I let out a long sigh. This was the mid-game of a chess match where I couldn’t see the board or what pieces had been moved. I had no clue what to do. This would lock in things for a long time, in a sense it would decide my fate. “Arms come and go. I will give you the cube for a clear, understandable, and comprehensive answer to the following question. What are the victory conditions for FEAR and how do I achieve them?” I cheated a bit by squeezing in two questions into one.

I had been tempted to try and stab her, but that had as much hope of working as laser beams shooting from my eyes. Tafe stared at me and the moment stretched out.

“Interesting, what about a secret skill like you desired instead?”

“No, that just confirms I want that information.” I gripped the cube tightly inside my shirt with my hand.

“Oh you are something indeed. Very well. You simply must free me from the constraints put upon me.” I frowned at that. That made no sense. I had considered it as the final quest, but it made no sense with the way she acted. “The cube?” She held out her hand.

“That isn’t an answer. Free you from what? I can’t reattach your fate cords unless you explain. Why don’t you explain? Why can’t you explain?” Her scary smile dipped just a fraction.

“Simply travel to the island beyond the rising sun to the cold winds in the south. There you shall find an entrance. Travel through that entrance and slay all that would attempt to stop you. You will reach a central chamber. You must disable the seven devices that are there. Once that is complete you shall be declared winner of FEAR and receive your one percent share.”

“Wait how do you know about that? How do you even know this is a game?”

“Ah, you had but one question and I have answered it. Now hand over the cube.” I looked at her and then at the cube.

“If it is that simple to free you, why not just tell people?”

“Again you have already used your question. Hand the cube over!” When she said the last part the entire world seemed to vibrate in all its black and white glory.

“No. I cheat fate and defy you. Your answer has more holes than a sieve. I am keeping the cube and your half-baked answers. You can go suck an egg.”

Everything stilled. My heart struggled to beat as she kept staring at me. “You think a tiny worm was dangerous?’ I couldn’t move my mouth to reply. “You play with fire like a child, burning everything around you. You are not an equal to dictate terms. You are but a bug, less than a bug. A parasite.”

She swept our an arm in a long arc. Her white dress and complexion stood out against the gray landscape. She brought her arm back down again and my fear grew as nothing immediately happened. “But you deserve a reward for tricking me. You want power. You want to change your fate. Well you have given me an insight into the hearts of all who are in my realm. Most of all yours.” She paused for a moment before booming out so loudly I thought my head would explode. “I NAME YOU MY CHAMPION! DEFY FATE!”

That was not what I was expecting. She disappeared and the world snapped back into color. I managed to take a breath before a screen popped up.

***WORLD NOTIFICATION***Due to in game events. All players will be granted a bonus quest.

Bonus-Hard QuestKill Kenji Shadowen the Champion of TafeFor those that defy their fate are chained to it.10000 EXP

An item needed to win FEARAutomatically Acceptted

My brain froze. No. No. Just no. The victory conditions were the most sought after and desired piece of information. Nothing could have painted a larger target on my back. I looked at the cube in my hand and then back at the screen. “Crap.”

If I had any doubt before about how quests were assigned that quickly evaporated. Tafe had power beyond reckoning. Players would complete quests. It was almost like a religion. Before there had only been an interest in me from a monetary and fame perspective. Now people who just did their own thing, in whatever quiet corner would be after me.

Groups like the She-Hulks and Solid Steel were easy to avoid and understand because they were visible. I could sort of keep track of them along with everything else. Now with everyone after me, it would be impossible to tell where the threats would come from.

The players I killed were probably selling my location for thousands of dollars right now. Everyone and their grandmother would be trying to kill me. I closed the screen and looked at the next two.

Curse of the Goddess Tafe 1-Lost

Champion of the Goddess Tafe-1To defy a goddess is not wise, foolish Blood Rain!LvL 1: Monsters will ignore you unless attacked.

I closed the screens out. I kept moving. That was all I could do. I needed to keep moving. I sensed a pressure. A hazy image of a woman appeared in front of me. “Target located.” She then faded away.

Great, just great. I kept walking with the two loaded down horses. I was tempted to ditch some of the supplies and just ride. That would just cause me more trouble in the future. That girl could be anywhere in the world. Knowing I was near Breckley wasn’t a new piece of information. With the players I had just killed, it wasn’t even a secret which direction I had gone after the wedding.

I needed to escape into the forest and make my way through the wilderness. It would be the only chance I would have to evade the hordes of players coming after me. The dungeon, with the Endolgon and the weapon that could cut fate itself. Now was my chance to retrieve it. If monsters ignored me, then I would go straight for the win stick. I could cut myself off from fate, Tafe….whatever.

If I could recover the Void Cube and the most powerful weapon, then I would be unstoppable as well. A risky plan, but the only one I had. I had wanted a phoenix dragon, but an eldritch horror would do as a pet.

Another ghost suddenly appeared in front of me. This time an older man. “Hmm, there you are.” He then faded away. I just kept moving. I felt pressure against my head but nothing happened.

Hidden Mind-2

That was good it had leveled up. Remaining hidden was not a bad thing. I was pinged three more times and two of them failed. Hidden Mind went up to level three in the next hour as more attempts were made at locating me.

The air ten feet in front of me rippled. I grabbed a spare blade from one of the saddle packs and rushed forward. A rip tore down through the air. A man stood there in full plate. It was a dark gray, so dark it was almost black. The helm fully covered his face with wicked spikes coming out of the top. In one hand he held a massive spiked ball and chain, and in the other a short sword.

I rushed forward to the edge of the portal and saw a semi-circle of mages chanting behind the armored figure on inside what could only be described as a ritual chamber. If he crossed the portal I was toast. He made to move forward, I swung my sword. He swung his ball and chain at me and brought up his own sword to defend at the same time. He was clearly skilled and I had one shot at this.

The attack had only been a feint and I threw the blade. It arced perfectly through the portal and past the armored figure, striking one of the mages. He collapsed with a scream. I drew my flame blade as I ducked to the side to avoid the ball and chain that was aimed for my head. “Flame on.” The armored figure made to step forward and cross through the portal.

The portal edge was already rippling slightly and I swung down with my flame blade strike the edge. The blade easily cut through the edge of the portal. It quickly began to collapse. With a jerk the ball and chain were pulled back through the portal the last possible moment before it completely disappeared.

I let out a long breath. “What the hell.” It was probably just my imagination but I thought I heard laughter over the wind that blowing over the field of grass I was standing in. If there was one person who was the strongest player I would put my money on that….thing. It had a presence that was overwhelming. It was like the Reaper of Skulls but only less slightly potent, which wasn’t saying much.

It was as if hundreds of bugs were crawling on my skin and the primal part of my brain kept telling me to run away. The fact that he had portal magic to attack from anywhere was not good. Hopefully the mage I had hit would cripple any future attacks and Hidden Mind would protect me from any more attempts to find me. That was all I had left, hope. There should be a goddess of hope. I would call her Poeh and she would bake cookies and smile at me.

I found a small grove of trees with a creek running through it. I tied up the horses and lay down. I used the flame blade to warm my body up while I munched on a chunk of bread. It was probably the last Breckely bread that would be made for a long time. I wrapped myself in a large cloak and logged out, while ordering my auto-pilot to rest. I wouldn’t have a chance sleeping in game and my body needed rest. If I was killed in my sleep so be it.

I appeared in my atrium. “Please connect to Omnitrek Financial Services.”

“Ding. Ding. Ding. Please wait one moment while your request is processed. Your request has been approved. Please stand by for a portal.” A doorway appeared and I stepped through.

The atrium was brilliantly lit and tastefully decorated the last time I was here. “Please proceed to conference room twelve a voice said.” I followed the posted signs and was soon sitting down in a conference room across from two financial representatives.

“Welcome to Omnitrek Financial Services. How may we assist you today?”

“I want to pay for my mom’s medical treatment.” I said. At least one good thing was going to come from this complete disaster.

“Ah yes, I have pulled up your account. Brain tumor, requires experimental nano-technology not covered by Omnitrek Medical Services. Comprehensive treatment is listed at twenty five million dollars. You currently have…eighteen point three million in your account.” I let out the breath I had been holding.

“Projections indicate another two point two million dollars will be moved to your account from various entertainment productions over the next month. We can issue ten million dollars from your account to start treatment immediately and one million every month after that until the balance is paid in full.”

“Yes, that is acceptable.”

“Excellent. Please enter your account password.” The suit handed over a pad. I entered the ten digit code onto it and handed the pad back. “One moment please.”

I waited there as the transaction was being processed. They both looked at the pad and began muttering to each other. “Is there a problem?”

“There appears to be an issue with the transaction. A hold has been placed on your account. If you wait a moment it should be cleared up.” My heart dropped. I only spent money on my capsule and upkeep.

“I only spend money on a capsule account. How is there a hold?”

“I am working to determine that now sir.” I waited while leveling my best glare at them.

“It appears that money transferred to your account has been linked to terrorist activities. Your account is placed on hold until the investigation is complete.”

“What do you mean terrorist activities? I spend all my time in FEAR. I don’t track where the money for my videos comes from. That is handled by Omnitrek Payment Services.” I couldn’t think, my head was pounding. Why was this happening?

“I am sorry sir. That is what our investigation is pulling up. Terrorist activities are deemed a class one security threat and all accounts may be held up to seven years while an investigation is pending.”

“My mom doesn’t have seven years, she doesn’t have seven days!” I shouted.

“Please calm down. There is nothing we can do. Please the investigation process take place.”

“What about a loan with the account as collateral.”

“Accounts on hold cannot be used as collateral.”

“How do I remove a hold?”

“All holds are processed by Omnitrek Financial Security. You can submit form forty two dash OFSR. Standard processing times are listed at around three months.”

“Can I speak to a manager?”

“I am a senior account manager. You may direct all inquiries to me.”

“I would like to speak to your boss.”

“Omnitrek has a decentralized reporting structure. My boss is the Vice President of Omnitrek Financial Services. You may submit form two dash OFSE to request a meeting. Expected wait time is one to six months.”

“My mother is dying.”

“I am sorry, but that is not Omnitrek’s responsibility. We have excellent hospice programs I can direct-“

“How can I release the hold now?”

“I am sorry, there is no way to release the hold until the investigation is complete.”

“Why wasn’t I notified earlier?”

“What?”

“If there is a hold, why wasn’t I notified before this?”

The suit sat in silence for a couple of seconds before responding. “But you have. Check your messages.” I swiped my hand and opened up my message box.

ACCOUNT HOLDYour Omnitrek Financial Services account has been placed on hold pending an audit and investigation. No ongoing Omnitrek services will be interrupted but all remaining assets will be frozen until the investigation is complete. This investigation will be completed as quickly as possible. Thank you for using Omnitrek Financial Services, providing the finest account security and service.

I looked at the date and it was dated two days ago. It wasn’t there two days ago. My head was spinning. What was going on? This was insanity.

“I will take out a loan.”

“Sorry sir. You do not have enough available assets to qualify for any type of loan. We also cannot loan to people who have a hold on their account.”

“There must be something you can do to help.”

“I am sorry sir. I am bound by Omnitrek’s operating procedures. It is fate.”

I blinked. I blinked again. “What did you say?”

“I said I am bound by Omnitrek’s operating procedures.”

“That wasn’t what you said.”

“If you do not believe me I can replay the conversation.” I knew what I had heard. But that was impossible. Omnitrek ran everything off its quantum computer. There were more safeguards in place than a nuclear missile silo. I remember watching a documentary on the massive complex housing the system. No, I refused to accept that Tafe a computer program had penetrated the greatest network to ever exist.

That was insanity. I was trapped. My mom, I had to save her. “Please remain calm, sensors have indicated your heart rate is spiking.”

“Of course my heart rate is spiking!”

“Please calm down sir. Unless you have further business we are asking you to leave.”

“I will NOT. CALM. DOWN!” The pad the suit was holding beeped.

“Oh look, the hold has been lifted. These investigations are very quick.” I just stared at the suit.

“What the hell. Pay for the treatment now.”

“Of course.” I waited for a minute in silence stewing over what had just happened. “Your payment has been processed. Thank you for using Omnitrek Financial Services.”

“Go eat a bag of dicks.” I walked out of the conference room. I returned to the atrium and stepped through the portal.

I sent a message to my sister’s account informing that I had paid for mom’s treatment. “Tafe, are you there?” I said. No response. Maybe it was the stress getting to me. I had been under a lot of pressure lately.

“Just my mind playing tricks.” The stress from risking my life constantly and being attacked wears on a person. I knew the mental risks, but had never fully considered them. I ran my hand through my hair. At least I looked normal in my atrium. “Losing my mind.” I let out a long breath. All the stress was messing with my head.

I rested in my atrium for four hours before returning. I woke up alive thankfully. I was wet and miserable and had a stump. I got up and stretched. I set off again towards the forest with the horses in tow.

Hidden Mind leveled up to five when there was a sudden spike in attempts to locate me. This also unlocked the following skill, Shield Mind.

Shield Mind-1Protect your mind from attack.LvL 1: +100 AP to mental defense for 10 minutesCost: 25 MP

It was much better than Mental Defense. One could stack different skills, but not the same skill. So if I ever came under heavy mental assault I would probably use both. I had almost no MP still so it didn’t matter much at the moment. My stump let me know that it was still there by aching. The sky cleared up later that afternoon and the warmth of the sun was nice as continued my way south west.

That was when it hit me, people might use tracking to determine my direction. I let out another sigh. When I had first started I had been so hopeful at winning. Now I was wondering if I should give up. With the video of the fight at the burnt fishing village placed online, I was confident that I would have enough money to cover the rest of my mother’s treatments.

I needed a vacation. It had stopped being a game and had become my life. Before it had been all on a lark to just have fun and make a living. Now it was a chore. I don’t know when it crossed that point, but it had been building up to that for a while.

The problem was all the time and energy I had already invested. I couldn’t even imagine starting over. I did like how everyone was talking about me. Not necessarily the topics, mainly torture and mutilation, but it was something I had achieved no one else had.

I was special. I was now the most wanted individual of all time, in probably the history of Earth. Even the terrorists of today and in the past never had over ten million people actively looking for them and countless more searching. Sure there were governments, but it wasn’t as if they were looking. That didn’t count the NPCs either.

Maybe I would get a plaque in Guinness’ VR Records Atrium. I needed people I could trust to help me out. My sister would be a good one to have at my back but there was no way she could handle the constant fighting and death. I really wanted Tor back.

Now that was a woman with fire and passion. I remember my mother telling me how you don’t really appreciate things until you don’t have them anymore. I hadn’t really thought that until now. “Tafe, you are evil.” I muttered. I didn’t care if she heard me. Not like she could do anything worse to me. She probably appreciated the sentiment anyways.

It took another day to reach the forest. I had not spotted anyone yet. The few farms I had come across were all abandoned with nothing of value left. I thought of Ulther and how I had found him. Now there was a great companion. The wave of players had picked this place clean. When I finally reached the forest I was already starting to feel better.

As I approached the tree line I noticed movement. I stopped and pulled my last spare blade from the horses pack. They were players, lots of players. I dropped the pack with the extra supplies and quickly got onto the horse.

“Hah!” I shouted and kicked the horse on its flanks while holding the reigns to the second horse. My bug foot stabbed into the animal’s side and collapsed on the ground. I managed to pull myself free. I climbed on the second horse after grabbing the remaining pack and kicked it with only my normal foot. It took off and I hung on for dear life. The players were rushing out of the woods. I would guess around level forty or fifty passed on their speed.

They had clearly seen me and cries went up across the whole group. Every time the horse thought about slowing down I gave it another kick. Half an hour later it collapsed, foaming at the mouth. I had out run the players, but now I was being hunted.

It didn’t matter that I was faster, what mattered was that there were probably more noob swarms. The horse had helped me conserve SP, but now I was truly screwed. I cut off a large slab of meat from the horse using my flame sword and the remainder with a knife into strips, roasting them thoroughly on my blade. I as each strip was done I set it to the side.

After cooking a good chunk of horse meat so that it was dry and crispy, heavily burnt, I tossed it all into the pack. I started moving at 9.9 miles per hour into the forest. While it was tempting to run away from the noob swarm and to the south, the forest would provide better cover.

***

UltimataSecret: Blood Rain...you are cursed to live an interesting life

BloodHound: I am on the scent!

GODHAXLOL: BLOOD RAINYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

PowerOfFaith: I guess no more videos, well unless he massacres everyone

6996: A lot more videos then

Tafe: You are a puny mortal!

TheWinzKid: I want to know how he got a quest centered on himself

Bouncer: That is easy...he made it rain blood

Guts: I honor you warrior, now I shall hunt you down and kill you

TheEncasement: You escaped me. I am coming.

UltimataSecret: OMG. The number one player is on the case.

Master2580: Number one? Isn't Blood Rain number one?

6996: That guy is a killing machine. Only one video on him, he cut through the Capes, a high level guild like they were nubs

Bubbles: Yeah, it was gruesome. Video was pulled since no broad casting license, it was amazing

TheWinzKid: Well, time to get off my ass and use my hax spells

Worm: I would no underestimate Blood Rain, estimates put his kill count close to 9000

GambleMan: Place your bets on how long Blood Rain can stay alive

UltimataSecret: Well I am going with a week, since I am hot on his trail. Sorry but I plan to get all the quests

***

Author’s Note: The answer is yes. Now figure out the question. I can’t believe so many people thought pissing off a god is a good idea. We enter an entirely new phase of the story, where the MC is now the monster to be hunted down by the hordes of rampaging players. You wanted non-stop PvP, well your wish is granted.

I want to thank everyone for supporting this story with your reviews and votes. It is the fuel that lights my writing fire. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to take a moment to go to the main page and leave a review. Even if it is only a few words, it is greatly appreciated. Advanced reviews are even better, like cake. Thank you again for your support.

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The title Kafkaesque refers to the work of Franz Kafka about a dystopian bureaucracy/society. The below excerpt was taken from Wikipedia.

Kafka's writing has inspired the term "Kafkaesque", used to describe concepts and situations reminiscent of his work, particularly Der Process (The Trial) and "Die Verwandlung" (The Metamorphosis). Examples include instances in which bureaucracies overpower people, often in a surreal, nightmarish milieu which evokes feelings of senselessness, disorientation, and helplessness. Characters in a Kafkaesque setting often lack a clear course of action to escape a labyrinthine situation. Kafkaesque elements often appear in existential works, but the term has transcended the literary realm to apply to real-life occurrences and situations that are incomprehensibly complex, bizarre, or illogical.