- Unknown -
"You survived. You know what's out there. You know what's at stake." Commander Amaryllis walked down the line, proud and straight. He didn't need to remind us all what was at stake. We all knew the monster attacks were getting worse, not better. Sometimes though, things needed to be said.
"You all know the truth and we can no longer keep them away from the sleepers and children." The commander continued walking down the line, for their speech. The monsters had started to break through the line, we had lost some of the sleepers and we couldn't let anyone else be lost. We were in dire straights, but there was a plan.
"Soon that won't be an issue." Amaryllis continued only pausing emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
"You all who stand here will hold. You will keep holding until we are ready."He stopped pacing and looked hard at us all. "You will all be the first to integrate. You will be needed to lead and push them forward." I was scared, sad, and angry. I knew all this I hated it all. Why were we the ones left behind? Why are we the ones who had to hold?
"You will guide them. You will keep them on the path." We all stood as our commander gave his final speech as the rest of the army set off on one final mission a last-ditch effort. If I had known it was their last mission I think I would have still tried to go with them.
It was here that I woke from the dream. I seem to be having this one more and more. I don't remember what the plan was anymore. What we were trying to save, or even who the sleepers were. I lost that so long ago.
I do remember that not long after the army left the world changed. Became safer. Those who survived grew strong; learned the new rules to this world, and began to teach. Then just like humanity tends to do...we forgot. So many forgot, or left.
In the early days, we would all joke about them all still being alive somewhere fighting dragons or monsters. But I knew it wasn't true.
A few of the old team even wrote some decent fiction about them and their adventures somewhere in the world. They became this world's legends and myths. The first keepers.
I reluctantly left my reverie hearing a loud beep. I looked up to see, as the first team arrived.
"What are we doing anymore?"
"Ah, the little sprouts have come once more." Bitterness flowed through my words as I tried to smile. I just can't bring myself to enjoy this as I once did. I looked over the monitors to see small groups of 5 starting to appear in dungeons all over the continent. 'Just like always.'
The screen popped up each team's composition. This and what I could was the only information I was ever given of these teams anymore. I was all for this as our numbers shrank, but as time went on I began to see the huge flaw in this approach. The biggest problem was that time moved on and classes changed. Diverged. Classes could suddenly be vastly different than they were originally intended that their might as well be a different class altogether. This gave me more than one headache over the years, but they just wouldn't listen and now. Now, it was too late to change anything.
I looked over the monitors to the first group and began my job assigning the questers their tests.
'Let's see'
Group: Warrior, Warrior, Warrior, Warrior, Healer, Healer. I looked up at the monitor to see the party. "At least they all are from different schools. Assign Scenario: Berserker's Dance"
Group: Rogue, Ranger, Rogue, Ranger, Ranger, Rogue. This one made me do a double-take. "Well, that's one you don't see every day." Looking over the monitor I noticed it was an all-female party as well. "Hmm... let's see how they handle arcane. Scenario: Lost in the Misty Woods"
Group: Mage, Mage, Mage, Mage, Bard
'An artillery style, why do they have a bard? You know what I bet he formed the party. *Hah* now which scenario...Arcane breaking?...No *Hah* I got it.'
"Scenario: Take the walls"
'Normally it'd be impossible with the arcane protections but the Bard might just get them in.'
Group: Warrior, Ranger, Healer, Mage, Rogue, Bard.
'Wow. That is one blight of a balanced party.' Looking up I could even see there was even a balance of all the genders. "Huh, looks like the warrior is a woman from the hawks guild. Hmmm... this is a tricky one...Scenario: Twisted dungeon Hunt. Let's see how they handle the darker side of their abilities. "Now today's last group."
Group: Warrior, Ranger, Healer, Mage, Rogue.
"Hmm.. another fairly balanced party, minus the bard." I looked up to the monitor to get a better idea of the party. They look kinda familiar. I racked my brain trying to figure out where I knew them. "Were they in my nursery? It doesn't matter still have to do this. The question is what scenario? Oh! This is a good one for teamwork. Scenario: Team Run Final Walk"
With the last Scenario assigned I felt a wave of melancholy pass over me. No matter how I try to help it just feels wrong. 'How many have we put through this torture?' I let out a long sigh knowing my grumbling would change nothing and began to finalize the scenarios.
We had grown lazy...No...I wish that were true. There isn't anyone left. Once we used to research these teams for months or even years. Find their greatest strengths, push them through their weaknesses. Sure many would fail or be broken at the end. But the ones who weren't...oh how they burned bright. Now we just pit them against prebuilt puzzles. Sure more pass, but just as many come back broken. 'I wonder if they even know I'm still doing this?' I could just set it up one puzzle for each room. I even have the simulacrum for the final room. I sat and thought like I did every time these quests start. I sat, knowing that just like every other time. I knew I needed to look over these young heroes. 'They were our only hope of getting free.' I don't even remember what that means anymore. *Ding* Back to work.
-----
It took some time for all the teams to arrive. Many had been unconscious, and in a sort of stasis for weeks. With the final team's arrival, I was finally able to start everyone's assigned scenarios. But first I had to get them into their places.
"When did we turn this into a reality show?" At least they wait till the end to show the footage but it was rather cruel. The children don't even know about the damn contest yet. Each thinking they are the ones to save us all.
"I swear they revel in the anguish when the children learn they are still just candidates." I was porting to each starting point finalizing everything. Being the only one left to do this gave me a lot of time in my head. I doubt it helps with my sanity I walked up to each dungeon setting the scenario and locking in spawn points to the shackles.
"Let us see, Mage, Rogue, Ranger, Healer, and Warrior. Now for these five. I looked at the pile of new hero candidates laying on the ground unconscious. They all still looked vaguely familiar, I couldn't put my finger on them. I moved the warrior into position locking him into place.*Grah!!!* I nearly jumped out of my skin seeing his eyes open. "Shit!" I slowly pulled out a dagger, 'I hate when I have to kill them before the test.' Just as I was about to strike, I noticed that while his eyes were open, no one was home upstairs. I pulled his eyes shut and let out a sigh when they stayed closed. "Been a long time since someone had willpower strong enough to even open their eyes. I moved to lock the rest of the bodies in place. It was when I moved the ranger in place and locked him in that I noticed, their fifth was missing. "For Fucks Sake!"
I frantically turned to search the dungeon for the missing Rogue. Finding nothing. I kept looking in the big empty dungeon.
"There's literally nowhere to hide in this room. The door is still closed and can't open till they start."
My mind raced to try to think of how someone could leave this room. Only one thing came to mind. My mind began to panic at the idea, but I had to know. Turning to look at the transfer crystal still floating in the air waiting to be used, I let out a long relieved sigh. "Good. They didn't take that otherwise I would be stuck here."
'Did they turn invisible?' I opened myself fully to the energy in the room letting the currents flow through me telling me the story of the area. Nothing. The cuffs were working fine creating little black holes in the energy currents flowing through the room. But that was it. There was no one else in this room..........A stone dropped deep in my stomach.
'Did they not come with them? 4...just 4.' I shifted back to the control room searching the video feed for when they appeared. Rewinding to the team's entrance. A bright light followed by each person materializing from dust swirling into full-body existence.
"4. They should be able to free themselves still..." I paused to look up what scenario I had given them. Scenario: "Team Run Final Walk"
Seeing this I could only hold my head and weep for the children and what was to come.
Slowly, I rose from my weeping. Knowing there was nothing I could do. I had already locked them in. As soon as I left the room, no one could leave or enter until it was all over. Like a ghost, I made my rounds finalizing everything for the 20 other teams.
'21 how did we even come up with that number... right the cities. I wonder if they even remember?' I was trying to distract myself with these inane memories of the past. But Soon I would start it, I had to. No one can move forward if I don't start it. They are our "heroes". Slowly; methodically; lethargically. I moved to look for anything else I could do to just...delay the inevitable. "The sooner you start. The sooner they'll be free." I activated the system.
Initiating Candidates Training....
Checking Candidates.....All Candidates have been accounted for
Checking Scenarios...................Scenarios have been set
Checking Viability.............Viability confirmed
>>>WARNING: Scenario: "Team Run Final Walk" is not viable until 5 members are present. Please locate and initiate candidates as soon as possible.
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
Checking Power...Power-source Sufficient
Initiate Wakeup Sequence
Yes No
"God blighted, decayed, piece of Silicon. I'm the only one left! I couldn't get them if I wanted to! I don't even know who they are!!! How could no one see a day when there was only one of us left, or if just one person was running it? GRAHHH!!!!!"
*Thud* With a cry of frustration I slammed my fist into the button starting the scenario.
"I miss having help." I watched as each team groggily awoke inside their little nightmare. I felt one monitor tug me to watch. No matter how I tried not to look. The old monitors drew me to them.
I had to watch. I had to know. I couldn't just sit there and pity them, for what was to come. I had a job to do. I would watch. I would watch them all. I would watch until they were the last. I would watch their struggle and hope for their triumph knowing the futility of the struggle. That's what we do. We struggle, we grow, we thrive. Show me something. Show me a miracle.
----
They slowly awoke. One by one.
"Here is your first trial. Can you free yourselves without a rogue?"
The first trial was supposed to be the simplest but without someone who could pick a lock it then it would make things much harder.
"Is he going to rip...I guess that's one way of doing it." I watched as everyone ripped themselves free of the walls pulling out the shackles, yet still chained. I watched wondering how they will make it through the trials without access to energy.
----
The team entered the next room as darts rained from the sky. "Looks like 2 are down...Not bad Warrior. No NO NO don't be stupid leave them in." It was like he had heard me as he stopped pulling out the darts. "Good looks like the healer is fine."
...I watched in silence as they made their way down the hall. Then the Mage gathered the chains together and... My jaw fell open in shock, as I watched the girl use the field to short out the chains.
"That was amazing. Their adaptability is top-notch..." I stared at the screen wondering if the feedback had killed the girl until I noticed movement. "Just stunned."
'I wonder what they could do if their whole team was here.' It was at that thought that I remembered what scenario they were in. I grew sad at the thought and need to turn away for a time. I looked up to one of the other teams.
So far only a few had succeeded in leaving the first room and were progressing forward. "Oh, there's the first death." I watched as an arrow struck one of the mages right through the eye, from the nearly all-mage team quickly ending his life. The group of mages scattered looking for cover. "Well, that run is pretty much done."
'Everything always happens so fast.' I looked back to the doomed team. They looked to be taking a break healing up before moving on. 'Good Pace yourselves.'
I watched.
I watched each victory.
I watched every setback.
I was thrilled at their skill.
Amazed by their cleverness.
Awed by their creativity.
Devastated by the futility.
----
The world hadn't felt right in so long. Not since the day of that dream. 'Something is not right here and I can't put my finger on it. It has been 1000 years since they saved us but I can't remember what they saved us from.'
All I can remember is the world changed, more people showed up and something was different. It has been bothering me all this time. My mind knows there was something but I can't remember. I know this blank space is there. It has something to do with my commander when the world was much wilder. They went off and tamed the wilderness or something. We stayed behind to protect...something. I don't remember why it was so urgent. I know why and yet, I don't. It's somewhere lost in time and memory.
I don't think it would bother me so if these damn dreams would ever stop trying to remind me of my old squad and team. 'I wonder what they're up to?'
'Right just 2 of us left. And that damned old man is still an ass what was he calling himself nowadays? Oh, yeah the Architect. I wonder if he even remembers his own name anymore.
'Hell, I don't even remember his name.' It's so strange living for so long. I can remember the day my mother killed me, when I took her hand, and when she pulled me into a chaotic world with magic and fighting. I trusted her to protect me, but all she did was bring me and everyone else to more danger.
We lost so many people in the early days, and I can't remember a single one of their names. We were so close and now nothing. I don't think we humans were meant to live this long. I've lived so long and don't understand some of the things I remember. But I do know patterns.
My early life is bright in my mind first 20 years or so. Not the actual memories more of the feelings and thoughts. While some instances stand out in my mind others have faded to nothing but an emotion I am living in now. The rest I remember many high points and the low, although they too have faded to grey within my mind. The older I get the more I feel that only the now really matters. The bright spots eventually fade but now they are so vivid. I wonder how many of my fellow ancients have fallen or no longer care about the long game.
I heard once in my youth that the older you get the more time seems to warp, caring more about the long term. That was the theory anyway. That does tend to be the case early in life for around 100-200 years of life but then people got bored. The long games became too tedious, too long. People being people, slowly regained the impatience of their youth. I don't know how many 100's of years of planning I've seen fall apart due to a person finally getting frustrated, bored, or tired. Maybe that's why the world is stable as it is, but it's just strange.
Why of all times am I ruminating on life and age. Is it seeing these children run through our gambit? Is it seeing their struggle? Their fight for life that we have forgotten? No. Yes. I don't know. But I just know that if something doesn't change soon for them it never will. One death too many and they will just be gone.
'I'm so sorry children.' I don't even really remember what the point of these quests is anymore. It's something to save us or free us, that's all I know but I can't remember what we are being saved from. Maybe, I don't have a whole in my memory maybe I'm just old and have forgotten.
I'm just so tired today. It's been so long since I've been tired like this. I stood and walked away from the monitors as I watched the children once more go through the gauntlet. They had all become much more skilled since the beginning moving like water through everything. I would tell them to take pride if it wasn't for their eyes. They were empty, to them I think this has become a dream, floating through it all moving twisting, and dancing. None of it is truly real. I hope you can stay in the dream. At least until I can free you.
----
"Pick up your damn crystal, you old shit. I will not call and go through your secretary again. If I have to do that I will come down there myself and shove my foot right up both your asses."
I slammed the phone down after leaving a message and waited. *Ring*
"About time," I said grumpily.
"The fuck you want Cane?" I think he may have been irritated
I decided to get straight to the point. "We have a problem."
"And what do you want me to do. You know your the only one left who can do anything."
I took a moment before replying. I had been watching these kids for too long. The more I watched the more frustrated I got. "I don't know you helped put the damn thing together. Maybe you know something I don't."
I heard a long sigh on the other side of the phone. "Ok. Calm down tell me what's going on."
"All the questing teams are here."
"Already?" He sounds surprised, and a little younger than I last remembered.
"Yeah, they were pretty quick. That's not the issue." I tried to get back on track.
"What is it?"
"One of the teams is missing a person."
"How many?"
"They have 4 people."
"Fuck." The silence between us stretches till Arch questioningly added. "Well, that sucks, but just put them in the scenario."
"No, listen. I started them before I realized how many there were." I knew I had fucked up, but
"What scenario?" Arch was annoyed now.
I reluctantly told him. "Team Run Final Walk"
"..."
"Come on Arch," I begged.
"..."
"Arch?" Did he hang up?
"You doomed them." Not the news I wanted to hear.
I persisted though. "Come on is there anything? A back-door? An Emergency stop?"
"We both know there isn't anymore."
"Come on Something."
"Look. You need to somehow get someone into the room. And we don't fucking know where it is anymore." Arch was getting frustrated.
"I'm trying." My excuse was weak. How could I even try to find the door?
"If you can find the missing teammate. You might be able to track them." I think he only added that to give me something
"I don't know who they are."
"We can only hope they somehow make it through. It might glitch and let them through."
"How likely is that?" I asked hopefully.
"..."
"That bad?"
"Just hope. I'll see what I can do on my end."
"Thanks."
"Cane. Don't get your hopes up. Even if we find them..."
"I know."
"Look, Cane."
A wave of exhaustion rushed over me. As I told him what I was feeling. "Arch. I'm too old."
"..."
"I'm so tired. Something has to change soon. Things aren't getting better. People are to...complacent. And I have had this feeling for the longest time now something isn't right."
"..."
"I know you can't tell me but, do you remember what I said no to." I know he does. I know he said yes, but I don't even know what I said no to. He let it slip one time when I mentioned the gap in my memory.
"I'm sorry Cane...I couldn't even tell you if I tried." He paused sounding sad as he added. "I know I've tried a couple of times."
"It's just...You know what just it was good talking to you."
"You to Cane, been too long."
"You'll look into it?"
"I'll try."
"All I can ask."
"Goodbye Arch."
"Good luck."
I hung up my phone, hanging my head hoping for something, anything to help save those children. Knowing that those hopes were far away.
----
2 days later, I received a call from Arch. I spent the whole time in between just watching the team go through over and over.
"Cane" Arch started as soon as I picked up.
"Just tell me what you found." I stopped him, just needing something.
"..."
"That bad?"
"Yeah."
My heart dropped. I knew this was going to be the answer but some part of me had hoped. "Could you at least figure out the 5th quester?"
"Yes...and no"
"What does that mean?"
"We found the logs of the first quest. We read the fight, but the whole thing was odd."
"How?" What could be off about the logs?
"There were oddities in the logs."
"Just spit it out."
"They show six members."
That makes no sense. "But the quest only shows 5 and there is no indication of a sixth."
"That's the thing it has to be 6 because we were able to identify the 4 stuck, and we see a fifth in the logs, and we also see a sixth. They weren't there when the quest started but the way they act in the logs it has 2 be 2 different people."
"That's not possible. There has to be some mistake how could there be 2. I mean maybe the 5th person just acts differently in battle?"
"That's the thing. One of the 2 is completely inept in battle nearly falling to a single shadow wolf...twice, then from what we can tell fleeing. The other slaughtered 100's on his own, protecting the team. We think he happened to be around and ended up accidentally participating in the quest enough to get recognized."
"Is it a glitch?"
"It has to be. Or just a scenario we didn't plan for. It's been 100's of years since the last glitch but it could be. Or just an edge-case."
"Then does it matter which one we find?" This could be good.
"I don't know. We might need both, or one."
"Fuck!"
"I know."
"Do we even know who the 5th person is? Either of them?"
"One of them we have no idea. The other we just have a description. The man who gave them the quest has quite the hate for the fool role. It looks like he has no idea what his name was."
Why have they denigrated the fool role so much? It's not even the fool. A more apt description would be a wild-card. "Did he at least give a description or hell footage?"
"Oh he did, but the person is a rogue and he was masking."
"Blurred?"
"Blurred. We figure he's around 6ft, medium build, medium length hair, male, and light brown hair, caucasian."
"What about the other people the team associated with?"
"That would take a lot of time to look deep into that. We're still working on figuring out who they even are. You know how it is we only have first names right now."
"..." I stayed silent not knowing what to say.
"I'll keep looking but this may take weeks or months. You know how everyone scatters after graduation."
"Yeah."
"Try not to watch them."
"I can't Arch"
"I know."
"Goodbye Cane."
"Goodbye Arch."
It was official. There was nothing left to do. I will keep watch over these children until they end.
'I wish there was something I could do.'
"This trial was meant to strengthen them, not destroy them..."
This is helping no one.
What could I do if they somehow make it out? Is there anything I can at least do for them here? I could let them edit the footage? No. That gets sent directly to the editors. 'Would they even listen to me at all?'
No, they want to tell a story, and damned hero somehow surviving. They will be made celebrities in a second. Would they even want that? Could I destroy the cameras or footage....No, I'd have to find it first. They're stuck...I could tell them about...they'd find out anyway soon enough.
Could I tell them to stop doing the quest? I could but they probably wouldn't listen. They need to be strong. Much stronger than anyone....A light-bulb went off in my head.
'Yes, the multipliers. If they just happen to get them all.'
I began to put together something for the children. I had no true hope they would ever be free but I needed to do something. I grabbed on the tiniest of hope and began to prepare a gift for them.
--
Days passed like this. Repeating the same thing time after time.
All the other teams had long passed and left.
It was just them. Spectacularly running the same test over and over.
I could see it in their eyes, now moving without thought, almost mechanically.
Then one day something changed. I looked at the monitor as my heart skipped a beat.
There were 5 people in the cell. 'How is he here?'
I looked closely at the monitor when I saw the boy raise his head. My eyes widened "Aster? Is this what you meant?" My mind wandered back to my last meeting with Aster. His misguided passion as he defiantly said "OLD!? OLD?! NO! I don't want to grow old with her! I want to become ancient with her. I want to fall through time watching stars burn out and galaxies die! I want for us to become a fact etched into the fabric of reality itself!"
"How passionate you were, misguided as it was. The rot they put you through. Did you ever find yourself? Did you learn this was not a love story?"
I wish I could speak with you. Learn of your year my young friend.
But now.
Now.
Now you need to save your team.
Free them from this hellish prison.