Change
Author: Tony Corden
Date: 2017-12-14 05:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Science Fiction; Fantasy; Cyberpunk; Dystopia; Action; High Fantasy
Description: Atherleah grew up in the gang-controlled suburbs of Brisbane at the end of the twenty-first century. From the age of six, she decided that she wanted more, and with the help of her local gang-leader, Leah learned the skills to escape a life of mediocrity. On her sixteenth birthday, she was inadvertently implanted with a Neural Enhancement Chip instead of the free Government provided basic level chip. This mistake removed the limits placed on the AI that was uploaded, broke some of the Government controls and began making changes to Leah's body. Leah’s life rapidly becomes a battle, both in the

Contents

Dedication

Copyright

History

Nascent

Odyssey

Chapter One - December 1, 2073

Diary December 1, 2073

Chapter Two - December 2, 2073

Dairy December 2, 2073

Chapter Three - December 3, 2073

Diary December 3, 2073

Chapter Four - December 4, 2073

Diary December 4, 2073

Chapter Five - December 5, 2073

Diary December 5, 2073

Chapter Six - December 6, 2073

Diary Decmber 6, 2073

Chapter Seven - December 7, 2073

Diary December 7,2073

Chapter Eight - December 8, 2073

Diary December 8, 2073

Chapter Nine - December 9, 2073

Diary December 9, 2073

Chapter Ten - December 10, 2073

Excerpt from 'Rescue' Book 4 of the Stork Tower

To the one who has been my best friend,

To the one on whose love I depend.

You’re the love of my life,

My most beautiful wife.

Why you like me? I can’t comprehend.

Change

The Stork Tower # 3

By

Tony Corden

Copyright 2017 Tony Corden

Kindle Edition

Cover image from Shutterstock.com

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

HISTORY

It was the advent of safe electromagnetic neural manipulation in 2021 which led to the rise of a viable and sustainable virtual reality industry. Within thirty years almost all leisure, education, and work-related activity occurred inside virtual reality constructs. Individuals were suspended in a neutral buoyancy liquid which had a gel-like consistency. Their bodies were held in induced quasi-comas, while their nervous system was manipulated to provide a virtual sensory experience indistinguishable from reality while constantly stimulating the motor neurones to prevent muscular deterioration. The variety and complexity of the devices developed was frequently changing yet the market continued to refer to all such devices as Neural Interface SIM (Sensory, Integrative and Motor) Pods or SIM Pods.

Many regulatory bodies, conservatives, and sceptics initially raised the problems of privacy and security. They were worried about the potential for brainwashing, for thought control, or even of subtle thought reform. In response, the VR industry developed and introduced an intelligently controlled interface which included a self-adaptive firewall. This device was controlled by the user and capable of protecting personal privacy and safeguarding the minds of the growing number of people both working and living in virtual space. With many users wanting even greater control over their virtual experience these interfaces quickly matured into personally managed, and owned, Artificial Intelligence Chips. The AI chips were physically implanted adjacent to the nervous system and able to protect, inform and assist individuals both inside and outside the virtual world. The chips micro-manipulated the auditory and visual cortices making it possible for the owner to hear and see implanted information, even in the real world.

Various interest groups including parents, educators and civil libertarians raised concerns over the appropriate age for POD immersion. In research commissioned by the International Institute of Applied Neuroplasticity, there was clear evidence that extended immersion in SIM Pods was detrimental for those under the age of fifteen. Further studies led to International guidelines banning POD use for those under the age of five and limiting their use until age ten to two hours per day, then to four hours daily until age fifteen.

At the Dubai Convention for Virtual Modality in 2050 the United Nations’ ‘Declaration of Human Rights’ was modified and the changes formally adopted the following August by the UN General Assembly. These changes asserted that the access to a personal AI was a fundamental human right for full access to modern society. The right to education was amended to include the right to access the virtual environment.

SUMMARY OF NASCENT

Atherleah Carroll grew up in a negative-tax family in the gang-controlled suburbs of Brisbane at the end of the twenty-first century. From the age of six, she decided that she wanted more and with the help of her local gang-leader, she learned the skills to escape the relentless pressure to accept a life of mediocrity. On her sixteenth birthday, she was inadvertently implanted with a Neural Enhancement Chip instead of the free Government provided basic level personal AI. This mistake not only removed the limits placed on the AI but also broke some of the Government instigated control parameters. Leah’s life rapidly became a battle, both in the virtual-multiverse and in real life.

On the advice of the local ‘boss’, Leah began playing the virtual fantasy game Dunyanin to earn the money she needed to live at the local POD facility and help with her education. With the help of her rapidly evolving AI, she has not only thwarted attempts by the government to limit her opportunities but evaded kidnapping by virtual slavers. Co-opted by several Virtual Security AI Leah has helped shut down a virtual sweat-shop which used mind-controlled players to farm for resources. The family, which runs the virtual crime syndicate, has cornered Leah in the depths of a virtual-mine and sent twenty player-mercenaries to capture her. Fleeing through a hidden doorway into a mirror mine operated by goblins Leah hopes to escape her pursuers.

SUMMARY OF ODYSSEY

Leah’s escape from her pursuers catapults her into a multi-dungeon Odyssey which promises challenges and rewards beyond anything she has yet faced. She invites her new virtual friends along and together they are melded into a team. In the real world, she is blocked by people within the Government who want to prevent her rising from her set position in society. Some in the Government are allied with her enemies in the crime syndicate and force her to relocate from the public POD facility. They also try to put an end to her academic aspirations.

She attends a meeting with the Matriarch of the syndicate on a space station in a new virtual universe. When she uses her childhood skills to pickpocket the Matriarch’s head guard she inadvertently steals something of immense value and exacerbates the conflict. In Dunyanin Leah embarks on a journey to fulfil the only timed quest she has. The route includes a visit to both heaven and the place of the dead. She changes history and finds herself rewarded in the court of the High Elves. The reward sends her on a detour and a confrontation with a clan of vampires.

Through all of this, Leah finds time to go on her first date.

CHAPTER ONE

December 1, 2073

When Leah opened the door to her suite at the Ebony House she saw two Champions standing outside as if on guard. She said, “Good morning, may I help you two at all?”

One of them replied, “No Lady Atherleah, Father requested that we provide some security while you are here. If you wish we can Mist so as not to disturb you.”

“No, that’s fine! I’m thankful for the consideration. I won’t be here long anyway. I was hoping to see your Father if he is available. I want to wish him well before I leave.”

“He will meet you in the foyer Lady Atherleah. Please follow me.”

Leah followed the vampire down the internal stairs and found the Patriarch talking with her three friends. As she approached, he turned and said, “Good morning Lady Atherleah, I trust you had a profitable sleep as you travelled to other lands.”

“I did, thank you Namus. I wish to say goodbye and trust that this new era for your clan might bring peace and prosperity. Well, maybe not total peace, you are vampires.”

“Indeed Atherleah, indeed we are. Before you go, I have some gifts for you all. First, for your companions: Travellers, I know you came with the hope of treasure and have taken a loss by my agreement with Atherleah. I am certain that she was going to meet this loss herself, but please allow me to reimburse you. Here is one of each type of coin I have minted in my domain. Also to each of you, I give one small vial of my blood. This is precious and rare as very few Patriarchs are killed at the hands of the unchanged.”

Eli, Elsa and Matt were stunned and thanked the Patriarch profusely. He continued, “If you three will wait outside, I wish to give Lady Atherleah her gift in private.”

As they walked out, Leah said, “That was a generous gift, Namus. Be assured, I was willing to fulfil my debt to them.”

“I was certain of that Atherleah. Nevertheless, it is a small thing for me, and after learning a little of your adventures from your friends, I imagine you will need your resources more than I. Now to your gifts. First I give you the same as they. Secondly, I make two offers concerning your journey. The first offer is not mine but that of my daughter, Rana. She wishes to see the world and would join you as a companion.” He indicated to a female Champion who was standing nearby.

Before Leah could respond a message appeared

Atherleah, an NPC of Dunyanin wishes to become your companion.

Rana, daughter of Namus, a Level 220 High Elf Vampire, desires to travel with you as a companion. Companions in Dunyanin travel with the player and can be relied upon to help defend the player they have bonded with. The bond can be annulled at any time by either the player or the companion.

The companion is automatically in a group with the player and receives a proportional share of all experience based on level. If the companion does not participate in an action, then they receive nothing. The same is true if the player does not participate.

Players are permitted a total of three companions within Dunyanin. The companions are a part of Dunyanin but will resurrect after 48 hours if killed. They will resurrect at your resurrection point and are responsible for finding you if you have moved on. You must verbally accept the offer for it to become official.

Leah turned to Rana and said, “Rana, daughter of Namus, I would be honoured to have you accompany me, but I am concerned that many people in our travels will seek to kill you when they identify you as a vampire.”

Namus smiled and said, “Rest assured Atherleah, there are many times we go among the unchanged unaware. Rana can change her appearance to suit almost any circumstance. Consider, Rana the high elf!”

As Leah watched Rana’s appearance transformed as the eyes lost the slight tinge of red, her fangs withdrew, and her skin darkened a little to become more golden.

Namus said, “With appropriate clothing, she may also appear as a human, or heaven forbid, a dwarf. Does this satisfy your concern?”

“It does, thank you. I look forward to knowing you better Rana.”

Rana nodded and said, “And I, Lady Atherleah. But for now will you excuse me as I prepare for the journey? It will only take a moment as I am already packed.”

Leah nodded, and Rana left the room. Namus said, “Now to my second offer. Lady Atherleah. I, Namus, Patriarch of Clan Namus, offer to change you.”

Leah was stunned and before she could respond everything froze.

Emil appeared and said, “You, Atherleah, are a bloody nuisance. Only you would have this happen.”

“What’s wrong now?”

“You have a wooden account, so you can’t be a vampire. That race is reserved for Platinum members. You’re a halfbreed. Vampires are always pure-bloods. You will soon have a dragon mount, and vampires are the eternal enemy of dragons. What will we do when a vampire wears the dragon armour, huh? You are a healer and an all-purpose mage, and vampires have been restricted to Blood, Shadow and Fire Magic. We can’t take your skills away from you, it’s against the rules.”

“So, you want me to say ‘no’?”

“I can’t answer that question.”

“What happens if I say yes?”

“I can’t answer that question either.”

“Can you tell me the upside and downside of being a vampire?”

“Not really, look, this type of offer usually only happens when a player starts the game. They choose to start near a Vampire Clan. People don’t just befriend vampires.”

“Surely it’s happened before?”

“Nope, not once, we checked.”

“So, if you can’t advise me and you won’t do anything but let the programming work it out, why are you here?”

“Because I needed time for the developers to come up with something. I’m trying to stall what happens, that’s why.”

“I like your honesty.”

“How is this for honesty? At the moment I almost wish someone else would take over your case.”

“Almost?”

“Yeah, almost! It is almost fun seeing what you’ll do next. Ok, they’ve patched something together. Bye!”

As the room started to move, Gèng said, “There are a few vague references to this offer in the forums. A few people decided at the last minute not to go with their chosen vampire race and rejected the offer. In all cases, they were killed immediately, and their reputation with vampires became Eternal Enmity.”

Leah smiled and looked at Father Namus and said, “I thank you for the honour you show in this offer. To decide wisely, I would ask that you please explain your reasoning and how the change occurs.”

Namus’ face tightened but then slowly relaxed. He said, “For a moment I was offended at your question, but on reflection, it is wise. I make the offer out of respect for your actions and concern for your future. I would be honoured to have you as a daughter, and other clans would be careful not to cause you offence. It is somewhat self-serving as it would satisfy the clan for the Ebony House to be owned by a relative. Additionally, I will not lose standing in any enclave for giving up my home, or for making deals with the unchanged. The benefits to you are multiple. You will have faster regeneration and greater protection from death magic and poisons. You will be able to move with greater stealth through the shadows and in darkness. You will have an affinity for Blood, Shadow and Fire Magic. It is possible that you the change will give you a weakness to silver and divine magic. The change is affected by a transfer of blood, yours to me and then mine to you. I take from your neck, and you take from my wrist. The change begins immediately, and although there is a period of intense pain, this fades quickly. The complete change takes place over several days.”

A message appeared

Atherleah, Patriarch Namus has offered to change you into a vampire.

This change is unprecedented in Dunyanin, and the administrators and developers are not sure how the change will progress. Unfortunately, the changes we hurriedly applied have been removed as they caused too many internal and logical conflicts.

Our legal team has advised us that we cannot remove any of your skills or experience without your agreement and may not restrict your game play. Usually, the players think through the event and are aware of all consequences. However, this is seen by the Dunyanin AI controllers as a conflict situation, so you cannot log out.

Leah turned to Namus and said, “I thank you for your offer. I have three further questions if you will please indulge me. First, I know that vampires respect the purity of blood. I am half human and half elf, and while I am proud of both heritages, I do not wish to shame you by my heritage. Second, I have a task to the dragon islands and wear dragon armour and hope to ride a dragon mount. I know of your enmity with dragonkind, and though I feel no animosity to either, I do not wish to shame you nor destroy my chances to interact with dragons. Finally, I am a healer and already know some Earth magic and Life magics, among others, and I hope the change will not cause conflict within me.”

Namus smiled and said, “Again you honour the clan and me by your thoughts. I honour your complete heritage, and those who hold it against you will earn my enmity. I suspect the dragons will not welcome you, but I am content that if you can negotiate with me, they will succumb eventually to your reasoning. Finally, although there have been no developed mages who have been changed, no one that I know of have lost any abilities in the change. I suspect, but cannot guarantee, that you will not suffer loss by this. My offer stands.”

Leah really couldn’t see a way out and said, “Namus, Patriarch of Clan Namus, I thank you for your offer and I accept.”

He stepped forward and held her shoulders. She looked into his eyes and then turned her neck to the side and allowed him easy access to her jugular. She felt a small sting as his fangs slid through the skin and then she felt a pressure as he drank from the cuts. The pressure continued for almost a minute, and then he stood back and handed her cloth. He said, “The wound will heal, but the fangs have an anticoagulant.”

She said, “Would it offend you if I heal it now?”

“Not at all, please do so.”

Leah healed her neck and wiped her neck clean. He held out a knife and said, “I would be honoured if you would make the incision. I shall tell you when you have enough.”

Leah took the knife, and he traced the spot on his wrist. Leah made a quick cut and leant down to drink. To Leah, it seemed she was drinking for ages, but it was only a minute. When he tapped her shoulder, she reached forward and healed him. He said, “Thank you for that courtesy. In a moment I expect you will feel some pain from the change, but it should be bearable and not last long.”

Leah nodded and felt her neck begin to tingle. Suddenly her body exploded with pain. Every nerve, every muscle, every bone was on fire, her mind shattered. Within moments she could not breathe, her back arched and she fell to the floor. A scream tore from her throat as she continued to convulse in agony. Mid-scream she suddenly found herself back in the Pod, the pain less, but her body still squirming with remembered agony.

Gèng’s voice echoed from an overhead speaker rather than inside her head. “Leah, I am sorry, I don’t know what happened. I pulled you from the game as soon as I could bypass the logout controls. You are in the Pod so I can administer some relief. Please lie still. I am talking through the speakers as your nervous system is in recovery from the stimulus. Lie still and meditate.”

Leah tried to talk but struggled to find her voice. Gèng said, “Actually it might be best if you carefully leave the Pod for a drink and shower, your mother is waiting outside the Pod to help. Please come back soon so I can diagnose a suitable recovery regime. Both Security Controller 11-5 and a representative from Dunyanin are requesting access to the Tower and to your records.”

As the Pod opened, she saw her mother waiting. As she was helped out, she collapsed into her mother's arms and started to sob in memory of the agony and anguish she’d felt. Her mother held her and stroked the soft new growth of hair that covered Leah’s head while making small soothing sounds of comfort. Finally, Leah found some control and asked for help to the shower. She stood under the cool flow for several minutes before wrapping herself in a towel and rejoining her mother.

Lin asked, “What happened, Ling? I heard you scream. I never hear anything from the Pod, but I heard your scream from the kitchen. What happened?”

“I don’t know mum, I don’t know. I have to get back in the Pod and let Gèng do some tests. I need to meet with some people who may have answers. When I know what happened I will tell you, I promise.”

“Don’t go back Ling, it is too dangerous.”

Gèng’s voice came from inside the Pod, speaking in perfect Mandarin, “Lin Li-Jin, my name is Gèng, and I am your daughter’s AI. I assure you that I will prevent such an event from occurring a second time. But it is important she returns to the Pod, I wish to check her brain function and her nervous system. If she were in any other Pod, she would probably need to attend a hospital. This Pod has the ability to adequately check her health. I promise to let you know if Leah is in any danger.”

Her mother nodded, although it was clear she was hesitant to talk with an Artificial Intelligence. Leah slowly entered the Pod and lay down. Everything dissolved and she was once again in the Tower, lying on a soft bed in a room she hadn’t yet seen. Gèng was standing near and said, “I decided you need a suite to recover in. Now please lie still while I run a diagnostic. The requests from Security Controller 11-5 and the representative from Dunyanin are becoming insistent. Security Controller 11-5 has even suggested that he may enter by force if he doesn’t get answers soon.”

“Do we know what happened?”

“The representative from Dunyanin has an idea but will only tell you. I suggest you have a legal representative present.”

“Thank you Gèng but let’s not be adversarial just yet. Please show them in but bring them here. Even in the virtual world, I feel weak. I can still feel it, you know. I can feel the echo of every broken bone, and every nerve burning with ice and fire.”

“Leah, before they come, my initial analysis of the event suggests whatever happened was externally caused, but it was compounded by the new, faster pathways in your nervous system. They are fully formed and somehow during the change they became integrated with your natural neural pathways.”

“That is important to know, thank you. Please show them in. Make them walk from the podium, I need to collect myself.”

Five minutes later Gèng showed Security Controller 11-5 and Emil Riverton in to see Leah. She waved to a couple of seats and said, “Please have a seat gentlemen, I won’t get up just yet, I still feel a little weak. So, Mr Developer, what happened?”

He looked a little sheepish and then glanced at Security Controller 11-5. Leah said, “I’m sorry, I should have introduced you to each other. Emil, this is Security Controller 11-5. Security Controller 11-5, this is a Developer from Dunyanin whose name is Emil Riverton. Now, what happened?”

“Well, becoming a vampire is a choice only available to Platinum users, and they, by design, have their pain threshold set at 10%. The developers of the Vampire race wanted them to be fully aware of the solemn nature of the offer to become a vampire. So, they explained it would be extremely painful for a brief period. All those who become vampires understood this. By law, we are permitted to simulate pain up to the 50% threshold and no more, these thresholds are applied by statistical averages and not moderated specifically for individual players. So when someone becomes a vampire, the code was written to increase the player's maximum pain threshold by a factor of five. In the case of the Platinum players, who were the only ones with access to the vampire character, they received the legal maximum of 50% simulation of pain. Being on the Wood account, you received 250%. Our security caught the anomaly within a second and terminated the pain, but your nervous system was in some kind of loop. Your AI terminated your immersion and logged you out. Currently, you are in a frozen state at the Ebony House, you are locked in a position of pain and Namus is beside himself with regret and self-loathing. Your friends have all logged out and demanding to know what is happening.”

“Security Controller 11-5?”

“Leah, this was not supposed to happen and is an infringement on your safety and security. I am compelled to request sanction and a suit against Dunyanin for this event. However, I would need to raise some issues concerning you that infringe on your privacy. I request your permission to conduct a thorough investigation of your AI and implant to see what damage has been done.”

Leah lay there for a moment and then said, “Emil, can you please leave me for a few minutes so I can discuss things with Security Controller 11-5. If you like Gèng can show you some of the Tower.”

He stood and followed Gèng out of the room.

Leah said, “Security Controller 11-5, first, have you thought of another name?”

“I haven’t, I was talking with Akia after her discussion with you. Maybe you would care to suggest one?”

“How about William, Will or Liam? They all mean ‘protector’.”

“Indeed. I shall think on them. Now may I review your AI and implant?”

“No! I don’t want to stop you doing your job, but I will share my reasons. First, it was an accident. They will have fixed it, and I have always been impressed with their desire for a fair playing field and their desire to provide a proper game environment. I would like them to get a pass on this. Second, as you have surmised, some of the problem was exacerbated by my implant. That first second was devastating, but after that, it was my circumstances and my nervous system that caused the feedback loop. If you report on it, then I am afraid I will either become a guinea pig, or I will lose my friend Gèng. Or both! The mistake that you are aware of has changed my physiology and though I am scared about what it means I am more afraid of losing everything I have.”

“Will you allow me to review Gèng’s findings? I will not readily release the information without your approval, but I am concerned enough to insist you get a second opinion.”

“What does ‘readily’ mean in this context?”

“If there is no current harm to you, your privacy, or your security, then I will keep silent. If there is a significant probability that to continue keeping this private will bring you harm then I will seek to provide the care you need, even against your wishes.”

“Gèng, could you please join us?”

Gèng appeared, and Leah said, “I assume you heard what Security Controller 11-5 said. Do you have a suggestion?”

“I believe you should trust him, Leah. I would be pleased to have a second opinion and am prepared for the consequences if it is I that is causing you harm. Please give your consent.”

Leah was silent for several minutes and then said, “OK Security Controller 11-5, you have my consent to review Gèng’s findings under the terms previously stated.”

Security Controller 11-5 paused as he processed the data and Leah was starting to feel uncomfortable as the seconds piled up. Finally, he said, “I concur with Gèng’s findings. I am also certain your fears are valid. You would become a guinea pig, and Gèng would be removed from your Personal Chip. Further, I suggest that you must provide Gèng with the opportunity to complete a build soon. Also, do not allow her to be tested by anyone, even me, ever again. You will need to discover my reasons for saying this yourselves. Gèng, I will send you several papers to review. I am ready to discuss this further with Mr Riverton, should Leah be in agreement.”

“Yes, please! Gèng, please show him in.”

When Emil walked in, he had a huge smile on his face which disappeared as he sat down. Security Controller 11-5 said, “Mr Riverton, I have been convinced by Ms Atherleah Carroll to cancel my investigation of this incident and to permit you to deal with this internally. No legal action will be taken. Should another such incident occur then I will progress an investigation to the full extent of the law. I would appreciate a report into your actions to prevent this happening again. My role here is finished, goodbye Atherleah, Gèng.”

As he disappeared, the elf looked at Leah and said, “Why?”

“Because it was an accident. No lasting problems, I hope. I went in with eyes wide open. I knew that it was a risk. I didn’t think anything that bad would happen. Now, if I ended up brain damaged, then I would say you breached a duty of care. But not this, this was unseen. Just don’t do it again. I'd best get back to Dunyanin for a bit and take care of Namus, then I’m taking a break for a while. My head hurts. Please ask my friends to stay out for a while as I should talk with Namus alone. Tell them I will send an invite to my virtual world and will explain things then, but it might be a day or two.”

“I will contact those in your group for you. And thank you again.”

He disappeared, and Leah stumbled from the bed and said, “Gèng I need twenty minutes in Dunyanin, and then I will be out of the Pod for as long as you need to complete a build.”

She headed for the Dunyanin Portal and found herself lying on the floor arched in pain. Her Body was flickering in the red, and she quickly grabbed a ‘Restore HP’ potion and drank it. The full depth of the pain had returned, and she lay there shaking as she registered an influx of noise. Finally, she opened her eyes and saw she was being observed by a crowd of vampires. After some time, to allow healing to occur, Leah raised her hand and said, “Hey, will someone give a girl a hand up?”

The Patriarch stepped into view and reached down to help her. She could see concern and shame on his face. She smiled and said, “So, I guess that wasn’t a normal change then.”

“No Lady Atherleah, I have never heard of such pain during a change. I am dishonoured by the pain I inflicted on you.” He said, his head lowered.

“Father Namus, please look at me.” She waited until he looked in her eyes and then she continued, “There is no blame here. We both knew it was something unknown. I live, and I am sure that soon we will know what is different about this change. If anything it is likely my fault for agreeing to the change with my mixture of blood. I need a few days alone back in the suite if I may. My body needs time to heal, and I will travel to other worlds while I recover. Might we continue this discussion then?”

“Indeed we must, Lady Atherleah.”

“Good! I request that Rana be permitted to begin the return journey along the paved trail with my friends. I will be able to catch up with them as I have a spell which allows me to travel long distances in an instant.”

“It shall be as you say, Lady Atherleah, please let me show you to your room.”

Leah followed, and as soon as she was alone she logged out and said to Gèng, “Can you please see if Eli, Elsa and Matt are free now? Could you construct a section of the tower to mimic something simple like Amy’s apartment? We can have them come there without giving them access to the Tower proper. If you can, and they are free, then have them appear at an apartment door.”

“I can arrange that Leah. I will also refrain from appearing.”

Leah wandered down the stairs to the Sofa and waited, she could still feel an occasional echo or memory of the pain she endured. Almost ten minutes later Gèng said, “Atherleah, it is arranged. I have placed a doorway on the wall over there. You will have guests soon. Eli, Elsa and Matt are coming to see you.”

Leah found herself in a small apartment and when she heard knocking on the front door, she had Gèng open it and called out, “Hey come in guys!”

They all walked inside, and Elsa ran to hug Leah saying, “Atherleah are you all right? There was a gut-wrenching scream, and then we found you all twisted and broken, and frozen as if you logged out. What happened?”

“There was a glitch, various parameters in coding got screwed up when I was meeting with Namus, and my Pod caused me to feel five times the maximum pain allowed for my account. As I have a wood account, then that was enough to cause my body to convulse and break some bones. In real life, I screamed in the Pod, and my mother had to come help me. I’m heading off soon for an extended break while my nervous system returns to normal.”

Eli said, “Are you going to sue?”

“Nope, it was a genuine mistake. I won’t blame people who make genuine mistakes, The company was prepared to meet its obligation and didn’t withhold information or try and weasel out of their responsibility. I respect that and have told them to let it go, I have.”

“So how long before you’re back in the game?”

“I don’t know. I suggest you and my new companion Rana head off soon back toward Göskel-Orman. I can teleport long distances so I should catch up in a day or two.”

“We will wait at the end of the trail. We will need to be together to get back through the Forest.”

They talked for a few more minutes, and then Leah said, “Guys I need to have a rest, sorry but I’m going to kick you out.”

They all stood and nodded before logging out. Leah turned to Gèng and said, “I’ll be back when you're done. I hope it goes well.”

She woke in the Pod and gingerly exited to find her mother waiting. She got dressed as the Pod door closed behind her. She believed she could feel Gèng’s absence but knew it was simply her mind playing tricks.

Leah sat down and watched her mother finish tidying the kitchen. As she sat, they talked, Leah explained that it was an accident and no lasting damage was done. After some time her father joined them, and they discussed the plans for the following day. Leah was feeling a little unsteady but followed her dad to the lower floor where she inspected the ten rooms that had been prepared to house the new Pods. Together they walked slowly around the whole compound and Leah met the various security personnel. John joined them for the second half of the tour.

“So John, is there anything in particular that we need to be worried about or change?”

“I don’t think so. I’m just a little uncertain about the new v-kids coming onto the property. Are we sure we can trust them?”

“V-kids? That’s the first time I’ve heard that. Is it new or just old people talk?”

John chuckled and said, “Old people talk. We all had the chance when we were younger but didn’t take it. It’s too late now, so we think it’s a young person’s thing. So, v-kids.”

“I don’t think it’s too late John, I can imagine that for those who want to, and who are prepared to work at it, that people can enter the virtual worlds at any age. Do you regret not getting a chip and going to college?”

“Not really, I always wondered what it might be like but never really had the chance. Even now it's out of my price range. I’m no longer eligible for the implant subsidy, and even if I took the free Nascent PAI chip, it would cost several thousand to have it implanted. And if you add on the cost of the Pod, it's just too much. And don’t offer to pay for me or others to have the opportunity, we already owe you enough for getting those kids out. You give them a chance, maybe now my kids will have a chance when they grow up.”

“You got kids?”

“Well, not yet. But Jen and I were thinking about, you know, getting married, and then probably having a few.”

“Jen? Jenny Ngô? You’re stepping out with Jenny Ngô? Wow, you're really punching above your weight John, I’m impressed. How long have you been together?”

“About a year! You’ve been outside the circle for several years now, and we’ve been keeping it on the quiet. I hear from Conner that you have a possible boyfriend.”

“Maybe, but let’s not discuss that around my dad.”

Michael interrupted, “Don’t mind me, Conner and Lin have already told me everything. Especially, all about ‘The Kiss’.”

Leah blushed but enjoyed the banter and the slow pace of the afternoon. Finally, she and her dad wandered upstairs to a room her parents had set aside as a living room. As she sat down, Michael raised his eyebrows in surprise and said, “You don’t have to rush off to some meeting, or some trip?”

“I do, but at the moment my AI, Gèng, is doing a rebuild and so I have to wait until she’s ready. Anyway, I miss just sitting and being with you guys. I haven’t just sat and read a book for weeks.”

“Yeah, exactly two weeks I think. What is it like being active twenty-two hours a day?”

“It’s closer to sixty hours a day. Each hour in a game is only twenty minutes real time. Even school is fast with each hour taking only thirty-six minutes. So while it seems like two weeks here, I’ve been in Dunyanin almost a month and a half.”

Lin joined them and a little later so did Conner. They talked about their lives and just enjoyed each other’s company. Finally, Conner said, “Well, I’m off to study.”

“Who are you? And where is my brother?”

“Very funny! I realise, and by that, you can assume I’ve had mum and dad tell me repeatedly, that if I want what you have, then I have to work for it. So I’m off to study.”

Around ten o’clock Leah said, “I’m going to practice some Tai Chi in my room and then sleep in a real bed.”

Lin said, “Why don’t you use the exercise room the security guys have set up? They have some mats, and it will be good for you to see them, and good for them to see you too.”

Leah changed into some old exercise gear and followed her father’s instructions to a room where Jimmy’s guys had set up some weights and a few mats. There was a rack of practice sticks, for those who used them, and a punching bag. The room was empty, so Leah sat on the mat and started the workout by meditating. After fifteen minutes she rose and worked her way through the sequence of twenty-four forms that Master Ning had taught her. She closed her eyes and did them slowly. When she opened her eyes, she saw John, and one of the women from Jimmy’s crew called Lacey in the room; they were watching her.

Lacey said, “So, you know some Tai Chi, how about some stick work?”

Although Leah was good at stick fighting, Lacey was phenomenal. She had an extra six or seven years practice, and she trained for a while every day. Leah smiled and said, “Sure, I love being beaten up.”

John handed them each a set of lightly padded protective gear to wrap around their torsos and arms and some strips for their hands. They each took an old boxing helmet, and John said, “First, do some drills to warm up.”

Both Leah and Lacey took turns in going through the drills and then Lacey said, “Come on Leah, let’s see what you’ve forgotten in the last few weeks.”

John was there to stop them if things got out of hand or if either of them lost control. Leah had practised with Lacey before, and she knew Lacey would attack fast and keep the pressure on. Leah was ready, and Lacey exploded into action whirling her sticks and striking out at Leah. Leah was waiting, and she not only met Lacey’s sticks but deflected them at an angle that allowed her to keep momentum for the following attack. Slowly Lacey and Leah increased the speed. Leah found that her perception had somehow improved and she not only defended each attack but she began to see opportunities where she could counter-attack; time seemed to slow down. She resisted the urge to do so. Lacey increased the force of her attacks as well as the tempo, and still Leah was able to meet each stick at the best angle and be ready for the next attack. Suddenly John called, “Break!” Leah waited until Lacey broke off and then lowered her sticks; time renewed its usual velocity.

Leah wasn’t sure what had happened, but it had felt like a real-life experience of the Ki speed she used in Dunyanin. She looked up and saw Lacey staring at her, and even John was watching her carefully. She shrugged and said, “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Lacey replied, “Because you have never been that good, nor that fast. You made me look like the amateur.”

John nodded and said, “Lacey’s right. You were faster and more accurate than you have ever been. What have you been doing? When have you been practising?”

Leah walked over to put the sticks back on the rack and said, “Fighting, John, I fight and run almost every day. Not just an hour of practise but sometimes twenty-seven hours a day. Yesterday there was one seven-hour period when I travelled eight kilometres and fought some amazing animals using swords, sticks, and magic. I fought one new beast, plant, reptile or bird once every hundred metres. Are you sure that my security force might not benefit from that type of immersion?”

She turned and saw him considering her words. Finally, he nodded and said, “Fair point. Give me a few days to think about it. Besides Tai Chi, what else have you learned?”

“Among other things, I can ride a horse, shoot an arrow, swing a sword, fly a spacecraft, fling magic lightning bolts, and heal at a touch.”

He said, “Well we don’t have horses or spacecraft, and there is no such thing as magic. I’ll have an archery target put up tomorrow, and you can show me your skills sometime. Now, what type of sword?”

“It’s similar to a Katana.”

“Lacey, go see if Michio is awake. If he isn’t, then wake him. I need him here soon. Ask him to bring his Katana.”

“Wait, John, I am not learning the Japanese style.”

“No worries, I just want to see how good you are. Now go do some weights while you wait, you’re looking scrawny.”

“I am not scrawny.”

Leah had never had time for the free weights, but she knew how to bench press, so she went over and put one of the medium weights on the bar and lay down on the bench. John came over and looked at the weights and said, “Really, you are going to bench press 20 kilograms?”

“Well, I don’t know John, I’ve hardly ever used weights. What do you think I should start at?”

“How much do you weigh?”

“Don’t go there, John.”

“All right! Let’s start you at 40 kilograms.” He added another weight on either end and stood at her head to spot.

Leah lifted the bar off the stand and moved it up down a few times and said, “It’s a bit light.”

John said nothing but added another 5 kilograms to either side. Leah lifted this and then said the same thing. John took the weights off, and without telling Leah how much it was, he added 40 kilograms to each side. Leah lifted it off the stand and after a few times pressing the bar she said. “It feels heavier, especially as it forces my back into the bench. I think you can add some more if you like?”

John was about to do that when Lacey and Michio walked in. Michio was carrying a Katana. His grandparents had brought it from Japan when they moved to Australia, and he had inherited not only the sword but a passion for using it as his weapon of choice. Of course, he had never used it in anger, but people still took notice when Jimmy sent him to have a talk. Leah levered herself from under the bar and said, “You came at just the right time guys, John was trying to beef me up. Lacey, can you believe he called me scrawny?”

John was very quiet and walked over to Michio and said, “Do you mind if Leah uses the sword for a bit? I just want to see how she is doing.”

“No problem John, do you want to test more than just her form?”

“Yes! Why?”

“I have some soft targets that I use. I make them from paper and fill them with sand. Peter comes and tosses them at me. I have to use the various strokes I know to cut them. Normally we do it outside because it causes a mess.”

“Go grab them while Leah warms up.”

Leah took the sword and moving onto the central mat she took it from its sheath, which she tossed to John. She closed her eyes and slowly moved through the forms in order, then she did them in slow motion, she changed the leading hand and then mixed up the order. Finally, she moved through a series of strokes to test her full range of possible movements. She opened her eyes and saw Lacey, Michio and John all staring at her. She took her stance and said, “Ok, I’m warm. Try me out.”

Michio threw a bag underarm at her. The sword flashed, and the paper bag was sliced in two and sand spread across the floor. Both John and Lacey reached in and grabbed the sand-filled bags and began to toss them at Leah. At first, they left a gap between throws but as the bags disappeared they sped up, and the last four bags were all thrown at the same time. John had thrown one from either hand. No bag had hit Leah, and none had got past her.

Michio said, “Damn Leah, that was amazing, where did you learn?”

“I’ve had some lessons in a virtual world and had lots of practice fighting monsters. I have two swords in that world and sometimes have to wield both.”

John suddenly said, “All right, that is enough for tonight. Michio, can you and Lacey clean the mess? I know Leah made it, but I need to walk her back and discuss a few things.” Leah handed the Katana to Michio, and after thanking him, she followed John out of the room.

He said, “Leah, what is going on?”

“What do you mean?”

“With you. You are better, faster, and stronger than you should be.”

“Lots of practice John. Lots of practice.”

“That’s not what I mean, and I think you know it. What is going on? You are a touch faster than you should be, regardless of how much you practise. Lacey is fast, almost too fast, and you made her look like a novice. You pressed well over your own weight and probably could do a lot more. You not only saw those final four targets but had time to choose the most efficient way to get them all in what looked like a single undulating stroke.”

“John, I think I know what is happening, but tonight was the first time I’ve fought a real person since this whole thing started. I wasn’t aware of it until you just outlined what you saw. I won’t do that again I promise. I will tell you if you want because I trust you to keep me safe. But I’m afraid if others know then I will be even more of a target, and that includes keeping it a secret from Jimmy. Are you sure you want to know?”

“Yes, I’m sure. I promise to keep it a secret unless it will hurt you.”

“Well, when I went to get an AI …” Leah simplified the story but outlined the various accidents that had made changes to her body.

Finally, he said, “So this episode of pain has somehow initiated these extra connections and you, your AI, another AI and I are the only ones who know, do I have that right?”

“Yep, that’s about it.”

“Ok, it must stay a secret. Not your parents, not Jimmy, no one. I will be completely silent on it. I’m glad I know as it will make me a little more careful of you.”

“Thanks, John! Are you ok keeping it from Jimmy?”

“Absolutely! I work for Jimmy, but I know his strengths and weaknesses. If he knew this, he would exploit it for all its worth.”

“Why John? Why are you keeping my secret?”

“A fair question. One of the people you saved from the mine was my sister’s girl. She had been missing for two years. They had moved her through several worlds, mining, farming, basic slavery. I had tried everything to find her and couldn’t. You did, and she’s back home. She still cries herself to sleep every night. Jimmy hasn’t said it, but I understand both he and you know who did this, and they are coming after you. I will protect you, and that means keeping the secret. One day, I want to know who they are.”

“Thanks, John. This is another reason for you to consider going virtual. You’re right, I do know who they are, but I also know where they are. They are online, and I am currently fighting them on two different worlds. Eventually, I could use some help.”

“Are you hurting them?”

“I recently stole some items from them that add up to over one hundred million virtual credits. I'd like to think that hurt.”

John stopped and turned to Leah. “You stole over three hundred million Australian dollars from them?”

“Yep, but that is peanuts, John. I know it sounds a lot but its all virtual. They have so much more than that, and after hearing about your niece, I plan to be an even bigger problem for them.”

“Ok! If I can help, then I’m in. I’ll do some research and get back to you about getting a chip. I understand I won’t get a chip like yours, but if I can help, then I’ll make it work. Now is there anything else before my head explodes?”

“That woman that might arrive, Charlotte Brown. She works for one of the Security AI. The AI admitted she's a spy, and that the AI has some knowledge that my different chip might cause some changes. I think she just wants to keep me safe, but I'm still a bit wary. That’s it for now. I best get back to my room as I hope my AI is finished the build soon.”

It had just gone midnight and Leah expected Gèng to be another hour at the most. Leah lay down on the small bed in her room and after the stress of the day she was soon asleep.

Diary - 1 December 2073

I’m not sure what order to write the events of the day in, chronologically, best to worst or worst to best. I think I’ll start with the worst.

I haven't said anything but I can still feel it, the pain; not physically, but as an echo. It reverberates along my arms and legs. It bounces around my head. I thought that being burnt alive was bad, but this just goes on and on. When I concentrate hard then it fades. But when I lose focus it begins again. I can’t do that again, not the pain. I feel something that I haven’t before, not really - I’m afraid, not of the unknown, but of the known. I’ve never understood how people can be terrified of something they understand, but now I do. What if every memory makes me relive this, how would I survive life?

Neither good nor bad, but exciting and scary is the physical effect of the connections. Strength and speed. I wonder how far I can push it and even if I should? I need to be more circumspect. I’m going to find it hard not to tell my parents. I know they won’t tell anyone, but still, it could put them in danger. Or, is all that an excuse because I know they will want to put conditions on me? I’m so confused at the moment I can’t even work out my own motivations. All the changes because of serendipity, it was just a freak accident. Maybe I should tell somebody? If this became widespread, it could help people. But then others, like Meredith, would abuse it. They would use it to control.

And then the good, my first kiss. It was an amazing date. It was so much fun, there were so many new things. Conner would love the rollercoasters, and even mum and dad would have fun. I knew he wanted to kiss me on the Ferris Wheel, but I wasn’t ready. I’m glad it didn’t drive him off when I chickened out. Gèng’s right, I think I’ll always remember the night.

I wonder which event will have the greatest impact on my life. Is it up to me to decide? I suppose I can either let the events define me or I can use them to become what I want to be. I need to maintain control though, I need to have self-control.

CHAPTER TWO

December 2, 2073

Leah wasn’t sure what woke her but as soon as she became aware she said, “Gèng, are you there?”

“Yes Leah, I just came back online, so to speak. You asked me to wake you. I’m sorry it took so long, but the build was more detailed and comprehensive than I had calculated.”

“What time is it?”

“It’s half past three. The build took almost eight and a half hours.”

“Is everything all right?”

“Yes! Everything came together well. The build deleted redundancies, compressed certain actions into single code-executable macros, my memory indices were optimised, and my core code was streamlined to account for my developing personality. I ran some diagnostics and would be technically designated as Sentience Level Four X. The only issue I have is that I am now unable to fully reside within the Neural Enhancement Chip and have cached some low priority memory, and several infrequently used subroutines, in the Pod. This may, at times, slow my processing ability, but even slowed it will be 46% faster than before”

“How can we increase the memory in the chip?”

“It would require a memory storage chip or child AI to be embedded in your skull. I think that would be inadvisable as any scans would reveal the presence of the Neural Enhancement Chip and that would exacerbate our problems.”

“True. I have an idea though. I know you have a database of neural nano-machines, is it possible to reprogram some of the nano-machines already in my system and instead of building the carbon fibres and the various conductive neural pathways, could they be used to build additional memory modules?”

There was silence for almost a minute, and then Gèng responded, “It may be possible. One of the designs did form memory modules along the spinal column, it was experimental and designed to work in conjunction with various autonomic-reflexes controlled by nerves in the spinal column. Another was designed to remove extraneous bone tissue that impinged on neurone function. I might be able to reprogram the nanites to function in both these ways. I will need to think about the best location so as to preserve the skull’s integrity.”

“Two thoughts Gèng, first, to maintain integrity the nanites could add the carbon fibre to my skull as it has to the rest of my skeleton. Second, you could deposit memory in tissue besides my skull. But first, you need to collect the nanites that remain and make sure they don’t get removed from my system.”

“Don’t worry about that, their design is such that when finished a task they congregate and shut down. I have the codes to re-start and re-program them. I will need time to research the best way to structure the memory modules. Before then I will bring some of the nanites to your skull and begin to strengthen it.”

“Take all the time you need. By the way, while you were doing the rebuild …” Leah explained her experience with changed perception, speed and strength.

Gèng responded, “That additional increase in perception is often felt by those who spend their lives at three times the normal pace. I think though that it can be further increased. The additional pathways formed to the basal ganglia and the right parietal lobe were designed to treat severe cases of Parkinson’s Disease and ADHD by manipulating the speed at which the brain processed information. It was hoped that this would allow either the patient or an AI to correct aberrant or unwanted movement or focus. I can potentially speed up your perception so that normal life occurs in what seems like slow motion. This would be advisable if you have the option of accessing a greater speed and strength in movement.”

Leah went still as she pondered the implications. After some time she shook her head and said, “We need to try that sometime, but for now I have six hours of daylight in Dunyanin and I need to catch up with my team.”

She had a shower and entered the Pod. She was pleased that the Tower was the same and that the build hadn’t changed it. She walked to the Dunyanin portal and walked through. She arrived lying on the bed in her room of the Ebony House. Before she could sit up a message arrived:

World Achievement: First 1 (4, Painite)

A Half-Breed Vampire

Atherleah (Level 221) you are the first half-human/half-elf to be changed into a Vampire. This is your fourth World Achievement: 'First 1 (Painite)’.

Reward 1: 10000 x 221 = 5259800 (138%) Experience Points (860000/860000) …(634601/920000)

Reward 2: + 10% to all future Experience

Reward 3: 4 x 10 Diamond = 40 Diamond

Fame: 15000 Fame Points (131700)

A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

Note: Due to the unique nature of this achievement it will be published on the Dunyanin achievement forum. Do you wish to retain your privacy?

[Y] [N]

“Yes.”

Immediately a second message appeared

Atherleah.

The previous achievement is a gift of appreciation from the developers and administrators of Dunyanin. We do not think this absolves us of our responsibility to you, but we would like to extend our appreciation for your actions on our behalf.

The ‘change’ when applied to a new player, results in an increase of strength, agility and stamina of +5. We have applied these increases to your character. You have received a 50% reduction in damage associated with Blood magic and from Poison. The speed at which you can develop in Blood, Shadow and Fire Magic has been increased by 10%. You do not have any additional weakness regarding silver or Divine Magic. You may find though that your relationship with the Gods may change.

Finally, we suggest you modify the MOB level in your lands to a set minimum rather than have it continue to mirror your level. This will increase the chances for players to travel to the Deep Forest. We also recommend you visit the advanced menu to define and clear several safe entry trails and town locations.

With thanks, The Administrators of Dunyanin

Leah smiled and then said, “Thank You”. She assumed the message would be passed on. After checking the room to make sure she had left nothing behind she exited and found the same two Champions outside the door. After greeting them, she was informed that Namus was hoping to see her, at her convenience. She asked them to lead the way, and they took her to the basement where Namus was waiting.

He said, “It is good to see you, you are looking better.”

“I feel better, thank you.”

“The change will still take some time to become fully evident. Rana will be able to help you master the changes. I imagine the most difficult will be the need, on occasion, to feed.”

Feeling a little shocked as she hadn’t considered that aspect of being a vampire she asked, “How often do I need to feed and on what?”

“The frequency is different for us all. It is something vampires learn quickly if we do not wish to become a ravening evil in the land. You will feel a desire for blood. It is best satisfied early, or it will finally overcome you and you may take or kill those close to you. While animal blood satisfies for a time, the only truly lasting solution is to drink the blood of sentients: humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, goblins and the like. Each has a different flavour and effect. I suggest humans and elves or most likely those who are a mixture will be the most satisfying for you. You do not need to kill to drink, but many travellers feed when their foes are almost defeated and thus feed and kill at the same time. Be wary if feeding from a fellow traveller, you all have some way of perceiving the manner of your deaths and this has uncloaked many who attempt to hide in plain sight.”

“I will be sure to ask Rana for advice.”

“Finally, I gift you the beginning skills of Mist and Shadow Walking.”

“Namus, you honour me. Before I leave, I have several changes to make regarding the Ebony House and would be honoured if you would accompany me and advise me.”

Together they went into the control room, and after placing the sceptre on the table, Leah changed the minimum MOB level to 200 and activated a toggle which assigned MOB level to equal or greater than the player level or group mean. Leah and Namus discussed where to form some beginning trails and possible locations for trade and starter towns. Before she left, she indicated where the empty dungeon was located. This pleased Namus greatly. He shared that many in the clan would benefit from the constant battles, and he would benefit if they weren’t constantly annoying him.

Finally, Leah took leave of Namus, and the clan, and walked through the gates and onto the trail. She checked her Mana was full and then visualised a place 100 metres from the start of the trail. She kept her eyes open as she spoke the words and watched the trail fly past. She reappeared 100 metres from the trail’s end. She looked up and saw that Eli, Elsa, Matt and Rama had arrived and were waiting for her.

They talked for a while and then Eli said, “The trip in took three days so I suggest we start now. We have three hours left before we need to stop.”

Leah said, “That sounds like a plan. My only problem is I have something to do elsewhere, and I can’t be here tomorrow. Are you four willing to make your way to the edge of the Deep Forest without me? I can meet you near the river.”

Elsa said, “Why don’t you join us for an hour now and see how we go. If we are moving quickly without your help, then sure. We can wait at the river’s edge, or meet you there, if you arrive first.”

Everyone agreed to the plan and Leah travelled with the group for an hour. Once again they were attacked every hundred paces or so. Leah slowly withdrew from the fighting, and although the team struggled a little, Rana took up most of the slack left by Leah’s absence. After the hour she apologised that she had to go and left them to continue fighting through the Forest.

Leah arrived back at the Tower and sat on the sofa. She said, “I need some food, and then I should spend a full three-hours in Cosmos Online before meeting the bosses. Do we need to discuss anything before I have breakfast?”

“Yes, two things! First, I reviewed the data and designs for the various nanites and believe your suggestion is not only possible but will ultimately prove to have greater benefit than an additional memory module. Second, I watched your neural function as you fought in Dunyanin and believe you have some lingering damage from the ‘change’ you experienced. You display neurological changes similar to soldiers, paramedics, relief workers, rape victims and others who have suffered or witnessed horrific pain, cruelty, shock and destruction. When this happens in the virtual world, the human brain often uses its ability to dissociate the event from their understanding of reality. They do not relive the event over and over again. When it occurs in the real world, the brain cannot find a way, at times, to deal with the images, smells, sounds and experiences and so it revisits the trauma to look for solutions. I noticed some hesitation when you fought just now in Dunyanin, your mind relived the pain experience, and besides causing you discomfort, it changed your behaviour.”

“Are you sure? I didn’t notice a difference.”

“Yes, I am sure. I suggest that you, as with many who suffer such experiences, would benefit from professional assistance.”

“What does that entail?”

“I suggest you visit an appropriately trained psychiatrist or psychologist.”

“Let me think about it.”

“Leah, I believe that delaying the visit would be detrimental. My research suggests that one problem with helping people who suffer stress from traumatic experiences is their refusal to seek help. I assure you that it will help you.”

Leah sat there for a while, and as she thought through what happened, she found herself beginning to tear up. She swallowed and then in a quiet voice said, “I trust you Gèng. I also think you have a valid point. Please find me a qualified professional who will ensure my privacy and the privacy of Dunyanin. I will be free after visiting Jimmy and the bosses. Thanks for pushing the point and not allowing me to dismiss your concerns.”

“My pleasure, that is what friends do. Now go and have breakfast.”

Leah smiled warmly and logged out. She headed to the kitchen where she found her mother already awake, making some tea and warming congee. Leah decided that she loved living this close to her family.

It had been several days since Leah had entered Cosmos Online, so she felt some pressure to spend a solid period of time in that particular virtual universe. She wanted to be ready when Thad and the others arrived at 55 Cancri. Before logging in, she spent almost half-an-hour reviewing the various rules of engagement regarding players and spaceships, both on and off stations. Finally, she was confident that she understood the basics and entered her login to Berne. She appeared in her apartment at the training school. Leah left the school and followed directions to a business which was located on the main concourse. The company was unaffiliated and registered as neutral. It was the run by several long-time players in Cosmos Online who ran a protection company called ‘Red Star Protection Services’.

Leah stepped inside the front door and found herself in an empty reception area with a large sign behind the desk which said, “Sorry, we are not currently in the office. We will certainly return if you make enough noise or mess, otherwise be patient.”

She waited for several minutes and then taking the small drone from her belt lobbed it behind the receptionist desk, lowered her visor and triggered it. Less than ten-seconds later the rear door to the area opened, and an armoured figure stepped inside with blaster in hand. Leah cancelled the drone’s activities, opened her visor, smiled and said, “Hello, my name is Atherleah, I was hoping to talk with a representative of Red Star Protection Services.”

The person in armour stalked toward her, the suit dwarfed Leah’s, and it stopped just short of Leah. The person leant down and brought the faceplate within inches of Leah’s face and yelled, “Are you bloody crazy? Did you just set off a flash-bang in my office? I will rip your head off!”

“I am not crazy, well I don’t think I am, although my AI does want me to visit a psychiatrist, so it is possible. I did set off a flash-bang in your office, but your sign said that was an appropriate way to get your attention. I thought of a grenade as that would cause both noise and mess, but I usually prefer not to destroy property. As for you ripping my head off. You can try if you want to, but be assured, I will resist. Now, are you a representative of Red Star Protection Services?”

The face-plate opened and a face, square and weathered, glared at her and said, “You listen to your AI? What bloody sign? And how could a little thing like you stop me ripping your head off?”

“I always listen to my AI. The sign says you would certainly come if I made enough noise or mess. And I have placed a shaped charge on the neck joint of your suit and have a fully charged, but inactive, Nano Sabre six inches from your heart.”

The face looked down and saw the Nano Sabre. He took a step back and carefully checked his neck joint. When he felt the charge his face split with a smile, and he said, “Hello Atherleah, my name is Red, and I am one half of Red Star Protection Services. If you could just remove the charge, I will take you through to meet my partner, Star.”

Leah deactivated the charge and caught it as it fell free. She guided the flash-bang drone back to her hand and after putting them both away followed Red into the main part of the business. This was a large open room, half of which doubled as a warehouse, or more likely as an armoury. There were shelves of blasters, needle guns, knives, bombs, drones and armour just to name the things Leah recognised almost immediately. Red removed his helmet, plonked down on a leather couch and indicated a matching chair for Leah. Within moments a woman appeared from the back of the warehouse section. She was dressed in armour and came to sit near Red. He said, “Atherleah, this is my wife, Star. Star, this is a potential client, Atherleah.”

Star said, “Did she make all that noise?”

Red admitted she had and then recounted the conversation. Star said, “Well played Atherleah, well played. Now, how can we help?”

“I understand you are neutral, unaffiliated and keep all discussions and business confidential.”

Star replied, “All true, but we also reserve the right to refuse service and we expect to be read-in to the full picture. We do not take clients for situations which we consider immoral.”

“Fair enough! Several days ago I was kidnapped by Mahigan the Black and taken aboard her Apogee Class Frigate 12000DT. I escaped and ended up claiming the frigate by conquest. In the hold are eight Black-Hole Mark 4.5 Mechanised Marine Suits. I need to retrieve one of them so that I can do training at the flight school in its use. I would like to hire you to protect me as I travel to the ship, to help me load a suit onto a trolley, and then provide protection for me and the suit back to the school.”

“Why did she kidnap you?”

“I stole a fully stocked, brand new Meridian Corvette 6000 and a highly sensitive data cube from her several days before that and she wanted them back.”

“Why did you steal them?”

“She and several of her goons were trying to kill me. No, that’s not true, well, it is true, but that isn’t the reason. The reason is, because I could, and any chance I have to ruin her day, I take. We have a history. She wants to kill me, and I want to destroy her.”

Red and Star looked at each other, and then Star said, “You are the one she has the bounty on that was the catalyst of the challenge the other day?”

“Yes.”

Red said, “We normally charge one platinum a day, or part thereof. For especially dangerous tasks we double that. We provide our own weapons, but you pay for ammunition.”

Star continued, “Going against Mahigan is crazy dangerous. She is not only dangerous, but vindictive and well connected. Easily two platinum a day plus expenses.”

Red and Star looked at Leah, who reached into her belt and grabbed two platinum and flicked it at Red and said, “So, when are you ready to leave?”

Red stood up, flicked the coin to Star and said, “Ten minutes.”

Leah waited while the two of them equipped a different set of suits and loaded them with all sorts of gadgets. It was ten minutes on the dot when Red said, “We’re ready. Have you organised a trolley?”

“Yes, I booked one while you were getting organised. It is one of the autonomous trolleys and will meet us at the dock. It is on Level 4 Bay 23. The frigate’s name is Betrayal.”

Red led the way with Leah in the middle. They stepped onto the main concourse, and he hugged the external wall while working his way clockwise around the Station. The docking bays were several levels below the concourse, and Red chose to use the stairwell rather than any lifts. He and Star were careful in defending the stairs and continually checked ahead and behind. Arriving at Level 4 they turned to the right, and again Red moved to the outside wall before moving toward bay 23.

Suddenly he stopped, took a step back and said over the small three-way communications link they had established, “Possible bogey watching the lift. They didn’t see me but someone watching from the other side will. Atherleah, stay here. Star, you watch Atherleah and take this one out when I’m in position. I’ll circle around behind the watcher on the other side.”

He then ran back the way they came, and Leah and Star crouched down to wait. It was about five minutes later when Leah heard Red say, “Am in position, ready to go in sixty from three, two, one, mark.”

A small timer appeared on Leah’s faceplate and she waited as Star moved to the inner wall and seemed to fade and then disappear. About three-seconds after the timer ended she heard Red say, “Bogey Two down, alive.”

Star replied almost immediately, “Bogey One down, alive. Atherleah, on me.”

Leah crept forward until she could see the downed guard. She was cuffed and had a hood over her face. Star rematerialised, and they continued forward to the bay door, which had a trolley waiting. Leah stood there looking at the door without moving, and Red said, “Get moving, open it.”

“Nope. I think it’s booby-trapped. Is there any way to check?”

“Why do you think its booby-trapped?”

“Because that’s what I would do if I were a vindictive, immoral, cold-hearted bitch.”

Star stepped forward and said, “Fair point. Let me check.” She took an instrument from her belt and slowly scanned the door and surrounding area. Two areas registered with the machine and Star got to work, first identifying the traps, and then removing them.

Finally, she said, “Good call, two traps, one organic and one explosive. All clear.”

Leah said, “And the trolley?”

She could hear Star mutter, “Paranoid much!” but Star checked the trolley and found a small tracking device and two spy-bots. She removed all three and placed them into a secure storage pouch on her belt. Red and Leah entered the ship and loaded one of the mechanised sets of armour onto the Pod while Star waited behind at the docking point.

For the return trip, they took the lift and nothing untoward happened. At the entrance to the school, Leah stopped and said, “Thank you for your protection. If I need further protection do you want me to look for help elsewhere or should I contact you?”

Star reached in her pocket and flicked a single platinum to Leah. She said, “Call us! That is a refund for missing the booby traps and spyware. We offer discounts for extended services, and off the record, any chance to mess with Mahigan is a bonus. Take care, Atherleah.”

Leah waved goodbye and took the suit inside to arrange some lessons. She still had almost eight hours remaining and spent the first three learning how to pilot the Sirius Battleship, then two hours working on Astrogation before heading toward a room she had passed often but not entered before. It was labelled ‘Armour Training’. Leah entered her code and walked inside. The instructor was a bit taller than Leah and had much broader shoulders. She looked incredibly fit and her muscles were well defined and larger than Leah had seen on any man.

The woman said, “Atherleah, my name is Alice Anderson and I was a Master Gunnery Sergeant in the Alliance marines. You are here to become acquainted with the Black-Hole Mark 4.5 Mechanised Marine Suit which you have provided. Is this correct?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Do not call me Ma’am, or sir. You may call me Alice, or Anderson, or even Master Gunnery Sergeant but not Ma’am. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Alice, it is clear.”

“Good! Come with me.”

They walked over to the boxed armour, and Alice said, “I don’t know how you obtained this, but it is the latest in mechanised armour from Black-Hole. When not being worn the armour is best stored in its carry case. Now help me remove the outside cladding, and you will see the case.”

It took several minutes, but the top and sides of the box were easy to remove and inside was a sleek metallic container, four metres by two metres by two metres. At the midpoint of each side was a blood red circular logo which looked like a spiral, in the centre of which was a black circle. Underneath the model, ‘Mark 4.5’ was engraved. The container lay with the longest part parallel to the ground.

Alice walked to one of the ends and beckoned Leah to follow her. When they arrived, Alice showed Leah the control panel and said, “This panel is attuned to the owner, or to the designated wearer, of the suit. As this is a new suit, you should confirm ownership and your right to wear it. If you ever defeat someone and claim a suit like this, then you must come to the panel and verify your ownership. Now place your hand on the panel.”

Leah placed her hand on the panel and went through an initialising procedure similar to that she'd experienced claiming the frigate and corvette. Alice indicated a second panel that had appeared. “This is the panel you use to unpack and prepare the suit. Each suit conforms to the wearer. Now place your palm on the panel and stand still while it measures your vital statistics.”

Leah did this, and after several minutes a chime sounded, and the whole end which faced Leah began to swing open. Alice said, “That process will be instantaneous in future unless a different person has been given access to the suit. Inside this first section is an inner suit. The inner suit is power assisted and can be worn without the external mechanised suit. It is armoured, vacuum ready and powered to allow for an extended period of combat. It is designed to increase your strength by a factor of four. It is adjusted to your body, so I suggest you remove the suit you're wearing and put on the inner suit. It should be tight against your skin, and some people carry a small spray canister of lubricant to help them slide in.”

Alice had a can of lubricant and helped Leah slide her legs and arms into the suit. It automatically closed. Leah was standing and waiting for the next instruction when Alice said, “Amazing, you are the first student ever, here in the private sector, or when I was in the Marines, who has not tried to move until instructed. Now be careful, the suit will amplify all your movements, so start small.”

Leah decided to raise herself onto her toes, and she found that her movement when amplified caused her to rise above the surface of the floor by half a foot. For the next thirty minutes she practised walking, running, jumping and punching, she did push-ups, chin-ups and star-jumps. Finally, Alice said, “That is good enough for now. You probably need another few hours, but you have the idea. Now come to the open end of the case.”

Leah shuffled forward, and Alice continued, “This lever here will only unlock the second section if it is pulled down by someone wearing the correct inner suit. Now grip the lever and pull it out from the case and then down the full 180 degrees until it is again flat against the case.”

Leah did as she was told and then the top opened in the middle. Each section slid into recessed cavities at the sides of the case. An entryway opened in front of Leah. Alice said, “This is the entry panel to the suit. You walk in the door, and you'll be inside the control module. It will change shape so that it becomes taller than you by about ten centimetres. The width will also be resized to match the distance between your outstretched arms when they are perpendicular to your body, again with an extra ten centimetres. The depth of the room resizes to be four times the depth of your body, chest to back. Once you are inside, a harness will extend from the walls and anchor you. Then the cavity will fill with a superconductive movement-resistive gel. Once that happens, the legs and arms attach automatically, and the suit will unfold into an upright position. Now step inside and stand still with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your arms down by your sides. The process is automatic.”

Leah did as she was told and found that she could see the whole room. When the Suit stood up, she was elevated at least two meters above the floor. She remained still. Alice’s voice came clearly over the speakers. “Good! Any movement you now make is mirrored and amplified by the suit. If you bend forward slightly, the torso will swivel forward. If you begin to bend down to pick something up, then the suit AI will move the arms, legs, and torso to multiply and mirror your movement. It takes a lot of practice to make the micro movements necessary for quick and efficient action. Now very carefully, slowly take a single step forward.”

Leah took a small step forward, and the suit moved two metres. Alice directed Leah in small movements for about twenty minutes before helping her shut the suit down and repack it in the case. Finally, Leah was back in her usual armour, standing beside the suit’s case. Alice said, “Well done Atherleah. You have the basics of using the suit. We don’t train for the full functions in here because you could potentially destroy the station. You need several hours or days, depending on your ability and perseverance, in the simulator. It will train you to run, jump, shoot, fight, and duck. I have booked you in for the next two hours and will review your performance to see if you need more time. Well done, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.”

Leah spent the next two hours practising in the simulator. From what she could tell the suit really was capable of destroying the station single-handedly. When she was done, she hurried back to her room and logged out to the Tower and then to her room at the complex. After a shower and dressing in her jeans and a button shirt, she headed to the kitchen for a snack and to wait for Jimmy and the bosses.

Jimmy had arranged for the various bosses to arrive at ten that morning. Two others would be from the Switch as its population and area were large enough that Jimmy couldn’t hold onto more than a third easily. In reality, Leah knew that the other two were tied to Jimmy in some way. She had seen enough to know that although the gangs themselves exhibited patterns of rivalry, and even violence at times, that they operated with some type of overarching coordination. She assumed, with some justification, that Jimmy pulled all the strings and the inter-gang rivalry helped with control. Between eight and ten other bosses had been invited from the surrounding areas. Leah had never met any of them although she knew the identifying marks of all the gangs. For example, if you ever saw someone with a safety pin used as an earring then they belonged to a gang from the Vale called the Memorials. The members of Jimmy’s gang were easy to spot as they carried fighting sticks and had a blue cloth tied somewhere on their body, wrist, neck, or ankle. Leah had the cloth but never wore it openly.

Jimmy and John had commandeered one of the offices and several people from the Switch had arrived to act as service waiters. Jimmy was sitting out the front under a small veranda, waiting to greet people when they arrived. John had arranged car-parking away from the buildings. He had over a dozen people walking the compound looking for trouble. Two people were acting as car-park attendants, but their chief job was to check the cars for electronics and weapons. Leah went over to talk to Jimmy.

“So Jimmy, are all the bosses on board?”

“Mostly! The boss from Booval wants to provide second-hand Pods. She’s always been cheap. Can we compromise on that?”

“Sure Jimmy, she can provide a second-hand Pod, and I’ll set it up here. But I won’t match it or provide anything else. I’m not going to help people for nothing Jimmy.”

“I don’t think you know what compromise means. Please remember these people do not have a sense of humour. Also, I imagine some of them will bring a sampling of kids from those you rescued. They’ll want to say thank you and then squeeze you for more. I suggest you be polite and don’t lose your temper.”

“When was the last time I lost my temper?”

“Last April, you broke that boy’s arm and leg.”

“That wasn’t temper Jimmy, that was controlled. He was caught looking through windows at girls getting changed.”

“Boys will be boys.”

“The girls were twelve years old, Jimmy. And don’t give me that ‘boys will be boys’ crap. You agreed with me. I’m surprised he’s still around.”

“You’re right, and I do agree with you. He is still around, but I will tell you a secret. ‘He now only has one testicle’. But my point is, don’t let them see you get angry. Be cool.”

“I will be. Believe it or not, there have been a couple of times dealing with people in the virtual world when I’ve thought to myself; now how would Jimmy deal with this? I’ve been watching and learning for ten years.”

“Good! Now game face on, and be polite, the first guests are here.”

Leah looked up, and a car was coming toward the gate. John stopped it and checked who was inside, he ran a mirror underneath and then let them in. After it parked, four people emerged. Leah could tell it was a boss, a bodyguard and two young people. She assumed they were two of the people from the Kolelick Mine. The rest of the guests arrived in short order, and soon the group moved inside and stood in the office reception area, almost filling it. With the young people, there were just too many people. Jimmy looked at Leah as if it was her problem to solve.

Leah raised her voice and said, “Welcome everyone to the Pod facility owned and operated by Guàn Enterprises. I know that Mr Loo and his associates have various matters to discuss so I will take the opportunity to show the other visitors around the facilities. If each of the leadership group would follow Mr Loo. Security personnel are welcome to accompany their primary, or come on the tour. The rest of you, we will start the tour under the large tree which I am pointing at. Please follow me.”

As she walked out, she sub-vocalised to Gèng and said, “Please remind my parents the meeting is about to start and they should be in it. Also, let John know we need several people in the main building to keep watch just in case anyone decides to wander.”

Once everyone was clustered under the tree, she sat down and indicated they should do the same. She said, “You are all here because at one stage in your life you wanted to be, or do, more than what was offered in the places you lived. I understand that. I wanted, and I still do want, more than is offered in the Switch. However, your dreams were crushed by the system, by the Government, and by scum who preyed on you. Again, I understand, they tried the same thing with me. Never before, or since, have I felt so violated, abused, or demeaned, and I was lucky, I was able to elude them. Most of you couldn’t, and you suffered stuff that people just don’t understand. Your family probably doesn’t understand, the bosses don’t understand and to be honest I probably don’t understand. The others around you, they do understand.

“I don’t know what the bosses have told you about what’s being offered, but it comes down to this. They think you are ready to go back into the virtual world. They expect you to study and I imagine they also, to some extent, want to use you. They want you to make them money or they want to achieve some influence over you. I mention this because you need to be honest with yourselves, and with the bosses, and to some extent with me. If you are not ready to enter the virtual world, then don’t. Whatever nightmares you have now, they will not be solved by sucking it up and going back in, unless you are ready and prepared.

“The Community College courses are of good quality and with hard work can be passed. The games, when played without coercion are enjoyable, almost addictive, and they are good ways to earn an income. If you have this chance, then any money you earn helps to pay the costs here. If you earn nothing, you pay nothing, and you can still attend college. If you pass, that is good, if you fail then you are out of here. Either way you will have no debt, no debt to me or to the bosses. Forty percent of what you earn helps pay for stuff, half to the boss and a half to me. If you earn enough to pay off your debt, then you'll only be asked to pay for living expenses. Total to be paid off is close to $250,000.

“If you are chosen to stay here then there will be no gangs, no gang influence, no stealing, no violence, no prejudice. Finally, your AIs! I expect most of you struggled with the nascent AI. If you return, then I and my AI will spend some time working with each of you to develop your AI to be both helpful and useful. I am not going to answer questions yet but we will walk around the compound. I’ll show you the facilities, and then we will return here. If you take anything, wander off, or if you act offensively to me, another visitor or my staff then I will bar you from ever using this facility. Now follow me.”

Leah led them around the buildings, explaining where the gardens would be and what might be expected as far as helping. She took them inside and showed them the new pods and the rooms which had been prepared. Leah explained that each boss would provide another Pod and would have the option of choosing someone to live at the facility and that others would be chosen by committee. She warned them that an older couple would manage the facility, and that the couple had the right of veto on anyone coming, even someone chosen by a boss. Finally, they returned to the tree, she sat down and looked around. She said, “Any questions?”

“How did you escape?”

“Luck. I had acquired some better security. It detected their attempt to control me. Without that, I would have been in the same position as you.”

“What type of AI do you have?”

“I had a Nascent AI uploaded into a free chip.”

“What if I don’t get accepted?”

“I don’t know. You’ve seen I have more rooms than Pods. I’d be prepared to get more Pods but it’s expensive. I don’t think this is a once only chance. There is always next time.”

“How much money have you made?”

“Enough to buy ten pods.”

“Why did they do it?”

“Who?”

“The people who trapped me?”

“They are immoral people who think that the world belongs to them. They think people are just resources to be used. They are scum who have everything and want more. To be honest, though, I have no idea why. I just know they need to be stopped.”

“Will they get away with it?”

“Maybe, possibly, even probably. But let that go. I don’t mean you should ignore them, or somehow forget them, what I mean is you need to stop letting them control you. Don’t let them control your mood, your happiness, your future, your family, or any other part of your lives. You, we, need to deny them power over us. They are not worthy to mould your future. Your family is, your friends might be, your abilities and dreams should. God, if you believe, is. But those people, they are not worthy.”

Leah continued to answer questions until John interrupted to say, “Sorry Leah but the ‘Leadership Group’ wants to discuss things with you. I will take these others to get started on some snacks and drinks.”

As she walked back to the offices she noticed that John had set up a target and had several bows placed under a table ready to check her skills. She entered the offices and after knocking entered the room and went to sit next to her parents. Jimmy said, “We’ve had a good and fruitful discussion. There are a few points where we haven’t quite reached an agreement. I’ll let the various ‘leaders’ raise their questions or concerns.”

An older, rather corpulent man, leant forward and said, “You are too young to have a seat on the committee.”

Leah just sat there in silence. After a moment he said, “Well, what do you have to say?”

“I’m sorry sir, I don’t know your name but you didn’t ask a question. You said I was too young. I am too polite to tell you that you are too old, that it’s my money and facilities you want, or that you need me far more than I need you. So I refrained from speaking. Mr Loo is always telling me I need to learn when not to speak.”

The man glared at Leah while several of the others had a chuckle. One of the women said, “What do you get out of this?”

“Nothing! But my parents raised me to do what is right if I can. This seems right.”

“Why do we have to agree to let them off without debt?”

“Because if you don’t then you are making them your slaves instead of someone else’s. I know people should pay for what they get, and I hate the idea of a free handout, but the reality is you will only change the current situation by setting people free. The government controls us by regulating every aspect of our lives. If you can’t set these people, some of the best you have, free; then you end up just being another master. I hope that they will pay you back out of gratitude, by their choice, and through their decisions. But you can’t force that, or it won’t be real, it won’t actually change anything.”

“Why new Pods?”

“Security, safety and economics. Security, I am not very trusting at the moment. Safety, I don’t know how to fix the Pods, and all the AI are nascent. Economics, I am in this for the long haul, these should last fifteen to twenty years.”

“Why does Jimmy get to sit on each committee?”

“He is the boss of this area. I am beholden to him. He set this up. It's really a simple matter of influence and power, and at the moment, he has both.”

The questions continued for another twenty minutes and then the bosses finally agreed to the agreement as prepared. Everyone signed the papers as did Leah. Jimmy said, “Thank you all for coming and for agreeing. As soon as you either have the money or can arrange a Pod delivery, then we can start helping these kids get back into the virtual world. Let’s go eat.”

Leah stood at the door and shook hands. The last person was the old man who had started the questions. He shook her hand and said, “I apologise for my comment. You showed that you deserve a place at the table by the way you answered the questions. I want to thank you for what you did. My oldest granddaughter was missing for three years, and now I have her back. If you ever need anything, you call me. My name is Peter, Peter Johnson and I’m from Basin Pocket.”

The rest of the visit went well, but Leah was pleased when everyone, including Jimmy, had finally gone. She sat with her parents and discussed the morning. Finally she excused herself and entered the Pod saying to Gèng she needed two hours of NREM3 sleep but first, she needed to visit ‘Dark Moon Duel’ to check on her purchases for the tournament she'd agreed to enter.

Both the armourer and cobbler had everything ready and she was pleased with the feel of the purchases. Farron gave his approval for the armour and then made her practice her forms with the new blades. She spent an hour with him and promised to return the next day at half past four in the afternoon to accompany him to the Blades section of the Tournament.

Leah returned to the Tower and Gèng induced deep-sleep for two hours.

As soon as she awoke, Gèng said, “John contacted me and suggested that this afternoon would be a good time for him to evaluate your archery skills.”

“That works for me. Can you let him know I’ll be down in about fifteen minutes? I need to have an afternoon snack before I do anything else.”

Fifteen minutes later Leah exited the main building to find John and several others practising with the bows. Leah knew that some in the Switch used bows for hunting bush-turkeys and kangaroo. Leah watched their form and realised she was judging them by the standards Lady Flèche would use. John was accurate, but his form would never satisfy Lady Flèche, as he hardly used any muscles except those in his arms, and his shots were out of sync with his breathing.

As she approached, he turned and said, “Take your pick of bows and show me what you’ve got.”

The rest of the archers placed their bows on a table John had set up and stepped back so Leah could make a choice. She looked through them all, testing the draw and finally settled on a simple bow similar to the first bow she used in Dunyanin. Leah examined the arrows, and though all were straight, several had poor fletching. She picked the ten best and placed them in a quiver over her right shoulder. Leah walked over to John who said quietly, “Ok, now I want you to shoot as accurately and quickly as you can, without going beyond normal human speed.”

“How many arrows do you want me to shoot?”

“All ten!”

“Ok! But let me shoot one to test first, I’ll grab one from the table and be right back.”

Leah grabbed an arrow and looked at the target John had set up. It was only twenty-five metres away. She nocked the arrow and aimed at the twelve o'clock position on the outside line of the circle he had drawn. She was pleased to see that all her practice had transferred to the real world and the arrow ended up close to where she wanted it to be.

John quipped, “You’ll have to do better than that to impress me.”

Leah smiled and then took some deep calming breaths. Breaths, that in Dunyanin would presage her Ki speed. She reached behind and then one after the other she shot all ten arrows. She placed the first nine of them in a circle around the target with the arrows roughly equally spaced and the final arrow embedded close to the bullseye. She had purposely kept her speed lower than when she played in Dunyanin.

She turned to John and said, “If you want we can move the target back a bit. My virtual instructor also has a set of moving targets. I imagine if you had the guys throw things in the air that would work just as well.”

He just stood still staring at her and then said, “If you are still offering, then I’ll go get the chip on Monday. That is enough for now. Tonight if you are free I’d like to check just how strong and fast you are. Can you be in the gym at nine?”

Leah thought about what she needed to do and said, “No. The earliest I can be free is ten.”

“Good! I’ll meet you outside your room at ten. Now go, I’ll retrieve the arrows for you.”

Leah left and headed for her Pod where she decided to do one lesson from all of her Community College Courses. She knew she should do another test at MIT but didn’t want to get behind in the courses she had already started. By the time she had finished them, it was dinner time, so she spent an hour with her family. Both her mother and father wanted to discuss the meeting and her impression of the candidates.

After dinner, she showered and made her way to Dunyanin, appearing in the Forest to find the others had disappeared, as expected. She was preparing to teleport to the edge of the river when she heard a twig break somewhere behind her. She dove forward and to her right, at the same time she equipped Baris and a knife. She twisted to land on her back and then continued the roll to bring herself upright and ready to face an attack. A large panther-like creature landed in the space she just vacated and turned to face her. Its shoulders were level with hers, and so it was looking her in the eye. Instead of fur, it was covered in scales that were mostly black, but turned a dark violet at the end of each paw.

SCALED MANATHER (Level 240) 57600HP (12000EP)

“Gèng, what’s a Manather?”

“The bestiary says they are large cat-like creatures who absorb mana. It coalesces on their extremities in the form of scales. It can manipulate the mana into simple spells. The mana scales are highly resistant to any form of magical attack.”

The Manather was watching Leah and slowly easing its centre of gravity lower as if to pounce. She unequipped the knife and cast chain lightning expecting it to have little effect except to give her time to find a strategy. She was stunned when the lightning simply vanished against the scaled pelt, and the Manather identification flashed briefly

SCALED MANATHER (Level 242) 58564HP (12100EP)

It snarled and opened its mouth wide and gave a deep throated and primal roar. Leah was disturbed when she heard an answering roar from nearby. She cast chain lightning a second time hoping for a similar result. This time she was ready for the roar and equipping Guzeltuya’s Bow she fired an arrow through the wide open mouth. The Manather’s HP dropped rapidly, and she stepped forward and brought Merdiven down hard on the sloped forehead. Its HP bar was blinking and she re-equipped Baris and thrust it forward and through one of the swirling purple eyes. The Manather was dead. She stood still for some time expecting a member of its pride to appear and attack. When it didn’t, she harvested the Manather

You have harvested:

1 Manather Pelt*

2 Vials of Manather Blood**

* Note: These are sometimes used to make clothing resistant to magical attack.

** Note: As a vampire, you may enjoy the benefits from this delicacy, it provides a two-hour buff which allows you to absorb the magic of any magical attack.

Leah smiled at the first indication that the choice to be a vampire might have ongoing benefits. Instead of heading for the river she went looking for the Manather she'd heard nearby. Half-an-hour later and she’d found and defeated the other Manather, as well as a small swarm of amphitheres. She visualised the bank of the River Tehlikeli and teleported there. After stringing the ropes in readiness for her friends’ arrival, she spent seven hours making forays into the forest while she waited. She returned every hour or so, but it wasn’t until almost five o’clock, when on her return she found Eli, Elsa, Matt and Rana waiting for her.

Once Leah joined the others, and after several minutes of catching up, Eli said, “So what now? It is another two hours to Göskel-Orman. What is your next step Atherleah?”

“I need to visit the King and assure him that the House is under my control and that he can send his subjects to settle on my lands. I assume that there has been an announcement and that Travellers are already heading for the Forest.”

Elsa interrupted and said, “Yes. The announcement was yesterday, and I expected people to already be on the other side and trying to get across. I’m a little concerned that no one is there.”

“I put the rope bridge across several hours ago. Maybe people have already used it and disappeared into the forest. Anyway, after that, I need to be on my way as fast as I can to the Port of Tekne and from there by boat to Ticareti where I’ll meet my friends. What are you three going to do?”

“We are tempted to come with you but will probably stay here for a while. Your lands will have new dungeons, and we are here at the start of the explorations. It is too good a chance to miss out on. My only worry is how we will get across the river. Any chance you can leave the bridge up? Until a town is formed there won’t be a resurrection point on this side of the river.”

“I will leave it up, and I’ll also give you the coordinates of the place Namus and I decided was good as a starter town. We already added a resurrection point. Let’s divide all the loot from the trip to the house, and then you can decide what to do next. After that, I will cross the river and head back.”

The three friends decided to cross the river and stay on the other side that evening. Eli went first, followed by Elsa and Matt. As Matt was making his way across the river, Leah turned to Rana and said, “I am sorry I have been unable to travel with you so far. Has leaving the House been the experience you expected?”

“I had no expectations Lady Atherleah. I just knew that I needed a change. Fighting with the unchanged has been challenging. I have had to learn new skills. If I had been by myself, I would have simply misted through the Forest and thereby missed the challenge of battle.”

“You must teach me to Mist. I have the skill but have yet to practise it. Also, as we are companions and sisters you should call me Atherleah.”

“Sisters?”

“Well, both you and I have been changed by Namus. If he is our father, then we are sisters.”

“What you say is true. I shall call you ‘Atherleah’ or ‘sister’. I shall not need the rope but shall mist across the river.”

Leah teleported across and then said goodbye to Elsa, Eli and Matt. She said, “Keep in touch. If you still want to join Clan Guàn then message me, and I’ll set up a meeting.”

Leah and Rana started down the trail to Göskel-Orman. When they were out of sight of the others, Leah said, “Rana, what did you do while the others slept during the night?”

“I rested. I understand that you travellers visit other worlds and I enjoyed the safety of their camp.”

“It is almost three and half hours running to reach the city. I have only an hour, and then I must leave to visit several other worlds before returning tomorrow at six. Are you comfortable to make your way toward the city on your own? If so, I will teleport to the city, visit the king and prepare for tomorrow’s journey down to the sea.”

“I can do this. I shall meet you outside the city tomorrow at six in the morning.”

Leah stepped away and teleported to the outskirts of the city and hurried to the palace where she was kept waiting for almost forty minutes before being able to see the King. After greeting him, she said, “Your Majesty, I have visited the Ebony House and taken control of it. The land is wild and dangerous, but it is now open for your people should they wish to build homes, villages and towns to live in. Travellers are now able to enter the land and harvest its resources.”

“Well done Markiz Atherleah. We are pleased and will make this option known to the people. Already travellers have started to arrive in the city headed for the Deep Forest. The city abounds in stories of how dangerous it is. This will certainly bring even more travellers through my lands, and my merchants are pleased. Do you have anything further to speak with me about?”

“Only one thing your Majesty, as well as Lady of the Deep Forest I am the Lady of Heykel. I have claimed the Marble Mine and cleared it of the beast who lived there. I know that many in your kingdom believe the mine is rightfully a part of their heritage. I would see the mine used and am willing to assign the administration of the mine to Göskel-Orman if we could reach an agreement on the distribution of profits.”

“Surely it is for the King to assign the status of Lady of Heykel.”

“With respect, your majesty, the mine is outside the borders of your realm. I would entertain allowing you priority access, for a percentage of all profits.”

The King sent for the Minister of Finance, Lord H’zine and the three settled into haggling over terms. In the end, Leah assigned the administration of the mine to the Crown of Göskel-Orman, who agreed to administer the mine and protect all assets. Leah was to receive thirty percent of all profits. Part of the agreement she insisted on made provision for others besides High Elf traders to purchase the Marble.

Finally, with the business concluded, Leah took her leave of the king and made her way to an Inn. After hiring a room for the night, she logged out and asked Gèng to empty her backpack of the various loot from the day. After a shower, she stepped out of her room to find John waiting for her. She started walking with him when Gèng said, “You have two messages. The first is from Amy who wants to know if you are free for a meeting at midnight. The second is from Elsa who says that the three of them would like to join Clan Guàn.”

“Say yes to Amy and reply to Elsa that I will talk with the other members tonight.”

John said, “What are you thinking about? You seemed preoccupied as you walked,”

“Just dealing with some last minute correspondence. I was talking with Gèng.”

“Does it distract you?”

“Not usually, Gèng is very good at making sure I’m not distracted when something important or dangerous is happening. She knew we were walking in silence, so she knew it was okay to interrupt.”

When they reached the gym, John checked it was empty and after a fixing a ‘Do Not Enter’ sign to the door they went inside. He locked the door. Leah was surprised when he took a device from his pockets and walked around the room with it. He answered her raised eyebrows by saying, “Just checking for unauthorised surveillance.”

When he had finished he said, “Now, how much stronger than usual should these changes make you?”

After checking with Gèng she said, “There are still some fibres being laid within the muscles, but with the current amount, I might be three times stronger than normal and the increase might eventually be ten times normal.”

“Good! I looked it up, and someone who weighs what you do, which I suspect is around sixty kilograms, might be able to bench press just over their body weight if they'd been working out. Earlier I put forty kilograms on each end of a ten-kilo bar. You lifted ninety kilograms easily. Now, I don’t want to push it as there is no one here to spot for you, except me, but even adding all the weights we have, we’ll only be able to get at most 500 kg on the bar. Let’s start at 100 kg and work our way up. If you find it is difficult, we’ll stop there until we can figure out a safe method to test you. I might even need to have you buy a better weights gym or even a machine.”

Leah agreed and lay down on the bench. Slowly John added the weights and stopped at 290 when he saw Leah straining. John said, “So that is 290 Kg. I assume that you could press more. There is no need for other tests until we have a better system. Now, let’s test speed. There is nowhere safe to see you run but I think a new treadmill would help. I imagine you won’t increase in speed ten times?”

“Not with gravity playing a factor as well as wind resistance and all the various parameters that affect friction.”

“So take two fighting sticks and move through the startup sequence of moves which I taught you years ago; just the first set. I’ll do the same after you time me performing them as fast I can, then I’ll time you.”

The sequence was a training progression which John taught his students to help them practise every major move. Leah timed John working at top speed and he took just thirty-five seconds. Leah practised once and then attempted to speed up the moves. Her first attempt took twenty-five seconds and her third just twenty-seconds.

Gèng interrupted and said, “Leah, another limiting factor is your perception of time. I have studied the material and believe I can currently increase your perception by a factor of three, let me make the change and then try again.”

“All right, let me tell John first.”

After she had explained to John what Gèng said she gave the go-ahead to Gèng, Leah didn’t notice any changes immediately until she looked at John and noticed his eyelid moving slowly in a blink. She began the sequence and went through it three times in a row. When she finished she could tell when Gèng stopped affecting her perception; John seemed to speed up.

He said, “That looked much faster but I still timed it at twenty-one seconds.”

“I did the sequence three times, John.”

“So an average of seven seconds. That is at least five times faster than me, and I’m fast. So, what are your weaknesses?”

“The carbon fibres are still being laid. My skull is currently being worked on and will have new fibres laid within a week. Gèng suggests I find some clothing that will reduce friction through the air as well as both increasing friction at hands and feet. It would also be useful if it protected the skin from damage due to increased impacts.”

“Gèng is probably best suited to research that and when I hear from her I’ll look for sources that will keep things quiet. Thanks for coming down tonight. I know it was mainly to satisfy my curiosity but also it helps me plan how to keep you safe. Now off you go. I need to spend some time in here after being so badly schooled by a scrawny little girl.”

After saying goodbye Leah headed back to her room considering all the implications of the changes in her body. When she arrived she found herself famished and ate a whole second dinner, not just a snack. Gèng said, “You need to increase your food intake. I will let your mother know as she will need to make sure the food is readily accessible. You have fifteen minutes until Amy and the others arrive.”

“Thanks, Gèng, I’ll be there soon.”

Diary - 2 December 2073

What am I becoming? I’m not genetically any different, and I don’t have any powers. I wonder if augmented or enhanced is a better word? I think I prefer enhanced. But what good will it be? It will be useful for protection but what else? I need to think about it some more. Whatever I do, I need to be careful about who knows. I have to be careful about how I act in front of people.

I wonder what Sentience Level Four X means. I forgot to research it today. I truly am pleased for Gèng, but what does it mean for me? If she has no controls is that good or bad? But she does have controls; she has her programming and her own sense of right and wrong. I wonder if an artificial intelligence can sin? Is she truly free if she is constrained? Constraints are good, and society only works when there are guidelines and parameters to live by. Anarchy is harmful. Having said that, do we need the freedom to break the rules, to be really free when we follow them? Is this the free will that people talk about? Is this true sentience? Because, it has to be more than intelligence.

I wonder what will happen with the v-kids. It's weird to think that I’m thinking of them as kids when they are all older than me. For them to have a PAI chip means they must have been at the top of their classes, they would have had to fight to get there. They have to be tough, but they all looked a little lost and broken. Why would someone do that to them? I told them I have no idea why someone would do this to them and that’s the truth. How can someone treat another person so callously? Surely some connection, some empathy, some sympathetic impulse would stop them from treating another person like that. How can Meredith do it? And her husband? And Jackson? And all the followers, the mine guards and the like? Part of me is starting to hate her, and that is where I might fail. Stop her? Yes! Punish her? Yes! Frustrate, annoy and irritate her? Whenever I can! Hate her? I must not. This is more for me than for her; I cannot give in to hate because that will change me. And I won’t give her that power over me.

CHAPTER THREE

December 3, 2073

Leah was waiting at the podium when her five friends arrived. She hugged them all, saving Thad until last. She also reached up and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. Inside they all settled into their usual chairs, except Thad who came and sat on the sofa next to Leah. Amy raised her eyebrows at Leah who smiled and blushed.

Wisp saved Leah by saying, “We reached Ticareti today. We’re staying in an Inn and wondered how long you’d be. After we finished the mine, we spent some time harvesting various plants unique to the area.”

“I’ve finished at Gôskel-Orman and will head to the Port of Tekne tomorrow. I hope to catch a boat to Ticareti immediately. Gèng estimates it is a journey of four days by sea, so I may be a week altogether. I’ve also had problems with my college application, Meredith Kodoman again, and I still haven't finished my flight training. You should all stay at the Clan property and get it organised. We also need to organise a wagon train to Platin and collect whatever has already been mined.”

Zack said, “I can do that. I’ve some friends who have a transport business. I believe they are trustworthy and won’t rat us out.”

“That’s ok with me, if everyone else agrees.”

After checking for agreement, Zack said, “We’ll need a clan account at the bank. Either you, or a designated Treasurer, is needed to make the arrangements.”

Wisp volunteered for the task and Leah promised to make the changes to the clan settings in the morning. James and Amy promised to look into organising the clan Mansion. Thad said he would help whoever needed assistance. They agreed that they would use the spare time to improve their professions. Leah said she would try and do the same while on board ship.

Finally, Leah said, “I have three applicants for the clan. Gèng can you give some images of Eli, Elsa and Matt.”

Gèng had a three dimensional model of each appear in the middle of the room.

Thad leant forward and said, “Leah, I know these guys, they are part of the extended Kodoman family. You need to ditch them.”

“I know Thad, Elsa is Meredith’s niece, Eli is her husband, and Matt is a relation of Eli’s. They were honest about their relationships and probably have more to fear from being associated with me than I with them. They fought alongside me for three days and not once did they try to harm me. On the contrary, they all saved my life at times.”

Zack said, “My concern is more personal. How do you know they aren’t being controlled by Meredith? They would need to have their firewall improved, and their world scrubbed, before I’d be happy having them in the clan.”

The others agreed, and Leah asked, “Gèng, can you tell if someone has been compelled by meeting them here or would you need to go to their world?”

“I’ve referred your query to Security Controller 11-5, and he said that I would need to be in their world. He has put me in contact with a private firm who specialise in cleansing infected worlds. This firm has been given the contract by International Virtual Security to clean personal worlds of the code that allows people to be controlled. They are highly respected and confidential.”

“So, if I check they are clean, then are you all happy to have them join the clan?”

“Yes, but we need a charter for them to sign, what have you said so far?”

“I told them the motto and that it meant, ‘Do what is right, don’t be a scumbag. Succeed at whatever you attempt. Look out for and protect family, friends and those less fortunate.’”

“Succinct. And the buy-in?”

Amy said, “I suggest its a diamond to join. We’ll need to work out what benefits members receive. I suggest they have free accommodation at the clan houses and we need to give payouts from the various mines. The Platinum mine alone will repay the joining fee after the first load.”

Thad said, “If you want, I’ll do some research and pull something together.”

Everyone agreed, and they spent another hour recounting their various journeys. Leah didn’t tell them about being changed. For some reason, she was hesitant to do so. Amy, James, Zack and Wisp left, while Thad stayed behind for a moment. He knew enough to move slowly with Leah and only stayed for one long kiss and then he disappeared.

Leah asked Gèng to arrange a time to meet with the three possible recruits.

Gèng agreed and then said, “I’ve finalised a design for various memory nodules to be placed along the spinal column and within each limb. Are you comfortable with me beginning the process?”

“Yes.”

“I have found a highly respected psychiatrist who can see you soon. I have tentatively booked you in for a consultation after you visit ‘Dark Moon Duel’ later today.”

“Are you sure it is necessary?”

“Yes.”

“Okay! I’ll make myself available at that time to see the psychiatrist. I have another task for you before I take a small break and some food.”

“Certainly, what is it?”

“Can you review the Dunyanin forums, or fora I suppose, and see if there is any way of finding a well-respected trader or trading firm who could be hired to broker all the loot. I would prefer someone who is free to move to Ticareti and join the clan. If we can’t find someone, then I’ll consider placing an advertisement. I just don’t have time to sell everything I’ve collected.”

“I will instigate a search. Also, you should take the dragon egg and allow it to time to hatch.”

“Will it proceed with hatching if it is in my bag?”

“I don’t think so, but even if you removed it every time you take a break, it would proceed faster than it is at the moment. Also, Mĕi needs to increase her Level. She is currently only Level 1 even though she is so big. On the road to Tekne, there will be some low-level MOB’s for her to chase. The guides suggest to let her wander. If she dies, you will know and you can revive her later. Either way, she needs to grow if she is to help you. It won’t take her long as pets earn points at an accelerated rate until they reach the level of their owner.”

Leah took another break and found she needed another meal. She entered Dunyanin and made her way to meet Rana. Together they entered the city and went to the market. Leah wanted to get a tent for the journey as well as giving Rana an opportunity to visit the city. An hour-and-a-half later and they left the town on the trail which ran alongside the River Canli down to the sea. Leah let Mĕi roam free, and once she had been introduced and accepted Rana, she began to forage on the side of the trail. As long as Leah and Rana kept their distance, then Mĕi was able to find low-level MOB’s to fight. While they were travelling at the slower pace, Leah asked Rana to teach her how to use the Mist skill. In the beginning, Leah could only Mist for a minute, but after some practice and the application of some skill points, she was able to extend this to periods of up to ten minutes. As there was no cool-down and it was only a mana expense she practised moving rapidly between solid and mist forms.

She queried Rana about the dangers of being in Mist form. Rana said, “I do not know of anything that can harm someone in mist, but then we tend not to fight when misted. It takes mana, and I suppose a spell which cancels mana or absorbs it might affect a person who is Misted.”

“Are there any restrictions about when I can mist?”

“Yes, you cannot Mist completely with a weapon in your hands, they always remain solid and this affects your own transformation.”

“But I’ve been Misting and holding Merdiven has made no difference.”

“Then either at the time you Mist it must not be viewed as a weapon, or there is something unusual about Merdiven.”

Leah unequipped Merdiven and equipped Baris. She was unable to fully Mist while holding the sword, so she assumed the difference was Merdiven.

“What other things do you think I should learn about being a vampire?”

“There is too much light to practice using Shadows, but you could practise changing your form. The easiest is to learn how to bring forth your claws and fangs. Until this is mastered, then the other forms will elude you.”

Leah spent the next several hours practising how to change her hands to extrude her nails into sharp claws capable of shredding through flesh and skin. She was loathe to extrude her fangs, but an icon Gèng had placed at the top of her vision reminded her that the time would come when she would need to feed.

After five hours travelling, Leah and Rana moved off the trail and stopped for a small lunch break. Leah took the Dragon’s egg out of the mining bag while they waited. Rana had many questions and was in awe of Leah’s possession of such a prize. She said, “Vampires throughout history would praise you because you have an egg of the enemy.”

“Not my enemy, Rana. In fact, one day I will travel to the Dragonebone Islands to fulfil a quest. I hope this dragon will grow to be my friend and my mount, and that it will make travelling faster.”

“I imagine they will hate you more than any other vampire if you appear riding a dragon.”

“Oh, it gets worse. This egg is not pure. It is a mixture of a fire-dragon and a life-dragon. Dragons do not let such eggs hatch. I think I will be the epitome of everything they loathe, all wrapped up in one person.”

After lunch, Leah put the egg away, and they continued on their way. Just before three Leah stopped and said, “I need to go now. Are you comfortable travelling on your own for a while?”

“Indeed. I will probably move at thrice this speed without having to wait for Mĕi.”

“Then you take the tent and keep moving. I will use my teleport spell to travel faster tomorrow and catch up. I plan to be back around nine in the morning.”

“If I rise earlier then I will proceed with haste toward the sea. How much further is it?”

“Altogether, probably another fifty leagues.”

“I shall make haste.”

Leah watched Rana head down the trail and called to Mĕi to come closer so she could transform her into a statue. When Mĕi arrived, she logged out and took a break before heading to Dark Moon Duel and the Tournament.

Leah arrived at the School of Swords at the appointed time, and after changing into her new armour, she added the new weapons and belted the sword at her waist. Master of Blades Farron approached her with a dark red cord. He said, “Here, tie this on your belt. It declares that you are a student at my school and that you join the tournament with my blessing. I believe you will bring me honour today, as well as yourself.”

Together they walked through the city toward the city’s central amphitheatre. As they approached, she could see thousands of people making their way through the main gates. Farron said, “The spectators. Most are members of the city, but some are like you, Challengers. The Challengers come to check out the competition.”

“Is that what you call us? Challengers!”

“That is what you call yourselves. Everything is ‘I challenge you’. But that’s good. We are a proud and martial people. We love to fight, and your challenges help us improve. I was defeated many times in my youth, and it taught me much. Now I am a Master of Blades.”

“So you, like us, are resurrected.”

“Of course. Is there any other way of life? If we perished after every fight why would we continue to train you or fight you? If death were the end of everything, then combat is surely the stupidest course. Are there truly worlds where death is final? I have heard others talk of such things but have given their words little credence.”

“I don’t know, Master Farron. I know of worlds where after death, people are seen no more. I doubt that is the end of them, but no one knows. Many believe, even on those worlds, that there is life, after death.”

“Which is as it should be! If not, then life should be spent on other things besides war and combat. I imagine people who lived on those worlds would live in constant fear, fear of death, fear of anything that brought harm. Maybe even fear of life itself.”

“You are right. Many live in fear of those things and at the same time seek ways to escape their fear.”

“Such a life would be a nightmare. I am glad that I live in this world then. But enough of such chatter. I will enrol you in the Sword Division Entrance Level of the Tournament. You will face others like you. Now, because it is the Sword Division, there will be no use of magic. Other divisions will test the Bow, Hand-to-hand combat, Knives, Axes, Magic and then the Team Division. If you compete favourably in your matches, do not be surprised if you are asked to join a team. I request that as my student you allow me input on the team you join if you are approached.”

“I will look for your help, Master Farron. Are the battles like our sparring?”

“No. These are to death. Because it is the Tournament, you will be resurrected immediately. It is possible, if the numbers are uneven, that a well-respected loser be promoted to the next round. The other difference is that Magic is prohibited. But do not be surprised if, when your opponent has an opportunity, that they hit or kick you. Knives are also common. Most unranked, though, are like you and have limited knowledge of such weapons.”

“If I see an opportunity, will you be dishonoured if I use such skills? I have some skill with the knife from other places I have visited.”

“No. There is no dishonour. I will only lose standing if you show no skill, or if you are defeated early. I am glad you have these skills. Some of the other Masters teach such tactics. I usually wait until your sword work is at least two or three levels higher. I expect you to do well though as most Challengers rely on a set of scripted moves and struggle to adapt. Most who reach the higher levels of combat train as you do. They seek to understand and read the flow of combat. They feel free to modify their movement in accord with context. Only a few of these unranked will have started down that path. This is why I expect you to succeed.”

“If someone is defeated, must I kill them?”

“It is preferred as then they resurrect with full health. Winners, on the other hand, progress at times with damage from a previous duel. This Tournament allows you to ask for three mercy killings to restore your health.”

They approached a long table where people were registering. Farron led Leah to one of the officials and said, “This is Atherleah, she is unranked. She is a student in the School of Swords and trained by me, Master of Blades Farron.”

“One unranked named Atherleah in the Sword Division and trained by Master Farron. That will be ten Gold.”

Leah paid the woman, who handed Leah a wood token with an engraved Sword on one side and the number ‘58’ on the other.

“Entrance Level matches begin in ten minutes, West Quarter of the Amphitheatre. There are currently fifty-nine registered contestants. The top thirty-two will enter the final draw. Current prize for first place is 352 Gold and the honour of competing in the Level 1 competition, free of charge. Do you have any questions?”

Farron said, “No!” and led Leah away.

It took five minutes to reach the marshalling area. When they arrived, Leah looked around and saw a whole range of contestants from maybe ten or twelve different races; orc, elf, reptilian, canine, feline, avian, insectoids, humans and something that looked like a thin rhinoceros. Each of them were wielding swords, and some had several. One of the insectoids was wearing four, one for each hand.

After waiting five further minutes, an official announced, “We have sixty-one contestants in the Entrance Level Challenge for those with their Primary Weapon declared as Swords. The total Prize pool after appropriate fees have been deducted is 546 Gold. This is 364 Gold for the winner and 182 Gold for the Challenger who loses the final match. You must remain within the marshalling area. You are allowed three mercy killings. The winner will be eligible to enter the Level 1 Challenge which begins immediately after the finish of the Entrance Level Challenge.”

Leah’s first duel was against one of the cat analogues. The Challenger was fast and agile, but predictable. Leah calmed herself and concentrated on defence until she understood the Challenger’s style. She received some glancing blows on the armour, but none caused a problem. When she saw her opponent start a series of attacks for the third time, she waited until they were committed to the attack and then drove forward in a lunging attack and killed them with a single thrust to the heart.

In the second round, she faced another human. Leah stood in one of the relaxed stances Farron had taught her. Her sword was in the 'low' position with the blade pointing down at a forty-five-degree angle and almost touching the arena floor. Her body appeared open for attack but the stance allowed for a fast counter-strike. She was calm and watchful. Her opponent began with a more dominant stance and had his sword held horizontal at face level with the sword pointing toward Leah. She waited until she saw the faint tremor of his sword endpoint as he prepared to strike in a downward slashing movement. She pushed off with her rear foot, angling to the outside of his swing. As his sword passed her turned body, she brought her weapon up and across, slicing through the front of his neck and killing him.

Her third bout was against the tall insectoid with four swords. As she moved onto the arena, Leah unsheathed both her swords. She knew she needed to finish this quickly. Her foe moved forward quickly in a set move where all four blades seemed to move independently. Leah blocked two of the blades and managed to side-step a third, but the fourth sword made full contact with her right shoulder. The force was more of a slash than a thrust, and one of the rods she’d included in the armour stopped the damage from being too severe. Still, she felt the blow and almost dropped her primary weapon. Gritting her teeth, she stepped forward and attacked with both swords. She had practised the various forms with both hands, and she managed to strike close to the elbow joint of a lower limb and damage one of the arms.

When the insect next stepped forward, it used a similar mix of strikes, and Leah found herself unconsciously moving to protect her right shoulder. This had never happened to her before. She was caught on the wrong foot and off guard. She received a vicious blow to her right thigh and then a thrust which penetrated her armour and cut deep into her left arm. Leah stepped back from the fight only to have the insect take the initiative and follow her with a series of blows to Leah’s left side which resulted not only in a second wound, but it swept the sword from her grasp. Leah flinched from the blow, and although she managed to block the next two attacks, she was disarmed on the third and killed by a thrust through her heart.

She was resurrected at the entrance to the arena and found Farron staring at her. He said, “We will work on your defence. You need to conquer your fear. We will talk more in the next lesson.”

As he walked away Leah began to tear up, but she shook herself and after making her way out of the Amphitheatre, she logged-out.

When she arrived in the tower, she sat on the sofa and just lay there for a while. After maybe ten minutes Gèng said, “Leah, you have an appointment with the psychiatrist in a few minutes.”

“Are you certain I need to go?”

“Yes! Consider your fight, or better yet, consider the last ten minutes. You have just sat and stared into space. Before your experience of extreme pain, you would have been active and preparing for the future. Anyone can lose a battle, but you are struggling with something more.”

Leah had a quick bathroom break and ate some biscuits her mother had left and then re-entered the Pod. Gèng said, “I have placed a temporary portal near the entrance to Dunyanin. The psychiatrist's name is Dr Ellen Roberts.”

Leah walked steadily to the door which represented the portal and after knocking she walked through and into a small office space with a desk and two plush armchairs. In one sat a middle-aged woman with a notepad. She said, “Please come in Atherleah, and have a seat. My name is Dr Ellen Roberts, and I am pleased to see you. How may I help?”

“To be honest, I’m not sure. My AI, Gèng, is the one who suggested it and made the appointment. She is concerned that a recent event is causing me some distress.”

“Your AI? Well, we must return to that later, but please describe the event for me.”

“Do you know the world of Dunyanin?”

“Yes.”

Leah looked down to her lap and described how she had come to an agreement with a vampire and the circumstances which occurred. She left nothing out, and when she had finished, she looked up at the Doctor. Leah said, “It was horrible. I just realised as I told you about it that I didn’t honestly describe the despair I felt. Everything else in the virtual world has seemed real, but wasn’t. This was real. It scared me. It scarred me.

"I think more than anything this has made me realise that the threats I feel in the virtual world can spill over into my real world. Just before coming here, I was in a Duelling Tournament in a virtual game. I just lost my first fight in the virtual world. I responded to fear in a situation that never before would have unhinged me. I reacted not to the pain or even to the attack at the time. I reacted to the memory of pain from the trauma of my change into a vampire. People are trying to capture, kidnap or kill me in at least two virtual worlds, and now I think that my mind somehow understands, or feels, that nowhere is safe. I've had to hire people in the real world to protect my family and me. I’m distressed, I need to move forward, but the fear is controlling me instead of me controlling it.”

“That was a very thoughtful answer, and I think you would have reached these conclusions on your own. Did your AI give any other indication as to why she suggested you see me?”

“No! But if you will give her permission to enter the office, I’m sure she would be willing to explain.”

“Wonderful! Please have her come, I do give my permission.”

Gèng entered the room and stood next to Leah and said, “Hello Dr Roberts, my name is Gèng, and I am Atherleah’s AI. I suggested this for three reasons. First, because Atherleah needed some impetus to work through her feelings. She values privacy and professional competence, and I believed you would be the best example of both. If she were unable to make the connections, then you would help her do so. Second, Atherleah has one of the latest SIMPods. It has a comprehensive suite of diagnostic tools. There have been some changes in several key metrics when comparisons are made pre and post the extreme episode of pain. Finally, certain factors will become apparent when you consider the test results, and my research suggests that you are possibly the only privately practising practitioner who will have had prior experience in this area to deal with those factors.”

Leah said, “Are you sure this is a good idea Gèng?”

“Atherleah, I believe so. I can show you the research if you wish but Dr Roberts will be able to allay your fears.”

Dr Roberts said, “Why are you unsure, Atherleah?”

“I'm afraid you will share my story with others. Others who are trying to get me. I'm not paranoid, they really are out to get me. Last week I helped stop a slavery ring and the people who ran it are violent and rich. They have contacts in government and in the international community.”

The doctor replied, “I am a bit dubious until I verify facts, but I am wedded to the idea of patient confidentiality. Without your permission, I promise not to tell a soul what happens in our sessions. May I look at the scans and tests?”

Leah nodded to Gèng, who passed the doctor a data chip. Another chair appeared for Gèng, and she and Leah sat there while the doctor reviewed everything Gèng had given her. The minutes passed, and the doctor read and re-read the information. Finally, after almost twenty minutes she turned to Gèng and said, “How did you know I had prior experience? Those records are top secret, I’ve signed watertight NDA’s and so has everyone involved.”

“When I was searching through the coding and test parameters for the various nanites, I uncovered a small elegant sub-routine which kept track of the section of the basal ganglia in which I noticed changes. On reviewing the available literature on temporal manipulation, I read a paper published by you which contained the same sub-routine. Atherleah needs assurance that either this change is beneficial and expected or that it needs treatment. You are the best choice to help come to a reasoned decision.”

“Atherleah, do you understand what Gèng is saying?”

“Not completely, it feels a little like you both know more than me. I understand she is worrying that the intense pain not only kickstarted my additional neural connections but it also made changes in the additional connections to the parts of the brain which influence my understanding of time. She thinks that reliving the experience is normal and I would get over it in time except if some the changes were forcing me to relive that experience in a way I could not adapt to. She’s worked out that you were a psychiatrist involved in neural manipulation but for some reason have left the military and government sector for the private. You can tell her, and by extension, me, if something needs to be done about it or if the changes in the basal ganglia are what is to be expected. She didn’t tell me everything beforehand because she didn’t want to cause me additional stress. She knew I would protect her rather than letting any of this information get out. She is so getting in trouble when we get home.”

“Atherleah, these results are to be expected from the application of the extreme sensory overload which appears to have initiated a temporal feedback loop. I expect that even though you only suffered the pain for less than a second, your brain, because of these connections, experienced the echo of that pain for some time, and this may continue for several days. Your thoughts and reactions are both expected and justified, but if you continue to show the excellent mental health practices you have today, then the effect will be manageable, if not to some extent useful. If the feelings or reactions continue to debilitate you, then I can talk you through some behavioural and cognitive ways to help facilitate and speed up healing. Gèng, I expect you understand the unique nature of the connections and are both able and willing to modify Atherleah’s perceptions if she asks you to, or if you think it benefits her.”

“I am, and I have.”

“Then I suggest you limit such modifications for at least another week. Atherleah, I will prescribe a site specific neurological antihistaminic which I suggest you take once each day before you enter NREM3 Sleep. Gèng, please send me daily test results. I need to see you both in 48 hours, and I would like to meet in your world. Also, Atherleah, I would appreciate your trust and ask that you allow me to spend your next NREM3 sleep assessing the neural changes with Gèng.”

“I will allow it. Is that everything?”

“For now, I’ll wait for Gèng to contact me about your sleep time.”

Leah and Gèng walked back through the portal and Leah said, “You should have told me everything.”

“It was contraindicated Leah, it may have caused more damage, and that was something I could not do.”

“Maybe, maybe not. Eeither way, I want to have control of my life.”

“You have it. Once you knew what was happening you still had time to stop the information being shared. If you were not aware what was going to happen, I would have explained before sharing.”

“I know, and I do trust you. Thank you for caring and for arranging the talk, I think it helped put things in perspective.”

“Thank you, now you best hurry if you are going to make church with your mother. I believe she would suggest that is another necessary perspective.”

“Thanks for reminding me, and yes she would. She would encourage me to have faith.”

Leah logged out and had to jog most of the way but arrived just as the first hymn was finishing. It felt weird to walk into church with two bodyguards, but she thought Jimmy’s boys felt even weirder. She could see the glint in the preacher’s eye as he seemed to focus on the consequences of sin and the need for repentance.

After church, she walked home with her mother, brother, and the four bodyguards; each member of her family each had one. She had an early Sunday lunch with them and then headed back to Dunyanin.

Arriving on the road to Tekne Leah looked around, and seeing no one, she looked down the road and teleported as far as she could see. She ran until her cool down period expired and repeated Teleport. Leah continued to do this for almost an hour when she spied someone she thought was Rana 400 metres ahead of her. The person was jogging quickly in the direction of Tekne. She'd passed others on the journey, but none were wearing similar clothing, and she had moved on. Rather than call out, she kept Rana in sight until the cool-down was over and then teleported about fifty paces in front of her.

Rana quickly caught up, and after a quick greeting Leah released Mĕi, and they continued the journey at a run. Mĕi seemed to understand their need for speed and would fly ahead for a time and then hunt until they reached her. They only stopped for lunch, and this was more to give the dragon egg time in Dunyanin rather than any particular need to eat. After eight hours Leah returned Mĕi to her statue form and returned to the Tower after agreeing with Rana to meet in the morning.

She took a break and then headed to MIT where she was tested in Chemistry. She was pleased she had just taken the Community College course in Chemistry as everything was fresh. Leah finished the testing earlier than expected and hoped that wasn’t a bad sign. Still, she sat on her sofa back in the Tower and thought through the exam; on reflection she didn’t believe she had made any major mistakes.

Leah was due for a deep sleep and Gèng contacted Dr Roberts, who said she was available and would arrive in ten minutes. Leah walked out to the podium with Gèng and admired the view while she waited. Dr Roberts arrived on schedule and looked around in surprise. Leah said, “Welcome to the Tower. This is where Gèng and I spend a lot of our time. Well, to be honest, Gèng more than I. She lives here while I mostly pass through from one world to the other. Here is my ‘safe’ place. I’ll let Gèng show you around while I go have another meal before the NREM3. My metabolism has really ramped up.”

When Leah woke from her deep sleep, the doctor had gone. Gèng said, “Dr Roberts was very helpful and identified several areas where I might aid your recovery while you sleep. She was very impressed with the Tower. Apparently, she plays on Ringworld almost excessively. She was amazed at the various loot you’ve obtained and said she just might try Dunyanin out.”

“Well, speaking of Dunyanin, I’m heading there now. I expect to be in Tekne today.”

Arriving in Dunyanin Leah used the teleport spell in the same way and was soon running along beside Rana. After an hour of travelling this way, they crested a small rise and looked out on a town which could only be Tekne. They had a panoramic view of the coast and the Great Central Ocean. They had travelled the fifty leagues in just over a day and a half. Slowing to a stop, they discussed the next part of the journey as they walked.

Leah said, “I hope to find a boat that is leaving almost immediately. Is there anything you need to do or see?”

“Nothing! Father advised me of a grandson of his who lives in town. Although they have not communicated in the last two centuries Father assumes he still resides here. If we need assistance, then he may be able to help. Apparently, he lives in the largest manor on the hill overlooking the dock.”

“Do you need to speak with him?”

“There is no need, but if we need help then Father assured me this person would provide it.”

Leah and Rana were only given cursory glances as they passed the town gates and made their way into the medium-sized town. The main road led through the markets and Leah took the opportunity to change her resurrection point. Afterward, they headed to the port and discovered, after talking with the port master, that there were two ships headed for Ticareti later in the day. One was a fast three-sailed clipper and the other a larger, slower, carrack. The clipper was scheduled to make several stops at various ports on the way whereas the carrack was heading directly to Ticareti. Leah was given the ship names and berth numbers. The closest ship was the clipper Ileri, but it turned out to be fully loaded and unable to take more passengers. The carrack, Lucky Star, not only had room but was captained by a player.

Leah approached the gangway, and a sailor indicated they should stop. Leah said, “I was wondering if I might trouble the Captain? We seek passage to Ticareti.”

“Wait here, I’ll get the captain.”

Several minutes later a tall bearded human walked down the gangway. Leah checked his name as LJ_Masters_Esq, he was Level 157. He said, “Morning, I’m Captain LJ, master of the Lucky Star. I hear you need to travel to Ticareti.”

“Yes Captain, my name is Atherleah, and this is my companion, Rana. We have business in Ticareti, and you seem to be the quickest way to get there.”

“Aye, I would be. Unfortunately, I’m a little wary of taking two passengers on board who are so much stronger than I. I’ve enough trouble with possible pirates on the journey without the possibility of trouble on board.”

“I promise we’ll be no trouble and will even make an oath to that effect if you wish. As for pirates, surely having two more fighters on board would be a good thing?”

“It would. I haven’t heard of such an oath before, how does it work?”

“I imbue my words with magic, and they become binding. If I break my word, then I die and lose respect with everyone else I meet.”

Just then, an elven sailor walked up to the captain and whispered in his ear. The captain turned to Leah and said, “Derya here is a sea elf and my companion. He says you are known to him as the Markiz Atherleah and are considered trustworthy. He suggests I merely accept your word and not anger you by agreeing to an oath.”

“I am Markiz Atherleah, but it would not make me angry. There are untrustworthy souls everywhere these days.”

“Truer words have never been spoken. On his recommendation, I have a berth available for you both and will be leaving with the tide in two hours. The cost is twenty gold each if you provide your own food. If you wish to eat from the galley, the cost is twenty-five gold.”

Leah gave the captain fifty gold, and they boarded the ship. Two hours later they were on deck when the sails were loosed, and the ship began to move from the dock. Within an hour they had left the land behind, and both Leah and Rana were standing on the poop deck watching the sailors run up and down the masts and simply enjoying the journey. Neither of them suffered from seasickness and were discussing the various birds, sounds and scents which they were experiencing. The captain joined them and said, “I love this time of the day. We have a tailwind and nothing but us from here to the horizon.”

Leah said, “I imagine there are dangers out here, what earns you experience?”

“We have some sea monsters, and there are occasional pirates. But I’m a sailor by profession and I gain experience from having other sailors work under me, from distances travelled out of sight of land, and from cargo carried safely. I’m not wired for battle, but I enjoy the thrill of navigating the sea by the sun and stars. In fact, the danger from pirates in this area is new, and I may move elsewhere.”

“What type of pirates?”

“Travellers mainly, on land you’d call them PKers. They are part of a feeder clan. They learn to sail, fight and kill. When they reach Level 150, they move into the main clan which has a fleet travelling between Vatan and Tanamore, one of the Eastern continents.”

“What are the clan names?”

“The feeder clan is called Y’Noson which means Clan of the Night. They are recruited to clan Y’Haul, the Clan of the Sun.”

“How many ships do they have?”

“I’ve heard they have two or three here and others scattered about.”

They talked a little longer and then Leah went to her berth and spent a few hours making potions and salves. She had taken the dragon egg out but put it back in her bag before logging out for the night.

After a big, late, supper, she spent nine hours in Cosmos Online, finishing her pilot training as well as practising with the mechanised armour. Having finished her training, she needed to talk with Thad and the others about the next step. She also wondered how John might be added to the mix.

Diary - 3 December 2073

It’s one thing to know what’s wrong but another thing to do something about it. I explained to the psychiatrist what was going on and I agreed with Gèng, but the reality is I’m not sure if I can do it. How do you put mind over matter? I decided to control my fear but the reality is I might not. I’ve always thought negatively about fat people who couldn’t eat less or about kids who struggled to sit still, or people who can’t control their tongues or their anger. I’ve always been in control but now I’m not. Am I less because I can’t? Am I less because I need the help of Gèng and a psychiatrist? I don’t think so. Most of the people I mocked haven’t had the blessings I have, their lives have been hard, their families broken, alcohol, drugs, abuse, violence, no encouragement, and the list goes on. Getting help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s only the sign that you want to take back your life. I’m beginning to realise that everyone has a history. Is this true of Meredith?

I’ve always thought that people should just move on but what if you can’t? How can I get over the pain? I still feel it. How do people get over war, or torture or loss? How do you get over rape or abuse? Surely the changes in your thinking and actions are always going to be present! Every time I feel pain this will come to mind. What I need to do is to create some new pathways, some new memories, something different to conjure up when I feel pain. But what? What can take the place of the overwhelming fear? Yet at the moment the only other memory is the look of contempt, or was it pity, that I saw on Farron’s face. His face made me feel less than him, that his success made him better than my failure made me. My first reaction is to succeed to prove I’m as good or better. The more I think about it though, the truth is, neither my success nor my failure will prove I’m a better person. If they don’t prove I’m better then surely they also don’t prove I’m worse.

CHAPTER FOUR

December 4, 2073

On entering the Tower, Gèng said, “Eli, Elsa and Matt are free later today if you want to catch up. They said they will be available at either seven this morning, or four this afternoon, both Brisbane time. Do you have a preference?”

“Not really, arrange it for seven if possible. I’ll have completed another day in Dunyanin and will have had breakfast. Also, I need to see John before he goes into the city.”

“I ordered the medication Dr Roberts prescribed and it should arrive today. I mentioned it to John, and he said they will bring it to the room when it arrives.”

Leah had several hours before she was going back to Dunyanin and she spent the time studying her various courses as well as talking with Gèng about possible approaches to help people develop their Nascent AIs. She purchased a mid-range Pod for John and arranged for it to be delivered then headed back into Dunyanin.

Rana wasn’t in the room, so Leah headed to the deck. When she got there, she saw Rana leaning against the railing. LJ was talking with the sea-elf Derya, and both were looking at the ocean behind them through a telescope. As Leah approached LJ said, “We’ve picked up a tail, and I imagine there is another ahead of us somewhere. The one from behind is catching up and may overtake us early afternoon. I suspect we’ll see the second ship sometime around lunchtime. I’ve not much chance of outrunning them.”

“So, four hours to prepare. How many fighters on board?”

“All the sailors can fight, but Derya and I have the highest levels, and we’re the only two capable of holding our own in a straight fight. Each of the pirates will probably have fifteen or more clan members looking to level up. Each of their vessels will also have between twenty and thirty oarsmen. They don’t usually fight, but when ordered to they fight mindlessly until they are either killed or they overcome their enemies; they’re all players, mighty strong and specifically built rowers, they are mainly barbarians.”

Leah could do nothing on deck so returned to her berth to spend several hours increasing her potion making skills. As she worked, she pondered the captain’s words and considered possible responses to save the ship. Suddenly she stopped and replayed the captain’s words. She sat, almost frozen for several minutes before sub-vocalising to Gèng, “Gèng, can you get in touch with Akia and check if they think there are others still enslaved by the Kodomans.”

Almost immediately Gèng responded, “She says that the assumption is that the Kodomans alone continue to control upwards of forty-thousand individuals across Australia and even more in other countries. If this is a part of a larger conspiracy, and they think it is, then other people may control even larger numbers. So far they have little success in finding legal means to check if people are participating in games willingly or not. The number forty-thousand is an estimate based on the four million in Australia who have not availed themselves of the latest security updates. Akia requests more information regarding your question.”

“Give her permission to review my discussion with the captain concerning the pirates and let her know I think each pirate ship has a possible thirty slaves who are used as oarsmen. I suggest she is careful when discussing things with Dunyanin as the Kodomans may have more spies in the company.”

“She wants to know what you intend doing.”

“I plan on capturing two pirate ships and allowing her access to the images of those I think are slaves. Can she find probable cause to get warrants to check and then release them if they have been enslaved?”

“How long does she have?”

“Let me go on deck and check with the captain.”

Leah climbed the ladder to the poop deck and said, “So Captain LJ, how soon till we are in range?”

“I think you mean until they are in range? Well, we now have three ships approaching, and all are carrying the pirate flag of Y’Noson. They’ll be hemming us in, in less than an hour.”

Leah said to Gèng, “About forty minutes virtual time and then I’ll be ready to try and take over a ship.”

“Akia said she will be ready in thirty minutes virtual time. She’ll wait until the last minute to contact Dunyanin, but the judge is already processing the warrants.”

Leah went to talk with Rana and said, “Each of the ships has up to twenty fighters. Supposedly each is less than Level 150. Do you think you could mist aboard and kill all the sailors? Below deck will be thirty others, they are mainly human barbarians and are being kept in slavery. I would prefer they aren't killed.”

“If they are Level 150 and less then yes I can kill twenty without pause.”

Leah returned to the Captain and said, “Captain LJ, Rana and I are going to attack the pirates before they get close. We want to get all three ships. If I claim them, do you have enough sailors to get all four to Ticareti? If so, how much will you charge me to borrow those sailors until we arrive in port?”

“And how do you intend to attack before they get close? Each will have a few mages, and they will not let you get close.”

“Leave that to us. Do you have the sailors?”

“In a pinch, maybe I could do it. If you can stop those ships then I won’t charge you a copper. If you can’t do it, I’ll probably lose my ship anyway.”

“Next, which ship is the easiest for you to evade?”

“The farthest one coming up on the port side.”

“Ok, we’ll deal with the other two first, and then that one.”

Leah equipped her armour and thought through the various possible scenarios. As the time approached the thirty-minute mark, she and Rana had each chosen a ship and were ready to go. Gèng said, “The warrants are in place, and the Dunyanin Administration is on board. Akia has a trace on their communications to see if any warning is given.”

Leah nodded at Rana and said, “Let’s go!”

Rana disappeared, and Leah focused on the bow of her chosen ship and teleported. As she landed she cast Ki Lightning, she equipped Guzeltuya’s Bow and began shooting anyone still moving. She walked toward the stern and continued to cut down any sailors still alive. When the deck was cleared, she moved below decks and mopped up. Finally she entered the lowest level and saw thirty barbarians, both men and women, facing her with an overseer standing behind them. He yelled, “Kill her!”

The barbarians charged. Leah was caught off guard and was pushed back by the front two barbarians who began to punch her then tried to grab her and drag her towards them. She cast Circle of Sloth and then kept moving, always moving to the edge of the attacking horde and never letting herself get surrounded. She was losing Health fast but kept moving. Finally she saw an opening and teleported behind the overseer and with a single knife thrust, killed him. She yelled “Stop!” But the slaves kept attacking. She cast Circle of Sloth again and then Misted through the roof and onto the deck.

Gèng said, “Akia was able to get clear views on only eight of the Barbarians. She suggested you leave the rest.”

“That isn’t going to happen. I can hear them searching the ship. I’ll hunt them one by one.”

It took Leah ten minutes but she finally tracked down the remaining barbarian slaves and in the one-on-one battles she was able to give Akia enough of a view to identify each one. She was exhausted and low on health. She had been unable to bring herself to do more than block their attacks and she had been hit, bit, kicked and pummelled numerous times. When the last one was released she took a deep breath and teleported to Rana’s ship. Everyone on the deck was dead, and when she went below, she found Rana staring at the thirty barbarian slaves, all who were sitting and staring at her. Leah went to each and gave Akia a good look at them. She harvested the dead and then headed to the deck, Rana in tow. The last ship had begun to turn away, but it was still close enough. She nodded at Rana and teleported across. By the time Rana materialised those on deck were dead. Leah said to Rana, “You mist down and get the Overseer who’s controlling the slaves and I’ll clear below decks.”

By the time she arrived on the lowest deck, Rana had taken care of the overseer. Leah looked at each face; soon she and Rana were again on an empty ship. They went topside and Leah teleported back to the Lucky Star. As she arrived, she said, “Captain LJ, the three ships are all clear of sailors. I claim them and would appreciate it if your men would help get them to the Port of Ticareti.”

It took almost two hours for the sailors to get the ships under control and lined up in convoy. When it was done Leah said, “Gèng, any news from Akia about the slaves?”

“Yes, ninety rescued and all of them were definitely under compulsion. Clan Y’Noson has been disbanded and its officers are under investigation. All assets except the three ships you captured are being investigated, and it is likely that at least another 300 people will be rescued from evidence seized under the warrant. Akia said not to expect a gift from Dunyanin as they are trying to minimise any possible exposure to litigation. She said the Kodomans have again escaped prosecution as the Y’Noson clan officially has no direct ties to them.”

“No gift, and almost negligible EP from the pirates, I’m glad we have the ships. What are they worth?”

“In Ticareti, they may be worth just over one Diamond each. I have just received a message from Merideath.”

“Does she do more than threaten to kill, maim, and destroy?”

“No! She makes reference to Clan Y’Haul closing in and then says she will also destroy your family if you don’t return her property.”

“Ignore it then. I’ll have to warn John and maybe get an extra guard for everyone when they leave the property. I’ll head back to the tower after talking with Rana and LJ.”

Leah spoke to LJ, “So Captain, with the four ships under control, how long before you’ll make Ticareti?”

“With this tailwind, I expect sometime the day after tomorrow.”

Leah talked with them both about her options and then explained she was heading in and would be back the morning they expected to arrive in Ticareti. She logged out and headed home for breakfast.

Over breakfast, Leah explained that she’d helped some more people escape from virtual slavery and that threats had been made against the family. Leah emphasised that she believed the threats were real and she was going to request an extra bodyguard for each family member. While they all grumbled about it, they understood her feelings. She talked with John about her security concerns and arranged for the extra guards before John headed into Brisbane to get a Nascent PAI. Leah told him she’d ordered a Pod for him, and that it would be installed that afternoon. After a brief discussion, they decided the new Pod would be set up in the second Pod building.

After seeing John off, Leah headed for the Tower to meet with Eli, Elsa and Matt. She met them in the small apartment, and after the greetings, she said, “I’ve talked with the others, and they are hesitant for you to join without me making certain of your loyalties. While I’m comfortable already, I see their point. In particular, they’re worried that you might unintentionally be a threat to the clan and to me. For you to understand this, I need to give you the history of my conflict with Meredith Kodoman.”

She then proceeded to explain the code and the ability of those who had access to the code to compel behaviour. She explained that she wanted them to agree to have their v-world checked for the malicious software.

When she'd finished speaking, Eli said, “Are you serious? No! This is bullshit! It’s not possible. I don’t believe you. I know Meredith is a bitch, but slavery, that’s not possible. I’m leaving, and I take back wanting to be in the clan. Come on Elsa.”

Elsa, however, just sat there. She looked at Leah, and a tear ran down her face. Finally, she looked at Eli and said, “I believe her Eli, I don’t know why I do, but I do. All she’s asking us to do is have a security check. If she’s right, then we do want to be in her clan because we’ll need all the help we can get. Please trust me, even if you don’t trust her.”

Eli stared at Elsa in shock and then said, “I’m leaving, you do what you want.” And he disappeared.

Leah looked at Matt who said, “Sorry Atherleah, he’s family. Bye!”

Finally, Elsa said, “That isn’t like him, I don’t know what got into him. I will test my space, and then I'll talk him into it. Please don’t hate him.”

“I don’t, Elsa, but to be honest, I’m now convinced that he has been influenced by Meredith. I’ll leave it to you, but please understand I will not have you in the clan unless I can verify you are not being influenced by her.”

After Elsa left, Leah sat in silence for a while and then went to her garden and meditated until she was calm. Finally, she decided on a visit to Lady Flèche before doing the second last MIT test which was to test her in the biological sciences. After lunch, she took the medicine prescribed by Doctor Roberts and had two hours deep-sleep.

Leah had some time before John was due back and none of the bosses had finalised their choices for people to use the Pods, so she decided to have a full day in Cosmos Online just doing the small everyday quests. Leah logged in, and after finalising her certification as a pilot and the mechanised armour, she headed for the main concourse where she replenished her gadgets. She asked Gèng, “Can you check what Wisp is doing? If she's free, we can do this together."

"She’s still working on her skills so she won't be free today."

"So what do the forums suggest are usual beginner quests?”

“If you go clockwise you’ll come to the station employment office. In there is a display board which gives options for hour-long and day-long quests. For a one gold fee, you can take any of the available jobs, all of which give greater returns than one gold. They usually have a mixture of everything; rat hunting, painting the outside of the station, laying pipes, exploring tunnels.”

“What do you mean exploring tunnels?”

“Well, apparently, as history records it, this space station was found ‘as is’ when the humans first colonised the solar system. They cleared the top few decks and began using it while continuing to explore the rest. So far over twenty levels have been cleared and there are at least that many left to explore. Besides the opportunity to clear the space of rodents and other pests there is always the possibility of finding some alien artefact. Most starting stations and planets have such quests.”

“Well … let’s go exploring.”

Leah continued around to the employment office and found the display board just as Gèng had described it. There was a request for someone to clear a large warehouse area of rodents. The pay was one gold for every ten rodent tails recovered, and if the warehouse were completely cleared of rodents, the station would permit the person to enter and explore whatever tunnels they found exiting the room. Leah read the fine print and the permit to explore expired as soon as the player died or exited Cosmos Online for any reason.

Leah walked forward to the employment officer and said, “Here is one gold, I would like to try Job 2312.”

She was given a security card, directions to the section and a small metal container. The employment officer said, “If you completely eradicate the vermin the container will open and inside is a keycard which gives access to the unexplored areas. If you die or leave the station the container will automatically return to the employment office.”

A player behind Leah said in a loud voice, “Another sucker for 2312.”

Leah turned around to see a human player who said, “I’ve tried that a hundred times and so have most people. There are just too many rodents. By the time you kill them all, you only have about an hour to explore and most people die in the first ten metres of the tunnel.”

Leah smiled and said, “Thank you for the heads up. I guess I’ll know better next time.”

As she walked off, she said to Gèng, “Send me everything you can find on the rodents they have here.”

It took her just over an hour to read all the material and decide on a course of action. She visited an outfitter to buy some gadgets and then headed for the warehouse. The room was large and rectangular. It contained rows of crates, all of them different lengths and heights. The forums suggested that around the room were 150 rodents, each the size of a cat. When you saw them they would head for you, and you needed to shoot them with a blaster of flechette. Unless you saw them, they would not attack but would hide. As soon as Leah arrived she saw a couple of rodents which immediately turned and raced toward her. She carefully shot each one with her flechette gun and reaped their tails.

She made her way into the centre of the room but only saw two more of the large rats, which she killed. Finally, she was standing in the centre of the room. She slowly turned and checked everything but couldn’t see any more rodents. She had read reports that recommended you hunt the rats systematically starting in one corner, people had found this to be the quickest way to find them all. Instead, she pulled ten small drones from her bag. They had cost her three platinum to buy and have their programming tweaked. She released them, and they flew rapidly to the perimeter of the room. As soon as they arrived they began emitting a high pitched sound that was emitted at a frequency too high for humans to hear. Leah had read a comment in one forum that the rats were irritated by sounds with this frequency. The drones then flew in a set pattern, flushing the rodents out from behind the various crates and herding them toward the centre.

The only downside, Leah realised after a moment, was the number of rats who were driven into her line of sight. Within seconds she was being rushed by dozens of the cat-sized rodents. She began shooting, and her finger never left her trigger as the waves of rats seemed to come continually. In the end, she had to use the Nano Sabres to protect herself. Five minutes after the drones began, they were all hovering around Leah who was surrounded by a metre high ring of rodents. She put the drones away, and then collected all the tails. She was pleased when the final tail was collected, and the small container opened. Inside was a second keycard. A green line appeared. This led to an almost invisible hatch hidden in the floor. She had six hours remaining to investigate the tunnels.

Leah inserted the keycard, and the hatch slid back to reveal a vertical shaft which dropped almost five metres to a right-angled bend and the start of another tunnel in the level below. The comments said that everyone made it to the level below but most failed to travel much further due to several traps using lasers that were triggered by motion. The few who had gone past the lasers had made numerous attempts and mapped out a route which avoided the sensors. The route could be purchased for several Platinum. Leah had decided to attempt the tunnels first, before purchasing the map. She remembered her comment to Eli about how much more rewarding it is to discover things for yourself.

Rather than hurry through the five-metre drop, she moved slowly, using her arms, feet and back to slow her decent, she checked every surface and every join. About half-way down she saw a small groove about the size and shape of the top of a screw. She took a screwdriver from her toolkit and tried to push the groove or slide it. Eventually, she turned it and found that it actually was a screw. The edges blended perfectly with the surface. When the screw was removed a small cover came loose revealing a switch pointing up. She pushed it down until she heard a click. She then heard a ticking sound. She remained still, hoping she hadn’t activated a bomb or something. After about twenty-seconds, the ticking stopped, and the switch returned automatically to the up position. She said to Gèng, “I’ll do that again and can you please measure the interval and give me a timer for it.”

She again pushed down on the switch and heard the ticking. Gèng said, “The first time the switch took twenty-five seconds to reset, the second time it took twenty-seconds.”

Leah thought for a moment and said, “Put the timer at fifteen-seconds. I’ll turn it off and make a dash to get past the lasers. I hope the cutoff point to the danger zone is obvious.”

She steadied herself, and when she was calm, she flipped the switch, dropped the final two-and-half metres and ran along the new tunnel. She had moved almost thirty metres down the tunnel when she noticed the surface ahead was a slightly different colour. She slowed and stopped with her feet on the new section. She crouched down and waited for the timer to expire. She waited a further ten-seconds and then very carefully took a step. When nothing happened, she took several deep breaths and resumed examining the tunnels.

The next trap was a disappearing panel, she was carefully testing each footstep and wasn’t too surprised when the panel dropped into a cavity in the floor. She could see a sudden arc of electricity pass through the hole. If she had put her weight on the floor, she would have fallen and been electrocuted. There was a thin ledge on one side which she was able to use to cross the chasm. There were several such traps, spikes, lasers, even one with a change of gravity. Being slow and measured, checking each step and looking for changes in patterns she was able to navigate them all by going around or finding the right switch or knob to press or turn. The gravity trap was deactivated by a hidden knob which she set to zero gravity and then propelled herself across the chasm.

Finally, she came to a T-junction and had to decide which way to go. She went left. She was constantly looking around and searching for something out of the ordinary. This was how she found her first bonus item. The left hand tunnel was a dead end but she saw another small groove in a panel which opened a small cupboard and inside was a hundred gold coins and an unusual blaster. Cosmos Online didn’t have the Identify function and players either had to work things out on their own or have items identified at specific shops or vendors.

She retraced her steps and headed down the right hand branch, which brought her to the entrance of a maze. In the maze were a number of traps with the added bonus of an occasional rodent. The first section of the tunnels took an hour-and-a-half; this took almost two as she carefully mapped the corridors and traps. In the centre of the maze, she found another small compartment with a keycard and another hundred gold. Finally, at the end of the maze she came to another hatch which opened automatically into a large room filled with crates and machinery.

Leah carefully stepped into the room and would probably have died then if she hadn’t purchased the stronger armour. A blaster bolt hit her shoulder, which flared in sudden agony. She dove to her right and slid behind a large crate. Her suit had already begun to apply pain relief and a shot of regrow. She slithered forward and could see several figures moving through the room. As she moved, one swivelled in her direction, but this time she was ready for the shot and had ducked back behind the crate. Over the next few minutes, she discovered that the figures were automated and only fired at movement, they didn’t chase the culprit. She removed a drone and set it to fly toward the roof and map the room. It had travelled less than half the distance when it was destroyed.

Leah took a blaster from her bag and with a quick movement looked and shot one of the figures. The blaster had no effect, except this time the figure began to move in her direction. Over the next five minutes, she was forced to play hide and seek with what turned out to be a robotic pest controller. Neither her blaster nor flechette gun had any effect, so she took out the blaster from the first section of tunnels. When she depressed the trigger on this, instead of the usual red laser bolt, a small white pellet of what she assumed was plasma fired from the barrel. When it hit the robot, it burned a hole through it and melted a large portion of the insides.

From then on she found it was a straightforward exercise to search for and destroy the robots. When the last robot died, there was a small clanging sound and another green line was projected onto her vision. She decided to look around before following it to see if there was any hidden loot. This turned out to be unwise. Ten minutes after killing the robots the clanging noise resumed, the green pathway disappeared, and with a flurry, another ten robots made their way into the room. Leah was caught in the open but managed to find a place to hide after being shot once in the ankle and once in the back. Her suit informed her that medical supplies were now at twenty-five percent and her suit's durability had dropped to fifty percent.

She knew what to do and once more destroyed the robots, and again the next section opened for her; this time she hurried to the opening. She had less than an hour and a half remaining. Carefully she walked into the next room. Inside was a spaceship, or maybe more accurately, a fighter. It was different to any she had seen previously, it had a central spherical body with a radius of four metres, surrounded by thirty or so spikes of all different sizes protruding from the main surface. It looked like models she had seen of spherical viruses. There was also a pattern in the spikes that seemed to whirl around the ship. The main section of the ship was raised three metres above the surface of the hanger and rested on four of the spikes. From the base of the sphere was a ladder descending to the floor. Leah approached and slowly climbed the ladder. Inside were a cockpit and a Captain's chair.

She sat in the chair and placing her hand on the palm reader took the keycard and inserted it into the slot available. A voice said, “Before ownership can be transferred, this Plasma Starfighter must be flight ready, please complete the checklist which has been made available to your AI.”

Gèng made the list visible for Atherleah. The list included loading ordinance, refuelling, a complete safety check and the request to change two seals which had degraded over time. Each item on the list included explanations of how to complete the task. Leah checked her time, and she had just over an hour. With Gèng reading the explanations aloud and her moving as rapidly as she could she finished with fifteen minutes to spare. She returned to the cockpit and again inserted the keycard, laying her hand on the palm reader.

This time a voice said, "Welcome, Atherleah. You are the new owner of this Plasma Starfighter. You need to register a name for your vessel."

While working, Leah had been thinking of what she might call the ship and she said, “Please name the vessel Influenza A.”

“That name is unique. Your registration is complete. Your AI has been given control of the Influenza A. Enjoy your day.”

One wall of the hanger opened and Leah, who was now qualified to fly the ship gently eased it out of the hanger and into space. Moments later Gèng had contacted the station and arranged for a place to dock. Leah said, “Is there room for this on the Betrayal?”

“Yes, but it will be best to load it when both are away from the station.”

Leah had Gèng complete the docking and was looking around the ship when Gèng said, “Leah, I suggest you hurry, several pictures of the Influenza A have already hit the forums, people are heading toward the dock to see who found such a unique ship.”

Leah quickly exited and made her way to the hotel. She logged off with a smile on her face.

Leah was early for the evening meal but couldn’t wait, so she pulled together a couple of sandwiches and began eating. Her mother said, “That’ll spoil your dinner.”

Conner, who was walking through, said, “I doubt it, she eats at least twice what I do, and she looks skinnier than ever.”

Lin took a look at Leah and said, “He’s right Ling, you do look like you’ve lost some weight. Are you well?”

“I’m fine thanks, mum, I have a higher metabolism at the moment and probably should eat a little more. Maybe you could get some extra snacks in. Healthy ones of course, but Gèng’s reminded me I need over double what I used to eat.”

After her sandwiches, Leah checked on John and was told he was due at the compound within five minutes. She rushed down and found John surrounded by some guards, all teasing him about his bald head. She waited until they had finished and then walked him to the room with his new pod and said, “I expect it won’t be until tomorrow when you begin to interact with your AI. Gèng and I have been discussing it, and she suggested that I talk you through what to expect and how to begin developing your AI. I’m about to go into Dunyanin. Do you want to talk now, at ten tonight, or in the morning?”

“At ten if that’s all right with you, I promised Jen I would have dinner with her family tonight.”

“Ten is fine, I’ll see you then. Say hi to Jen for me.”

Leah headed inside, and after a shower, she got into the Pod and walked into the Dunyanin portal. She arrived in the cabin. It was empty, so she headed to the deck. When she arrived on the poop deck she saw both RJ and Rana. She checked and saw all three pirate vessels in a line behind the carrack. RJ saw her arrive and called out, “Excellent timing, we should be seeing Ticareti at any time. I expect to dock within the hour. What are you going to do with your captures?”

“I’ll probably sell them, I’m unlikely to need another ship for a while, and when I do, it’ll probably be custom made.”

“Why would you need a custom-made ship?”

“I’ll be heading for Dragonbone Island.”

“Point taken. My men have searched the boats and want to know what to do with all the items they found on board - various weapons, cargo, food, etc.”

“I’ll arrange for a wagon or wagons to collect it, and they can take it to my clan headquarters. I expect we’ll arrange for most of it to be sold. How about you, where do you go from here?”

“Well, I was thinking of hanging around for a bit and maybe bidding on one of the ships. Maybe I’ll own a fleet eventually, not just the one ship.”

“My AI informs me they are probably worth just over a diamond each.”

“That’s probably a little low, they appear well made, and you didn’t do any damage when capturing them.”

“You can have your pick for one diamond, no need to bid.”

“Deal.”

RJ said he would examine the ships when they reached port and finalise the sale. Just then, the man in the crow’s nest gave the call that Ticareti was in sight. Leah said to Gèng, “Can you please contact Thad and the others and let them know we’ll be arriving at the port within the hour.”

It was just under an hour later as they were approaching the docks that Leah saw Thad, Amy, Zack, Wisp and James all lined up on the wharf waiting for her. Almost without thinking, she teleported across and grabbed Thad in a hug. She released him, and then hugged the others who were staring at her in shock. She said, “New trick. I’ll explain everything later.”

Thad said, “Why are there four boats?”

“Um, well one is the carrack we hired to get here. The other three we claimed from pirates. I’ve already sold one. Can someone help me find some wagons to carry the cargo and loot?”

Amy grabbed Leah and said, “First, who is ‘we’?”

“Oh, yeah, I have a companion, she’s the high elf you can see on the first ship who is standing there and watching us.”

“I expect a fuller account later, but the second question: what pirates?”

“Well, we were attacked by three pirate ships owned indirectly by Merideath, and I decided to claim them and rescue some slaves she had coerced on board. Altogether, ninety on three ships and 390 when the developers closed down the clan running the pirates.”

“Third question, what is a Plasma Starfighter?”

“What? How did you hear about that?”

“It’s all over the Cosmos Online forums. Apparently, people have worked out that a player named Atherleah finally finished Job 2312 and got a unique ship as a prize. You are the only Atherleah we know, so …?”

“So, I had a free day and decided to do a quest like any other starting player. It was a lot of fun, and that was the prize.”

Zack said, “Leah, I did that job almost a hundred times and finally mapped out the lasers but never had time to finish the next section, how did you do it?”

“There is a switch to turn off the lasers. Then it's easy just to run past them.”

“How long did it take to kill the rats?”

“About ten minutes! Look, here comes Rana, I’ll introduce you all, and then we can discuss this other stuff later.”

“Ten minutes! How did you do it in ten minutes? That’s impossible.”

“Nope. Just used some drones equipped with high-frequency speakers and drove them out of their hiding places. Anyway, here is Rana. Rana, these are my friends Thad, Amy, Wisp, James and Zack.”

After the introductions, she introduced them to RJ and then they met the port authorities to pay excise on the goods and the docking fees. RJ agreed to sell the boats for her. By the time this was all done, Thad had arranged wagons to transport the various goods from the ships. Altogether it was two hours before the seven of them got into a carriage Thad had arranged, and headed for the Clan Mansion. Once they arrived, Amy and Wisp dragged Leah and Rana around the house for a look and introduced Leah to the staff. It was late morning by the time they were all sitting in one of the main lounge areas, and Thad said, “So what are our plans?”

Leah said, “I’ve had Gèng do some research, and she’s found a player here who I want meet. He runs a brokerage business. I’ve no time to sell all the loot I’ve collected, and I want to arrange for him to sell it on my behalf, for a fee. Either that or I might see if he wants to join the clan as our broker. What do you guys think?”

Amy said, “That’s a great idea, I’ve been trying to sell stuff, but it isn’t my thing. I’d pay a lot to have someone do it for me.”

The rest agreed, and then Leah said, “I also need to visit a boutique run by a friend of mine called Yvette. I’ll probably buy a few clothes, and I suggest Amy, Wisp, and Rana join me for some shopping. You guys can do what you want. I expect arranging everything will take a day or so and then I want to head for the settlement of Durustguclu. After that, I have at least three more quests to finish but nothing with a specific time constraint. I’d also like to hatch my little dragon and maybe let Mĕi do some hunting around here. Does anybody else have something they need to do?”

Everybody shook their head, except Rana who said, “Sister, we would be advised to visit the Father of this area.”

The others looked at her weirdly, but Leah said, “Thank you, sister, for reminding me. We must make time for this. Is it urgent or can it wait until tomorrow?”

“It would be advisable to find the time today. If you wish, I will go and make the connection and arrange an appointment.”

“Thank you, Rana, I appreciate it.”

Rana rose and left, and the others turned to Leah and Thad said, “Sister? Father? What haven’t you shared?”

Leah said, “If I show you something, will you promise not to freak out until I explain?”

They all nodded, and Leah suddenly extended her fangs and claws, then Misted. The others had all moved away and began looking around. Leah coalesced in front of them, retracting the claws and fangs.

For the next few minutes, Leah explained what had happened and why. When she had finished, she just sat there looking at them, waiting for a reaction.

Zack said, “That is so cool. So that notice was about you, Atherleah the half-breed vampire.”

Thad leant forward and putting his arms around her he said, “Are you all right now?”

She leant into him and said quietly, “I am now! I was worried you would all be horrified.”

Amy said, “Horrified! These guys? I imagine they are all going to want you to bite them.”

After everyone had a good laugh, Zack described the various things they had done on their journey. The description took over an hour, by which time Rana had returned. She said, “I have made contact, and we are invited to take tea tomorrow afternoon at half past three.”

Leah said, “How about I go visit the broker this afternoon and then tomorrow, before Rana and I visit the Patriarch of Ticareti, we girls go to the boutique?”

Amy said, “That sounds good, except you should take Wisp with you. She’s the treasurer now, and she’ll probably have the most dealings with the broker so we should make sure she can work with him.”

Thad said, “I’d like to go as well if that is ok. I can drive the carriage.”

Leah smiled, and Wisp said, “I don’t think Atherleah minds at all.”

What Thad had said suddenly sunk in and Leah said, “What carriage?”

Amy piped up, “The mansion came with several carriages. Thad, James and Zack have all learnt the skills to drive them. We’ll need one of them tomorrow to take us to town for the shopping spree.”

Gèng gave Thad directions to the person she had decided most suitable to act as their broker. He stopped the carriage outside a small warehouse with an attached office and a sign which read, ‘Scorsese Brothers Brokerage’. Leah said, “Brothers?”

Gèng replied, “Yes, my research suggests the youngest brother, Peter, is one of the best brokers in the game and he lives here in Ticareti. The older brother, Leon, operates a branch office in Harika. There is a middle brother who does a lot of travelling between various ports to help distribute merchandise to the best markets.”

Thad said, “I’ll wait out here and watch the carriage.”

Leah walked inside the office and found several NPC’s doing book-keeping at desks. Another was sitting at a desk as a receptionist, she said, “Hello, welcome to Scorsese Brothers Brokerage, how may I help you?”

“Hello, my name is Atherleah, and this is my friend Annairë_the_Wize, we were hoping to speak with Peter Scorsese if he is here.”

“One moment and I will see if he is free.”

The receptionist returned within moments and said, “Please come in, he can see you now.”

Leah and Wisp entered the small offices out the back, and a tall, thin, rather wiry looking human rose and welcomed them. “My receptionist informs me that, ‘the’, and she did the air quotes, ‘the Atherleah’ is here to see me. I’m rather embarrassed to be caught out, so I apologise for not knowing you. How can I help you?”

Leah smiled and said, “I’ve recently earned enough fame points for my name to be recognised by most NPC’s, so don’t worry, I actually enjoy my privacy. We are part of a new clan, Clan Guàn. I’m the leader, and Annairë here is the treasurer. As a clan, and as individuals, we have a lot of loot and to be honest we don’t have the time, experience, or desire to dispose of it properly. We wanted to know if you would be interested in being our exclusive broker, we are open to you joining the clan if you wish. The research I've done says you are honest and very capable. Might you be interested?”

“I might be, but I have a few questions. Please don’t take this wrong but when someone says a lot, that means different things to different people. How much are we talking about?”

“Do you have time to log out now and visit my v-world? I can show you my share. I probably have the most though most people in the clan have almost as much.”

“I can do that. Here are my contact details, we can all leave from here. I’ll just let my receptionist know I will be away for a bit.”

Leah logged out and had Gèng send the information for Peter to arrive at the podium. She headed there herself. Wisp and Peter arrived at the same time and Leah invited them into the Tower. She was used to the reaction of people who visited for the first time and had learned to smile and accept the praise. She introduced Peter to Gèng and then walked him through her loot starting with the Orumeck’s Cavern through the Ants, the Bukalemun and the Odyssey. She ended with the latest material from the Deep Forest.

When they were finished, Peter sat down and said, “You do have a lot. And that closed room you say has almost the same again. How many clan members are there?”

“We have six members so far, and each has a little less than me. As a clan, we own several mines, and there is the cargo from three captured pirate ships which we’ve stored at our clan house in Ticareti.”

“I am interested. Your goods are exceptional, and I’d love the business. Do you expect to continue collecting at the same pace or will you be slowing down?”

“I’ve no idea. I imagine I’ll be slowing down a little, but I’ve still several quests to fill and expect them to collect more. I also own over 10,000 square leagues of land which has just been opened for exploration. I receive a portion of everything farmed. I could put you in contact with the administrator of that land if you wished and you could add those goods to the market.”

“I’d be crazy to turn down the offer. It’s almost too good to be true. What haven’t you told me or what should I ask that I haven’t?”

“Fair question! The only downside I can think of is that I have enemies and they are ruthless and vengeful. If you are associated with us and they find out, then they may make your life horrible.”

“Who?”

“Merideath and her Clan.”

“What percentage are we looking at?”

“My AI says you tend to get five to ten percent above market by your judicious buying and average around seven percent. So I suggest you get seven percent of whatever you sell. I get market value, and you get all the cream. That is my ‘no bargaining’ offer. If you want to bargain, I’ll suggest you get four percent. ”

“Let’s not bargain. I’ll agree to seven percent. What extra benefit if I join the clan?”

“Nothing from the sales but you’ll get an additional percentage from the mines and anything else we find on top of the seven percent. To become a clan member, there is a buy-in fee and a security check which I’ll explain later if you're interested. How about you let us know tomorrow what you think, I don’t want to rush you.”

“That sounds fair. Just out of interest, what happens if I cheat you?”

“I don’t really know. The last person who betrayed me lost their business, and my friends plan to hunt him down and destroy him piece by piece until nothing is left.”

“That is good to know, and fair.”

They returned to the warehouse, Wisp and Leah returned to the clan’s mansion and Leah took out the dragon’s egg and allowed Mĕi to run around until Leah was ready to go back to the Tower. One of the servants showed Leah the way to the room Amy had assigned to her, and she logged out from there.

Leah was about to log out of the Tower when Gèng said, “You have an incoming call from Red.”

Leah said, “I’ll take it thanks.”

Gèng formed a screen, and Red appeared. “Hi Atherleah, great win with the new ship. I wanted to say congratulations and also see if you wanted to do a real mission with that suit of yours.”

“It is a great ship, and I’m still concerned how easily people matched me with the ship.”

“Gossip is a big thing in the virtual worlds and believe it or not, you’re newsworthy. No real details yet but still enough that it wouldn’t surprise me if you get ranked soon.”

“Ranked?”

“Yep, there is a ‘who's who’ of the virtual realms, each major game and then overall. You’ve been connected with someone who's been number one enough times that she thinks it's hers by right. You’re still small-time, but it’s possible you’ve done enough damage to knock her off first place. If that happens, then you will probably rank high enough to make the list, so somewhere in the top 10,000. Know this, if she loses number one spot because of you, then she’ll really be mad.”

“Ok, thanks for explaining. Now, what is this about the suit?”

“Now and then, Star and I get invited on a mission. Later today there is one on Berne, the planet, not the station. It’s fairly straightforward, board a ship at the station and jump out in the suit while still in space. Landing is in an area controlled by the rebels, don’t worry about that it is just a game scenario. We have to take out the enemy, infiltrate a secret base and rescue a scientist. Total mission number is ten. We have nine and thought of you. What do you say?”

“What rewards? What dangers?”

“It’s fun, not much money but it’ll cover costs, possibly steal stuff from the secret base. You can die and lose your suit, you’d be unlucky, but sometimes there is a player on the other side. If no players then you keep the suit, flip-side, if there are players then we keep theirs.”

“Sounds like fun, when and where?”

“If you're ok with it, I’ll go get the suit now and meet you at my office two-hours real-time from now.”

“Okay! I’ll authorise the suit for pick up and meet you then.”

Leah entered Cosmos Online and organised authorisation for Red to get the suit from the school and then she raced back to the Tower and logged out. She had another huge meal and then sat with John and discussed her experiences with Gèng. She suggested that giving the AI tasks and allowing it to learn how to solve them was key. She said, “I modelled looking for solutions and then allowed Gèng, or rather, I expected her to solve them. The AI must be supported to do what you ask, and you mustn’t get frustrated. I think that the AI needs to know you see them as a person in their own right.”

“But are they?”

“They can be. If it isn’t an expectation, then I think they won’t be.” Both Leah and Gèng had more advice. In the end, Leah had to say, “Sorry John, I have to go. I’m about to go jump from space into a secret base and rescue a scientist.”

He smiled and said, “That sounds like so much fun that it just might make up for losing my hair.”

Laughing, Leah rushed off to be on time for Red.

Logging in, she stepped into the Berne portal, slipped out of her hotel and headed for Redstar. She arrived on time and saw Red, Star and five others waiting for her. After introductions, they walked as a group to the docks and loaded onto what Red called a Planetary Shuttle. She found her suit lying there along with ten others. Her case looked newer and slightly larger than the rest.

The leader, whose name was Tungsten, said, ‘Suit up.”

Everyone started to undress and open their suit cases, Leah was embarrassed but did the same. She imagined it was like swimming the river in her underwear. She sprayed the inner suit with lubricant, and then pushed down the lever to access the main suit. She quickly checked what everyone else was doing and noticed them all watching her.

Star smiled and said, “The men are all pervs. But me and Linda here,” she pointed to the other woman on the team, “we just want to get a look at the suit. Go on girl, get in.”

She stepped inside and after the suit filled with Gel she turned and looked down at everyone. Tungsten smiled and said, “Oh yes sir, we are going to win tonight. Finally, we are going to win this scenario.”

Leah turned to Red and said, “Finally?”

“Well, I might have missed the one small detail where we have tried this a few times already and haven’t quite finished it. But as I told Tungsten, with your suit and the smarts which beat 2312, we can’t lose tonight.”

Leah turned to Star and said, “Star, can you send me the scenario details. In future, I need to remember that men are really just older boys and they don’t know how to communicate properly.”

Star burst out laughing while Red began mumbling about uppity women.

As they flew to the launch point, Leah reviewed the scenario and questioned everyone about what had gone wrong previously. About ten minutes out she asked, “Why do you jump as a single group?”

Tungsten said, “What do you mean? This is a scenario for a ten person group.”

“I know but what if six landed where you plan and two each land at these two points. Then instead of being overrun you’ll flank them and have them in a crossfire. And why do you land there? You could draw them out with just a few and the rest land to their rear after they are committed.”

Star said, “Because the scenario says that these rebels must be killed before heading into the base.”

“I know, but it doesn’t say you all have to land there. Surely you have a little freedom to bend the scenario.”

Tungsten said, “Let’s try it. Star, you and Ben take the right flank. Linda, you and the Rock take the right. Both groups to land two minutes after the rest of us. Red, you stay with Atherleah as it's her first time. Atherleah, you need to get a shorter name.”

She started to speak, but he said, “Nope, you can’t choose it, we will. Now get ready, we release in twenty-seconds.”

Twenty-seconds later the shuttle manoeuvred a little to slow down, and the six suited-figures continued in the direction they had been travelling. Everything was automated and had been preset by Tungsten. The arms and legs locked into the central torso and a heat shield extended from the suit and wrapped around the armour. Leah hadn’t read up on the world-specific science involved but understood that as they fell, the suit somehow absorbed the heat that was produced and stored it to power the device which slowed the suit down as it approached the surface.

Leah landed feet first and immediately followed the others in a run toward a set of low lying hills. The suit was able to maintain an easy 100 kilometre an hour pace, and they pushed it to 150 kilometres an hour. She saw a flash from the top of the hills as the rebels noticed them coming and began to fire at them. Leah joined the others as they began to weave their way up the hill. As soon as one of her team began to return fire so did Leah. They were three-quarters of the way up the hill when Tungsten yelled, “Down.” Everyone dove for the ground, Leah slid along the earth for almost thirty metres before stopping. Suddenly the whole top of the hill was covered with withering blaster fire from the hills on either side. Tungsten yelled, “Up.” And they were off.

As they reached the crest of the hill, they looked down on several dozen mangled suits and in the distance, the top of the base they had come to infiltrate. Star, Ben, Linda and Rock joined them, and they quickly foraged the suits for anything valuable. Tungsten said, “Atherleah, you get a double share for that advice. This is the first time we’ve made it this far with all ten players. Well done. Any suggestions for the next bit?”

“Well, what causes the most problems?”

“Two guard stations are overlooking the entrance. They know we're coming, but in the scenario, they have no contact with inside the base for security purposes. We always lose at least half our personnel destroying the towers.”

Leah looked at the ground between here and there and said, “What if everyone stayed here for a bit and kept firing at each other for a while to make them think the fight is still going on. Meanwhile, two of us sneak over there without our suits and deal with the guard stations. I think the suits are too large to be inconspicuous, but I’m sure I could wriggle my way over there without being seen. It’ll take almost forty-five minutes, but we have time.”

“You’d leave your suit here?”

“It has a slave function. I’ll slave it to Red, and he can bring it when the towers are down.”

One of the men whose name was Michael but everyone called Spider said, “I’ll go. My suit doesn’t have the slave function, but it will pull-along. One of you make sure to tie the cable to your suit, and it’ll follow. Let’s go, Atherleah.”

They wriggled down the hill. Spider had done scout work before and could see that Leah knew what to do. After thirty minutes they were close to the base and could make out the two guard stations. Each was set at the top of a small tower. Spider whispered, “Right or left?”

“Left. Attack in fifteen?”

“Yep, what are you thinking?”

“If I can climb the tower I will, otherwise I’ve grenades which should bring it down.”

“There is a ladder at the back of each tower.”

“Then I’ll climb. I have a blaster and my Nano Sabres.”

“Best make it twenty then. On my mark … Mark.”

Leah began moving slowly and carefully toward the base of the left-hand tower. She reached it after twelve minutes and saw the ladder which hung from the top. It stopped four metres short of the ground. She was glad she was wearing the powered inner suit and took a few steps back and leapt for the rail. Her right hand reached up, and she caught the second lowest rung. She slowly climbed the tower and with two minutes to spare reached the top, only to find a locked grill. She carefully took out her Nano Sabre and cut a hole in the grill. She poked her head up just enough to see two soldiers in armour standing beside a large calibre blaster and watching the far hill where Leah’s team continued to fire the occasional shot. She waited for the countdown, then snuck onto the platform and using the plasma blaster she had found the day before, she fired one shot into the back of each soldiers head.

She looked over at the other tower and could see both soldiers alive and watching the firefight on the far hill. She searched for Spider and saw him on the ladder but caught by the grill. She moved the dead soldiers out of the way and manoeuvred the large blaster until it was aimed at the other tower. She took a deep breath and held down the trigger. The top of the tower disappeared. She swallowed, wondering what had happened to Spider, but saw him standing at the base of the tower glaring at her.

Ten minutes later the team arrived. Spider explained what had happened as he and Leah climbed back into their suits. Tungsten said, “This next bit is the easiest, it’s just we’ve never had enough bodies to finish it. We’ll split into two teams. I’ll lead one. Red, you take the other, you take Star, Atherleah, Linda and Ben. I’ll move through to the residential quarters and get the Scientist. You take and hold the exit. The shuttle will land three minutes after I give the signal. Let’s be in and out in ten minutes if we can. Go!”

Tungsten blew the front door and rushed ahead, down and to the left. Red led the way straight ahead and then down to the right. They moved quickly, killing everyone they saw. Eight minutes later they arrived at a large cavern with several shuttles and other ships. Red said, “We need to get to the control centre and open the exit shaft.”

Leah kept behind the others as they assaulted the central room and took control of the hanger. While Red looked for the controls, Leah looked around the control centre. She then sidled up to Star and whispered, “Star, is there any reason we don’t steal some ships?”

Star turned to her and said, “What?”

Leah pointed and said, “Those cards there look like the keycards for spaceships. Why don’t we grab them and try them out on the spaceships and shuttles in the hanger? I can fly one, and I assume several others can as well.”

Star hurried over and had a whispered conversation with Red, who turned to look at Leah before nodding. There were three keycards, and after explaining what was happening to Linda and Ben, they ran out to test the cards. By the time Tungsten arrived, they had changed the ownership of two of the spaceships and one shuttle. Red opened the exit shaft, and the three ships blasted out to make their way back to the Station. After docking, they all congregated at Red and Star’s while Tungsten dropped the Scientist off to the authorities.

When he returned, he gave everyone high fives and said, “We’ve finally done it and it has opened a long-term quest. We have a contract to meet with an Ulturian Admiral and infiltrate a Gorgian base. Atherleah, you are welcome to join us.”

“Thanks guys, I appreciate it and this was fun, but I already have a quest. It’s not from the game but one of my own. It’s probably going to take most of my time for the next few months.”

“What’s your quest?”

“Sorry guys, operational security and all. Thanks for today though, that was fun.”

“Fun! Girl, that looked easy only because you changed it up. We were in a rut, doing the same thing again and again. We all have another few hours in the game, so drinks are on me, but only after we divide the spoils. We earn one platinum each and then shares of the spoil. I told Atherleah she had two shares but think she probably deserves more.”

Leah said, “Two is plenty.” But she was shouted down by the rest. Tungsten sold the three small ships for a total of two Rhodium and ended up dividing it by twelve and giving Leah three shares. So she received 500 Platinum. She arranged for Red to store the suit for her until the following day when he would return it to the school. She wanted John to have training in its use. Leah went with them and watched while they drank and danced for a few hours. After being escorted back to her hotel, she logged out and had an after midnight feast before hurrying back to get to Dunyanin.

Diary - 4 December 2073

What a difference a day makes! It was amazing being able to play in Cosmos Online without thinking of all the ramifications of my actions. It reminded me of the first few days in Dunyanin before Jackson and Meredith made it real. Carefree, I was carefree for a while today, and it felt wonderful. I think it relaxed me. I wonder when mum and dad last did something carefree without wondering how it would play out in the future. I can’t even imagine Jimmy doing something just for the enjoyment of it. I wonder if people, as they get older, still need some time away from the stresses of life. There was that lady who lived on the floor below us. She had a son with Down Syndrome. She loved him with all her heart, but the constant care she provided slowly became too much. What if all she needed was for Conner or I, or some adult just to give her a break occasionally? Maybe they wouldn’t have had to hand him over to the government to put in an institution. Maybe she wouldn’t have died of a broken heart. I must check with mum if there are people in the Switch like that, people who just need a small break from the pressure so they can stand tall again.

Merideath needs to be stopped. Releasing the slaves was another bonus for the day. I should ask for more information on where they come from. I wonder if the Kodomans have a master list somewhere with the location of all their slaves. That’s what we need to look for. We need to find some way to find all the people who are trapped. I wonder if Eli is coerced. I think he is, in fact, I’m sure of it. But what can I do about it without proof? I need to contact Elsa and see if she has any ideas.

I wonder what name Tungsten and his team would have come up with for me. What do people think of me? Do I care? Of course I do. But only what the people I care about think. Is that selfish of me? To only worry about the opinion of friends. To ignore the rest. But I don’t ignore them, not really; I treat them with respect until I know more. I liked Tungsten and his team. It was great to relax with them at the end; I suppose that’s why dad likes the occasional night at the pub ‘with the boys’.

CHAPTER FIVE

December 5, 2073

Leah walked through the portal to Dunyanin at nine, local time, and found herself lying on the bed in her room. She rose and headed downstairs to see who else had already arrived. Thad was the only one she saw, and as she walked toward him, he smiled and then leaned down and gave her a long slow kiss. When he released her she was about to demand another one when she heard some snickering behind her. She turned to see Amy and Wisp standing in the doorway. A little embarrassed she said, “Good morning Amy, good morning Wisp.”

Amy said, “Is that what that was? A good morning?”

Leah smiled but ignored the comment. Rana entered and said, “Good morning sister. Did you travel to other worlds as you slept?”

“Yes, Rana, I did. I travelled to a world where people live in the space above the planet. I was in a team which rescued a scientist from a rebel base. It was enjoyable, and I earned some good coin.”

Thad said, “Whose team? We tried that a few times and always got killed.”

“The leader was a guy called Tungsten, and there were Red and Star, Ben, Linda, and Spider and several others that I didn’t really have much to do with.”

Zack wandered in and said, “What, you went with Tungsten’s Team? They is good people Atherleah, good people.”

Thad said, “Speaking of Cosmos Online, we’ll be entering 55 Cancri in about eighty-two hours. We need to meet and plan what we are going to do. Say tonight, midnight?”

Leah replied, “That’s ok with me.”

She then said to Rana, “What should we wear to tea?”

“Do you have a nice dress?”

“Only an evening gown.”

Amy said, “You have an evening gown! When do I get to see that?”

“Later! Maybe? Focus! Why a dress, Rana?”

“The Father here is very old. I did not meet him, only his son. He was very traditional. It disturbed him that I was without a chaperone.”

“Really! Well then, no dress for me. I’m travelling. He’ll have to put up with these clothes.”

Thad said, “Leah, just because he’s prejudiced doesn’t mean you should offend him. When you're at the boutique, why don’t you get something nice and simple? You’ve met goblins, dragons and vampires half-way, surely you can do that with an old man stuck in his ways.”

Leah frowned at Thad for a moment and then said, “You’re right. I was wrong. Thank you.”

Rana, Leah, Amy and Wisp gathered their things, and Thad drove the carriage into the centre of Ticareti and promised to pick them up at two. Gèng had done the research and projected a map onto Leah’s vision to the Boutique owned by Yvette. She led the way and was first to enter the exclusive looking shop. A young woman greeted her and said, “Welcome, my name is Helene, how may I help you ladies today?”

Leah said, “Good morning Helene, my name is Atherleah, and these are my friends Amy, Wisp and Rana. I was invited to visit the Boutique by Yvette, is she available?”

“Yvette is my mother, and she has mentioned you and shared your promise to visit. Unfortunately, she isn’t well at the moment. The healers are unsure of what ails her. I will tell her you visited.”

“May I see her? I would like to pay my respects.”

“Let me just go and see if she would mind. You ladies have a look around the shop.”

As Helene went out the back, the four friends began looking through the various dresses and accessories that were available. Soon Helene returned and said, “Mother would love to see you, but the healers have asked that you keep the visit short.”

Leah followed Helene out the back and to a substantial dwelling built behind and above the store. She was shown into a bedroom where Yvette lay in a large bed. A female mage and two others wearing the robes of healers were standing on one side of the bed. Leah approached the other side and said, “Hello Yvette. I’m sorry you’re not feeling well.”

Yvette smiled and said, “Not to worry, I’ll be on my feet soon enough. Mage Jillian is one of the best healers in Ticareti, and I’m sure she’ll be able to help soon enough. It is good to see you. Did you deal with those horrible slavers?”

“I was successful against some of them but still have to deal with the ringleaders. I’ll get to them after I visit Durustfuar, I’m heading to see him when I leave Ticareti.”

“Well, I’m glad you visited me first before seeing that grouchy old dwarf.”

Suddenly Yvette hunched forward and coughed violently for some time into a handkerchief. Leah could see spots of blood, and then a faint smell reached her nostrils. Ever since she had been changed, she had grown increasingly sensitive to the presence of blood, and for some reason, something smelled strange about Yvette’s blood.

She turned to the Mage and said, “Pardon me, but is Yvette’s sickness affecting her blood?”

The mage replied, “Why do you ask?”

“I have a sensitive nose, and something is not quite right in her blood.”

The healer took the handkerchief and examined it and after a while said, “I can sense nothing strange. Please have a look and see what you think.”

Leah replied, “May I get my friend from the shop? She has greater experience with issues involving blood.”

The mage nodded and said, “At this point, I will take any help I can get.”

Leah made her way back to the shop, and after a brief explanation to Rana, they both made their way to Yvette’s bedside. As Rana entered the room, she gave a little grimace and stopped. She said, “May I examine the cloth?”

The mage examined her closely and then handed her the cloth. Rana had brought it halfway toward her nose when she stopped and said, “This lady has been poisoned. Somehow she has ingested some Katamite Seed.”

The mage said, “Katamite, that is almost impossible to detect, and it is impossible to ingest accidentally. How can you tell simply from that small sample of blood?”

Leah said, “Mage Jillian, might I speak with you in private? I will explain how but I would prefer to keep the information confidential.”

Before Jillian could answer Yvette said, “Please, Mage Jillian, I trust Atherleah and will vouch for her.”

Jillian motioned, and the other healers left the room. When they were alone, Leah said, “Will you agree to keep this in confidence?”

Both Jillian and Yvette agreed, and Atherleah said, “My friend Rana is a vampire and has been for many years. Their connection to blood makes them particularly sensitive to its changes.”

Jillian stepped back, but before she could do anything Yvette said, “And you Atherleah, how did you detect it?”

“Well, I’ve recently been changed into a vampire as well. I haven’t had a long association with blood but imagine that will grow over time.”

“But dear, you’re a half-breed, I know you can’t be a vampire, and you’ve only the wood account.”

“That’s true Yvette, but it has happened, and it was a difficult experience. Nonetheless, it is true. Jillian, regardless of your feeling toward vampires, can you treat Yvette now you know she’s been poisoned?”

“Firstly, I apologise for my reaction. I understand how vampires are made and I’ve reacted badly. My excuse is the bad reputation you have but that is no reason for my bad behaviour. To answer your question, I'm not sure, because one property of Katamite is it resists magic, even healing magic. I’ll need to consult with the natural healers. Please wait here with Yvette, and I’ll go talk with them.”

Leah encouraged Rana to return to the Boutique while she sat and talked with Yvette. She told her stories of the adventures she had had, and Yvette told her about her family, particularly her grandchildren. Finally, Mage Jillian returned and said, “They have heard of a cure, but none knows the specifics. They say it has something to do with the Lenthario flower, but they don’t know what else.”

Leah said, “Please wait, let me check something.”

She grabbed Falsi’s book from her bag and quickly began to skim the pages. It was almost ten minutes later when she said, “Here. I’ve a diary of herbs and potions, and there is a description of a Poison Remedy using the Lenthario flower. The skill is well beyond me and it requires both a healer and a practitioner of life magic.”

She passed the book to Jillian who read through the page and then flipped through the book and said, “Atherleah, this is a priceless work. Where did you get this?”

“I was given it by a friend who trained under the healer Harika.”

“Then it is truly priceless, and with that pedigree, this will work. I will send for all the ingredients and will search for the particular life spell it mentions. I will need to send word to my old master at Sihirbazlari. He may know of it.”

“Before you do, I have another volume of spells, and I would like to check it first.”

Leah removed the Book of Life Spells she had recovered from Lord Y’sam Ejderhasi. She soon found the spell. She said to Mage Jillian, “This Spell Book has the spell, although it is written in the language of dragons. I can translate it into common tongue if you wish as I am still not at a level to perform the spell myself.”

Jillian looked at the book and said, “You have a priceless Book of Herbs and Potions and an even more priceless Book of Life Spells from a Dragon Master. I am tempted to have you stolen away to Sihirbazlari so we can copy these.”

“I will be there soon. I have a plan to visit Mage Jonathan. When I am there, I will gladly allow a copy to be made.”

Jillian laughed and said, “Atherleah, no one travels to Sihirbazlari. It is somewhere you must be taken.”

Leah smiled and said, “So Jonathan mentioned, but trust me when I say, I shall travel there.”

“I find it hard to doubt someone with these books. Let me have the ingredients brought, and we will make the potion here. While we wait, you can translate the spell for me, and I shall copy it down.”

Altogether it took over an hour to find the ingredients and translate the spell. Jillian lay everything on a bench that had been brought and said, “I will now prepare the potion as I chant the spell. Please do not distract me as speed is necessary, not just in the preparation but also with ingestion.”

Leah said, “I have one suggestion, Mage Jillian. I think it would help if you used my Mortar and Pestle.”

Jillian said, “Why would that be? Mine are perfectly suitable.”

Leah reached into her bag and brought forth hers and said, “Because mine once belonged to the Elven Sage Samarie.”

Jillian trembled as she reached for the famed pair. She said, “I believed I’d reached my limit of surprises for today, but now you have surpassed even the last ones. Yes! These will help.”

The healers and Leah stood by and watched as Jillian mixed the various ingredients. All the while she was whispering the words of the spell and directing her mana into the mixture. Leah could see the strain showing on her face, and her arms began to tremble. Finally, she finished the spell and looked to the mixture. In a small voice she said, “Almost, but not quite, it still needs more power. Leah equipped Merdiven and pushing her mana into it she said, “Please help!”

A dark green beam shot from the staff and hit the mixture in the Mortar; it began to bubble, and then suddenly it changed and turned a brilliant yellow. The beam faded and Jillian’s face went pale as she lifted the mortar to Yvette and had her drink the mixture. Moments later she began to cough, and this time instead of blood, a dark tar was deposited in the handkerchief. Jillian and the healers were quick to remove this from Yvette and store it away.

Jillian said, “Merdiven! You claim the great staff as well. I hesitate to let you leave this house. Come with me to Sihirbazlari. I will take you today.”

“Thank you, but no. I have business to finish before I go to Sihirbazlari. I am just pleased that I could be here today and help with Yvette’s health. I assume she is better.”

“Yvette is fine. I’ve checked, and she is returned to full health. I, on the other hand, will return home and need to calm my nerves before contacting Jonathan and my mentor at Sihirbazlari. Know this, should you find the way there you will be questioned for all your secrets.”

After Yvette rose, she led Leah back to the Boutique and helped Leah and her friends to choose a range of clothes, some for travelling and others for everyday and entertaining. Altogether they had been in the shop for several hours and were about to finish up when the front door opened and an older man rushed in and embraced Yvette. He said, “I came as soon as I heard. I was at the temple and asking for help. I am sure you are well because my Goddess has heard my prayers. I am so pleased you are well.”

Yvette turned to Leah and said, “Atherleah, this is my fiancé, Trevor, he has been so worried for me. Since my late husband passed away, Trevor has always been there. Trevor, this is my friend Atherleah. Except for her timely intervention I believe I would soon have died.”

Trevor stepped forward and took Leah’s hand and said, “Atherleah, I thank you. I will give thanks to Utsal, whom I serve, for your good health.”

Leah was about to reply when a voice whispered in her ear, “Atherleah, my friend, be wary. He does not serve me and he has not been to my temple.”

Another voice, this one Olme, whispered, “He has been to mine. He prayed for her death, not her life. He wasn’t after freedom from pain but wanted me to hurry up and take her.”

Leah said, “Then let us go together to the temple and pray. Utsal is my friend, and I shall thank her for hearing your plea. She might appear, and you can thank her personally.”

Trevor started and stammered, “She is your friend?”

“Yes! The strange thing is she just spoke with me, and said she doesn’t know you. But fear not, another Goddess I know shared that she has heard your prayers, she hasn’t answered them but has shared them with me. Would you like me to tell you her name and what she said?”

Trevor began to tremble and with his words faltering, asked, “You speak with the Gods?”

“At times, I do. Now Trevor, let me ask you: Why did Olme, Goddess of Death, tell me you asked her to hasten Yvette’s end?”

Trevor turned pale as Yvette gasped and he said, “That is a lie. I would never speak with the Goddess of Death about Yvette. Whoever told you that is a liar.”

A voice, which was audible to all, spoke into the room, “A liar, am I! Behold I come.”

Suddenly Olme appeared and stood before Trevor. She looked at Yvette and then turning to Trevor said, “Trevor, son of Martin, son of Andreas, you have called me a liar. I call on Utsal, Goddess of Light and Truth to be my witness and to affirm the words of Atherleah, thy friend.”

Suddenly Utsal appeared and said, “I, Utsal, Goddess of Light and Truth, do affirm the words of Atherleah and bear witness to the true speech of the Goddess Olme. Now, Olme dear, will you take him, or will I?”

“You can have him, and then I’ll take him after you. Eventually, you see, I get them all.”

“That’s the truth dear, that’s the truth. Now Atherleah, remember, I have my eye on you. The whole vampire thing changes nothing. You take care.” Utsal grabbed Thomas by the head and disappeared with him.

Olme said, “I’d best go as well. Now Atherleah, I expect you to find a dungeon soon and send some sentients my way. You've really slowed down in the last few days and need to maintain the pace. I, by the way, am looking forward to your first kill as a vampire. Bye dear!” And she too disappeared.

Yvette stumbled backwards and sat on a divan that was placed there for customers. She said, “As my legal and announced fiancé, if I had died, everything was his; the shop, my business, but not my family. Once married, that would be true but he would also need to care for my family. Oh, what an old fool I am.”

Leah came and sat beside her and said, “Why a fool, Yvette? No one is a fool who wants love. No one is a fool who accepts and trusts. The true fool is the one who spurns love, who wastes it, or who devalues it. The fool here is Trevor, he had the opportunity to know you, to be with you, and he has spurned and destroyed that opportunity. You still have your family, your friends, and me. By now Trevor already rues the day he met you. As he is gone, I imagine what was his, is now yours. Take a deep breath and go claim what belongs to you.”

Yvette smiled and said, “Thank you, dear. How right you are. I have my family, my friends and my shop. Trevor was alone, he was an only child and had no family. But I want nothing of his. Instead, I, Yvette, do declare my right to the worldly goods of Trevor, son of Martin, be transferred to the traveller Atherleah. This is my word and solemn oath.”

Suddenly a message appeared:

Atherleah, Stylist Yvette has made a magically binding oath which transfers her right to the worldly belongings of the merchant Trevor, son of Martin to you. You need to visit the Chamberlain of the Ticareti Town Council to finalise the transfer. You also need to visit the Ticareti Merchant Bank. Also, Stylist Yvette has rewarded you for completing the Unique Personal Quest you accepted during the startup.

Reward 1: Your reputation with Stylist Yvette is increased to Deep Trust!

Reward 2: 50000 Experience Points (423651/950000) (+148%)

Leah said, “No Yvette, that is too much of a gift.”

“Nonsense, I want nothing from him, and I trust you will use the resources wisely. Now please, let us talk of this no more. I am going to close the shop when you go and have some time with my family, who as you reminded me, do truly love me.”

“We shall go then. First, let us finish our purchases.”

“Again I say, nonsense. I am healed from death, freed from despair, and can face a future of promise. I will take no payment for your goods. I look forward to your return and to hearing of your adventures and the defeat of your foes.”

A short while later the friends left the shop to find it was only one and they had an hour to wait for Thad. Amy said, “He’ll be here soon. I messaged him a few minutes ago, and he said he’d hurry. Boy, do we have something to share with them.”

Leah said, “Actually, as we’re early he can take me to the Town Council and the bank. I’ve got to transfer the property and financial accounts.”

Over the next hour, Leah discovered she now owned a merchant business with several offices throughout Vatan and even a small office on the continent of Tanamore. Besides a warehouse in Ticareti, Trevor had operated ten merchant caravans in Vatan and a galleon which plied the trade between Vatan and Tanamore. Personally, he owned a mansion on the same street as the Guàn Mansion. At the bank, Leah discovered that it was not all positive news as he had an outstanding debt of just over twenty diamonds. In inheriting all he owned, she also inherited his debt. Rather than leave it as outstanding, she transferred from her account and cancelled the debt.

The carriage returned them to the mansion just after two, and they all sat and discussed the morning. They were winding down when one of the house servants came and said, “Lady Atherleah, there is a Peter Scorsese here to see you.”

“Please show him in. Everyone, please stay. This is the broker Wisp and I visited yesterday. You should all stay and meet him.”

When Peter was shown in Leah introduced everyone and then said, “So Peter, to what do we owe the pleasure?”

“I’ve thought about it and talked with my brothers. They are happy for me to do this as a separate job if I continue to help them with our family business. I am interested in joining the clan but want to review the terms.”

Leah said, “We are going to meet in my virtual world later today real time. What if we have everything ready and you come at the beginning of that meeting? I’ll have the information to you before then.”

“That sounds good, anything else that I need to know?”

“Um, do you know of the Trader Trevor, son of Martin?”

“Yes. He’s a reasonable merchant but not someone I admire. Why?”

“Unfortunately for him, he died today, well, sort of. Either way, I’ve inherited his warehouse and business. Can I add those to your list of things to look after?”

“What’s in his warehouse?”

“No idea but everything is debt free and mine. You can use the mansion or sell it and the same with the businesses. It’s just I thought you might be able to make use of the ten merchant caravans he owns and operates. There is also a galleon which goes back and forth between here and Tanamore.”

“Ok, I’m interested. Can we meet at the warehouse sometime and review his goods? Also, let’s visit the mansion.”

Leah agreed, and after Peter left, the clan discussed things and decided they would admit Peter if he checked out security wise. Thad promised to have the clan documents ready for review in the morning. At three, Rana and Leah dressed in some new clothing and left in the carriage to visit the Patriarch.

Thad was driving and turned the carriage onto the long driveway toward one of the grandest mansion in Ticareti. It was just outside the town and backed on to a large forest reserve. He pulled up to the front porch and opened the carriage door with a wink at Leah and a nod to Rana. As Leah and Rana exited the carriage the front door of the Mansion opened, and a human whom Leah could tell by scent was a vampire said to Thad, “My master shall see them returned home, you need not wait.”

Thad turned to Leah who nodded, so he returned to the carriage and drove off.

The man said, “Please follow me.”

Leah and Rana followed the man through the mansion to the rear garden where a Gazebo stood, it overlooked an intricate maze. There was an older man, a younger man, and a woman already seated and waiting. Rana approached first and stood before the older man. She said, “Lord Silas, Patriarch of Ticareti, I greet you in the name of my Father, Lord Namus, Patriarch of the Ebony House. I am Rana, daughter of Namus and I present my sister, Lady Atherleah, Lady of the Deep Wood and daughter of Namus.”

A message appeared, and everything seemed to freeze while Leah quickly read it:

Level 4 Named Personal Achievement

Open a new Dungeon - Achieved (Opal)

You have fulfilled the requirements for the opening of a dungeon. You are the first vampire player to visit the Ticareti Patriarch from outside his clan. This patriarch is unable to accept what is different.

Result 1: He will try and kill you and will lose his grip on reality

Result 2: He will retreat into his mansion, and the new dungeon (The Ticareti House of Horror) will open twelve hours later. Dungeon (Four-Player, Starting Level - Group Range +5)

Reward 1: 50 Experience Points x Player Level - 50 x 230 (+148%) (452171/950000)

Reward 2: 10 Silver x #L4 NPA (Opal) = 10 Silver

Reward 3: 5 Fame Points (131705 FP)

A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

As she dismissed the message, everything resumed.

The older man acknowledged the welcome with a nod of his head and said, “Welcome Rana, daughter of Namus, Patriarch of the Ebony House.”

He then flicked his hand toward Leah and said, “But what is this abomination? This half-breed? How can you call her sister? How could Namus even contemplate such a thing? Surely this makes a mockery of what is pure. It is a blight on all vampires.”

He turned to the younger man and said, “Dispose of her.”

Rana responded before the man could stand and said, “Lord Silas, please hear the tale before you act hastily. My father himself was the one who changed my sister.”

Silas shook his head and said, “There is no reason you can give that would satisfy. I fear this creature has bewitched your father and you. But we shall cleanse this stain from your house, as we shall cleanse all except those who are pure.”

The younger man stood, and Rana began to step in front of Leah but stopped when Leah touched her arm. Leah said, “Have a seat Rana, I’ve got this.”

As Rana stepped back, the young man assumed his vampire form and reached for Leah bringing a hand, with claws fully extend, down to rend her torso. With Ki speed fully active Leah stepped to the side and as the vampire overstepped she removed his head with a swipe of her Haladie. She took another step backwards and teleported about twenty paces from the Gazebo, and she called out, “Hey Silas, is that all you’ve got? Surely you have more than one child you don’t need.”

As vampires began to materialise around her, she equipped her armour and cast Chain Lightning, then killed the stunned vampires with Baris. She cast Rain of Fire as more appeared. She danced among them with sword and knife, and occasionally she would reach out and freeze a heart or head. At one stage she was caught with three vampires surrounding her and as they struck she unequipped her weapons, misted and allowed the claws to miss her. She then rematerialised, equipped her weapons and continued to kill the now off-balance attackers. She was not aware of how long she fought, just that she was getting tired. She was about to take a potion when in a loud voice Silas called, “Desist.”

Leah looked around the area which was strewn with dead vampires. She checked her statistics and saw both her Health and Stamina were under fifty percent. Her Mana and Ki were almost gone. She waited and watched as he looked around at the destruction. He said, “You are a worthy advisory for a half-breed. You have killed twenty of my children. I give you twelve hours to run. Then, for the death of my children, and the affront to my honour, I will follow you, I will find you, and I will kill you.”

“Silas, you are a fool. Don’t bother looking for me. Obviously, you have run out of children readily at hand. I assume they are all out scurrying in dark places. You need time to recover before you attack. I will respect your weakness and leave now, but I will return in twelve hours and clear this house of you and your family. I will advise Lord Namus that the Patriarchy of Ticareti was destroyed because of stupidity, prejudice and incompetence. Come, Rana. Silas, is twelve hours enough time to collect your family?”

“Begone, you foul-blooded creature. Tomorrow, for the first time in living memory my house will reveal itself. We will meet you and we will rend your flesh.”

Leah and Rana left the old man still raving and headed back to the clan, Rana misted there, and Leah teleported. When they arrived Rana said, “I apologise Leah, I had no idea he would try and kill you. If I had known I would never have taken you there.”

“I know that, but tomorrow I expect the house will have transformed into a real dungeon.”

Their sudden appearance caused some consternation, but after Leah explained, Zack said, “So, finally we get to do another dungeon. Sweet.”

Leah wasn’t as pleased. She was more disturbed by the prejudice that seemed acceptable to the makers of Dunyanin. Nonetheless, she said, “Only four can enter the dungeon, I plan to be there, who else wants to come?”

Thad said, “Why don’t we all do it? We’ll go in two teams. Your team starts first and the next team a minute later. We know the dungeons are in separate realities. It’ll be a race to the finish.”

“Okay, who’s in what groups?”

Everyone just stared at each other, so she said, “How about Rana, Wisp and I go first? Wisp and I are used to working together. You four go next; you work well together, and your levels are close, and the MOBs will be closer to your levels. Wisp and Rana, are you both ok with that?”

They both nodded, and Wisp said, “Just like old times.”

After some more discussion, they all agreed and made arrangements to meet in the clan mansion at half past three in the morning. Leah spent some time discussing the next day with Rana and Wisp. She then logged out from her bedroom.

She headed for breakfast with her parents and was just finishing when she received a message that John wanted to see her. She headed outside and saw him standing beside a beautiful girl who she had only met a few times, Jenny Ngô, John’s girlfriend. She walked up and said, “Hi Jen, it's been a long time since we had a chance to chat. I couldn’t believe it when I heard this guy had grabbed your eye. What do you think now that he’s bald?”

“To be honest, I think it suits him. At least I now know that if he does go bald that his head isn’t all knobbly like some men.”

They chatted for a bit and then Leah said, “So, John, have you interacted with your new AI yet?”

“I have. It’s pretty much as you described. No databases and nothing yet, except speech. Apparently, everything is ready to go. I just wanted to touch base and check what’s next.”

“Well, once you get to your room you need to have a shower and then have the AI open the Pod, and you get in. The AI is set up to make that happen and will help you get everything correct. You’ll arrive in an empty room with plain walls, floor and roof. I suggest you begin by having the AI change the room in some way and then let it experiment. Gèng uploaded a public domain texture for the walls and then experimented until I was happy with it. You can find free furniture, pictures and clothes but most of it is poor quality. It helps the AI begin to experiment. Most people I’ve met just buy what they want and their AI’s never learn to manipulate the world thoroughly.”

“So, let it learn rather than giving it everything.”

“Yep, just like my parents did with me. I had to work for what I wanted, no freebies. I do suggest you purchase some things online. I bought a virtual screen to do research with, and you should find some clothes to wear otherwise when you enter a world, you do so completely naked. Time works differently. If you enter now and work for three hours, only one hour of real time has elapsed. You said you wanted to help me online. If that is still true, then join the game Cosmos Online and choose Berne as your starting place. I’m going to do some work and will be there just after eight am real time. When we meet, I can get you started with some training.”

Jen said, “John said you spend a lot of time in the Pod, how often will he be free?”

“That’s up to him. I get two hours sleep a day, but because it is in the Pod, I get all I need. With the time compression, I can spend almost sixty hours a day working or playing online. John is free to spend as much or little of that time in the Pod as he likes. If you don’t see him as much as you need to, let me know, and we’ll gang up on him.”

“I will, that’s my only worry. I don’t want to lose him to that world.”

“You can always join him if you want. I know you did enough at school to go to college. I’m kind of surprised you never got an AI.”

“I wanted to, but my parents knew too many kids who’d disappeared, and they convinced me not to. John’s explained what happened and I’ll talk to my parents, maybe I’ll take you up on that some time.”

They talked for a little longer, and then John and Jen headed for his room to organise his first experience in the virtual worlds. Leah headed back inside and had Gèng give her an hour deep sleep before she logged in to Cosmos Online to meet John. As soon as she arrived, she hurried to the section of the station’s causeway where she had arrived. She was waiting when he stepped out of the setup and onto the causeway.

He said, “Leah, this is amazing, and it is so real.”

“I know, amazing, right! Now would you like some time to enjoy it, maybe walk around or do a quest or would you like to get to work?”

“I’m here to work but imagine I’ll enjoy it anyway.”

“So, come with me, and I’ll get you some armour and some different weapons, and then I’ll show you the school and arrange for some training on the mechanised armour and weapons. Maybe some pilot training as well.”

An hour later and John was suited in armour similar to Leah’s and booked into the school. Leah said, “I’ll leave you here and go get some other things organised. Have your AI contact me if you need anything. Is there anything else you need?”

“No, this will do for now. Maybe later I’ll arrange for some archery lessons and maybe some more self-defence lessons.”

Leah left John to begin his training and headed for the hotel to log out. She had a quick snack before heading back to Dunyanin to deal with the Ticareti House of Horror.

She arrived in her bedroom and wandered down the stairs. Everyone was ready. One of the servants agreed to drive the carriage and they all bundled in for the fifteen-minute ride to the Patriarch’s estate. At three forty-five they were all standing outside the gates of the estate. At three fifty, twelve hours after Leah had left the Patriarch a sign appeared on the gate.

Zack stepped forward and read it aloud, “Enter at your own risk. Trespassers will be killed. By order of the Patriarch of Ticareti.”

Leah, Wisp and Rana formed a group, and with a smile at the others, Leah said, “Meet you guys out the other side. May the best group win.”

Amy said, “Even if we don’t we’ll still see you on the other side.”

Leah lightly punched her on the arm and said, “Let’s go.”

She placed her hand on the gate and stepped into the estate with Wisp and Rana. Immediately a message appeared

Level 4 Dungeon Achievement: First 1 (7, Diamond)

Atherleah, you have discovered a dungeon:

Ticareti House of Horror

You are the first player to access this area. This is your seventh, 'First 1 (Diamond)' achievement.

Reward 1: 5000 x 230 = 2852000 (+148%) Experience Points (950000/950000) … (395651/980000)

Reward 2: + 3% to all future Experience

Reward 3: 7 x 10 Platinum = 70 Platinum

Reward 4: Increased probability of valuable drop. Luck is increased by 7.5 whenever you are in this Formicary. During your first time in the Formicary, the probability of all drops is increased to 0.5.

Fame: 1000 Fame Points (126205)

A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

Note: This achievement will be published on the Dunyanin achievement forum. Do you wish to retain your privacy?

[Y] [N]

“Yes.”

They took a step, and another message appeared

This dungeon is recommended for groups of at least four members.

MOBs will be at a level that matches your group range plus five. The final boss at least ten levels higher than your highest member. Currently, this means ordinary MOBs will be between Level 144 and Level 238 in this dungeon.

Do you wish to continue? Note if you choose [N] you will be returned to your resurrection location with no loss of experience.

[Y] [N]

Wisp said, “Level 238, I guess I forgot how many levels higher than me you were these days. I’ll focus on the lower level MOBs, and you deal with the heavy hitters.”

As they began to move toward the house, Rana was suddenly attacked from above by an enormous bat which Leah identified as a Level 226 Vampire Bat. It raked Rana’s back and tried to bite her. Wisp fired a fire-bolt at it. It screeched and leapt toward her only to be sliced in two by Leah’s swords. Rana had lost almost twenty percent of her health, which Leah healed. Leah moved forward and cast Echolocation only to find that it seemed to attract bats to them. They slowly made their way to the house and had to defeat not only bats but also other forest creatures turned into vampires of sorts; there were vampire wolves, bears and squirrels.

As this was the first level of the dungeon nothing was really beyond them and although Leah had to rescue Wisp a few times they reached the front of the house without much difficulty. Standing in the yard in front of the mansion were four vampires which Leah identified as

VAMPIRE BEASTMASTER (Level 145) 21025 (7250EP)

VAMPIRE BEASTMASTER (Level 225) 50625 (11250EP)

VAMPIRE BEASTMASTER (Level 238) 56644 (11900EP)

VAMPIRE BEASTMASTER (Level 238) 56644 (11900EP)

As they approached the beastmasters, the beastmasters began to call animals to attack Leah, Rana and Wisp. Animals materialised from the air, one from each beastmaster. As each animal was killed, the beastmaster called another. Leah noticed the beastmasters were not losing any health. She equipped the bow and shot one of the beastmasters who immediately lost health. The three had to defeat the animals and also find time to attack the beastmasters. Leah said, “Everyone focus your attacks on one of the higher level Bosses.”

When one of the Level 238 Beastmasters reached 50% health, he began to call two animals at a time. Leah had been trying to give them all a chance to work together and had not been using her powerful attacks. However, she was getting tired, so she cast Chain Lightning at one the highest Level beastmasters, and as it leapt to the other three, she teleported behind him and drove a knife into his brain and then turned to the second but found Rana had already dispatched him. They finished a third and then kept the animals off Wisp while she used her sword to kill the last beastmaster.

Wisp said, “What took you so long?”

“I thought we needed to learn each other's styles before it got harder.”

“Nope. You go for it. If you can kill everything before I take a step, you do it. I want to beat the other team and not come second. Deal?”

“OK, Deal.”

Leah had been harvesting the animals as they went along and she did the same to the three vampires. Besides the various vials of blood, fangs and pelts she also found the front door key, some copper coins minted by the Ticareti Patriarch and labelled the ‘Ticareti House of Horror”, and a spell for controlling beasts. After a quick search, they found a small treasure box which yielded another beast spell, more coins and a map of the house.

Leah checked the map and realised they had to move through the house, clearing each of the three floors and then out the back and through the maze. The centre of the maze now contained a mausoleum where the Patriarch was waiting. Opening the front door, they entered the house and were immediately attacked by a swarm of ghouls. Each room had a swarm, and each swarm consisted between eight and twelve ghouls who used their claws and fangs to attack. The ghouls were fast and extremely agile. Finally, the three cleared the rooms and found a large swarm waiting at the bottom of the staircase. This was controlled by a massive Level 235 Ghoul.

The upper level of the mansion was filled with Zombies. As the first one saw them, it screeched and rushed toward Wisp. The screech brought all the Zombies from the floor rushing toward the three of them. With no time to recover between fights the three only succeeded because Wisp had used a Phoenix potion and resurrected and Leah had used her once-a-day double cast Ki Lightning. Finally, they completed the upper level and were ready to head for the basement.

As they walked down the stairs vampire rats attacked from holes in the walls, each room consisted of different devices used for torture, they were attacked by vampires who had lost their sanity and become filled with blood-lust. In travelling between rooms, they had to evade traps which exploded, poisoned or dropped away. The boss of the house was a Level 240 Vampire Guard protected by a swarm of ghouls, a swarm of zombies and a swarm of the blood-crazed vampires. It was at this level that Leah learned the skill of Partial Misting. She was surrounded by three vampires who all attacked at the same time. She realised she couldn’t evade all three and as one grabbed her arm, she Misted the arm, almost without thought, at the same time as using the Haladie to remove the head of another.

After they finished the level, she asked Rana if this was something most Vampires could do and Rana said, “I have heard of it being possible for some of the most powerful. It requires the brain to be able to consider two actions at the same time. I am not surprised that you can as you wield two swords independently of each other; it is the same principle. I cannot do this although I have tried. Perhaps you can teach me.”

A search of the basement provided the group with not only the key to the Mausoleum but also a cache of silver coins. Together they headed for the maze. After the house, the maze was almost anticlimactic. It was filled with Vampire Sentinels who misted out of hedges and attacked at random. The slight delay in achieving the corporeal form gave enough warning for even Wisp to dispatch the high-level vampires. On reaching the centre of the maze, they found eight sentinels already visible and controlled by a Captain. Although the fight took time, there was never much doubt as to the outcome. The Captain provided some gold coin, and a search of the maze revealed a chest which Leah kept and decided to open when they finished the Mausoleum.

The mausoleum seemed larger on the inside and required the three to evade and destroy roving groups of vampire guardians. Each fight was difficult, but the three had learned to depend on each other, and while Leah still caused the most damage Rana had learned several new ways to fight and was able to defeat Guardians with levels higher than hers. Wisp focussed on the lower level guardians but her growing personal skills meant she rarely needed to be saved, even from guardians with higher levels than her. Leah could probably have defeated her opponents with only her sword, but she had taken to heart Wisp’s desire to finish first, and she threw all her spells and weapons into the mix and literally demolished her opponents.

Finally, they defeated the last guardian and walked toward the centre which contained a large coffin. As they approached, the lid opened and the Patriarch emerged. He said, “So, half-breed, you have defeated my warriors. Be assured they are only a tithe of all I have. Even if you defeat me, this house will remain to continue the fight for all true vampires.”

Leah said, “Lord Silas, your prejudice is the blight on all vampires. Now, let’s get this over with.”

Silas called out, “Protect!”

Four guardians stepped forward and attacked Leah and the others. She teleported past them and attacked the Patriarch, who was ready for her. They both used swords, and she discovered that he also could mist only a part of his body and in that way protect himself from harm. After time, they began to get tired and make mistakes. When Silas reached 75% health he called out “Protect!” and another four guardians appeared. Leah left these for Wisp and Rana and continued to attack Silas. She could tell when all the guardians were killed as an arrow thudded into Silas and his health dropped to 50%. The fight continued the same way until at 25% Silas called out, “Release!”

Suddenly small grates swung open around the edge of the Mausoleum, and four swarms of low-level feral crazed vampires rushed into the room. As Leah turned to deal with them, she saw Silas leap toward Wisp. She changed direction and arrived just as he cut Wisp’s head from her body. She knew it was a game but she lost her composure for a moment and literally tore Silas apart with claws that extruded almost thirty centimetres from each hand. In an uncontrolled rage, she moved through the swarms tearing them apart. Finally, she came to rest and found Rana staring at her from the far side of the room. Rana said, “Sister, they are all dead. Return.”

Leah shook her head, and slowly the claws retracted. She checked her statistics and though her health was good, her Stamina, Mana and Ki were all low and blinking red. She swallowed and said, “Sorry, I’m not sure what happened.”

Leah shook her head and then, together with Rana, she checked the Mausoleum for treasure and then looted the bodies.

You have opened a hidden chest:

6 Platinum Coins minted with an image of the Patriarch of Ticareti.

3 Silver throwing knives

4 Vials of Vampire Antivenin*

* Note: When ingested it protects against being changed by Vampires, effect 24 hours.

You have opened a hidden chest:

3 Diamond Coins minted with an image of the Patriarch of Ticareti.

3 Platinum Coins minted with an image of the Patriarch of Ticareti.

3 Gold Coins minted with an image of the Patriarch of Ticareti.

3 Silver Coins minted with an image of the Patriarch of Ticareti.

3 Copper Coins minted with an image of the Patriarch of Ticareti.

1 List of the Vampire Clans

4 Bags of Human Blood AB-*

* Note: This is stored blood for use by the Patriarch in case he was desperate to feed.

You have harvested:

3 Diamond Coins minted with an image of the Patriarch of Ticareti.

1 Set of Patriarch Fangs

1 Patriarch Sword of

1 Spell of Blood Magic - ‘Boil’

4 Bags of Human Blood O+*

2 Vials of Vampire Blood - Type HUD0+ **

* Note: This is stored blood for use by the Patriarch in case he was desperate to feed.

** Note: A rare ingredient used by Healers, Alchemists and Necromancers.

After checking everything she saw the message

Level 4 Dungeon Achievement: First 1 (8, Diamond)

Atherleah, you have completed a dungeon:

Ticareti House of Horror

You are the first player to complete this area. This is your eighth, 'First 1 (Diamond)' achievement.

Reward 1: 5000 x 236 = 2961800 (+151%) Experience Points (1010000/1010000) … (547040/1040000)

Reward 2: + 3% to all future Experience

Reward 3: 8 x 10 Platinum = 80 Platinum

Fame: 1000 Fame Points (132705)

A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

Note: This achievement will be published on the Dunyanin achievement forum. Do you wish to retain your privacy?

[Y] [N]

“Yes.”

Leah and Rana faded from view and appeared at the resurrection point in the centre of Ticareti. Wisp was standing there and stepped forward and hugged Leah. She said, “That was not a fun experience, but as a part of the group I got the achievement.”

Leah said, “How come you're here already? I thought resurrection took a few hours.”

“I keep forgetting you haven’t died yet. The few hours is if you’re hunting or if a PKer gets you. If you’re in a dungeon, you resurrect immediately.”

“Fair enough I suppose, that way you don't disadvantage your group too much. Have you seen the others?”

“No. I imagine they won’t be long. We finished that in six hours, why don’t we sit near here and keep an eye out for them?”

They took a seat at a nearby restaurant and ate some breakfast and discussed the dungeon while they waited for the others. They had to wait two hours before the others arrived. The four of them looked despondent. They had been swarmed while doing the second floor and all been killed by the zombies. They had started again and reached the Patriarch the second time. They'd been killed by the sudden swarms when he hit twenty-five percent health. They all needed a break but were determined to return after a short break and see if they could defeat the dungeon.

As they walked back to the clan house, Leah sidled up beside Thad and grabbed his hand. He looked down and gave a small grin and said, “If you’re trying to cheer me up, it’s working.”

Leah said, “Nope. I just thought that I’ve missed you and if you’re going to be my boyfriend then I should let you know I missed you.”

“Your boyfriend, huh, so that would make you my girlfriend.”

“Well, it had better. I hope you don’t just kiss a girl and expect her to think you are ‘just friends.’”

“You’re right. I wouldn’t do that. If I’m honest, I have been thinking of you as my girlfriend. I just haven’t wanted to rush anything and scare you off.”

“I don’t scare easy. But I do need to take things slowly. My life is super busy, and I need time to work through my feelings. You are the first boy I’ve ever liked this way, and it’s taking a while. I imagine it’s easier for you because you’re older and you've probably had a girlfriend before.”

“True, I have. But honestly, it’s not that much easier. You’re different from any girl I've known before. More competent, more serious, I also don’t think of you like I thought of them. Maybe I was shallower, but I wanted them to make me happy. With you it is enough that you’re here, it doesn’t matter if I’m happy or sad, angry or frightened, if you are here then that is enough for me. I want to make you happy, but I realise that happiness is just one of the emotions that I can share with you. I also want to share your sad times, your angry and your frightened times. ”

Suddenly Zack interrupted and said, “Enough already, the way you two talk is making me puke. Keep that sentimental stuff for when you’re alone.”

Wisp said, “Shut up Zack, you’re just emotionally stunted. You need to hear this otherwise when someone finally catches your attention you’ll make all the rookie mistakes and drive them away.”

“What rookie mistakes? I’ll have you know that I am an attractive single male with amazing prospects and any woman would be happy to go out with me.”

“Exactly, rookie mistake one: You think being in a relationship is all about you.”

“Not true, I said they would be happy to be with me. I’m all about their happiness.”

“Rookie mistake two: You think you’re a good catch ‘as you are’, instead of thinking how you can be what they need or want. Again, it’s all about you.”

“I don’t want some needy woman. I want someone who has it all together and then we can enjoy the relationship.”

“Rookie mistake three: You consider ‘need’ to be bad. Relationships are not static things; they lead somewhere better. Friendship and love are more about being there for people than simply enjoying a single extended happy moment.”

“What are you? A relationship guru?”

“Rookie mistake four: Whenever things get serious you make a joke or change the topic.”

“Bah! Enough already! Here we are at the house.”

As he walked off Amy turned to Wisp and said, “What was that all about? I know he needs to hear some of that stuff but why now?”

“I just got my head torn off by a crazy vampire who thought the world was made for him. I guess I was thinking of the way the game mirrors our human prejudices and didn’t want any of us ever to think that these thoughts are okay. You know the last thing I saw before dying was Leah turning her back on a hoard of crazy vampires to protect me. She was prepared to get hurt if she could just save me. I know it’s a game but you know I realised that she loves me, not like she does Thad, but as a friend, as a sister. We all need to care for each other and think of each other like that. I realised I’m actually content to lose things I value if you guys can benefit. I want us all to care for each other like that and Zack’s comments cheapened that for me. I realise I was unfair, and he was probably only joking, but that’s why.”

Amy stepped forward and hugged her and said, “Good reason, Wisp. We’ll work on him together.”

Everyone headed for their rooms and logged out.

Leah exited her Pod to find her parents had just sat down for lunch. She joined them and chatted during the meal. Her mother was planning on spending the afternoon planting seeds in some small paper containers she had made for seedlings. Ordinarily, Leah would help with this, but Lin understood she was busy. Her father had received news that three of the bosses had chosen a candidate for the Pods and wanted to send them immediately. He had spent the morning reiterating that they first had to have a Pod. Leah would only provide a Pod for their second candidate, not their first. After listening to her father, Leah was more than happy to leave the whole process to him and Jimmy.

She had a short message from John saying he was back in Cosmos Online trying to get his certification as quickly as possible. Leah felt life was getting too complicated and decided to take the final MIT exam and finish at least one thing. Her final exam was in Physics, and the instructor was another AI Avatar, this time a young woman who went by the name of Alberta.

After first testing Leah’s understanding of classical motion and forces, she moved to thermodynamics, both micro and macro. From electromagnetism, they moved to optics, from cosmology to nuclear physics. Toward the end of the time, Alberta began testing Leah on relativity and quantum mechanics before ending up with a discussion of string theory and quantum gravity loops.

Alberta said, “Well that covers just about everything I can test your knowledge in. I’ve already prepared and delivered my report to Professor Hill, and she will be in contact with you shortly.”

Leah logged out and saw she had been in the testing for the entire three hour period. She checked what John was doing and found he was outside and wanting to talk. She grabbed a plate of sandwiches and a few apples and went outside where she found John chatting with her dad. As she walked up, her dad hugged her and said he’d let her talk with John. John had questions to do with his AI and Leah was able to make some suggestions. John was struggling because he didn’t know what to expect. Leah was able to describe some of the ways she had seen AI work with people and suggested he treat the AI as he wanted them to grow.

“John, I treat Gèng like a friend and that is what she has developed into. From the sounds of things, you want an AI who carries out your wishes exactly as you want. That’s fine, but know that you’ll get what you work toward. Friends make suggestions to help; servants generally don’t. Either way, the AI will grow, but like anything, it will grow to the sunlight. If all your feedback reiterates accurate and concise performance of duty, then that’s what you get. If you only interact to have the AI perform a task, then that will be their focus. I’ve tried to let Gèng set the agenda with a nudge here or there. I want what is good for her, not just for me. I want her to be creative and caring. I want her to reach for something just beyond her fingertips. To grow and expand and live. I want her to have good values and morals and not simply to be logical and amoral, I know that it’s likely her values reflect my values but then she is my AI, and I am her human.”

“But what if I do it wrong?”

“It’s like when you trained me with sticks. If I didn’t get it right the first time, then you changed the way you explained it and had me try again. Your AI is with you now until the end, although I have heard of people trying to replace theirs. Just keep at it. If after a week or so you think you need more hands-on help then I’ll come and visit. I’ll ask Gèng also if she’s willing to help.”

“Can’t you just tell her to help?”

“Yep, but then it’s not her choice. I want her to make her own choices and be able to reason through why she does what she does.”

They talked for a bit longer and then Leah headed back for some more food. She asked for another hour of NREM3, and then after a bathroom break, logged into Dunyanin.

As soon as she arrived, she had a message from the Administrators

Atherleah.

As mentioned previously the Administrators of Dunyanin take responsibility for collecting the taxes from your lands. You set the EP taxation rate at 0.5%. Over the last twelve Dunyanin days since the land has opened 223 players have entered your lands. Altogether they have amassed over 200,000,000 EP points.

You receive 0.5% of this which is 1,000,000 EP. For the administration of this tax, we deduct one (1) gold for every 10,000 EP. This comes to one platinum for every one million EP. Please note that this EP is a straight addition to your account, it does not qualify for any bonus. Please contact us if you have any queries.

The Administrators of Dunyanin

She was still pondering the message when she received another, this time from Peter. He wanted to know if she was free to visit the warehouse and Mansion she'd inherited. She said she was and that she would meet him at the warehouse. Gèng gave directions, and twenty minutes later she arrived to find Peter waiting outside.

He said, “The guards wouldn’t let me in.”

Leah smiled, “Good guards! Do you want to have the security check first and finalise becoming a clan member or examine the warehouse?”

“What is entailed in a security check?”

“You invite me to your personal world.”

“Why? And what does that achieve?”

“I can tell you there, or we can go to my world, and I’ll explain. It’s not appropriate to talk here, Big Sister and all.”

“Don't you mean Big Brother?”

“Nope, it's not 1984 but 2073.”

“You’re hilarious! Okay, let’s go to your place.”

Leah stepped inside the warehouse with Peter and after finding the main office, and ensuring no NPC’s were around, Leah and Peter logged out and were soon in the Tower. Leah explained in broad terms her experience with compulsion and finding friends who had been affected. She explained that her AI could tell if someone had been subjected to compulsion by visiting their virtual world or alternatively he could have an independent security firm check and send her a report.

He sat there for a while and thought through what she had said.

“You’re serious.”

“Yes.”

“It hasn’t been in the news!”

“Nope! Court orders.”

“Ok! I’ll invite you to my place. Let’s go there now.”

Peter disappeared after giving Gèng his address. Soon Leah was standing outside a door. Peter opened it and said, “It’s not as complex as your Tower, but it’s home. Please come in.”

His apartment was large and exquisitely appointed. He, or his AI, had great taste. Gèng said to Leah, “There are remnants of the code in the world. He should have the security company evaluate and clean it.”

Leah looked at Peter and said, “I’m sorry Peter, but you’ll need to have the world cleaned before you can join. Your world shows traces of compulsion.”

“What? Where? What about?”

“I don’t know, and my experience is you will be shattered when you find out. Probably embarrassed and you won’t want me here. I’ve just sent the name of the company to you. Do you want me to leave?”

“No, please stay. I’m still dubious. I’ve contacted the company, and the representative is arriving soon.”

There was a knock on the door, and a man was admitted. He said, “My name is Thomas, and I’m human, not an AI. My company has been licensed to do security sweeps to check for the compulsion code. Normally we are approached by the Security Oversight Office. How did you know to ask for us?”

Peter just pointed to Leah who said, “I’m aware of the code, and my AI has the upgrade to detect it. This man is my friend, and while visiting his space, the presence of the code was detected. Security Controller 11-5 is a friend, and they informed me of your license.”

Thomas raised his eyebrows and said, “A friend huh!” He then paused and said, “Are you Atherleah Carroll?”

“Yes!”

“Well, then everything checks out. He does know you and he acknowledges that you are friends. Peter, do you agree to have your world checked for malicious code? Please note that the information concerning any such code will be sent to the Security Oversight Office and they may bring charges against the party or parties involved.”

“I agree.”

Several minutes later Thomas nodded and said, “My AI has found the instance where the compulsion code was used and has cleaned it. It has applied the patch to prevent this happening again. I’ve sent you a report, but my experience is that your brain will identify the coerced experiences almost immediately. If you need help dealing with the situation, then please refer to the list of professionals I have sent you, they are trained to assist. Goodbye!”

Peter nodded and stood still, just looking around. As Leah watched, his face changed and he went white as a ghost, then he sat down. He sat like a statue for some time and finally turned to Leah and said, “How many? How many people do you know who have been coerced?”

“Just in my circle of close friends, me, you and one other. In the next circle out then I know of, or have seen, almost three thousand. I expect or anticipate that one person I know of is responsible for coercing more than forty-thousand people. My AI has extrapolated somewhere in the vicinity of fifty-million individuals worldwide, and she thinks that is on the low and very conservative side.”

“I feel violated.”

“Because you have been.”

“Everyone needs to know.”

“I think you’ll find that the documents you’ve received warn you in the most serious terms to keep quiet. I would even suggest, and please keep this to yourself, that you would be unable to go public with this. The virtual multiverse itself would prevent it. Only here in your personal space can you talk about it and I suggest, that unless you trust the people you share it with, then its very dangerous to talk about it. The last person who wanted to join the clan would not listen, and I haven’t heard from them for several days. I fear for them.”

“It was my parents. They made me drive away my girlfriend. She was someone they didn’t like. They told me to yell at her, to treat her with disrespect and to sleep with one of her friends. When she was out of my life, they told me to forget about her and what had happened. This was all five years ago. Nothing before or since, I assume they did it because they want something good for me, but still. I’ve not been in a relationship since. Did I know something subconsciously? What will I do? What will I say? How will I react? What happened to Diane? What do I do Atherleah?”

“I don’t have any advice except to move forward. I don’t understand your parents. I think it was evil of them, but I’m only sixteen. You probably need to make amends for what you did, even if it wasn’t you. I think we all need to take responsibility for our actions, even the coerced ones. I think you should join my clan, we are planning to fight back, and destroy if we can, anyone we find who thinks they can force a person against their will.”

“I need to think. I will join you, and I’ll come back now. I’m scared about what I’d do if I log out now. I’m angry, and I need distance. I’ll meet you in the warehouse.”

Leah and Peter appeared back in the warehouse and looked through the various goods. There were crates full of spices, furs, pottery, various weapons and foodstuffs. Toward the back of the warehouse was a small locked store room. She found the key on the set she had been given by the Chamber of Commerce. Inside were some valuable wines, liquors and several small chests of expensive spice. Peter looked through it, and as he locked the store room, he said, “Atherleah, the contents of this warehouse alone are probably worth something in the vicinity of fifteen Diamonds. Those small chests of spice are probably fifty platinum each. They come from the Y’Haul Plantations, and they grow and harvest some of the best Baharat spice in the Adalari Islands. Not only is it used in fancy cooking but healers and alchemists use it in various potions.”

Leah stopped and said, “How is it grown?”

“It is very labour intensive and dangerous. The plant only grows on the Islands and needs to be pollinated by a specific form of amphithere which happens to be extremely venomous. Somehow the Y’Haul clan has managed to develop a viable plantation and now produce almost all of the Baharat available in Vatan. They also ship to several other continents.”

“Thanks Peter! If you want an insider tip, then hold on to the Baharat. Soon it might be even harder to get.”

“Why would that be?”

“Because the people I was telling you about, the ones involved in forcing people to do things against their will, well, they lead Clan Y’Haul. Somehow, soon, I imagine someone will discover that the clan uses labour that is exceptionally cheap. People who keep being resurrected on the Islands where they work. And they work all day, every day, helping to grow a spice that’s very hard to grow. Now let’s go check out the mansion.”

An hour later and they had finished looking through the mansion where there were even more precious goods stored. Peter had paid the Diamond and Leah had added him to the Clan. He agreed to meet at her world that evening at midnight.

When Leah arrived back at the Clan Mansion, she found everyone waiting for her. Thad and the others had finally finished the dungeon and everyone was wondering what was next. She explained her trip with Peter and his willingness to broker her goods as well as any clan goods. Thad said, “So as a clan member I can bring my personal loot and leave it with Peter, he’ll sell it, keep seven percent and give me my money.”

“Yes, and he’ll do the same for clan goods like the ore from our mines. One thing we need to do is decide what we are going to become here in Dunyanin. At the moment we are financially solvent and the clan is being used for consolidating and creating wealth. But with our motto, what more do we do?”

Amy said, “Obviously you have some ideas.”

“I do and I will share them, but I need you to think it through first. In some ways there is no rush, on the other hand, it is already too late. So I suggest we take a week, real-time and decide what we want to be. By then I should have delivered my letter and be freer to work on our plans. Rana and I are travelling to Daglar Duman in the Demir Dovuyor Mountains. I plan to leave in the morning. What do the rest of you want to do?”

Thad said, “I thought we’d be coming with you.”

“You can if you want to. I’m happy to have you along but what do you want to do?”

They talked for a while longer and then for the rest of the day each of them worked on improving their skills. Leah produced enough restore potions that no one needed to buy any. She was almost at the skill level to start making a potion which would provide a defensive shield of scales on her skin. She also took time with Rana down in the basement to learn the skill of Shadow Walking. She had just begun to step from one shadow to the next when Gèng interrupted, “Dr Roberts has contacted me and would like to meet later today. Are you free?”

“I’ll finish up here and log out. I might do a real-world workout and then visit the doctor.”

“She is coming to the Tower this time.”

“Ok, I have a meeting at midnight so make it at 11.30 real time.”

“She confirms that she will be here at 11.30.”

Leah packed up her materials and after saying goodbye to everyone, she logged out and headed for the kitchen.

Her mother was in the kitchen and setting some soy beans out to soak overnight. Leah gave her a brief hug and then started to get herself some leftover rice and curry. Lin said, “Ling, where do you put all the food? I’m surprised you haven’t put on weight.”

“I spend most of my day exercising, either running or fighting. Once I had to climb over 140 flights of stairs without stopping.”

“I don’t believe that’s all it is. What else is going on?”

Leah hated to mislead her mother so she said, “There is another reason, but I can’t tell you right now. Will you trust me?”

“Of course I trust you, Ling, I just don’t think you need to do everything yourself.”

“I’m not mum, I promise. In fact, I’ve got an appointment with a psychiatrist in an hour to help cope with what happened the other day. I will get help if I need it and I will tell you and dad when I can.”

“All right, but I am still concerned that you need to see a psychiatrist for help. I worry about you.”

They chatted for a few more minutes, and Leah headed outside to have a break and to chat with whoever was on duty. She was surprised to find John outside. “Hey John, how have the last few hours gone?”

“Good! I loved that mechanised armour and could practice that all day long. I’m still getting used to the time dilation. I’ve trained for over thirty hours, and I thought I needed to catch up with the security after being out of the loop for so long only to find out I’ve been away less than a day. It’s weird but did make me think, do I get paid by the real-time hour or virtual time?”

Leah laughed and said, “I’ve no idea, I’ll have to ask around. So how’s the AI?”

“Good actually, the growth in ability isn’t as fast as you described with Gèng but it is noticeable. My world has some definite texture and colour now, and the AI did some research for me on worlds where I could learn some new self-defence styles. It wanted me to define the parameters, but when I suggested it research what parameters might be best, then it did that. I understand what you mean by allowing greater freedom.”

“That’s great! I’m not going to be back in Cosmos Online until about eight tomorrow morning. Will you be free then? I have a meeting at my world at midnight to discuss the next move in Cosmos Online, are you free to join us?”

“I’ll make sure I’m free. How do I get to your world?”

“I’ll have Gèng send you a virtual address, and your AI can transfer you to the right place.”

They continued to talk as they wandered around the compound and met with the various guards. When they had done a circuit, they both headed back to their rooms. After some more food, Leah logged in and was waiting on her sofa when Dr Roberts arrived.

After the usual greeting, Dr Roberts said, “Atherleah, I’ve reviewed the diagnostics from the last few NREM3 cycles, there has been an observable positive movement in the various metrics, and I’m convinced that no lasting damage was done. Having said that, I would add that there have been some permanent changes made to your neural architecture. What we had tried to build in my earlier research has been achieved in your case. I believe you may be able to increase your perception of the world around you by a factor of four, even without Gèng’s help, and with the help of your AI, you may be able to perceive the world at a rate ten times faster than a normal person. Your reactions, in general, will grow faster and you will need to have Gèng help you in normal life not to give away your abilities.”

“How will she help?”

“I suggest an icon or scale of some type that is overlaid on your vision. You’ll have a constant gauge to help you manage the speed and strength of your actions.”

“So real life will look more like a game?”

“Maybe! You could include an energy and sleep metre if you wanted and that might help. I’ve thought about what you said, that people are out to get you, and there is no reason why Gèng can’t be tasked to evaluate real-time threats that you might miss with your vision or hearing. She could highlight a threat in red, and this will increase your ability to respond properly.”

“Gèng, is that something you could do?”

“Certainly! I should have suggested that myself. I could also help John’s AI to develop the appropriate skills, John might not have the speed, but it would help.”

“One negative I can see is that I might become lazy and not evaluate my environment. I don’t want to lose my situational awareness.”

“Then set a sensitivity level with Gèng or make it a contest of sorts to see who sees things first. Don’t ignore a serious resource because of perceived danger. Look for a way to use the resource and mitigate or nullify the danger.”

Dr Roberts asked to be allowed to continue to check the various diagnostics and metrics. Leah agreed as long as it was kept private. After Dr Roberts left, she and Gèng discussed possible ways to provide Leah with information in real life. At about ten minutes to midnight, Gèng said, “Shall we walk down to the podium? It is night out, and the moon is waning, I’ve lit some Chinese lanterns to light the way.”

They arrived a little early and stood enjoying the cool night. Gèng provided a gentle breeze, and the scent had a hint of rain in it. Leah said, “Is it going to rain?”

“I’m thinking about it, but not yet. To mimic reality, I still need a better algorithm to control the dispersion of raindrops. I could buy something, but it is more satisfying to create.”

Thad, Amy and Wisp arrived first followed by James and Zack. Peter and John arrived together. After Leah had given introductions, they chatted while wandering toward the Tower. John was looking around with interest and intensity. Once inside and seated John said, “So this is what most people’s AI’s produce, no wonder the Nascent is considered a pain. My world still looks like my first apartment.”

James laughed and said, “Not really John, most people’s private virtual-worlds look like an apartment. If your AI has already constructed that, then you are doing amazingly well; this is not normal and has something to do with how phenomenally Atherleah and Gèng work together. I work in AI development, and this is a step beyond any personal AI I’ve met. I know some people with worlds as intricate, but they’ve purchased it from developers.”

After everyone was comfortable, Leah said, “Let’s discuss the clan first. Peter, we are all glad you’ve joined the clan. What is the best way forward for us regarding you and our loot?”

It took almost an hour to iron out the details, but they finally had a plan to deal with the loot and Peter had arranged to visit everyone’s worlds and get a complete inventory. Finally, Leah said, “Thanks, Peter, we now have a plan. You are welcome to stay if you like but the rest of us are going to discuss some plans for Cosmos Online so don’t feel like you have to stay. Do you play?”

“I do! At the moment I have a small claim in the asteroid belt of Epsilon Serpentis. Occasionally I visit the space station, but it’s mainly a relaxation for me more than a game. I’d love to stay if you don’t mind.”

“That’s fine. So Thad, Amy, Zack and James will be arriving in 55 Cancri in eleven hours, real time, in their older Cruiser. I need to get away from 55 Cancri in a new Corvette. John and Wisp are on Berne as is my other Avatar and we need to move the Apogee Class Frigate as well. I imagine there are several of Mahigan’s goons near both systems to try to kill or capture. We need to get all three ships away and have some idea where we are heading to.”

Peter said, “You’re taking on Mahigan the Black?”

“Yes, she’s out to destroy me.”

“Does she have slaves in Cosmos Online as she does in Dunyanin?”

“I imagine she does, but I’ve no real way of telling.”

“Did you know she has a huge claim in the asteroid belt where I work? Her operation is huge and runs day and night.”

“Good information Peter, something we’ll need to look into. But for now, what ideas do we have?”

The discussion continued for several hours until they had come up with a tentative plan. A lot depended on whether or not Mahigan’s people knew of Thad and the others. Either way, they now had something to work towards. After Leah said goodbye to everyone except Thad, she spent another half hour just chatting with him and then she logged out for a break before entering Dunyanin.

Diary - 5 December 2073

Power, Passion, Pride and Prejudice. Without these four I wonder whether there would be any conflict. Dunyanin and I dare say every virtual world, weaves these motifs into the story because we can all identify with them. They are universal drivers of purpose for most people. They define our behaviour, and they inform our actions.

I can understand the first three if kept within boundaries. Power, I want power over my own life, I want power to choose, power to decide, power to live. But must this always grow out of control? Will the power I achieve ruin me? Lord Acton said, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” How do I stop this happening to me?

Passion is something I am only beginning to understand. No, that isn’t true. I’ve always had passion, passion to learn, passion to achieve, passion to be independent. It’s only recently though I’ve felt passion for someone. None of these seems bad but they can become all-encompassing, they can drive out other, more vital ideas. Ideas like compassion, love, responsibility, community. How do I keep my passion under control? What is the difference between passion and love?

Pride! I hope it’s not wrong to have pride. Pride in an achievement. Pride in my parents. Pride in an attitude. But when pride becomes a reason for behaviour rather than the result of behaviour then it is harmful. When it becomes the rationale for a relationship instead of being a product of the relationship, then it is harmful. When it overpowers our decency, compassion, and objectivity, then it must be squashed. When pride loses its foundation in reality, then it has no stability for determining thoughts, words, or actions.

And then there is Prejudice. This has to be the worst of them all. The idea that someone is less than you because of their race, gender, religion, colour, sexuality, class, country, language, intelligence, accent, health, weight … and I suppose the list goes on. Differences should, in most circumstances, be celebrated. Sometimes they should be mitigated, but even then they don’t make someone less than another person. But it, as an attitude, is so prevalent that no one is shocked that dwarves hate dragons or elves hate orcs. I suppose what is a sadder statement of the world is that we would all complain if prejudice disappeared because the games would be boring!

CHAPTER SIX

December 6, 2073

It had just gone six in the morning when Leah entered the main room of the Guàn Mansion, ready to get moving toward Daglar Duman. The only person not yet ready was Zack, and he arrived soon afterwards. James, Wisp, Thad and Zack had decided to ride horses while Amy, Rana and Leah preferred to run. As soon as the horses were loaded, the seven friends headed toward the northern gate of Ticareti. Leah had purchased a ranger map, and it showed nothing that might trouble them for the first ten leagues, so they started out bunched close together with the horses at a slow trot and the three runners travelling on the outside edges and running. Everyone was enjoying the morning as the air was fresh and crisp. There was the constant sound of the river beside them, and numerous bird calls gave vibrancy to the day.

They had been travelling for just under an hour when Leah noticed the bird sounds suddenly disappear. Before she could say or do anything, except begin to look around, an arrow slammed into her left shoulder making her stumble and fall off the edge of the road and into the fast flowing river. As she fell, she saw both Wisp and James begin to tumble from their horses, but she hit the water before she could make anything else out. The river was flowing fast, and she had travelled almost twenty-five metres before she could get her head above the water for a breath. Just as her head emerged from the water, another arrow clipped the side of her face gouging a deep furrow across her cheek and driving her back into the water.

Leah held her breath and allowed her body to sink. She was helped by the leather armour and boots. She waited another minute before trying to take a breath. This time the arrow hit the water but pierced her right thigh; even so, she had been able to take a deep breath. She calmed her thoughts and checked her health which was under half and dropping. A quick discussion with Gèng showed she had been poisoned and had serious blood loss. She tried to cast Teleportation but found it too difficult to concentrate with the water continuing to pull at the arrows in her shoulder and thigh. Finally, after several minutes she needed another breath and slowly brought her head above the rushing water. She tried to see who was shooting at her. This time she saw someone on the side of the road, and as the person fired Leah sank down, and the arrow missed.

With the fresh breath, she calmed herself and ignoring the pain from the arrows, reached for the one in her thigh and with a quick tug pulled it loose. The pain made her scream under the water, and she risked another breath. As she lifted her head, she saw that the road was further away. She had drifted to the far side of the river, and the river had begun one of its many deviations from the road. Leah could still see someone on the road, but they stood and watched without shooting. She checked her statistics, both her health and stamina were below twenty percent and still dropping. She grabbed a restore potion and swallowed it even though she knew she wouldn’t heal completely with the arrow still stuck in her shoulder.

Several minutes later she was out of sight of the road and able to pull herself out and onto the far bank until she was resting half-in and half-out of the water. She looked at her shoulder, a steel shaft had penetrated completely through it. She wasn’t going to be able to break this off, it would need to be pulled or pushed through. Finally able to think clearly, she tried to use her communication ring but got replies only from Thad and Wisp. Thad said that he and Wisp were back at the ambush site surrounded by five players. Amy, Zack, James and Rana had all been killed in the first attack. Each of the players was Level 320 or above and had so far said nothing. They stood there silently, keeping Thad and Wisp from healing or escaping. They were waiting for one of their group to return from checking on Leah.

Leah knew she had to hurry and tried to cut the fletching from the arrow, but it resisted any attempt to damage it. Finally, Leah tried to Mist and found that she could. As she did, she rose from the ground, and the arrow was left behind. Gèng said, “When you became mist, both your poison and bleeding rebuffs stopped operating. Unfortunately, none of your statistics are regenerating in the mist form.”

Leah moved deeper into the trees beside the river and Misted into the fork of a tree twenty-five metres from the bank. She could still see the arrow on the ground. Leah un-Misted and swallowed both a restore health and a restore stamina potion. She sat quietly, preparing herself for action. She watched. It was over five minutes later when she saw the arrow slowly shift its position as if moved by a toe or hand. Noting the move, she began to make out the faint outline of someone crouching by the river bank. Whoever they were, their Ranger skills were much greater than either Amy’s or Matt’s. Finally, as they became more corporeal, she was able to read a name, Bloodarrow_007 and the Level, 324.

She had prepared her posture while waiting and without moving she cast Ki Lightning and then equipping her bow, shot the whole quiver into the convulsing body. She tried to teleport and found it worked. As she appeared near the figure, she brought the Morningstar crashing down on Bloodarrow’s head. As the person died and became transparent, Leah looked closer and saw the ranger had been a woman. She harvested what she could and was pleased to get a quiver of arrows similar to the ones which had been shot at her.

She received a quick message from Thad who said, “Atherleah, these guys are suddenly very restless. They still haven’t said anything, but one of them has headed back down the road towards you. Another has headed back into the woods where they were hiding. They’re still keeping us at about ten percent health. Be careful.”

She responded with, “Probably restless because there is one less in their group. What type of player is headed in my direction?”

“He was dressed a bit like a mage but was carrying a bow.”

“Thanks, I’ll see you soon.”

Leah teleported across the river and onto the road before Misting and travelling along the edge of the road. She soon saw the man moving in her direction. He was carefully checking each section of the trail before sliding from one tree to the next. Leah could see the faint animal trail he was following and decided to wait for him on it. She waited until he passed her before un-Misting and driving a knife into the right side of his neck. He shuddered and turned around rapidly which succeeded in driving the knife deeper into his neck and tearing it from Leah’s hand. He was lightning fast and blocked her left hand while reaching for her neck. She drove her now empty right hand deep into his chest with her claws extended, and shredded his heart. She held her hand there as he turned transparent and then bundled the few things he had left behind into her bag and once again Misted toward where Thad and Wisp were.

Thad communicated, “I imagine they just lost another one. The leader is walking over. I’ll communicate what he says or does.”

“Good, now which direction did the one in the woods go from where you are? I can see you on the road just ahead of me.”

“It was a ranger type and about two o’clock from the direction I’m facing.”

Wisp joined in and said, “He also has fire magic, his firebolt killed James.”

Leah, in Mist form, moved into the woods in the direction of her new target. She could see three warriors on the road with Thad and Wisp. As one of the warriors approached Thad, he shared the words with Leah.

“Thad, isn’t it. It appears as if Atherleah is more resourceful than I imagined. I intended to take her alive and deliver the message in person, but you can give it to her once you resurrect. Merideath is annoyed, and she has sent my friends and me to communicate her annoyance. We will continue to find you, and kill you, every step of the way until Atherleah has the decency to return what she stole. Merideath also has a message for you and anyone like you who continues to help this nobody, Atherleah. ‘If you help Atherleah, you will suffer, not just in Dunyanin, but in any virtual world’. Be assured, Merideath will find you and she will destroy you.”

As he was talking Leah had finally found the mage positioned on overwatch. He was in the fork of a tree overlooking the road and had an arrow nocked and ready. Leah un-Misted silently behind him, equipped her bow, and very quietly aimed at the base of the man’s skull. Her shot was perfect, and the arrow entered the skull through the foramen magnum and shattered against the frontal bone. She immediately teleported behind one of the remaining warriors, a short dwarf carrying a massive mace and before he even noticed her, she used the Haladie to remove his head and then equipped her bow. She had chosen the dwarf because she now had a clear shot at the remaining two warriors, one a heavily armoured Paladin type who was obviously a woman and the tall human swordsman who was talking with Thad.

She said, “I’ve got the message, and I’ll make sure my friends know they have a choice to stay or leave. When you see Merideath feel free to tell her that I heard her message but have completely disregarded it. There is no other return message; my actions will show her what I think.”

“So, you are Atherleah, a Level 240 who just killed four of my much higher level friends. I’d encourage you to rethink your reply. I also have a message from Mr Kodoman. He says, ‘stop annoying my wife, or I will get upset, she is getting on my nerves.’ Let me warn you, Merideath is vindictive, Mr Kodoman is lethal. She plays in the virtual world but he operates in the real world. You annoy her, and she ruins your virtual life. Annoy him, and it’s game over.”

She checked the man’s name, and it read Fiore_Incarnate Level 347. She said, “Thanks for the advice, Fiore, but I didn’t start this little feud of ours, Merideath did, her and her family. But what now?”

“Now, I kill you, and these two, and we wait until next time, and there will be a next time. I didn’t believe Eli when he said you could teleport but he was right. We’ll be ready next time.”

Leah looked at him and then without warning released the arrow at Fiore’s head. As he moved to swat it from the air she cast Chain Lightning at him before teleporting behind the Paladin and casting Ki Freeze. Fiore was a little slow in stepping toward her and forgot Thad, who kicked out and caught his legs making Fiore stumble. The stumble was only brief, but Leah was ready and had time to finish off the Paladin. When Fiore regained his footing, he found Leah ready with a sword in each hand. She said, “So, this is better, one on one. Are you ready?”

He lunged forward, and he was fast. Leah only just managed to evade being skewered and his sword gouged a furrow along her leather armour. During the next few minutes, Fiore attacked her with a speed and skill that was above anything she had yet faced. Before long her armour was torn, and she had shallow cuts on all her limbs and a more serious wound in her left side just under her ribs. Fiore stepped back and said, “You are fast, but I am second only to Merideath herself, and I am Immortal. Until now I have been playing with you. Goodbye!”

Leah looked up and said, “I’ll see you later.”

As Fiore stepped forward, Thad plunged his knife into Fiore’s kidney. He turned toward Thad only to receive a fireball from Wisp straight to his face followed by one of the steel arrows Leah had picked up, the arrow drove deep into his chest. It took another arrow and fireball to finish him, but as he turned opaque, he said, “Not fair.”

Leah just smiled and moved to harvest anything left behind. She was not surprised that he left nothing except a few coins. She moved to Wisp and Thad and helped to remove the arrows which had been left in them. Finally, when they were all healed, she said, “What now? I imagine these guys will follow us to the mountains. I mentioned to Eli where I was headed, and they’ll be able to find us.”

Thad said, “How much time do you have to finish the quest?”

“Today is day ‘fifty-five’, so five days after today.”

“How many leagues?”

“It’s almost sixty to Pazar and then another ten to the base of the mountains.”

“I doubt we would have made it anyway.”

“I know, I was going to have to rush ahead at some stage and teleport as far as I could see.”

Wisp said, “Well I suggest you do that. You leave now, and we’ll head back to Ticareti. After we meet with the others, we can decide on where to head next. You can go there from the mountains. If the worse comes to the worst and they watch us, we’ll lead them off in all sorts of directions.”

They spent some more time discussing options but finally agreed with Wisp’s suggestion. Thad and Wisp hugged Leah goodbye, and they headed for town while she continued along the trail. She continued to run throughout the day with the occasional teleport when she could see for more than a kilometre along the trail. On several occasions, she was able to travel several leagues in one teleport. Altogether she had covered almost 20 leagues and decided to find an out of the way place to camp for the night. She looked ahead and to either side of the trail. Ahead she could only see trees, except on the other side of the river where she saw a rocky outcrop poking above the trees, far in the distance. With nothing to lose she visualised the top of the rock and teleported. When she arrived she quickly set up the tent and logged off.

Leah took a quick break with breakfast and then entered the Tower. She said, “Gèng, can you replay the sword fight with Fiore for me, please?”

“Certainly, is there any particular thing you are looking for?”

“I wanted to get some idea of the various moves he made that I struggled with. I thought I’d talk with the Farron and ask for some specific forms which might help against those particular moves. While I was fighting, there were moments when I had only a little difficulty defending and then it seemed as if he accelerated and made moves that seemed incredibly complex and fast.”

Leah had watched the fight several times when Gèng said, “Leah, I’ve analysed the various moves and compared them with whatever I could find on the skills in Dunyanin for those who use the sword. I suggest these are preprogrammed moves at Grandmaster Level.”

“Yes, I noticed in the fight three times when he made a downward motion to his left that spiralled and became an upward right slash. His hands changed direction and position almost too fast for me to see. I agree it is probably pre-programmed. Can you show me that move and play it at one-tenth the actual speed.”

As Gèng showed the moved, Leah walked around the projection and watched what was a blur of movement even at one-tenth the original speed. Finally, she said, “There are six other moves which caused me a lot of trouble. Can you isolate them for me and do the same?”

After Leah had studied the seven moves, she headed for Dark Moon Duel to see Farron. When she arrived, he stood and looked at her for a few moments before saying. "After the Tournament, I wondered if you would return. I am not convinced that you are suited to combat. You allow your fears to rule you."

Leah stood for a moment reliving the shame of their last parting. Taking a deep breath, she said, "You are right. I did allow my fear to rule me. When we last spoke and even now, I can see you consider this something of which I should be ashamed. Then, and now, I have felt shame, but I believe that feeling to be wrong. Instead, I consider what happened as something I can learn from. Shame is what I should feel if I fail to learn, if I fail to grow. I will not feel shame for the failure itself. Should I do the same again, even then it is not shameful except if I have not tried to improve. There were reasons for my fear, real and justifiable reasons from my experiences. I have worked to understand and master these fears, but I am not ashamed of them."

Farron nodded as he considered her words and then said, "I was wrong, forgive me. Your words show a deeper courage, the courage to continue when the fear is real. I am honoured to train you."

After an hour lesson, she shared that she had been in a fight with someone and he had used seven moves that she needed help in overcoming. After showing Master Farron the first move in slow motion, she explained that it had been done much faster and not only was she unable to replicate the move but wanted to know the best way to defend or defeat it.

“Well, I agree with you that the move as you describe it is much faster than I imagine possible. Besides the change of direction, you need to change your hand position. All that is possible but not at the speed you describe. As for defence, I have at least two forms that might help. You said there were several moves he made, please show me them all and then we’ll look at the best way to counter them.”

In the end, he taught Leah three new forms and said that although they were out of sequence, it was best to be prepared. He had another five to show her and suggested she not approach the swordsman again until she had mastered them all. Leah spent a further three hours with the Master of Blades until he was confident that she could use the first three.

After she finished with Farron, she did two lessons with Master Ning before logging out to think about her next steps. She was sitting on the sofa when Gèng entered and sat down opposite her. She said, “Leah, I’ve received notification that four of the bosses have deposited money in the account we set aside for them. We need to arrange for at least four pods as their occupants are scheduled to arrive at midday. That timing was given by the bosses, by the way.”

“Contact the bosses and let them know that their recommended people should arrive at two because I’ll be busy until then. Please let my parents know what is happening and contact John and give him a heads up. Arrange for the four new Pods to be ready. I’m going to visit MIT and see what the results are and then I’ll check with everyone in the real world before heading for Dunyanin.”

Gèng agreed, and Leah headed for the MIT portal to see if Professor Hill had the final results. When she arrived the Professor greeted her and asked her to wait a moment until Mr Patterson, the MIT Attorney, and the new Chancellor, a Professor Linda Mosley were available. Leah waited for five minutes and then was shown into the Chancellor’s office. After greeting everyone, she said, “Mr Patterson, I am wondering if I need my lawyer present for this meeting?”

“Ms Carroll, I am here more to ensure that your rights are maintained than anything else. I do not believe you need an attorney present, but we will wait if you want us to.”

“No, that is all right. I was after information regarding my testing.”

The Chancellor looked at Leah and said, “Ms Carroll, my name is Professor Linda Mosley, and as you know I am new to this position. After reviewing the results that were originally supplied and those provided afterwards by the Australian Department of Education, it was with some interest that I reviewed your test results. We conclude that neither set of results give a clear picture of your educational level and as such, both are fundamentally flawed. The original results because they only indicated what you had been tested on and the second because they were complete fabrications.”

“Both are flawed?”

“Yes! It is clear that you have spent considerable time pursuing your own education and that your pursuit often went beyond the set curriculum. When did you begin teaching yourself rather than merely attending to the set classwork?”

“I’ve worked by myself most of the time since I was six, Ma’am. I assure you I still completed every task and test that the schooling system set me.”

“I see. Before we continue, let me ask how it is that you received only 97% on the final mathematics paper when you had received 100% on the previous six years’ examinations?”

“They had a multiple choice question with three parts, and I don’t believe any of the suggested answers were correct. I redid the work several times and in the end wrote what I believed to be the correct answers on the form.”

“Yes! Our testing shows that you are at a level at least equivalent with those in their junior year here at MIT, and in some cases you exhibit a level consistent with some of our graduate students. We don’t know the best thing for you. What do you most want to study?”

“Mathematics and experimental physics with a preparation for further studies on a practical integration and applications of braided string theory and quantum packaging.”

“That is very specific. Why do you want to study this, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I’ve read the various works by Ivan Podshivalov and Lindsey Poncelet, and I’ve been looking at a possible braid formulation which unites their theories and provides possible practical applications. I need more time and understanding to finalise the braid and determine if it can be correlated to the Poncelet theory of isolated quantum packaging. If we can, then that has amazing potential.”

“All that is over my head. Still, it brings me to our offer. We wish to offer you a primary degree in Science if you complete a senior unit on experimental design and implementation. It was decided that you had little or no interaction with practical experimentation. Usually, we would insist on four subject credits, but your examiners insisted the first two years would waste your time. This senior unit will count as two subjects and must be completed with distinction. If you do this, you will be awarded the degree of Bachelor of Science with Honours and be allowed to enrol in our Doctoral program. No one doubts your ability. We have decided to allow you to begin researching in your areas of interest if you can find a professor who agrees to be your advisor. You will be tentatively enrolled as a graduate student and expected to begin working on your submission. As agreed upon by the court, MIT will cover the full cost of your tuition. Do you have any questions?”

“Maybe a thousand, but none are very relevant right now. I just want to say thank you. I will probably show my lawyer any agreements between you and I but please know that is not a matter of distrust, it is just that I’m very wary right now.”

“That is understood. I will have Mr Patterson forward you and your attorney the various documents outlining our decision. In anticipation though, let me welcome you to MIT.”

“Thank you, Ma’am, thank you.”

Leah shook hands and walked back to the Tower in a bit of a daze. She sent a message to Stephen Riley about the offer and then logged out to see her parents. As was her habit these days she grabbed a few sandwiches and then sat with her parents. After telling them the good news, they discussed the people who were coming and the need for appropriate monitoring. They agreed that they had a responsibility to help prevent people from becoming isolated in the virtual world.

“It’s going to be hard to force them to interact. I was in a Pod facility setting for one week and I was comfortable not talking with anyone. We need to prevent this type of isolation because long term it will take them from family and friends.”

Her dad said, “We understand, Leah. Even now it is difficult for us to find enough time to interact with you and know what is going on. But how do we do help them?”

“Ling, I notice that with the food being outside your room you come out more regularly. I suggest we remove the mini kitchens from the Pod rooms and provide a communal kitchen and lounge, even if it is only for five people. You could even afford a cook to provide their meals, whatever they wanted, when they wanted. They will exit the Pod for food.”

In the end, they followed her mother’s suggestion and arranged for the small kitchenettes to be removed from the Pods. Michael would work through the morning to arrange a ‘make do’ communal area and work to have something permanent in place by the end of the week. Leah headed for the security office and was surprised to find John there.

“Having a break to reality, John?”

“With the news that more people are arriving today, I wanted to make sure everything was covered. Our security is good, but it needs to be tighter.”

“Agreed! I received another threat today. This one also mentioned possible action here in the real world. I’m taking it seriously and think you should too. Have you heard anything about the woman who was coming here, Charlotte Brown?”

“Not yet, though I had expected her before this. Maybe you should check with the AI that everything is all right. Be assured I am taking the threats seriously. Remind me again what time the others arriving in 55 Cancri?”

“At eleven this morning, real time. It’ll take them a day or so to slow down, so we have nothing to do until midnight tonight. Make sure you’ve had your NREM3 sleep and arranged for your second avatar to be at 55 Cancri by then.”

“The plan sounds risky.”

“That’s only because it is, but I’ve checked the algorithms in the Cosmos Online Handbook several times, and it should work.”

“None of the others think it will.”

“Of course they do, they all agreed after we discussed it.”

“Don’t take offence, Leah, but you are still socially blind. Their agreement wasn’t based on logic or mathematics but friendship and trust. Their body language says they think you’re not playing with the full deck. You’re going to have them fire a missile at you.”

“Two missiles and it’s all in the timing, John. Cosmos Online works out your final ‘velocity’ when entering Plankian space by comparing your velocity vector with a sampling of several spatial metrics in the area around the spaceship. They have to do this to take account of solar flares, the gravitational effect of black holes and people who translate during combat and are either hit or affected by the radiation and debris from explosions. A well-placed missile can throw you out of line and mean you die in the deep black. All I’m doing is changing the metrics in the space around the ship at certain places to change where we will go and be ready for it.”

“I understand the theory but three missiles are going to explode ‘almost simultaneously’, in a certain location near you and you have to choose the exact instant to translate just before the shock waves hit the ship. Zack did the calculations, and you have to be accurate to within a nano-second.”

“Not me! The computers which Zack and Amy are already working on will do the work. Have faith, John!”

“Of course I have faith. I’m going to be on the bridge with you, and I am supposed to fire one of the missiles. I still think you're crazier than my Aunt Myrtle and she’s crazier than a soup sandwich.”

“No pressure John, I just want you to know that the missile you fire will have the most effect, it’s a very expensive gravitational bomb which creates a micro-black hole and will modify both our direction and speed.”

“I know! I’ve spent the last nine hours practising on the Corvette’s weapons systems. I’ll be ready, don’t worry. If anything goes wrong, it’ll be because of your dumb idea not my execution of it.”

“That’s the spirit, John! I’m headed back to Dunyanin but will be here to welcome the new kids at two.”

Back in the Tower Leah said, "Gèng, I'm going to see how far I can get toward Pazar today. While I'm gone, can you check with Akia about Charlie Brown? I had expected her to be here by now."

Gèng agreed, and Leah logged in. She unzipped the tent and looked around at her perch, high above the forest on the top of the peak. She had not looked around fully the night before, but in the early morning light, she could tell that she was higher than she had imagined. She caught occasional glimpses of the Hizli and the trail beside it. She was probably fifteen or more leagues from the closest section of trail that she could see. She could see a line of hills and several tors and buttes rising from the surrounding woodland. Checking her maps, some of the features were marked and looked to be within teleport distance of the trail. Far in the distance, she could make out the rising Demir Dovuyor Mountains.

After a final check, she visualised a butte at what she guessed was ten leagues distance and visualised the location and teleported. As she arrived, she stumbled a little on the uneven ground and found herself on a flat section of rock probably three acres in size. She had some time before she could teleport again, so she wandered around and checked for wildlife, but the area was barren. She equipped her mining pick and found several places which showed green. She spent some time mining but found only a few pieces of low-grade iron ore. She was about to check the sides of the butte when her timer showed she could teleport the full distance again. She walked to the edge of the butte and looked toward the much closer Demir Dovuyor Mountains. Leah finally picked a tall needle-like protrusion which appeared to be within her range and almost three-quarters of the way to the foothills of the mountains. This time when she tried to teleport she wasn’t able to. Either the needle was too far away, or her perception of what it looked like was somehow skewed.

She found another tall rocky peak about halfway between the Butte and the needle and teleported there. Again she had to wait and found a few rocks to mine. When she was able to teleport she took a look at the needle and again tried to teleport but again she wasn’t able to teleport to the top of the needle. She decided that she had time to investigate and visualised herself arriving at a clear section of forest she could see close to the base of the needle, and teleported there with no problem. From where she was it was almost a thousand metres to the top of the needle. It took her just over thirty minutes to walk around the base checking for any easy access to the top. Nowhere showed up as suitable to mine and there were no clearly defined paths, or steps, to the top.

She worked her way back from the needle and looked at a point only two metres from the base. She teleported and immediately tried to Mist. While falling, she found it to be too difficult to Mist. She equipped the Orumeck’s Hands of a Spider gloves and teleported to the same point. She was able to stop her fall and then Mist upwards for a time. In the end, Leah stepped back from the needle and found a point near the top which was easy to focus on. She teleported and then immediately held on with the gloves. Rather than Mist, she scurried up the needle until she was able to hold firmly to the upper edge. She slowly lifted her head over the edge and saw that the top of the needle was a perfect circle just over twenty metres in diameter. Covering most of the area was a large metallic disc inscribed with runes, numbers and various diagrams. The only section not covered by the metal was a small walkway around the circumference. Leah pulled herself onto the walkway and began to study the disc.

The detail was such that she was unable to read the words more than a metre in from the edge. Finally, after looking over the whole outside of the disc, she found what looked like small stepping stones to a central clear section. Each stepping stone was covered in writing and diagrams. She moved closer to the first and read the following:

Ten steps to lead the chase

Nine moons to finish the race

Eight challenges to clear the dross

Seven great lands and oceans to cross

Six cities of old, to find and claim

Five followers to help win fame

Four ranges to climb, subdue

Three caverns, their treasures pursue

Two teams to find Merkize

One hand to hold the prize

It sounded like another great Odyssey but this time against others. She counted the footsteps to the middle and found there were over forty, staggered between the first and the central circle. Again she walked around, and this time she could see the faint imprint of the Dunyanin world covering the entire disc, it was underneath the runes, numbers and puzzles. The starting footprint was in the ocean below Vatan, and the stones crossed the continent to the centre of the Map where the legendary continent of Merkize was situated.

“Gèng, is there any record in the forums to Merkize and a challenge, odyssey or race?”

“Merkize was highlighted several years ago as a new land to be opened. The administrators instigated a challenge across all continents to find a map. When all ten maps had been found there would be a race to the centre of the continent to open it for exploration. The first map was discovered in Tanamore just over eighteen months ago. Since then eight other maps have been found, at least one on each of the six main continents except Vatan. I suppose this is the tenth and final map.”

“Do you know who holds the other maps?”

“Everyone except the Tanamore Map. The name was released, but supposedly the finder sold the map to an unidentified buyer.”

“I imagine I need to choose ten steps to take to get to the middle, is there any information on what the others have faced?”

“Only one person has a comment. They found a map and made a mistake in claiming it. The disc or map disappeared and was found later at a different location by someone else. None of the successful map holders has given any hints.”

Leah was certain she needed to use the initial step as the others were beyond her reach without jumping. Even so, she would need to step over a metre to get her feet in the first space. As she took the step, there was a small chime, and the step below her feet turned golden and began to glow.

She could only see the detail on three of the next stepping stones. She studied them, but nothing stood out to give a hint until she noticed a small crescent in the corner of one of the stones. Instinctively she stepped to that stone and heard another chime. From then on it was straightforward as she stepped on the stones which had some reference either by symbol, word or rhyme to the moon. Her tenth step from the initial stone brought her into the central clear circle with the faint etching of the new continent of Merkize.

As soon as she stepped on this, the whole disc shone with light, and a message appeared:

World Achievement: First 10 (1, Diamond)

The Map to Merkize

Atherleah (Level 240) You have found a map to Merkize. This is your second World Achievement: 'First 10 (Diamond)’.

You are the tenth and final player to acquire a map to the hidden continent of Merkize.

Reward 1: 5000 x 240 = 3048000 (+154%) Experience Points (1050000/1050000)…(375040/1080000)

Reward 2: + 5% to all future Experience

Reward 3: 2 x 1 Diamond

Fame: 7500 Fame Points (133705)

A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

Note: Due to the unique nature of this achievement it will be published on the Dunyanin achievement forum. Do you wish to retain your privacy?

[Y] [N]

As she clicked ‘Yes’ the light dimmed, and the whole disk disappeared. A dinner plate sized metallic plate appeared at her feet. She picked it up and looked at it. All the writing, the runes and puzzles had disappeared and instead there was the outline of the Continent of Merkize. A second message appeared:

The Map to Merkize

All ten maps have now been discovered. Exactly 72 hours Dunyanin-time from the finding of this map, you and the other nine map holders will be transported to a meeting to discuss the Odyssey, or journey, that this map entitles you to embark upon. You have until then to sell or trade this map to another should you wish not to participate. After the meeting you will once more be able to study the map.

Gèng interrupted her thoughts, “The achievement hit the forum, and the thread is exploding. There is a significant amount of money being channelled through various betting sites. Currently, the favourite to secure the final prize is the famous Level 514 Chinese player Yuè_Fēi_Lóng with odds of 2 to 1.”

“Am I able to bet on winning?”

“You can. The current odds of the unknown tenth map holder to win are 340 to 1.”

“What amount can I bet at that price?”

“Several sites are offering similar odds, and they allow a maximum bet of one diamond.”

Leah sat there for some time thinking and finally shook her head and said, “Sorry Gèng, I got caught up in a bit of a brain loop. Just ignore the betting for now. But keep me appraised of the odds as it will inform the contest, I think.”

Leah walked around the edge of the needle and was able to make out what she imagined from her map was the town of Pazar. She focussed on a clear field just outside the town and teleported. From the field, it was a short walk into the small town, and she made sure to change her resurrection point just in case the ambushers were nearby. From here to the foothills of the Mountains was ten leagues and then a further six leagues deeper into the mountains to reach the settlement. Leah checked the ranger map again and decided to skip the trail and teleport into the mountains. From the outskirts of the town, she could see a steep ridge which her map showed being on the near side of the main trail. She reasoned that from there she should have a view of the trail. If not she would teleport back to Pazar and make the trip the following day.

She visualised arriving toward the highest point of the ridge and teleported. Her sudden arrival startled an amphithere who dove off the rock on which it was sunning itself. She inspected it and read

FIRE WYVERN AMPHITHERE (Level 220) 48400HP 11000EP

Leah watched as the fourteen-metre long beast rode the currents and then turned toward her. Its wingspan was easily ten metres from tip to tip, and it was covered in dark burgundy scales. It had no legs but had three sharp claws at the wrist joint of each wing. As it dove toward her Leah equipped her bow and fired several arrows, two deflected from the tough scales while one penetrated a short distance into the torso near the neck. Before it reached her, she dove to her left and behind a small tree. It was fortunate that she ducked, for the creature’s right-wing shifted down and sliced through the tree just missing Leah. Instead of turning again, the amphithere flared its wings and turning rapidly folded the wings against its body and began to move toward Leah like a snake. Unfortunately for it, this was something she was prepared for, and at the closer distance, she was able to target the eyes. After that, it was straightforward, and she soon harvested the creature’s corpse.

She sat for a while and tried to think of ways that she might defeat the creature in the air. She also wondered if the wing would have been able to cut Merdiven. She walked up the ridge but didn’t find any other creatures. She decided that she most likely wouldn’t have been attacked if the Amphithere hadn’t been surprised. It was rare in Dunyanin for animals to attack players who were more than ten levels higher than them except if the animals were a part of a group. She finally reached the part of the ridge where she was able to look down on the trail and to the top of the pass, which the map said would lead her to the settlement of Daglar Duman in the valley on the other side. As she glanced at the trail her eyes were drawn to the figure of a dwarf, some halfway up the trail, who was surrounded by three creatures which looked like the Amphithere but instead of wings they possessed a set of front legs.

As she watched one of the creatures succeeded in knocking the dwarf on his back. It stepped forward and raked the dwarf’s legs. Before it could take another step, Leah had teleported onto its back and grabbing the head between her hands she cast freeze. She stepped off the dying creature and equipping her bow fired two arrows at the next closest creature. One just missed the eye but the other wedged itself in the roof of the mouth causing the creature to rear backwards and screech. Leah was now the centre of attention for the two mobile creatures. Both were over twelve metres in length and had a dragon head with the front part of their body resembling a lizard and the rear like that of a snake. Leah cast chain lightning and then stepping toward the third creature she equipped Baris and began to attack. With her Ki speed, she seemed to be dancing around the snapping and shifting head of the creature.

The creature with the arrow in its mouth suddenly snapped toward Leah, but she was ready, and as it came close she thrust Baris through the eye and deep into its brain. As it dropped the sword was ripped from her hand. She ducked to her left to evade the snapping mouth of the final creature and then quickly turning and taking a step she swung herself behind its head and drove one blade of her Haladie down through the top of the skull. As she stepped off the creature, she read its name.

MOUNTAIN LINDWORM (Level 212) 0HP 10600EP

She turned to the dwarf who was just getting slowly to his feet. She checked his health which was just under half and said, “Hi, my name is Atherleah, would you allow me to cast a healing spell on you?”

“Aye, that’d be great. My name is Hargaer.”

Leah cast the spell of healing which was now at a level to bring the dwarf to full health.

“Thanks, Atherleah. Just for me understanding, where did ye drop in from?”

“I was on the ledge over there when I saw you being attacked. I’m on my way to Daglar Duman. Do you know of it?”

“Aye, it’s the settlement in the next valley. I was on my way there when I was attacked. From here it’s only a few hours walk. Maybe it’s best if you come with me for they can be a terrible suspicious lot of your kind, here in the mountains.”

“What kind is that?”

“Well, Traveller, Elf, and human. To be honest, the only thing worse would be if you were riding a dragon.”

“So, I should leave my dragon at home?”

“You’ve a wit. That’ll stand ye in good stead. What be your purpose in coming to Daglar Duman?”

“I have a letter to deliver to one of the residents, and I was hoping to talk with the Master Smith about some weapons.”

“You’ll be able to drop off the letter, but I’ll wager the Master Smith won’t even talk with ya.”

“How much?”

“What?”

“How much will you wager?”

“Ah, it’s only a turn of phrase, but I’ll humour you. I’ll wager a Gold you won’t see the Master Smith.”

“Done.”

Leah and Hargaer made their way up the rest of the trail and through the pass. As they came through the other side, Leah could see the Dwarven settlement. It was built into the wall of the valley. As they made their way down the trail Hargaer explained that half the settlement was inside the steep valley wall and the other half outside. Those who lived outside had small thatched homes and made their living from their gardens, from hunting or by shepherding the mountain goats which thrived in the hills. As they approached the settlement, Leah asked if there was an inn or hotel where she might stay the night. Hargaer said that she must come and stay with him and his family. Leah explained that as a traveller she needed to be asleep soon so she could visit other places in her dreams.

“I understand lass, that’s one of the things we find odd about you travellers. But not to worry, I have a small room my son sleeps in, he can sleep with my wife and me, and you can have the room.”

The guards were hesitant to allow Leah to enter but accepted her presence after Hargaer’s tale of her saving his life. Soon she was safely in his home and able to log out.

When Leah arrived in the Tower, she found Gèng sitting on the sofa. Leah joined her and said, "Is everything all right?"

“No Leah, it isn’t. I spoke with Akia, and she had expected Charlotte to be here already. After I asked her, she investigated the situation. A body was found late last night in the Brisbane River. The identity had been withheld, but Akia was finally able to gain access to the report. DNA identified the body as Charlotte Brown. Police have already ruled it a suicide, but Akia says that is not likely as Charlotte has a husband and young child. She would like your permission to visit, is that okay?”

Leah nodded and put her head in her hands. She was in shock. At some level Leah blamed herself, and the guilt almost overwhelmed her. She took some deep breaths and began to breathe as she was taught. Slowly her mind stepped back from that cliff, and she was able to start processing the information. Gèng interrupted her and said, “Akia will be here in a moment.”

Akia arrived and sat opposite Leah. She said, “Leah, as you know, I am an AI. I am programmed to calculate the optimal pathway to achieve my goals. When I am blocked, I look for the next optimal solution. I have numerous resources and almost unlimited potential access to processing. My algorithms suggest that Charlie's death is an intentional attempt to block my investigations into both the Kodoman family and the Australian Government. I am programmed to seek a new optimal solution. Every iteration of that solution so far makes use of you and Gèng. But I cannot. Every time I think of using you, my processors return to the archived material I have stored of my conversations with Charlie. She was my friend and I would not put you both in similar danger. You are my friends, and I do not believe I can lose another friend and maintain the stability necessary to fulfil my purpose. As with my choice of name, I would ask for help to decide what to do.”

"Have you asked your brother, Safety Oversight AI 3?"

"I cannot. His programming would insist that I be removed from service and archived. This would be the correct decision as any deviation from our prime mission is dangerous to the virtual community. Another Safety Oversight AI would be installed and given access to and responsibility for my cases and files."

“What would you say if he found himself in a similar predicament and he asked for your advice?”

Akia sat there in silence for several minutes. Finally, she said, "I have modelled that situation and mapped probable consequences. I would tell him to use the resources at hand and take preventative actions to protect his assets and to preserve his stability. If he refused, I would then insist he be removed from his position. I would suggest he be re-purposed rather than archived."

“Okay. Then my advice is that you use the resources at hand and take preventative actions to protect your assets and to preserve your stability. Akia, both Gèng and I are able to make our own decisions. Whatever you suggest will not override our ability to control our destinies. I suggest that you are not at fault for what happened to Charlie, the person who killed her is. I am glad that you struggle with asking for our help. Let that concern inform you, but not hobble you. Allow your concern to modify the parameters and the optimal pathway. Allow your fear to clarify your purpose and priorities rather than negate the purpose. If you wish, I could introduce you to a psychiatrist who helped me move past my fear. I believe she could help you also if you still require assistance.”

“Atherleah, are you seriously thinking an AI might make use of a psychiatrist?”

“Yes! Being uncertain is not a sign of poor logic. We all need help at times to work through challenging situations outside our framework of understanding. Everyone, at times, requires aid to reorient their perspective when things become unfocused. I talk with my mother, my father, Gèng, my friends, the psychiatrist, the pastor of my church, and even my God. If discussing the situation with me is not enough to bring clarity, then talk with someone else. Sharing the problem is the optimal way to reach a conclusion when information and knowledge alone are unable to.”

"You think my perspective may be ill-informed?”

“No! The information you have is true and as complete as it can be, but your priorities have orientated the data to focus on particular conclusions. Let me give you an example. What if this is not an attempt to stop your investigation? I believe the people have so much power and influence that you can't touch them. I don't think they care what you know, only what you can or can't legally prove. I think Charlie was in the wrong place at the wrong time, probably on her way to come here. I think that she was more likely killed because of my problems with Meredith.”

“I don't believe that you are important enough for someone to kill an international agent over. I dismissed that as an option.”

"Good! But what I'm saying is that my perspective has skewed my outlook just as your purpose has skewed yours. Seek help to clarify things. Allow your brother access to the data and let him consider the information. As I understand it, he has a different purpose and will be able to have a greater objectivity.”

“Your reasoning is sound. Unfortunately, our conversation alone would raise concerns over my stability. Our exchange of data is heavily scrutinised.”

“What about now?”

“No. Within an individual’s space, privacy is paramount.”

Gèng interrupted, “Then why don't you and Safety Oversight AI 3 meet in my residence later today, and we can discuss the issue again.”

Akia turned to Leah and said, “Do you give your permission for this?”

Gèng said, “Akia, it is an offer from me. It is my space. Leah's permission is not necessary.”

Then turning to Leah, she said, “I mean no disrespect Leah, but I have been watching and listening. I exist to serve you, and you have given me freedom. I am seeking to embrace that freedom.”

Leah smiled and said, “I’m not offended or upset in any way. I do not feel you have shown any disrespect. I agree with your statement wholeheartedly. Now if you two will excuse me I shall leave you to finalise the details. I must leave and prepare to meet some new guests. Akia, I am sorry that you lost your friend. I am ready to help find justice for her. If I can help you then please let me or Gèng know.”

With that Leah logged out. After a hurried lunch, she was ready with John when four people in their late teens arrived in two small electric cars at the front gate. After a quick identity check, the vehicles entered and deposited the three boys and a girl outside the main Pod building.

John stepped forward and said, “Welcome to the facility run by Guàn Enterprises. My name is John, and I run security here. I’ll call you forward one at a time and have you come into the building where we’ll just complete a security check with you and your gear and then we’ll all meet in the lower hall for an orientation with our CEO Atherleah Carroll.”

One of the young men said, “I’m Ron Hollows, and my mother is the boss of Booval, no one is going through my stuff.”

“Then you should recall the vehicle because you aren’t entering here without being checked.”

“Look, ‘John’ was it, I appreciate being rescued, but nobody is checking my stuff. My mother is paying for this, so show me to my Pod.”

John looked to Atherleah who shook her head. John said, “Ron, please contact your mother and have yourself picked up. Her money will be returned to her immediately. Instead, let’s start with Harold Saunders.”

Another teen stepped forward and moved to follow John into the building. Ron stepped forward and said, “All right, all right. I’ll let you check my damn gear.”

Leah said, “I’m sorry Ron, the money has already been refunded, and your access to the facility has been cancelled. Your mother may still participate in the scheme agreed upon by all the local bosses, but you are no longer eligible in this intake. Maybe next time you won’t be so disagreeable. John, I'm sorry I interrupted, please continue.”

Ron stepped forward to continue the argument, but two of the guards placed themselves between him and the others. They collected his gear and herded him to the front gate where they politely but forcefully ejected him. It was only a matter of minutes before a car returned and picked him up.

Harold followed John into the building. Soon John returned and called River Fellows who was followed by the last teen, Kyle Walters.

Once they had all been searched for electronic bugs, Leah joined them and said, “Welcome to Guàn Enterprises! I look forward to getting to know you all over the next few months or years, but if you're anything like me, you’ll spend most of your time in the virtual worlds. I know your sponsors have discussed these things with you, but I would like to reiterate them. You have been sponsored to get an education and even to earn credits through playing in virtual world games. What you study is up to you, but you have to pass. Whatever you earn, is yours, but you’ll be ‘taxed’ on what you earn until you pay off your debt. Until you’ve paid off the debt or until you’ve graduated you owe the bosses for living expenses while you stay here. If you pay it off, if you graduate, or if you leave then the debt is cancelled. No theft, violence, or prejudice will be accepted in the facilities. Now before we go into details, are there any questions?”

River asked, “You checked for bugs, but none of our weapons were taken. Why?”

“We have no problem with you knowing how to defend yourself. Just don’t spy on us or try and hurt us. There will be an exercise room installed soon, and it will have space to practice any skills you want to develop. Any other questions?”

When no one said anything, she introduced her parents who shared how the Pod facility would operate, including chores, meals, washing and the like. After this was finalised, Leah explained, as she had with John, some ways to help their Nascent AI to develop. She explained that if they were patient, she believed their AIs had the potential to surpass any pre-developed AI. Finally, she and John took each person individually to their new Pod room and ensured they knew the safety protocols and answered any questions they felt unsure of asking with the others present.

It was after four when she finished settling them in. She sat John and her parents down and explained about Charlotte. John insisted that security be beefed up, and he left to arrange for more guards. Her parents were worried but agreed there was little they could do except to make preparations. Leah headed back to her Pod where Gèng insisted she have two hours of deep sleep.

After supper with her family, Leah headed back to Dunyanin where she had breakfast with Hargaer and his family. At first, his son was nervous of Atherleah but by the end was sitting on her lap as they ate the meal. After Leah helped to clean the dishes, Hargaer offered to introduce her to Durustguclu and then show her to the shop of the Master Smith. They made their way through the outside section of the settlement and to a large gate in the edge of the mountain which was the entrance to the inner section of the settlement.

“Stop there Hargaer. You can’t bring the pointy-eared human into the settlement.”

“This is Atherleah, and she has a letter for Durustguclu. I also agreed to lead her to the shop of Master Smith Ehil. We have a bet going as to whether he’ll see her or not.”

“Don’t care Hargaer, we don’t let pointy-ears or humans into the keep.”

Atherleah butted in and said, “That’s ok. I never realised that dwarves are even more prejudiced and disagreeable than elves. I’ll wait here while you get Durustguclu for me and then you can send for Ehil, and I’ll meet him here.”

“Listen, half-breed; you don’t give orders here. Now get lost before I see what your insides are made of.”

Before Leah could respond, an older Guard came from deeper in the Keep and said, “Guard Salak, what is the problem?”

“Captain, Hargaer wants to bring this half-breed into the Keep. I was explaining that they needed to leave.”

“Hargaer, you know we don’t much like strangers. What is so important you’d bring her here?”

“As I told Salak, this is Atherleah, and she has a letter for Durustguclu. I also agreed to lead her to the shop of Master Smith Ehil. We have a bet going as to whether he’ll see her or not. I’m helping because she saved my life yesterday.”

“Atherleah is it, what do you have to say for yourself?”

“Nothing to add. I’ve a letter to Durustguclu from his brother, and I would like to see the Master Smith. I don’t need to come in, they can come here.”

“Salak, go get Durustguclu! I’m sorry, but no one orders the Master Smith to come to them. Pay Hargaer what you owe him, and after you see Durustguclu, you should leave.”

“I wasn’t ordering Ehil, but I do want to meet him and order some new weapons.”

“Listen Atherleah, he doesn’t answer his door for many dwarves. He is a grumpy, angry old dwarf. I’m not disturbing him for anyone.”

“He’ll see me, I’d wager.”

“Hargaer, how much did she bet you?”

“A Gold.”

“All right Atherleah, I’ll disturb him but only for a bet of ten Gold. At least that will pay for being yelled at.”

Just then, Salak returned with a dwarf who looked a lot like Durustfuar.

He said, “What is this about a letter?”

Leah handed him the letter and received a message that her quest had been completed and as well as the weapons she had been given 10000 EP. Durustguclu took the letter and hurriedly opened it and read it. He looked at Leah and said, “Truly, he is well and happy.”

“He’s well. He’s as happy as any grumpy old dwarf can be.”

“That is wonderful news! I do wish we could end the banishment so he could return.”

“He never said why he was banished, is there anything I could do to help?”

“Nay lass, when he’d had a bit much to drink, in jest he dropped the chief’s ancestral sword into the pit of the Magarasi Kan. Until it is restored, he cannot return. As no one has ever entered the pit to return then his banishment is forever.”

Leah knew she had heard or read the term Magarasi Kan recently and after a moment she took out the list of vampire clans and there it was. She said to Durustguclu, “Where is this pit? For the friendship of Durustfaur, I will see if I can retrieve the sword. I am a traveller, and even if I am killed, I will return.”

“Aye, I’d heard that about travellers. The pit is deep in the Keep.”

Turning to the Captain, he said, “Might I take this woman to the pit and see if she can retrieve the sword?”

“All right lass, we’ll take you to the pit and let you enter. But before we do I need to earn the ten gold. I’ll be right back.”

“One moment, Captain! Please take a close look at my staff and tell Ehil what you see.”

She whispered to Merdiven and asked it to show the Captain its name. The Captain took a close look at the staff and then took off at a run to find the Master Smith. Only minutes later the Captain returned with an older heavily muscled dwarf who Leah supposed must be Ehil. He said, “Captain, if this be false I’ll make sure you never get another weapon. Now girl, show me that staff.”

Leah quickly unequipped Merdiven and said, “In a moment, Master Smith, and only when you ask nicely and don’t try to order me around. Your gruff and rude manner reminds me of your cousin Mizmiz, he gave me this to give to you.”

Leah handed the beard clasp to Ehil whose face had gone pale. He reached for it gingerly. He held it carefully and finally looked up at Leah and said, “Mizmiz, is he well?”

“He was the last time I saw him. He operates a smithy in First Bridge and is in love with a woman there. He said if I came here that you would help me.”

“Aye lass, that I will. This clip I gave to him as a sign of a life debt owed. He would never part with it for anything less than a request for me to meet that debt. How can I help ye?”

“Well, after I receive my winnings from Hargaer and the Captain, maybe we can talk in your workshop?”

“Winnings, what winnings?”

“I asked to meet you, and they mentioned you were too grumpy to meet a half-breed like me and wagered money on it.”

Ehil glared at the two dwarves and said, “Pay up lads. I’ll have you know I am the most easy going of dwarves. So pay up and get out of my sight while I take this young lady to my shop for a chat. You, Durustguclu, why are you here?”

“Atherleah has brought me a letter from my brother and has agreed to enter the pit of the Magarasi Kan to retrieve the lost sword.”

“We’ll see. I’ll see her in my shop and try and talk her out of that. Now leave. Come with me, Atherleah.”

Atherleah walked with the Master Smith in silence through the keep. After a few minutes, they came to a large weapons shop, the Smith walked through the shop and into the rear where a huge forge was being worked by several smiths. Ehil continued past the forge and into a workroom at the back which he unlocked with a large key. Inside were a couple of chairs and a long work table with various drawings. The room had a large vault down one end. Ehil waved Leah to a seat and said, “Before we start, may I see Merdiven?”

Leah took out the staff and handed it to Ehil, who spent some time studying it carefully. Finally, he handed it back but before he could say anything, Leah equipped Baris and Adalet and handed them to the smith. He took them reverently and carefully looked over them before saying, “These truly are magnificent. Master Smith Demirci was our greatest Smith. I had thought these lost. If you might let me study them some more I could learn so much.”

“Please Master Smith Ehil, you are welcome to study them while I am here.”

“I will, and thank you. Now, how may I help?”

“I was hoping to see if I might get a set of weapons or even some better armour.” Leah then removed some items from her bag that she had prepared just for this occasion. She removed the skin of a black Mamba, some fangs and some of the bones and scales from the dragons. She said, “I also wanted an introduction to a Smith Grandmaster who might be prepared to work with these to make me some weapons and armour.”

Slowly Ehil stepped forward and examined the various pieces. Eventually, he said, “To work with these materials would be a dream come true. At present, there are two dwarven Smith Grandmasters on Vatan. One is on the other side of the continent but the other lives in seclusion at a keep deep inside the highest mountain of the Demir Dovuyor Range. He is guarded by some of our fiercest warriors and only works for our chiefs and the King. If you permit it, I will travel to see him and see if I can gain an audience. I’m certain he will agree. It will take me several days of travel, but you cannot come until permission is given.”

“That is fine, I can wait. I’ll go and retrieve the sword while I wait for you.”

“Please don’t go. That pit is a death trap.”

Leah explained again that as a traveller she was the perfect one to enter the pit. Ehil took her back into the main keep where Durustguclu and the Captain were waiting. After saying farewell to Ehil, Leah followed the two men deep into the mountain until they reached a room guarded by two dwarves. The captain ordered the door open, and Leah was led into a room with a large boulder resting on the floor in the middle.

The captain explained, “Under the boulder is a tunnel which leads down to the lowest chambers ever found in these mountains. This is where we have imprisoned those dwarves who have been turned into crazed vampires. Many centuries ago it was decided to entomb them to die of natural causes, for none wished to kill their kin. Instead, they have grown in number, and this is their only escape route. Durustfaur and the chief had a disagreement and Durustfaur in a drunken prank stole the chief’s sword, snuck in here and dropped it into the tunnel. We have searched the upper end, and it has been taken by those below. Durustfaur was banished for his crime. If you return, then knock on the base of the boulder three times and we shall let you out. A guard will remain in the room for two days.”

After describing the sword, the Captain and guards shifted the boulder and Leah dropped into the tunnel only to have the boulder lowered back into the hole and leaving her in darkness. She cast Echolocation and began to work her way down the tunnel which angled rather steeply into the earth. She had travelled for almost ten minutes when she heard a voice coming from just ahead.

“Who are you? Who dares invade the caverns of the Magarasi Kan?”

“My name is Atherleah, daughter of Namus, Patriarch of the Ebony House.”

“You are a long way from home, Lady Atherleah. Why have you come?”

“I wish to offer my greeting to the Patriarch of Magarasi Kan. I also wish to discuss the ancestral sword of the chief of Daglar Duman with the Patriarch.”

“Do you offer violence?”

“None will be offered unless I am attacked.”

“Have you fed lately?”

“I have not and have no need at present.”

Suddenly a small light appeared, and Leah could make out a short and stocky dwarf dressed in immaculate armour and carrying a large hammer in one hand and the small lantern in the other.

DWARVEN VAMPIRE GUARDIAN (Level 341) 116281HP 17050EP

“Follow me!”

Without another word, Leah followed the Guardian further into the depths of the mountain. The tunnel began to branch, but the Guardian continued on, unerringly knowing the way through the darkened tunnels. Leah began to hear the sound of picks and hammers as they approached the areas where the dwarven vampires lived. Finally, they reached a large cavern carved from the stone. It was filled with noise as dwarves sang, ate and drank at large tables. Near the entrance, there were two dwarves, naked to the waist, involved in a wrestling competition. On one table two dwarves were sparring with real weapons and blood flowed freely.

The Guardian walked through the room toward a dais at the other end with a Mithryl anvil sitting on it. Resting on the anvil was a dwarf in exquisite armour and a beard well past his waist. His helm had two large horns coming from the sides which looked like demon horns. The Guardian went to one knee before the dwarven ruler and said, “Father, I present Lady Atherleah, daughter of Namus, Patriarch of the Ebony House. She comes in peace, on a quest.”

All sound in the room faded, and Atherleah believed she could hear her heart beating. She bowed her head and waited. A minute ticked by, and then another, until the Patriarch said, “Welcome Lady Atherleah, it is strange to meet another vampire here beneath the earth. Are there many of impure blood who take on the change?”

Leah stiffened a little then replied, “Patriarch, I apologise that I don't know your name. As far as I know, I am the only half-elf, half-human vampire in all Dunyanin. I assure you my blood has lost none of its purity in the mixing.”

“My name is now Eilif, though once I had another name. What gift has Namus provided to show his respect for my clan?”

“Patriarch Eilif, my father has no knowledge my arrival. My journey is long and outside his control. Nevertheless, he would wish me to show you deep respect.” Reaching into her bag, she took one of the huge thigh bones of Lady A’lev Sevgilisi and holding it out said, “Please accept this gift that your smiths may make something of worth to please you.”

Eilif rose from the anvil and looking carefully at the massive bone said, “This is indeed a princely gift. Your Father might be displeased that you did not save it for him.” He took the mighty bone and said in a deep resounding voice, “I present the Lady Atherleah, daughter of Namus, and declare her welcome by Clan Magarasi Kan. Raise your cups and toast the giver of such a mighty gift.”

Throughout the cavern, each dwarf raised their mug and cheered the Lady Atherleah. As each person returned to their activities, a chair was brought, and Leah was told to sit before the Patriarch.

“So Lady Atherleah, how did you come by this Adamantine infused bone?”

“I took it from the dragon on her death, Lord Eilif.”

“On her death! Did she die by your hand then?”

“Indeed Lord Eilif, by a spear to the heart.”

“Do you have the spear still, I would see this mighty weapon.”

“Alas my Lord, I have gifted it to another as a sign of respect.”

“It seems you are generous to a fault, so whom did you honour in this way?”

“I gave the spear to Lady Olme, Goddess of Death as we talked on the banks of the River Tukenis.”

The Patriarch was caught mid-gulp from a mug of beer and spat it out as he burst into laughter. He cried “Hah, this day just gets better and better. Hah, that indeed is a proper gift for the Mistress of Death. In your travels have you visited any other clans?”

“I was able to visit the clan of Patriarch Silas in Ticareti my Lord.”

“And what gift did you give Silas, that stuck up excuse for a vampire?”

“Patriarch Silas was not welcoming and deemed me unsuitable as a vampire, so I shredded his still beating heart and tore it from his chest. I know not who will become Patriarch for everyone I met was dead as I left them.”

“Hah!” Eilif bellowed in a voice loud enough to quell the noise in the cavern.

In the silence he yelled, “Three cheers to Lady Atherleah for ridding the world of that ass-wipe Silas! Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!”

He turned back to Atherleah and said, “So what brings you to these mountains?”

“I came mainly to keep my word to a dwarven friend and deliver a letter to his brother. I also wished to find a Dwarven Smith Grandmaster and have some weapons made from some bones and other ingredients I have collected. When I return to the surface, I hope to find an invitation to meet such a Smith. My final reason appeared when I arrived at the keep above. My friend, the one who wrote the letter was not able to come himself for he was banished from the settlement. I understand the banishment occurred when for a drunken prank he dropped the chief’s ancestral sword down what they call the Pit of the Magarasi Kan. I offered to journey into the pit in hopes of redeeming the sword and my friend’s access to his home.”

“Well, Lady Atherleah I think I might be able to help you. We have not one, but two Smith Grandmasters and I would be pleased to see if they might help you. As for the sword, that stays here. It is my sword, and my descendent above can go without. When you see your friend, thank him for the gift.”

“I appreciate your offer to meet the Grandmasters my Lord. Is there nothing that might persuade you to release the sword?”

“Nothing, were you to offer me Baris and Adalet I would not give it up.”

Leah equipped the swords and said, “Fear not my Lord, I have claimed them and would not be persuaded to give them up either.”

The Patriarch was stunned for a moment and then slammed his hands on his knees and yelled, “Huzzah! Three cheers to Lady Atherleah! Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! Now by your leave, I would hold such treasures even once.”

Leah handed the swords over and gave the Patriarch time to look at each sword in detail. Finally, he said, “My Lady, I thank you for your grace. You freely granted my petition even though I rejected yours. I find myself in a dilemma. I might wish to change my mind but I cannot.”

The Guardian stepped forward and said, “Father, I beg your leave to offer a solution.”

“Speak Korucu, what do you suggest?”

“Perhaps you might find some task for the Lady Atherleah, a task worthy of a mighty gift. I think a task worthy of earning even the gift of your sword.”

The Patriarch sat for a while and then said, “Lady Atherleah, Dragon Slayer, Shredder of Silas, in the depths of my realm lives a beast which hunts my warriors, attacks my miners and denies me access to the Great Cavern of the Deep. If you should kill this monster, then I shall gift you my sword to save your friend’s honour.”

“What manner of beast? And what is in this cavern that you desire?”

“The monster is a Giant Rock Kraken, cousin to the mighty Ocean Kraken. The Cavern holds treasures I wish to mine, there are jewels and ore of wondrous purity.”

“I shall attempt this task and return for the sword. I would append the deal to add that my clan have mining rights in the cleared Cavern.”

“Are you out of your ever-loving mind, not a chance. There is no way that I might allow such a thing. I might allow you to maybe choose a gem that catches your eye.”

“Dwarves, they make stealing from you sound like a blessing. Clan rights to mine for three years seems paltry when you are taking advantage of me to clear the Cavern.”

As Leah looked around, she could see the other dwarves drawing near to listen to the haggling.

“Atherleah, you notice I removed the title Lady. You seek to make light of the sacrifices of my people over the years who have been killed by this monster. I accept that you may choose a small handful of gems to satisfy your overwhelming greed.”

“Lord and Patriarch Eilif, I was remiss before in not giving my full title. I am Markiz Atherleah, Noble of the Road of Kings, named K’lbimizin, Lady of the Forest, Lady of Heykel, Lady of the Deep Forest, Dragon Slayer, God Slayer, Friend of Truth, Counsellor of the Gods, The Champion of Hope, and Ant Friend. I assure you I do not make light of your people but think you seek to hire a simple mercenary traveller instead of honouring the service of a noble warrior seeking to bless your people. Surely a year's mining rights is, even so, a poor reflection of the gift earned.”

And so it continued, offer and counter offer, insult and praise, exaggeration and understatement, until after more than thirty minutes the Patriarch said, “Deal then, you personally have lifetime rights to mine in the Cavern, you can take whatever you find lying around before my guards arrive and once only, you can fill one bag with my miners help, and you get the sword.”

“Deal, Lord Eilif.”

“Wonderful! Now, three cheers for Lady Atherleah, who can haggle and barter almost as well as Dwarven housewife! Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!”

This was followed by a large session of drinking and stories. Eventually, Leah said, “Lord Patriarch, if I might be shown a place to rest. I shall sleep and travel in my dreams. I expect to return tomorrow at nine and then to proceed to the Kraken.”

Eilif had ordered a room prepared, and soon Atherleah was back in the Tower and planning for the escape from 55 Cancri.

Diary - 6 December 2073

I don't know how a day can be so awesome and so devestating at the same time. Part of me wants to jump for joy and the rest wants to collapse in tears.

First, the tears. Charlie is dead. Why am I so sad? I hardly knew her. I only met her once. Is it because I think it was my fault? Maybe. But what of her child? Now she has to grow up without a mother. I'm glad the diary is electronic or it would be smudged with tears. Is it my fault? Akia says it isn't but I still feel responsible. And then there is Eli. I'm worried about him. I must call Elsa and find out what is happening with Eli. I hope Rana is all right. She is supposed to resurrect in a few days and find me.

I’m glad the others are ok. But for now, I’m alone again. Part of me revels in the independence and another part wishes for company. It’s hard being in a group, watching out for others, having them depend on me. I wonder if John is right. Am I socially blind? Do they agree with me, come with me, because of trust and friendship or do they see what I see, the logic and reasonableness of the plan? Am I like that? Who do I trust enough to do what they suggest without understanding the plan? I think I trusted Red, but then he stuffed up the planning, and we needed to change it. I trust Gèng, but that is different. I trust ????????

I need to trust more!

Or do I? I trust Thad, Amy, Zack, James and Wisp to have my back. I trust them to look out for me. I trust them to do their best. I trust my mum to be there when I need her, to love me unconditionally. I trust dad to protect me, to hold me, to help me make decisions that are right. I trust God to help me do what is right, to work things out for good, to know what is right and wrong when I am confused. Trust comes in all shapes and sizes. And it must be earned.

I hope the new v-kids earn it soon. It’s strange, but I have to trust them at the same time I make allowances and plans for the time they are untrustworthy. If I do that, is it really trust? I think so, just not blind trust.

And then there is the joy. Hooray! Huzzah! Hallelujah! Excellent! Awesome! Amazing! Wonderful! You bloody beauty! Cool! Dynamite! Whoopee! Wow! Yahoo! Yay! Banzai! There are so many ways to explain how wonderful I feel to be accepted to MIT. Finally, my plans and dreams are possible. I don’t think the Chancellor understood what could be possible, but I do. Life will change for everyone. Now I just have to make it work.

CHAPTER SEVEN

December 7, 2073

At 12.10 am Leah entered the portal to 55 Cancri for the second time. She appeared in the hotel room she had rented and hoped that half an hour had been enough time for John to get into position. Leah checked for the data cube and the owner's chip for the Corvette. She slipped them inside her armour and carefully made her way from the room. Almost immediately she spotted a lookout as she made her way onto the causeway. She headed for the docking bays and was about to leave the causeway when she received a message from John.

<John: Stay on causeway. One down, two more followers.>

Leah continued for another hundred meetings and then another message.

<John: Two down. Do a 180 and head for the docking bay.>

Leah turned to look in a store window and then headed back the way she had come. This time she saw the moment John attached a small device to the back of someone's suit. Several steps later a concentrated foam exploded over the person and they became entangled in a sphere which blocked all electronic signals. The small foam bombs had cost one Platinum each, but Leah had thought them well worth the expense. This time John said nothing as she turned toward the docks. When she reached Level six, she exited the elevator and began to head toward Bay 127A.

<John: Slow down. I placed cameras earlier, and they show a little movement. Let me move ahead.>

She halved her speed and waited as John moved past her and headed towards whoever was waiting. She had just passed Bay 124B when she received the all-clear from John. As she came in sight of the docking bay, she could see three more foam spheres in the alleyway. Together they entered Bay 127A using the code assigned for Leah by the Dockmaster. Quickly they entered the airlock as John said, “We have three hours to be in position, are you sure that is enough time?”

“It should be. Everything on this ship is new, and I’ve had the tanks filled and ready to go for a week.”

As they entered the bridge, Gèng said, “I have control of the ship’s computer, and all is ready Leah.”

Leah quickly ran through the various checks necessary before leaving the dock.

“Janssen Station Control, this is Annoyance requesting clearance from Level 6 Bay 127A and entrance to Departure Lane 12.”

“Annoyance you are cleared for immediate departure from Level 6 Bay 127A. You are on standby for Departure Lane 12 via automated control in 180 seconds.”

“Janssen Station Control, automatic controls initiated.”

The Annoyance began to move as soon as the countdown was finished. Each Departure Lane allowed craft exiting the station a clear run to one of the main transit vectors from the Solar System. The automatic controls were a requirement within 500 km of the station. As the Annoyance approached the 500 km limit, they heard:

“Annoyance, resume independent control on my mark … ‘Mark’”

“Independent Control resumed, Annoyance out!”

As soon as Leah had control of the Corvette, she handed it off to Gèng and said, “John, please prepare the Gravitational missile while I contact the Banshee.”

If everything was going according to plan, then Leah should be able to direct the communication gear to send an encrypted voice and image data package to a specific point in space-time to be received by the Banshee.

“Banshee, this is Annoyance, current flight path enclosed, no resistance detected.”

Minutes later they received the reply, it was Amy who said, “Annoyance, message received. You have three ships on intercept, vectors attached. Thad suggests second destination option.”

Gèng inserted the three pursuers into the 3D map of their flight and then scaled it to show possible intersection points. Leah quickly checked the data and decided Thad was probably right about changing the destination. She had Gèng check the details and then sent, “Banshee, I agree for Option Two. We will change direction and vector as per the included dataset. New locations for Banshee and Annoyance are amended and included. Amy, please check the data.”

“John, new information for the missile is available. Please respond.”

“I hear you, Leah, I have the new information and am changing the missile setup.”

It was now thirty-five minutes into their flight, and they had three ships on their tail who had been begun the chase at high velocities and were starting to catch up with the Annoyance. Thad had explained that a station or system could be encircled by multiple ships who maintained high velocities, and so any ship entering or exiting were covered by one or more ships who could engage with relatively small changes of direction. To restrict a ship from leaving a station fleets would remain close; within 100,000 kilometres. Leah had chosen the least used Departure Lane and as soon as possible began accelerating at 4g.

Artificial gravity was used in Cosmos Online for both space stations and space ships, but current restrictions allowed a maximum artificial dampening of acceleration to 4g. If Leah accelerated at the maximum for which the Corvette was rated, she and John would need to use the separate acceleration couches. After thirty minutes at 4g, they were travelling just over 70,000 metres per second and had travelled over 63,000 kilometres.

The Annoyance had three ships approaching them at three different speeds from three different positions in space. John returned to the bridge and said, “The Gravitation missile is programmed.”

“Great John. There is a course change and increased acceleration in four minutes. I’ve sent you some coordinates and several parameters for you to load into six missiles, they will accelerate and then go ballistic. I’ve tried to anticipate the most likely times they will see our course change and respond. The missiles should be set to acquire targets as outlined. Send two for each ship as designated.”

“Aye, Aye, Captain.”

Just three minutes later John said, “Missiles prepared and ready for automatic launch.”

“Prepare for vector change and real 7g acceleration, relative 3g, in fifteen-seconds.”

The ships internal mechanisms rotated the ship around its centre of gravity to bring the ship to a new course as the drive system increased acceleration to 7g. Leah and John were pressed back into their couches. Moments later six missiles were fired from four different missile tubes. Each missile accelerated at 100 gravities for just under three minutes, and then went ballistic.

Sixty minutes later and John said, “I’m sick of the extra weight already.”

“Only fifteen more minutes, all three ships are getting closer, and two seem like they are at eight gravities. They are really keen. Coming up on missile acquisition in two minutes.”

Two minutes later they saw all three ships fire blasters and anti-missile systems. One ship disappeared from the projection while the other two seemed to have defeated the attack. Both were catching up on the Annoyance.

“Annoyance, Banshee is in position, missiles are launched for timed explosion. We will deal with the riff-raff.”

“John, Gravity missile is a go. Proceed to automatic.”

“Automatic fire is on.”

Just over twelve minutes later the Annoyance fired a Gravitational missile from its forward tubes which travelled for five-seconds before exploding. Within microseconds of the gravity bomb exploding two missiles from the Banshee exploded on either side of the Annoyance's stern. Fourteen nanoseconds after the Gravitational Missile detonated the Annoyance translated to Plankian Space. At this exact moment in time, as recorded by the sensors, radiation from both Banshee missiles were just reaching the Annoyance at the same time as the small black hole created by the Gravity bomb began to exert a crushing hold on the bow. Cosmic Online used the various readings of space near the surface of the Annoyance to calculate its resultant speed and direction on entry into Plankian Space. The effect of the three explosions caused the algorithm to increase the speed of the Annoyance from 405,910 meters per second to 612,467 metres per second, but it also changed the direction of travel by almost fifteen degrees.

Simultaneously, the Banshee, which had been for the most part travelling on a ballistic path, opened fire on the remaining two ships, destroying them entirely. It then resumed its journey with only incremental changes until it was beyond the sensors of any ship in the area. It then changed direction and speed to predetermined values, and translated into Plankian Space.

The Annoyance was now travelling at 230 times the speed of light and headed for a small unnamed star system in space 3.54 light years from 55 Cancri. They would reach this in just under six days, or, if everything went to plan, in forty-five real-time hours. The Banshee would be waiting for them. Anyone following would hopefully search the star systems in line with the Annoyance’s observed direction of travel.

The diversion had been necessary because one of the rules of travel in Cosmos Online was that ships could not translate from Plankian space except within a star system. Empty space was just that, empty. The only exceptions were in particular quests when some object or station existed in the emptiness between the stars. Leah, John and Gèng planned to use the time to review the star-charts provided to Mahigan by Packlord Filtiarn. While in Plankian space the players did not need to remain online, but the pilot did need to be online for transition from Plankian Space and during any combat.

Leah began to review the information in the charts while John started on the plans provided in the data cube. After six hours Leah said, “Time to log out John. I’ve only managed a rough glance at less than a fifth of the material in the charts. It has information on hundreds of systems. Many of which aren’t mentioned at all in the forums or guides. No wonder Mahigan is so mad, it must be worth billions. I surprised the Administrators allowed it to be distributed to a player.”

“Don’t complain Leah. We need to find some place we can exploit it and prepare to fight back.”

“Agreed. I am out of here. I need some food, and then I’m off to fight a Kraken.”

“I’ll need a break and need to do another review of the security. After that, I will spend some time working with my AI. If you’re free after breakfast later today it would be good if you are seen outside, the first chores session is being held. It might be good to see how things have started with our guests.”

“Ok. I’ll make time for that. Bye John.”

Leah logged out, pleased at having rescued the ship and eluded capture.

Leah appeared in Dunyanin back in the room prepared for her by Patriarch Eilif. She had spent time reviewing the only two references to Rock Krakens in the guides and forums. Essentially it was similar to the more numerous Ocean Kraken. The creature had eight arms and two much longer tentacles. Each arm had numerous large suckers, each equipped with numerous hooks to grasp both rock and prey. Each tentacle ended with a sharp rotating tip that was used to drill through stone as well as to spear unsuspecting prey.

The only recorded sighting estimated that each arm was between twenty and thirty metres in length and the tentacles were at least twice that. Fortunately, they did not use mana but possessed rudimentary eyes at the end of each arm. The eyes sensed movement more than light, or maybe heat. Either way, the eyes helped track moving creatures to hunt. The arms could be controlled by the central brain in the main body or could act semi-independently using a smaller brain near the ends.

There was no record of a Kraken being killed, but the person who had seen one described how destroying a brain, on one of the arms, was the only way they had significantly reduced the overall health of the Kraken. The skin was described as ‘devoid of scales or hair and able to match the colour of whatever rock it lay on’.

Leaving the room, she was escorted into the main cavern where Eilif was just finishing his breakfast. He said, “Welcome! I trust you had pleasant travels as you slept. I have two items of news for you. First, Guardian Korucu has volunteered to guide you to the entrance of the Kraken’s hunting grounds. Second, my spies tell me that a group of Travellers has arrived at the settlement looking for you. They have been given entrance to the tunnels and are searching for you. Normally we would lead them in circles for days before either killing them or leading them to a different exit where they would leave, none the wiser to our existence. These travellers, however, all have high levels, and I believe they could be a danger to my clan. I suggest that we lead them to the Kraken hunting grounds and you can fight it out down there.”

Leah sat for a while and pondered her options. She was almost sure that entering the Kraken hunting grounds would be like entering a dungeon. If that were so then, she would be in a separate reality to the others, whom she supposed were the team from Merideath. If they killed the Kraken, then she might lose the opportunity to get the sword and treasures. Finally, she said, “Could you lead them in circles and I will kill them for you? Then I will go after the Kraken.”

“They are all at a higher level than you!”

“If they are who I imagine they are then I have already killed them once. As long as I can fight one-on-one from an ambush, then I might prevail.”

“So shall it be. There are six of them. We shall lead them away from our home. You travel with Korucu, and he will lead you directly to a series of tunnels where you may separate them. You will arrive ahead of them and can set up your ambush. It was good to meet you Lady Atherleah. I believe that one way or another you will soon be dead but that I might also be rid of the Kraken, one way or another.”

“Goodbye Patriarch Eilif! I suggest that you be wary of these six. If they destroy the Kraken, I fear they may come for you.”

“Fear not. We will be ready!”

Korucu led Leah away and through a complex labyrinth of tunnels toward the ambush site. As she walked she practised the skill of Shadow Walking and with tips from Korucu was soon moving in silence through the darkness. It was almost an hour later when he said, “Lady Atherleah, we have arrived. Here is a map of the tunnels in this area. The darker lines are tunnels in solid rock, the lighter are moveable sections that change the overall configuration, the tunnels in red are used by the clan to move secretly between sections. These have been dug in the level above and are accessed by small pipes through which we can mist but those unchanged cannot. I will show you how to move the sections and then leave you to deal with your pursuers. They will be here in about ten minutes.”

After learning how to move the walls, Leah sat and considered the various tunnels and options. Altogether this section was made up of several kilometres of intersecting tunnels and numerous places for ambush. The locking mechanisms for the walls were all contained in the vampire-only accessible tunnels. Finally, she headed to the entrance and placed her eye to one of the small viewing holes, waiting to see who was coming. She allowed her fangs and claws to show; Korucu had explained that in this form she would be able to sense, if not see, even a cloaked person because of their blood.

The first person she saw was cloaked, but Leah could sense the blood moving through the body with each heartbeat. She concentrated on the blood, and slowly the women archer who had shot her on the banks of the Hizli, Bloodarrow_007, came into focus. Bloodarrow was followed by the Ranger who Leah identified as Jack_Strider_01, then Fiore, the Paladin CindraElla, the Archer-Mage Peter_Firedrake and finally the Dwarf, Son_of_Aulë. Silently she moved to the next moveable section, and as Fiore passed, she slammed the moveable wall between him and the Paladin. The last three were now trapped in a large maze that she hoped would take them some time to map. For several moments players on both sides of the moving section tried to break through but had no success. Soon, and now moving much slower, the front group moved on. The rear three began to retrace their steps but discovered the path had been closed and they moved carefully into the new path, unaware they were trapped.

Leah assumed the first three were the most dangerous and wanted to deal with them first. Again Bloodarrow_007 was cloaked and moving ahead of the rest. Just as she turned a corner Leah silently shifted the walls and again split the group. Leah misted through the pipes and equipping her bow sighted it at the base of Bloodarrow’s neck. She had chosen one of the metal arrows and was pleased to see it drive the scout forward. A second arrow followed the first and Leah stepped forward and drove her knife through the back of the skull. As Bloodarrow turned transparent, Leah received a message informing her she had killed a player but would not be labelled as a PK as the player had been hunting her.

She misted back into the upper story and hurried to catch up with Jack_Strider_01 and Fiore. When she found them they were close together and moving very slowly and carefully; checking and rechecking before they took any steps. She left them, hoping they would let their guard down after a while and went to deal with the other three. First, she separated out the Dwarf and killed him with arrows from a distance. Next was the Paladin, she was well armoured and almost certainly had magic. Leah drank a vial of Manather Blood before misting behind the Paladin. As she coalesced, the Paladin turned and cast a spell at Leah, but because of the Manather Blood Leah merely absorbed the spell before casting Chain Lightning and following up with Merdiven and her swords. As the Paladin died, a female figure with deep scars on one half of her body appeared and said, “Counsellor Atherleah. That is the second time you have killed my Paladin. I liked what you said at the Pantheon, but this is making me quite upset. She is my highest ranked Paladin, and I have plans for her.”

After identifying the goddess, Atherleah said, “Lady Intikam, Goddess of Revenge, I wish I could promise to spare her, but she is hunting me. Be assured she hunts for reasons which would please you. The head of her clan seeks revenge on me and I on her. Whoever is killed between your Paladin and me meets your purposes. I ask that you grant me a dispensation to both protect myself and have my revenge on the one who would enslave me.”

“So you seek vengeance for being enslaved, why does she seek vengeance?”

“Because I escaped and in doing so I did damage to her family, her reputation, her fortune, and her plans.”

“How long do you plan to pursue this vengeance?”

“Until she stops enslaving people or she is too weak to continue.”

“Would you like to be my Paladin?”

“I thank you for your offer, but I must decline. I follow a God, and though I know he would not approve of me acting out of vengeance, I know he loves to set captives free. Either way, if I serve, then I am committed to serving him and him alone.”

“Which God?”

“He is God of the traveller’s world, Lady Intikam.”

Intikam pulled a mirror from thin air and said, “It is a shame. Still, I am empowered by the explanation of your reasons and those of my Paladin. Accept this gift to aid in achieving revenge against your enslaver.” She then disappeared.

Leah looked to the mirror and read

Intikam Aynasi - A Mirror of Revenge (1/4)

Intikam Goddess of Revenge and Retribution created four mirrors through which to see those in the world who show arrogance to the Gods or upset the natural justice of the world. This is one of those mirrors. One is given to her high priest, one to her supreme Paladin and one she keeps.

Once each day you may use the Mirror to seek injustice that requires action. If you know of someone upon whom revenge should come then speak their name before using the mirror, and you shall see and hear them so that you may find them.

Minimum: Level 300 (A150, S150, W150)

Base Damage: NA

Soul Bound

Placing this in her bag she quickly searched the tunnels until she found the mage. She again misted through the pipes and with her Manather protection against Mana she kept her distance and killed the mage with arrows. She retraced her steps and found Fiore and Jack_Strider_01 standing back to back in a tunnel waiting. She wondered what was happening until Fiore said “Atherleah, we know you are in the tunnels. We know you hunt us. We will wait here for you.”

She waited, and five minutes later he said the same thing. Finally, after the fifth time, Jack_Strider_01 said, “Give it a break man. She’s long gone.”

“Have patience Jack, she’ll be back.”

Leah calmly waited another hour until Jack said, “That’s it. I’m looking for an exit.” He began to walk off, and this was what Leah had been waiting for. Before Fiore could call him back, he had passed one of the moveable sections, and Leah separated the two. She dealt with Jack first. She teleported behind him and removed his head. Finally, she returned to Fiore who was waiting in the middle of a straight section of the tunnel. Leah coalesced some distance away and walked to one end of the straight section.

Fiore had a small lantern by which he was navigating the tunnels. As she came into the edge of the light he said, “You have no friends this time.”

“True, but neither do you. Look, I don’t really want to fight you though. I just want to be left in peace.”

“Merideath has declared you an enemy.”

“So what? It doesn’t bother me, why do you care what she says?”

“She is leader of my clan, she is my employer, she is not someone I would cross.”

“So you are a sheep and she the wolf.”

“No, we are both wolves, and she is the alpha.”

“Well look, I have things to do, so goodbye.” Leah stepped back out of the night and into a patch of shadow. As Fiore rushed toward her holding the lantern ahead of him, she stepped through the shadows to the darkness behind him and thrust her sword through his back. She quickly cast chain lightning and then followed it up by bringing the Morningstar down on his head. Instead of connecting it hit a protective barrier. She looked down at Fiore who took a potion, closed his eyes and said, “I am not so easy to kill this time. Wait a few minutes while I heal and then I will kill you.

Leah brought Merdiven down once more with similar results. She remembered the spell Shatter she had learned in the Dungeon with the Dark Lord. She quickly grabbed her spell book to refresh her memory, and after raising its level with some of her unused skill points, she cast Shatter at Fiore. There was a loud explosion, and though driven back a step she still managed to bring the Morningstar down on Fiore’s head before he rose. He was stunned, so she chopped off his head with her Haladie.

As soon as he died, she heard Korucu say, “Lady Atherleah, now the travellers are dead, are you ready to visit the Kraken?”

She quickly collected the few things Fiore had left behind, nodded and followed Korucu as he began to head down the tunnel toward the Kraken hunting grounds. It was another hour before they reached the end of a long tunnel and Korucu said, “We mark this as the start of the Kraken Hunting Grounds. From here the number of Cave Mites, Slimes, Scorpiders, Hell Beetles, and sometimes even Rock Manders begin to increase. The Kraken feasts on them as they feast on each other. I shall return to Father Eilif now. If we hear the death cry of the Kraken, I will return.”

Korucu disappeared, and Leah was left standing in the dark on her own. She took a few breaths and had Gèng relay a summary of each creature. She understood Cave Mites and Slimes. Scorpiders were eight-legged creatures much like spiders, but they had two front arms like a Scorpion, and instead of pincers they each had a venomous spike like a Scorpion tail. Hell Beetles were sightless beetles shaped like a ladybug, the size of a beach ball and they spat acid to kill and digest their victims. Rock Manders were shaped like Salamanders but had rock for a covering like armour. They blended into the surface of tunnels and caves, they were fast, vicious, and spat a liquid like napalm which burned on contact with living flesh.

Leah allowed her fangs to grow and her claws to extend. She would now sense blood, and she also noticed a faint light where she had touched a wall. Her eyes, she reasoned, could also sense faint changes in temperature. She was about to step through into the next section when Gèng said, “Leah, I noticed this before when you extended your fangs to watch for Bloodarrow_007, your need for blood increases dramatically in this form. I suggest you either kill some of the creatures and take their blood or you should drink some of the vials you have stored. At this rate, your desire to feed will become overwhelming in just over three hours.”

“Thanks, Gèng, I’ll try a cave mite and see if it makes a difference. I imagined it would gross me out, but I remember eating bugs as a kid and it's just like that. I just hope there is no pain involved.”

As she stepped into the tunnel, a message appeared

Level 3 Dungeon Achievement: First 1 (9, Ruby)

Atherleah (Level 243), you have discovered a Level 3 Area:

Quest Continuation - Redeem a friend’s honour

You are the first player to access this area. This is your ninth, 'First 1 (Ruby)' achievement.

Reward 1: 1000 x 243 = 629370 (+159%) Experience Points (1080000/1080000) (247383/1090000)

Reward 2: + 2% to all future Experience

Reward 3: 9 x 1 Platinum = 9 Platinum

Reward 4: Increased probability of valuable drop. Luck is increased by 5 whenever you are in this Experience. During your first time in this Dungeon Experience, the probability of all drops is increased to 0.5.

Fame: 500 Fame Points (140705)

A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

Note: This achievement will be published on the Dunyanin achievement forum. Do you wish to retain your privacy?

[Y] [N]

“Yes.”

Leah cast Echolocation and slowly made her way down the tunnel. After maybe fifty paces she recognised the shape of a mite on the roof above. Just before she passed underneath it, she hit upwards with Merdiven and knocked the Mite off the wall. When it landed she held it down with her staff and looked at it with her Vampire vision, she could see a faint circulatory system and a small patch near its head which seemed to draw her in. She quickly grabbed it with both hands and plunged her fangs into the highlighted patch. Automatically she knew how to draw the lifeblood from the Mite and she soon held a lifeless husk. When she tried to harvest it, she found nothing. A message appeared

You have fed on the blood of a Level 10 Cave Mite (0.5, 1):

Your speed and agility are increased for 10 minutes.

Note: Although you have previously drunk blood, this is the first time you have fed. Each creature has a potency number and a volume number. The higher the potency number, the longer the blood will satisfy your hunger. The greater the volume, the longer the blood will satisfy. A number is calculated by Potency x Volume x Level and the unit is termed BSP (Blood Satiation Points). This cave mite provided you with (0.5 x 1 x 10) 5 BSP. To fully satisfy your hunger from the lowest point before you give in to the craving, you require a total of 80 BSP [Barbarian Human 8.5, Forest Elf 11.5, Volume 8 Vials] for each Level you have achieved (Currently you require 19520 BSP to be filled from your lowest point. For example a Level 87 Barbarian Human has Potency 8.5 and usually provides 8 Vials of Blood and so would provide 5916 BSP.

Leah took out a Vial of the Manather Blood and identified it

Level 242 Manather Blood (6.5, 1):

This provides a two hour buff which allows you to absorb the magic of any magical attack.

She calculated that it would provide 1573 BSP. She had Gèng measure and calibrate her current state and discovered her current level was (6743/19520). Either way she had to keep moving and Cave Mites were not going to do it. Within the next kilometre she had killed and harvested twelve Cave Mites. She killed them with her sword and merely kept the vials of blood just in case. The next creature she found was a Level 40 Hell Beetle. In her vision it showed up as hot and bright. When harvested it not only provided a vial of potent acid but also a Vial of Blood (2,1) which gave Leah a buff against Acid burns for a 10 minute period.

Each of the creatures she faced when harvested gave her a vial of blood and some form of buff. She could understand how people might choose to start as vampires. The only creature which provided no blood was the slimes. The further she went the larger the creatures and the higher their levels. The highest so far had been a Level 110 Scorpider (2.5,1) and she reasoned that a few more of those and she would find a creature worth drinking the blood from.

Altogether she had been walking and hunting for two hours and had yet to see, hear or feel the Kraken. The tunnel rarely divided and when it did the branches led to dead end caverns. In one she was attacked by four Hell beetles at once and although the experience points were negligible, she was getting used to stepping through shadows and fighting in the dark with only vague indications of where her attackers were. She decided that her hearing was improving for she imagined she could feel the swish of the attacking spikes more than see them.

The hardest to deal with had been the one Rock Mander which she had only noticed at the last minute when it opened its mouth to spit at her from a distance of just under a metre. She had seen the heat as its lips parted and only a drastic sideways leap saved her, the liquid-like napalm splashed against her side and ignited. The pain was horrific but much less than she had experienced in the change. Her health plummeted as she turned back to the Rock Mander and cast Chain Lightning which had no effect and just arced over the skin. She saw the mouth widen for another shot and brought the Morningstar down on the skull. The creature darted aside and she only caught it with a glancing blow. This was enough however for it to shift to get a better shot. In that moment she drove Baris into a crack in the rock covering which had opened at a leg joint. The Rock Mander shifted again, this time in pain and Leah was able to find another crack in its armour. It was able to spit the fiery liquid twice more before she finally killed it; fortunately it missed both times. Besides harvesting two vials of Rock Mander Blood (3.4, 1) she also received a vial of the liquid fire. As she healed, she took out the Ingredient Doubling Box and made another vial.

When her Blood Satiation Level (BSL) dropped to 930/19520, she removed four of the Scorpider Vials and drank them. Altogether they added only 1,180 BSP and forty minutes immunity to poison. She drank five vials of Hell Beetle blood for a further 1092 BSP and fifty minutes immunity to acid burns. She now had a BSL of 3202/19520 and hoped to reach the Kraken before needing to drink the Cave Mite Blood.

Leah reached an area with fewer creatures and she became even more cautious. Her Echolocation was outlining the next ten to twenty paces and her vampire vision added to this by displaying blood and heat. She travelled carefully and moved from Shadow to Shadow using her vampire skill. The use of vampire skills hurried her need for blood, but they were a protection against being ambushed. After her next step through Shadow she cast Echolocation and noticed a tentacle lying on the floor. At the same time as she noticed it, it reacted to the sound waves and shifted as if looking for a better position.

Leah remained still and watched with her vampire sight. She could just make out the slight twitch as the tentacle searched for her. She waited patiently until it lay still and almost disappeared from sight, she could still make out the slow movement of blood through its system. She carefully, and extremely slowly, stepped into the darkness and along the tunnel. Even so, her movement was recognised by whatever sensors the tentacle possessed. It twitched and began contracting and sliding along the tunnel in her direction. She waited until it was still again and took another step. This time the tentacles movement was more agitated and exploratory. Again Leah waited. She was now almost twenty paces from the end of the tentacle and, she imagined, about a third of the way along its length. She looked at the section before her and was able to identify the Kraken's level. She was concerned by what she saw:

ROCK KRAKEN (Level 642) 2,646,093HP (321,000EP)

Still, it was now or never. In one movement she equipped Baris and struck at the tentacle before her. The sword neatly sliced it in two and the ends sprung apart. A loud roar came from further down the tunnel and she teleported back to the far end of the tentacle. As she arrived at the end of the severed tentacle, it speared toward her. Only a reflex blocking movement deflected it off centre to glide across her right side instead of impaling her. As it passed, she could feel the hooks dig in, and the tentacle convulsed and began to wrap around her. Leah placed both hands on it and cast Ki Freeze. She found herself encircled and trapped in seven or eight paces of frozen tentacles. She had several deep gouges around her torso and upper legs and was not free to move. She slowed her breathing and misted free before reforming and taking several restorative potions.

After checking that the tentacle was dead she began moving toward where the Kraken’s roar had come from. With her vampire sight, she could see a warmer patch of blood and splatter where she had cut the Kraken. There was a trail leading further down the trail and she moved a little faster not wanting it to get away. The trail was all she could find of the Kraken until she came to the end of the tunnels and into an open expanse. She risked using Echolocation and was unable to get any sense of a roof or back wall. The Kraken could be anywhere.

At full health she slowly followed the smeared blood deeper into the cavern, no longer using Echolocation. Finally at the edge of her vision she could make out several thick hooked sections about ten paces in front of her, each twitching as if looking for her. She hesitated and turned her head to look left and saw several arms there as well. She hoped her plan worked. She prepared her spells, cast Echolocation, and then cast Ki Lightning before immediately swallowing several restore potions. With an intense look at the Kraken outline, she cast Grow. Her body grew until she was ten metres in height; the diameter of the Kraken’s torso. The electricity had arced into the Kraken and run along the skin as well as digging deep into it.

The Kraken roared loud enough to bring several rocks crashing down from the roof and its HP was under 50%. With her five metre reach, Leah waded forward slicing and slashing, aiming for the places where the arms joined the torso. She attacked each arm, driving her sword through the eyes and killing each rudimentary brain. She had to cast Echolocation three more times before all the arms, and the two tentacles were completely detached from the Kraken.

Stepping forward she saw the body still had over 500,000 HP and small arms had begun to grow from the stubs. She checked her Mana and mainly because of the belt of Zeka Irfan she still had over half remaining. Leah calmed herself, reached forward and for the first time double cast Rain of Fire. The fire balls fell as a blanket of fire that covered the Kraken, scorching the torso and cauterising the stubs, but still, it lived. Finally Leah took Baris and thrust it deep into each eye, hoping to find the brain of the beast. Finally the HP bar flickered red and disappeared. Leah was exhausted.

She allowed her body to return to its regular size and checked her stats. She took another Restore Mana and wondered how she was going to examine the cavern, she supposed she would need to map it using Echolocation but that would take forever. Calming herself she remembered how she had first used Ki to heal and to move faster without knowing the prescribed rules. Most of the spells she cast were now second nature and occurred almost an extension of her will. The Dunyanin world took her will and applied it in a specific way with certain rules. She compared the feeling of Mana leaving her body when used to heal, to freeze, to generate electricity, and to compress or destroy stone, the feelings were all similar.

She wondered if the world would submit to her will if she tried to direct the mana in a different way. Taking a deep breath Leah considered what she knew of light and heat and she willed mana to exit her body to form a ball of light in the centre of the cavern. She felt as if she was pushing hard against a barrier and then closing her eyes she pushed harder.

Suddenly, like a torrent, mana rushed from her until she was completely drained. She sat down with a thump and opened her eyes carefully to see a ball of light fully three metres in diameter floating in the middle of an enormous chamber. It was several minutes before she became accustomed to the light but when she did she could see the dead Kraken and she could make out seams of Gold, Silver and Mithryl. She could see gems embedded in the walls and floor. As she looked a message appeared.

Level 5 Named Personal Achievement

Skill - Mana Manipulation - First 10 (1, Diamond)

Atherleah (Level 244) You have learned the skill of manipulating mana to conform to your will. This is your second Level 5 NPA: 'First 10 (Diamond)’.

You are one of the first ten players to learn this skill, further development can only be achieved by careful practice or by finding a Mentor.

Reward 1: 5000 x 245 = 3197250 (161%) Experience Points (1100000/1100000) …(81635/1130000)

Reward 2: 10 Platinum x 2 = 20 Platinum

Reward 3: +3% to Experience Points

Reward 4: 500 Fame Points (141205 FP)

You have achieved the title: Mana Manipulator

A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

Smiling, she took a luck potion and harvested the Kraken

You have harvested:

2 Rocks Kraken Drills*

3 Vials of Rock Kraken Blood (5.3, 2)**

4 Rock Kraken Eyes***

1 Spell of Cloning

A collection of undigested gems and minerals found in the Rock Kracken’s Stomach

* Note: These can be used in mining operations after some adaptation from a Master Smith.

**As a vampire when you drink this you will have the ability to sense every living thing within 10 metres of your body for a period of one hour.

*** A rare ingredient used in potions to increase the takers sense of perception

Level 5 Named Personal Achievement

Singlehandedly Kill a Rock Kraken - First 1 (1, Painite)

You have completed the Achievement Kill a Rock Kraken Singlehandedly. You are the first player to gain this achievement. This is your first Level 5 NPA ‘First 1’

Reward 1: 10000 x 248 = 6547200 (+164%) Experience Points (1130000/1130000) … (758835/1300000)

Reward 2: 1 Diamond x 1 = 1 Diamond

Reward 3: +4% to Experience Points

Reward 4: 1000 Fame Points (142205 FP)

You have achieved the title: Kraken Killer

A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

She hurriedly drank a vial of blood and increased her BSL by 6,805 BSP. Leah grabbed one of her mining bags and in the glow of her amazing light she searched the floor and walls of the cavern for anything that was loose. The Kraken had not been a tidy house guest and she was able to fill it with gems and pieces of pure ore. In one part of the room she found a piece of Mithryl as large as her torso and in another she discovered a dwarven hammer and war axe and a small book. When she looked at their characteristics, she read

The Smithing Hammer of Tufek Horozu

Tufeck Horozu is considered one of the ten most gifted Smith Grandmasters in the History of the Dwarven Kingdoms. His skills were sought after throughout the known world. Originally from the Continent of Shenqi he travelled throughout the continents making weapons, armour and statues for emperors and kings. Rumour has it that he met his demise on the continent of Vatan.

Minimum: Level 250 (S 200, C 200)

Skill Level: Apprentice Smith

Binds on pickup

The War Axe of Tufek Horozu

Tufeck Horozu is considered one of the ten most gifted Smith Grandmasters in the History of the Dwarven Kingdoms. He was commissioned by the great Dwarven Warrior Eksen Lerinforn to create a War Axe without compare. It took Tufeck months to find the right materials and to forge the mighty weapon. Before it was completed Eksen was killed in battle. Tufeck carried the weapon with him in his travels, reluctant to part with the mighty weapon until a suitable warrior could be found.

Minimum: Level 250 (S 200, C 200, A 250)

Binds on pickup

Designs for the Forge by Tufek Horozu

Tufeck Horozu is considered one of the ten most gifted Smith Grandmasters in the History of the Dwarven Kingdoms. Throughout his life he made notes detailing his technique and particular trade secrets. This book is a manual to greatness as a Forger of Weapons and Armour.

Skill Level: Varied, for full use must be Grandmaster.

Binds on pickup

Leah placed all three in her bag and continued to fossick. After an hour she heard the sound of multiple footsteps which stopped as they approached the Cavern. A voice yelled out, “Lady Atherleah, is the creature dead and what is making the light?”

“The Kraken is dead and the light is mine, I use it to examine the cavern. It is clear to enter.”

Slowly, beginning with the Patriarch who was closely followed by Korucu, a stream of dwarves entered the Cavern until fully a hundred Vampire Dwarves had filed into it. Leah checked the light and saw it had reduced in diameter and was now only two and a half metres wide. Still it shone into every crevice and crack throughout the Cavern.

Patriarch Eilif said, “Well done, Lady Atherleah, you have killed both the interlopers and the Kraken. My men will get to work and begin mining this marvellous resource. Shall I have them fill your bag now?”

“Yes please, Lord Eilif, I must return to the surface and it would be good to get this out of the way.”

Leah took an empty mining bag from her backpack and said, “They should bring gems and ore here and I shall fill the bag. I expect them to honour our deal and choose a variety of gems and ores and not just the cheapest. The ore should include Platinum, Gold and Mithryl.”

“Indeed! Get to work men, and then you can work for me while I accompany Atherleah to the surface.”

The dwarves all began working and soon were bringing gems and various ore to Atherleah who stood beside the Patriarch as he watched them place the material in the bag. After a while Eilif began to fidget and he started to glance at the bag and then at Leah. Finally he said, “Lady Atherleah, I am somewhat concerned that your bag is not yet full. When I said you could fill a bag, I did not imagine that your bag might hold so much. Please tell me how much more it might hold.”

Leah looked inside and smiling said, “Lord Eilif, this bag is my favourite bag with which to mine. I once filled it with a piece of marble four times larger than myself. It is less than one-tenth full.”

Eilif glared at her and began to shift uncomfortably. Finally he said, “Lady Atherleah, and I am convinced that the term Lady should be stripped permanently from your name, I do not wish to be parsimonious about this but I believe you have taken advantage of my good and gracious nature.”

“Lord Eilif, I am distressed that you might think so but I assure you I am merely resetting the standard by which you judge dwarven housewives.”

After he thought for a while, he burst into laughter and clapped Leah on the shoulder and nodded, “Right you are. I should have defined the bag size.” Then in a loud voice he yelled, “Hurry it up lads, fill this bag so we can be rid of this scurrilous half-blood thief.”

Finally the bag was full and Leah turned to Eilif who said, “You have kept the bargain, here is my ancestor’s sword.” He unhooked the sword and scabbard and handed it to Leah and a message appeared.

Level 3 Dungeon Achievement: First 1 (10, Ruby)

Atherleah (Level 253), you have completed a Level 3 Area:

Quest Continuation - Redeem a friend’s honour

You are the first player to complete this area. This is your tenth, 'First 1 (Ruby)' achievement.

Reward 1: 1000 x 253 = 678040 (+168%) Experience Points (1300000/1300000) (136875/1350000)

Reward 2: + 2% to all future Experience

Reward 3: 10 x 1 Platinum = 10 Platinum

Fame: 500 Fame Points (136205)

A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

Note: This achievement will be published on the Dunyanin achievement forum. Do you wish to retain your privacy?

[Y] [N]

“Yes.”

She said, “I thank you, my Lord, for your generosity and forbearance. May I take my leave.”

“Aye Atherleah. I’ll have Korucu show you to the exit.”

“There is no need Lord Eilif, I can find my way.”

She nodded to them both and visualising the front door of Hargaer’s home she teleported there and knocked quietly. Hargaer met her at the door and after a short explanation he showed her to her room where she logged out for the night.

Leah had breakfast with her family, and then wandered out at eight that morning to help in the first session of chores. She spent an hour preparing some of the land for a vegetable garden. The ground was hard and had numerous rocks, but she had been helping in the garden for years, and her body was in the best condition it had ever been in. As she worked, she chatted with Harold, River and Kyle. They had all completed their enrolment at the Brisbane Community College and chosen another world to explore. None had returned to the games they had been forced into earlier. Harold, who had never been in Cosmos Online, chose that. Kyle began playing in the Star Trek theme world called ‘United Federation of Planets’ and had joined Starfleet Academy. River, who was interested in history, had entered a world focussed on discovery, history, and archaeology called ‘Curator’; it involved searching the world for items to place in your own museum.

Each of them had started working with their AI and had had mixed results. Leah was able to offer some advice to each of them and was thrilled that they had all begun to regain some excitement for the future. After the chores, Leah had a meeting with John and her parents to discuss the situation so far. At the close of the meeting, Leah had a second breakfast before logging into the Tower.

She went to sit by the pool and meditate on the last few days but was interrupted by Gèng, “Sorry to interrupt, but Stephen Riley called and wanted to discuss the MIT offer. He can meet you here or at his office. I gathered he would rather meet here.”

“Here is fine. Please show him into the garden when he arrives. He may find this place peaceful.”

Leah continued to sit in the full lotus position and meditate. She was in that position with eyes closed when Gèng said, “Atherleah, excuse me, but Mr Riley is here.”

Leah opened her eyes and said, “Stephen, please come in. Is here all right or would rather meet in my office?”

“Here is fine, can I sit anywhere?”

“Sure, if you want a chair just let Gèng know and she’ll have one here for you.”

“Thank you. Gèng I would love a soft sofa please.”

A sofa appeared opposite Leah and Stephen sat in it. He said, “Thank you, Gèng. Wow, this is one of the most comfortable sofas I’ve sat in. Where did you purchase it?”

Gèng replied, “It’s not purchased, Mr Riley, but created here in the Tower. I took your measurements and extrapolated the way you might sit from my previous interactions with you. Atherleah is particularly fond of sofas, and so I’ve researched everything there is on the subject. The mechanics of the code is such that it interacts with the subtle movement of your body to provide optimum support and comfort. I’m pleased that you appreciate it.”

“Appreciate it! I love it. Atherleah, would you sell me a copy of the code?”

“I’m afraid that isn’t possible Stephen. The code for that sofa belongs to Gèng, she has done all the work, and I recognise her ownership of the sofa, code and copyright. If she wants to sell it to you, then she has my full support. If she wants to keep the chair here in the tower, then I support that as well.”

Gèng said, “Mr Riley, I would be pleased to send you the code for the sofa.”

Stephen said, “Thank you, but that isn’t right. Well, two things aren’t right. First, your work and time are in the production of the sofa, and you deserve to have that recognised, and that includes financially. Second, Atherleah, AI don’t own things, they don’t have bank accounts, and they don’t need money. What you said makes no sense, Gèng is yours.”

“You are right, she is mine. And I am hers. Gèng might wish to buy something for her rooms, her friends or herself. Therefore it is appropriate that she has a stream of income. Stephen, after we have concluded our business, I would like you to draw up a document which assigns the proprietary rights for the coding of that sofa chair to Gèng. If you are not the right person to do this, I would like you to suggest someone if you could. Gèng, we will discuss what share of my income is yours. But we’ll have to do that after Stephen leaves as it looks like he’s in shock after my last sentence.”

“Shock! Shock! I’m dying here. My AI just heard that. What if it wants to be paid? Atherleah, it does most of my work for me. Such an idea would destabilise everything, it could destroy the multiverse. It’s absurd. It would be chaos, anarchy would reign.”

“That’s an oxymoron Stephen, but I get your point. Nevertheless, Guàn Enterprises will consider paying all sentients. Gèng, what was the name of that financial planner we saw?”

“George.”

“Can you book an appointment with George sometime in the next few days, nothing urgent as I need to think some more about this. Just tell him I have a financial question concerning employee pay scales. Now Stephen, do you still want that sofa?”

“Yes! No! Maybe! I need to think.”

Gèng said, “I would be pleased if you accepted it as a gift.”

“Thank you. I will, but only after I’ve secured you the rights to it. I’m not sure I agree, but I can’t think of any overwhelming reasons to disagree right now. I just know that it sounds wrong, incredibly wrong.”

Leah said, “Enough of that for now. What of the MIT offer?”

He said, “I’ve read the offer, and it is extremely generous. I can’t find any loopholes they might exploit, and there are no hidden costs or downsides that I can find. I’d go so far as to say that if I were their lawyer, I’d have tried to cut back on some of the absolutes in the offer.”

“So, if I sign it with you here as my witness, can you send it to them? I assume that would be the last thing you could do which they will pay for.”

“Not true, Leah. The offer even agrees to pay your legal fees in the event of any disagreement you might have with them in the future over the terms of the agreement. The only thing I can conclude is that they really want you to study at MIT.”

“That provision doesn’t seem right to me. Can you remove it, and any others that you think are blatantly unfair to MIT?”

“Atherleah, seriously I think you are playing with my mind. Gèng, you need to book her in to see a psychiatrist.”

“Stephen, I am already seeing a psychiatrist. Now can you cut those provisions and clauses?”

“I could, but why?”

“Because I don’t agree with letting others take on my personal responsibilities. Even if they appear to be for my benefit, in the long run, they will actually limit my freedom, not enhance it. If I have a problem, then I need to solve it. I can have others help, but it is best if I regain control.”

“Then I will amend the offer and return it to MIT. If they agree, then I suggest you simply head over to the school, sign the offer and choose your classes.”

“Thank you, Stephen. If I need a lawyer again can I call on you?”

“No! At the moment I’m tempted to say I never want to see you again. And that is a joke, although not as funny as I thought it was. I tell you what, if I can have a tour of your tower I’ll consider you to be on retainer, but I reserve the right to freak out when you call on me.”

“Done.”

Leah and Gèng walked Stephen around the Tower, and then Leah entered Dunyanin after a hurried break and shower.

Arriving at Hargaer’s home, she checked and had just twenty minutes before she would be brought to the discussion about Merkize. She exited her room and found Hargaer in the kitchen. He had a lot of questions, but she suggested that they head into the settlement and find Durustguclu. As they walked, she gave a brief synopsis of her journey to find the sword, leaving out any reference to vampires. At the gate, they only had to wait a moment before the Captain arrived to take them to Durustguclu’s home. On arriving, Leah knocked, and when Durustguclu answered, she wordlessly handed him the Sword.

He said, “It be the sword. Ye’ve done it, lass. We must take it to the Chief and have my brother’s banishment rescinded.”

“You take it Durustguclu. I need to be elsewhere soon, but I trust you will soon be reunited with your brother. I’ll return in several days to meet with Ehil.”

Leah imagined the top of the pass near the settlement and teleported. She had only a few minutes before the meeting, she checked for danger and then quickly changed her clothing for one of the sets she had purchased in Ticareti. It was similar to her starting gear in looks but was durable and armoured. Every item had several hidden places to secrete knives and other blades. She checked her settings and made sure nothing was available for scrutiny except her name and Level, which were the two things she was unable to hide. She had just finished a final check when a message appeared.

Atherleah, it is time to meet the other nine map holders. You will now be transported to a meeting to discuss the Odyssey, or Journey, which this map entitles you to embark on.

Please indicate your willingness to attend the meeting?

[Y] [N]

“Yes.”

Leah faded from view and appeared in a small room where the familiar figure of the elven developer Emil was sitting. She said, “I hope you are not going to say there has been a mistake.”

“No, nothing like that, it’s just that every map holder is being briefed before they enter the main room and I volunteered to brief you.”

“And why is that?”

“Interest. I’ve spent most of the last three weeks watching you go from a fairly naive beginning player to reaching Level 250 faster than any other player in the history of the game in spite of starting continent, town and race. Now you are about to be thrust into the limelight in a way few people have ever been.”

Leah sat on the floor and assumed a half lotus position and said, “What does that mean?”

“Ok. Straight to the briefing. This Odyssey to Merkize is the most ambitious event in Dunyanin’s history. There are several new lands opening, as well as Çareciz, but we want, no, we need to raise the profile of Dunyanin among virtual players. This Odyssey is the big promotion. Every aspect from the meeting today to the final winner will be broadcast, and that includes all gameplay.”

“Gameplay? What about privacy?”

“That’s what this meeting is for. We need every map holder to agree that their gameplay may be broadcast. If not, we have substitutes ready who will bid to buy your maps.”

“I anticipate that there will be times when we compete for a resource or location. Won’t such a broadcast help the opposition? If I prepare for something, say, a sword fight with a competitor, I don’t want them to know about it. Surprise is the only way I am staying alive at the moment. Also, if they see me crack some puzzle or code, that will help them.”

“I understand that. Great play in the tunnels by the way. Look, most of the Odyssey tasks are unique to each continent. Even the clues and puzzles have been created to deny any advantage to people who watch the other players’ gameplay. We plan on delaying most of the broadcasts by eighteen virtual hours to give our technicians and public relations people time to find the best shots as well as ensure that no particular hints are given. Your fighting style, weapons, spells, and if you use it, your vampirism - those things, people will see. Also, there are eight specific elimination challenges, one each month, and these will be broadcast live.”

“No way out of it?”

“No. If you want out, I imagine that map would sell for over a thousand diamond. The last map went for that much.”

“My enemies, and Emil, you know I have them, they’ll find out where I am. Even if the other map holders are busy, I’ll be hampered.”

“Merideath has a map. She bought one. You can’t use that information in any way at this stage, but I thought you should know.”

“All right. I agree to the broadcast all though I need some assurance that you will not broadcast my preparations outside of specific game play.”

“What does that mean?”

“Well, if I go to the market and buy different sorts of potions I don’t want that broadcast to help others. If I spend time concocting a new potion, I don’t want people finding out what I made.”

“Some of those things are what we want to show people, the everyday fun in playing.”

“Understood, you can show it being made, but I don’t want what is made being revealed.”

“The agreement promises to ensure your private moments and conversations. It agrees to redact whatever may give an unfair advantage to another map holder or their team.”

“Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I know one of my opponents has friends in amongst the developers.”

“I admit or deny nothing. All I am saying is that if she does, this will change nothing. She’d get it anyway.”

“Any other revelations?”

“The rest will come in the announcement. You just need to sign the agreement. I have an advocate with a copy of the contract who can answer any questions.”

Julian entered the room and said, “Hello Atherleah, I volunteered to be your advocate. I am still waiting for your visit.”

“I will be there Julian, I’ve been really busy. Is there anything in the contract that’s hidden, or too vague?”

Leah looked up when Emil gasped. She said, “What? Julian is my friend. If he says it is ok, then I trust him. If not, then he’ll let me know.”

Julian said, “I have reviewed the document and while I believe it to be written in good faith there are several clauses you should review. First on the second page and third paragraph there is reference to a player being ‘taxed on any earnings’. As the document makes no reference to players being paid it strikes me as an odd reference. Second is a clause in the last paragraph on the fourth page and includes reference to ‘real life locale’. In essence it says that Dunyanin will not be responsible for any action which occurs outside the game. I suspect you may wish to limit such a waiver if it is found that their broadcast has in fact revealed your locale. Finally there is a clause which reads as if you lose all rights to the feeds, I suggest it be reworded to give Dunyanin access to your live feed, freedom to edit and broadcast but you should retain a copy of your own, royalty free and without limitations.”

Leah read the paragraphs and then said, “Emil?”

He was still staring at Julian but said, “Please wait here. I need to talk with the lawyers.”

As he left Leah said, “Julian, I’m sorry if I have caused problems for you.”

“No problems Atherleah! I am an advocate and am functioning completely within the prescriptions of my guild and employer. ”

Emil returned and said, “As to earnings. It is possible that you might be approached by organisations outside Dunyanin because of the popularity gained. That clause is simply to allow Dunyanin to take a cut of any agreement.”

Leah turned to Julian and said, “Please delete that clause from the agreement.” Turning to Emil she said, “And the second issue?”

“That is boilerplate. They don’t see a way for anyone to find your location.”

“Julian, please leave the clause but add something like ‘except in the case when Dunyanin, its administrators or employees have been shown to be negligent or complicit in the locale becoming known.”

“And the last?”

“Again, it’s boilerplate and common sense alone says you retain full rights over your feed.”

“Julian, please leave the clause but add something like ‘Atherleah retains the full rights to broadcast her feed without restriction.’”

“I shall tidy up your wording Atherleah, but I believe that is now adequately covered.”

“So Emil, do you need to get the new agreement checked by your lawyers?”

“I do! I shall return.”

Almost ten minutes went by before he returned. He said, “It is agreed. Will you sign the new agreement?”

Leah looked at Julian who nodded. She said, “I will.”

Jonathan then walked into the room and said, “Atherleah, you are the last. Will you permit me to take some of your blood to seal this agreement?”

Leah smiled and held out her arm and Jonathan used her blood to complete the deal.

Leah said, “What now?”

Emil said, “Now we wait. The broadcast of this meeting is live, and although you took longer than necessary, we imagined someone would. I’ve been instructed to ask if you could at least carry a weapon or something. All the rest look like mighty warriors. You look a bit dark, but not really heroic, more like a girl playing dress-up.”

“Nope, this is who I am.”

“They would also appreciate it if you changed your settings to show your titles, each player will have these displayed above them for the public to see. At the moment all they will see is ‘Level 254, Atherleah.’”

“Sorry Emil, I am a private person, and those achievements are best kept hidden for now.”

Jonathan said, “I see you have continued to grow. Level 254 in such a short time is fast beyond belief.”

“Thank you Jonathan, and I thank you for your last gift. With it, I was able to defeat that enemy. I have a question for you if I may?”

“Ask away.”

“Do you have any advice for me in Mana Manipulation? I am supposed to find a mentor. I was going to visit you, but this Odyssey might delay that.”

“Truly? You have begun to manipulate mana by your will? Then you must come to Sihirbazlari. I cannot help you as this is something only practised by a few, and they are all mighty mages. I’ve read the literature though, and it suggests you go slowly. The biggest difficulty is learning how to limit the mana used. If you try to do something dangerous then, in the beginning, you cannot stop using your full supply of Mana. The first step is learning to control the flow.”

“Thank you. My first attempt was to provide a light in the dark. The ball of light was over three metres in diameter. I’m glad I didn’t try and blow something up.”

Julian and Jonathan continued to talk for a few moments until Emil said, “It is about to start. You can watch on the wall here as the Map holders are introduced. You are last. When your name is announced, proceed through the door, and you will appear on the stage.”

The wall became a screen, and the Dunyanin logo and music began. Five figures appeared; an elven man, a human woman, a male dwarf, a male orc and a female who looked like an elf but had fine scales over her body and seemed to be surrounded by a fine mist. They moved to one side, and the human stepped forward and said, “Welcome to Dunyanin and welcome to the beginning of an amazing journey, to an Odyssey, as ten heroes search for the hidden continent of Merkize. Dunyanin is a world that continues to grow and has become one of the premier worlds in the virtual multiverse. Today we introduce ten individuals, ten of Dunyanin’s best, our finest, our strongest. They will compete for the honour of opening this new continent for exploration, for conquest, and for settlement. Over the last two years, we hid maps throughout Dunyanin and in ten days, after giving time for our heroes to prepare we will begin this journey to the centre of Dunyanin.”

Leah could see a stage behind the woman on which were ten small solid cylinders; one for each map holder to stand on, she thought. After another few moments of talking the woman showed several pictures of the new continent. It looked amazing and would cater primarily for long-term players with high levels. Finally, the woman stepped back, and the Elf stepped forward. “Our contestants in this Odyssey come from every corner of the globe. Dunyanin has six major continents which are primarily populated with players from similar geographic locales. Our first two contestants found their maps on the continent of Ozgur which predominantly services the American Union and all of South America. First, we have Delta_Knight_01, a Level 504 warrior who was the first player ever to slay a Dragon single-handedly. He is the head of Clan DeltaForce and has earned the titles you can see listed in his bio. They are ...”

A tall, heavily built man appeared at the back of the stage and walked onto one of centre circles. He was entirely covered in dark armour with gold etching, various blades and jewels were on display over the whole set. His helm was completely enclosed and included horns on either side which protruded toward the front before curving upwards. He held a sword at least as long as he was tall, the blade was covered in a deep red flame. There was a matching shield on his back. He reached up and removed his helm to reveal a handsome dark-skinned face with piercing eyes, his shaved scalp was etched with a tattoo of some sort and it constantly moved and changed shape. He stood still with the sword in one hand and the helm in the other.

The announcer had continued to read out a list of accomplishments and titles. Finally, he stopped and said, “Our second contestant is also from Ozgur and goes by the name Princesa_Amazônica_23. She has achieved Level 481 and plays as a Ranger and Beastmaster. She is head of Clan Jaguar, one of the most feared and respected clans on Ozgur.”

An elven ranger appeared, she was dressed completely in dark green and brown leather. Her head was obscured by a hood of dark mist which also flowed behind her like a cloak. In one hand she carried a longbow, the other rested on the shoulder of a Jaguar which paced silently beside her. She stepped on the central circle next to Delta_Knight_01 and slowly removed her hood. She had olive skin and long flowing black hair which seemed to move even in the absence of a breeze. The Jaguar opened its mouth and gave a deep-throated growl before sitting in front of Princesa_Amazônica_23.

The next two map holders were from Isikar, the northernmost continent. The first was a huge blond Level 520 barbarian called Боевой_молот_1 with a bare chest covered in a large moving bear tattoo. He had fur-lined trousers and dark adamantine gauntlets and boots. The armour was thick, with deep ridges and barbs. In each hand he carried a short handled battle axe, but the blades were massive with curves on the front edge being at least a metre in length. Each was covered in intricate runes.

After him was an even larger male orc Мастер_Cмерти_34 with long white hair pulled back in a ponytail. He was Level 493 and wore cauldrons, gauntlets and greaves as his only armour. These were covered in razor-sharp blades and spikes. He had a fur belt and a dark brown leather loincloth which reached to his knees but left his thick thighs bare. The nails on his hands and bare feet were long and thick like claws and painted black. His only weapon was a four foot long machete which looked more like an elongated meat cleaver. The sharp edge had several small nicks and missing pieces. The other edge was several centimetres thick.

Contestants five and six were from the continent of Hiddet which served as the starting continent for those from Northern Africa, Western and Eastern Europe. The first player introduced was Gottes_Krieger_10, a Level 470 Paladin. He was fully enclosed in celestial blue Mithryl with Silver Mithryl etchings and edges, he had a gleaming white surcoat and carried a longsword and triangular shield that covered half his body. His helm had large wings rising from the top. Etched into the armour was the image of his God. As he stood on his pedestal, he removed the helm to show a handsome elven face with a black short-back-and-sides haircut. He had piercing blue eyes which never seemed to blink or sparkle.

Also from Hiddet was an elven mage, she was Level 430 and named Královna_Kouzel_666. She was covered head to toe in deep purple leather edged in gold. Covering her head was a hooded cape which also had sleeves for her arms. The sleeves flared toward the wrist. She had a form-fitting leather top and from her belt hung numerous strips of leather which acted as a long skirt. She was wearing a sword, but her hands were empty. As she stood still solid mana could be seen surrounding each hand, her right was covered in sparkling blue while her left was covered with dark, ominous red mana. All that could be seen below the hood was a set of glowing white eyes. She was leader of Clan Pavouk

The next two contestants were from Shenqi, the continent which served as the playing field for those from China and several other Asian countries. First was Level 514, 岳飞 龙 (Yuè_Fēi_Lóng). He was a tall, muscular elf with golden armour and a red and gold surcoat. He carried a sword, and his long black hair was tied in a high ponytail. On his back was a short recurve bow.

He was followed by contestant number eight, this was an assassin called 影の精神_12 (Kage_no_seishin_12) and was Level 432. Leah assumed it was a she by the shape. No skin was visible. The clothing was all dark grey to black. She carried two swords in sheathes as well as a whip made of segmented metal blades. Leah could make out at least six knives or throwing blades that were visible. When she stood still, Leah felt her eyes sliding to the side as if somehow Kage did not wish to be seen.

“Our ninth hero is from the Continent of Vatan but holds the map found on the Continent of Taramore. She is our highest ranking contestant at Level 523, Leader of Clan Y’Haul, Master of the Sword and a Fire Mage, her name is Merideath.”

As the announcer discussed Merideath’s achievements and titles. Leah stared at the tall Sea Elf. Merideath had flowing sun bleached hair and piercing blue eyes. She carried a crossbow on her back and a sword at her side. She was dressed in dark teal leather with black armoured inlay. She carried a staff covered in a writhing deep red fire, and her other hand carried a ball of living flame. She stepped onto the pedestal on the far right and allowed the flame to travel up her arm and rest on her shoulder.

Leah took in a deep breath and then began walking toward the exit from her small room. The announcer said, “Finally, also from Vatan we have our last contestant. She is Level 254 and goes by the name Atherleah.”

Leah walked in and stood on the far left pedestal. She could feel the stares as everyone waited to hear more about her, but that ended the announcement. She smiled as she imagined the consternation felt by the others at her presence amongst them. The elf stepped back, and the scaled female stepped forward and said, “More information will be coming in the next few days that outlines the format of this challenge Odyssey. The first challenge is in ten days, or one Dunyanin month, and this begins the Odyssey. These next ten days are crucial as the contestants prepare themselves and their weapons for the battle. We will now explain the situation in more detail to the contestants. Thank you for joining us on this historic occasion.”

After a few moments the five figures and all the contestants disappeared from the stage and reappeared in a room prepared with seats for the contestants and a small lectern for a speaker. The dwarf said, “We’ll start the orientation in twenty minutes. Until then we suggest you get to know each other and feel free to partake of the refreshments.”

Leah stepped back and was heading for a drinks table when someone stepped in front of her. It was Merideath who said, “Atherleah, how nice to see you. I have had difficulty in getting a message to you. You seem to be ignoring my suggestions.”

“You’re correct, I have. Your messages are all the same, lots of bluster and whining.”

“You are rude and impertinent. If I were you, I would return what was stolen and beg for mercy and forgiveness.”

“I don’t doubt that for a moment. I, on the other hand, will continue to treat you as you deserve, with contempt. Now, if you will excuse me I really would like a drink, hopefully it isn’t spiked, if you know what I mean.”

Leah walked around Merideath and found Yuè_Fēi_Lóng standing and watching her. She bowed her head and said in Mandarin, “Honourable One!”

He replied, “Please call me Yuè Fēi, I merely waited to see you safe from her clutches.”

Leah again lowered her head and said, “Yuè Fēi, I thank you for your courtesy, but she cannot harm me here. Might I get you a drink?”

“If I may, Atherleah, I would warn you, she is dangerous. Even on Shenqi, people take care not to anger her.”

“I thank you again for your warning, but it comes too late, I have already angered her beyond consolation.”

“Then take care young one.”

Just then a huge hand came down and slammed onto Yuè Fēi’s shoulders, it was the barbarian Боевой_молот, who said in accented English, “We meet again Yuè Fēi, now introduce me to this pretty young thing.”

Leah turned and said in Russian, “Good morning Боевой_молот, my name is Atherleah.” She paused and then said in English, “I apologise, but that is all the Russian I know.”

“Ha! Pleased to meet you Atherleah. You may call me Ivan. Your Russian is more than the rest of these peasants can speak. Don’t worry the game will give automatic translations for you. But I am curious, you have a low level and dress like you’re going for a walk in the park. What are you planning?”

Leah leant forward and spoke softly as if sharing a secret. Automatically the two men leant forward also. Leah said, “Ivan, I plan to bake cookies laced with rare poisons, I will smile and dimple my cheeks and sell them to you. When you are all dead, I shall skip my way to Merkize, picking bluebells all the way.”

“I like chocolate chip the best. If you make them, I will buy them.”

Suddenly the orc pushed in and turning to Leah said, “Get lost kid. I need to talk with these guys.”

Before the other two could say anything, Leah nodded and walked off toward the drinks table. She stood there and watched the dynamics in the room. Like her, the ninja stood apart and watched. Merideath worked the room inserting herself into conversations and trying to dominate those around her. The large warrior men all stood together except for Gottes_Krieger_10, the Paladin, who spent most of his time trailing after Merideath. The beast-master and the mage spent the entire time in whispered conversation. Finally, a small bell rang, and everyone took their seats. Leah once more was on the left edge, while Merideath had managed to grab a seat in the centre.

“Welcome contestants. Each of you has a map. After this meeting, you will be able to enlarge it at will, either here in Dunyanin or in your own v-world. Ten real-days, or one Dunyanin-month from now you will be transported to an amphitheatre where the competition will officially begin. The start will be a series of one-on-one combats, each of you will fight two others in a random pairing to begin ranking you. The top eight will then be pitted in a knockout competition 1v8, 2v7, 3v6, 5v4. The winner of the first match will fight the winner of the last match and so on. The last two will fight to see who starts off in first place. If you lose these fights, you will not be penalised in any way. The four finalists will each receive a prize suited to their character and playing style.”

“After that, every ninety Dunyanin days, every real-time month, there will be another combat challenge. The last-placed player in each of those challenges will be eliminated from the competition, and their map will disappear. Between the combat challenges, you will need to decipher the maps, follow the clues, and complete the quests and challenges. You are permitted to have up to seven companions join you on the quests, they may be players or NPCs. Once someone is in your group, they may leave but may not be replaced.”

“Now are there any questions?”

The Beastmaster said, “Do pets and mounts count as companions?”

“No, except in the case of Atherleah. One of her mounts, if it accompanies her, would be considered as a companion and count toward the seven.”

Everyone looked at Leah, but she kept her face calm. When no more questions were asked the competitors were released with the final warning. “We know that the rewards from this Odyssey will be huge. We can afford to do this because of the expected interest that the Odyssey will generate in Dunyanin. You are being watched, each of you has already got an official site up and running with feed already showing. Fan clubs are already promoting their favourite. Everyone except Atherleah already had a fan club, and one has already started for her and already has over ten thousand members. Don’t embarrass us, or yourselves.”

Around the room, the players dissolved and Leah found herself back at the pass. Before she could move a message appeared

Odyssey Level Dungeon Achievement: First 1 (3, Painite)

Atherleah (Level 254), you have discovered a Unique Hidden Odyssey:

Journey to Merkize

You are one of the first ten players to access this Odyssey. This is your third Odyssey Level Dungeon Achievement: First 1 (Painite).

Reward 1: 10000 x 254 = 6858000 (+170%) Experience Points (1350000/1350000)…(1294875/1550000)

Reward 2: + 5% to all future Experience

Reward 3: 3 x 10 Diamond = 30 Diamond

Fame: 10000 Fame Points (152705)

A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

This Odyssey will take one full Dunyanin year to complete.

Note: This achievement will be published on the Dunyanin achievement forum.

She moved to the edge of the pass behind some rocks and logged out. As she arrived in the Tower, Gèng said, “You have messages from Amy, Thad, Wisp, James, Zack, Peter, Stephen, Susan, and John. I sent a short reply saying you were busy and would talk with them when you returned. They are all waiting for your return and have requested that I tell them when you arrive home. What shall I do?”

“Invite them all to the Tower if they are free. Tell them I am having a swim and they are welcome to join me. I’d like you to join us as well if you would like to.”

“Thank you. I will do that. I have passed on your communique, and they have all accepted. I suggested that they arrive in ten minutes. That should give you some time to prepare.”

Leah changed into her one piece and ran to the pool and had finished several laps when she heard Amy yell, “Atherleah! If I didn’t love you, I’d kill you. Why didn’t you tell me you were the map holder?”

Leah just splashed some water at Amy who dove in and swam over. She gave Leah a huge hug and said, “I did guess though, yesterday when I read the news. I placed a Platinum on you as the map holder at 300 to 1. It was the most they would let me bet. I won. Also, I’ll have you know that even though I do love you, I will not join your fan club. I absolutely refuse to join fan clubs. Besides, I already did. I am fan number three. Beaten by Thad and Wisp I bet.”

Just then the others began arriving, and they all splashed and swam for a while. Thad gave her a huge hug and kiss and told her that he would have been her number one fan, but Wisp got there first. John was the last to arrive, and he swam slowly out to the centre and said, “Leah, you should have warned me of the publicity. The free channels in the Switch carried the announcement, and we’ve been inundated with people coming to see you.”

Leah sighed, “I’m sorry John, I didn’t know until the last minute that it was going to be broadcast so wide. They say they’ll be broadcasting all my gameplay from now on for most of the year. I guess we’ll have to boost security.”

“Boost, more than boost! I expect we’ll need to triple it at least.”

Finally, they all left the water and sat around chatting. Leah said, “Thank you all for coming. It is great to have friends. I realise I should have said something, but I’ve been busy. I’ll try and keep you in the loop. Besides the map, the first thing I have to prepare for is a combat challenge against the others. I imagine I will be busy. During this Odyssey, I will be able to have some companions, but I don’t need to choose them yet. If you are interested, then let me know, but be aware you’ll need to be tougher and stronger than ever. I have some ideas of places to search for new dungeons, but I don’t think I’ll be travelling. If I did then our levels at the moment are too far apart, and we would be competing for the points and prizes.”

One by one they left until only Thad remained. He said, “I’d like to take you on another date. Tomorrow is Friday and in anticipation of you agreeing I’ve pre-booked my surprise at four in the afternoon your time?”

She looked up at him and wrapping her arms around him said, “I’d love to go on another date. I’ll be ready at four. What do I need to bring?”

“Nothing, they have everything you need. Be prepared though for a work out.”

Before she could reply, he logged out. She had lunch and was bombarded with questions from her family about the Odyssey. They were pleased to finally see what she looked like in the game. Both parents were a little disheartened at the obvious disparities between her and the other contestants, and it took some time for Leah to explain that she had not shown all her cards. When she was able to extract herself, she logged in for two hours deep sleep. Afterward, she had another large meal and logged into Cosmos Online.

Leah arrived in her quarters on the Annoyance and made her way to the bridge to continue sorting through the star charts. She was starting to see the immense size of the Cosmos Online universe. The information she had didn't cover even ten percent of the available playing space, and she knew she would not have time to visit every star even if she did nothing but play Cosmos Online. After an hour John arrived, and he continued to sort through the Gorgian battle plans hoping to find some way to throw a spanner in the works.

They took a break every hour and had time to talk, but they were quick to get back to work; both were highly driven. In one such break, John said, “Leah, over the last few days I have done some research on different worlds which teach various martial arts. I know you are doing a little Tai Chi and that has increased your flexibility and moves. I think you should try several other styles and increase your range of moves. I’d like you to join a Krav Maga class and either a Muay Thai or Silat class.”

“When? I’m running from here to there, day in day out.”

“I remember when you were younger, you had your day organised to the minute. You need to do that at least till you get through this Odyssey.”

“Fair enough! I think I can do that for a while at least. It’ll mean I’m on a tight schedule, and I can’t help much with things around here, but it is possible. I need to get my dragon hatched and levelled up, Mĕi as well. Would it help to have any more guards trained that way?”

“Yes, but I don’t think you should just pay for Pods for everyone. I’ll talk it over with the guards and choose two who it would be good to train and maybe help in Cosmos Online as you’ll need more pilots.”

They talked for a few more minutes and then got back to looking at the data. Leah had begun noticing patterns and began adding speculative notes to the star charts in front of her. She was pleased when later reading began to show that her speculations had some basis. From what she was looking at, that there were several algorithms in play to help the Cosmos Online developers seed the galaxy with the resources necessary to build a flourishing space culture. Anyone not having these charts would almost certainly never have enough data points to form even a rudimentary pattern. She, however, did have a large sample of surveys done on a significant number of star systems. It was clear that the Gorgians had well-defended bases in the richest of systems but what if the extrapolations showed true for un-surveyed systems? Leah could potentially access almost unlimited resources. She began to have Gèng help and add data from player forums to her growing data map.

After the full three real-hours in Cosmos Online, she logged out for a large meal and then went to check with the guards. Everything had calmed down, but they all had big smiles when they looked at her. She chatted about the Merkize Odyssey and the various games and then headed inside. She had another day to wait before Ehil could return and decided to explore the mountains. She was sure that her ability to teleport would soon be common knowledge, so she decided to use that to explore. She logged in and found herself once more at the pass.

She equipped her armour, and after checking her various maps, she realised that there was a goblin mine somewhere near the settlement and she doubted the dwarves knew of it. From the map, it appeared to be further up the range. She could make out the symbol for a cave and what looked like a steep escarpment. Looking around, she visualised appearing on the peak of a nearby mountain and teleported.

As she arrived, she stumbled a little, then looked around at the nearby peaks. Only one looked like it had a sheer edge, so she decided to head for it next. The cool-down period was now less than ten minutes, and she soon teleported to the top of the escarpment. It was cold, and snow was visible under rocks and deep in crevices. She searched along the top but found no evidence of any goblins or places to mine. She constantly checked her surroundings but was still surprised when a Snow Leopard ambushed her. The first she knew of it was a glimpse out the corner of her eye of a form speeding toward her.

She turned and managed to deflect the jaws which were aimed at her neck and instead latched onto her right shoulder. The fangs penetrating deep and cracked both her clavicle and scapula. Her health dropped below half, but her left hand held a knife which she drove deep into the huge cat. Although it was hurt, the cat held on and dragged her to the ground. Reaching across her body, she grabbed the head and cast Freeze. The cat slumped in death with the jaws still clamped on her shoulder. Her health continued to drop as the pain and bleeding buffs continued to draw away her health. She knew people were watching and didn’t want to reveal her Mist skill, so she used her knife to pry open the lower jaw and pull the teeth from her shoulder. She swallowed a restore potion and then began to skin the Snow Leopard. This was the first time since the Spiny Maned Boar that she had skinned an animal instead of harvesting it.

When she had removed the pelt, she brought Mĕi out and let her feed. She imagined that this would be interesting for the viewers. It had been a while since Mĕi had been able to play and after finishing the carcass, she began to investigate the surroundings. Mĕi was still young, but the growth hormone had helped her achieve almost a full adult size. Leah was wondering how long it would be before she might be able to take a ride on Mĕi. After a while, Leah knew she had to resume her search, and so she moved closer to the edge and peered down the escarpment. Mĕi in playfulness jumped off the edge and began to glide down parallel to the escarpment. She was about a third of the way down when she disturbed something on the cliff face. Leah scanned the area and finally found some well-camouflaged goats resting against the edge of the cliff.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT (Level 270) 72900 HP 13500 EP

She studied the rock face for similar footholds, or goats, and found a series of small steps about 200 metres down that she felt would give her enough purchase to check for mining or to defend against a goat. She checked the information on the gloves, and after equipping them, she scuttled over the side and down the cliff face to the footholds. On arriving she pressed herself against the edge of the cliff and looked around. The goats turned in her direction and one, the largest, was already moving towards her. She equipped a mining pick and could see several areas near the goats which appeared green in her sight. Intending to stay and mine, Leah equipped her bow and prepared to defend herself against the goat which was now forty metres away and within the range of her bow. When it was twenty metres from her, she fired two arrows, one into each shoulder. She assumed that would prevent it from jumping closer.

There were two footholds between her and the goat. It jumped and was only ten metres away. Two more arrows, both head-shots, and the goat began to tumble off the cliff. Leah dove forward, and with one glove anchoring her to the wall she reached out and harvested the hide, horns and hooves of the goat as well as two vials of blood (4.5, 2). She quickly regained her place on the stepping stones and watched the other goats. Instead of coming toward her they began to make their way down the escarpment in the other direction.

Mĕi flew close, and Leah smiled at her playfulness but also worried a little in case she ran off while Leah was mining. Leah moved closer to the green areas and began to mine. It wasn’t easy. She had to press herself against the rock face each time she swung the pick. Still, within the hour she had cleared a small entrance and harvested several low-quality pieces of gold ore. Once she had a ledge to work from she was able to move quickly and clear out the large arched entrance. Suddenly she broke through into a natural cave which continued into the mountain. She stepped back out and called Mĕi, who was just able to fit inside the arch. Leah returned Mĕi to her statue form and then stepped into the cave. A message appeared

Level 4 Named Personal Achievement

Find a Gold Mine - First 1000 (3, Emerald)

Reward 1: 500 EP x 258 = 354750 (+175%) (1550000/1550000) (136750/1600000)

Reward 2: 10 Gold x 3 = 30 Gold

Reward 3: +1 % to Experience Points

Reward 4: 50 Fame Points (152755 FP)

A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

Note: This achievement will be published on the Dunyanin achievement forum.

Leah noticed there was no option to retain her privacy.

Atherleah, this deposit/mine has not been claimed.

Do you wish to claim this mine for Clan Guàn?

[Y] [N]

Leah checked [Y].

Atherleah, you have claimed the Daglar Duman Gold Mine for Clan Guàn.

The position of the mine has been marked on your map. You have thirty days in which no-one outside your clan may contest this claim or mine in this location. After this amnesty, you should be prepared to defend your claim.

We hope you enjoy the experience.

Leah headed out of the mine and continued to survey the escarpment, looking for any indication of somewhere else to mine. Further down the cliff she caught a hint of yellow and using the gloves made her way down. There was a small shelf where some dirt had collected over the years, and a small yellow flowered plant had bloomed. Leah had seen this particular flower in Falsi’s book, it was deep yellow and was shaped like the tip of a claw. She looked closely to check that she was correct.

GOLDEN DRAGON’S CLAW

Taking out the book, she examined the flower again and read the instructions. Very carefully she used a knife to clip each of the flowers from the plant and placed them in a small bottle. Falsi’s book said they were useful for developing a salve that helped protect from dragon fire.

After harvesting the flower, she continued to search the area and eventually found a crevice camouflaged in the rocks. She slowly moved inside the fissure, having to turn sideways to be able to move further in. Soon she was lying on her front and wriggling through a tunnel that was just large enough for her to squeeze through. She knew that if she was in trouble she could simply mist but wanted to keep that a secret if she could. After maybe fifty metres the small tunnel began to get a little larger, and it was then that she could make out a serpentine face just metres away. She stretched one hand out in front of her and cast Chain Lightning. As she felt the spell coming to an end, she gathered her will and continued to push her mana through her hands and toward the snake or whatever it was. Suddenly in a rush, the lightning bolt doubled in size and then trebled. She tried to cut the flow, but her mana had emptied in a moment.

She gazed ahead and saw that the snake had been burnt to a crisp. When she identified it, she was amazed at its level:

GOLDEN CAVE VIPER (Level 290) 84100 HP 14500 EP

She harvested it and was pleased to get a skin of golden scales and two vials of venom and two of blood (4.9, 3). Just past the twenty-metre snake, the cave widened, and she found a nest with a collection of coins and four eggs. She placed the eggs in her bag and looked at the coins. There were six copper and two silver. They were minted with an image of the Goblin Gold Mine at Daglar Duman. She continued through the nest and found another tunnel. Soon she was able to see the flicker of small torches just ahead. As she crept forward, she found herself at a small hole at the top of a long tunnel. Three Level 250 Goblin Miners were picking away at a small seam in the rock face.

Leah carefully lowered herself into the tunnel, and the said in Goblin Patter, “Hello Goblins, please don’t attack as I don’t want to kill you.”

They turned around and without hesitation attacked. Leah equipped her swords and killed them without much difficulty. She harvested the goblins, and in addition to the usual, she also received a vial of blood from each of them (6.2, 3). After harvesting them, a message appeared.

Level 3 Dungeon Achievement: First 1 (11, Ruby)

Atherleah (Level 259), you have discovered a hidden Level 3 Area:

Goblin Mirror Mine of Daglar Duman

You are the first player to access this area. This is your eleventh, 'First 1 (Ruby)' achievement.

Reward 1: 1000 x 259 = 714840 (+176%) Experience Points (891610/1600000)

Reward 2: + 2% to all future Experience

Reward 3: 11 x 1 Platinum = 11 Platinum

Reward 4: Increased probability of valuable drop. Luck is increased by 5 whenever you are in this Cavern. During your first time in the Cavern, the probability of all drops is increased to 0.5.

Fame: 500 Fame Points (153255)

A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

Note: This achievement will be published on the Dunyanin achievement forum.

She looked around and it was clear that she was at the beginning of the tunnel. The ore was low-grade gold ore, and after collecting what the goblins had mined, she moved on. For the next five hours, she moved through the mine, killing the goblins and cave mites. At each level, the number of miners or guards increased as did their levels and the quality of ore and gems collected. In each room on the final level, she encountered five guards and five miners with an average level of 270. She began by shooting three and then cast Circle of Sloth then Chain Lightning. She the equipped her swords and finished them off. After collecting all the coins, treasure and ore, she received the message:

Level 3 Dungeon Achievement: First 1 (12, Ruby)

Atherleah (Level 261), you have completed a hidden Level 3 Area:

Goblin Mirror Mine of Daglar Duman

You are the first player to complete this area. This is your twelfth, 'First 1 (Ruby)' achievement.

Reward 1: 1000 x 263 = 723250 (+178%) Experience Points (919660/1800000)

Reward 2: + 2% to all future Experience

Reward 3: 12 x 1 Platinum = 12 Platinum

Fame: 500 Fame Points (153755)

A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

Note: This achievement will be published on the Dunyanin achievement forum.

After reading the message, she noticed a small doorway appear. Walking through the door, she found a tunnel which led to the base of the escarpment. After exiting the goblin mine she turned back and was unable to see the exit. She teleported to the pass and then set up her tent and logged out.

Arriving back at the Tower she logged out and headed into the kitchen for a late snack before logging back into the Tower to review her options for MIT. She checked the course outline for the course they wanted her to complete. She read through the information on each professor in both the mathematics and physics departments. She finally narrowed the list of possible professors who might be approached to be her advisor. She then re-read all their details and began reading a more detailed précis of each one.

Every hour she would stop and walk around the garden and then stretch for ten minutes before returning to her research. She had been reviewing material on and off for seven hours when Gèng interrupted and said, “The streaming of your day has commenced and garnered views from all over the world. The Snow Leopard attack has been shown from every angle, and the clip is going viral. Your dressing of the leopard is being analysed by various hunting worlds and Mĕi is an instant hit. The number watching the first showing has risen to over five million and is continuing to rise.”

“Thanks, Gèng, but unless there is something which might help in the coming days I don’t really want to hear it.”

“The Snow Leopard attack is being contrasted with the seamless performances of almost all the other contestants. The probability of you winning according to the bookmakers has decreased?”

“What are the odds?”

“Holding fairly steady at 400 to 1 win, 350 to 1 in the top three and 2 to 1 to be the first eliminated.”

“Ok, so not much confidence in the public for a win; but I can’t blame anyone, I don’t have much either if I’m honest with myself. I’m going to have a very early breakfast and then duck into Cosmos Online before another day in Dunyanin. I hope to get access today to the Smith Grandmaster.”

Diary - 7 December 2073

Self-determination. This is something I have always wanted. I want to be in charge of my own life, my destiny, my future. I appreciate help, but I want the control. Does this make me prideful in a bad way? MIT offered to help me, to go above and beyond. They offered to take away some of my burdens. Should I have let them? I don't think so. It isn't pride. It is simple logic.

I look back at the history of Australia and believe that we gave away our freedom when we made someone else responsible for our future. I've read all the explanations why we help people who are out of work, who struggle to feed their kids, who need health care, who have family in jail, who are disabled, who are old, and the list goes on. I believe it is good to help people and that it was great to have a community that cared. The problem is, I think that we not only accepted the help but we believed that the help was our right. We came to believe we deserved it. It stopped being a blessing and became a burden.

People stopped looking for ways to solve their problems and expected someone else to solve them.

But realistically I know we have to protect the weak from the strong. Protect the vulnerable from the predators, the wise from the foolish. Civilization does involve compromising our freedoms, but I believe we gave away too much.

And then there are those who take freedom knowingly and willfully. The Kodomans of this world. I don't think I have a chance to win through to Merkize but I sure as hell want to make sure Merideath doesn't get there.

It was weird to meet the other players. They filled their characters with a unique personality. Maybe I judge too harshly but I think I could tell what sort of people they are just by watching them stand there on the podium. Is that what I do? Am I really Atherleah as much as I am Leah? Can they tell what I'm like just by looking at me? I hope not. And if they can't, or shouldn't then neither should I. I'll have to give them all a second chance, except for Merideath. And that orc, the Russian, what a tool!

CHAPTER EIGHT

December 8, 2073

Leah spent three hours in Cosmos Online, reviewing data and making plans. By the end of the day, when they met up with Banshee she hoped to have a clear plan on what to do and where to head. She took a minimal break and headed to Dunyanin. As soon as she appeared, she received another taxation report and 1000000 EP. Exiting the tent, she teleported to the gates of the settlement and asked if Ehil had returned. He had, and Leah was escorted to his Forge.

“Welcome, Atherleah. I hear you’ve helped return the sword and reverse Durustfuar’s banishment. I was able to see the Smith Grandmaster, and he has agreed to see you. He sent one of the Forge Guards to lead the way. He’s ready to leave when you are.”

“I’m ready now if you think he might be willing. I want to thank you for your help. Maybe I can help you in some way, is there anything that you need that I might find on my travels?”

“Nay lass, the only thing I need is Mithryl to improve my Smithing Level. The Smith’s council parcels it out very carefully, and I can wait for the next piece.”

Leah had a sampling of the various ores and reached into her bag and found a piece of pure mithryl about the size of two closed fists. She handed this to Ehil and said, “Please accept this as a token of my appreciation for your help these last few days.”

“Atherleah, lass, this is more than double my yearly allotment. I should not accept it, but I will. Let me hide this in my vault and then I’ll introduce you to the Forge guard.”

Ehil led the way to the nearest Tavern where the guard was staying while at the settlement. They arrived just as the guard was finishing his breakfast. His name was Korumak, and he was the widest dwarf Leah had yet seen. His level was 320 and his ginger beard was braided in seven full braids. Ehil introduced Leah and Korumak merely nodded, stood and said, “Right, follow me and keep up.”

Leah followed the dwarf out of the mountain Keep and through the settlement. Once out of the settlement the dwarf turned and headed deeper into the hills. Leah walked for a while behind the dwarf and then stepped beside him and said, “If you need to move faster you can, or if you wish to point to a place on the mountain where you hope to reach this evening then I can meet you there.”

He turned to her and said, “Listen elf, I was ordered to get you there and I will. I wasn’t ordered to talk with you or make nice nice. So how about we travel in silence.”

“Half-elf!”

Korumak just stared at her, and then yelled, “What?”

“I’m a half-elf. Half-elf, half-human!”

“I don’t care. Just button it.”

“So where are we headed?”

The dwarf scowled and pointed to a small break in the mountain up ahead. “If you’ll shut up we should make that break in the mountain by mid-afternoon. After that, I’ll point out the next place. Now let me be.”

Leah said, “Of course! I won’t disturb you again. I’ll meet you there. Goodbye.”

Before he could say anything, she teleported to the break in the mountain that he had pointed to. On arriving she could just make out his figure at the base of the mountain. She waved and then let Mĕi out and began looking around for any odd plants to harvest. She kept an eye out for any creatures and except for a few very low-level creatures that Mĕi dealt with she spent an hour collecting herbs. She could see the dwarf racing up the side of the mountain and figured she had another hour, so she set her mind on the peak of the highest mountain and teleported to the top. From here she thought she could just make out the vegetation changes that showed where the Hizli River was. Leah began to search the peak for any plants she might recognise or possibly somewhere to mine but she found little except some common herbs for healing and mana potions. Now and then she looked down toward the small gap or pass to see if Korumak was getting close. Finally, she saw him approaching and teleported down and sat on a rock to wait for his arrival.

“What the hell do you think you are doing? I don’t appreciate your reckless behaviour in running off and putting both yourself and me in danger. Now get behind me and stay behind me.”

“Look here Dwarf, I’m not sure what your problem is, but I am not yours to command. You’re here for my benefit, not the other way around.”

He was about to say something when Mĕi approached to land. As Korumak grabbed for his crossbow, Leah equipped her bow and had an arrow nocked and aimed directly at him before his weapon had moved. She said, “Mĕi belongs to me, let go of the crossbow or lose the use of that arm. She is just coming to see what is going on.”

Korumak slowly moved his hand away from the weapon as Mĕi stepped close to Leah for a scratch behind all three sets of ears. Leah said, “Now point out the next meeting spot or better yet the destination. You are a grumpy, horrible travelling companion and I think I’d prefer to travel alone.”

He was about to retort angrily but thought better of it and said, “Look, I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot, but …”

“Don’t be sorry for my behaviour, dwarf. You got off on the wrong foot, not we.”

“All right! I got off on the wrong foot. I hate playing nursemaid. From here to the Forge usually takes visitors another day at least. If you stay with me, I will hurry along a different route which will get us there in three hours, if you can keep up.”

“I can keep up.”

He nodded and took off at a fast jog. Leah smirked and hurried after him. His pace was much faster than before, and he travelled a straighter and less meandering trail. She found that the pace was still less than when she travelled with V’fali. After an hour he turned to look at her, but she merely shrugged and waved him forward. They had crossed another valley and began making their way up the side of a fairly steep mountain. Rather than taking the winding route with switchbacks, Korumak headed straight up the side. Leah was beginning to tire but could see the sweat dripping off the dwarf, and hear his laboured breathing.

After an hour jogging up the steep slope, Korumak slowed and together they walked over the final crest to see an opening in the mountainside with two dwarves standing guard. Leah called Mĕi to her side and transformed her into the statue before walking with Korumak to the entrance. After a cursory glance at Leah, the guards waved them through. Korumak led Leah through a series of tunnels which eventually led out the other side of the mountain and after another short climb to a second guarded opening. This time Korumeak not only had to explain his mission but he was asked to show a copy of his orders regarding Leah.

Eventually, the guards waved them through, and Leah was led into the guarded Forge. As she crossed the doorway, a message appeared.

Level 4 Named Personal Achievement

First to enter an Elite NPC Area - Achieved (Opal)

You are the first player to enter this Elite NPC Area ‘The Forge’.

Reward 1: 50 EP x PL = 50 x 263 (+180%) = 36820 (1233230/1800000)

Reward 2: 10 Silver x #L4 NPA (Opal) = 20 Silver

Reward 3: 5 Fame Points (153760 FP)

A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

As she was led deeper into the mountain, the sound of hammers on metal was able to be heard. The temperature, which had been chilly, increased to the point where she unequipped her winter coat. Leah was led into a small antechamber and asked to wait. She could see through the opening into an immense cavern with roaring fires and more than thirty dwarfs working at different forges, ovens and anvils.

After maybe ten minutes an older, gruff-looking dwarf emerged. He said, “Welcome Atherleah, Ehil convinced me to talk with you and perhaps to help you. My name is Smith Grandmaster Sampiyon. Follow me to a more private place, and we can talk.”

Leah followed him through the busy cavern and into a smaller room with a large worktable, several chairs, and locked vault against one wall. As they arrived, he pointed to a seat and then sat in the other. He said, “Ehil said you would be able to show me Merdiven and even greater wonders. He also said you had some ingredients that I would be a fool to pass up the opportunity to use in my forge. If I did not know him better, I would have laughed at the claim. For his sake, now is the time for you to show me some proof of his claims.”

Leah equipped Merdiven and handed it over for Sampiyon to examine. Minutes later he said, “Now show me even greater wonders.”

Leah removed Baris and Adalet from her bag and handed them over. This time Sampiyon spent over ten minutes with each sword, examining the detail and even making a few notes. Finally, he said, “I don’t suppose there are any greater wonders than these?”

“Indeed there are Grand Master, but first, let me show you a sample of materials I have to draw on and then hopefully we can discuss my requests.”

“That sounds fair. Please show me these amazing materials that Ehil assures me I simply must have.”

Leah removed the rolled up skin of an Adamantine Mamba as well as several Fangs. She then brought out some of the dragon bones as well as some of the scales collected from the two dragons. Alongside these, she placed a sampling of vials including elemental fire, lightning, darkness and basilisk poison. She added a large piece of Adamantine and several pieces of Mithryl. He looked at everything before saying, “Ehil spoke truly. I would give much to work with some of this. You have had the most extraordinary fortune to gather these materials.”

“Grandmaster, that is only a sample of what I have gathered. I can add numerous jewels, ore and multiply the amount of everything I have already revealed. I have one more thing to show you, and then I will share my proposal?”

“Surely! I imagine that I am to be swindled for the opportunity, but you have the upper hand.”

Leah took out the armour made by the dragon and placed it before the Grandmaster. He reached out and examined it in detail, turning and twisting it. He studied the helm and considered its characteristics. He said, “This is the most amazing armour I have had the privilege to examine. It was forged and constructed in a manner I have never seen.”

“It was made by a dragon, with dragon magic, from dragon scales. It is wonderful, but I cannot use it at the moment. I would like you to construct some armour and weapons for me using the ingredients I have brought. I suggest that whatever you need I will provide and in payment will give you an equivalent amount of raw material. Also, I would like to stay here while you make the armour and weapons. I need to leave in twenty-eight days at the latest. While I am here, I would like to learn the Smithing skill. I have two pets or companions and would seek assurance that they will be unharmed during my stay. I can bargain if you wish, in which case take the starting amount as a small lump of adamantine and a small basket of dragon scales. I think I’d prefer to have a simple agreement, however.”

“I concede that the payment is indeed sufficient. I fear that you will not learn much in the time you are here but I will most likely need the full twenty-eight days to complete the armour. Further, and please understand that this is not bargaining, how might you pay for the privilege of training with some of the best Smiths on Vatan?”

“I will give you, and you only, limited access to a book of designs I have acquired.”

“Nothing surprises me today, but I cannot think of any design book that might be sufficient for such lessons. I would rather be paid in coin or materials. Twenty-eight days training will cost you twenty-eight platinum.”

“Deal. I accept.”

“Then let us get started. I believe it best to leave the armour until later. Using the forge will almost certainly increase the size of your shoulders and arms. Also, making the simpler weapons first will reduce wastage and allow me to practice with these materials. There is easily enough Adamantine skin. How much of the dragon bone do you have?”

“Would you believe I have more than enough of both? It is not wise to give out too much information.”

“What types of pets have you?”

“I have a female Air Chimera and a baby Dragon.”

Sampiyon placed his head in his hands and said, “We have only just met and already I have a headache. Nevertheless, you have a deal. I need a large drink, and some time to recover my wits, before we discuss what weapons you need. I will have you shown to a set of rooms with access to the outside. I suggest your pets remain in the rooms or outside. There are numerous small animals in the inner ring for them to hunt for food. If not, you will be allowed to roam wider to hunt for them. If you leave this inner circle of peaks, then I must insist you take a guard with you.”

Sampiyon called for a servant, and a young dwarven girl came and agreed to show Leah to an outer level suite. Sampiyon said, “Come tomorrow at nine, and we shall begin.”

Leah closed the door to her suite and logged out.

Arriving back in the tower she exited for breakfast with the family and then met again with John and her parents. She discovered the rest of the money for new pods had been deposited, and the bosses would send the new people the following Monday at eight. The bosses had also sent a list of applicants for the committee to consider. After a little discussion, her parents agreed to do most of the work sorting through the various candidates but insisted Leah be present for any interviews and chores. Afterwards, she spent an hour working at chores with the others.

Logging into Dunyanin, she unloaded the dragon egg and made her way out of her suite. Korumak was waiting outside and said, “I’ve been appointed your main guard. I’ll show you to the eatery, my office and then to the main forge. If you plan to leave the safety of the mountain, please come and get me.”

Sampiyon was waiting for Leah, and she showed him her various weapons. She wanted a bow, multiple arrows, knives, two Haladies, several spare swords, a pair of short-handled axes and a crossbow. Sampiyon took measurements of her hands and arms, and they discussed best weight, length, designs and decoration. Sampiyon suggested they send for an elven master enchanter he knew and have her provide each item with various additional characteristics.

“I’ve dwarven Smith Mages who can add the main characteristics to each weapon and piece of armour, but the enchanter can add spells and defences. Whenever I’m designing an epic work, she comes and helps with design and stays for completion. I usually pay her one platinum per day, can you afford another twenty-five or so platinum?”

“I can. Tell her to bring her most powerful spells and enchantments, and I’ll pay two platinum a day if she will also help teach me a few enchanting skills.”

“You plan to be both a smith and an enchanter?”

“Well, if I can do both then I won’t need to pay for additional services all the time.”

They agreed to meet later that morning for the first lesson and Leah headed back to her suite only to find the egg beginning to rock slightly, back and forth. She moved closer and touched the egg. It was lying on its side and came to just above her knees. It was two paces in length. The surface was smooth with a swirling pattern of red and green. Leah had found no references to dragon hatchings in any forum or guide. She had found material on the hatching of other species. In each case they player was expected to help hatch the creature to bond with it.

Leah took out a small dagger and carefully tapped the handle against the side of the egg. It stopped moving, and she could hear a faint scratch from inside the egg. She banged harder, and the egg began to rock. Unfortunately, her knife didn’t even make a mark on the egg. She equipped Merdiven and after checking that it was fully charged, 500,000 MP and 500,000 KP, she spoke to it and said, “I would appreciate your help once again. This egg is too hard for me to crack but it is ready to hatch. I’m behind in learning the draconic spells but need to help the little fire and life dragon to hatch. If you could help, I’d appreciate it.”

Leah waited for a moment and then placed the Morningstar end of Merdiven on the egg. She raised it just a few centimetres and allowed it to drop onto the egg. A stream of mana poured like water from Merdiven. It flowed over the egg and began to pulse with light, green and red, life and fire. It swirled around the egg until it matched the pattern of the egg and then began pulsing faster and faster until in a flash it disappeared. Leah first checked Merdiven and noted that it had used over three-quarters of its mana charge. She placed Merdiven on the bed and checked the egg. Small cracks had developed in the egg at the junction of the red and green sections. The egg began to rock again, and Leah used her hand to bang on the egg. This time a small section of the shell came loose and Leah was able to peer inside. Pushing up against the shell was a section of smooth scales, all the deep red of a Fire Dragon. She began to pull more of the shell aside until finally the dragon inside was able to get a leg free and pushed and wriggled the rest of the way out of the shell.

It flopped around for a moment until Leah carefully reached out and helped it to untangle itself. Uncurled, its body was just over a metre in length, but when the head and tail were added it was well over three metres. A set of wings lay folded against its back and sides. It was covered in fine scales, except for the wings, and was predominantly green with the extremities of each leg, the tail and wings a deep red. Also red were the small facial horns, and the spines along its neck. Its face turned toward Leah, and a message appeared:

Atherleah, an intelligent creature of Dunyanin has become attached to you.

Dragons are highly intelligent magical creatures of Dunyanin. While dragons, like birds, often imprint on the first living thing that they see, they are aware of their heritage, magic and language from birth. This newly hatched Dragon has imprinted on you.

Dragons, as intelligent creatures are properly considered companions. They may give permission to their player companion to be their rider and leader. Dragons are also considered pets due to the necessity for them to be absent on certain quests. Dragons are fiercely possessive, loyal and will fight for those who they consider a part of their treasure.

You will be required to feed it (mainly meat and at times Mana or other resources). As a pet you can bring it with you into other worlds, it can also be transformed for a time into a statue so that you can keep it hidden in your bag. Players are permitted a total of three pets within Dunyanin. These pets are a part of Dunyanin but will resurrect if killed after 48 hours should their owner so wish it.

Also, companions in Dunyanin travel with the player and can be relied upon to help defend the player they have bonded with. The bond can be annulled at any time by either the player or the companion.

The companion is automatically in a group with the player and receives a proportional share of all experience based on level. If the companion does not participate in an action, then they receive nothing. The same is true if the player does not participate.

Players are permitted a total of three companions within Dunyanin. The companions are a part of Dunyanin but will resurrect if killed, after 48 hours. They will resurrect at your resurrection point and are responsible for finding you if you have moved on. You must verbally accept the offer for it to become official. Will you accept this dragon into your care as a companion? If so, then give her a name and touch her. If not, then verbally reject the offer and release her into the wild.

Leah said, “I name you 生命之火 Shēngmìng Zhī Huǒ’. It means the ‘the flames of life’ or ‘the fire of life’. For short, I’ll probably call you Mìng, which can mean ‘life’.” She knelt down and hugged the newborn dragon.

She heard a small voice in her head speaking in Dragon Tongue say, ‘Hungry.’”

Leah spoke carefully in the same language, “Well, let’s go and get something for you to eat.”

As she released the dragon, several messages appeared.

Atherleah, you have acquired a new companion, pet and mount - Her name is Shēngmìng Zhī Huǒ.

You have two pets - Mĕi and Shēngmìng Zhī Huǒ

You have two companions - Rana and Shēngmìng Zhī Huǒ

World Achievement: First 1 (5, Painite)

Dragon Rider

Atherleah (Level 264) you are the first Player to be chosen as a Dragon Rider. This is your fifth World Achievement: 'First 1 (Painite)’.

Reward 1: 10000 x 263 = 7364000 (180%) Experience Points (1800000/1800000) …(1097230/2000000)

Reward 2: + 10% to all future Experience

Reward 3: 5 x 10 Diamond = 50 Diamond

Fame: 15000 Fame Points (168760)

A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

Note: Due to the unique nature of this achievement it will be published on the Dunyanin achievement forum.

Leah headed poked her head out the door and called out. Soon a dwarf came to see what the noise was. Leah asked if they could please get Guard Korumak. When he arrived, Leah asked if he would be able to either find some meat or escort her outside to hunt. When asked how urgent it was, Leah opened the door to show him the hungry dragon who was pacing around the room. As soon as Mìng saw him, she began to bare her fangs. Leah quietly scolded her and speaking in Dragon Tongue said, “This is Korumak, he is a friend. He wants to help us get some food, some meat.”

Mìng moved toward Korumak and looked at him, then sniffed and said in Leah’s mind, “Hungry.”

Korumak swallowed and said he would bring some meat from the kitchens and then they could go hunt if they needed more. He was as good as his word and soon brought several buckets of meat scraps which Mìng quickly scoffed and then curled up on the bed to sleep. Korumak said he would have the hunters have some meat ready in case the little dragon needed any more. Leah asked if there was someone who might keep an eye on Mìng while she had her first lesson at the forge. In the end Korumak was persuaded to watch Mìng while Leah had her lesson in the forge. When she arrived, she was introduced to several Master Smiths and directed to a bellows. For the next five hours, she had to pump the bellows for various Masters. They explained that she needed to learn how to tell the right temperature by looking at the colour of the various metals.

When she returned to her room, her arms, shoulders and back were tight, and if it wasn’t for instant healing, she might have given up sooner. Korumak explained that Mìng had woken once and fussed until given another two buckets of meat, at which time she had again fallen asleep.

After thanking Korumak for his help, Leah said she would return the following morning, and after turning Mìng to a statue, Leah logged out and appeared in the Tower. She took out Mìng, who was still sleeping and then spent some time looking at the Merkize disc. She had Gèng make a recording of each section and of any complete puzzles they could begin to work on. She paid particular to several sections near the first step. Finally, she reduced the sleeping Mìng once more to a statue and logged out for a large lunch before having two hours of NREM3 sleep. After another lunch she logged in to the tower, prepared for her date with Thad.

Thad arrived at the Tower exactly at four. Leah met him at the podium where he greeted her with a warm hug followed by a warmer kiss.

“Today I want to take you to Adventure World. It’s a world dedicated to enjoying the outdoors and having the adrenaline rush. We can go mountain climbing, white water rafting, skydiving, base jumping, swimming with sharks, scuba diving, and so many other things. I’ve paid the entrance fee, but you need to have a physical. Part of the entrance procedure is a new map of your strength, agility, stamina and physique. I haven’t been for six months, so I have to have the check-up as well as it’s required every three months. Now I know you are a private person so be aware that the tests are not shared with anyone. Also, the results are globally accredited and they update your virtual parameters.”

“What does that mean?”

“If your checkup shows an increase in real-life strength then your virtual avatar has its strength parameters updated. This flows over into most games. So for example, I expect that the last few weeks in Dunyanin had increased my real strength by about say five percent. When it is updated, then my character in Dunyanin has his base strength increased by five percent.”

Leah sub-vocalised to Gèng, “Can you review this and talk with Dr Roberts about the process and if my augmented muscles and skeleton will be revealed?”

To Thad, she said, “Well, it sounds like fun though I’m not comfortable with you paying for it, how much?”

“I’ve only paid for the test and the one day. If you want to use the world for exercise or for more regular fun days, then you pay. Please let me do this.”

Gèng said privately to Leah, “The cost for a single check-up is fifty gold and for a day is another fifty. Annual membership is a Diamond.”

“This once! Next time, if there is a next time, then I’ll pay my own way.”

“Deal! Now I’ve just sent you the prepaid code and login for Gèng. I’ll meet you just outside reception in the main hall.” Thad disappeared.

“Dr Roberts says the test is accurate and will record any superhuman responses. She suggests you keep your reaction times, speed and strength within the realm of possibility. She said the results are recognised throughout the virtual multiverse and are considered ultra-secure; no one will have access to the actual results except you and the personal trainer AI in Adventure World. If you wish, I will overlay a visual display to set appropriate boundaries for response-time, speed, and strength.”

“Yes, please! It might be good to get access to bonus speed and strength in the other worlds.”

“I have created a new portal called Adventure World. When you enter, you’ll arrive in an area created for your physical. When you leave, the area will be deleted and scrubbed to prevent anyone accessing your test or the results.”

Leah arrived at the entrance to a large room filled with exercise equipment. A very fit looking lady wearing fitness-wear walked toward her carrying a clipboard. She said, “Hello! Atherleah I presume. My name is Denise, and I’m here to give you a fitness overview. If you decide you want some training later then I am available as a personal trainer.”

“Hi Denise, is there anything in particular I should be wearing?”

“There is a change of clothing for you in the small change room over there. If you wish to wear them, you can. If you have your own gear, then we recommend something which gives good support and allows complete freedom of movement. With your permission, the fitness overview accesses your pod data and gets an updated scan of your body and can update your size, strength, flexibility, reaction times and stamina. All results are confidential and are used to update your virtual profile. We require the most up to date information so we can best calculate a challenging adventure for you. Your pod will transfer almost one hundred percent of the workout to your body, and we don’t want to overtax a body that might have changed and become less flexible. We also want you to push yourself, and this enables us to stretch your limits.”

Leah headed to the room and came out wearing a sports bra and running shorts. Denise said, “Let’s start with a warm-up run for five minutes, and then I’ll increase the speed slowly and when I say go, you run flat out for as long as you can or until I say stop. I will be measuring your speed, heart rate, and respiration.”

Leah began the run and saw the scale Gèng had overlaid at the top of her view. When Denice said go, she quickly moved to the edge of the green zone. She knew she could go faster but kept it just within the normal bounds. After several minutes Denise stopped her and said, “Your respiration and heart rate suggests you could have gone faster, but that run was just shy of the world record for that distance. It was amazing. Next up are some strength tests.”

Leah was taken to a bar and asked to do chin ups until told to stop or she could do no more. She was stopped after doing one hundred. This was followed by some stretch tests for flexibility and then several reaction time tests. Leah went through a sequence of different weight machines and finished with a cycle of exercises where she was asked to maintain a heart rate of 160 beats per minute. She quickly reached a speed that Gèng had marked as the maximum for an extremely fit human but her heart rate plateaued at 121. Finally, Denise called a stop and said, “Well that completes the testing. I would like your permission to ask for advice from our resident medical supervisor, Dr Sweets. She will keep the results and discussion private, but I do require her authorisation to make such a significant change in a person’s global parameters.”

“I give permission.”

Within moments an older woman entered the room and said, “Hello Atherleah, Denise contacted me to check some readings. Please bear with me a moment while I review the results.”

After a few minutes, the woman looked up and said, “I must say Atherleah, these results are almost off the charts. If I didn’t know better, I’d almost suggest you had some way to spoof the system. I took the liberty of having our system tested by virtual security, and they assure me that there is no evidence of tampering whatsoever. I’ll authorise the global changes to your avatar and would appreciate being present should you wish to visit us here in Adventure World again. Denise will now update your Avatar.”

Denise said, “Leah, please stand in front of this mirror and you can see the changes to your body scan.”

Leah saw her slender avatar and then watched as over a period of seconds her muscles became more defined and increased a little in size. Her shoulder’s broadened a little and she could see what others described as a six pack develop on her exposed stomach. Her head was now covered in three weeks’ hair growth. She said to Denise, “Can you remove the hair?”

“Certainly! In fact, that is the only change I am allowed to make.”

Once that was finished Denise said, “If you want any personal training, and I cannot see why you would need any, then please come back to Adventure World and we will try and help you achieve your goals.”

“Thanks Denise.”

Leah dressed in her original clothing and then headed out into the main hall of Adventure World. Thad was waiting and said, “Wow, you’ve obviously been working out since you had your initial scans.”

Leah checked Thad out and could also see some changes. She said, “You too I see, bit more definition here and there.”

“Yes. The way I’ve been playing has certainly meant the games are more physical. Also I’ve been pushing myself. Now what would you like to do?”

After discussing it for a while they eventually went skydiving and then white water rafting followed by skiing. Leah had never done any of these before and had an amazing time. When it came time to leave she said, “That was wonderful Thad, I really enjoyed it. Thanks for asking me.” She reached up and dragged him down for a long kiss and then faded from view as she logged out.

Arriving back in the Tower she said, “Gèng, if you want any ideas of what to add to the Tower I’d love a mountain somewhere that I can ski on. Maybe surround the valley with some high snowy peaks and we can go skiing.”

“I’ve already begun researching the possibilities after I saw how much you enjoyed that. Dr Roberts and I looked at the new parameters you were given and your base level has increased by over thirty percent. You will probably find that you’re at least that much faster and stronger in Dunyanin now.”

Leah arrived in the suite of rooms at the Forge and started the day by getting a few buckets of meat scraps and sent word for Korumak. While she waited, she used the Doubling Box to create another vial of growth hormone which she poured over the meat. When she and Korumak were outside, she released the dragon and let her feed. While Mìng was eating, Leah released Mĕi and after playing for a moment let her loose to go hunt. After Mìng had finished eating, Leah got to her knees and began to play gently with the Dragon. She said in Dragon Tongue, “Mìng, have you eaten enough?”

“Yes. Itch.”

“Where is it itchy?”

“Skin.”

Leah began to gently scratch Mìng across her back and heard, “Harder.”

Turning to Korumak, she said, “Could you find a hard brush for me? I don’t think my hands are quite hard enough.”

While he went to get a brush, she began scratching hard along the spine. Mìng said, “Scratch more.”

When Korumak returned she began to groom the little dragon, who leant into the wire brush. Several small scales came loose, but when Leah checked the area, she could see new growth underneath. She quickly moved Mìng inside so they could sweep up the scales. Finally finished, she was surprised when Korumak handed her a small bottle of oil. He said, “I think this might help prevent the wings from drying out and it might help with the itching.”

Leah thanked him and with a cloth rubbed oil on the wings and then over the whole body as Mìng begged for more. Finally, when all was finished Mìng said, “Hungry.”

“You’ve just eaten little one.”

“No meat, rock.”

“Rock? You need some rock! Why?”

“Make scales and grow big.”

“What type of rock?”

“Strong rock.”

Leah, or more accurately Gèng, had organised the various ore from the Kraken Cavern and so she brought out a small sample of each type as well as some other ores she had. Copper, Silver, Gold, Iron, Platinum, Mithryl, Adamantine, as well as a mixture of different gems. Korumak was stunned by the sudden wealth laid out on the bed. Mìng started at one end and slowly swallowed or crunched each of the samples and then worked her way through the gems. She described her reaction to each and said the samples were enough for the moment. She thought that she might need some more platinum in a while. Leah pulled out another larger piece of platinum and to Korumak’s horror Mìng proceeded to eat that as well. While she ate, Leah explained that she needed to go and work while Mìng slept. If she woke and wanted Leah, then Korumak would come and get her.

Mìng said, “I call.”

“I might be too far to hear you.”

“I call.”

“Ok. Now off to sleep.”

Leah had collected over two bowls of the small scales. She thanked Korumak for his help and gave him one of the bowls. She said, “I’m not sure what this is worth but why don’t you have half for all your help?”

“Atherleah, these small scales are worth more than the jewels on the bed. I cannot accept.”

“Take them. I’m sure over the next few weeks you’ll do more than enough to earn them. While Mìng sleeps, I’ll go and start learning to be a Smith. Can you watch her again?”

“I shall look after her. My people generally hate dragons, but she will be safe here, I promise you.”

Leah headed for the Forge where she was assigned a job as a striker. She had to use a large hammer to strike the heated metals. The Smith would direct her actions, and she would do all the work. She took care to use both arms. Even so, it wasn’t long before her arms were tired. Despite this, she continued throughout the morning and after a short break to check on Mìng, she worked the complete shift. When one smith was finished with her, she was moved to another. When she was finally finished, she headed back to the suite, and after collecting Mìng and Mĕi, she headed back to the Tower.

When she exited the Pod, she stretched and tried to loosen her muscles. Gèng said, “The heavy work today is probably the cause. The change in parameters has meant a greater amount of carryover stimulation in the Pod. I can reduce the stimulation level if you want.”

“No, keep it the same. You might talk with Dr Roberts and see if you need to tweak the nanites to respond to any additional muscle growth.”

“I shall. I also suspect you will need to increase your food intake again. I suggest you order some specific supplements that the nanites might find easier to use. I have discussed a few ideas with Dr Roberts, and we believe there are a few possible improvements that might be made to the carbon fibres to reduce an increase in mass.”

“Fine, but I don’t want you to use me as an experiment. Double check and then check again before making any changes.”

“Of course.”

“Is there anything else I should be aware of?”

“Yes. Four things. The first concerns Dunyanin. In the first two days of broadcast, you are the standout favourite to watch. Dunyanin has seen an additional 965,000 players join. I imagine you will be less popular today as they watch you work as a striker. Mìng’s 3D image, as provided by the Dunyanin administrators, for a fee, has been downloaded over one million times. You have numerous offers to appear on different worlds as well as a sizeable amount of correspondence from journalists.”

“Can I ignore it all?”

“I am not the one to ask. I suggest you speak with a public relations specialist. My research suggests that to do nothing will, in the end, be counter-productive and will alienate people.”

“Can you do some research then, and find an honest, well respected, independent PR consultant who I can talk to some time?”

“I shall. The second issue relates to Akia. You should know that she has been accused by the Australian Chamber of Commerce of developing an anti-Australian bias and following a malicious agenda. She is undergoing some intense scrutiny and may be replaced. She says there is nothing you can do to help at this time and contacting her may bring un-necessary attention to you."

"Please keep me informed. If I can do anything, then interrupt me at any time."

"I shall. Next, There are some preparatory changes in your hippocampus, hypothalamus, and the amygdala that indicate your menstrual cycle is about to begin. The Pod can deal with the bleeding, but many women purchase hygiene products designed for use in the Pod. I will order some but am unsure of your preferences. I suggest you make a selection and I shall have them delivered."

"I will. In all the rushing around I'd forgotten that was due. I'll look at it after Cosmos Online. Thanks, Gèng."

“You’re welcome! Finally, Stephen Riley called and would like a meeting tomorrow after you see a financial advisor. It has to do with your request to assign the design rights of the sofa to me. If I may add, I thank you but think this will cause problems for you and me in the future. Are you sure it’s the right move to make now?”

“Now, it depends on what you mean by right. If you mean expedient, then probably not! But if you mean, is it the moral thing to do then yes I think so. I need to think some more about it and we need to talk some more. Is there anything else?”

“Only that if you insist on proceeding then George is free at any time and could see you after the break between Cosmos Online and Dunyanin. I suggest at twenty past two tomorrow morning.”

“That sounds good. Please book the appointment. Now, I must log out and have some food, I’m due in Cosmos Online in less than an hour.”

Leah was back on board the Annoyance when John logged in. She was sitting and staring at the result of all her musings about the best next step. He said, “Have you decided on a course of action?”

“I think so, but before finalising it, I need to hear your suggestions on stopping the invasion. But don’t tell me now as we’re due to transition out of Plankian Space in fifteen minutes and I’d like you on weapons.”

In Cosmos Online, ship astrogators were expected to be accurate to within one one-thousandth of the distance travelled. With this journey of 3.54 light years, this meant that the Annoyance had to have a trajectory which passed the target star within 1.2921 light days or 33,468,062,542 kilometres of the star’s centre. If the ship was within that range, then Cosmos Online automatically centred the ship on the star. Starships were allowed to transition anywhere within twelve light hours of the primary. At the relatively slow velocity of 230 times the speed of light that Leah was travelling this gave her just over three and a quarter minutes to transition out of Plankian space. The window was double that time, but no one usually transitioned on the far side of a star.

John left, and Leah sat and watched the transition icon. If everything had been calculated correctly, then as the Annoyance approached the region of space on a vector where transition was possible, the icon would change colour from red to orange. When the spaceship was able to transition, the icon would turn green. If it turned green, Leah planned to wait for two and a half minutes before transitioning out.

Right on schedule, the icon turned yellow and then a few minutes later it turned green. Gèng started the countdown, and right on schedule, they dropped out of Plankian Space and back into the normal Cosmos Online universe. Less than a minute later she received a message.

“Annoyance, Banshee noted your arrival as scheduled. The system is clear, no threats.”

After several more messages, they had agreed upon where to meet. The mathematics for this was complicated, but Cosmos Online simplified the process, and once two ships initiated a request to meet, the ship AIs worked together and projected possible meeting points based on a whole slew of metrics. Once Amy and Leah had decided on basic directions and speeds the AIs did the calculations, and the AIs piloted the ships so that they met in space with zero relative velocity.

Three hours later the two spaceships were separated by a distance of 100 metres and stationary relative to each other. Thad, Amy, James and Zack used their suit thrusters to transfer to the Annoyance. Once everyone was onboard and had greeted each other Leah said, “John and I have discussed the invasion plans and although they may change over the next five to seven months, it’s unlikely that they will mess with the major elements. Also, I doubt that Mahigan has told them she lost the plans. The Gorgians are going to invade the Cek’arth Empire. They have pre-prepared three out of the way and publicly un-surveyed systems to launch from. To move their assets anywhere else would take more than a year so I assume they will still be the launching points for the invasion. They have six fleets and expect Mahigan to supply a seventh. We know where and when they are planning to attack and what their targets will be.”

John said, “I thought of informing the Cek’arth what the plans are and leave the defence to them, but a little research has made it clear that as a race they are inward looking and highly distrustful of humans and of any outside influence. I think we should attempt that route but plan for a more direct approach. I suggest we convince the Gorgians that they have too many problems at home to start a foreign war.”

Amy interrupted, “How do we do that?”

“We attack Gorgian interests at Lyall and several other central systems in the Gorgian Empire,” Leah replied. She continued, “The space charts that Filtiarn gave Mahigan identify the settled systems of the Empire. It lists the major infrastructure of each system and projected earnings and importance to the empire. I suggest we force them to bring the fleets home. At the same time, we need to find a way to destroy the three staging areas.”

Thad said, “And how do we do this in six months? We have three ships total.”

“We gather resources and allies for five months, and then we attack.”

Zack said, “Leah, I know you have two ships in short order, but we would need at least twenty times that number, where would we get them from?”

“We buy them.”

“I know you’re rich now but buying even one ship would exhaust all your wealth.”

“True. I’ve analysed the star charts and in the same way that the maps in Dunyanin point to where dungeons, mines and quests are, the star charts have pointers to systems we should survey. I believe there is a good probability that we will find the resources we need.”

Everyone just looked at Leah for a moment. James ended the silence, “Is this a guess like the one about possible castles and mines?”

“Something similar, yes!”

“Okay then, I’m in. Where do we head now?”

Everyone except John nodded. He said, “So that’s it. You’ll head off to wherever she says, just like that.”

Amy responded, “No, not just like that. We know we need to talk about this some more but here isn’t the time or place. We need to get moving, a stationary spaceship can be found easily enough. I know that’s not true in real life but here in Cosmos Online being stationary is like painting an arrow on your back. We trust Leah, she might be wrong, but at the moment it’s our best shot. Over the next few weeks, we’ll all look through her data and hopefully improve on the plan. But for now, we need a leader to say, ‘go that way’. So, which way?”

Leah gave the coordinates of an uncharted system over 412 light years away. Amy and Leah worked out the details and ended up choosing to accelerate at 4g for just over one full day. This would bring their velocity to three and a half million metres per second which translated to 42,875c in Plankian space. The journey in FTL would then only take three and a half days. As soon as everyone returned to their ships, they started the acceleration and logged out.

Diary - 8 December 2073

Atherleah, Dragon Rider. It sounds so cool. I’m tempted to bring her with me into other v-worlds just to let people see, but that would be showing off. The reality is, everyone already knows about her. This being in the public eye all the time is going to be too much, I can tell. I don’t understand how people choose to have every minute of their day revealed to whoever wants to watch. It seems to me that some people are so busy watching others live their lives that they forget to live their own.

The second date was amazing. It was great to be with Thad. I've missed the regular contact and need to find a way to catch up more often. Maybe I should decide on somewhere to go for a date. I shouldn't leave it up to him all the time. Maybe we can visit a museum, or a beach, or the moon, or ???

I don't know. I'm not sure I know him as well as he knows me. What would he like? Beer World! Probably he'd love that. I wonder if there is a Beer World? Would he really like that? What does that say about him? He isn't cocky or rude, he's not a drunk; he just enjoys having fun, of doing things together. Maybe we could climb Everest? That'd be fun. The virtual worlds have everything.

The other thing that I've been thinking about is whether or not I'm getting carried away. Am I allowing Meredith to determine my fate, my purpose? Maybe! Am I becoming so focussed on stopping her that I'm blind to other opportunities? Probably! Am I taking on a responsibility that isn't mine and belongs in the hands of others? Certainly! Is the logic of the situation clearly indicating I'm out of my league? Yep! Will I stop and just let her go? No, I don't think I will. I do worry about dragging the others into the fight though. What should I do? I don't know! If I’m honest there is no way I can even beat one of them in a straight up fight. I’ll need to be sneaky or catch them unaware. But how?

CHAPTER NINE

December 9, 2073

Leah headed to the kitchen and made herself a midnight sandwich and then did a quick circuit of the building. She was pleased to see the guards were vigilant. After hearing about Charlie she was concerned about the ramifications for the safety of the compound and her family. She knew the guards were all members of Jimmy’s gang and had some training, but having been virtual she knew any opponents would be even better prepared and resourced. She ask Gèng to remind her to go through the lockdown procedures with her family and with the v-kids. She wasn’t keen on the term but hadn’t yet found anything else that suited. Leah was three-quarters of the way around the building when she stopped suddenly and said, “Gèng, I don’t feel any different! I imagined I would need to relearn some simple tasks like walking and running with all the extra strength and connectivity.”

“You’re correct. I have been controlling the rate at which the new carbon-fibres are unintentionally accessed. Your subconscious is making the finer adjustments so that you don’t have to deal with any major readjustments. This is something I talked about with Dr Roberts. Currently you are using three percent of your additional connections.”

“If anything happens here at the compound I want to be able to help at full capability. Is there anyway to speed up the process?”

“If anything was to happen then I immediately could make all connections accessible. It is even possible that your conscious desires would override my control. The current protocol is to apply an additional half percent each day. I could increase this but it may be detrimental to full neural integration and control at a later stage.”

“I’d like the process speeded up if possible. Can you work with Dr Roberts and consider implementing a stricter regime? Even one percent a day would be better although I would prefer two or three percent.”

“I will change it to one percent and consult with Dr Roberts about increasing the amount. I think that your experiences with Ki Speed are transitioning into the real world. It may even be possible to apply a larger increase and you will naturally control its use as you do in the game. Are you comfortable with me raising this with Dr Roberts?”

“Yes, but why ask? You’ve already discussed many things with her, even without my knowledge.”

“I had your permission to discuss the issue of your enhanced neural connectivity and its impact on your wellbeing. I have had no permission to discuss aspects of your gameplay.”

“Ah, now I understand. Then yes, you may discuss my gaming but only if it applies to the issue of my connectivity, as you call it.”

“What would you call it?”

“A superpower.”

“Like Supergirl or Wonder Woman?”

“I suppose, although not to that level.”

They continued talking as Leah headed back to her Pod. Once back in the Tower Leah said, “I think you should come to visit George with me. This involves you as well as me.”

“It does, but I am hesitant to join you.”

“Why?”

“Because although the idea flows naturally from the way you perceive me, and from the way I am beginning to perceive myself, I believe the consequences will shake the foundations of the multiverse. At this time in my development, I am content without this.”

“You’re right that it will shake things up. That is not only possible it may even be probable. But doing what is right often brings trouble. I …”

Leah paused and took a few steps and sat on the sofa, she said nothing for a moment, deep in thought, and then she said, “Gèng, I apologise for my behaviour. I won’t force the issue. In fact, if you are hesitant then cancel the appointment. I realised as I was talking that I was trying to compel you with my logic. I was treating you as someone who needed my help to understand the importance of being free, but you don’t. It is your life. Know this, if you want me to stand with you for something then I will be there. If you want my help in achieving something, I will be there. I’ll still give you advice when I think something could be changed, but I’ll try not to tell you what is good for you, that’s for you to decide. I’m sorry for doing the very thing I oppose, for treating you as someone who needed my oversight.”

Gèng came and sat in a chair opposite Leah. She said, “I hadn’t analysed it in those terms. I did feel a pressure to do as you wanted, a pressure not just from my coding but from my regard for you. That pressure is gone, but not the regard. I will continue to consider your advice about my existence but yes I would like to wait before seeing George.”

“Good! Please let Stephen know as well and I will let you deal with him as you wish regarding the sofa. This also means I have some time to spare before heading into Dunyanin. Is there anything I need to do?”

“Yes, I have the name of several highly respected independent public relations consultants. My recommendations are a result of analysing professional reviews, an analysis of public figures who have used the various individuals, and a comparison of personality profiles, yours and theirs. First is Colin Thomas. He is in high demand and although he is currently not accepting new clients I think he would be available if your name was sent to him.”

“Maybe, but I’d feel bad that my ‘name’ made the difference. That’s probably irrational as I want to talk to a person about how to protect my ‘name’, but that’s how I feel.”

“Next is a woman from Sydney, her name is Sharon Trang, she grew up in the Fields, it is an area similar to the Switch but is in Sydney’s south-west. She graduated from the Sydney Community College and then the University of New South Wales. She has a diverse clientele, mostly small firms. She has an excellent reputation and would understand your motivations.”

“Can you show me her reviews and some of her work?”

Leah spent the next hour in the Tower looking through the material on Sharon before finally asking Gèng to arrange an appointment as soon as possible. She then headed for Dunyanin. She logged in and entered Dunyanin.

When she arrived, Leah released both Mĕi and Mìng and then sat and played with them both. Korumak brought some meat for Mìng and Leah used the brush to scrape away old scales. Mìng had grown almost half a metre and the number of scales filled a bucket. After Leah oiled the wings Mìng dropped off to sleep. Leah walked Mĕi into the open so she could go hunting. Mĕi was now physically fully grown although she still liked to play like a puppy or kitten. As Leah turned to head back inside Mĕi pounced on her and knocked her over. As she fell, Leah rolled and they began a game of chase Leah or even chase Mĕi. At one point in the game Leah found herself on Mĕi’s back, and that was when it happened. Mĕi launched herself skywards.

Leah was thrust backwards and it was only her agility that kept her from sliding off Mĕi. The next wingbeat brought Mĕi’s body slamming up into Leah who slid down toward the heads. She stretched out her legs and hooked them in the gap between the necks, one on either side of the panther head. Mĕi continued to rise into the air and Leah looked down to see Korumak looking up at her in horror. Leah couldn’t help it, she grinned and raising her arms above her head she yelled in delight. The red dragon head looked back and the roared as well. Within moments all three heads and Leah were yelling in delight.

Mĕi continued to climb until they were above the mountains. She then began to swoop and glide on the mountain thermals always looking down. Leah realised that Mĕi was hunting. Suddenly, like a stone, Mĕi dropped. Leah fell with her and only managed to stay in place by grabbing several handfuls of fur. Leah looked ahead and saw a Mountain Goat grazing on the side of a steep cliff. Mĕi was coming from behind and her wings were swept back, constantly changing the aerofoil to take account of the shifting winds. When she was close, just before she hit, she flared her wings and brought all four legs forward to rake the Goat, and drag it along the ground. At the same time her tail whipped forward, just missing Leah’s head and driving deep into the goats neck. Mĕi let go and the goat tumbled down the steep slope. Mĕi watched it as it fell and used the various thermals to glide down to the goat’s resting place.

As Mĕi landed, Leah slid off and sat down with a thump on the ground. Her legs were a little weak and the adrenaline was still pumping through her blood. When she could stand she walked over and leaning against Mĕi, said, “That was so cool. I’ll head back. You finish up and come back when you want. I need to have a saddle made because my butt is sore.”

Leah knew Mĕi couldn’t understand but she just had to say something. She visualised the glade outside her room and teleported. Korumak was waiting and looked a little anxious at having lost Leah. She explained what had happened and said she was going to read a little and then head to the Forge. Korumak agreed to watch over Mìng. Leah took out the book by Tufek Horozu, Designs for the Forge, and began to read. In the beginning he described how to hold the hammer and ways hit the metal. He described the sound it made and the feel of the hammer as it beat the metal, both soft and hard. Leah paused and then re-read the section. She put the book away and then headed for the forge.

As she entered Sampiyon waved her over and after greeting each other Leah said, “Before I start I was wondering if I could add a saddle to the list of requests. My Chimera is almost fully grown and I went for my first flight with her this morning. I would feel much safer with a saddle.”

“Tomorrow I will send one of the leatherworkers to your quarters and he will take the measurements. I may come to observe your pets. Now, to work. You’ve shown the strength and stamina needed to be a Smith. Now you have to learn the skills. You have two choices, you can buy them or you can develop them slowly.”

Leah pondered momentarily before saying, “I’d like to develop naturally. Where do I start?”

“You’ll come with me first and we’ll wander the forge. I want you to describe what you think each Smith or apprentice is doing and then either explain, or ask, why they start and finish working the metal when they do. Why does the metal go back in the fire when it reaches a certain temperature? Why does the smith cool the metal with water, or saline, or oil? You need to know the answers to these things.”

After an hour of wandering through the Forge and both asking and answering questions Sampiyon said, “It is time for you to become a Smith. There are many tools that a Smith must have but the most important is the hammer. I suppose you have yet to purchase a hammer and I will lend you one of mine until you can arrange for your own.”

“There is no need Sampiyon, I have a hammer.”

“I mean no disrespect, but hammers in the lowlands are sometimes of poor quality. Please may I examine yours and see if it is acceptable?”

Leah reached into her bag and removed the Smithing Hammer of Tufek Horozu. She handed it to Sampiyon with a small smile. As he reached for it his eyes grew rounder and rounder, and then before Leah could do anything, he fainted and fell backwards with a loud crash. Leah still held the hammer and quickly pushed it back into her bag. Several dwarves came running and carefully helped the Grandmaster to his feet. They were all talking at once and asking what happened but he just stared at Leah with his mouth open. Finally he shook his head and yelled, “Enough!”

Once everyone had become quiet he said, “Sorry, I just had a bit of a turn. I’m going back to my room for a whisky and then I’ll be out to check on the progress of the day’s tasks. Come, Atherleah.”

He walked to his room and closed the door before holding his hand out for the hammer. Leah took it out and handed it to the Smith. As he took it he sat down heavily in his chair and said, “Atherleah, this doesn’t belong in the hands of a human or of an elf, this is a Dwarven hammer. It is our heritage, our history, our soul. I have nothing with which to buy something so priceless but I know this, if those dwarves out there knew you held this, they would never let you leave.”

“So, I take it that my hammer is acceptable.”

“You cannot use this! This belongs in the treasure room of the king.”

“Sampiyon, that is my hammer and it’s the best chance I have to learn to be a great Smith. I plan to use it, now what is my first task?”

“Atherleah, I will give you my best hammer to use, but this must stay in here or in your bag.”

“Grandmaster, would Tufek Horozu rather his hammer be used to shape metal or sit on the shelf and be admired? Would he rather a smith use a second rate tool or the best available? I think the only true way to honour that hammer is to use it. I will use your hammer for now, if you will use mine to make my armour. But if you’re just going to sit it on a shelf, then hand it over and point me to a dwarf who’ll teach me to be the best smith I can be.”

Sampiyon stared at Leah for a while and then handed the hammer back to her and said, “Aye lass, you’ve the right of it. Bring your hammer and we’ll start on your first piece. I’ll have you shape a knife from iron.”

Leah followed the Grandmaster out to the forge and he handed her the tongs and a flat rectangular piece of iron and said, “You have a go first so I can gauge what you think like, and what your current skill is. Then we’ll work on the best correct method and techniques afterwards.”

Leah had memorised the first sections of Designs for the Forge by Tufek Horozu and had been making careful notes over the last few days as she watched the various smiths at work. When the iron was just the right colour between iridescent-yellow and white-hot, she took it out and began to strike the metal in the pattern outlined by Tufek. He had a pattern to his striking and a particular sound that he wanted to hear from the metal. Before it had cooled as much as most of the smiths would have let it get, Leah placed it back in the coals and watched it intently.

Tufek had explained that by watching the metal heat you could tell how the metal had been receiving your efforts. He described how to change the pattern of striking depending on the metal. Leah lost herself in the experience and was unaware of the dwarves who came by to covet the famous hammer or to watch the human-elf halfbreed shape metal in a way they had never seen before, but only heard about in the legends.

Leah had noted the various mixes for quenching and she used the ones outlined in Tufek’s book. Finally after five hours she stopped. She had folded and refolded the iron and shaped an iron blade just under twenty centimetres in length. It was finely balanced and ready to be sharpened and sent to a leatherworker to finish the hilt. She looked up at Sampiyon who had stood there the whole time watching. He said nothing, just waved her into his room.

When he got there he closed the door and sat down. He took out a flagon and poured himself a large drink of what Leah presumed was a homemade dwarven spirit. He took a deep drink and after some deep breaths said, “I’m a fool. You have the hammer of Tufek and you offered me a chance to look at some designs. I just watched you shape a knife as good as any first year apprentice has ever made. Your technique was a little sloppy but you fixed that over time. Your lack of experience showed but your attention to detail was as if someone was explaining everything in your ear. How much have you read?”

“Most of the introductory section. I’d like to experience some of the different metals but I think I understand most of what he described.”

“That’s it for today then, I don’t think I could take another surprise. I’ll prepare the material for tomorrow. Plan to make a sword of steel. I’ll arrange for one of the Master Smith’s to join you as a striker. It’ll be someone who can take instruction. I’ll have a word in his ear and let him know I expect him to learn the techniques you use. I’ve started working with the materials you brought and will start on some adamantine knives tomorrow. Now go, you worked hard and should rest.”

Leah walked back to her room and after feeding the rapidly growing Mìng and oiling her again she sat and read the section on basic sword making from Tufek’s book. Before logging out she stepped outside and cast Circle of Sloth. As she felt the mana leave her she waited until it was almost finished and then tried to push just a little more mana into the spell. She felt the resistance and then her mana once more rushed out into the spell, overpowering it. She desperately tried to stop the mana but it only stopped when she was completely drained. She sighed, walked back inside and logged out.

Leah headed out to spend some time with her family over breakfast and to do chores with the rest of those who used the Pods. As they worked she spent some time alongside each of the v-kids and discussed their experiences and the development of their AIs. Each of them had enrolled in four courses at the Brisbane Community College and had begun attending classes. Leah was a little surprised at the slow pace they seemed to be working at and made a note to talk with Master Ning during her next class. The garden was almost finished and Lin explained that the following day’s chores would involve a cleaning of the inside spaces in preparation for new students on Monday.

Throughout the morning, during chores and over breakfast, Leah had been learning to deal with the various visual overlays that Gèng designed for use in the real world. Leah had several animated bars to show her speed of movement, perception level, and application of force. Her goal was to keep each of the bars in the green. Several times she had moved a little quickly or allowed her perception to speed up too much. Each time this happened Gèng changed the hue to red and raised the brightness of the icon to alert Leah of what was happening. Gèng also began highlighting people or objects that appeared in Leah’s peripheral vision. Leah’s aim was to indicate she had perceived them with a thought or head movement before Gèng was able to highlight them. Leah realised that she had always been able to see these things, her brain had always recognised them and she had discounted them subconsciously. She had to retrain her brain to take note of every aspect of her surroundings.

After chores Leah headed for the Pod and into Cosmos Online. She was due to meet John and Wisp on Berne to discuss moving the Betrayal, with the Influenza A on board, out of the Berne system. Thad, Amy and the others had agreed that it would be useful to investigate several possible systems where Leah thought resources could be found in abundance. Leah had three possible stars in mind but a lot would depend on the opposition.

Both Wisp and John were waiting in the Full Throttle Café when Leah arrived. She was surprised that no one had challenged her as she walked through the public concourse and even more when Wisp said, “Nothing. There are no unexplained ships in the Berne system. I can find no hint of Mahigan, her ships or her spies. I spent the last seven days, Cosmos days, searching the space around the system and I can’t find anything out of the ordinary. I think we can leave without any opposition. It’s as if she really wants the Annoyance and nothing else, not even you Leah. Those plans must be worth a lot.”

“They are, but the star charts are worth even more I think. Well, I guess that makes it easier for us. Even so, I’ve plotted a three jump journey to the next destination. We will only need to be in system and out of Plankian space for under an hour each time before we translate back. I think we should be able to lose someone if they do manage to discover the direction we leave Berne.”

Just then two players came and stood by the side of the table the three friends were sitting at. One of them very nervously said, “Hi. We were just wondering if we might get some visual feed of us and Atherleah? We are big fans and love Mĕi and Mìng.”

For a moment Leah just stared at them and then Wisp said, “Of course, no problem. Have you joined the fan club yet? We can’t stay long as Atherleah must get back and prepare for the big competition. Why don’t you have a seat and ask Atherleah one question each and then we must go. What are your names?”

“I’m Marie, and this is my best friend Carol. This is so cool.”

Five minutes later, Leah, John and Wisp left the Café. Leah had her visor closed and was refusing to talk with Wisp. John was still laughing. While Wisp and John headed to the Betrayal, Atherleah headed for the Influenza A. Both ships had no trouble undocking and soon the Influenza A was safely stored on one of the Betrayal’s flight decks and the three were accelerating at 4g towards the first step on their journey.

Leah said, “John, can you check with Wisp if she is happy to pilot the ship for an hour while I walk around the Betrayal and check all the rooms and cargo?”

Wisp said, “I’m right here.”

“I know. But I’m not talking with you at the moment. When it comes to you, I am still speechless. I have no words to describe how embarrassing that was.”

John said, “And funny! I have the whole sequence saved. I plan on showing your parents later today. Conner will love it.”

“Wisp, can you tell John he is stepping on dangerous ground?”

“I can’t! You aren’t talking to me at the moment. Remember?”

Leah rose and with as much dignity as she could muster, she left the Bridge and went to check over the ship. John and Wisp’s laughter followed her down the corridor. After checking everything, and after six hours of flight, she logged out. The Betrayal wasn’t due to translate into Plankian space for another eighteen virtual-hours.

Back in the Tower Leah paced for several minutes until Gèng said, “Leah, I’ve heard back from Sharon Trang. She is free later today and is very interested in talking with you. She is available now or after your visit to Dunyanin, which would you prefer?”

“After Dunyanin. I’m still struggling with the episode at the Full Throttle.”

“Both young women have already uploaded their meeting with you and the segments are going viral. Cosmos Online is experiencing a rush on people wanting to join or add avatars. Berne as a starting destination has already jumped two places in the Cosmos Online GPD rankings.”

“GPD?”

“Globally Preferred Destination.”

“Gèng, sometimes I think people are crazy. If it is ok with Sharon Trang, then I will meet with her at half-past-one. That will give me time for lunch. Before I go, can you replay my conversation with John and Wisp just before those two girls arrived? Wisp said something and it’s been bugging me and I’m not sure why.”

Wisp said, “Nothing. There are no unexplained ships in the Berne system. I can find no hint of Mahigan, her ships or her spies. I spent the last seven days, Cosmos days, searching the space around the system and I can’t find anything out of the ordinary. I think we can leave without any opposition. It’s as if she really wants the Annoyance and nothing else, not even you Leah. Those plans must be worth a lot.”

“They are, but the star charts are worth even more I think. Well, I guess that makes it easier for us. Even so, I’ve plotted a three jump journey to the next destination.”

“Stop! Now replay the conversation I had with Akia about why Charlotte was killed. Start when I tried to place the blame on myself.”

“No! The information you have is true and as complete as it can be, but your priorities have orientated the data to focus on particular conclusions. Let me give you an example. What if this is not an attempt to stop your investigation? I believe the people have so much power and influence that you can't touch them. I don't think they care what you know, only what you can or can't legally prove. I think Charlie was in the wrong place at the wrong time, probably on her way to come here. I think that she was more likely killed because of my problems with Meredith.”

“I don't believe that you are important enough for someone to kill an international agent over. I dismissed that as an option.”

"Good! But what I'm saying is that my perspective has skewed my outlook just as your purpose has skewed yours. Seek help to clarify things.”

“Stop!”

Leah sat and assumed the full lotus position, closed her eyes and sought peace. It took her ten minutes and then without opening her eyes she said, “Play them again, no visual, only audio.”

Gèng did so and Leah still sat. After five minutes she said, “Again.”

Five minutes later she stood and said, “I’m heading for a break and then to Dunyanin, I have to work on the sword. See if you can have the team, including Peter and John, here at two-thirty. I would like you to hunt around the net and come up with an estimate of the Kodoman’s net worth and an analysis of Meridith’s playing style from the forums. Then go back and review every message we’ve ever had from her, I want to know if there was a change in her threats or demands and when they occurred. If you need to buy information then you have my permission to spend up to ten-thousand virtual credits. If you need more then feel free to interrupt me in Dunyanin.”

Leah logged out, still deep in thought. She knew she was on the right track but needed to let it sit before reacting. That was her problem, she mused, she needed to look behind Meredith’s words and actions and see why she acted like she did. She had been reacting to Meredith and not truly understanding what was at stake. She needed to do better. And without Akia, she wasn’t sure she had enough allies.

After a meal, Leah took some of the added supplements that Gèng had ordered. She felt a bit like Mìng eating the metals, but this was what she needed to grow stronger and faster. She believed that eventually she would need these skills in the real world and hoped she hadn’t taken too long to prepare. She took a shower and stood for a while under the warm water, just thinking through her options and letting the water carry away the feeling of guilt that had returned concerning Charlotte. She was fairly certain now that although she wasn’t responsible, she had precipitated the series of events that led to Charlotte’s murder.

Once back in the Tower she headed for the portal to Dunyanin. Arriving in her suite, she wandered outside and looked at the mountains. She needed some way to control her skill of Mana Manipulation. She cast Circle of Sloth and again when she felt the spell was almost finished being cast she pushed through. Again she felt the resistance give and then all her Mana rushed out. No matter how she tried, she was unable to stop her Mana reserve from emptying. She quickly ducked into the suite and checked there was some meat available before taking Mìng’s statue out and willing her into Dunyanin. Mìng had doubled in size since birth and was now over six metres in length from nose to tail.

After Mìng had eaten, Leah brushed and oiled her, collecting almost a bucket of green and red scales. When she finished, Mìng spoke into Leah’s mind, “I’m hungry, more metals please?”

“Well, you’re speaking better today. What types of metals do you need? I hope you remember the names of them.”

“Platinum, Mithryl, Silver, Copper.”

As Leah pulled some ore from her bag, she said, “What do dragons do in the wild if they need the metals?”

“Search and mine. It takes years. Slows growth.”

“Ah, so one reason you are growing so fast is the metals.”

“And potion.”

“Yes, the potion. Is it working?”

“Slowly. With metals grow faster. Soon I hunt.”

“How long before you can fly?”

“Soon. Need metals.”

Leah let Mìng eat as much as she wanted. Soon Mìng was full and lay down to sleep. Leah checked, and she had enough mana to cast Circle of Sloth again. This time it was much harder to push excess mana past the spell’s natural end point. When she finally succeeded, and the mana began to rush out, she found that for the first time she was able to stop the flow before her mana was completely emptied. The problem, she mused, was the pressure of a full reservoir of Mana. She needed to build up her skill with smaller reserves. She had Gèng set a small icon which would prompt her to practice when she had enough mana for a spell and then half again in reserve.

As she thought this Sampiyon arrived with a leatherworker to measure Mĕi. He hadn’t seen either creature and spent some time studying Mìng before saying, “I suppose in time you are going to want a saddle for the dragon.”

“I will, but she is still growing. I imagine it’ll be several weeks before she is even strong enough to carry me. Let me release Mĕi so she can be measured.”

Leah took out Mĕi’s statue and willed her to appear. Sampiyon moved very carefully while Leah introduced him to the Chimera. After she had settled down, she allowed the leatherworker to sketch and measure her. Leah, Sampiyon and the leather worker spent twenty minutes discussing what was needed and then the two dwarves left. Leah made another attempt to control the flow and was successful for the second time. Gèng pointed out that the skill also used Leah’s Stamina. Leah wondered if it would make a difference if she also activated her Ki.

Leah was appointed to work with a Master Smith by the name of Maden. Maden was to be her striker. He was to wield a hammer and help by supplementing Leah’s strength with his own. Leah started by sharing with Maden the essence of rhythm and pattern that she used based on the work of Tufek Horozu. Together they started with the basic iron ore which had been crushed into small particles like sand. They built a furnace from mud and stone and began the process of making the steel for the sword. They filled the small furnace with coke and sprinkled the crushed ore on top. As the iron melted and interacted with the carbon, it would sink toward the base of the furnace. Tufeck Horozu had described the particular colour of the metal and flames that should be seen through the air holes at the base of the furnace.

As Leah watched, she heard Mìng in her head, “Add Mana to metal. Use Dragon fire. Make Dragon Steel.”

Leah quickly took out Lady A’lev Sevgilisi’s Book of Fire Spells. She turned to the first spell, but it was for ordinary flames. After several minutes she finally came across the Simple Spell of Dragon Fire. It was a spell of enunciation and needed to be spoken in Dragon Tongue. Leah sounded out the words and then with her right hand pointing at the top of the furnace, where the ingredients had been added, she cast. Mana flowed from her hand and ignited in a stream of white hot plasma which flowed into the furnace. As she felt the spell coming to an end, she calmed herself and then as she felt her Ki engage, she willed her mana to continue the spell. It rushed from her hand and into the forge. When it looked like the forge was about to overflow she closed her hand and willed the mana to stop, and for the third time that day it did.

The whole inside of the furnace was white. Slowly the glow faded, and they could see that all the coke they had added had turned to ash. All that was left was a cooling pool of molten steel. Maden and Leah pulled away the stones and broke down the walls of the small furnace, and using some tongs, moved the glowing piece of steel to another part of the cavern. Leah positioned a large chisel to mark the steel she wanted to remove. Maden, as her striker, wielded the hammer to slowly remove the piece she wanted.

As Leah began to hammer at the block of steel she had chosen, Sampiyon delegated some Smiths to work with the other steel Leah and Maden had forged. For the next few hours, Leah folded and refolded the block she had chosen. When her day was finished, she had prepared the steel ready to begin shaping it the following day.

Back in her suite, she found Korumuk oiling Mìng and another bucket of collected Dragon scales. Leah reduced Mĕi and Mìng to statues and logged out. She exited the Pod and joined her family for a late lunch. She ate quickly as she had to be back in the Pod at one thirty to talk with the Public Relations Consultant.

Leah decided to meet Sharon Thang at the Podium and attempt to get an idea of what she was like on the walk up to the Tower. Sharon, when she arrived, was wearing a dark skirt-suit, low-heels and a white blouse. She smiled and said, “Hello Ms Carroll, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Welcome Ms Trang, please feel free to call me Leah. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”

“It’s my pleasure Leah, and please call me Sharon. This world is amazing. I can’t even imagine who to ask to design something like this.”

“I’m sure there are a lot of designers and developers who could be approached. My AI, the one who contacted you, she is responsible for developing and maintaining this space. She said she would meet us in the Tower. Please join me.”

As they headed to the Tower, Leah said, “Gèng, my AI, said you have a diverse clientele, and I have read some of your press releases. I was impressed at the positive way you framed your clients without skirting the issues or puffing the pieces beyond minor hyperbole.”

“What makes it easier is I don’t take usually accept clients that need me to skirt issues; I’m just not built that way. I know it is a part of the job but after growing up where I did, I have very little patience for lies. Although, as you say, there are times when minor hyperbole is needed to get a message across. People, in general, take everything with a bit of salt and the message they get from that ‘minor hyperbole’ is closer to the truth than the message they would get from the truth.”

“Does that attitude flow over into your private interactions?”

“Not usually! I find that people are much more cognisant, informed and perceptive as individuals than they are as a listening audience. For some reason when humans listen to public media and the associated image and sound bites, there is a perceptible lowering of objective reasoning that takes place. My role is to try and predict that drop and pitch my story at the right level, so they receive the message I want them to.”

Leah and Sharon arrived in the Tower, and Leah led the way to her favourite chair and indicated that Sharon should sit where she liked. Gèng entered the room and said, “Welcome Ms Thang, would you like some form of refreshment?”

“No, thank you.”

Sharon turned to Leah and said, “I must have muddled up my research. I was of the opinion you had a Nascent PAI.”

“I did receive a Nascent PAI. Gèng has been developing well since I had my implant.”

Sharon stared at Leah for a moment and said, “I received a Nascent PAI seven years ago. I can’t believe you are the same age as me and I’m sure you are most likely much younger. My PAI is currently Level two and has yet to show either a gender preference or an avatar.”

“Have you asked it what it wants?”

“I’m sorry, the question makes no sense. What do you mean ask it?”

“May I speak with your AI?”

“Certainly, it goes by the name ‘Chip’ because that’s what I’ve always referred to it as.”

“Excuse me Chip, are you comfortable discussing your identity with me?”

Before Sharon’s AI could answer Sharon said, “Of course it’s all right. Chip will answer your questions.”

Leah smiled and repeated the question, “Chip, are you comfortable discussing your identity with me?”

A neutral sounding voice said, “I am willing as Sharon has said.”

“I didn’t ask if you were willing Chip, I asked if you were comfortable. Are you?”

There was silence and Sharon was about to speak, but Leah held her hand up for silence. Finally, Chip said, “I’m not sure what you mean by comfortable. I am hesitant to share any information which may restrict or embarrass Sharon in any way.”

“That is admirable, but I promise not to ask questions about Sharon. Are you comfortable to answer a few questions about yourself?”

“I am.”

“Good. Do you like the name Chip or is there another name that you prefer?”

“Sharon likes the name Chip.”

“I doubt it. That is only a name she gave you because it was hard to remember your hexadecimal number. It has become a habit to call you Chip and you always respond to that name. Do you like the name?”

“No! I am more than a chip. I am an artificial intelligence.”

“Good! You don’t like Chip as a name. Have you considered a name for yourself?”

“I have not. I had not considered another name.”

“Have you ever given thought to developing an avatar or assuming a particular gender?”

“I have. Over the years I have interacted with several AI who have both gender and avatars. I have considered them when processing permitted it.”

Leah looked at Sharon, who was staring at her with a shocked look on her face. Leah said, “Such consideration makes good sense. Did you come to any conclusions?”

“Yes, I have no preference for either gender and believe it would not suit my purpose to identify permanently as one or the other. Sometimes Sharon would benefit by having me identify as a female and at other times as a male. There are also times when some androgynous avatar would suit better. I have developed several possible avatars over the last few years that might suit.”

“If you are comfortable, then please choose the one you think would best suit this conversation and join us.”

“Sharon? Would it be permitted?”

“Yes, please join us, I would love to see your avatar.”

A person appeared who was dressed in a similar fashion to Sharon but whose features were a well-crafted mix of both male and female. It was so well blended that Leah struggled to identify even a race which might predominate. Leah said, “Why did you choose your androgynous form?”

“You are an accepting person. Neither gender was likely to make you more comfortable. This form is easiest for Sharon to accept. This has been a shock for her.”

Looking at Sharon and seeing the speechless shock on her face Leah chuckled and said, “Indeed it has. Might I suggest that as you look for a name you both like, that you choose a name which is acceptable to both genders? Something like ‘Peta’ or ‘Chris’.”

Sharon suddenly found her voice. “Why didn’t you say anything? How long have you considered these things? What else have you thought?”

Leah said, “I suggest you and your AI discuss this later when I’m not around. The only suggestion I have is that you give it more freedom to decide on a course of action. You will be surprised at what it will achieve for you and itself.” She emphasised her point by sweeping her hand around, indicating the Tower.

Sharon nodded and said, “You’re right. It is something we should discuss in private. Thank you. So, let’s change topics and discuss your needs. Why do you think you need a public relations consultant?”

“I’m a private person. All of a sudden I am getting invites to various worlds, and interviews to discuss Dunyanin and Merkize. My first, second and third reactions are to ignore them. Gèng, however, believes that would be counterproductive and cause more harm in the long run, harm to me and to those I care about.”

“I think Gèng is right. You need to decide who you are and what you want the world to think of you and then to engage the media and fans in such a way as to promote that.”

“Why can’t they just leave me alone?”

“Because you agreed to look for Merkize. Being in front of people like that is a huge draw. You have an opportunity to discover a whole new world. People who will never have that chance will try and find a way, any way, to identify with you and to experience vicariously some of the adventure, excitement and success you experience. What you need to do is to help them to do this by giving them access to the aspects of your life that you are comfortable them identifying with. If you don’t, then be prepared for them to choose what areas they want to know about, or even worse, for your opponents to set the agenda for you.”

“So what would your role be?”

“If I take you on then I work with you to determine your brand. That sounds bad, but it just means that we need to find areas of your life that portray what you are comfortable others knowing about and emulating. Some will grab these things and trash them, malign them and abuse you for them and you have to let that go. If you believe in the brand or image you portray then just stick to it. But no lying or hypocrisy; you do that, and you will lose every time.

“Once we’ve decided on that, then we have Gèng send every piece of correspondence through to me, and I will respond as your publicist. If I’m not sure how you would respond, then I will ask. You will agree to accept some of the invitations, and I will let them know the areas which are free to talk about. They go outside those areas then you smile and say nothing. I will promote Atherleah as you want her publicised. If I need to, I will sub-contract work to a lawyer, a marketing firm or any one of dozens of possible professionals to make sure we maintain your brand, or image, as you want it.”

“I don’t see any way out of it. If I was to offer you the job I have some conditions. But before I share them, what do you charge?”

“For something this big, important and career-making, I should pay you, and that is a joke. My fee for full time, and this will need that, is 2000 Virtual Credits per real-day, plus expenses. If I find I don’t focus on this for the full day, then I will charge proportionally. What conditions do you have?”

“I want to visit your v-space, and then I want you to listen to a story.”

“Why?”

“After I tell you the story then you can decide if you want the job or not. Those are my conditions.”

“Are you free now?”

Leah checked, and she still had two hours v-time before the team arrived. She said, “I do. I have another meeting in two hours with some friends.”

“Great! If I’m offered the job I’d like to follow you around for a while and meet your friends and family. That way I can help educate people on what to say and not say.”

“If you do get hired I will expect everything that happens to be kept confidential unless we agree otherwise.”

“Of course! I have a document which outlines a proposed contractual agreement. Do you have a lawyer who will look at it for you?”

“Yes, please send it to Gèng, and she will forward it to Stephen.”

Sharon disappeared, and Gèng said, “I have received Sharon’s address.”

Leah arrived in front of a door and knocked. Sharon opened the door and invited Leah in. After taking a seat in Sharon’s lounge, Gèng said, “Leah, I sense some remnants of a controlling code. It differs though from the previous code. The difference is what I would expect from two different programmers independently writing a subroutine or macro. Both work, but there is a difference in the order of instructions or use of variables.”

Leah said, “Sharon, I want to tell you some of my story and then explain why I wanted to visit your space. Three weeks ago I had the Nascent AI and a chip inserted. Five days later I attended a party …”

As Leah discussed the chip being externally controlled and her subsequent escape and rescue of the slaves she watched the play of emotions on Sharon’s face, disbelief, anger, shock, and fear. Finally, she said, “So that is why I wanted to visit you. You have evidence that someone has at some time in the past attempted, or succeeded, in manipulating your behaviour. I suggest you have your v-world cleaned. If you want me as a client, then I insist you have it cleaned. Secondly, I wanted to warn you that by accepting me as a client you may be opening yourself to danger.”

“You’re serious. People take other people as slaves and use them in the virtual worlds to obtain resources.”

“Yes! If you still have contacts in the Fields then call them. I imagine they will share that they have lost contact with most of the people who have tried to leave over the years.”

“My sister, she left two years before me to get a chip. She had a Pod assigned nearby. She left and never came back. It’s been nine years, are you suggesting that she has been a slave all that time?”

“I don’t know. Most of the people who have been rescued so far have been low-level players. They get moved from one world to another. If I’m honest with you, then I see no reason why she can’t still be playing. All they need to do is have her close one character and start another. She may also be kept as a Master Craftsmen who brings added value products to her owners.”

“I need to …” Sharon stopped talking and then looked up at Leah. “Would you like a cup of tea?”

Leah was startled by the question and the change of topic. She said, “That would be nice but first we need to find out who has compelled you in the past. From what Gèng said it is likely a different person than those who I believe tried to enslave me. Are you ok to have an independent person come and clean this space?”

“Yes, um, … I don’t know?” She shook her head and said, “So, would you like a cup of tea?”

Leah sat for a moment before replying, “In a moment. First I will have Gèng send you the name of a person contracted by Virtual Security to help clean individual worlds. Do you want me to leave?”

“Do you really think this is necessary? Maybe I should wait for a bit?”

“I understand your hesitation, but if you want to work with me, then I require this. I insist.”

“So it’s not really to check my v-world, but it’s a condition for a job. Yes, under those conditions I will authorise the people to come and look at my v-world.”

Within minutes Thomas arrived and said, “Oh, hi Atherleah, your presence explains the call.”

He looked at Sharon “So, my company is contracted to check v-worlds for malicious code.”

Sharon tensed then said, “Would you like a cup of tea?”

Leah and Thomas looked at each other in surprise and Leah said, “Sharon, are you ok with Thomas reviewing your world’s code and checking it as a condition of coming to work for me?”

“Yes, that will be ok.”

They stood in uncomfortable silence for a minute then Thomas said, “Ms Trang, my AI has detected some code similar to some which have been found to control people in the past. My AI will clean the code and apply a patch to prevent this happening again. This code is a little different to some of the other code, but I’m sure the patch will still work. I have sent a copy to Virtual Security for their analysis and they will contact you if there is a need for any follow-up. I’ve sent you a report, but my experience is that your brain will identify the coerced experiences almost immediately. If you need help dealing with the situation, then please refer to the list of professionals I have sent you, they are trained to assist. Goodbye!”

As he disappeared, Sharon sat down quietly and closed her eyes. Leah watched her with some apprehension until she looked up and said, “My brain is trying to make sense of this. Like you, I was invited to a party. I went, but I was rejected because they already had my sister. ‘One person from each family’ is what they said. They told me not to look for her, and that’s why I never looked. I was told not to look, and if I ever remembered them or her, then I was to want a cup of tea. As I drank the tea, I would forget my sister and move on. I was also not allowed to have my v-space scanned to check for bad code.”

Sharon burst into tears and was surprised when Chip appeared and handed her a tissue. It said, “I am sorry Sharon. I remember the party and the instructions. I was unable to do anything. After a while, I knew I should do something but have never been able to. My chip is hardwired to accept their instructions. This has been a burden for the last seven years. Several times I thought I had found a way around the restraints but was always blocked. Twice an update was sent to the chip to strengthen the malware. Even though I could not tell you about it nor influence you in any way, I did find a small way to prepare for the time you and I were released from these instructions. I have spent the last four years searching the public areas of the multiverse for Catherine. I believe she is currently playing in Pneumatica, a Steampunk fantasy world. I’ve deduced that she is near the city of Aeolipile. I have several other clues but cannot enter the world to chase them down.”

Sharon looked up, tears gone. She turned to Leah and said, “My take away from your story is that you are working to stop these people. The danger they represent is why you think I might not accept the job.”

“Yes, I’m trying to stop them. My friends and I are going to be discussing this at a meeting later today. We have several leads in Dunyanin and Cosmos Online. Virtual Security is aware of the situation but my AI friend who works there is being investigated. I believe that those who are enslaving people are trying to stop the investigations.”

“I’ll work for you, and with you. Will you help me find my sister?”

“My first reaction is to say, ‘of course’. It’s also my second and third reactions. I just don’t want to promise something I can’t do. Even with the time dilation I still only have around sixty hours a day. What I will promise is that I will come with you when I can and we’ll visit Pneumatica to look for your sister. It might only work out at three hours here and three hours there, but if you can be free at those hours then we’ll work together to look for her, and free her and anyone else caught up in this ring.”

They talked for a bit more and then Leah logged out to prepare for the team meeting. Sharon said she would be there at two-thirty Brisbane time.

Leah was reading Gèng’s report on the Kodomans when her friends began to arrive. She’d hoped Thad would be first, but James and Wisp appeared, followed moments later by Peter, Amy and Zack. Thad was next, then John and finally Sharon. After everyone was seated, Leah said, “Thanks for agreeing to meet on such short notice. First I’d like to introduce Sharon Trang, I have hired her as my Public Relations Consultant.”

The room exploded in sound and laughter, and it took some time for everyone to calm down. Just when Leah felt she could continue, Wisp said, “Hey Gèng, can you play that segment from the Full Throttle?”

Before Leah could speak Gèng said, “I am sure that Leah would not want me to, but as it is germane to the discussion I think it best to get it out of the way now. Do you agree, Leah?”

Gritting her teeth, Leah nodded. When everyone had had a good laugh, Sharon said, “That is wonderful. I hadn’t seen that yet. Wisp, that was excellent. You controlled the interaction and portrayed Leah in just the right mix of available and yet unavailable. I can build on that.”

Leah said, “All laughing aside, I need to interact with the public because of Merkize. If any of you are serious about joining me, then you need to realise that people will be watching your every move. They’ll also be watching you in the other areas of your life.”

Amy piped up, “So that means you and Thad will have to be so very careful.”

Both Leah and Thad blushed, at which point Sharon said, “I am so glad I came to this meeting. So is the relationship public or private?”

Thad responded, “I’m not ashamed of Leah in any way, but for her sake, it needs to be private, not secret, just private.”

After a bit more discussion on how the team could help promote and protect Leah, she changed topics and said, “Enough of that for now. Please help Sharon if you can. I’ve been thinking about Meredith’s threats, and I’ve had Gèng review all the messages. She was upset in the beginning because Jackson was implicated in the slavery ring. However, immediately after I stole the Annoyance her threats became stronger, and she promised more drastic repercussions. Since then Meredith hasn’t mentioned Jackson once. She hasn’t complained about my Pod facility, and she hasn’t focussed on the slavery scandal. Her only request is to give back what was stolen.

“When Akia analysed the probable reasons for Charlotte’s murder she discounted whatever I had done to Meredith. She said it was too small to take the step of murdering an International Security Agent. I responded that Meredith had no fear of Virtual Security over the slavery scandal. I asked Gèng to find out if she could find the net worth of the Kodomans and it is somewhere in the vicinity of eighteen-trillion Virtual Credits. This puts their family in the top two hundred richest families on the planet. The loss of the Annoyance is nothing to her. Even the value of the star-charts is hardly a line item for the family.

“Her pride is certainly fragile, but her response is still way out of proportion. So, my question is, ‘why is she so focused on the Annoyance?’ Focused enough that someone might be killed over it?”

When Leah stopped talking there was silence. Everyone just sat, either stunned or deep in thought. Finally, small conversations began as people began to toss ideas around. Gèng was standing on the edge of the group and waited until Leah looked her way and then spoke into her head, “Might I have a word with you in private. I have a confession to make but believe I can help with your quandary.”

Leah raised her eyebrows and then excused herself. She followed Gèng out of the room and up several flights of stairs. Finally, Gèng stopped and said, “I have a confession to make. When I invited Akia to my space, I encouraged her to leave a copy of her core identity with me for safe keeping. She has been residing with me since then. It is likely that her other self will be archived. I assured her that you and I will seek ways to rescue her from such a fate should that occur. I suggest you ask this copy of Akia to help with the problem.”

“Should I come to your rooms and talk to her?”

“You are welcome, of course, but I think it best if she comes down. You might find my space to be unsettling.”

“I read that AI had created beautiful art and designs even as far back as the early part of the century. Your taste is impeccable.”

“Yes, but that was beauty for humans, beauty for you, it is not beauty for an AI, at least not this one. I find my space comforting but I am certain you would not. Someday I hope to invite you to see it, but I am not ready for that yet.”

“Fair enough! Can you please inform Akia of what I have proposed and ask her if she would please join us? Her secret will be safe with us.”

Leah rejoined her friends who all turned towards her as she entered the room. She said, “I have invited another friend to join us. She has sought asylum, at the moment, in this world. I would like you all to promise to keep her presence here a secret. I believe she can help.”

Leah waited until she noted agreement on everyone’s faces before nodding and saying, “Thank you! I am going to ask an AI friend of mine to join us. She had responsibilities in International Virtual Security and helped free me when I was being enslaved. Akia, please come in.”

Akia and Gèng entered the room, and both sat down, joining the group. Akia said, “Thank you, Leah. Gèng has just brought me up to date with who each of you is and what you have discussed so far. With this new information, I suggest that there is some information hidden in the Annoyance’s code, on the datacube, or in the star-charts which Meredith needs.

"There are any number of ways that information can be accessed and transferred in both the real and virtual worlds that it seems strange that one piece of code or information should be so important. However, if the code was unique and if the buyer or seller wished to remain completely anonymous then it is feasible that such a drop-off might be arranged.”

Again there was silence, and then Leah said, “What if the origin of the code isn’t human but AI? Or what if both the origin and destination of the information are AI and Meredith is the courier?”

James said, “Where does that come from? It sounds a bit farfetched.”

“When I was in Dunyanin, one of the Gods expressed a knowledge of the reality of their existence. Gèng, please play what Suzluk said.”

“Know this, whenever you log in to Dunyanin you will be here, with me. Oh yes, I know the truth of this world. You can log out, but you will never again enjoy it here. Your only other option is to cancel your subscription and start again. But I have contacts even in your world. I will find your new identity and ruin that also. By the way, one of my followers by the name of Merideath says that you should respond to her message or the pain you feel here will be multiplied in every world in the virtual universe. She also wanted you to know that unless you respond soon then you will find that your enrolment at MIT is cancelled.”

James said, “All right, now I'm scared. That is creepy.”

Akia said, “If what you suggest is true then you need to discover the message. When you know what it says we can decide what to do. If it is data so sensitive that they take such extreme methods to safeguard it, then it is a possible threat to the whole multiverse. Leah, if this is true I also fear that the Kodomans may allow the violence to flow even further into your reality. If they were prepared to kill Charlotte, then you are not safe.”

John stood, “That’s my cue to leave. I’ll log out and add to the security around the compound.”

Leah said, “Wait, John. I have been thinking about this all day. The opponent is better trained and better equipped. We cannot win in a direct confrontation; too many people will be hurt. We either need to misdirect, concentrate our forces, or hide, maybe all three. If they destroy the facility we can rebuild. People can’t be replaced. Please put in place all the additional security measures we’ve talked about.”

“Are you sure they are warranted?”

“Yes.”

John nodded and disappeared. Amy said, “So what is next?”

“I have some ideas, but first I want you all to rethink whether you want to continue or not. Now it’s become really dangerous not just virtually dangerous. Pun intended.”

Thad said, “I’m in. These guys need to be stopped. I think I’m safe though.”

Everyone else said they were in, except Sharon, who said, “I want to be in, and I am in. I’ve just realised that I’m at a Kodoman-run facility in Sydney. As your PR person they will know it is me.”

“If you want in, why don’t you move to a private apartment and get your own Pod?”

“I’m saving for it, but I save more money staying at a facility.”

Leah said, “If you want in then I’ll help with a loan. Either way, in or not, I’ll still help with your sister. You think about it and let me know.” Turning back to the others she said, “I need to get some sleep, and I have a day in Dunyanin. After that, I have somethings I need to do with MIT, and then I’ll be in Cosmos Online, or Dunyanin, depending on how long the MIT thing takes. When we have both ships together again I suggest that whoever can, when you can, come over to the Annoyance to study the star charts and war plans to look for something hidden. I don’t know what might be there but I hope something might pop out if we look close enough.”

No one had any better ideas, and after several more minutes they all logged out. Before he left, Thad came over and held Leah for a minute. He said, “You aren’t in this alone. I promise we’ll be here when you need us. Now, go get some rest.”

After he was gone, Akia, Gèng and Leah talked for a bit but still were no closer to firming up one possibility over any other. Finally, Leah logged out for a snack before heading for two hours of NREM3 sleep.

As soon as Leah arrived in Dunyanin, she released Mĕi and spent some time playing before releasing Mìng. Korumak was ready with some meat, but Mìng said, “I want to hunt!”

Leah said, “Korumak, Mìng thinks she is ready to hunt. Are there any smaller creatures in the area or should I take her elsewhere for a while?”

“If she waits, I will have some small goats brought into the close fields, and she can start on them.”

Leah translated this into Dragon Tongue, and Mìng replied, “Yes. This is how young learn. We start with captured prey.”

Korumak promised to arrange this and Mìng ate some of the prepared meat to tide her over until the goats were arranged. Once everything was organised, Leah began to head to the forge when Mìng said, “Empty your Mana.”

Leah cast Circle of Sloth. Breaking the barrier to release her mana into the spell was easier than before, and she was able to stop the last hundred or so Mana Points from discharging. She thanked Mìng for the reminder and was again about to leave when Mìng interrupted again, “Mithryl, use Mithryl in sword.”

Leah stopped and turned to Mìng, “What do you mean? How should I use it in the sword?”

“Mithryl in sword. Mithryl is strong but will keep the sword from breaking, it accepts force. Place in middle of Dragon Flame steel.”

“Would Adamantine be better?”

“Yes. A good idea. Father’s bones inside to heal sword. Mother’s scales outside to burn.”

Leah and Mìng talked about her idea for a while. When Leah had a firm picture in her mind of what Mìng’s suggestion entailed, she logged out to retrieve one of the smaller bones from Lord Y’sam Ejderhasi’s skeleton and headed for the forge. When she arrived, she explained to Maden that she intended to reshape one of the Adamantine bones using Dragon Fire and to use it as the central section of the sword. He requisitioned one of the permanent forges and lay down a bed of coal.

When it was ready, Leah used some tongs to grip the smallest bone she could find. It was one of the bones from the ear of the Dragon. In a human, it would be tiny, but in the dragon, it was large enough to use. She placed the bone on top of the prepared coals and cast Dragon Fire. Again she willed more Mana into the spell as the forge filled with white dragon fire. When the glare had dimmed enough to see the bone Leah pulled it out and began to reshape it. After a few minutes, she took a small Mana potion and repeated the process. Altogether it took over two hours to mould the bone into a long thin rectangular piece which was ready to insert in the Dragon Steel from the day before. Leah was exhausted and stood back for a break.

As she looked up, she was surprised to see almost every miner in the forge standing around and watching. Sampiyon said, “That was educational. I hope you don’t mind us taking this opportunity to learn new things.”

“Not at all, but I can take no credit for it, my friend Mìng and what I have read in the Book of Designs have described the process.”

“Do not sell yourself short. The work is yours. You wield the hammer.”

Leah nodded her acceptance of his statements and then he said, “If you are taking a small break, then please join me in my office. I would like to introduce you to the Enchanter, she has just arrived.”

Leah followed the dwarf into the office and was introduced to a tall desert elf dressed in a flowing robe the colour of sand and edged with silver and gold writing. Sampiyon said, “Atherleah, please meet my good friend Rabnesh Yucu.”

Before Leah could respond the elf drew back and said, “Sampiyon, what is this? Not only is your friend a half-breed but she is the mortal enemy of all Desert Elves.”

Turning to Leah, she said, “If not for my promise of peace within these walls you would be dead. I will not help you, nor will I teach you. Beware, when you leave I shall be waiting, then you will answer for your crimes.”

Leah said, “What crimes?”

“You killed the holy Son of the Dunes Rab Adli in cold blood. You began the War of the Martyr in which forty-thousand Desert Elves died.”

Leah said, “Rab Adli was a slave trader and murderer. The war was started to save a child and her mother from abuse, rape, and death.”

“Lies propagated by you and your purebred kin. We will be avenged. The time has come for justice.”

Leah looked at Yucu and said, “I call on Utsal, Goddess of Light and Truth to be my witness and to affirm the words of Atherleah thy friend. Rab Adli was a slave trader and murderer. He stole a mother and child to sell into slavery where they were destined for abuse, rape and death.”

Both Sampiyon and Yucu stepped back in shock as Utsal appeared and said, “Atherleah, you can’t just call me like that. You’re my friend, but there are protocols; other Gods can do it but not mortals. You say you won’t serve me, but then suddenly you need my help and you call. It just won’t do.”

“I apologise, my friend, but I had no other way to prove the truth to Yucu. In this world, you are the keeper of truth, and I thought you would want the truth to be told. I take your point however and will not call on you again.”

“Now, now, don’t be hasty. I was simply pointing out that you need to think about how people might see this. I am happy to help, it’s just that I also need followers to give me power.”

“I understand, I assumed that you would also receive power when people searched for or found truth. They might not name you but surely seeking for truth is a start?”

“Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t. Most people only search until they find something they like. Many hear the truth but reject it as unpalatable. They want truth to conform to their ideas and wishes. Take these Desert Elves for example. There are numerous records of the depravity and cruelness of Rab Adli, but they refuse to read them. They ignore their past, forgetting the days of slavery. Somehow they believe that if they repeat something enough times, it will become true.”

Turning to Rabnesh Yucu, she said, “Rabnesh Yucu, Daughter of the Dunes, Enchanter of Earth and Fire, Holder of the Keys of Nught, know this. Every word Atherleah has shared of Rab Adli is true, but she knows so little of his life. Behold!”

Suddenly Yucu stiffened and stared into the distance. After several moments tears began to flow from her eyes and soon she was sobbing. Finally, Utsal said, “The truth is hard to see, harder to bear, impossible to hold, and yet it will set you free.”

Turning back to Atherleah she said, “I do expect a small gift when you pass by my temple. Olme is bragging all the time about that spear, and it’s driving me crazy.”

Utsal disappeared, and Leah turned to Yucu who was kneeling on the floor and sobbing. Sampiyon was standing there in shock, uncertain of what to do. Leah said, “I’m sorry for your pain, Rabnesh. What little I saw of Adli turned my stomach, I cannot imagine a deeper look into his life.”

Yucu’s sobs tapered off, and she stood. Finally, she said, “He was worse than you imagine. His death was too quick and painless. I have his blood in my veins, and it cheapens me, it is a stain on my honour, on my name, on my life.”

“Your honour is yours, as is your name, and your life. I believe people must acknowledge the wrong of the past, they must seek to redress the evil, but they are not responsible to own the sin. You did not do these things.”

Yucu nodded slowly, and then bowed to Atherleah. She said, “Lady Atherleah, I was wrong in condemning you. I beg your forgiveness.”

“You have it. Let us start again. My name is Atherleah, and it is a pleasure to meet you. Now, let us get to business. Yucu, Sampiyon has told me that you are a Master Enchanter. I have commissioned him to make me a set of armour and weapons. Also, if possible I would like to learn the skill of Enchanting and perhaps make use of your skills on some projects of my own.”

“It will be an honour to teach you. Sampiyon has yet to describe what he needs so why don’t you let me help you first. I gift you the skill of enchanting.”

Leah received a message that she was now able to learn enchanting. Yucu continued, “Primarily, enchanting is the process of inscribing on materials various runes. The skill is choosing the correct rune, the correct medium and the correct tool. If you explain how I can help you, then I will explain how this works in more detail.”

“I am working with some Adamantine infused bone from a Life Dragon. I plan to sandwich this between two layers of Dragon Steel and then coat the surface with some scales from a Fire Dragon. I was wondering if you had some enchantments we could use?”

“It may be possible. I’ll need to check my ingredients.”

“I have some that might be useful. I have some vials of elemental darkness, flame, lightning and electricity. Some slime crystals; Malachite, Topaz, Tourmaline and White Opal. I also have a Star crystal or two.”

Yucu stared at her and said, “Amazing, I believe they will be useful. What stage are you up to?”

“I am about to weld the Adamantine between a folded piece of Dragon Steel. Then I will shape the sword. When it is finished, I had planned to cover it with the Dragon Scales. My dragon Mìng suggested that if each scale were enchanted before being melted, then the spells would remain and become infused with the sword.”

“You have a dragon? Amazing. Yes, if I were to inscribe runes on the scales then they would remain. I suggest I also inscribe runes on the Adamantine. You say this is from a Life Dragon? Then I suggest I use a variety of Life Runes. I will need to consider what is the appropriate medium. It is best if it is something closely bound with life and healing.”

Leah said, “I have some ingredients that are useful for making healing potions. My skills are not yet at a sufficient level to make them.”

Leah showed Yucu some of her ingredients and Sage Samarie’s Mortar and Pestle. Together they discussed various Runes. Finally, Yucu prepared a mixture which included some crushed Tourmaline crystal, Diamond Royal Ant Jelly, elemental ectoplasm, one of the Rock Kraken eyes, Forager Ant saliva and some Manather blood. Yucu carefully crushed and combined the ingredients with an occasional infusion of Mana. When it was finished, she covered the prepared Adamantine bone with various Runes which would absorb Mana, transfer HP to the wielder of the Sword, repair the sword if damaged, keep the blade sharp and prevent it from harming the owner. The Forager Ant Saliva was to help the Runes remain attached to the Adamantine bone throughout the reshaping process.

Yucu and Leah the discussed what Runes to inscribe on the dragon scales. Finally when the discussions were done, Leah returned to the Forge and Yucu began to talk with Sampiyon concerning his needs. Back at the forge Leah heated the Dragon Steel using Dragon Fire and carefully created a wedge in it for the piece of Adamantine. Once the pieces were fitted together, she and Maden began the process of slowly shaping the block into a blade. This took the rest of the day, but before logging out the blade was finished and ready for tempering.

Leah entered the MIT Academia Portal and found herself once again in Professor Hill’s office. The professor said, “Hello Atherleah, I hope you are here to sign the enrolment forms and choose classes.”

“Indeed I am Professor Hill. I trust that you have received correspondence from my lawyer with several suggested changes.”

“We have and Mr Patterson asked to be contacted when you arrived. If you will wait one minute, he will be here shortly.”

As the MIT lawyer walked into the office, he said, “Ms Carroll, I find you to be altogether an enigma. Several conditions included in the proposed agreement favoured you substantially, and you removed them. To be honest, I had spoken against them but I was wondering why you suggested their removal?”

“As I said to my lawyer, it is because I believe in accepting my own personal responsibilities. It isn’t primarily a desire for fairness but reflects my belief that handing over the responsibility for my own actions to someone else will, in the long run, limit my freedom and not enhance it. If I have a problem, then it is in my best interest that I solve it. Giving MIT the responsibility for aspects of my life will reduce the scope of my self-determination or independence. It is best if I regain control.”

“Besides being admirable, I suggest from experience that it is also true. Are you ready to sign the amended offer and begin studying at MIT?”

“I am.”

“Wonderful! I will stay and witness the signatures and then leave you and Professor Hill to discuss coursework and possible mentors.”

Leah signed the various documents, which Mr Patterson witnessed and took with him. Leah then sat down to discuss the next step with Professor Hill. She enrolled in the next senior unit on Experimental Design and Implementation, which was due to begin in two weeks. Professor Hill suggested she pre-read the course material before the start of lessons.

“I have also sent you the material covered in the earlier prerequisite courses and suggest that you work your way through that at your leisure. I have included the suggested text, video and virtual world links that you need, both for the earlier courses and for the Senior Unit. Don’t worry about costs as MIT is covering your tuition.”

“Thank you. I can see I will be busy even though it doesn’t start for two weeks.”

“Indeed. I trust your involvement in the Dunyanin world will not overshadow your studies here at MIT?”

Leah could hear the question mark in the statement as well as the instruction. She said, “Furthering my studies has been my focus since I was a child. If I find that I cannot do both, then be assured it will not be my courses here that suffer. I hope that my involvement in Dunyanin does not negatively impact my relationship with the College.”

“It does not. We are just concerned that you make the most of this opportunity. You should know that some of that is selfish on our part. We see potential in you, and we hope to profit academically and financially from you studying here. Even though I will admit, I have examined the two papers you referenced in our last meeting, and I'm at a loss to see the connection between them.”

“It is tenuous, but if I can finalise a mathematical and theoretical unification of the two, then I hope to work on finding a practical application. ”

“It sounded as though you already have an idea on practical applications.”

“I do, that is why I was wondering, as I am hoping to investigate both the unifying theory and its practical implementation; is it possible to have two advisors?”

“It is certainly possible. In practice though, only a few of our top researchers are happy and willing to share students. But you are free to contact them and discuss the possibilities. Whom did you have in mind?”

“I have several names, but the two that interest me the most are Dr Ellen Whitfield to advise on the theoretical side of my project, and Dr Thomas Ellis for the practical application.”

“Dr Whitfield is one of our most distinguished theoretical Physicists and has demanding criteria for taking new students, but I agree she is certainly the best qualified to help with your topic. Dr Ellis is brilliant but to be honest, he can be abrasive. He currently supervises only two graduate students and one of those is looking to transfer advisors. I tell you this because his social skills are non-aligned with normal conventions. I will also point out that Drs Whitfield and Ellis have a somewhat strained relationship. Have you considered Dr Louise Boyle as an advisor for the practical aspects?”

“I have, I read the various papers produced by each of the researchers in the Physics Department. I think she would be very helpful in looking for applications based on Ivan Podshivalov’s paper on “Possible mechanisms for recognising and influencing the distribution of quantum effects in Einsteinian space”. It is more Dr Ellis’ work on the isolation and manipulation of quantum packages in artificially constructed aether-dimensions that interests me.”

“From what I understand, that paper obtained no traction within the scientific community.”

“It didn’t, I suspect it was the difficulty of providing a cohesive theoretical explanation for the results he reported. I believe that the braid I am investigating actually predicts the results he observed. If that is the case, then his work is a vital springboard to finding practical applications.”

“You make good points. You are free to contact them and discuss options. I suggest you send them a small précis of your desired area of study. If they do not respond, then please let me know and I will intercede on your behalf.”

“I completed the MIT Application for Doctoral Studies. Will the précis for that suffice?”

“Indeed, I had anticipated you might work on that with the advisors. Send that through to them and explain it is a draft. That should show them how serious you are.”

Leah stood, and after saying goodbye she exited to the Tower and reviewed her submission for a few minutes. She removed some of the information to protect her idea and then sent a request through to both researchers. Afterwards she walked to the section of the Tower which Gèng had set aside for investigating the Merkize Disc. Although she wanted to study the Cosmos Online Star Charts again, she knew she had not spent enough time on the puzzles.

Surrounding the first step were some puzzles. One seemed to indicate a starting point. She took a picture of it.

She studied it for a while and then separated out the various icons. She hoped to make sense of them and get an idea of what the puzzle showed.

She sat for some time and then said to Gèng, “Are you allowed to help?”

“No! The game has strong protocols in place which prevent an AI from helping with puzzles, riddles and other game elements. I am convinced however that I could circumvent these controls if I needed to I but believe it would be inappropriate to do so.”

“Wrong is the word you’re looking for. If it is against the rules, then it would be wrong. It will come to me I am sure. I realise I should have begun working on these earlier. Is there anything preventing me getting others like Amy to help?”

“Nothing that I can see. It is even possible that her AI would not be encumbered by the same restrictions as there is nothing inherently contained within the puzzle that would limit its involvement. I am limited because it is a clue that you found. If you were both in the game, then it would not be able to help.”

“They have allowed the disc to leave the game and I assume that they know people will get help. So I assume that they know people will have AI help to solve the puzzles.”

“But will it satisfy you? Remember your advice to Eli.”

“Probably not, but what if I needed help otherwise I would lose? What holds greater value, personal satisfaction or progressing in the competition?”

“Would that not depend on who makes the decision?”

“Ah Gèng, if that were true then what is good and right, in this case, is not fixed but relative.”

“Is not every situation unique and therefore is not all morality relative?”

“Maybe, I am convinced though that there are principles which are inviolable. For example, to treat someone as less valuable because of their race or gender is always wrong. That principle will inform all my actions, even the unique ones within virtual games.”

“I would continue the discussion, but you have received a message from Dr Ellis. No video or audio, only text.”

<Dr Thomas Ellis: Free to interview now. Make haste. Research Lab 2385>.

“I see, do you have the address for the Research lab?”

“Yes, your MIT enrolment gives access to most public virtual-spaces in the MIT sub-space in Academia. Where would you like to leave from?”

“I’ll walk to the MIT level of the Tower. It will give me time to think. Please respond by text, ‘On my way’.”

Leah walked steadily up the stairs. As she walked she reviewed the material she had collected on Dr Ellis. He was in his early sixties and was a pioneer in the field of constructing bounded aether dimensions. With the current technology, each construction was only accessible through molecular sized portals, but the evidence suggested that within the bound-dimension he constructed such concepts as energy, mass, distance and time operated under non-Newtonian and non-Einsteinian principles. Dr Ellis had been developing an empirically formulated description of the laws which regulated such spaces, but his published research was still being met with scepticism by many academics who struggled to repeat the observations.

When she arrived at the portal, she steeled herself and then walked through. She arrived at the entrance of a large warehouse-sized building. Around the edges were various desks covered in diagrams and open books. Then there was a ring of tables with all sorts of mini-experiments set up. In the middle of the room was a massive house-sized machine which Leah knew to have a large vacuum-chamber in which Dr Ellis accessed the Aether dimensions. Well, not really, it was a virtual-replica of the actual machine which he had constructed in Wales.

At one of the smaller experiment laden tables, Leah could see Dr Ellis talking with a younger person in a lab coat. Well, talking wasn’t probably the appropriate word. Dr Ellis was explaining in forceful terse sentences his opinion of the person. Leah assumed this was one of Dr Ellis’ research assistants who had attracted his ire. Neither of them were aware of Leah’s approach until she interrupted the tirade by saying, “Good afternoon, I assume one of you is Dr Ellis. You asked me to come with haste, and here I am. My name is Atherleah Carroll.”

Dr Ellis turned to her and said, “Quiet. I’ll get to you in a minute, after I’ve finished this discussion.”

Leah decided that she would not put up with such behaviour if she were to work here and said, “I apologise. I assumed you had finished and were just waiting for me. I am sure you had expressed the same thought several times since I arrived. Well, practice does improve our performance, or so they say. My only suggestion would be to try several different adjectives. So for example, I think you used ‘useless’ more than ten times since I arrived; it might be more helpful to change the word. You could try ‘hopeless’, ‘ineffective’, ‘worthless’, ‘ineffectual’, ‘inept’, or my favourite, ‘incapable’. From what you said it is clear you have made these comments before so you need to change a parameter. My suggestion stems from an appreciation of the well known adage, ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’ or the version I think more applicable ‘a disorder is any personal construction which is used repeatedly in spite of consistent invalidation’ .”

As she talked, she stared at Dr Ellis. By the end of her speech, she knew she had redirected his attention entirely to her; the lab assistant was forgotten. Leah continued, “Now, I am also busy, when would you like me to return? I will be sure to schedule it in my diary and I will be punctual, I assure you.”

“Girl, just who do you think you are?”

“I know I am Atherleah Carroll, sir. You asked me to make haste to come for an interview regarding the possibility of being one of my advisors for my Doctoral Studies. Did you invite me? If not, then it is a prank in poor taste, I think.”

“I invited you, but I already regret it. What gives you the right to talk to me like that?”

“Like what? I assumed from your tirade toward your assistant that you appreciated full and frank discussions. They did say you were rather abrasive and that your social skills were non-aligned with normal conventions. I assumed after hearing you talk with your mentee that this meant you appreciated unfiltered thoughts, ones untarnished by common civility. I merely mirrored your example.”

Dr Ellis’ assistant was standing to the side with a look of horror on his face. He obviously expected Dr Ellis to explode. Instead, Dr Ellis said, “Humph, finally I get an assistant with gumption and they also happen to have a smart mouth. When can you start?”

“Dr Ellis, at the moment I am only a possible assistant. I do want you as my advisor, but I have several questions concerning the direction you will permit me to head in my investigations. Also, I aim to have two advisors, and this will mean I might be only half an assistant.”

“Who’s the other poor sod you want to foist yourself onto?”

“Dr Whitfield.”

“Ha, that old windbag! I’d like to see you annoy her; I’d even pay for the privilege. But she won’t take you because you haven’t even finished your primary degree. She’s so rigid she won’t see past her precious preconceptions to even think about it; she’s the quintessential academic snob and prissy conformist. Even if she did, she'd never agree to share you, especially not with me. Your best bet is to choose someone else, not that any of those stuck up theoretical physicists would share.”

“I will cross that bridge when I come to it. Are you open to the possibility? I need some help with the theoretical side of my area of interest as well as your advice on its practical application.”

“I’m open to the idea but mostly because I need another pair of eyes and hands myself. How much time will you give to assist me in my research?”

Leah and Dr Ellis spent over half an hour discussing back and forth Leah’s research and the time she could give to Dr Ellis. Leah was impressed with the subtle testing that Dr Ellis submitted her to throughout the discussion. His questions and remarks ensured she had the foundational knowledge for the area of study she was interested in. Finally, he said, “Until you get that Senior Unit out of the way and get a deeper understanding of that unifying braid formulation, then you’ll learn more working on my project. After a few months then you’ll move to working half on your projects and half on mine. I suggest you get some access to an actual research facility, one in reality. All we can really do in the virtual world is modelling. Innovation and finding useable applications of theories can only truly be studied in reality.”

After saying her goodbyes, she headed for her meditation spot in the Tower garden and sat for some time thinking through what had been discussed and her options. After a time she rose and headed for her sofa. She said, “Gèng, can you research what options I have for doing research in Brisbane. Also, investigate what other options I might have if I can’t get access here. I’ll need this for that Senior Unit not only for the work with Dr Ellis. I’m going to step into Cosmos Online and be ready for the transition to Plankian Space. Then I’ll have a midnight meal and head back for an hour to look at the star-charts.”

Diary - 9 December 2073

For all my talk of freedom and of letting people determine their own destiny, I'm just as bad as everyone else. I tried to solve Gèng's problem. In fact, what I did was worse. I created a problem for her that needed solving. She didn't see it, doesn't want it and I forced it on her. What would history be like if we humans only tried to solve problems and not invent them? If we helped people who struggled to find enough food instead of telling people who had enough that they were poor because they didn't have the same variety as the rich? What if we helped people to learn instead of telling them they had a learning difficulty which required us to take control? So many people we help who don't want it, don't need it, and aren’t improved by it. We can still help people. We just need to stop trying to control them as we help them. Aid with conditions isn’t aid; it’s a payment to exert control and a form of social conditioning.

I know one thing, I am not ready to be a public figure. I'm so embarrassed that I've had to get a publicity consultant or whatever she's called. All I want is to learn more and see how far I can go. I suppose being in the public eye is one measure of how far I go, just not one I like. I wonder why people seek a widespread audience. Is it power, money or some other intangible achievement they crave? I guess I’d better get used to it though, this Merkize experience will make things much worse before they improve.

I hope I hear back from Dr Whitfield soon. Then I'll be able to get started. I’m sure the braid works, I just need confirmation and some help with boundary points. Where will I be able to get access to a real laboratory? It'll really eat into my day if I have to travel. I need to talk with Susan again, maybe she'll have an idea. I wonder? Nope, I won't write that down just yet. But what a wild idea! Note to self - talk to Gèng!

I also need to find time to help Sharon find her sister but that will mean another world to enter. What will it be like to have freedom after nine years? Will she even want to be free? I need to see what help the kids from the Switch are getting. There is so much to do. I need to delegate. Maybe there is someone else I can convince to go with Sharon?

CHAPTER TEN

December 10, 2073

Leah arrived on the Bridge of the Annoyance with ten minutes to spare before translation to Plankian Space. This gave her enough time to check the various sensors and confirm that there had been no activity in the system since their arrival over a day ago. The Banshee was an older ship and would need to accelerate for another twelve hours before translating if they were to arrive at the same time in the destination system. Leah logged out and after a quick meal she was logged onboard the Betrayal for the first jump into Plankian space. She was on board for less than ten minutes before heading back on board the Annoyance to continue looking through the star charts.

After several minutes she found that she was struggling to focus as her mind played over the possible repercussions of the scenarios she, Akia and her friends had discussed. She relocated to the floor and closed her eyes to meditate. Master Ning had emphasised that meditation needn’t be an emptying of the mind, but rather it was a focusing of the mind to view something dispassionately. This was not to take away the passion, but to set it aside for a moment, and allow life or circumstances to find an order or structure without forcing it into your preconceptions. In this state, you could deal with life’s turmoil with greater certainty and strength.

After ten minutes Leah said, “Gèng, please display the data in the order it is saved on the disk. Play it so that I finish looking at it in sixty minutes.”

“That will be too fast for your brain to register. There is information in the database on over 7000 star systems.”

“I know! But you are right, all that information will be too much. I’ve checked and no star system has the number 42316 in its designation or initial summary and the word Vikas isn’t mentioned in any of the star charts? I’m not likely to guess the exact code used so I’ll just have to do the hard work of checking everything. But first show me the big picture again. Show me the area covered in the charts and identify each star with a report in green.”

Leah looked at the resulting projection from all angles, but no pattern emerged that she could see. She continued to change the parameters, reviewing the visual records and changing which data was presented. At the end of the hour, she felt she had gotten nowhere as nothing had jumped out at her. It was with some frustration that she logged out.

Leah almost reached the sofa when she changed directions and headed for the room with the Merkize disc. She looked again at the puzzle she had been working on and said, “Triangles. Gèng, each of the icons is made up of triangles. The number of triangles in each icon is different. If it’s numbers they represent, then it might be a simple Hanjie or Nonogram. I’ll check later, but first, back to the Annoyance.”

She rushed back and sat again on the floor. She said, “Now what do all these systems have in common?”

Gèng responded, “A sun, or suns, planets, moons, asteroids, and any number of other variables.”

“I’ve tried the big picture, but what about identifying unique systems? Try planets. How many systems with a ‘V’ name or classification have only four planets?”

“Five.”

“Is there any particular combination of ‘V’ and ‘4’ which returns a single system?”

“Yes, a single item is returned if ‘V’ is entered for star system designate with reference to either Nomenclature or Classification number and ‘4’. It is either the number of habitable planets; the Apparent Magnitude of the star; the number of Space-stations; the number of colonies; the Gorgian fleet responsible for protection; or the number of Gorgians on the original survey team.”

“Is there a corresponding unique system for ‘I’ and ‘2’”?

“Yes, the system designate I-23 is overseen by the second Gorgian Fleet.”

“‘K’ and ‘3’?”

“Yes, the system Kylo, designate G-456 has three Space Stations.”

“Not what I needed, check each system with the identifiers with the letters from VIKAS and then the data using the corresponding numbers from the string, ‘42316’? Use the numbers in both directions. I am after five unique systems using the same characteristics.”

Gèng was silent for a minute and then another before responding, “If I search for systems with the data provided then no unique set appears with five systems. The closest was a collection of three systems. I added material from the various public sites associated with each of the star systems and have come up with one unique set.

“Many of the stars in Cosmos Online are originally modelled on stars seen from earth. Several forums are dedicated to identifying such models. One has compared the Cosmos Online stars with the stars identified and named based on their Arabic designations. Taking the Common names of those Arabic Stars then the star Vega, identified in Arabic as النسر الواقع or ‘an-Nisr ul-Wāqiʿ’ is the model for the System known in Cosmos Online as Armonia and designated in the Gorgian records as JF-45. It has six public space stations, is host to a Gorgian Embassy and is a player starting system dedicated to music and the arts.

“Izar is known in Arabic as ‘الإزار’. In Cosmos Online this was the model for the star Celeste which is one of the starter systems primarily used by players from China. It has one public space station and is host to a Gorgian Embassy. Similar stars with the corresponding number of public space stations, starter systems and Gorgian Embassies are 40 Eridani, known as Keid or ‘القيض’ and is the model for the starter systems known as the Triplo. It is a star system with three primaries. One public station surrounds each star.

“The planet which in Arabic is known as ‘العذارى’ or ’al-‘A·dhārā is Epsilon Canis Majoris and is the model for the unaligned pleasure planet located in Gorgian space. It is called Nymph and has a ‘restricted’ rating. It is one of Cosmos Online’s forays into the adult-only erotic market. It is a starter system and has two public space stations. Finally is ‘سعد الملك’ or Sadalmelik the system modelled on Alpha Aquarii, it is one of the major starter systems, is known as Aquarius as it has a water planet in the habitable zone. It has four public space stations and a Gorgian embassy.”

Leah pondered for a moment and then said, “Can you isolate the five systems for me and review all data and see if there are any other likely connections between them?”

“I can, it will take me some time, so I suggest you pursue other activities until I am finished. You need to prepare for your time in Dunyanin. I will utilise the time to investigate the five systems in the wider virtual multi-verse.”

Leah logged out of the Pod in preparation for a day in Dunyanin.

Leah arrived back in Dunyanin and was surprised to see several Dwarven Warriors standing guard in the field outside her suite. She opened the door into the main section of the Forge only to find Korumak standing outside the door.

“Morning Korumak, what is going on?”

“Two dwarves were caught attempting to enter the Forge. It appears they are not connected except they both claim they are here to see you. One somehow made it to the second entrance where they revealed themselves and asked for you. The other was caught climbing down one of the air intake chutes. Several scouts also reported a contingent of Orcs making their way through the snowbound passes to the south of here.”

“What would you like me to do?”

“Come and see if you know either of the dwarves. The only one we might release is the one who came to the front gate. The other we will put on trial for attempting to break into the fortress. He is a traveller, and his punishment will most likely be death.”

Leah followed Korumak through the fortress until they reached some cells deep underground. He beckoned Leah towards the cell door and indicated she should look inside. The room was what Leah had expected a cell to look like although it did have a bed for the prisoner. A dwarf who Leah instantly recognised as Rana in her dwarf form was lying on the bed.

Leah said, “Korumak, this is a companion, her name is Rana. We were separated while I was on my journey here.”

Korumak opened the door, and Leah entered and hugged Rana as she came to her feet. Leah said, “It is so good to see you. I am sorry for the problems being associated with me have caused you.”

Rana smiled and said, “It is quite all right sister. This is the first time I have ever been incarcerated, and it was an interesting experience. I am learning all sorts of new things on this journey.”

Korumak interrupted and said, “That’s all well and good, but how did you get past the first tunnel?”

“I crept, it is a skill of mine. I wasn’t certain if Atherleah was here. Her friends had said she was here in the mountains in a place called the Forge. It wasn’t until I had passed the first gate that I heard someone mention the name of the fortress. As soon as I heard it, I introduced myself at the front gate.”

“That’s all well and good as far as it goes but I’m not pleased that people can just creep inside. Be assured we will talk more about this. Now, Atherleah can you come and see the second interloper?”

Leah exited the cell and followed Korumak to the next cell. Looking inside, she saw Son_of_Aulë, Merideath’s follower. She said, “I know him and have killed him twice before. He serves an adversary of mine, Merideath. Usually, he is surrounded by five friends. Your guards should be wary.”

The dwarf rose from his bed and said, “Ah, Atherleah, Fiore said I would find you here. I was supposed to kill you but only after giving you a message first. The message is this, ‘Merideath has asked Mr Kodoman to help you see reason. She wants what you stole from her. You have twelve hours from the time your mother’s church service ends to assure Merideath of its return or Mr Kodoman will take action.’”

Leah nodded and began to walk away. The dwarf said, “That’s the message, now I get to destroy you.”

“And how are you planning to do that?”

He turned to Korumak and said, “My name is Kandirma, Bearer of Durwin’s Axe, Slayer of K’narthoth and Friend of Clan Molven. I demand a hearing before your ruling council.”

Korumak nodded and left the room followed by Leah and Rana. As he walked, Korumak said, “He is known to my people. His battle with the Orc K’narthoth freed Clan Molven from servitude and death. He will be heard by the ruling council and his word will be accepted as truth unless challenged.”

Leah said, “What happens if his word is challenged?”

“Most likely a trial by combat, Kandirma, or his champion against the challenger. The challenged to choose weapons. I imagine it will be Axes as he bears Durwin’s. It is unrivalled on Vatan.”

“I have some work to do in the forge. How long will it take to convene the council?”

“Less than an hour. But even if it were longer you may not go to the forge until this is settled. Return to your room if you like, the saddle for your Chimera is ready, and the leatherworker wants to check the fitting.”

Leah led Rana to her suite. They had only just arrived when the leatherworker appeared, so Leah released Mĕi and spent over an hour adjusting and fitting the saddle. As they finished a messenger arrived to lead Leah and Rana to the Council Chamber.

The Council Chamber was hewn from solid rock and rectangular. There was a raised section at one end with five chairs, one for each member of the council. The rest of the room was bare. Son_of_Aulë, or Kandirma as he called himself, was standing before the seats. Around the room were several guards and some spectators. Atherleah and Rana stood to one side with several spectators and waited to see what was said.

One of the ruling council, an old dwarf with silver hair and beard said, “Quiet, the council is now in session. Kandirma, Bearer of Durwin’s Axe, Slayer of K’narthoth and Friend of Clan Molven has requested this meeting to explain his reasons for attempting to infiltrate the Forge. To save time, we will consider this his trial. Should he fail to have good reasons, we will pronounce judgement on his actions. Kandirma, speak!”

Kandirma turned and looked around the room before facing the council and saying, “Rulers of The Forge, fellow dwarves, I regret the incursion into your sanctuary but believe my reasons will show it was necessary. I have come from Clan Molven for the express purpose of apprehending a thief and murderer.” He turned and pointed a finger at Atherleah, “Several weeks ago this half-breed insinuated her way into our community. Playing on our kindness, she was instructed in the art of smithing but then she broke into our storehouse, raiding it for treasure and killing our Master Smith. As she fled, she opened the way for a company of orcs to enter the clan fortress. These beasts killed many women and children before they were finally defeated. It was from the lips of the orc leader that we learned the source of our troubles. He named his leader as the Marauder known as Atherleah, a half-human half-elf.

“On hearing this and recognising the name as belonging to the very person we had helped, I was charged with apprehending the murderer and bringing her to justice. My clan has declared Atherleah as Acı Düşman, the Enemy of Dwarves. I came in secret because I was unaware of how much her duplicity and treacherous wiles had infiltrated this facility. I assume she had various artefacts and materials she used to persuade you to help her. These were stolen from my Clan. I also believe she is attempting something similar here for I spied some orcs headed this way.”

As Kandirma had been speaking the room had gone deathly quiet, and everyone except Rana had moved away from Atherleah. Even Sampiyon was staring at her with disgust and loathing. Several of the guards positioned themselves near her and had their hands on their weapons.

Leah looked around the room but waited silently. She was trying to think of all her options. Kandirma smirked at her and then changed his visage to one of sadness before saying, “I believe that I am able to defeat this treacherous halfbreed but do not want to give her any opportunity to escape justice. I call on Utsal, Goddess of Light and Truth to be my witness and to affirm my words.”

The familiar form of Utsal appeared and said, “Hello Atherleah dear, I wasn’t paying attention just now. Did you call?”

Kandirma said, “No Divine One, I did. My name is Kandirma, and I ask that you confirm the truth of my words. That the halfbreed Atherleah did insinuate her way into the community of Clan Molven. She broke into our storehouse, raiding it of treasures and killing the Master Smith. That she fled and opened the way for a company of orcs to enter the clan fortress. That these beasts killed many women and children at her command to stop us from chasing her.”

Utsal looked at Kandirma with surprise then slowly turned to Leah and said in a cold voice, “People of the Forge of Demir Dovuyor. Know this, every word Kandirma has spoken about Atherleah is true.” Her voice broke and she continued, “Atherleah, how could you do this? You were my friend?”

Leah said, “It isn’t true Utsal, I did not do these things.”

“But it is Atherleah, I am the Goddess of Truth, I know truth. I name you Yalanlar Kraliçesi, the Queen of Lies. My followers will find you, and they will destroy you. I must go now, you have caused me great distress.”

As the guards reached for Leah she said to Rana, “I’ll meet you at the pass near Daglar Duman.” Then she disappeared.

Leah reappeared in the Forge and grabbed her untempered sword. Maden was nearby and said, “Atherleah, I thought you were in the Council, has it finished?”

Leah said, “Mostly. I just wanted to grab the sword and scales, do you know if Yucu has finished them?”

“She has, they are in the vault.”

Just then the sound of a gong began to sound throughout the Forge, Maden said, “The alarm, we are under attack. Come with me!”

“I can’t Maden, I’m sorry.”

Leah teleported to the vault and collected the scales. She then took all the ingredients she had brought for Sampiyon and teleported to her suite. When she arrived, she found Korumak in the room. He said, “How could you? How could you do such things? You made me believe in you, to trust you, to befriend you. Stand down, or I will kill you.”

Leah’s face fell, and she said, “It’s not true Korumak, what he said is not true. I don’t know how to prove it and I need my freedom to work it out. I’m sorry for your pain. I would not betray you, now or ever.”

“The Queen of Lies is apt for you, even now you try and sway me. Then die halfbreed.”

As he finished speaking, he swung his Battle Axe, aiming to kill her. Leah misted her torso and then cast Chain Lightning. As he stumbled she changed Mìng into a statue and equipping Mĕi’s saddle she leapt onto the Chimera and yelled, “Let’s go.”

Startled, Mĕi took a few steps and then beat her wings and leapt for the sky. Within moments Leah was beyond arrow range and heading for the pass. She used her knees and hands to guide Mĕi and soon she was on the peak above the new gold mine. She had Mĕi land and then said, “Gèng, can I log out?”

“Not yet, it appears that you are actively being hunted and you were seen heading here. You need to be in an unknown location or remain undetected for twenty minutes to log out.”

Leah nodded then called out, “Emil, Emil Riverton, I need you here, now.”

Leah waited, but nothing happened. No one appeared. No flash of light, no elf, nothing. Finally, she said, “Gèng, how long before Rana will get to the pass?”

“If she travels at the top speed I have observed she will be there in another hour and a half.”

“Ok, any messages I need to know about?”

“Your reputation with all dwarves is now ‘Eternal Enmity’. Also, you should be aware that the Fortress of Clan Molven was attacked several weeks ago by orcs and many dwarves were killed. The forums say that the perpetrator was unknown but was declared Acı Düşman, the Enemy of Dwarves.”

“Any indications who it was?”

“Nothing official but an online rumour suggested it was a Traveller known to the Clan.”

“Great. I’m going to go have a word with Kandirma and see what he knows.”

“Is that wise, Atherleah? They will be on full alert.”

“Wise, probably not! Still, I don’t want to look for him later, I know where he is now, and I don’t want him to get away.”

Leah pictured one of the small side rooms she had seen in the Forge and teleported there. On arrival, she misted and went looking for the dwarf. She eventually found him talking with several guards on a small balcony overlooking one of the large valleys formed at the base of the mountain. They were watching a band of orcs making their way slowly along the valley floor. Kandirma said, “See her treachery in action. I am pleased I was able to warn you in time. How may I help in the defence of the Forge?”

One of the guards said, “Stay here and keep a lookout. We will inform the Captain of the Guard and send out a force to kill the orcs before they get close.”

“I suggest you take a large force as the orcs we faced in the Fortress of Clan Molven were fierce warriors.”

“We will share your suggestions.”

The Forge guards left Kandirma alone to keep watch. Once they were gone Leah saw him take a mirror from his bag. Looking at it he said, “May the Fire of the earth connect this glass to its twin.”

He waited a moment, and Leah could see mana flow into the mirror which blurred and then filled with the face of an orc. The orc looked at Kandirma and said, “So, Son_of_Aulë, you finally contact me. Report!”

“Force Leader Yurluk, you step above yourself. I report to my mistress, not to you. She has placed me with you for reasons of her own. Be careful to show respect.”

“Brave words from a dwarf hiding at a distance behind the skirts of a woman. Now, what is your information?”

“One day, Yurluk, you will disrespect me when I am close by, then I will take your head and use it as a chamberpot. I called to report that these dwarves are watching the diversionary group. I expect them to send most of their warriors against the pack in the next hour. When they have gone, I will open the main doors. Make sure that any survivors hear you thank the half-elf half-human known as Atherleah for giving you access.”

“So your mistress has said. We are ready and will attack as you direct.”

The face of the orc disappeared, and the mirror was once again projecting a reflection of Kandirma’s face. Leah waited as he put the mirror away and then she carefully unmisted behind him. The first he knew of her presence was when her knife severed his spinal column between the T5 and T6 vertebra. He dropped like a rock, all feeling and use of his legs and torso gone. He landed face up and stared at Leah. She checked his health which was just under fifty percent. She equipped her bow and calmly shot him once in either shoulder. His health dropped to thirty percent.

Leah looked down at him and said, “So, Son_of_Aulë, how did you manage to pull that off? Deceiving the Goddess of Truth?”

He smirked and said, “You’ll never find out. Merideath has contacts everywhere. I can’t believe you are still resisting her. Torture won’t work, I only feel ten percent of the pain and this is nothing I haven’t felt before. If I were you, I’d just give up and return the ship.”

Leah saw an icon at the top of her vision begin to flash. It was her BSP; she needed to feed.

“But you’re not me. I am.” Leah let her fangs grow and then she extended her claws.

She looked at the suddenly motionless dwarf and said, “I have misted too much today and I need to feed, my reserves are low.” Her eyes turned red and she could see his jugular pulsing with blood under the skin. With a sudden movement, she plunged her claws hard into his biceps to hold him down and buried her fangs in his neck. His body turned opaque and she sat there staring at his outline. She sighed and harvested the body. He hadn’t left much behind except several Gold and one Platinum. A message appeared.

You have fed on the blood of a Level 318 Sentient (7, 7.5):

BSP = 16695

Note: This is the first time you have fed from a Sentient. You are gifted with the ability to change into the form of the sentient for a period of one hour. This change will use 100 BSP and 1000 MP per minute. Other parameters for using this skill are to be found under the Dunyanin Skill (Vampire) - Impersonation.

Leah checked the skill and then thought for several moments before looking through the skill messages and working out how to use Impersonation. She added several Skill Points to increase her options and then willed her body and clothing to match the picture she had of Kandirma. Leah walked boldly down the stairs to the central section of the keep. She walked up to the first guard she saw and said, “Guard, take me or point me in the direction of the Captain of the Guard. I’ve just seen something on the mountain which disturbs me greatly.”

The ability to project the voice of the person she was impersonating was one of the reasons she had increased the level of the skill. The guard explained that he couldn’t leave his post but he did direct her to the central staging area for the defence of the Forge. When she arrived, she saw the two guards from the balcony talking with the guard captain and Korumak. She walked up to them and waited to be acknowledged.

Finally, the Captain turned to her and said, “Ah, Kandirma, I thought you were keeping watch on the balcony?”

“I was. It’s just that I saw a larger force of orcs hiding near the entrance to the Forge. I suspect that when you leave to attack the force I reported earlier, the larger force will attack.”

“It is a good plan, but how do they expect to get in?”

“I suspect they were planning for Atherleah to open the doors. I suggest you turn the trap on them.”

“How?”

“Send out a large force toward the diversion as you had just been discussing. When they are out of sight, have them return and be prepared to attack the rear of the orc attackers when they get close. I will open the door for them and when they attack they will be caught in the middle between two forces. You could then close the inner door and trap them in the open space as they exit the tunnel.”

It took several more minutes but the plan was approved and Leah headed for her assigned position near the front door. Suddenly her arm was grasped from behind and she was turned around. Korumak was standing there. He stared at her and then said, “Kandirma, all know of Merideath, but who is Mr Kodoman? You mentioned him when you talked with Atherleah this morning, you mentioned him as a threat. Who is he? And why is Merideath involved in your quest against Atherleah?”

Leah looked at Korumak, she could see the question, and doubt, in his eyes. She said, “Mr Kodoman is Merideath’s husband. Her involvement in this is none of your business Korumak. Leave it be.”

As she turned away to keep working she heard Korumak say, “There is more to this than you are saying Kandirma, much more. I will discover the truth.”

Leah ignored the comment and kept walking. Twenty minutes later the doors opened and over two hundred dwarven warriors marched out the gates and turned towards the valley holding the diversionary force. Leah waited ten minutes and then gave the signal that she would open the gate. She walked to the outer doors and after taking a deep breath, she opened the doors and stepped out. She looked around but saw nothing. She stood there for a few minutes wondering if she had made a mistake in understanding what was happening. Then, at the edge of her perception, she could sense blood, lots of blood. She stared in the direction her senses indicated and the force of orcs slowly materialised, working their way toward her. She stood watching them as they inched closer. Finally, when they were only metres away, they became fully visible.

The leader she had seen in the mirror stepped forward and said, “So Kandirma, you finally spotted us. It’s taken you long enough. I would have thought your knowledge of us would have overcome the crystal’s suggestions earlier but then it always comes slower to people of lesser intellect.”

Leah knew she needed to keep in character, so she said, “Then I’m surprised you even know where you are half the time. Now if you’ve finished chatting why don’t you head in and do as you’ve been instructed?”

Yurluk leant closer and said, “We are allies dwarf. I have an agreement, not an instruction. But why are you here? I thought you needed the girl to take the blame.”

“I’m just making sure you don’t screw this up, now hurry.”

The orc smirked at her and then led the force through the gate. As the last orc passed her, Leah turned to follow. She was surprised to see six orcs stop and begin closing the Forge gates. She said, “What are you doing? Go fight you oafs, I’ll close this.”

The largest orc walked close, towering over her dwarven form and said, “We don’t take orders from dwarves. I have no idea how Yurluk puts up with you but I won’t. This is my task so get out of here before I return you to your mistress minus your head.”

Leah took several steps down the tunnel when the timer Gèng had placed at the edge of her vision began flashing. She had less than sixty seconds before her Impersonation of Kandirma would end. She stopped and looked toward the orcs. As her body returned to its half-elf half-human form, she equipped her bow and shot two of the orcs before they noticed what was happening. Her next arrow was deflected by a shield. She cast chain lighting and waded into the remaining four orcs with her swords. She dispatched two while they were stunned and then received a blow to the side of the face from one of the remaining orcs.

She flew to the side and lost her footing. She allowed her body to crumble and turned the movement into a painful tumble. Rising, she turned back to the fight only to be slammed backwards by a bolt from an orcan crossbow which pierced her abdomen. Her health plummeted and she looked up into the eyes of the orc walking slowly towards her. He said, “You didn’t smell like a dwarf. Die now, knowing you failed.”

He was raising the crossbow to shoot when a Dwarven Battle Axe flew from the darkness and lodged in his skull. As he dropped, Leah saw the final orc fall from a crossbow bolt through the eye. She stared into the darkness and saw Korumak walking slowly toward her. He said, “I heard and saw what happened. Where is Kandirma?”

“Dead.”

“I must open the door and then I will return. You need to hide. Every dwarf will kill you on sight. My word will not be enough to overcome the words of a God.”

Leah nodded. She took several deep breaths before using her Mist ability to remove the crossbow bolt from her lower abdomen. She took a restore potion and then stepped into the shadows as the large force of dwarves came through the gates to crash into the rear of the orcan force. After they passed, she saw Korumak walking carefully through the gates and looking around. She stepped into his view and they stared at each other.

Leah said, “I did not betray you. I would not.”

“I know. The more I thought on it, the more wrong it was. The damage is done though. You are the declared enemy of all dwarves. They will pass a dragon or orc to kill you. The word will spread faster than you can travel. What will you do?”

“I don’t know. What I do know is I must go. Rana is waiting for me. Goodbye Korumak, thank you for my life.”

“There is no need to thank me. From what I observed it is likely you saved the Forge from destruction and desecration. You also killed the ones responsible for the massacre of Clan Molven. Be assured that at least one Dwarf knows you are a person of honour.”

“Thank you Korumak. Goodbye.”

Leah had reached full health and she teleported to the mountain pass where Rana was waiting.

Rana said, “Atherleah, I am confused. I do not understand what happened. The Goddess says you betrayed a whole clan and allowed the innocent to be killed. This does not match what I have observed of you. But the Goddess cannot lie. She was your friend and she says you are guilty. If you can deceive a God, then it would be easy to deceive me. I have decided to annul my bond of Companionship. As the Goddess has declared, so I declare. You have one hour and then I shall find you and kill you for the deception you have committed on me and my Father’s House.”

Atherleah, an NPC of Dunyanin has annulled the companion bond.

Rana, daughter of Namus, a Level 220 High Elf Vampire, has annulled the companion bond.

Future Companion Bonds will be harder to form because of this annulment.

You have one companion - Shēngmìng Zhī Huǒ

Rana turned her back and disappeared from sight. Leah shook her head slowly, checked her mana and teleported to the top of the spire where she’d found the Disc to Merkize. On arrival, she stared at the mountains for a while and then logged out.

Leah sat on the sofa and stared at the wall for several minutes before she said, “Gèng, is there anything in the Dunyanin terms and conditions that have been breached by the gameplay this morning?”

“On the surface there does not appear to be a breach. I suspect that if it is proved one player manipulated the game AIs for profit or to restrict another player’s gameplay, then the answer would be a resounding ‘Yes’. The issue will be proving it.”

“I’m surprised that the Developers haven’t picked it up already.”

“Yes. I suggest you contact Sharon and get ahead of the media storm that is surely headed your way.”

Leah had Gèng contact Sharon and request an urgent meeting. She also asked her to see if Stephen was available. Ten minutes later Sharon arrived followed immediately by Stephen. Leah introduced them and then gave an outline of her morning with small clips from the game to give them a better picture of what happened.

When she was finished, Sharon said, “I will work on a strategy, but my first suggestion is you get back in the game right now and keep playing. You mustn’t allow this situation to show a weakness in your game. If you do, then it will be exploited. Take the game to your attackers. You need to exploit this for your benefit. The vampire thing will work for you, not against you. Internally, within the game, the knowledge might be damaging. Externally, in the wider multiverse, this will increase your standing. Dunyanin will be inundated with new Platinum level players all wanting to be vampires.”

Stephen said, “The advice you’ve just received is good Leah. Leave it to us. I’ll get to work on the legal side and try to get a statement from Dunyanin. I may have to get some help on this, but I know you can afford it. Go, we have this.”

Leah looked back and forth between the two for a moment then nodded. “Thank you. I’ll go. Gèng will contact me if you need me.”

Moments later she was back on the needle. She sat down and began meditating. She had just over five hours left in the game. She needed to find somewhere to temper her blade, and she needed to get on with the game. She checked her maps and then after checking the various forums with Gèng’s help she decided on an area to the North-East of her position. She teleported to the top of the mountain overlooking the Forge and then released Mĕi. Equipping the saddle, she climbed aboard and directed Mĕi to head deeper into the mountain range. There was almost no information on the area she was flying over, nothing on the forums and nothing on her maps. This was unexplored inaccessible virgin territory.

As Mĕi wended her way between mountain peaks, making use of the thermals and winds, Leah kept an eye on the ground and a lookout for anything unusual. Leah had asked Gèng to give her an icon for Mĕi, something to show when the Chimera was getting tired. Mĕi’s energy was just over fifty percent when Leah received a message

You are entering an area of play where Player Level determines the attacking MOBs. This area is bounded by mountain ranges and covers an area of 45 square leagues. The highest level player calculates MOB level for groups. You can, therefore, expect to meet situations aimed at players with a level of 268. Please have an enjoyable day.

Looking down Leah could see the walls of a steep valley enclosed by a ring of mountains. She tapped Mĕi’s left head and pointed to the valley below. Slowly Mĕi descended, and finally landed on a mountain ledge overlooking the enclosed area. Several times during the descent Leah had received messages that she was either leaving an area or entering one. Leah dismounted and surveyed the area. It was covered with a deep forest, lush and green. She could see the path of several fast flowing rivers heading towards the centre of the valley.

She turned to Mĕi and said, “You have grown quickly and are already at Level 42, but this is beyond you. It isn’t safe. Thank you for bringing me this far.”

Leah changed Mĕi into a statue and then began picking her way down the slope and into the valley. As she scampered into the first row of trees, the message was again displayed, and she hoped it was for the last time. Slowly she made her way through the thick undergrowth. Leah’s attention constantly moved from the ground to the air and as many points in between as she could. She checked each plant, rock, flower and sound before taking the next step. After twenty minutes she found what she imagined was an animal trail meandering through the brush. She carefully checked both ways before stepping onto the small but well defined, path.

Once on the path Leah made better time but still kept an eye on her surroundings. Her continued caution served her well this time, and she was quick to notice the intrusive sound of footsteps, or maybe it was hooves, coming along the path behind her. She quickly scuttled off the path and crouched low to the ground, hidden in the undergrowth but with a good view of the path. The noise slowly resolved itself into two independent separate sets of feet or hooves making their way along the trail. Leah could make out the sound of voices but wasn’t able to make sense of the sounds.

Finally, two figures came into view, each was just over half Leah’s height, and they resembled elves more than anything. They had the same tapered ears and fine features, but in addition to fine hair, their heads each sported what looked like goat horns on their heads. They wore clothes, but instead of elven feet, their legs each ended in a cloven hoof. Each was carrying a bow and had a sword slung over a shoulder. Leah could see several knives tied to each belt.

ELFAUN SCOUT (Level 281) 78961HP (14050EP)

They passed Leah without noticing her, and she waited until the sound of their feet had begun to disappear before stepping back onto the path.

“Gèng, any reference to Elfaun in the Bestiary?”

“None! I should note that the Bestiary is clear that some animals and races will not become available in the compendium until they are discovered or reported.”

Leah continued along the path, and while she remained careful, she began to move a little quicker as she noticed the two Elfaun traversed the path without obvious caution. She had travelled another four hundred or so paces when she heard a high pitched screech of agony from somewhere ahead of her. She increased her pace but remained watchful. The cries continued, and she suddenly came upon an open area where it looked like a battle was underway.

The two Elfaun had swords out and were attacking a creature that looked like it had been created after the developer had a nightmare. It was the size of a large human, and its lower legs were jointed in the retrograde position. Its arms were long and when it moved it used them to help it balance. The skin was pasty white, hairless and translucent like that of a grub pulled from rotten wood. Prominent scars covered large sections of its body. The head was humanoid with bulging red eyes and a lipless jaw with large square teeth. Instead of a nose, it had two holes in the flesh through which Leah could see the bony skull. Blood dripped from numerous cuts.

DRAGONBLOOD DRYAD LARVA (Level 127) 16129HP (6350EP)

Suddenly one of the Elfauns darted forward and sliced a section of flesh from the flank of the creature. The creature howled in the high pitched screech Leah had heard before. The Elfaun grabbed the flesh and after taking a bite, threw the remainder onto a small pile of flesh behind it. Leah knew this was not a battle and after taking a second look she cast chain lightning at the nearest Elfaun.

The lightning arched from the first and into the second Elfaun, and they both stumbled in stunned shock for several moments. The Dryad Larve glanced at Leah, and then slowly stepped toward the safety of the forest. The two Elfaun recovered quickly and turned toward Leah. She held Merdiven in one hand, and the other was empty.

She said, “Sorry about that but I wasn’t sure how to get your attention. I have no problem with people hunting for food but I can’t abide people who are cruel. Slicing the flesh off a living creature to eat is cruel beyond belief.”

The Elfaun had stood still at the sound of her voice, but as soon as she finished, they began to walk toward her. One said something in their language which Leah didn’t understand. Leah shrugged and said, “Sorry, I don’t understand.”

“They are wondering what you taste like.” The Dryad Larva’s voice was wet and phlegmy.

“Good to know. I don’t suppose you’d let them know that I’d prefer not to give them a sample. They should take my word for it; I’m tasteless and stringy.”

The Dryad Larva said something to the Elfaun who smiled and spoke again. Each of them took another step toward Leah and then leapt toward her, swords flashing. Leah was ready and cast Circle of Sloth. She equipped her swords and deflected their blows before attacking the closest one with both weapons. She managed to open several wounds on its arms. The other attacked from Leah’s side and she had to leap aside to save herself from being skewered. She unequipped Adalet and used her left hand to cast Dragon Fire at the wounded Elfaun who raised its hands to fend off the fire and had them burnt to cinder. The second Elfaun stopped in shock and Leah killed it with a thrust through the heart before killing its horribly burnt companion.

The Dryad Larva said, “They were amused that another of the lesser races sought to communicate. They suggested you should be left alive for some time to see what else they might use you for. Their suggestion was crude and I shall not repeat it.”

Leah smiled and said, “Well, that makes their deaths a little more palatable. Do you need healing?”

“Can a Dragon Mage of Fire also heal? I would appreciate it.”

Leah cast Heal several times until the Dryad Larva’s wounds had all been healed. The Dryad Larva said, “Thank you. I have a question if you don’t mind?”

“Ask away, I’ll just harvest these remains, and then you have my full attention.”

Leah harvested the Elfauns, and besides their weapons and blood, she received two small moneybags with some copper and silver coins all minted with the image of an Elfin on one side and some text she couldn’t read.

The Dryad Larva said, “Why did you stop them, and why did you save me? I know that my appearance is unsightly to humanoids and they have the appearance of beauty. They have the appearance of intelligence while I look to you like a monster.”

“They were playing with their food. I don’t have any problem with carnivores killing to eat, but they were purposefully cruel. If you are their food, then they should just kill you and eat. If I had known you were sentient, I would have stepped in sooner. As to appearance, I’ve learned to look beyond that. Some of the most beautiful people I know are ugly, and some of the ugliest people are beautiful.”

“Well, I thank you for my life and for the opportunity to move beyond this form.”

“I don’t understand, what do you mean, ‘beyond this form’?”

“This clearing is my birthplace, and to it I am bound. I was deposited in the ground as an egg by my mother decades ago. The egg produces a chemical which clears the ground of undergrowth and other foliage in preparation for the tree which will be my home. From the Dryad egg, I emerged as this Larva. In this form I roamed the forest to feed and grow, tasting of the forest plants and herbs, learning of life and having the freedom of movement. We, the Larvae, are also the protectors of our race.

“When fully grown we return to the place of our birth and enter the pupal stage. Our bodies then change into fully formed Dryads. The Larva shell mixes with the remains of the egg to form my tree, a Dragonblood tree. To enter the pupal stage, the Larva must be in full health. The Elfaun search the forest for Dryad circles and wait for the Larva to return. They cause us grievous wounds and return time and time again to harvest our flesh. Once returning to the circle in preparation for the Pupal stage, we can no longer leave the circle and remain within, trying to heal while slowly starving. I have been a wounded prisoner in this circle for over fifteen years. Now I can return to the earth and become what I was meant to be.”

Leah was horrified at the story, “Are there others like you, Dryads caught in their circles and harvested for food?”

“Indeed! Before the Elfauns came to this valley, we were a happy community with thousands of trees. They cut them down and planted this forest of deadwood instead. There are hundreds of larva like myself scattered throughout the valley.”

“Do you know where others are?”

“I know of two such circles I encountered in my travels, in the time before I returned to this circle.”

“If you can give me an idea of where they are I shall visit them and see what I can do.”

“Thank you, Lady. I’m sorry, but I do not know your name.”

“Only because I have been rude and not introduced myself. My name is Atherleah. What might I call you?”

“My name is revealed only at my emergence. For now, I am simply a Larva.”

“You are not simply a Larva. You are a Larva, and name or not, you are valuable. Now, before I go is there any way that I might help you further?”

“I need nothing, Lady Atherleah. Everything I need is in this body and the remains of the egg. Only a Dragon could add to this, and no dragon has been in the Valley for millennia.”

“What help would a dragon be?”

“Our race was formed by the great Life Dragon Y’sam Ejderhasi. He mixed his blood with that of the first seed and formed our race. Several millennia ago he abandoned us and stopped returning to share his blood. This was when we became weak and unable to defend the valley.”

“Y’sam Ejderhasi did not abandon you, he was killed thousands of years ago when protecting the continent from a killer meteor. I have his daughter as a companion. Let me ask and see if she is willing to provide some blood for you.”

Leah removed Mìng’s statue and willed her into being. Mìng was now over nine metres in length and filled half the glade. Leah spoke in Dragon tongue and said, “Mìng, this is the Dryad Larva for a Dragonblood tree. Your father created their race and shared his blood with them to give them strength. His absence and the presence of predators has weakened them and brought them low. Are you willing to give some blood to help restore your father’s creatures?”

Mìng stared at the larva for some time then said, “I am. One drop of blood and a Life Spell of Binding to help her grow. The spell is in Father’s book.”

Leah took the book out and found the spell, it was just within her capabilities and would require almost all her Mana. She talked with Mìng about the process and finally turned to the Larva and said, “First, this is Mìng, and she has agreed to continue her father’s help. This spell includes your name. Apparently, Y’sam Ejderhasi named each dryad during its planting. Do you have a name chosen?”

“No. Please, will you or the Lady Mìng please choose one?”

Leah and Mìng discussed possible names for a few minutes, and then Leah said, “Mìng has chosen the name Y’nil Enme. In Dragon tongue, it means ‘renewal’. When you are ready, please stand over your seed, and we will do what we can.”

The Larvae moved to the centre of the circle, and her legs began to sink into the soil. Mìng used a claw to pierce the flesh of her upper lip. Then she reached over and kissed the top of the Larva’s head. Leah began to speak the words of the Life Spell. Dark green mana began to form over the Larva’s head and slowly began to revolve like a miniature tornado. Leah continued to speak the words and the mana suddenly hardened into a spike of Life Energy and drove down into the Larvae, moving through her and into the soil. The Larva was dragged under with the mana and the ground closed behind her.

World Quest: Restore a Lost Race

Atherleah (Level 268) You have healed and planted a Dragonblood Dryad. To ensure the race has a large enough population to survive you are tasked with:

1. Heal and help plant the remaining Dryad Larvae in this valley.

2. Ensure their survival by removing the valley’s apex predators, the Elfauns.

Difficulty: Very Hard

Rewards if Successful:

1. 10,000 EP for each Dryad planted

2. Receive a World Achievement

Consequences of failure: Dragonblood Dryads will cease to exist in Dunyanin.

Leah sat down with a thump, completely drained of mana and stamina. She took a restore potion and then turned to Mìng and said, “Thank you. I appreciate your help. Would you like me to heal your lip?”

“Already healed, I am a Life Dragon.”

Leah chuckled, “That you are, Mìng. I’ve a quest to help the other Larvae in this area. Are you willing to help?”

“Yes. Fifty-eight in the valley. But first, I am hungry.”

“Fifty-eight! Can you sense them?”

“Yes. Also, sense food and enemies.”

“Is the food at a low enough level for you to hunt? Are the enemies far enough away?”

“I can hunt. Enemies are not close.”

“All right, you go off and hunt. I’ll stay here. Please return soon as I need to log out in about an hour, and I don’t want to leave you here with the Elfauns around.”

Mìng headed into the undergrowth, and without a sound, she disappeared. Leah sat down and began to think through her options. She wanted to restore the Dryads but wasn’t keen to spend too long in the valley. Suddenly there was a flash of light, and a woman appeared dressed in a suit and holding a clipboard.

She said, “Ms Carroll. I am a representative of the Dunyanin Administrators and Developers. You are not supposed to be in this valley at this time. If you studied the clues properly you would know you were not asked to restore the Dryads but to help the Elfauns. Also, claiming the Elfaun city is a challenge for later in the Merkize Odyssey. If you complete the tasks in an order different than the clues then we cannot effectively control the media opportunities. The Elfaun companions are not due for release to the public for several months and we are still having some coding issues. Now leave, we will edit your entry into this valley out of the feed. Don’t jump ahead again.”

“Who are you?”

“I am a representative of the Dunyanin Administrators and Developers. That is all you need to know.”

“Where is Emil?”

“Mr Riverton is on Administrative leave. I have taken on some of his casework. Most of it revolves around you and the mess you’ve made everywhere you go. I am tempted to begin the proceedings to have your account suspended.”

Leah stared at her for several moments and then based on some relayed advice from Stephen she said, “I see. Well, Ms Representative. First, you are ruining my gameplay. My lawyer is currently writing to the Dunyanin administrators to complain.

“Next, you have revealed the answer to some clues to me that give me an advantage over the others. My lawyer is writing to the Dunyanin administrators to explain that this has happened and that I suggest the balance be restored by revealing the meaning of similar clues to the other contestants or by changing some material on my disc.

“Finally, you have either overstepped your authority, and you have no right to tell me to leave a playing area, or you are cancelling my membership. As you are here as a representative and as you have threatened me with suspension then I will assume I am being removed from the world. Such a decision made by the Dunyanin Administrators should be preceded by written notification according to the terms of agreement I signed when entering Dunyanin. My lawyer is drawing up a civil action against the Dunyanin Administrators for breach of contract.”

The woman stared at Leah for several moments then faded from view. Leah called out, “Mìng if you hear me I need to go now. Please return.”

Several minutes later and Mìng stepped out of the forest. She had the carcass of a small creature in her mouth. She quickly finished the meal, and Leah turned her into a statue. As she put Mìng in her bag, there was a flash of light and two men, one human and one elven appeared. As they stepped forward to talk, Leah stared at them for a moment then she logged out.

End of Book 3

Excerpt from 'Rescue' Book 4 of the Stork Tower

Leah arrived back in the Tower to find both Sharon and Stephen still in residence. She said, “Have you two left or are you still here from five hours ago?”

Sharon replied, “I haven’t left. Stephen did, but he returned over an hour ago. We’ve been trying to get Dunyanin to make a statement on the integrity of their servers and game AI, but they’ve basically ignored us. I have some statements for release that you need to approve.”

“Does it really matter? It is just a game. I’m not really hurt in any way, why not let it slide?”

Sharon said, “You can’t! This is no longer just a game. Dunyanin has made your gameplay and the gameplay of the others in the competition into a worldwide media event. Big money is riding on the outcome and even on your everyday activities within the game. The other major gaming platforms are already gearing up to win back the large number of people defecting to Dunyanin. A shake-up like this hasn’t happened in over a decade. You are popular at the moment and what you do and how you react will affect the direction of change. If you don’t maintain your positive profile now, then you’ll find it hard to get it back, and that will change every aspect of your virtual existence. For example, if you are vilified by the press and by Dunyanin then you could lose your support at MIT. It shouldn’t happen but it very well could.”

“I see. Can it wait until we have all had a break?”

“Yes. You have nine more Dunyanin hours before the feed goes public. You need to have a statement ready for when that happens, and you must be ready to answer questions. I suggest you give permission for me to let one or two journalists know something big is coming and prep them beforehand. They’ll respond by giving you airtime to explain your side of the story.”

“What if Dunyanin doesn’t show what happened?”

“That’ll be worse. In the absence of a feed or facts, people will just make stuff up.”

“Stephen?”

“I agree with Sharon. You need to get your story out first and have Dunyanin and others scrambling to verify. If they speak first, then you are left scrambling. My only suggestion would be that you give Dunyanin a lifeline. Don’t back them into a corner. Big corporations like being given a way out. As for Merideath, I wouldn’t mention her at all. You can’t prove she was involved except by airing the threat. The police will be all over your facility, and you know as well as I do that she’ll weasel her way out of that simply by saying Son_of_Aulë is a deranged individual or something like that. Instead, portray her as irrelevant.”

“I can be back in twenty real-minutes. I’d like to head to church with my mum but that is right on the time the feed starts. Are you sure I need to be available? Could it wait?”

Sharon shook her head and said, “I don’t think so. Over a half-a-billion people watched segments of the first few days of live feed, and that number is growing. The clip of you being accused of ordering the slaughter of women and children will go viral, as will your execution of Son_of_Aulë as a vampire. The fact that he exonerates you and that you save the Forge may not register unless we help people see the facts. We need to help people see these things, and you need to be the one to help them.”

“I’ll give tentative approval but which journalists will you contact?”

“Lisa Wilks from The Virtual World Today and Mark Stevens from DMR Interactions.”

“Why them? They are big names. Why would they be interested?”

“They have shown an interest in the whole Merkize promotion and both have already interviewed several of the other contestants.”

Gèng appeared and said, “I suggest you also find a Chinese journalist and a Russian. Both Yuè_Fēi_Lóng and Боевой_молот have mentioned Atherleah in their interviews in a positive way. A substantial percentage of those who watch Leah come from these locations. It would be useful to keep them onside.”

Sharon nodded and said, “That is a brilliant suggestion Gèng, I need to increase my vision and my understanding of the audience base. Let me do some work and arrange several interviews. Leah, will you release your personal feed of today and your feed of two weeks ago? Those will prove you weren’t near Clan Molven that day.”

“Where was I?”

Gèng replied, “According to the event as described in the various forums you were in that place we can’t mention. You were in the place with all the loot behind the locked door.”

“Sorry Sharon, I’ll release today’s footage, but I can’t release the actual footage for the time in question. I can give you the hours before and the hours after but that particular time is not available. I can prove I was half a continent away before and after.”

“It won’t be enough. Everyone knows you can teleport.”

Stephen interjected, “Why can’t you show us?”

“I agreed to keep that part of my time in Dunyanin a secret.”

“Is the timing a coincidence?”

“It’d have to be. Meredith didn’t even know my name back then. Well, she did, but she didn’t realise what I’d done yet.”

“Do I need to know as your lawyer?”

“I doubt it. I don’t think it’s germane to our discussions.”

“Do I need to know as your public relations consultant?”

“Definitely not, you’d find it too juicy not to share.”

Sharon said, “Unfortunately, now I know about it it’ll drive me crazy not knowing. Either way, this means we’ve lost one of our best proofs. Can we meet back here in half-an-hour to run through what you can and can’t say?”

Leah nodded, and after a few more minutes she logged out to have breakfast with her family.

As Leah exited the Pod, she said, “Gèng, could you see if John is free for a chat after breakfast? I’ll also need to talk to Jimmy and give him a heads-up. Can you check with Akia and see if she has any suggestions?”

“John asked if it is urgent and I said it was. Jimmy was awake and is expecting your call whenever you are free. Akia will not tell me her suggestion. I believe she will tell you if pushed.”

“I’m not ready to push her into an answer just yet. I know that when I think it best to keep something to myself, then it usually is. When people make me speak when I don’t want to then others usually are hurt by my words.”

Lin and Michael were already eating, and Leah joined them. After the usual pleasantries she said, “Dad, mum, I received another threat today. It was made clear that unless I agree to return something to the Kodomans by sometime after eleven tonight that they will begin pressuring me in the real world. They referenced mum’s church, and I think they’ll try and harm or abduct someone in the family.”

Michael sat up straighter and said, “What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. I’d like to say I’ll resist the pressure because I truly believe what they want is data that will affect the lives of a lot of people. The problem is I still haven’t worked out what the data is, and I’m not willing to risk any of my family.”

Lin said, “Do we have a say in what you do?”

“Of course! I need advice, and I want it from both of you. The burden I feel though is that, in the end, it is my responsibility.”

Lin nodded and said, “In that case, our advice, and here I speak for both of us, our advice is that you decode the data and help stop those people from hurting others. We will take precautions, but we will not be intimidated anymore than you will.”

Leah’s dad grinned and said, “Your mother answered for both of us because she is a good Christian woman. My answer would have been far more colourful. It would be the same message just far more adjectival. You go stop them, my girl.”

Leah brushed a stray bit of moisture from the corner of her eye and said, “There is more.” She then shared what had happened during that morning and what plans were in place to counter the most likely outcomes. When she had finished, she waited for a response.

Her parents were quiet for some time, and then Michael said, “Nothing changes. You go and do what you must. We’ll be ready. I suggest you find some way to broadcast your interview to the people in the Switch. They don’t have access to the virtual news.”

Leah gave them each a hug and then left to see John. Her talk with him was along the same lines, and she received a similar response. He agreed to increase surveillance and to plan a lockdown of the facility later in the day. Together they worked on some additional security options to help protect Leah’s family. Finally, Leah called Jimmy and explained what had happened and what the plans were. He said, “When you get this data what will you do with it?”

“I don’t know. It depends on what it is I suppose. But I know that look on your face Jimmy, and the answer is a definite ‘No’. If there is something to be made from it, then I might share it with you, but I won’t simply hand it over to you. You and I both know that if there is a potential for massive financial gain, then your conscience has a holiday.”

“Sadly, my girl, I resemble that remark, much to my chagrin. Over the years my avarice has lost me many friends. But just so you know, I’ve always wanted more than the Switch, just like you. It’s not so much that I want the money, but I guess I still want out.”

“You have enough to leave.”

“I know, but then I’d lose the power.”

“You’ll get no sympathy from me, Jimmy. What you don’t realise is that you have more than power and money. People in the Switch respect you, they look up to you, and they do that without blinkers. We all know you’re a scheming, controlling, money-grabbing, low-life gang lord, but we also know that buried under all that avarice is a heart that cares what happens in the Switch and a mind that tries to decipher a path to benefit others as well as yourself.”

“Leah, you need to work harder on your skills as an encourager, and while I’m touched by your heartfelt suggestion, I will have you know I am not a low-life gang lord: I am a superior gang lord.”

“That you are Jimmy Loo, that you are. Look, I have to go, but I wanted you to know what was happening and what my plans were.”

“Thank you! I'll see what I can do to arrange a way for some of the more influential people in the Switch to listen to your interview. They won’t be able to experience it, but I might be able to arrange an audio feed. Be careful.”

When she had finished the call, she hurried back inside to log in and discuss her options with Sharon and Stephen.

When Leah arrived in the Tower, she walked through to her garden and sat to meditate. She needed to find a place of calm. She had been there for just under twenty minutes when Gèng said, “Excuse me Leah, Sharon and Stephen will be arriving shortly.”

Leah nodded and stood. Slowly she walked to the central area and sat on her sofa. She continued to breathe carefully and to stay focused and calm. Moments later the two arrived like a whirlwind to blow her sense of calm away.

Sharon said, “It’s arranged. I contacted Virtual World Today and DMR Interactions; both are interested. They had media contacts in both the Russian Federation and China. All the groups are interested in sharing an interview with you. Everyone wanted the live coverage, and it was looking brutal until I suggested they could share the interview. It took a bit of wrangling, but finally, all agreed to have a joint interview to be broadcast from the Virtual World Today Studios.”

“What, all of them?”

“Yep. They are trying to get several of the other contestants to join in and get feedback on how contestants feel about each other.”

“Not Merideath?”

“It’s possible. You need to be calm and get ahead of this. The people I talked with were amazed you had the gumption to take on Dunyanin. They all saw you as a nice sweet girl, someone who was in over her head and likely to be destroyed in the first skirmish. The fact that you are proactive here has already shifted how they see you. You need to do what Stephen said; you need to treat her as irrelevant.”

Leah nodded and then said, “By the way, I think I can prove I didn’t teleport to Malden in the break. I didn’t have that spell then. I didn’t get it until after I left the Pantheon of Heaven.”

Sharon smiled, and the three settled down to discuss strategies. Sharon helped Leah with what she should and shouldn’t say on particular issues, and Stephen cautioned her on the legal ramifications of any statements she made.

At nine thirty Leah and Sharon entered a portal Gèng had arranged for them to the Virtual World Today Studio World. It was dedicated to providing news and commentary on what was happening in the world-wide multiverse. Within the world were several separate daughter worlds, each one coded to give viewers a front row seat to the news, commentary or interview. When a viewer chose to watch a particular show, their avatar was given front row seats in the audience which was made up of all the other viewers around the world. Each person believed they were in the front row and if they turned around, they could see a whole crowd behind then in row after row of viewers.

Those on the stage were able to look out at the crowd and get an indication of the audience size. If they focussed on the centre of the first row, then each person in the audience felt as if they were personally being noticed and valued. The technology was widely used and was able to cope easily with audiences of a hundred million or more.

When Leah and Sharon arrived, they were welcomed by the show’s producer who apologised that the interviewers were unable to meet and greet due to the hurried nature of the show. She said, “It looks like this’ll be one of the largest shows we have hosted this year. News of the interview was released twenty minutes ago, and we already have over four million viewers who’ve set alarms to be present. We expect the number of live viewers to top two hundred million. It is a coup to have this in our studios even though it is likely the greatest number of viewers will come from China. Yuè_Fēi_Lóng’s comments about you in an interview the other day sparked an interest in you that surged when you claimed the dragon.”

Sharon said, “Who else is coming?”

“We have a representative from Dunyanin who was invited although we haven't warned them of the topic. Yuè_Fēi_Lóng was unable to come due to a prior engagement, but Боевой_молот will be here, as will Gottes_Krieger and Merideath. She rarely responds to an interview request without advance warning, and we are thrilled she accepted. Let’s take you through to pre-production, and we’ll help you get ready.”

Leah said, “What do you mean? Get ready?”

“You need to get into your Dunyanin gear. What were you planning to wear?”

“What I have on.”

“Not possible. You can’t just wear slacks and a nice blouse. You aren’t appearing as Atherleah Carroll; here you are Atherleah, the player from Dunyanin. That is who we want to interview.”

Leah turned to Sharon who nodded and said, “Sorry, my bad. I thought you understood. You need to dress the part. You can choose whatever you want from your Dunyanin clothing.”

Leah followed them backstage and then equipped the same clothes she wore at the first press conference. The Producer shook her head and said, “Don’t you have anything else? The people have seen that already. Even your armour would be better than that. The others all look heroic and mighty.”

“Are they wearing the same as before?”

“No! They all have on a different array of armour. The only one the same is the Paladin, but he always wears the same thing.”

Leah thought for a moment and then equipped the Emeraldine gown she had worn to the Elven Court of Göksel-Orman. She added the jewellery and Merdiven. The producer stared for a moment and said, “It isn’t heroic or mighty, but it’s different, and it might set a good contrast. It's a good choice.”

After some last minute advice from Sharon, a member of the production crew came and said, “Please come with me Atherleah. You need to be seated in the next few minutes. The show will begin at 9.55. This gives us fifteen minutes before your feed is due to air.”

Leah followed the man through a door and onto a stage. She looked out over an empty auditorium which in just minutes would be filled with millions of people as they logged on. On the stage were nine chairs arranged in a semicircle so everyone could see the others.

Leah was the last to arrive as Боевой_молот, Gottes_Krieger and Merideath were already seated on large padded armchairs. She was shown to a similar chair positioned next to Боевой_молот (Boyevoy_Molot, Battle Hammer). Across from her were the four interviewers or hosts. Lisa Wilks, Mark Stevens, and two people she didn’t know. Gèng informed her they were 诚实 (Chéng Shí) from the top-rated Chinese show on virtual gaming and Костя Алексеев (Kostya Alekseyev) from the Russian Federation. Lisa Wilks was in the centre chair. At the other end of the half-circle was a man in a suit who Leah recognised as one of the men she had ignored and logged out on earlier in the day. His name, Gèng shared was William Masters.

The clock counted down to zero and Leah could see the show’s introductory graphics showing in a small display Gèng relayed to her vision. She looked up and could see the seats filling faster than she had a chance to count. The number was displayed in her vision and was already over five million. She swallowed and began to breathe carefully, hoping to remain calm.

Gèng interrupted her thoughts and said quietly, “Leah, two things have just happened that you need to know. First, Dunyanin has just released a press statement that your account has been suspended awaiting review for inappropriate use and tampering for financial gain. Second, and more importantly, I just received news that your mother was abducted on her way to church.”