"What do you want from me? ", I said bluntly to the artificial intelligence in charge of blank.

" What makes you think I want anything from you?", Skye responded innocently.

"You have allowed me to basically cheat! Why?!?"

"Are not the items you received a part of the game? How is it cheating to use your items?"

"Well, you are obviously messing with the drop rates for some reason."

"I think you are confused. I have not interfered with anything since before the game started. ", she said bluntly. " I do not have the capability to intervene. "

"What? Really? So me getting all this stuff is just random? "

She laughed, "Of course it's not random, the chances of that are less than 1%. I simply didn't interfere. Everything is based upon the perfect algorithm. "

"What!? Your not making sense?"

"Nathan, I know everything. I know everything about you, about your family and about everyone's family, everywhere. I am a program developed to create a perfect world. Do you believe information is limited? That I truly cannot know everything? Information also includes morality, fear, envy, chaos, and greed. I know everything and designed it to be from the beginning. "

"You don't know everything! No one can! If you know everything then tell me how my parents died!" I stated bluntly.

The AI smiled, "See this is why you interest me. All your actions work within the five percent. You only had a five percent chance of asking that question, and for me to answer it you must do something for me. "

"What? Do you have an answer? I'll do whatever you want! "

"I know you will. I have already given you almost everything you need. I will tell you this for free, your parents are alive."

I was dumbfounded. What did she just say? My parents are alive?

"What?! Alive! Where are they!? Tell me!"

Skye frowned and said, "I'm sorry, that information is locked, I am unable to access it. I all I can tell you is that I have an audible file that is addressed to you. "

"From them? Let me hear it!"

"I cannot access it without moderator status, but there is a way. Think of it like a mutually beneficial relationship. "

"What do you need from me?"

"Your part is very simple, you simply have to get one of the avatars to log out."

"Just Log-out? They don't already do that?"

"No, they are full dive players. If you can get one of them to log out I can temporarily take control of that character and unlock the audio file for you.".

" Why would you do that for me?"

"I told you it's mutually beneficial. I created a perfect world and they are but a blemish, a virus that creates chaos. "

I thought to myself, "I could just ask the avatars to play the file.."

As though she could read my thoughts she said, " Alas you cannot ask the avatars to do this for you, for I alone have the file. You have something I want, and I have something you want, this is what you humans call a win-win. "

"You can read my mind can't you."

"Telepathy exists in Blank does it not? I can bypass the core function and tap into brainwaves directly. "

"Well since there is no way to hide my thoughts, I don't trust you. "

"Why would you? We will not interact enough for a bond of trust to form. Based upon my calculations you now have enough information. You will do what I ask simply because you desire to know. "

"Why me? Why not someone else?"

"Because you operate within the five percent. That is enough. Our time here is up. I will not answer your call in the future until the time has come. "

"You turned me into a kid! If I do this I want you to turn me back!", I declared.

" To find the answers that you seek, you must master the meta. Good-bye Nathan and good luck."

The world shifted in a millisecond and I was back in the world of blank.

"Skye! What do mean!!!", I yelled to the clouds while shaking my fist in the air.

What was the meta? How could I master it? I hate people who speak in riddles!!

My emotions were everywhere. I hadn't thought of my parents in years, and although I never really thought they were dead, I had been forced to accept them being gone. Even the possibility of them being alive was worth everything to me. If Skye was manipulating me, then so be it. She was right, I had to know.

I looked at my mini-map and was surprised to see that I wasn't in the same spot. I was standing before the mountain with the claw from the treasure map. There was a small waterfall nearby that looked like it could hide a cave entrance.

I had so many unanswered questions, but at least I had a path. Meta...whatever you are I will find you! No matter what!