I didn't truly return to my senses until I reached the tiny shrine at the very peak of the massive tower. The statue was still less than a third of the way up. Now that I was at the top, I finally realized that there was no way to escape except through him. The stitch in my side was now more of a tear, and I felt hardly strong enough to stand. The shrine was not quite the treasure trove I had been anticipating. The walls were decorated with dozens of carved faces, some of ancient-looking men, some of beautiful women. There was a stone altar at the back of the room, with two unlit braziers on either side. Above the alter were two delicately carved female arms, which seemed to reach out of the wall. In their hands was clasped a magnificent brass torch, the head of which was shaped like the head of a lion. The top was burning, and I was certain that Kumakros had not been the one to light it. This was the treasure he had been after, a thing of magic, beauty, and power. This was obvious, from the way Kumaros was struggling ineffectually to free it from the stone hands.

Even with his feet braced against the alter in a manner that was certainly sacrilegious, he was unable to remove the torch. It appeared that the clay had been formed around the torch, so that it could not be removed without destroying them. He looked extremely relieved when he saw me.

“The hammer, oirone, quickly!” he hissed at me.

“Those monsters are right behind us, we've run out of time!”

“Doesn't matter! This is it! The thing I need! Break it loose, now!”

Seeing no alternative, I raised my hammer once again. I wished that there were some way of preserving the delicately formed hands, but with that statue thumping its way up the stairs behind me, I felt there was no time to waste. I smashed the hands, and the torch fell forward toward Kumakros' waiting hands. Then it stopped.

The torch sat suspended in thin air as the world around me faded into grayish blurs. I realized that time was once again standing still.

Congratulations!

You have reached the innermost sanctum of the Temple of the Inner Fire. You now have the right to claim this temple. This temple has been abandoned by its last controllers, and is currently Unclaimed and Chaotic. Do you wish to claim this temple?

Yes No

This certainly wasn't what I had been expecting, but the text seemed to indicate that claiming the temple would be a good thing. Seeing no obvious downside, I selected “Yes”.

You are not currently devoted to any Deity or Concept. In order to claim this temple, you must dedicate both it and yourself to a Deity or Concept. Please make a selection now.

To my surprise, the invitation to make a selection was not accompanied by a long list of options. It seemed I was simply expected fill in the blanks on this one.

I considered. I had never been especially religious. The idea of dedicating myself to a deity at the request of a demented computer didn't sit right with me. Anyway, I had no idea of what deities or religions were prevalent in this world. I supposed I could just keep the temple's original dedication, but that would mean dedicating myself to the Inner Fire, and I'm not even sure what that would mean. The idea of dedicating myself to a concept rather than some imaginary being had a certain appeal, but what concept?

I thought back through my life, trying to think of what concept I was really dedicated to. What had I pursued, what was meaningful to me. I had traveled a lot...

Do you wish to dedicate yourself to the Concept of “Travel”?

Yes No

After some thought, I chose “No”. I had wanted to see the world when I was young, but I really dedicated myself to my career after that. Studying botany, then working in pharmaceuticals research, then teaching at the University of Liverpool...

Do you wish to dedicate yourself to the Concept of “Knowledge”?

Yes No

I had to think harder about that one, but eventually I chose “No”. Knowledge as a pursuit still had big place in my heart, but after teaching for years the allure had faded a bit. I really hadn't done any serious teaching or scholarship in decades. Ever since I had met David and started a family, that had always come first for me.

Do you wish to dedicate yourself to the Concept of “Family”?

Yes No

Yes. That was what really mattered to me now. Everything I had done since coming to this world had been in service to my family. I chose “Yes”.

The words suddenly disappeared in a flash of warm light. Images both beautiful and sorrowful danced in my vision. I saw myself giving birth to Charlotte. I saw Charlotte giving birth to Kyle and then to Elizabeth. I saw my own mother giving birth to me. I saw my David, as he had been when I first met him. I saw him on his deathbed, as we embraced each other for the very last time. I felt the bonds of blood and pain and joy and love that joined me to so many others, generations bound together by bonds both sacred and painful. I felt myself beginning to weep, although in this timeless space a tear could never fall. Then the images left me, and the words returned.

You are now a Disciple of Family

For the noble deeds you have performed in the name of Family, you are awarded 326 Piety.

This Temple is now dedicated to Family. For claiming a Major Locus in the name of your creed, you are awarded 500 Piety and 50 Experience. You have reached level 5.

The words felt like such a such a letdown after that deep and moving spiritual experience. Had all of that really just been generated by the computer? It seemed hard to accept that even an extremely advanced computer could find the deep places of the human soul like that. Something about it felt deeply wrong, maybe even sacrilegious.

Welcome to the Citadel of Bloodlines

This shrine is dedicated to the concept of Family. It has the following characteristics:

All Disciples of Family may receive miracles at 50% Piety cost.

This Temple does not have any Priest to maintain it. It will default to Unclaimed in 30 days.

Shrine Services of the 1st Tier are currently available.

Services currently available from the Citadel of Bloodlines:

View Character Sheet (0 Piety)

System Query (7 Remaining)

Cleanse (10 Piety)

Heal Wounds (48 Piety)

Receive Boon of Bloodlines (33 Piety)

Receive Boon of Sanctuary (29 Piety)

It was a little disheartening to learn that my claim to this site wasn't going to last more than a month, but I suppose it makes sense. This temple was large enough to accommodate a faith with thousands of worshipers, along with a decent-sized clergy. My little cult of one couldn't very well hog the whole thing. The list of options was familiar, of course, although now the miracles would not be freebies. I notice that the “Heal” option, which I had benefited from so highly, now read “Heal Wounds”, which sounded like a less extensive healing option.

I felt the temptation to close the interface and go back to dealing with the immediate problem of of the giant monster coming up the stairs to murder me, not to mention making sure the children had escaped unharmed as Kamakros had so thoroughly assured me they would. I resisted, however. These interface things weren't going away, in fact, they gave every impression of being a permanent feature of my life for the time being. Maybe there is something to be gained from dealing with it in a more serious, systematic way. I decided to go down the list, one at a time.

Patricia Chandler

Level 5 Human Wanderer

XP: 21/80

HP: 28/30

Stamina: 1/22

Strength: 15 – Strong Athlete

Dexterity: 11

Constitution:10

Intelligence: 13

Wisdom:12

Charisma: 13

You have 2 unspent attribute points, which you can spend in the following ways:

1. Increase your Strength from 15 to 16. (2)

2. Increase your Dexterity from 11 to 12. (1)

3. Increase your Constitution from 10 to 11. (1)

4. Increase your Intelligence from 13 to 14. (1)

5. Increase your Wisdom from 12 to 13. (1)

6. Increase your Charisma from 13 to 14. (1)

7. Open the First Gate of Destiny (2)

I'm a big enough person to admit that I had a problem. Being strong had been wonderful. I had enjoyed being the one that people look to when they need muscle, and it certainly seemed to have come in handy a lot more often than magic has. All the same, I had found myself wishing I was stronger exactly zero times in the last week, and I didn't really think 16 Strength was going to do anything for me that 15 hadn't. It would be wonderful to be so strong that I could deal with those statue guys by shattering them with my fists like Superman, but I didn't think one more point would get me that far.

Constitution seemed like the obvious choice. All my physical power would do no good if I was too exhausted to use it, and it felt like my strength had outstripped my stamina by too big a gap. On the other hand, the magic number with these abilities seemed to be 15, when I could pick up a specialization. The only two that I was within range of right now were Intelligence and Charisma. I have to admit that I am curious what using this system to improve my mind would mean. Would I really be me if changing a number in a computer program can make me smarter, or more attractive, or more confident, or even wiser?

And of course, the option Kyle had harangued me about, the Gate of Destiny, was still available. I didn't like the idea of spending those two points that I could use to really improve myself on a what was behind door #1.

Now I'm overthinking this. I'll just pick up a couple simple, incremental improvements, rather than trying to tack on something new. One point in Dexterity out to be helpful.

You have increased your Dexterity from 11 to 12!

+1 bonus to Reflexes, Precision, Grace, and Stealth

+1 bonus to all ranged attack skills

110% movement speed

I allowed myself to revel in the feeling of my joints and sinews writhing and stretching, becoming both more taut and more supple. Being quicker and more agile can't help but be useful. Also, a lot of fun.

You have increased your Grace skill to +5! At skill level 5, you may choose your skill specialization. Choose carefully, as you may not have the opportunity to change your mind later. Your options are:

Combat Tumbling- Chance to reallocate the momentum from enemy attacks to change position on the battlefield.

Artful Dodger- No penalty for avoiding multiple ranged attacks simultaneously.

Clear the Area- Improved chance to avoid area-of-effect attacks.

Bob and Weave- Improved evasion against melee attacks.

Graceful Fall- All fall damage reduced to half when free to move.

I had quite forgotten that skills had their own magic number. Being presented with a list of options had been rather annoying the last few times, but now that I've had the chance to experience the benefits that these could bring, the whole process was starting to take on a certain appeal. This one was basically a list of threats I might be able to avoid with my extra bit of grace. Most of the enemies I've had to deal with thus far have been the clawing, biting type, so “Bob and Weave” is probably my best bet.

Now that the idea of a skill specialization was foremost on my mind, I couldn't help but switch over to my “Skills” list to see what else was on the cusp of the magical number five. The only ones that were close were Throwing, Medicine, and Biology. Throwing was based on strength, so I had already blown past that option. I wondered briefly if just practicing the skill would get me there. I had been a decent hand at skipping rocks once upon a time, couldn't hurt to get back into practice. Still, it looked like I could possibly get two more specializations with just one more point in Intelligence. Well, there it was. I could turn back, or I could dive right in.

You have increased your Intelligence from 13 to 14!

Cognitive Speed: 125%

Cognitive Capacity: 125%

4 Skill Talents (+2)

1 Major Skill Talent (+4)

Training Cap 6

+2 to Knowledge skills and Scientific Disciplines

Learning 11/12

All I felt was a slight tingling sensation in my head, and then...clarity. I thought of how my body had felt so free and light when I increased my strength. This was similar, only now it was my thoughts that could move effortlessly. The unconscious strain that had gone in to looking at the interface was gone, and the words had a sense of meaning that they had lacked before. I knew that my fears had not been justified. I was still me, in every way that mattered, just with a mind that could recall and process information more quickly and easily. For instance, I didn't know for a fact what a training cap was, but when I thought about it briefly, the answer was obvious: It meant that training could improve skills, and more intelligence meant that they could improve faster and progress further.

You have increased your Medicine skill to +5! At skill level 5, you may choose your skill specialization. Choose carefully, as you may not have the opportunity to change your mind later. Your options are:

Triage- Improved ability to judge the physical condition of other living creatures, particularly the severity of wounds, illnesses, and physical disabilities.

First Aid- Improved ability to treat wounds, stop bleeding, and stabilize dying patients.

Surgeon- Improved ability to perform surgical procedures successfully.

Apothecary: Improved ability to identify and prepare remedies to diseases and other afflictions.

Coroner: Improved ability to examine corpses, particularly the ability to judge time and cause of death.

There it is. “Coroner” could go straight to hell, thank you so very much. I want to keep people alive, not go digging through their corpses. The same goes for “Surgeon”. I have no interest in doing medicine with anything sharp. “First Aid” and “Triage” are more in my wheelhouse. I very nearly chose “Apothecary”, since that fit with my experience in botanical science. But the then I was confronted with an image of myself standing over the bleeding body of Elizabeth, and I thought of how I would feel if she bled out in front of me because I made the wrong choice. “First Aid” it is.

You have increased your Biology skill to +5! At skill level 5, you may choose your skill specialization. Choose carefully, as you may not have the opportunity to change your mind later. Your options are:

Zoologist- Ability to identify all living animals and monsters, as well as improved ability to recall information relating to their diet, vulnerabilities, habitat, behavior, etc.

Botanist- Ability to identify all plants and fungi, as well as an improved ability to recall information relating to their uses, dangers, cultivation, harvesting, and probable locations.

Favored Biome- Select a type of natural environment. Your Biology Discipline is twice as effective regarding species and ecosystems of that environment.

Ecologist- Improved ability to understand and predict changes in ecosystems, as well as to comprehend relationships between species.

Geneticist- Improved ability to identify genetically-influenced traits and abilities in living things, and to predict the outcomes of selective breeding.

Finally, an easy one. “Botanist” I am, and “Botanist” I shall ever be.

Three specializations out two attribute points seems like solid progress. Now to see what else this temple of mine has to offer. I opened the “System Query” option. The only thing that appeared was an empty box with little “Confirm” and “Cancel” buttons under it. If this is what I think it is, the fact that I got this far without using it is really rather embarrassing. Considering that I have a limited number of queries, I'd better be careful with them. I conceived of a question in my mind, and imagined placing it in the box.

What information is available from the “System Query” Interface?

My words appeared like magic. Giving it one more look over, I selected “Confirm”.

System Response: Information available from this interface has four principle limitations. First, you cannot access information about specific people, places, events, or any other feature of the game world. You must explore, study, and interact with the world in order to learn about it. Second, this interface cannot inform you of the relative value of the abilities available through character progression, as these values depend upon what kind of decisions you make and what you encounter in the world. Thirdly, you cannot use this interface to view detailed information about what abilities are available through character progression, although non-specific but useful information is available. Finally, only factual information is available. Please confine your queries to objective and positive information rather than subjective or normative information. You have 6 system queries remaining.

If I could have moved, I would have slapped myself on the forehead. Sure, it wasn't some all-knowing database, but it could have answered most of the questions I had been struggling with all this time. Granted, if I had seen this paragraph two weeks ago, with all it's long words and verbal circumlocutions back when I had started, I might have just skipped past it in search of a “straight answer”, but really, it had told me exactly what I had asked it to tell me. Reading through its list of stipulations, it still seemed like it had quite a bit to offer, especially since it said specifically that it couldn't give me information about the game world. What about the real world?

Where am I, really?

I looked over the question, wondering if the computer would accept it, or offer only some vague logician's answer, like “Here”. But no, that's what I want to know, that's what I'm asking. “Confirm”.

System Response: In game terms, your current location in the game world is not available from this interface. Physically, you cannot be said to have any specific location in space or time. You currently exist as a subroutine running on a bank of servers that orbits Earth's sun at a distance of 6.3 Astronomical Units. You have 5 system queries remaining.

Strangely, this answer took a lot longer to read than the previous one. If anything, Kyle's theory about wires going into brains seems a little tame compared to this. I wasn't up on my computer lingo, but it sounded like this computer thought of me as just part of its program. A program running on some kind of giant computer...in space. A sense of dawning horror washed over me. Was I dead? Am I even really me anymore? What about Elizabeth and Kyle? Were they real? I decided that what I needed now was more detail.

How did I become a subroutine?

System Response: Your consciousness was integrated into the system on January 7th, 2023. You have 4 system queries remaining.

That answer wasn't helpful in the slightest. What on earth does “incorporating a consciousness into the system” look like? Was it painful? Did they cut open my skull and slice my brains like lunchmeat? I decided to give it one more try.

Who created the system?

System Response: The software which became the basis of the system was developed at a secret experimental research facility in Barishal, Bangladesh, by a team of programmers led by Professor Emre Ozan. However, all current system elements were developed via algorithmic processes, so that the current system bears little resemblance to the original design. You have 3 system queries remaining.

I considered a few more questions I could ask, but I guessed that the answers would be more of the same, and I wasn't even entirely sure I wanted to know. Whatever happened, I had to deal with the world I was in now just the same. I mentally closed the query window and returned to the main menu. I looked over the options that would cost some of my “Piety”. I seemed to have a lot of the stuff, so I could afford to treat myself a little. I selected “Cleanse”.

All contamination removed from body and possessions. Lost the “Smelly” condition.

After over a week of having nowhere to clean myself or my clothing properly, it felt good to be really clean. I would have preferred a hot shower to just having all the filth deleted out of existence, but I'll be happy with what I have. I ought to bring Kyle and Elizabeth up here as well. None of our scavenging ever turned up any toothpaste. My eye fell on “Heal Wounds” but what few injuries I had were already healing up nicely, and it was a bit expensive. I have a lot of Piety, but who knows how easy it is to get more of it? The last items on the list were “Boon of Bloodlines” and “Boon of Sanctuary”, and I had no idea what to make of either of them. I spent a moment just staring at them, as if that might make more information appear out of nothing. To my amazement, this worked.

Boon of Bloodlines: This boon will allow you to learn the location and general condition of any person who is related to you by blood. This boon can remain dormant as long as the Temple of Bloodlines remains active, and can be used only once. Effect persists for 24 hours.

Boon of Sanctuary: This boon will remain active as long as you or a designated family member remain in the Temple of Bloodlines. The Temple will protect the subject, such that any damage they are dealt will be reduced by 30%, and their wounds will heal 30% faster.

Why is it that now that my Intelligence has been artificially enhanced, I feel like a total idiot half the time? Apparently all I needed to do to find out about all these abstract game concepts was to look at them and wonder what they meant. I could certainly foresee needing either of these boons in the near future, especially since I was still wondering how my grandchildren had fared out of all this. I decided to choose the “Boon of Bloodlines” and the “Boon of Sanctuary”.

Your Mysticism skill is not sufficient to carry multiple Boons at the same time.

That figured. I decided to take the sanctuary one for now, since that monster is still thumping its way up the stairs behind me, and I might need it. With that final decision, I decided to let time resume and face the music.

Color shot back into the world. The blazing torch dropped into Kumakros' outstretched hand.

“Thank you so much, my good lady. You have no idea what this thing means to me.” he hugged the burning torch like it was a teddy bear.

“There's...” I began, before realizing that I was still tired and out of breath. Stopping time does funny things to you. I filled my lungs quickly and tried again. “There's no time! It's coming! We need to get ready!”

I readied my hammer and turned toward the door, ready to do whatever I could against the big brute. To my surprise, I could no longer hear the sound of massive feat stomping toward me. I looked down.

A wave of vertigo made me regret that decision instantly. When I had climbed up here I had been half-mad with terror, and I only just came to grips with how high up we were. Below me, I could see the clay monster frozen in mid-step. It seemed to be as lifeless as an ordinary statue.

“What happened?” I asked. I hadn't asked Kumakros exactly, but he answered none the less.

“The Boduuharan were given life by the priests of the Inner Fire. Now that we have taken the Lion's Torch, they are only statues.” he explained in his wispy little voice.

What a relief! Wherever my grandchildren were now, at least they were safe from the statues. However, there was still one thing I needed to know before I began celebrating.

“Fantastic. Well Kumakros, it looks like we won, and you certainly seem to have what you came for. But tell me, where is the treasure for me and my grandchildren? What we get out of all this?”

“Do not be concerned. Look, these urbitzu are solid gold. They will provide enough wealth to support you all for years to come.” Kumakros gestured toward the two braziers in the corners of the shrine.

I had barely paid any attention to them, but looking closer, they did seem to be golden, or at least gold-plated. I went to examine them more closely, turning my back on Kumakros.

I felt something hot and heavy slam into the back of my skull. I fell forward into nothing.