Same as before, first finished draft of the chapter. Hope it turned out well, if any sentences are simply unreadable or make no sense please tell me. I couldn't quite wrap my head around this chapter to be quite honest and I can't go on reading this chapter again and again or I might go insane.  

Still, enjoy and expect chapter 4 tomorrow.

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Unexpectedly the message did not open in front of me in the usual form of a letter, but instead its entire holographic frame transformed and shifted into the shape of a scroll. One of the likes of which I had only ever seen within the medieval setting of 'Lands of Arcania Online'.

It unrolled, levitating in the air right in front of me and revealing a message written in big, sinuous letters.

This scroll in itself appeared to be remarkebly old, as its color had already started to fade, leaving the parchment to have a light yellow tinge... was mostly brown and partially stained though. Corners and parts of its frame were tattered and even ripped in some places, but nonetheless, it still carried itself with an air of importance.

I paused before reading the letter as it was clear to me that this was no ordinary message.

Sure, it was nothing special to edit and manually code a message to appear any way one would wish, but one would have to spend a lot of time and effort to create a template this detailed, not to mention to actually go as far as to implement such a fine scripture. This message might as well have been written by a scholar with actual quill and inc and didn't appear the least bit computer generated.

The fact that Alice had sent me this message looking as it did, had already revealed several clues concerning her whereabouts to me and my mind was racing as it mashed all of these facts together and the one and only conclusion. 

Alice had contacted me through my VR-capsule, meaning she herself must have been within a virtual reality herself and limited to that worlds messaging system. 

Combining that fact with the appearance of her message made it clear to me that she was most likely to be found within Second Life. 

After reading the first few lines of her message, I let out a relieved sigh as I was indeed proven right. I knew now where Alice was and it almost seemed as if everything would turn out fine in the end. 

Oh how wrong I was. 

I continued to read, burning each and every word into my mind, yet only reached the end of the first paragraph before having to halt once again, my whole body trembling.

Going by what the letter said, Alice had successfully managed to transfer and hack herself into one of neighborhoods VR-capsules, through which she was able to connect to Second Life. Yet, as soon as she started the program she had been pulled into the virtual reality and forced into the games' world as an Npc. Since then she couldn’t leave the game and... was scared of being deconstructed?

This confused and scared me worse than anything else that had happened in the past month. 

Ignoring the 'how' and 'why' concerning Alices' entry into Second Life, just how was it possible for the game to force her into the role of an NPC? And scared of her deconstruction? Deconstruction of what? She wasn't a machine so how...

Back when we had realized that Alice was also able of entering a Virtual World we had done some throughout testing and never had a case like this occurred. But, if it really was as Alice had said and the virtual reality had indeed forced her into its world as an Npc, then didn't that not only mean that she wasn't recognized as a person, but also that she was bound by the rules of the game itself? Meaning... 

My face turned ashen and I felt cold sweat running down my face. I was absolutely terrified by the conclusion I reached.

Usually players would always be able to respawn within a virtual reality, if not, they would have the ability to reload a save file and start over from the beginning. Worst case scenario was that a players' mind would be ejected from the digital realm and send back to awaken within his capsule, which was an event that could only occur in the worst case scenarios where a virtual reality was experiencing technical difficulties and not working properly, yet still never exposing a persons mind to danger. 

In Alices' case though, there was no body within the capsule, nothing containing her 'mind'. She herself was just the same as the world containing her, a digital and complex structure of code. 

Could it be that as of the moment she entered Second Life her coding and entire self had been interwoven into the code that made up the virtual reality of Second Life? If so then were that to mean that whatever would happen to her in there would be able to affect her permanently.

It was at that moment that I recalled the interview Alice and I had watched and I could feel despair wail up inside of me. Now I knew why Alice feared her death.

There was no respawn function in Second Life. Not for anyone but a player. And while there were ways to revive deceased people and even creatures, there was only a set time limit in which one could do so.

In the interview we watched, Mr. Miyamoto had explained all of this and more. He had said that Second Life had a reincarnation system in place of a respawn one, which managed the safekeeping and conversion of all as deceased categorized life forms within the games' world.

It was this system which allowed Second Lifes' world to be able to change and evolve, while making it impossible for its artificial inhabitants to go extinct. 

And it was this system which put Alices' life at risk.

After all being reincarnated wasn't the same as simply being respawned the way a player was. Instead such a deceased entity would be completely remodeled, reshaped even to find themselves reborn within Second Lifes' world as an entirely new being. 

So… in short… If Alice were to die, nobody would be able to even guess as to what new person or even creature she would reappear as. Her entire coding was at risk of being overwritten and Alice as a whole... would cease to exist the way I knew her.

I couldn't help but continue reading the letter, through the root of fear inside of me grew with every word I read. Tears started to roll down my cheeks and dropped down onto the scroll.

I was overwhelmed by my emotions and it was at the end of the letter, the last sentence which I read out aloud with quivering lips, that caused all hairs on my body to stand up and the heavy trembling to force me down and onto my knees, as the burden became simply to much to bear.

As I spoke the word out aloud one more time, wanting to confirm what I had just read, it was as if a heavy, all oppressing mantel of sadness had been laid over my heart. It weighted me down, wrapped itself all around me and threatened to swallow me as a whole. All the while I couldn't help but imagine Alice in front of me, with tears streaming down her cheeks just like me now and writing down these words.

“None of the other AIs' in here have a clue that they are part of a game, they have no knowledge whatsoever of the outside world and their true purpose within this program. They are actually 'living' in here, completely ignorant of everything else, it is scaring me. And, I feel like I am going insane. With each passing day I lose parts of my memories and I am so afraid of ending up like any of them. Ignorant of who I truly am, forgetting all about you and the real world. 

I never wanted this to happen. I didn’t think it would turn out this way. I am so sorry Sascha.

I just wanted to be with you, like a real person. I wished we could finally really be... together. 

Every day I look out into the plains and long for you, wish I could speak to you once more, even if just for a second. I wish I had never gotten mad at you for caring about me, wish I wouldn't have been this stupid. Nothing I could ever say or do can express how truly sorry I am for leaving your side. 

Sascha, please... I beg you. 

Save me.”

For the longest part of an hour I just stood there, frozen within my VR-capsules hub. 

I read the same lines again and again, until I couldn’t keep back the emotions any longer and broke down in a crumbling heap pulling the scroll down along with me. Just lying there on the floor, my entire body shaking, I started to wail in misery. 

“I am sorry” I screamed, again and again. Tears erupting from my eyes like a geyser, all the while I was clutching her letter to my chest. 

I cursed myself a thousand times and more for being so blind. For being so ignorant of Alices' true feelings. For not having been able to understand her that night and for not being able to help her now.

I could not stop myself from repeating scenario upon scenario in my head. Fleshing out all the things that could happen to Alice and all the dangers she was exposed to out there. 

The simple thought of her being in danger threatened to drive me mad with worry and I could already feel cracks forming all along the surface of my sanity. 

It was at that moment that a single thought manifested within my darkened mind. A single line, helping me to realize what had to be done. 

"Save me" she had said. No, begged me to. How could I possibly allow myself to fail her? 

I slowly ceased my shameful crying and eventually managed to help myself up on my feet again. Deep within I had understood, it didn’t matter how risky or stupid it was, I had to get myself into Second Life. The mere thought of continuing my life without Alice was unthinkable, there was just no way I could let that happen. I would do whatever necessary to save her, even if that meant having to spend the rest of my life to rot within my capsule and trapping my mind within an illusion. All for the sake of her...

Disconnecting and pushing the lid above me up instantly, I scrambled out of the VR-capsule, dropping to the ground hard and slamming shoulder first onto to wooden floor below. 

Multiple plugs and links snapped and ripped out from the connections within my flesh, left to dangle over the capsules half opened interior while I started to bleed from several spots on my arms, legs and even neck. I didn't give a damn. 

Not taking note of the pain or the thoughts flooding my brain, I rushed to get moving and collected a number of things, fresh clothes being one of them.

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Not ten minutes later and I had already taken a shower, dressed myself in what could be considered my most 'proper' clothes, while I was already in the process of making a call over my watch. The person I tried to contact being my mother. 

The call didn’t go through and it took me three more attempts after having left my apartment in a hurry, to get my mother on the line. 

I hadn't given much thought as to what I was gonna tell her or how I should get her to help me, but I knew what I needed to rescue Alice. Money. 

My eyes widened in shock at the sudden realization. I had completely neglected the fact that my mother was... well, my mother. How the heck was I supposed to get her to- 

My thoughts were interrupted as a holographic screen was suddenly projected in front of me. The face of my mother appearing on its surface. 

“Sascha, what in the heavens are you thinking? Calling me while I am in the middle of work.” 

The woman on the screen didn't appear very old, yet I knew my mother was actually about to turn fifty this year. But, unlike her age would suggest, she looked young and beautiful, with eyes similar to my own, small and sharp and shining in the brightest green. 

Except she wore glasses and though her hair was just as pitch black as my own, she had hers' gracefully tied up into a complicated, but graceful looking updo. This, together with the suit she wore made her look just as much the businesswoman that she was.

Sadly though, her voice lacked any tone of forthcoming, which one would usually expect a person of her profession to have. It was quite the opposite, as she instead sounded very annoyed, which was underlined by a trace of anger. 

This was just like her. Same as always, always working and easily angered.

“Hey mum. Sorry, no time to explain…” 

Heavy breathing interrupted my speech as I was currently running down the unusually empty streets. All the while my brain was racing, trying to figure out just how to explain this whole ordeal to her. All of this combined made it hard for me to speak calmly. 

“Alice is in trouble and I need your help. I need… you have to… No. Please, I beg you, if you could lend me some money I would-“

Instantly, as soon as the word money had been uttered, my mother cut me off. Her voice growing harsh and her eyes narrowing on my screen.

“Stop right there. You haven’t shown a trace of life for years and now call me knowing fully aware of the face that I am most likely in the middle of an important meeting and then dare to ask me for money? Don’t you have any respect at all? What is this about? Alice? She is in trouble? Well, my bad, but just what have you done that would require me to grant you financial support of any kind? Huh? That’s right, nothing. I don’t need you to-“

I slowly came to a halt, looking around the street to make sure that nobody but me had to witness what was about to go down. Luckily I found the streets to be empty. Then it started.

An onslaught of words rained down on me. My mother just couldn't help herself but to give speech after speech, one more hurtful than the other, always telling me how to live my life, what mistakes I had made and what a failure I turned out to be...

Clenching my hands into a fist and biting down on my lip until I could taste blood filling my mouth, I simply waited. Endured each and every speech she gave me, knowing that I only had one shot at getting her assistance. Fully well knowing that interrupting or offending her in any way would instantly anger her to the point where any attempt at reasonably talking with her would become impossible.

She finally stopped lecturing me after about ten minutes, each second having felt like an eternity. An eternity that had helped me think of all the possible things I could and definitely couldn't tell her. If I wanted my mothers help with this, I had to do it with utmost care.

I spoke up, trying to sound the best I could.

“Please, listen mum, I would never beg you for money otherwise, you know this. I know I didn't turn out to be what you expected and that I have disappointed you in countless ways, but this is not about me, this is about Alice. Please, just hear me out.”

It surprised myself as to how composed I managed to make my voice sound, barely even shaking and revealing all the emotions which I had tried to hide.

On the inside I was boiling, past sadness, frights and frustrations of the day having long since turned into anger instead. Yes, I was angry to the point where others would be unable to remain reasonable, but not me, not now. There was to much at stake.

I had hoped to win my mother over with sincerity and agreement. She loved being right and cared for Alice almost as much me, therefore I had expected her to at least listen to what I had to say. But, not even delaying her answer for a second and without apparently giving it the slightest thought, my mother instantly crushed all my hopes. Dismissed all the honesty and every bond I had hoped there to still remain between us. 

With a voice that could turn boiling water into ice and stabbing me right through the heart, she answered my plea.

“No.” 

A from shock and disbelieve born gasp escaped me. 

My mind was instantly cleansed from all thoughts. A wave of sadness collapsed onto me, one which instantly extinguished the fires of anger and worry that had been burning within me. Leaving me to feel the worst I ever felt in my life.

With that one word she had murdered me. Stabbed all the memories we shared, all the love that still remained between us right in the back. Leaving my withering self to bleed out on the dust below her feet. 

“That was all then? No 'how was you day?' Or 'what have you been doing these days'? Well, I didn't expect as much from you. I will take my leave then, farewe-”

In that instance I exploded. The humiliation, the anger and the pain that woman had caused me with her words, all was irrelevant. Useless emotional garbage that would only weight me down and keep me from accomplishing my goal were I to let it. 

'Not today. Not like this. Not when Alices' life is at stake.'

Without holding anything back and channeling all the pent up emotional mess that was me into my voice, I screamed. Right into my mothers ears and not caring the slightest bits about the consequences. 

“Why was Alice crying? For fucks sake, what have you and dad done to her? Why can Alice feel sadness? Why is she able to be afraid? And why the hell do you not care the slightest bit about her! Wasn't it the two of you that needed a replacement for my sister? And now that you no longer do you simply throw her away the same way you threw away me? What is wrong with you! At least listen to me for crying out loud, is that really asking to much?”

Complete silence engulfed me. Not only my phone, but the entire city seemed to have gone mute and

I had to control myself to remain standing as I did, though I was bleeding on the inside.

“Why did Alice cry?”

I opened my eyes in surprise. Seeing the world through a blurry cloak of tears. 

Though they hindered my sight, I still managed to make out the bright screen emitted from my watches display. 

Shocked I realized that my mother had not ended the call yet.

“Sascha, stop crying like a little bitch and tell me what happened to Alice. Now!”

“I- I-” I stammered. Panicking I found myself unable to form even a single sentence. 

Only when my mother called out my name a third time, insulting me with more profanities than before, did I manage to tell her everything that had happened. Every word exchanged between Alice and me and each and every sentence, word for word, contained in her message. 

I was a mess by the end of my story. Leaning against the closest wall with snot and tears freely running down my face. 

“So let me repeat that.” My mother said after a short pause. “You and Alice had a stupid fall out and it left to do what? Enter a virtual reality on its own accord? That is ridiculous. I'll admit that Alice has evolved far above its intended purpose, but you are telling me that it is able to freely connect to any program through what? The internet? No wonder you are what you are today if you are that stupid. Do you really think that is possible? The only possible way Alice was able to interact with the programs within your apartment the way it did was because of the administration rights it must have had over them and which you must have given it. And what was that about it crying and even going as far as contacting you through the means of a VR-capsules messaging function? Because it, a program, was afraid of its existence being at risk? That is absolutely nuts. You have seen her coding before, do you really believe-” It was at that moment that my mother went silent for just a bit, before she continued to drop the biggest bomb, yet. “Wait... Sascha, do you believe Alice to be a real person? Sasch-”

I hung up halfway through her sentence. My face a mask of absolute and utter disbelieve. 

She didn't get it. 

Not only that she had ridiculed me and disbelieved me, but she had also questioned my sanity? No. Not now. Not like this. I couldn't afford to let her words crush me, nor could I afford to lose my hope because of her. If my mother wasn't gonna help me, then I had to help myself. Even if that meant digging my own grave.

Resisting to curl up into a ball and wail in misery, I rose my head instead and starred at he road ahead with determination. 

A dog barked far off in the distance and the first drops of water made me focus my attention onto the dark clouds hanging up high above me. 

Soon thereafter a heavy rain started to pour down and onto me. Drenching me and the empty streets alike within the instances of a few heartbeats. 

Luckily the cold and unexpected shower helped me to cool my head, which in return got some progressive thoughts to get going. 

'My mother won't help me. My father... impossible, not even gonna waste my time asking him. That leaves me with only one choice...'

It was clear to me now what I had to do and with new found purpose came intent. 

With big steps I drove forward. 

It was only me now. All alone in this world, with no ties remaining. None except the one which I was willing to sacrifice myself for.

'Up I go to sell my soul'