Party Zero let out hisses and groans of pain as they rose from the ground to look at the melted shell that had been the Citadel’s Castle.

With one of the stronger blasts Induca’s mana barrier had failed, as she and Malsour were thrown into the walls around the central castle, those of Party Zero that had been able to escape had crashed with them.

The castle had been destroyed, with the ground where the soul array had been, turned into a crater with a soul energy fog dissipating around it. Anna’s sword and half melted necklace lay next to one another..

Jekoni’s body had been destroyed completely, there was not even a hint of his remains.

Steve’s body was nothing but a few melted soul gem fragments and his axe, it too was smoking but it didn’t seem to have any lasting damage.

Dave’s armor was left as was Suzy’s but there was no sign of them.

No one said anything as they looked upon the crater, all of them feeling different emotions.

“Suzy, Suzy!” Induca yelled in a panic, opening up a private channel as Deia did the same to Dave, both of them contacting players that were able to route a connection through the simulation to Dave and Suzy.

“Anna?” Dave’s voice came through the private channel.

Deia fell to the ground, crying, her tears a catalyst for the others as their emotions got to them, some crying some with blank faces, shock, anger, sadness.

Dave went silent on the other end, hearing Deia’s relief, even as she knew he was okay, it couldn’t dull the pain of knowing Jekoni and Anna were unable to return.

The sounds of fighting were dying down outside, but Party Zero didn’t react, their bodies and souls in turmoil from the loss of their friends.

“I’m okay,” Steve said over the party chat as his replacement body was activated within Pandora’s Box.

There was some relief from that, but even Steve’s normally happy and carefree voice was heavy and somber.

The sounds of fighting died down, and a screen flashed before their eyes.

Castle Conquest

You have captured a contested castle!

Rewards:

2,000 Conquest points

Castle Conquest

You currently control (8/8) Castles

Earning: (8) conquest points per minute

Bonus: For controlling all of the Castles, you earn an additional (2) conquest points per minute.

Total points: 12,847

Rights: Administrative (Can spend conquest points to upgrade castle infrastructure and repair castles. Can also delete Castle infrastructure)

Western Castle 1

Status: Under Control by Terra Alliance

Earn: 1 conquest point per minute

Evolution: 1 (Second evolution 0%). Can increase evolution to Level 2 by paying (100,000) Conquest points.

Upgrades: Trebuchet, Siege Towers, Increased combat abilities for defenders (Damaged), Soul Gem construct defenses (destroyed), Dwarven Artillery batteries (3/40), Aleph Repeater batteries (0/12)

Durability: 21,548/ 60,000

Castle Conquest

For controlling 4 conquest castles, you gain an extra conquest point (1) per minute

Castle Conquest

For controlling 8 conquest castles, you gain an extra conquest point (1) per minute

None of them cared as they grouped together, not needing to say words, sharing looks, a pat or a hug, their breathing shaky and disordered.

***

Dave looked at the screen in front of him as the time to respawn ran down.

You have died in Emerilia

You have been returned home.

You have 0:01 hours (game time) until you can respawn at (Nadorf, Opheir)

Or

0.01 hours in real life

Would you like to play a different game while you wait?

Respawn

You can now respawn.

Your new level:

196

You have lost 330 stat points. These stat points will be randomly removed from your attributes.

You have lost a class! (If you drop below a class gaining level 50,100, 200, 300, etc you will lose 1 random class, it is possible to regain this class at a later time).

You have lost the class:

Mine Manager

See ‘Character Sheet’ to see the changes.

Dave didn’t say anything, instead he felt a sourness in his gut, knowing that he would die a hundred more times and lose all of his classes and stat points in order to save Jekoni or Anna.

The loss of resources would be annoying, but with the Asteroid base and all of the mining going on there they were hauling in massive amounts of different resources.

A flash of light surrounded him, he felt weaker than he’d done in a long time, as he sat up on the altar of rebirth Deia barreled into him, hugging him, in fear of him disappearing.

Dave picked her up, as she curled into his chest, crying like a little girl he moved to the side. He sat on the ground Deia sitting in his lap for some time.

Dave wished there was something he could do to stop the pain she was feeling. All he could do was move her hair away from her face kissing her head and trying to reassure her with whispers and hug her tight.

Suzy spawned in sometime later, her and Induca hugging one another and crying as they too moved out of the way of other Stone Raiders that were spawning in Nadorf which had become their linked spawn point.

It wasn’t until a long time later, Deia raised her head from where she had been curled up on Dave’s lap and crying into his chest.

“Yes, understood,” Deia said slowly, she sniffed and tried to wipe away the tears, her eyes red and puffy from the crying.

Dave kissed her before his features hardened.

“What happened while I was out?” He asked.

“The Flying Citadels are moving out, an order has been sent out to all of the portal locations as well as the Flying Citadels. The Angel Legions under Light’s command have returned. All forces are to focus on clearing out any remaining portal locations. We’ve got people moving to the portal here to seal it with a mana shield and set up defensive runes to stop any more Xelur from coming through. All Flying Citadel Forces will be lifted back up to the Citadels and we will move to the next location. We’ll be in support of the forces on the ground and move with the Flying Citadels,” Deia said before taking a deep breath.

“I know that we’re all reeling right now and that we haven’t had time to process what just happened, if anyone needs to, they can return to Terra.”

The looks of sadness all hardened while the hidden anger became more fierce.

“Dave, what do you need to get my armor back up and running?” Lox asked.

“Mine too,” Gurren said.

“We’re going to need to charge them up again and tack on new armor plates if you want to be ready for the next fight,” Dave stood up, his face a cold mask, he hadn’t recovered from the severe mana fatigue yet but his fighting spirit had surged.

“I’ll help out,” Malsour said.

“Jekoni and Anna were people of Emerilia, if we just hide away from this I wouldn’t be able to hold my head up when thinking about them,” Suzy said.

“Time we rid Emerilia of these creatures,” Induca agreed.

“Jekoni saved our lives, he was not prone to violence but never shirked from his duty towards Emerilia and its people. I will carry out his wishes and pledge my blade to eradicating those that wish to harm the people of Emerilia. To kill a hundred to possibly save a thousand,” Jung Lee said, his normally calm voice becoming harder and harsher as he talked, gripping the handle of his sword and staring at the others, firm resolve in his eyes.

A weaker person might look away in fear and shock. The rest of Party Zero understood that look and shared in it with him.

They might be tired and their strength was only just starting to recover but together they would charge forwards into what came.

Dave opened up his interface and went to his character sheet.

Character Sheet

Name:

David Grahslagg

Gender:

Male

Level:

196

Class:

Dwarven Master Smith, Friend of the Grey God, Bleeder, Librarian, Skill Creator, Aleph Engineer, Weapons Master, Champion Slayer, Master of Space and Time, Master of Gravitational Anomalies

Race:

Human/Dwarf

Alignment:

Chaotic Good

Unspent points: 0

Health:

4,550

Regen:

24.90 /s

Mana:

15,490

Regen:

61.70 /s

Stamina:

4,780

Regen:

52.65 /s

Vitality:

455

Endurance:

1,245

Intelligence:

1,549

Willpower:

1,234

Strength:

478

Agility:

1,053

The nervousness was gone, replaced by the numbness that came after combat and the loss of friends and comrades.

Dave closed his character sheet, a determined look in his eyes.

***

Frank Simmons sank into his couch, the springs had long given way, with his income working at the local supermarket he felt drained. His mind was dull and his eyes lifeless.

He grabbed his controller and pressed the start button, getting the controller from under the couch, his console booted up as the television turned on, showing the consoles logo and the all familiar sounds of it starting up.

A smile appeared on his face as he pulled on his headset.

He’d served with the United States Marines for ten years, he’d left without anything but a diploma.

He’d moved back home to look after his parents, his useless sister had come in and got his mother with dementia to sign over everything to her.

She lived in some mansion in Texas while he lived in the middle of nowhere looking after his parents until they passed away. His dad had gone first, lung cancer, his mother following three years later when there was a mess up with the medication she was on.

That was two years ago, worn down by life Frank retreated into video games. There he was not some guy that had been fucked over by life. He could be a thief, an outstanding paragon of virtue or the devil incarnate. He didn’t have to care about whether the new coupons were going out and when old lady Lucinda showed up with her fifteen stamps for everything she bought.

The main menu appeared in front of him, he moved over to boot up his game when he heard someone clear their throat.

Frank turned and jumped, pulling out his earbud.

Oh shit I hope I didn’t break it!

Frank looked at the early twenties woman that was sitting in the recliner to his side.

“What the fuck are you doing here? Who are you?” Frank demanded, embarrassed by his reaction and pissed at the fact he might have broken his headset.

“Why is it all you gamers love swearing so much?” The woman sighed, she disappeared from Frank’s seat and appeared in front of him.

He looked at her in shock, what she’d done was clearly impossible.

“Frank Simmons age thirty five with Earth simulation, actual age four and a half years,” the woman said.

“What do you want, how is that possible? What did you do?” Frank asked, his mind was already moving a hundred miles per second as he rushed through possibilities.

His mind kept going back to the books and video games he’d read and played. There was no way that someone could simply teleport across a room in reality!

A chair appeared behind the lady as the room appeared brighter as if someone had increased the brightness.

Frank rubbed his eyes unable to understand the impossible things that were happening in front of his eyes.

“My name is the Lady of Air, I’m one of the figures within the Pantheon of Affinities, I know it sounds all rather strange, but soon everything will be revealed. Frank, it’s time you found out what’s really going on,” Air said giving Frank a deep look.

“What are you going to do to me?” Frank asked, he had lost his fighting trim from his time in the marines, but once someone was a marine they were always a marine he was readying himself to fight if he needed to.

“I’m going to do nothing to you. I’m going to show you a few things, let you make up your own mind and let you make a decision. There’s a war going on, one for your survival, I’m simply asking if you want to help fight for your survival and the survival of the human race, or hide in this simulation,” Air said, her voice neither forceful nor soft.

Frank frowned.

“What do you want to show me?” Frank asked, no longer feeling tired and drained, his body and mind was alive as he unconsciously sat taller and his eyes carried a demanding light in them instead of the glazed over defeat that usually registered in his eyes.

“Reality,” Air said, the room around them disappeared and they appeared within a room with a star map and people rushing around from console to console, there were people yelling to one another, a captain was sitting in his seat as explosions shook the ship.

Frank looked around at everything, the people looked so real but their talking was dimmed and one couldn’t make out what they were saying.

Frank was still sitting on his couch at the back of the room.

“Do you know why your room disappeared?” Air asked as she stood up from her chair, it disappeared into nothing as she looked from Frank to the rest of the ship’s bridge.

“What?” Frank asked, he was only starting to take in the sights of everything in the room, when Air’s words sunk in. He frowned trying to figure out a way to answer her.

“Have you ever heard about the debate that we could be only brains in a vat in a massive game?” Air asked.

“Yeah, I’ve heard of it before,” Frank nodded.

“Well, currently your brain is being destroyed and put into a real body. All of this, all that you know is a simulation. The universe’s biggest prison, eradication system and entertainment center all rolled up into one. The human race stuck in the illusion of Earth being real. I’m going to tell you the history of Earth, its true history and free you of this simulation,” Air looked into Frank’s eyes, piercing through him. “It’s time to wake up from your dream Frank Simmons, a war is about to begin, the likes of which has never been seen before, it’s up to you to decide if you’re willing to help or not.”

Frank’s mind was reeling from all that had happened in just the space of a few minutes, but Air’s words and the way that she looked at him, he felt as if he had woken up, he stood up from his couch a fierce look in his eyes. He didn’t know what was going on, but he knew he wanted to see it through.

***

Frank Simmons opened his eyes for the first time, ever.

He was on a table wearing a simple shirt and pants he sat up, all manner of stickers on his body with runes covering them. The table underneath him was also covered in runic lines. There were people around him, all looking at him in shock, his eyes fell on Air who was standing off to the side.

It was if an explosion had gone off in his mind, he opened and closed his hand, it felt the same as if he had been on Earth, however now with all Air had showed him and the things that they had done, racing across Earth, seeing different sights, her replaying different moments of his life that had been recorded.

All of it only served to prove that Earth was a simulation.

He was still in a state of shock but as he closed his hand again it formed a fist and his lips thinned, anger building within him.

His entire life he had been pushed and pulled by AI controllers, Air had given him a way out from that life and that prison.

His life was his own once again and he had options. Not only that, but he had also gained purpose, to free others like him and win the ability to do what he wanted to.

His first step would be to become stronger, to help where he could to remove the Jukal Empire that had destroyed Sol and worked to kill off any remaining humans.

***

Alkao watched as his secretary left the room, closing the door behind her. Alkao could feel the pity, the way she wished to help relieve his pain more.

He could only give a slight smile and try to excuse himself.

The door closed and the magical coding around the room activated.

Alkao turned from his desk to the twin glass doors that looked out over Unity City located in the heart of Devil’s Crater.

Images and scenes rolled through his mind. His first time meeting Anna and getting his ass kicked.

How he had come to know her, his desire to see her smile, the want to become closer to her. When she’d ‘trained’ with him and kicked his ass, but still he’d got back to his feet, honing his fighting skill with her just to spend more time with her.

The small dates they’d gone on here and there. The times when she’d forgotten about her tail which would wag behind her in happiness or when she smiled and the world seemed to be a better place.

Tears fell down his cheeks, but there was also a small but heartbreaking smile on his lips as he lived through those precious memories, savoring them all but knowing that the person that had made them special was gone.

There was a knock from his door. He let it go, not answering his door. A message appeared on his interface. He glanced to it, he wiped his eyes and checked his appearance.

He hid his grief and pain deep, he was Alkao, King of Devil’s Crater and Leader of the Devil’s Crater Council and Army.

He would mourn later, right now he had to deal with the new threat that had emerged, the sworn enemies of the Demons, the lady of Light’s Angels.

His eyes flashed with a cold light thinking of them and the other creatures and people that had invaded Emerilia. He promised that their day would come, he would do his all to save as many Emerilians as possible.

Before he could press the button that would unlock his office a grey light filled his room, sitting there in a recliner looking dejected was an elderly gnome.

“Hello Alkao, it’s been some time,” Bob said looking at him.

“Bob?” Alkao said, stunned by his appearance.

“Since you were Anna’s boyfriend I felt like it would be best to tell you something,” Bob took a deep breath, leaning forwards in his chair somewhat.

“There is a chance that I can bring her back.”

“What, how? What do you need from me?” Alkao asked, lurching forwards from his seat, his hands on the desk as he looked at Bob.

“I don’t need anything from you, but I have a warning, if I am to complete this, Anna will not be as you remember her,” Bob said in a heavy voice.

“How?” Alkao asked, bracing himself but unwilling to let this moment and possibility pass.

“Originally Anna was meant to be an AI assistant to help me look after Emerilia and monitor its progress, but as time went on she became more and more attached to the people of Emerilia and she asked for me to make her a body that would allow her to walk among the people of Emerilia.

She stopped being an administrative AI and instead became a person of Emerilia. However she was originally an AI at first. A part of her mind was connected to the Datskun at all times this was meant as a way for me to look after her and in the event that I died or was removed that she would be able to take over my work and look after Emerilia. It was only a seed and a small connection at that. However from it, I think that I can recover some of her memories. They might be buried in there and I’m not sure how much she would remember or not. It might be that she comes back fine, it might be that she can’t remember anything but the days when she was first created. There is not much information there but I hope enough to return a part of her,” Bob paused.

“Well, why are we talking, when can you begin?” Alkao asked.

“That is a problem, we can only start to pull her information and take it apart to once again code her so that she can assimilate a new body once all of the other AI controllers are taken offline.

She is the center of the whole system, she controls nearly everything, however if I was to remove her, she would disrupt the system, the AI’s would look into it, the Jukal would look into it and we would be exposed. We can only think of reviving her when we announce ourselves to the Jukal. However I can wake up the part of her memory that was kept aboard the Datskun,” Bob said.

“When can I see her or will you know when it works?” Alkao asked.

“I will need to try to wake her up, I don’t know how long this will take and I can’t guarantee you anything. I want her AI program to figure out what’s going on its own before I start introducing it to people that she knew. If we go too fast it could make her have a break and corrupt her drives and information banks. For this I need to talk to Air to try and sort out,” Bob said.

“Okay, okay, just please let me know if it works or not, standing on the edge like this,” Alkao shook his head.

“As soon as I know something I’ll let you know,” Bob promised, he paused as if wondering to say what he was thinking. “Anna and I might be father and daughter but I wasn’t able to see her much these past couple of years, she was one of the things that kept me going in the early years of Emerilia, I never saw her take a boyfriend before, she was always too scared to lose someone. With you, I think that she knew she might lose you, but it was worth that pain to know you and have you as her boyfriend for as long as possible.”

Bob’s words made Alkao clear his throat that seemed to have tightened up as his eyes once again itched with unshed tears.

“Thank you,” Alkao said.

Bob nodded and sniffed, finding it hard to hold back tears before he and his chair disappeared from Alkao’s office.