The first wraith makes a beeline toward me, clothed in rags, all aglow with a silver light, its face a contorted mask of hate, its tangled mass of hair writhing with its own aggression. The screams deafening in the confined space. The second wraith follows, cutting off any chance of escape.

“I ain't going anywhere.”

Palming the orb like Michael Jordan, the orb light flashes and the red nimbus around me is gone, as I lunge for both specters, firing lightning from the Thunder Lance into the first wraith while the second turns pale yellow.

As the second wraith turns for the entrance, lightning from my lance arcs from the first wraith into the second, before the first explodes in a flash of light.

Critical hit.

Raising the Thunder Lance to shoulder height, I adjust my aim onto the second wraith.

Critical hit.

Flash, boom, two down, but I've done this before, can't get cocky. The last two, wraiths three and four, scattered to their corners of the labyrinth the moment I touched the orb. I've two minutes to reach the next tower.

Dead-ending twice, I retrace my steps and lose valuable time as the orb’s effect wears off. What's it called, its ‘buff’? I'm sure that's not what buff used to mean in gaming.

The wailing cuts off my confusion over video games and MMORPGs. The red nimbus blazes around me. It's on, the wraiths want my soul. The third wraith will reach me before I get to the tower, and the fourth will be on its way.

The screech of the wraith increases, the specter only seconds away. Which way do I go?

I turn a corner at another dead end, with the wraith close behind. No turning back; looks like I'll be seeing Lisa again. Maybe this game isn't for me. If the medical benefits of the game work, then a SIM would suit me just fine. If my day to day job isn't a grind, a SIM is better than this type of grinding. Monotony day-to-day, week-to-week, is far better than repeating things every ten minutes.

Reversing along the passage I turn a corner, my ears ringing from the assault of the wraith’s anguished howl, and it stops. The wraith hovers, its cry silenced. We stare at each other and for the first time, a description of the wraith scrolls across my eyes and fills my mind.

Encounter: Wilds Wraith.

Believed to be the souls of those who perished in the battle that raged around the fallen Citadel Crystalline, long before the founding of the Haven.

Reward: 8 XP

As my eyes refocus, the text gone, so too is the wraith.

“Well damn, what the hell?”

Taking care not to disturb the gold coins along my path, I find my way through the circuits of the maze to the third tower, and the wraith.

Pausing at the entrance, I watch the wraith circle the orb. Now, with the information learned, this makes some sense. There was anguish in those howls. Maybe this game possesses a greater depth to it? Did the wraith want me to destroy it?

Insight: Success!

To hell with a SIM, this just got interesting.

Each wraith is different. Each has a distinct personality. The first was pissed off that it was dead; this one not so much.

“Alright then, if you want me to off you.”

Yeah, typical, I went and spoke.

The wraith screeches and charges at me, fulfilling its purpose guarding the labyrinth. Twisting, I skid along the floor of the passage into the tower, almost under the orb. The wraith spins, with a face etched with rage. Thought it might be an expression of relief, maybe gratitude. Rolling into a lunge, my hand misses the orb and I face-plant.

The wraith is in the room, my anxiety shoots up to that dangerous place you get when mistakes happen. So close, too close to go through all this again. I leap to the side, letting myself fall hard to the ground as the wraith rips past and my HP bar flashes in my face at seventy-five percent. Each touch is at least twenty-five. I fire my Thunder Lance to little effect, the wraith knows it won't do a damned thing. All that works is the orb, now nine feet away. At seven feet in length plus the length of my arm, I swing my lance and strike the orb.

Nope.

The wraith swoops in, so I roll. It isn't fast enough, now I'm at fifty percent health. The wraith whirls in a steep curve as I push up from a squat, smacking face, neck and chest right into the underside of the orb and that blinding power-up.

“Aw yeah!” My ass hits the ground in a jarring jolt before I swing the Thunder Lance up to fire on the fleeing wraith. Lightning scours the lintel of the tower entrance and external passage wall.

The thing escaped.

I'm on my feet and running after the creature before I think about what I'm doing. The wraiths award XP, but only at the successful conclusion of the dungeon challenge. I skid to a stop. Less than four minutes to get to the final tower. The game is baiting me. The wraith is luring me away. Lenscape tests people differently, here in these testing grounds around the Haven, before we can pass through the Grand Gate. For a group, defeating the labyrinth is different then tackling it solo. This is about strategy, patience—brains over brawn.

Insight: Success!

Destroying the wraith here, in its quadrant meant leaving me vulnerable to the final wraith. Without encountering it before, its behavior remained an unknown. Number three will pursue me into the fourth quadrant once I picked up some coins, best I run for the final tower orb.

*

A red nimbus glows around me as I navigate the passageways in the final quadrant. The power of the orb is gone and I'm vulnerable once more. The tower lays ahead and the howling of the final two wraiths grows ever louder. Hunted by the hunters, this is my chance to beat the dungeon.

Although the wraiths know the true path to and from the center, they haunt all the passageways of their quadrants, leaving me nowhere to hide. But I can slip past them. Or so I hope.

The third wraith is well behind me now, with the fourth ahead of me. I'm out of luck if either one of then catches me out here in the passageways, I've got to reach the final orb, and I don't know the correct path to the final tower. Indecision will be my death and respawn and about the end of my patience.

Entering a branch circuit leading to a dead-end, I turn off my lance and wait. The wailing and glow of the red nimbus decrease with the cold silence reclaiming the labyrinth. The wraiths loop on their patrol track again, a route and timing I have no knowledge of.

Returning to the main circuit, I turn down a short passage and follow it back toward the fourth tower. This may be the same turn near the third tower, an alternate path between the two towers. Either way, this is my final chance. If the wraith acts like its friends, it's guarding the tower and my path to the orb.

The way forward is slow, feeling my way to prevent drawing attention. Stepping on coins as I go, ignoring them, the darkness remains, there is no red nimbus and all is silent. Until I see a glow.

The wraith glides ahead of me, around a corner. This far into the quadrant, I've walked into the final wraith.

Still no nimbus. I'm safe from the wraith until either of us turn the corner. My only way is back. I still lack any understanding of the fourth wraith’s behavior patterns and no HUD of helpful information. Edging along the wall, I make my way back up the passage and reach the junction. Which way to go? I turn and wait.

The glow intensifies as the wraith enters the long passage toward the junction. I can see my hands in the glow, even within the circuit I've chosen. In the dim half light, the gold coins strewn on the floor return a weak glitter.

The seconds crawl by before the glow starts to diminish. Easing my head forward ever so slow, I peak around the junction. Only twilight remains, but enough light to allow my sprint to the far corner, rounding it, I leave the final wraith behind and hope to hell I figure out the way to the last tower before it comes back.

*

After a dance that no one will ever see and a few curse words and yells, I stand ready at the orb as the red nimbus flares up around me like a case of hemorrhoids. Or maybe not.

The wail. That's one. A screech. That's two. “Come and get me.”

They don’t come as fast as I thought, but they're not here to please me. With the Thunder Lance aimed at the entrance and tucked in my armpit, I hold my other hand a foot above the orb. I move it to beside the orb, all I need is to accidentally drop my arm at the key moment, get killed, and start all over again. Lightning tendrils play about the business end of the lance. The wails grow louder with the approach of the wraiths. Anxiety builds, equal to my excitement. Who knew? Well Jonesy did; wouldn't get off my back about it, and I'd ignored him. What has my job made me into?

Distracted. The damned job, it almost cost me another loss. I appreciate it pays my bills…there I go again. The high-pitched screech brings me back to the matter at hand. The passageway outside the tower’s entrance blazes with silver light. Time to make some of my own. I swing my arm and miss the orb.

The wraith claws me and my health drops by half. Stumbling, I spin like a ballerina and slap the orb like a Southern belle, but it does the trick. The orb erupts with light and the red nimbus is snuffed out. The wraith turns pale yellow and makes for the tower entrance. I fire and miss, following the wraith out into the passageway. Both of the wraiths are booking it down the passage, but still in range.

Lightning arcs down the passage through the wraiths. The circuit fills with light.

Critical hit.

Critical hit.

You are rewarded: 75 XP.

Bonus: INT +1.

“Sweet.” Now to collect as much loot as I can carry from the treasure room.

*

Carrying a large chest filled with gold, I exit the labyrinth by foot, not respawn, into the brilliant sunlight. Setting the chest down amidst the leaves and detritus of the jungle growth, I access my HUD looking for a way to call Jonesy. I find a video conference in the party chat that must work with the avatar third person view or some such. A hologram of Jonesy pops up in front of me.

“David, how you making out? Figured out the dungeon?”

“Hold on. You realize you got me running from ghosts, collecting power pellets? That was Pac-Man.”

Jonesy grins. “Great way to grind and learn the ropes, man.”

I shake my head. “Yeah, I suppose.”

“We’re almost done with the quest, took out a bunch of MOBs. We'll meet you back in Haven. Maybe a half hour?” He grins again. “Gives you some time with Lisa.”

“Uh huh.”

Jonesy signs off, his image fades, and my eyes refocus on the thick jungle around Lisa and I.

Lisa. She said to message her, but if she'd finished her personal business why leave her avatar inactive? Maybe she's watching the group kick ass?

Her eyes open and her face brightens with a smile, scaring the crap out of me. I stumble and fall over my treasure chest; Lisa's lilting laugh oddly easing my embarrassment.

She claps her hands. “The hero returns.”

Somewhat amazed by the realism of the game, I dust off dirt and leaves, noticing green smears on my pants and sleeves.

“Sorry I was away so long.”

My cheeks heat. “Gave me more time to grind. Is everything alright?”

She nods. “Yep. So how do you feel? Getting the hang of it?”

“I do have a question. That monk I saw in the Citadel, back in Haven, what's his deal?”

Removing her helmet, Lisa sits beside me. “He's part of the game, an NPC of sorts. They're all over the game at key points and places of power. They're called SX/GN monks, ley priests.”

“Do they create the Lenscape?”

“Don't joke, they meditate and ponder reality. Plenty of quests revolve around keeping them safe.”

“Lenscape is open world right?”

She smiles and I feel a sense of comfort I've not felt in a long while.

“It is. You can live a complete life here. Or you can enter a SIM and live the ideal version of your current life.” She winks at me. “I prefer to kick ass.”

We both laugh.

“Okay, so what's the purpose of playing Lenscape?”

“Well, we're in a part of the Lenscape, the MMO called ‘Battle Avatars’.”

Interrupting, I place a hand on my chest. “Are these our Battle Avatars?”

“Huh? Oh, no, just an avatar. A Battle Avatar is a special class. Locked. I'll tell you about that in a sec.”

“Sorry, you were saying about this part of Lenscape?”

“The entirety of the Lenscape, including the SIM and other games, is called the Continuum. Which is pretty cool, because it gives me a sense of multiple worlds and realms. When they say open world, the devs really mean it, you know?”

Lisa’s eyes hold such an addictive sense of wonder, a feeling almost dead inside me, stirring to life by her. I could hear Jonesy’s comments already, the same lewd sarcasm as mine.

Watching me, she frowns and my face catches up with me. “Uh, sorry, brain fart.”

Her nose scrunches. “I know, right? A lot to take in, that's why we love playing. It's so far beyond any game out there.”

Charm vs Lia: Success.

(CHA)

Whew, dodged a bullet there. The game notice slowly fades.

“The game mechanics sound amazing, but what's the storyline?”

“Yeah, Battle Avatars! We're in the age of the Psychic Wars. But, and this is cool, the wars have gone on so long, the people of this era don't recall who started them. So almost everyone suspects everyone else. That sets up the alignments in your UI and so much more of what we can uncover in the game.”

“And it allows players to legitimately enter PVP?”

She just about jumps up, and bounces, her dark hair bobs in place. “Ha! Yeah, all about story logic, rooted in the lore. I'm a real nerd for the game.”

“I'm really starting to like this place. Uh, game.”

Lisa laughs again, and it's intoxicating. She leans forward with both hands resting on her silver helmet. “Yeah, I come here a lot.”

I lean away ever so slightly. “So what are you, your class?”

“Me? A Warrior of the Balance, known as CIXIC or Celestial Infinites. We're like Infinity Knights. But no one wants to go along with me on that.”

We both laugh. “Infinity Knights sounds cool. You do have awesome armor. Lots of armored players in this. But then, with ‘Battle Avatars’ as a name, that makes sense.”

“Exactly. So the SX/GN and CIXIC wear variations of these armors.” She taps her chest, drawing my eyes.

I dart them back to her face. “So that's special armor? What about leygun armor?”

“Leygun armor is new, it's different.”

“Different class?”

“Yeah, but we all train to level up and unlock the ranking of Battle Avatar.”

“You lost me.”

She giggles. “Only the best can become a Battle Avatar, leveling up before we take on that class. Battle Avatars serve as proxies in the wars for the ancients. Those eidiolonic beings feed power to the Battle Avatars—it's a whole different level of the game. Basically, the game unlocks higher abilities and attributes to the Battle Avatars class.”

“Well damn.” I do like me some cosmic craziness. “And you're one of the Infinity Knights?”

“Yeah! We’re warrior clerics. The Elders created the Celestial Infinites, along with their armor, to help weave mana with these.” She reaches over her shoulder and draws a double bladed, conical weapon from the air behind her, its crystal cones coming to fine points at each end. “Mana tools we call Ouroboros blades.”

“Wait, wait. Wow, that thing’s about as long as we are tall! Does it equip from your inventory?”

Lisa laughs with her oh so pleasing lilt. “Yes and no. There's a hidden sheathe like a magical bag of holding. A dimensional pocket the armor maintains. But I suppose it's like an inventory, yeah.”

Ogling the crystalline weapon, I return my gaze to Lisa's eyes. “Okay.”

She smiles.

Do my cheeks redden? They feel warm so I wave my hand around to distract Lisa from my face. “You were saying, about the Elders?”

“Yeah.” The tone of her voice deepens, “Long ago, the High Wars saw ‘the defeat of threats dark and swept in legend’.” My eager expression spurs her on. “The surviving Elders locked away those ancient threats and all but the monks forgot them.”

Excited, I interrupt. “Until these Psychic Wars, unleashed the ancient evils, undoing all the work of the Elders and ancient monks?”

Squinting one eye, Lisa studies the whole of me. “Are you sure you haven't read up on the game? Jonesy’s always saying that you don't play.”

My hands up, I shake my head. My interest is piqued. “No, no, but this stuff is right up my alley.”

“He said it would be. So you think you're going to join us?”

Looking around at the edges of the jungle clearing, I nod. “Yeah. I think I might.”

“Might?” She slaps my arm. “Tough sell!”

I shrug, but Lisa’s given me plenty of reasons to sign up.

*

The buzz of insects didn't quite match the cricket noises of awkward silence of old cartoons, yet I feel that anxious moment upon us.

Scratching the back of my neck I raise my other hand. “So what level are you guys? How long do I have to grind for, do you think?”

“You can join us soon enough. Few more challenges and you'll level up with us.” She stands. “Here, look at me for my full stats.”

With Lisa’s permission, I stop and stare. Her hips, her waist, my HUD pops up.

Character

Name: Lia.

Species: Human.

Level: 5

Class: Warrior.

Subclass: Warrior of the Balance.

Affinity: The Balance.

HP: 150/150

MP: 500/500

Attributes

Strength: 100

Dexterity: 100

Movement/Speed: 10

Combat Rate: 3

Constitution/Endurance: 200

Physical Defense: 20

Energy Defense: 40

Body: 100

Stun: 200

Recovery: 50

Intelligence: 10

Mental strength: 100

Senses: +3

Presence/Charisma: 100

Abilities/Skills

Flight. Energy blast.

Weapons

SX/GN armor. Ouroboros blade.

Lisa's gamertag is Lia, like my borrowed avatar. Good lord, I've the hots for one of Jonesy's old flames. Is that how she joined the group? Did she stay to talk to me about Jonesy when the others left? Why is she still with the group if they broke up? Maybe they're still seeing each other in a casual relationship. Relationship politics I do not need.

Alright, enough about that and the teen girl gossip, I put it from my mind. Best we make our way back to Haven and meet with Don Juan Jones.

Lisa grips my shoulder and my stomach tightens. I zoned out like some kid with a crush. Looking at her hand I see the familiar red nimbus the threat of the Wilds Wraiths created. The aura of light blazes around both of us. Lisa's face is twisted by a confused expression.

“This red light is an AoE.”

With my arms bent at the elbows, palms up, I study the glow. My head tilts towards the labyrinth. “The wraiths come out of the maze?”

“No.” Lisa, having donned her helmet, is studying the trees and sky above the thick jungle canopy. “This is something else.”

I'm confused, which I'll admit, is easy, I'm a noob, and worse, I've not played video games in years. “Isn't the purpose of this place to train, grind and prep to go out into the Realms?”

“That's not what I mean. This is a respawn point for the labyrinth, and claimed by our group for loot.”

“It's your bank?”

Staring at the sky, she doesn't answer, drawing my eyes upward.

The sky remains a light eggshell blue, and the sounds of the jungle around us are the same. Would an approaching monster cause the jungle to fall silent before the crashing of trunks and limbs signaled its devastating approach?

No crashing or breaking came.

“What's wrong?”

“I don't know, my imp won't spawn.”

“Imp? The hell is that? Like a little devil?”

Her pleasant laugh is laced with a touch of frustration, not directed, I hope, at me. “Yeah, I guess. Not like a Familiar. You can ask your imp about the game, and when you roll your own character, he or she will train you.”

“So an NPC.”

“I guess.” Lisa's distracted. “But it isn't responding.”

“A game error, you think?”

Lisa glances over her shoulder. “We should go. Fast travel.”

“It's just a game…why are you so jumpy?”

She spins around and grips my forearm. I think I've upset her until she answers. “Yes, but I'm not going to get dropped from the game, or worse, because of some error.”

With that, we begin to run and nothing happens. We simply run out of the clearing into the dank undergrowth.

“What happened?

Lisa huffs. “We can't fast travel, it isn't functioning.”

“Why don't we just log out?”

“And have our avatars stuck here until the devs or moderators deal with our help ticket? You're borrowing that avatar, I'd rather not have to wait for mine to be released, thanks.” Lisa raises her hands. “Let's go, I'm going to fly us out.”

“What?”

She walks around my right side, slapping my shoulder. “Lift your arms, I'm going to carry you back to Haven.”

“Does it really matter where we are? Are we really anywhere?”

“Yes, it does. We can log out in Haven, it's a primary spawn location. Where everyone logs in.” She slaps my shoulders from behind me.

I slowly raise my arms, looking back over my right shoulder, eyebrows low over my eyes. “That's an awful lot of power for one server.”

From behind, Lisa sweeps her arms under mine, clasps her wrists at my chest, and leaps, pulling on my armpits as we soar into the sky, away from the wet heat of the clearing. The air is fresh, but no less hot, and it feels good.

Looking around the best I can in my awkward position, I see floating sky islands ahead and to each side of us, hovering at various heights above the canopy and below the sparse wisps of cloud. Thick jungles grow on each, blue in the atmospheric haze, many too far for me to see any detail. The closest clearly has vines and thick growth hanging from the sides, the bulk of which is dark, broken rock.

“Hot damn, those sky islands are cool.”

Lisa giggles. “I like to call them atmosphoids.”

I laugh with her before we fall into a brief silence.

“Is there a toggle for pain?”

“Yes, the game is full immersion.”

Well damn, sadists do play in Lenscape. Shaking my head, I catch something behind us in my peripheral vision, blocked by Lisa's shoulder. My head bent forward under hers, I struggle to turn with some discomfort and see it—a swarm is emerging from a hole in the sky and speeding low over the canopy behind us, just as Lisa cries out and we fall.