Mature Content Warning: None really. Maybe a little foul language.

Author's Notes: Not really any action in this segment but a lot of important reveals.

Chapter 23.2: Dark Revelations

Scott looked around, an expression of surprised bewilderment on his face. One moment he had been slaughtered screaming men like well-armored hogs and in the next moment he had awoken in what could only be called the world’s biggest cemetery.

He looked down then blinked “Human?” Why was he in human form? That made even less sense than what had just happened.

The confused man walked forward a few steps then saw something flash at the corner of his vision. He moved toward it then looked down. Scott retrieved the strange little glowing crystal, and then saw another one.

Something about those crystals captured his attention completely. Perhaps it was the fact that everything else seemed to be rendered in an impossibly black and white tone, like an old horror movie, while the crystals were both boldly colored and glowed brightly.

“Trust a Mahorela Abaivonin to collect fragments of the lost and hopeless even after he himself has died.” said a kind masculine voice.

Scott turned quickly to see who it was. The newcomer was a man with a kind face who wore a dark hood and wielded the biggest damned scythe he had ever seen. “Who...?”

The man chuckled softly and waved him off. “Sorry, continue with your duties. When you’re ready to revive I’ll be around.”

“Who are you...?” asked Scott in confusion.

The man smiled lightly then gazed upon Scott with great intensity. “I am the end of all things, the quiet moment that comes at the end of the universe and precedes the start of the next. I am the transition between life and death.”

“Do you have a name to go with that?” asked Scott.

The man laughed a little. “You’re a lot like him, makes sense really.”

“Like who?” asked Scott.

“Scott.” said the man.

“I am Scott.” he said in confusion.

The dark man laughed cheerfully then shook his head. a wry smile rose upon his lips. “I suppose you are. That makes sense as well.”

“Very little here is making sense.” said Scott.

The cheerful dark man waved his scythe a little then said, “Death is a confusing time for all creatures.”

“I don’t think that’s the part that is confusing me...” said Scott with far more calm that he should probably be feeling at the moment.

The man tilted his head to the side then nodded. “Yes, I suppose so. However, there is one thing that I must ask.”

“Yes?” asked Scott.

The not-so-grim reaper blurred out of sight then instantly reappeared next to him, his face less than an inch from his. “What exactly are your intentions toward my sister?”

“Silence! Don’t scare him like that!” called another voice, one quite familiar to Scott.

The reaper smiled cheerfully. “How should I scare him then?”

“Not at all!” exclaimed the invisible voice.

“Hey, that voice...” said Scott.

A soft giggle echoed through the area. “Oh, how sweet. My pretty little dragon remembers me...”

“You’re that goddess, demon... whatever you are...” said Scott.

He felt a sudden, pleasant, pressure against his back. “I’m not a whatever, my sweet boy.”

Scott wanted to make a sarcastic reply, but he was at a loss as to what to say. He had just been murdered by some random assault team guy who also just happened to know his one legitimate weakness. He’d lost friends, and had no idea what had happened after he had been one-shotted by that asshole.

It was weird. Here, in this place, he felt little rage or even sadness. It was as though his emotions had been diluted. Even the pleasant sensation against his back, the soft smell of wild flowers, and the curious leer of the grim reaper before him caused little emotional reaction. He asked about that and the reaper was the one who answered.

“This is a place designed as a sort of spiritual transfer station. The field effects of the area are numerous, but the one relevant to your situation involves emotional restriction. Basically, you’re able to think without too much emotion so that you can make the logical decision on your next step.” said the reaper.

“Field effects? Why does everything seem like a game? Ever since that dream started...” asked Scott. He had thought of it as a game, but really, how could that be?

The reaper smiled. “Be glad that you asked me that question. Most of those with the answers can’t tell you anything.”

“Silence, you can talk about that?” asked the invisible goddess in surprise.

“You really think those project committee assholes have the power to censure me? Please... They had to beg me to grace this poorly coded crap-fest with my presence. I refused most of the restrictions.” said the grim reaper, who was apparently named Silence.

“Yeah, why are you here anyway? Shouldn’t you be collecting Scott’s soul for the thousandth or so time on the ARS classic server?”

“He hasn’t died that much. Though, it is funny that he’s still in the tutorial.” remarked Silence with a laugh.

“I’m still in the what? Why are you people so damned confusing?” asked Scott in annoyance.

“Different Scott. Don’t worry about it too much. What does matter is the first question that you asked.” said Silence.

“Yes?” asked Scott.

“Well, everything is like a game because it sort of is... though the ones running things royally screwed things up. I can’t go into too many details about it, because I mostly don’t know them. I can tell you what I do know, however.” said Silence.

Scott was silent for a moment. He had so many questions, that it was hard to ask any of them. When he did speak, it was to ask, “Why did all of this happen?”

“Ah, you mean the changes to the world? I don’t know all of the specifics but I can give you the general run-down, so to speak.” said Silence.

“That would be appreciated.” said Scott.

Silence nodded then said, “OK, so it’s like this. The god who created your world and all of the things on it, finished with it and sold it off to one of the indie game studios. That group of idiots chose to use the OEC GPL version of ARS as a basis for...”

“What in the world are you talking about?” interrupted Scott. What was all that? Was that supposed to be an explanation?

“Ah, you don’t even know that much about the true nature of reality. I see. I should back up a little and explain a few things.” said Silence.

“That would be appreciated.” said Scott.

“Right, well... It’s like this. We come from a race of eternal beings who are overly attached to the idea of human pop-culture. Said race likes to spend time with humans for various reasons, but we have to use avatars as we are so damned good looking that if you were to gaze upon our true forms you would burst into flames. Literally.”

The invisible goddess chuckled softly then snuggled against Scott’s back a little more. That was as good of an explanation as any.

“Gods are real. We make planets and worlds. Not all of them, but many of them. One of those gods made your world. That god finished the basic crafting process and sold the result off for a profit. Now you’re under new ownership.” said Silence.

“I’m some asshole’s property?” asked Scott incredulously.

“Yes and no. Technically, you’re not owned. Due to the decision of an arbiter, you are under the management and custodial care of people who don’t really care that much about your well-being. When I discovered that the so-called project leaders were just a bunch of young idiots who were looking for course credits in world-building I became a bit irate.” said Silence.

“What! I didn’t know that.” cried the goddess. She released Scott.

“Yeah, those so-called project leaders who were billed as being more capable of dealing with this situation... They are just a bunch of inexperienced morons who think they know what they are doing.”

“Didn’t the arbiter tell the city council that the project leaders had experience, though?” asked the goddess.

“Yes, they did say that. Technically, the project leaders do have experience. Each of them had played parts in various world building projects before, but as it turns out none of those were of this scale. This world was saved from the grasp of an indie game studio that did not know what it was doing, only to be handed over to a bunch of people who are just as bad, in a different way.”

“I’m missing something here...” said Scott. “A lot of something’s probably.”

“No wonder there have been so many stupid decisions!” snapped the invisible goddess, while ignoring Scott’s statement.

“Yeah, well... What can you do? The arbiter granted them the right to rebuild the world since the original indie company pretty much wrecked it in the first place.” said Silence.

Scott started to demand answers again, but stayed silent. The things that they were saying so casually, were filling in blanks that he had not even known to think about.

“This is such a damned mess. All because those idiots did a direct world update instead of copying it and building on the licensed planet.” groused Silence.

“Silence...” said the invisible goddess softly.

The grim reaper shook his head. “I get so sick of that attitude. People aren’t playthings. Between those idiots on our own company board, and the recent crop of stupid start-up game companies it makes me sick.”

Scott continued to listen to the so-called grim reaper continue to bemoan the stupidity of gods who perform direct world updates. The tiny hairs on the back of his neck began to rise up as several disturbing possibilities for the near future were revealed. The more he heard these people speak, the more questions he wanted to ask. Finally, he would get a few answers.