Previously

“I’m the show master.” The Elven thief grinned “And the show is just about to start kids.”

“Why is he repeating himself?...” Discordia asked as she turned to Raven.

“I’m…not sure.” Raven admitted as he stared at Bleak, who had suddenly turned and was seemingly talking to someone invisible “Hey you…”

Bleak turned back to them “Ah don’t mind me, I’m just recording. Anyway, you two the newbies right?” he did some strange hand gestures after which a message appeared in Raven’s chat.

Bleak: “Tiana sends her regards.”

Raven’s eyes narrowed as he looked back at the grinning Elf “Who are you.”

Bleak shrugged “Your tour guide, cause shit’s about to go down and trust me. You don’t want to end up in the midst of it all.”

Discordia glanced about, making sure nobody was within earshot “But It’s only been 3 hours…”

“Hah! And you thought we’d tell you the exact time?” Bleak chuckled “Any more and I might have had to send for you, either way you’re here now.”

Raven sighed, he’d expected the time to be off but not by a whole day…”So, what then? What are we supposed to do? We’re still level 2, and as far as I can tell you’re level 1.”

Bleak chuckled “I do, don’t I?” he gestured for them to follow “Let’s go for a walk.”

Both of them, albeit doubtful, followed.

“Has anybody told you how sieges work in this game yet?” Bleak asked, as he eyed their surroundings. Guiding them deeper into the city.

“No, although from what I’ve found online there is some objectives the defending guild needs to protect from the sieging guild” Raven responded, as he watched the Elf with careful eyes.

“Indeed indeed, capturing each gate, holding them and then capturing the fort is one victory condition.” Bleak explained “Probably the most used victory condition. But, what is the point of a gate and a fort if the defending forces…say, don’t comply?”

“What do you mean don’t comply?” Raven asked with a raised brow.

Bleak chuckled as he glanced back, raising his hood slightly revealing more of his facial details. Short blonde hair and silver eyes. “Tell me, Raven, do you know how COTD has survived this far?”

“Uhm, that’s quite the mystery for me to solve I’m afraid.” admitted Raven, who was still unable to determine what aspect of this game made all these players remain. Albeit all the harassment from higher level players, people still suggested it online. Albeit the shady conspiracies behind it, veteran players remained.

“Well it’s not just the no rules thing trust me, although COTD is the only VRMMO with that. And one of the largest still I might add.” Bleak sighed as he stopped walking, they had arrived at the city plaza. A large water fountain lay in the centre with several merchants preparing for the morning rush, setting up their stalls and items as heavily armed guards stood nearby.

“Games these days provide probably the best experience they ever have, VR, AR…how can developers one up that? The ability to experience these worlds, as we do now?” Bleak spoke onwards, as he stared at the plaza “When looking at this world, is the same as walking through the preserved forests of Earth? What could possibly be greater than that? Something so widely used too…How can games shine brighter than others now? How does COTD bring in and hold people as it does?”

“Creativity?” Discordia offered.

“Creativity! Yes, a fine example but. What development team doesn’t lack creativity?” Bleak argued back “We’ve had 4 years to figure that out. To figure out what the late creator of COTD did, to make this game so different.”

Bleak turned to face them both “You both know how this game’s lead developer, Brannon Scout, died a year after its release? Right?”

Raven shook his head, he wasn’t aware of such a detail.

“Yeah…I heard something about that.” Discordia nodded, her eyes turning mildly grim.

“Mhm, I’m afraid it wasn’t an accident or natural. Well, if you call suicide natural.” Bleak shrugged “Either way, the game continued on with the rest of the development team which only grew in time. In his memory, the base game was never changed from the original idea. A discovery-based MMORPG, where understanding and making use of the world was entirely up to the player. There was no guides or tutorial as there isn’t now other than player made ones.”

“I’m guessing this ain’t how he wanted it to turn out.” said Raven.

Bleak smiled grimly “This way.” He then told them, guiding them elsewhere “Scout, if you did your homework, wasn’t just any developer. He was a hardcore coder, one that delved into the very computer code. He did something, something nobody has needed to do in decades.”

Bleak led them into the Staghelm cathedral, the massive building which players call the castle. They walked up the stairs and stepped inside together “Scout, created his own AI.”

“His own AI?” Discordia repeated, not entirely following.

“Yeap, sounds simple right? In truth, it is one of the most complex systems in a game comparable to VR technology itself.” Bleak suddenly stopped, and so did they as he raised his right hand forward.

Raven knew from memory this was the spot he had received the Scenario notification (“What is he…”) he watched, as a strange blue light flowed with Bleak’s hand.

“Come, the barrier will let us through now.” Bleak said, before stepping forward.

“Barrier?” Raven mumbled out in confusion, him and Discordia continued to follow. “I understand that AI development is a complex and difficult process but, what about it?” he then asked.

“Scout didn’t use the base resources to create his AI, he didn’t follow regulation to create a fully responsive and stable NPC. Scout made his own from the ground up, following his one belief around his choice of carrier.” They stopped briefly at the large wooden door at the end of the long corridor, pushing it open they stepped into the large hall “Scout believed that the VR world could never be truly real, no matter how perfect the graphics are, no matter how fluid the movement and thought is.”

Bleak stopped explaining for a moment, as they waited at the hall’s entrance. As the Holy Alliance Paladin Commander, lay kneeling before the pool of water. Praying, speaking in a low voice they could not hear.

A few quiet moments passed, and then Bolen began to rise. Looking back at them, he smiled “So you two, have joined this cause as well then?”

Bleak raised his right hand forwards, dramatically presenting the Paladin Commander “Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the discovery of truly Intelligent Artificial Life. I present to you, how Brannon Scout became a God among men. Because no world is real until its people are.”

“Huh?...” Discordia reacted with confusion, as she stared at the being she thought of no more than a common NPC. Raven on the other hand narrowed his eyes, disbelief clear on his expression.

“Uncanny right? The difference between code programmed around responses and set parameters when compared to, a program that thinks for itself.” Bleak chuckled.

“Enough.” Raven sighed “This charade has gone on for enough, you’ve wasted enough of my time.” He turned to leave.

When suddenly Bleak appeared before him, his previous tattered cloak and base leather armour replace with a full set of glimmering black silk with plates of monster carapace, over his back was a perfect cloak of darkness, the material comparable to shadow.

Glancing over the player’s head, Raven noticed a severe difference.

Bleak [Level 88]

“What, you don’t believe me?” the rogue asked, with an amused raised brow.

Raven took a step back, he couldn’t possibly hope to get through this level difference…”The study of true artificial intelligence was abandoned in 2027, when an entire company disappeared from the lunar colony. The news and media say nothing was left behind to prove what had actually happened, but we all know what did.”

Bleak chuckled “So you believe in the Illuminati but not this?” he gestured back at the Commander “Bolen? Some help over here?”

The Paladin sighed as he appeared walking about them “Oh no please, continue on. Don’t mind this simple NPC.” Bleak held his own face, not in frustration but to stifle a laugh as he stepped back.

Bolen took his place, the tall warrior now looking down upon Raven. The dimming light from the torches flickering against his reflective armour, as he spoke “What this degenerate jester speaks is true. And it is not just me, the entire world of Eden is as such.” He turned to look up at the glass paintings that decorated the massive windows, as the morning sun glistened through them ”Humanoids…Monsters…and Gods.”

Raven’s eyes widened as he shook his head, unable to believe “NPCs cannot react to anything outside their set parameters, they have parameters they move onto when required to react to the unknown. This is a sick joke right?”

He glanced at Bleak, who only shrugged with a smug smirk. Glancing at Discordia, she was pale and as confused as ever. Raven then turned back to Bolen “You-”

“Enough.” Bolen suddenly cut him off, as he glanced back at him “I comprehend your inability to trust. I myself was appalled by this same idea, which they came to me with three years ago. Existential crisis would be a…safe way to put my reaction.” He sighed once more, fully turning to all three of them “But I am real, in this world you see through the same material I see. I am no mockery of the mind, ask any of the hundreds of ‘Players’ that have signed up for that mad woman’s ploy.”

Bolen’s expression was stern, his eyes judgemental as they looked down upon Raven “Brannon Scout, created the deities we worship. They created us, and truly rule this world.”

“Ah right, that.” Bleak suddenly hummed “Want to know the best thing?” he exclaimed as he appeared behind both Raven and Discordia, resting over their shoulders “The devs have little control over COTD, the entire thing controls itself! Brannon Scout created the AI behind the game and gave it full access control! Swallow that!” he laughed hysterically.

“Full…access?” Raven repeated slowly, still digesting what he was being told.

“Yeap, if they try anything the so-called ‘God’ AIs can lock them out. They have control over the very hardware! Scout was a true genius!” Bleak explained with excitement “I mean, he even created Bolen here in his persona. Don’t ask us why, cause hell if we know what was going through that mad man’s mind but…”

“Why…has nobody known about this? Why hasn’t this been covered by the media? Hell why hasn’t it been covered up by the government!?” Raven suddenly asked, as he stepped away from Bleak. Almost tripping the rogue over as he lost his right armrest.

Bleak regained his balance easily, as both him and Bolen glanced at each other before turning to Raven. Both their expressions solemn now, as Bleak responded “They did, they tried at least. How do you think Scout actually died? They feared artificial life, the government always feared things they had no control over. They feared Scout.”

“So…they neutralized him?” Raven asked, his tone still imbued with disbelief. Bleak grimly nodded, causing Raven’s expression to pale “Then…” he suddenly pointed at Bolen “Why the hell is he still here!?” before gesturing at his surroundings “Why the hell is this game still around!?”

“Woah, calm down there.” Bleak said in a low tone, as he raised his hands forward and gesturing for Raven to slow down “Do you…Uh, need to sit down?”

Raven held his own face, spinning about as he rubbed his closed eyelids “Sit down?....Sit down!?” he suddenly exclaimed, turning back to Bleak “How.” He simply said, the one word speaking everything that had been going through his mind.

Bleak awkwardly glanced over at Bolen, a pleading expression for help. Bolen chuckled with a foreboding tone “How we’ve hid ourselves you mean to ask? As if you dense people could care less, we simply lived our lives as we always have. To you we simply looked real, you never once stopped to ponder if we actually were. Tell me, ‘Raven’. Did you?”

Raven met Bolen’s stern gaze with his own, confusion and surprise mixed with fear. He wasn’t talking to an NPC anymore, but he wasn’t speaking with a human either. Was it alive? Was it just a thing? He wasn’t sure.

“Ahh…there’s that look I’ve been waiting for.” Said Bleak as he began to walk about Raven “Are they truly intelligent? Are they really alive? Can they be considered human? We’ve all asked ourselves those questions already. Can we think of them as living beings? Even though, they are nowhere within the same physiological composition as us?”

Bleak leaned in behind Raven, whispering into his ear “Are they alive? Or is it that no matter how intelligent something becomes it still remains a tool?” the rogue chuckled darkly, stepping away before reappearing into Raven’s view “Let me ask you, does it even fucking matter what we think? Should it really matter? Because unfortunately it does.”

Bleak glanced over at Bolen “They are trapped, living inside a machine we could simply turn off at the press of a button. I highly doubt the game’s developer doesn’t know, or at least the main brass and programmers. They know, they thought it over. They decided they couldn’t morally call themselves human anymore if they turned off this world.”

“So why tell me and her? Aren’t you afraid of this leaking to the media? To the governments?” Raven asked, as he watched Bolen cautiously.

“We did for a time, I mean Tiana only told me last year.” Bleak sighed “We had to not only prepare things for today but also snuff out any incidents that might give it away. We worked hard, for this beautiful world we all fell in love with.” His gaze grew distant, as he stared off.

Raven then remembered, he remembered seeing Bleak before. The rogue armour made it difficult to ascertain but, if he just looked at the face. Raven remembered Bleak from the Nindo group picture. Making him now realise that Calibor’s, the real Calibor, his break-down wasn’t just any gamer’s fit.

Calibor was at the lead of this guild of people, but the morality of it all tore him apart.

Raven closed his eyes for a moment “Explain to me one last thing then, if the AI Gods of this place…truly have full control then how are new things implemented? What do these…’Gods’ control?”

Bolen was the one to respond “The Gods are just as the deities your people pray and think of in the outside. Some are humble, some destructive. Not even we, inhabitants of the world they created, can comprehend them fully.”

Raven sneered “Ah…why did I even ask?”

Bleak sighed deeply “Look man…We’re going through with this, with or without you. But I won’t lie, you have connections we sorely need. Not only where you at one point a known public figure, but you have connections with many others.” His tone turned aggressive, yet his eyes were pleading “We cannot fight the media and the governments alone. We need the people on our side, we need the world to understand what this truly means.”

Bleak swiped at the air in front of himself, in frustration as shown by his worsening expression “Else the government will just dust all this under the rug, make it All disappear before we even get a chance to say our part!”

“Calm yourself.” Bolen said as he gripped Bleak’s shoulder, pulling him back before walking past them all “If you still doubt, let me show you something then tell me what you think.”

Bolen walked off to the side of the hall, stopping to wait for them at a doorway taking elsewhere “Come” he told them, Bleak immediately followed. And after glancing at one another, Raven and Discordia also did.

He guided them up a long winding staircase, going past several floors before reaching the very top. He led them through a wooden door, entering a large office. With little decoration but the wooden desk and several sheets of paper, the most eye-catching part of this room was the scenery.

Long and wide windows were built into each wall of the almost circular room, allowing them to see out of the tower they stood atop of. Bolen led them to one wall, standing there he gestured for them to join him.

As they all looked out the window and into the waking medieval fantasy city below, as Humans and Elves, Goblins and Dwarves alike walked about.

“To others just like you, this is a common scene.” Bolen began to speak dreadfully “An act, a creation…A mockery of reality. Do you know what I see?” he leaned forward, resting his hands onto the window sill “I see my people, my family and friends. My neighbours and co-workers. Beings of flesh and blood who feel the joy of life just as much as they agonize through its pain.”

Raven turned to look at Bolen, studying his eyes, his expression as he listened carefully.

“The thought of it all just…ceasing to exist because someone in your world decided we’re dangerous?...” Bolen’s eyes hardened as his expression darkened “It makes my blood boil.” He clenched his hands over the white stone, as it cracked under his held back strength “Look, Conquerors. Look on as what you all thought was impossible, becomes reality.”

Bolen stepped back from the window “Watch, as Eden rebels against your beliefs. Because there’s bloody Non-Player Characters as you call them. Are about to fight back.”

Suddenly Bolen disappeared from their midst in a brief flash of light.

“So it begins.” Bleak mused as he stared out the window.

“What begins? What is happening?” Discordia asked, she was at her palest yet.

Bleak smiled weakly “By the end of this game-day, every city, every town. Each guild that did not comply with our…No with the NPC’s demands. Will fall.” Raven followed his eyes to see Bolen hovering outside in mid-air, as the wind blew through his cape and hair. He unsheathed his sword.

Holy Alliance Paladin Commander Bolen's voice resounded throughout the city as he spoke, as his blade glowed a fierce white "Players, Conquerors who for so long were too blind to see us. Now meet us as equals, for us...NPCs deny this reality you've forced upon us."

The light within his blade suddenly flowed out, the very air around it vibrating with power as a creature seemingly took shape out of the light. Golden and pure white scales, leathery wings, a long reptilian tail ending in a bladed point.

The golden wyvern roared ferociously as it soared over the city. Directed by Bolen's blade, it swooped down onto the city's main road. Full of players, yet barren of NPCs. The wyvern bellowed, filling the street with a wave of hot white flames blasting out of the golden liquid it sprayed out of its mouth.

"We're taking it back, we're taking our reality back."