Chapter Thirty Nine: They Fought With Expert Timing
November 6, 2010
Salt Lake City, UT
“So you are some kind of game lore savant?”
Marc was eating out of the cardboard box with chopsticks when Jessie sat down beside him. For the last half hour, they had been running around outside with Jessie and the photographer. His name really was Chad, it appeared.
She had wanted shots of them staring at their phone screens, group shots of them pretending to surround a monster outside of a Nordstroms, all while passersby were gawking at them. They even got some team shots with the convention center or the spires of the Mormon temple rising up behind them.
Ryan asked for copies of the files and promised to get them processed at Walmart and blown up so they would all get something to hang up to commemorate their new tournament team.
It was freezing outside, so they went back to the hotel and found some tables near the meeting rooms where they could eat something and get warm before heading back to the Salt Palace.
“I happened to like reading the backstory pages on the website. We got lucky with the questions.”
“Lucky? Well, alright. I’ve been reviewing the media kit, and watched the video clip of your raid in the parking lot again. That was still the first week, right? You guys must be pretty good.”
Marc just kept eating, using the food as a reason not to engage in this questioning session.
“You going to try for the tournament, right? Your team seems to be interested…”
Knowing she was trying to bait him, he grabbed another egg roll and dipped it in plum sauce before taking a bite.
“You’re pretty good with those things. Eat a lot of Asian food? I can’t get the hang of it. I still eat sushi with a fork.”
“What are you aiming for? Really? We are just playing video games. No one’s looking to get famous,” Marc finally gave up on avoiding the questions.
“Not even Ryan?”
Sighing, he smiled through gritted teeth while he rubbed his temple with his fingers.
“Yeah, anyway. What more are you hoping to get? You have your story, right?”
“I have this story. I’m very happy, by the way. You guys make quite an attractive poster. Especially that kid with the dreads-“
“He’s gay.”
“And?”
“He’s young enough to be your son.”
“So rude!” she gave him an exaggerated look of astonishment.
Marc just rolled his eyes.
“Look, I am happy with the interview and the pictures. It’s going to be a big story, and I’m grateful.”
Marc kept his eyes on her until she broke. With a laugh, she continued.
“Fine! I’m more than happy with this story, but I’m already thinking about the next story, and the one after that. Trust me. This game is going to be huge. I can feel it. The next really big thing. Everyone is going to be following it. This is going to make or break my career.”
“What does that have to-“
“What do you think about partnering up?”
“Not interested.”
“Huh? I haven’t even pitched anything yet.”
“You are a reporter?”
“Yeah. What-”
“Not interested.”
Pouting, she gave him an exaggerated frown.
“Come on. Think about it for a second before shutting me down.”
“Why us?” This was the second offer Marc had received in the last hour, and he was getting suspicious. Besides, the game was not his focus now. It was the company he was interested in.
“I need an SME. Someone who can explain the real-world impact of the game, not just the marketing material the corporate comms guys churn out. We need to see how does it actually work outside?”
“Thanks, but I don’t think that-“
“Don’t want your answer now. I can think of how this could be a beneficial arrangement for your whole team. I have contacts and resources that can help you. Just think about it, Okay?”
She patted him on the shoulder as she walked over to sit next to Ryan and Selina, who were looking at a laptop that Jessie had brought.
The short conversation with the trivia emcee was still bothering him. Everything about the day was bothering him. He couldn’t ignore the feeling that something, maybe the entire universe, was trying to send him some kind of message. But what it was saying, he had no clue.
He had only eaten half the lunch, which was better than the hotel breakfast at least, but he had no appetite. Wrapping it up in a plastic bag, he dropped the remains into a nearby trash can and walked over to join his team who were looking at the photos they had taken.
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“The challenge is simple. Go out and have fun. Play the game. We wanted to give you one last chance to use your pre-launch characters, before the reset.”
Ann was explaining the setup of the afternoon’s activity.
“By pressing the GAME button on the app, you will launch into a custom version of Awakenings, specially set up for this event. For the rest of the afternoon, we want you to do what you have done so well until today. Go outside and play. Of course, we have set up some special surprises for you, and of course, there will be prizes for those of you who stand above the rest.”
Marc hit the button on the app, and this time, it launched the old Pl@y3r beta app, including showing him his old character screen.
The only big difference he noticed, was that the Pl@y3r branding was gone, replaced with a banner.
〈AWAKENING LAUNCH SPECIAL〉
“Before you go outside, however, we want to make sure you don’t catch a cold or get sick. The temperature is in the twenties right now, and is projected to drop below zero after sunset. Our CEO, Mary, wanted to make sure you would all have appropriate clothes, so she has arranged for a special gift.”
Doors on one side of the hall burst open, and staff started to wheel in huge wheeled carts with large cardboard boxes stacked high. On the front of each cart was a piece of paper taped up with letters printed out on them.
A-D, E-G, H-J… and so forth.
“Hopefully this will help. Please approach the staff at the cart with the letters corresponding to your last name to collect your gift. These were made using the biometric data you submitted at the beginning of the beta program. They should fit, but let a member of the staff know if there are any problems. Well, Go on! Once the distribution has been completed, I can explain the next activity we have planned.”
The line in front of the kart labeled A-D was a bit longer than most of the others, but Marc was able to pick up his gift after only about a ten minute wait. After scanning his phone, one staffer read out a number, and another hunted through the boxes, bringing him a package a few seconds later.
It was a large black plastic bag, tightly wrapped around something soft, but heavy. His name and a barcode were on a label stuck to one side. Taking his package, he walked by the table, where his team was gathering again.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Ryan was trying to gently pry open the tape sealing the bag, but Leeroy was sitting with the package on the table in front of him.
“It’s definitely clothing,” he said confidently. “Maybe a jacket. No, I’m positive it’s a jacket or light coat.”
“You can tell just by the bag?” Marc asked, impressed.
“Trust me. I handle hundreds of these a day. Bit heavy, so maybe a long coat, or with some leather sewn in.”
As Selina sat down with her package, the shouts started as people had begun breaking into their packages.
They all looked at each other, then started to rip into their own bags.
Marc pulled out the jacket, shocking the others with the loud gasp that escaped his throat.
“Well, isn’t that something? Never figured you to be the type to get excited over clothing,” Ryan quipped as he looked over at Marc.
Running his hands over the jacket, he couldn’t help but feel emotional. He hadn’t held a jacket like this in years. He’d lost his own a lifetime ago.
It was masterfully made. Of course, the materials were different. They had to be, but the design, even the textures, were perfect. He quickly threw it on, then tightened the straps at the bottom.
Stretching his arms, he realized that this jacket fit much better than his old one. After all, the original was made for a young woman who was several sizes larger than he was at the time.
He couldn’t help the giant grin on his face as he stretched out his arms and flexing to test his flexibility. It was perfect. He felt like a hunter again.
“Damn! Okay, I have to give it to you. That jacket really does something for you,” Leeroy said with an approving smile.
“Yeah… I might be inclined to raise your stock price a bit…” Selina said, her voice barely over a whisper and lacking its typical sarcastic sting.
“How do I…” Ryan was fumbling with the straps on his own jacket.
Marc reached over and showed Ryan how to attach the straps with just his left hand. Soon, the whole team was decked out in Guild Patrol Team uniform jackets.
There were very few physical items from the other world that Marc truly missed. He hadn’t thought about this jacket for years, but now, with an exact copy on his back again, he felt a happiness he didn’t think was possible.
Looking down at his arms, the memories poured over him.
“Dude! Marc! What’s wrong?”
Marc looked over at Leeroy, who was staring at him wide-eyed. Realizing the others were now staring at his face, he reached up to see if something was wrong.
He examined his hands and could see the wetness sticking to his fingers. Touching his face again, he felt the tears.
He hadn’t wept in… Not once since he had returned, not even when his father had died. Not once. He hadn’t cried since… As soon as the thought came to his head, he banished it. This was not the time or the place. He was shocked that something so simple had brought such powerful emotions to the surface.
“Pull yourself together. I take it back. Your stock is in danger. Gross.” Selina warned him as she tossed him a napkin from the table.
That was fine. Marc wiped his face, but the smile remained.
“You really like that jacket,” Ryan said, dumbfounded.
He didn’t care.
“I hope you like them. They were designed from the game designs to look like authentic hunter uniform jackets,” Ann spoke into the microphone, soon to be answered by cheers and applause.
Now that you have been properly uniformed, let’s talk about your next challenge.
The rules were simple. The area around the convention center had been overpopulated with monsters. Their mission was to go out and clear the area.
There would be prizes and awards for teams as well as individuals, and the rankings were set up as drivers to accommodate the different classes and play styles.
For SHIELDs, there was a ranking for the most damage absorbed. For MAGES, there were categories for most spell damage and healing. Finally,the category custom-made for FORCE players was ranked by the raw number of monsters killed.
There was a ranking board available online in the event app, and it appeared to would be updating in real-time.
“You have until 6 pm to return here to the convention center. Trust me, you do not want to be late. So, what are you waiting for? Good hunting!”
Along with the rankings, you could also see the description of the awards offered for each one.
The prizes for the top players in each category were indeed generous. For making it into the top 25 in any individual category, winners would receive a brand new high power portable powerbank.
If you make it into the top 10, the prize was bumped up to the new iPad, the cellular model that would allow you to use it with a data-plan like a smartphone.
For those in the top 5, the prize was replaced with a GPS trail mapper, complete with satellite internet.
It was clear that the organizers had chosen prizes that would benefit players and teams that were active outdoors.
The top prize in each category was amazing. For the champion in each group, would receive a one year lease for a 2011 Land Rover. That prize alone had a value of $20,000!
The temperature in the hall dropped as the understanding of the value of the prizes spread. Teams and players were sizing each other up as the determination to win became the driving force for everyone present.
It was the awards for the team contest that drew the most attention.
The team contest would be decided based on points. Defeating monsters during the contest granted points instead of loot. For stronger enemies and bosses, the points would go up. The cumulative total for all the points collected by members of each team would be totaled to determine the winners.
There were only three prizes, however.
The number two and three winning teams would be invited to watch the big tournament taking place the next summer. This included flights, hotels, and VIP attendance tickets.
This was an incredibly generous award, but it was nothing compared to the top team’s prize.
Qualification to the quarterfinals of the big tournament.
The winners would automatically be placed in the top 16 teams to compete for the $5 million prize.
Battle roars from over three hundred loot-crazed hunters rushed out of the convention center to take over the streets
For the next four hours, parties of hunters ran around the downtown area like crazed addicts. The city would complain to I.S.K. For months to come over the various disturbances, although none were serious.
Numerous fights between different parties broke out over “ownership” of monster spawns. The area had, indeed, been flooded with encounters, but many teams attempted to fight immediately after leaving the convention center. This caused increased competition for points and higher tension as well.
Marc led Team Rocinante to first sprint south to the edge of the increased spawn area before they started hunting. While they started out near the bottom of the rankings, by the third hour, they had broken into the top ten.
Unfortunately, being a man short, it seemed unlikely that they would make it into the top three, let alone take the top spot. Marc was fine with that, but he felt the disappointment growing within the team as the end time approached.
Finally, at fifteen minutes to six, Marc heard Selina gasp and then call out to the team.
A giant white tower had appeared near the convention center. Marc was stunned by the appearance of the eerily familiar shape, reaching into the sky, but after looking closer, he realized it was not a structure, but a beam of incredibly bright light.
It was a call to gather.
Looking up at the darkening sky, the giant pillar of light drew the attention of everyone in the area. Not just teams of players, but normal people in the area, all started to gather around the city center.
Arriving shortly before the countdown on their phone ran to zero, Team Rocinante met the other teams at the base of the tower of light, not at the Salt Palace, but at the center of the large intersection at the end of the block. Four huge spotlights filled the center of the intersection, right at the southwest corner of the Mormon Temple.
There was a large building with a sharp-angled design and a glass-covered front with signs identifying it at the Symphony Hall. In front of the building was a clear garden like area, but the empty space now housed three gigantic projection screens. Each of the screens showed a countdown that mirrored the one on their phones.
As the counter hit zero, both the application screens on their phones and the jumbo screens around the intersection flashed, and a giant shadow was shown falling from the sky.
No boss monster had been anywhere near as large as the dark shape. The camera angle of the projection screen showed the giant right in the middle of the intersection, and by holding up his phone, Marc could see the same unbelievable entity in front of him.
An Elder Dragon
It was not a simple wyvern. No lesser related beast, but a true dragon. Three stories tall with a wingspan of hundreds of feet.
The final raid began
Players, clad in hunters jackets, flooded the intersection, surrounded the giant virtual dragon, and attacking immediately.
At first, the battle seemed hopeless, even with hunters endlessly respawning. The dragon took out dozens of players with a single blow from its tails or claws.
As his attack on the giant beast’s lowered arm did no visible damage at all, Marc realized that they simply could not do any significant damage.
But they persevered. Eventually, the groups got organized.
Some teams started to act as decoys, while others concentrated their attacks on focused areas to maximize the damage.
Team Rocinante stayed at the front of the battle. They were a small party, but they were finally regaining their synergy. Twenty minutes passed, and they had finally managed to half the life bar of the giant. Then, it took flight.
Mages stepped up to take the spotlight, firing barrages of ranged attacks.
Soon, the mighty beast smashed into the ground. It brushed itself off, then renewed its ground attack.
Marc and Selina were both taken out by that single attack, and had to wait a full minute to respawn, but once they did, they were right back at the front line.
The pattern repeated two more times. They had now been fighting for over half an hour, but the dragon’s health was finally in the red.
With a giant roar, amplified by huge speakers under the giant screens, the Dragon fell to the barrage of attacks.
At the end of the epic battle, the hundreds of players on the streets and the thousands of spectators cheered as the screens showed the final moments of the dragon’s fight. The spotlights came back on, flashing beams of different colors into the sky. There were cheers of victory and congratulations as the event concluded the amazing show.
After the giant beast dissolved into particles of light, Mary appeared on the giant screen.
“Thank you for attending our first Awakening Mega-Raid. Our introduction to the world of the great things to come.”
“For our amazing warriors, our advanced users, your dedication and support through the early testing has made this game a reality. Thank you so much for all you have done. We’ll see you tomorrow morning at the awards ceremony to reward you for all your achievements. I.S.K. Thanks you, and we look forward to seeing the great things you will accomplish when the game officially lunches.”
“For those of you who have braved the cold to take part in this special raid event, we hope that you have enjoyed the show, and we invite you to join us at noon on Monday, as the game Awakenings will officially go live to the public on the Apple App store. Trust me, this has only been a small taste of the amazing things I.S.K. Will be bringing to you soon.”
Leaving the event space was like leaving a major festival. Or a sporting event. Everyone was in a festive mood, despite the chill.
Families who had come for the show walked happily down the street, hand in hand, while betas decked out in their hunters jackets traded high fives and fist bumps.
Marc checked his app again, then showed his friends the newest update.
With the bonuses issued after the final raid, Team Rocinante was now ranked #3.