'd ever seen. His drumset was filthy! Oil dripped from the cymbals and pooled on the heads of the drums. Matt fell to his knees, bowing his head in a moment of silence.
GET BACK ON YOUR FEET, KID. YOU'VE GOTTA STAY ALERT.
His name was Matt; that was something the voice would have to accept. What would he make music on now that his drumset was ruined? Truly it was a sad day. Matt didn't hear his bedroom door open, nor did he notice the small figure enter his room behind him.
FINE, MATT, GET UP AND TURN AROUND.
He slowly rose to his feet, turning around to see what was so important holy shit what the hell was that? The little monstrous figure, dressed in a suit and wearing a fancy hat, flexed its claws and grinned at Matt menacingly. A health bar above the creature read Shale Imp. Oil seemed to drip from the Imp's skin, and it didn't take long for Matt to connect the dots. His drumsticks were in his hands in a second, ready to avenge his drumset.
STRIFE!
Matt swung out with a stick, striking the Imp on the side of the head. The Imp staggered backwards, then ducked low and lashed out with a claw. Matt pushed the claw aside with an auto-paradiddle and struck the Imp again with his drumsticks, this time with an uppercut. The Imp fell onto its back, its health bar almost depleted. In a last ditch effort, the Imp struck out with its claw again. Matt sidestepped the claw and lunged at the Imp, stabbing it. The Imp exploded into units of Grist, which Matt instantly grabbed.
Matt: Level Up
The astounding victory sent Matt scaling up his echeladder, landing him at the Boy Skylark rank. His Gel Viscosity increased by fifteen, and his Cache Limit was bumped up by forty. Now he had 35 units of Build Grist and 20 units of Shale. In addition, he earned some Boondollars, but there wasn't really any use for those things, was their?
NOT BAD, MATT
Matt turned back to his desk. His server copy was gone, and with it, his chances of saving his friend. There might still be hope though. He quickly pulled his phone out of his sylladex and opened Pesterchum.
recklessRhythmic [RR] began pestering shutterbugSlick [SS]
RR: Ok, we have a problem
RR: My server copy of the game was stolen
SS: are you shitting me
SS: theres a meteor heading right for my house
RR: Chill man, we can still make this work
SS: how
RR: You just need someone else to be your server player
RR: And I'll have Leslie send them the walkthrough she found
SS: ok
SS: thats a little reassuring
SS: please hurry though
RR: I've got your back bro
RR: You can depend on me
RR: Who do you think can be your server player?
SS: well CCs online right now
RR: Then CC it is
RR: You get in touch with her
SS: ok
shutterbugSlick [SS] ceased pestering recklessRhythmic [RR]
RR: Leslie, you still there?
MH: yes
RR: Good
RR: SS needs our help
MH: what's wrong?
RR: A meteor's heading for his house
RR: He needs someone to be his server player, and my server copy's gone
RR: Can you send CC a copy of the walkthrough?
MH: …err
MH: I'd rather not
RR: What? Why?
MH: can't I just send you the walkthrough then you send it to her?
RR: I've got shit to deal with here
RR: My house is being infiltrated by Imps and Sis is nowhere to be seen
RR: So the responsibility is yours
MH: ugh alright
MH: but I want it on the record that I'm objecting to this
RR: Your objection has been noted
Hours in the past, but not many…
A young man stood in his bedroom. He was wearing a white long sleeve shirt with a picture of a spade on it and blue jeans. His short blonde hair was hidden under a black hat. A plaque mounted above the boy's closet bore his name: BLAKE STRAFFORD.
As just mentioned, the boy's name was Blake. He was a big fan of STAND-UP COMEDY, hoping to one day take his place among other comedic legend like Bob Saget or Larry the Cable Guy. He also played the ELECTRIC GUITAR, although he was much more lax about his musical interests than some of his other friends. In fact, he was usually pretty lax about most things.
He was a big fan of COMICS, his two favorites being the hilariously horrible SWEET BRO AND HELLA JEFF and the more than a little badass MIDNIGHT CREW. A Midnight Crew poster hung on his closet door, and a separate one of just Spades Slick hung on a different wall. He was no stranger to VIDEO GAMES, a gaming console set up on his desk, alongside a small TV. He was also somewhat fond of REPTILES, and an aquarium on one side of his room housed his pet chameleon, Rex.
His passion, though, was PHOTOGRAPHY. He was the head of the photo club at his school, and he had turned an old closet down the hall from his room into a makeshift darkroom. Multiple Polaroids, both developed and undeveloped, were scattered on his bed, and his camera rested on his desk. What would he do?
Blake: Snort like a pig and- NO MORE FUCKING GAGS!
Blake: Pester CC
Of course, Blake promised Leslie that he'd talk to CC for her. Maybe then he'd be able to learn more details about why they were fighting in the first place. Blake tried to get his laptop from his sylladex, but the unpredictable nature of the Miracle Modus he'd been sent for his birthday advised against the decision. Maybe he could just, sort of reach over into the Modus and…got it! He ignored the fact that he'd just violated the abstract rules of Fetch Modi and sat down at his ridiculously large desk and opened his laptop.
shutterbugSlick [SS] began pestering cheeryCherry [CC]
SS: yo
CC: hi blake! :)
SS: so i wanted to know if youve got your copy of the beta yet
SS: were gonna start playing soon
CC: yeah, i think it came in the mail
CC: ill have to double check though
SS: sweet
SS: ill touch base with leslie then
SS: see what everyone else's status is
CC: k
SS: speakin of you and leslie
SS: whats your guys deal anyway
CC: its a long story
SS: sure
SS: girls and their "long stories"
SS: did it involve stairs
CC: what?
SS: im just asking
SS: did one of you warn the other about stairs
SS: and then the other ignored the warning
SS: which ended in that person falling down the aforementioned stairs
CC: is this from that Cool Bro and Hella Jeremy you read all the time?
SS: sweet bro and hella jeff
SS: and i might be making a subtle reference
CC: lol
CC: soooooo funny :P
SS: you know it
CC: ok mister funny guy
CC: im gonna go make sure I actually have the game
SS: alright let me know
cheeryCherry [CC] ceased pestering shutterbugSlick [SS]
His task competed, Blake decided he'd let Leslie know that CC was up to speed.
shutterbugSlick [SS] began pestering minervasHandmaid [MH]
SS: ok CCs all good for playing
SS: les you there?
MH: yes, sorry
MH: Matt and I are already playing, and my attention was otherwise occupied
SS: oh is the game any good
SS: i heard it got thrashed in gamebro
MH: Blake, GameBro is a joke
MH: why would you even read that slop?
SS: for the lulz
MH: -_- moving on
MH: yes, I would say the game is quite…intriguing
SS: cool so when do the rest of us start
MH: pretty much whenever you want
MH: Matt can connect to anyone with his server copy when he gets the chance
SS: oh sweet im gonna grab my copy right now
MH: good luck
shutterbugSlick [SS] ceased pestering minervasHandmaid [MH]
Blake closed his laptop and left his room. He'd left the beta on the counter in his houses entry hall. He slid down the handrail on the stairs and arrived on the ground floor of his house. His Mom was some big executive for a fancy company, so they were pretty much loaded. It was easy to get lost in the big house he lived in, but after a few years he'd managed to get the hang of navigating it.
He turned a corner and found himself face to face with a massive bodybuilder figure. His Mom was obsessed with the things, though he could never understand why. To Blake, the effigies of men in tights with bulging muscles was just way to disturbing.
Slowly, Blake advanced into the kitchen, ignoring the stares of the musclemen. When he reached the counter, he was shocked to find that the beta was gone. He whirled around, only to see his Mom, with both discs in her hand.
"Blake," Mom began, "I said no games until you mow the lawn."
"Mom, our front yard is an acre long!"
"Well then you'd better get mowing, young man. Unless, of course, you'd rather I held onto your little game."
Obviously beaten, Blake grumbled under his breath and trudged out to the front yard. He closed the door behind him and walked to the side gate of the house to get the mower. As much as he hated mowing his incredibly large lawn, there was an upside to it; the riding mower.
Blake: Ride the mower
Blake happily sat in the mower's chair and started the thing up. The next few minutes were occupied by him riding back and forth across his front yard, screaming like an imbecile. It was only when he stopped did he notice someone trying to get in touch with him. Whipping his phone out of his sylladex, he opened Pesterchum.
astroLass [AL] began pestering shutterbugSlick [SS]
AL: blake, are you ok?
SS: um yeah
SS: why wouldnt i be
AL: i just had a dream. you were mowing your lawn and there was a meteor heading straight for your house!
SS: whoa thats kinda weird
SS: im mowing my lawn right now
AL: yeah, and you know that my dreams have a weird habit of coming true
AL: so please just keep an eye out
AL: i'd hate for this to be another dream i got right :(
SS: dont worry ill be fine
AL: i hope so
SS: since ive got you here
SS: did leslie ask you about the beta yet
AL: no
AL: but my brother and i have our copy
SS: cool guess you should let les know then
AL: alright, i guess I'll do that now
SS: ok i gotta finish with the lawn
SS: so ill talk to ya later
AL: bye blake :)
astroLass [AL] ceased pestering shutterbugSlick [SS]
Blake put his phone away and went back to his mowing. After a minute he noticed that it was starting to get hot outside. Yes, it was April, but this kind of heat felt unnatural. Blake decided he'd take a look at the sky, but when he did a lump formed in his throat. There was definitely a meteor. And it was headed straight down at him. Pulling out his phone again, Blake started to pester Matt; he would know what to do.
shutterbugSlick [SS] began pestering recklessRhythmic [RR]
SS: bro
SS: theres a meteor headed for my house!
RR: Shit, are you serious?
SS: fucking yes im serious
RR: Ok, I know how to get you out of there
RR: I'll get in touch with you in a bit
SS: alright make it quick
recklessRhythmic [RR] ceased pestering shutterbugSlick [SS]
Blake quickly rode the mower back into the side yard and then rushed back inside. He had to do…something, even if he didn't know what. He decided to go to his second best source of advice: Leslie
shutterbugSlick [SS] began pestering minervasHandmaid [MH]
SS: les i need some help
MH: what's up?
SS: i have a meteor barreling straight at my house right now
MH: really?
SS: why does everyone say really
SS: im not lying
MH: don't worry, I believe you
SS: thank you
SS: matt said he could help me
SS: but what do i do in the meantime
MH: install the beta
SS: why
MH: long story short, the world is ending, but the game can save everyone
MH: I guess Matt decided to be your server player. he'll help you escape through a complicated process that I'll let him explain to you
SS: um ok
SS: i guess ill just install the beta then
SS: but first ive gotta get it from mom
MH: well, good luck with that
MH: if you'll excuse me, I think Matt needs my help right now
SS: sure sure go ahead
minervasHandmaid [MH] ceased pestering shutterbugSlick [SS]
In a flash Blake's phone was back in his sylladex. Now he had to figure out a way to get his copy of SBURB back from Mom. 'This should be interesting', he thought as he left his room again. He peeked into the TV room, only to find it empty. The kitchen showed similar results, so Mom could only be in her office. The door to the office was slightly open, so Blake peeked in. Mom was sitting at her desk, back to the door, working on something on her computer. Her purse, her Fetch Modus of choice, was sitting on her desk.
"Blake, did you finish the lawn?"
Blake's heart stopped. He swore the woman had eyes in the back of her head or something. "Um, yes Mom."
"Oh, alright then, you can have your game."
Blake pushed the door open and ran into the room. In a flash he grabbed the copy of the beta and stormed out. He rushed back into his room and pulled out his laptop, setting it and the game on his desk. By now he was sweating profusely, both from nervousness and from how hot it was getting. Once he turned on his computer he slid the beta into the slot and watched as it started to install. After few seconds someone messaged him.
recklessRhythmic [RR] began pestering shutterbugSlick [SS]
RR: Ok, we have a problem
RR: My server copy of the game was stolen
SS: are you shitting me
SS: theres a meteor heading right for my house
RR: Chill man, we can still make this work
SS: how
RR: You just need someone else to be your server player
RR: And I'll have Leslie send them the walkthrough she found
SS: ok
SS: thats a little reassuring
SS: please hurry though
RR: I've got your back bro
RR: You can depend on me
RR: Who do you think can be your server player?
SS: well CCs online right now
RR: Then CC it is
RR: You get in touch with her
SS: ok
shutterbugSlick [SS] ceased pestering recklessRhythmic [RR]
shutterbugSlick [SS] began pestering cheeryCherry [CC]
SS: do you have your copy of the beta with you right now
CC: yeah why?
SS: leslies gonna send you some walkthrough then youve gotta save my life
CC: aha sure
CC: is this some clever joke?
SS: im being as serious as ive ever been
SS: ive got a goddamn meteor heading for me
SS: shit has officially hit the fan
SS: and the fan is fucking industrial sized
CC: whoa ok
CC: you said Leslies gonna send me a walkthrough?
SS: affirmative
CC: ugh ok
CC: but why her?
SS: i dont know probably because shes the one with the walkthrough
CC: fine
CC: but only cause youre my friend
SS: you have no idea how appreciated you are right now
CC: haha thanks :)
Blake: Be CC
You are now CC, but I think she prefers the name CHERRY CONWAY; at least, the plaque that hung over her door would suggest that. She had long red hair that was tied up in a ponytail behind her. She was wearing a white tee shirt with a Squiddle on it and blue skinny jeans.
Cherry looked around her room. She had a number of interests. She loved to READ, and books of all kinds and genres were neatly stacked in a bookshelf. She also liked MOVIES, preferably romantic comedies. She was generally a positive person, and her room was painted an assortment of bright colors. She also held a fondness for GARDENING, and a number of garden tools were stored in a small trunk under her desk.
Cherry: Captchalogue gardening tools
She figured it would be good to hold on to them for safe keeping. In a flash the tools were tucked away into her Puzzle Modus. She turned back to her computer to continue chatting with Blake.
CC: so when can i expect miss snooty to send me the walkthrough?
SS: hell if i know
SS: just wait until she gets around to it i guess
CC: gee youre a big help -_-
SS: do you have a meteor headed for you
SS: no you dont
SS: so you will have to excuse my lack of a good solution
CC: ok point taken
Cherry's computer chimed, and the chumhandle 'minervasHandmaid' lit up.
CC: looks like shes online now
SS: ok let me know when your all ready to get the game on
SS: im installing the client thing right now
minervasHandmaid [MH] began pestering cheeryCherry [CC]
MH: hello Cherry
CC: leslie
MH: let's not be unpleasant about this
MH: I understand Blake requires some help
MH: so you'll need this
minervasHandmaid [MH] sent cheeryCherry [CC] the file
CC: youre just a fantastic savior arent you?
MH: Cherry, let's at least try to be civil from now on
MH: after not too long, we're going to be among the last of the human race left
CC: dont tell me what to do!
MH: well if I don't you're not going to get much done on your own
CC: hey buzz off
CC: you gave me the walkthrough like you had to
CC: so why are you still here?
MH: fair point
MH: would you prefer that I leave?
CC: kinda yeah
MH: then I'll go
MH: so long, Cherry
minervasHandmaid [MH] ceased pestering cheeryCherry [CC]
That girl was so insufferable! Cherry didn't know why she hadn't blocked Leslie. It wasn't like they ever even talked since the incident between the two. Well, it wasn't important now either way. She had the walkthrough, and hopefully from now on she wouldn't really have to deal with Leslie, at least for a while.
Cherry: Be Matt
Matt stood in front of his house. When he had been moved to the medium, a lot of the surrounding property was left behind. His backyard was completely gone and all that was left of the front yard beyond the driveway was about ten feet of grass before the abrupt drop. There was also a very small island with a tree floating right alongside his house.
'Well', he thought, 'there goes exploring.'
He turned and went back inside. Sis was still missing, but the house was far from empty; Imps had started making themselves comfortable, getting their oily substance everywhere. Matt quickly struck down a few Imps, grabbing the Grist that was dropped as a result. The remaining Imps fled in terror, and Matt decided he'd deal with them later.
On his way back to the balcony he paused next to another secret agent figure. This one was smaller than the one he'd programmed the Sprite with, being closer to his size.
MATT, GRAB THAT GUYS SUIT
What? The idea of stripping the doll was unappealing on its own, but the fabric of the suit also looked very uncomfortable.
DON'T ARGUE, KID. IT'S A GREAT LOOKING SUIT
Finally resigning himself to his unexplainable urge, Matt captchalogued the suit and the doll. He could probably find some sort of use for it later.
He made his way out to the balcony, where a new machine had recently been placed, resembling a piano.
RR: Uh Leslie
RR: What's this thing?
MH: a punch designix
RR: Ok, here you're saying that like I ought to know what it is
MH: I could explain it to you
MH: or I could do this
minervasHandmaid [MH] sent recklessRhythmic [RR] the file
MH: just scroll down to the part about the punch designix
Matt did just that, reading about what exactly this Punch Designix was and what it did. When he was finished reading a grin spread across his face. This would be fun.
Matt: Start alchemizing things
First he decided that he could use a new outfit fitting his new adventure. He quickly combined his drumstick tee shirt with the secret agent doll's suit, creating the Drumstick Suit. The grey suit fit like a glove, and bore Matt's drumstick logo in the upper right corner. It also included a pair of grey slacks and a pair of black dress shoes.
Matt gave his new outfit a once over and nodded in approval. Next, he decided to combine his shoes with his Dead Space poster. The result was a pair of Anti-Grav Boots. These were visually identical to the RIG boots in the Dead Space series, with the exception of being all black. Matt tested the boots out, firing them up and floating into the air. He flew back and forth for a little while, getting the hang of the boots, and then landed on his deck again.
MH: nice outfit
RR: I know, huh?
RR: I feel like a badass
MH: well you look pretty sexy
RR: … I, uh, knew that
MH: Matt, are you forgetting that I can see you?
MH: your blush is very prominent
PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, KID
RR: Shit
RR: Look at something else, would ya?
RR: See if you can find Sis
MH: I haven't seen her
MH: but it looks like there're more and more imps appearing throughout your house
MH: you might want to see if you can make a new weapon
RR: Hmm, good idea
Matt: Combine drumsticks and Samurai Jack poster
Matt attempted just that, but the result required types of Grist he hadn't encountered yet. An attempt to alchemize the sticks with the Grimoire ended with the same result. Matt sighed and decided he'd have to wait until after he had more Grist to make a new weapon.
MH: I found your server copy
RR: Where?
MH: an imp has it. hallway outside your room
RR: Alright, thanks
GET GOING MATT, TIME'S WASTING
Matt quickly made his way inside to apprehend the thief. Once he had gone through the side door he swung out at an Imp in his way, instantly vanquishing it. The other three in the room suffered a similar fate. Matt marveled at his increased strength after leveling up, grabbed the Grist scattered on the floor, and continued on his way. Once the Imp with the beta was in sight, Matt lobbed the secret agent doll at it.
The Imp barely managed to dodge the projectile, causing the window behind it to get shattered. Seeing an opportunity to escape, the Imp leaped out the window. Unfortunately, the window led down to a straight drop. Matt swore in frustration, but a walkway extended right underneath the Imp, stopping it mid-fall.
RR: Did you do that?
MH: someone has to have your back
RR: Thanks
QUIT STANDING AROUND, OUT THE WINDOW YOU GO
Matt leapt out the window, using his Anti-Grav boots to break his fall. The Imp backed up to the edge of the walkway, trembling in fear as Matt lifted a stick. He was about to finish the Imp when a large hand gripped the side of the walkway. A large, frightening creature, with a health bar that read Crude Ogre, tried pulling itself onto the walkway, but the thin strip of land snapped under the Ogre's weight.
Matt quickly activated his Anti-Grav boots, watching as the Ogre and the Imp, as well as his server copy of the game, fell through the clouds and out of view. Matt flew back through the broken window and landed with a soft thump.
UNBELIEVABLE, WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU, KID?
Ok, this voice was really starting to get annoying. What was with the stupid voice anyway? Who was it? What did it want?
YEARS IN THE FUTURE, BUT NOT MANY…
The object slid to the side with ease, exposing the tunnel below. The Disgraced Deserter was more than happy to climb down the ladder, away from the sun's hot rays. The inside of the tunnel was hardly any cooler than outside, but it was still an improvement.
The inside of the structure was dark, the two sources of light being the tunnel opening and a large computer monitor. The Deserter approached the monitor with a curious gaze. The only active screen displayed a boy holding an apple in one hand. Slowly, the kid's eyes opened up. The Deserter slid his fingers onto the keyboard.
KID
…
Matt made his way back to the balcony, watching as more and more Imps made their way into the house. A pit formed in his stomach as Crude Ogres started to climb up onto the front lawn and make their way towards the house as well.
"Arf!"
Matt turned around and found Monty waiting for him. Acting on habit, Matt scratched the Sprite behind the ear. "Monty, do you know where Sis is?"
"Oh yes, I think she got kidnapped a little while ago."
"What? And you didn't think to tell me?"
"Oh geez Matt, relax." Matt was taken aback by the dog's calm demeanor. "Sis'll be fine. What you need to worry about is your quest."
"Quest? Oh, yeah, you're supposed to be like my guide, aren't you? So what do I do next?"
"Well that's partly for you to figure out on your own. What's a good adventure if you already know everything that's gonna happen?"
"…Fair point. So what can you tell me?"
"I can tell you to look up."
Matt did as he was told. In the sky a hundred or so feet above his house was a blue sphere shape that emitted a soft glow.
"That sphere thing in the sky?"
"It's called a gate. There are seven of them, and you need to find your way through them all to reach your goal: Skaia."
"Skaia?"
"Yes Matt, Skaia. The legend of Skaia is one of creative potential that stretches as far as one's imagination. Like a blank slate, one could make Skaia whatever they want. So it's not surprising that with such a powerful force in existence, there must be an army of light to defend it. And where there is an army of light…"
"…There will be an army of darkness?"
"Now you're catching on! These two armies have dueled for control of Skaia for eternity. They have carried this fight on in an eternal stalemate, until you and your friends showed up."
"What do me and my friends have to do with it?"
"You remember what happened before I joined with the Sprite? It split! This was the Kernel portion 'hatching.' Each of the halves of the Kernel went to either the dark or light kingdom. There they came to rest in a Spire, where there are four others just like it."
"So there are five Spires in total for both kingdoms?"
"Exactly! Each of the five Spires is situated over the throne of Light or Darkness. Once these Spires start to be settled by parts of a Kernel, then the game really starts. The war starts to move in a new direction, light against dark and good against evil. This war, however, will always reach a specific conclusion: the army of light will fail."
"What? If good loses, then what's the point of trying in the first place?"
"That is a riddle you must solve for yourself, the Ultimate Riddle. But keep in mind this one thing: I only said that the army of light would lose. And as coincidence would have it, the army of darkness has also captured Sis. So now you know what you must do: you must advance through the seven gates and reach Skaia. Of course, your adventure won't strictly be those events. I'm sure you will find a multitude of other quests to complete, each with their own rewards."
"But once I reach Skaia what do I do?"
"Oh I'm afraid that also falls under the category of what you must figure out on your own. For now, you must simply focus on reaching the gate."
Matt looked up at the gate again. "How do I get up there exactly? I mean, I don't know if my Anti-Grav boots can get me that high…"
"It's simple: to reach the gate, you build!"
"Ok, I think I get what I need to do. Build the house, reach the gate, right?"
"For now yes."
"Ok, I can do that. Thanks Monty, you've always been a good dog."
"You're welcome, Matt."
Just then, a cool wind swept through the air. Matt and Monty both looked over the edge of the balcony. The clouds cleared out of the way, exposing the landscape of wherever Matt was. As far as he could see, there was little besides mountains. The sun hung low in the sky, casting an orange glow over the land. Windmills dotted the landscape, and Matt could see the outlines of villages. For a reason he couldn't explain, Matt knew the name of this place, but Monty spoke it anyway.
"Welcome to the Land of Gusts and Windmills."
A heads up, I won't be updating for a little while. I fractured my arm, so I won't really be able to update any of my stories.
