Deep diving, or neuro-linking, where a device hijacked your senses and tricked your mind into thinking you were in a virtual world had been the standard for the last century or so. Nearly all other forms of virtual reality had been tossed out. But here I was, six feet in the air, in a mostly mysterious giant cube that surpassed deep diving by involving my body in the input and output processes. I could honestly say I believed that someone had finally done it.
I knew that the clothing I was wearing, the warmth of the sleeping bag, and the slight breeze on my cheeks was all simulation. It wasn’t real. The only reason I knew this was because I had the memory of entering Freedom. Besides that, I couldn’t tell the difference.
My eyes wandered to the tree line of the moonlit forest. Before me stood possibility.
Spying a flicker of light stole my attention. There was not just one, but three or four, no dozens! Someone or something was out there.
“Kline! Wake up!”
Standing, I saw I wasn’t the only one that had noticed what was coming from the forest. The whole camp started to stir. I realized we might be attacked and people just weren’t moving fast enough.
I made to yell, but a high pitched scream beat me to it. “We are under attack!”
Instead of bothering to roll up my tarp and sleeping bag, I threw them in my inventory and joined Kline. He had approached a growing crowd.
Immediately there was a problem. Half a dozen people stepped up to make suggestions and were arguing about what should be done. The crowd grew, just adding to the noise.
“Stop it!” It was the same female voice that had screamed moments before.
Many of the men who were trying to take the lead seemed annoyed. I saw one roll his eyes.
She stood arms crossed and held her ground. In the darkness of night, not all was clear to the eye, but her dark hair had a glossy frame and her light olive skin shone. Her green eyes were vivid with streaks of silver brought out in the low light. She was taller than average, but I couldn’t place whether she was a gamer or athlete. The cotton clothing, or pajamas as Kline called them, was deceiving.
I sighed to myself.
Having to deal with attractive girls was typical in the gaming world. I didn’t recognize her, but most gamer chicks would love the opportunity to make another Male Fail video. To keep from getting stabbed in the back I would keep my distance.
“She’s right!” A man stepped forward. Shadows hid all but his forehead.
“We don’t have time to fight each other. Look!”
He pointed to the woods and everyone’s eyes followed. There was now three times the number of torches and more popping up every second.
“Break up into your groups and do the best you can. We don’t have time for an extravagant plan.”
A few protests were flung, but everyone followed the advice.
Kline and I found ourselves standing together near the end of the defense line. I observed we were one of the groups with the least number of people. There were a few groups with three members, but most had four members or more. The groups to either side of us had five and seven. They were lining up shoulder to shoulder, but gaps were left between us and them.
“This might be bad,” Kline said. “With all these holes in the line, they will most likely get behind and surround us.”
“Be ready to run to get a better position?” I asked.
He nodded.
“If we get surrounded, back to back?”
“You got it!” he replied. “Do you think I should yell Pajama Power?”
Drawing back wide eyed, I replied, “If you have to ask, then definitely not.”
He roared in laughter.
Without any more delay, torchlight rushed toward us from the forest.
As the monsters appeared in the clearing they were obviously similar to the goblins. They had the same twisted pointy ears and large heads and potbellies. These weren’t exactly the same ones we had faced earlier today though. As they approached the difference became clear. They were at least a head taller than the goblins we had faced before. Some of them even had short swords, clubs and axes, and wore armor. This must have been the goblin warrior class. Were they here for revenge for all the goblins we had killed today?
Regardless of the numerous battles I had fought in VR games, my heart was pounding like an overexcited newb. The memory of pain reminded me this was far more real than anything I had ever faced before. I was terrified with a huge grin on my face.
My muscles ached, I needed sleep and I only had nuts and biscuits for dinner. Regardless, the adrenaline and fresh night air made me feel alive. Standing there with my spear in one hand and shield in the other, I shifted stances holding my shield between me and the coming assault. My spear rested butt to the ground, to give my sore shoulder time to relax before the action began.
Beacons indicated the coming mobs better at night than in the day. Its range seemed to be shorter than before. I had a feeling this had something to do with not being able to see as well at night.
I flung my spear forward, piercing a large five-foot goblin directly in the center of the chest. He had worn some kind of studded leather armor, but the spear point easily pierced his chest and went out his back.
One down.
Leaving my spear sticking up from the dead goblin I unsheathed my sword.
I leaned hard against my shield as another goblin collided with me. It was harsh enough that the goblin’s momentum sent it crumbling to the ground. These goblins may have been bigger than the earlier goblins, but they were still smaller than the average human.
My sword quickly found its mark on the dazed goblin, but there was no time to take a breather.
The approach of the next goblin had slowed. I faced a shorter one that wielded dual knives. Because of its speed, I knew I was at a disadvantage trying to fence with it.
Taking the lesson from earlier today, I threw a halfhearted thrust with my sword, which my opponent easily parried and countered.
My shield blocked the knife thrust and overwhelmed the attack, smashing it in the face. It was then easily finished with a slash to the neck.
And then they were gone, at least from our section of the line. Most of the goblins had rushed toward the center of the line where most of the players were.
Turning to Kline, I nodded in their direction.
Finding Kline ready, he had also noticed the opening and we took it.
I quickly wrenched my spear from the chest of the fallen goblin. Kline and I rushed forward, turning toward the rear of the goblins closest to us. A few of the player groups flanking us were still facing off with their share.
We went down the line, killing or disrupting as quickly as we could. After a few snorted in death, their neighbors started to catch on, and soon we had about five goblins facing us.
“Keep going!” Kline yelled.
I speared one through, I left my spear behind and knocked another over. Instead of finishing them off, we ran past them and headed for the main horde where the heat of the battle was.
We continued jogging around the outskirts picking off the odd goblin. Kline led and I bashed or cut down any goblin that came after him or didn’t immediately fall under his heavy blows.
By the time we made it to the far end of the heart of the battle, it was nearly over and we had leveled up twice.
Level 6
You have reached Level 6!
Ability Point +1!
Your Creature Indicator range has increased by 2 to 18 meters!
Level 7
You have reached Level 7!
Your Creature Indicator range has increased by 2 to 20 meters!
The small battle was over in less than fifteen minutes. That didn’t mean that everyone went without injury. Over twenty people had been wounded. Only one man had died.