RANKERS

Back at home the only friends I have were a group of smart kids that decided to call ourselves Nerd gang to stop all the bullying. A kind of way to own the name, control our identity, stuff like that. The members of the Nerd gang are Sarah, Willow, Owen, Caleb, Joe and me. Now I am seeing two of them far from home where I didn't expect.

I froze as I watched them talking to the others, each dressed in the same white clothes as us. "Willow?" I said. "Owen?"

Their turned. "Sam?" Willow gasped.

Owen's reaction was more dramatic. He rubbed his eyes a few times. "Holy shit, is my eyes playing tricks on me?"

"What are you doing here?"

"The same reason you are here, I guess," I said feeling faint.

"And Sid too?" Willow rose to her feet and rounded the table. "Gosh, I am so glad to see you Sam!" She gave me a hug.

"You too," I groaned with emotion. Now that I think of it I shouldn't be this surprised. Grandma had said most influential people send their children here. As it stands, Oaks highschool, while not exclusively for the wealthy, has many students from powerful families. Most of the people I know belongs in the so called 'High class circle' after all. Willow separated from me and gave Sid a hug too. "Did you see anyone else we know?" I asked.

"Why don't you seat first," The red head laughed. "I'll introduce you to the others." She rounded the table back to her seat__ beside Owen who waved at us__ leaving me and Sid no choice but to shrug and obey. We sat on the seats opposite hers, and one empty seat away from the only person I hasn't met before now. The bearded guy. On a closer look he looks Arabian or maybe Persian... can't be sure. Chloe and Dragon were at opposite sides of the table, far away from everyone else.

"So," Chloe said with a curious smile. "How do you know each other?"

"Went to the same school," Willow replied.

"Friends would have been nicer," I pointed.

Willow grinned. "Friends, that too,"

"Impressive," Dragon eyed me with interest. "So you know everyone here?"

I pointed at the Arab guy. "I don't know him,"

"Omar bin Saleh, nice to make your acquaintance." The guy said with eloquent yet accented English, and offered his hand.

I shook it reluctantly but couldn't resist to comment. "The world went to shit, I didn't know your kind still existed,"

He shrugged. "If it is any consolation for your ignorance, in the desert we don't see nor hear much of your kind too,"

"Yet you speak English and I don't know a lick of Arabic,"

"Maybe some things never change, we always disdains each other but we need a common tongue and one is already established. Still you are not the superpowers anymore,"

"Not that you are having fun yourselves," I sneered.

Omar shrugged. "True,"

"Yeah, what the world have made of us," Chloe sighed heavily. "They said the bloody third world war was a genocidal talent shit show. Funny thing is, liberals are the ones that went extinct, not any ethnicity. Now most of us are fucking racist and fuckers."

Yeah, it is no secret that the age of global information and pretend tolerance is gone. Now is what the government likes to call conservative foreign policy. Which means, stay the fuck in your country, only to start a war for farmland across the continent the next day while at the same time suppressing the leftists or anyone prone to oppose you back home. The citizens? We'll cheer on it; anything to bring food home right?

The world used to be freer, according to well edited history at least. You could go anywhere on the globe, do anything, now we can only long for it. For example, for me, Canada might as well be another continent for how far it seems even though it's just at the other end of the border. I'm one of the few people I know that has ever been to a foreign country.

"Well, the world hasn't ended yet," Sid said brightening the mood like only she could. Everyone looked at her. She shrugged. "Just saying, it could have been worse,"

"I guess," Chloe conceded and everyone agreed.

I just groaned. "I fucking hate politics!"

"Seems we have something in common," Owen winked.

"With you? Don't make me puke,"

"You know Sam, you could be a little nicer," Willow chided.

"No I can't," I grimaced. "Anyway, what the fuck is going on here? I just went through like a million blazing hot tunnels, got my wrist pierced by two psychopaths and now given free feast to enjoy,"___ I glared pointedly at the variety of dishes piled on the table___ "is this normal?"

"Apparently," Dragon grinned taking a swing from a wooden tankard.

I looked to the side to see Sid, carefree as ever, has started helping herself. She was piling some boiled eggs atop chicken and vegetables in a silver plate. More of those plates were piled in a rack in a basket beside her. "How long have you guys been here anyway?" I asked.

"Me and Dragon have been here since yesterday evening, the other three arrived this morning." Chloe said.

"So who's rank 1?"

"This cheater," Chloe pointed at Dragon in disgust. "Well, I am rank 2, Owen and Willow are 3 and 4 respectively, and Omar is 5. I guess you two are Six and Seven eh?"

"I think... We don't know the order of that though,"

"Who got the Transmitter first?" Willow asked.

"Me," Sid replied.

"Then you are six, which makes Sam seven,"

Pancil had said 7 and 8, did he make a mistake?

"Makes sense I guess," I said not really caring. I picked a plate then rose from my seat to pack a dish of chicken, vegetables, bread lathered up with cheese and a drink of something Chloe insisted was ale in the same oversized wooden mug everyone had. I made a sandwich before long and bit into it, humming. Fuck this is life.

"So what's with these guys dressed in armor and medieval stuff?" Sid questioned through a mouthful.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"I think it has something to do with the dungeons and what not," Dragon replied looking across the room. At a table closest to our isolated one with strangers laughing raucously.

"You mean game elements?" Willow deadpanned.

"Yeah, so we all have superpowers now? Is this the time we talk about class and skills?" Owen said sounding excited.

"I don't think that's a good idea." His sister replied.

"Why?" I asked after I swallowed a bite.

"Because we are suppose to be rivals and stuff," Chloe answered instead.

"Makes sense I guess," Owen laughed brushing it off rather easily. After that we talked about different things. Camp, the forest, the train and how everyone got here. It was a learning discussion to be honest. We were all knocked out and tossed in the train with only little information. After that things went differently, Willow and Owen said they mostly went by by fishing in the forest, Omar said he mostly survive with fruits; Dragon and Chloe hunted like us however.

We talked countries, I am Columbian; the country carved out of the pre world war US; so is Willow, Owen and Sid of course, which made us by far the highest representation in Camp so far. [Don't mistake it with Colombia, that cesspool of outlaws]. Brad is American, even though he's not here, Omar is from The Oman Free Cities, Dragon is Chinese like I expected, and Chloe is from the British Kingdoms, a small part of what is former UK.

We also talked about weapons. "Did you bring back any?" I asked.

"Yeah, guns," Dragon nodded absentmindedly. "Centurions__ the party that got me__ said they are gonna exchange it for coins for me." He belched.

"Ew, disgusting!"

"What about you?" Chloe said.

"We dropped the guns and only went on with the swords for convenience, but..."

"What?"

"The swords turned to dust and just... vanished." I spread my hands helplessly. Half expecting them to think I am spewing bullshit.

But no one even blinked. Willow and Owen looked at each other with knowing smirks. "We knew it," the red haired girl said. "The swords have expiry dates!"

"It happened to you too?"

"You bet,"

"So it had something like a five day timer?"

"Or maybe it gets destroyed after some amount of use, like in games," Dragon offered. "It would make more sense,"

"Could be," Owen frowned. "All the same right?"

"Not really,"

We fell silent after that.

I was getting full of my food but I didn't want to stop eating. Forget every dish was delicious, I haven't eating anything this good for a long time. Though I know quite well I have to stop eating soon if I don't want to fall sick. I bit on a chicken wing as I stared at the far side of the room, something catching my attention. A group of five glowing_ pale_ aqua blue orbs with tentacles beneath them, flirting about in the air. "What's that?" I said, curious and a little worried.

The others followed my eyes. "Slimes," Omar said with distaste.

"Scared me when I first saw them," Chloe grinned. "Most of them people here hates them but they are quite cute if you give them some left overs. Hey slimy, slimy," The British girl called waving her hand. That got the attention of half the cafeteria but she didn't seem to care. Most lost interest after just a glance.

To my surprise the little creatures__ they were the size of golf balls, so maybe not that little___ made a beeline to us. Chloe cut out some bread and started feeding it to them one by one. They waited for their turn patiently. Each would wrap its glowing tentacles around the chunk of loaf then flirt away to give room for another.

One grew impatient and tried to to take from the table itself but Chloe knocked it away with a spoon sending it stumbling in the air dizzily. I watched with awe and amazement. "How did you learn how to do that?"

"What? Hit them with a spoon?" Chloe said.

I gave her an unamused look. "No, how to, you know, control them,"

"I am not controlling them,"

"Sure, how?"

"I saw one of the seniors do it so I learned from that," She flashed me a grin. The slimes left after she finished feeding them. She smiled fondly at their receding form in the other side of the cafeteria. "What cuties,"

I shook my head, what surreal world I live in.

"Vile things," Omar scoffed.

I gave him a curious look. "Why do you even hate them?"

"Big ones in the desert,"

"Big slimes?" Owen asked.

"Yeah, eat houses, people, family."

I rolled my eyes. If he wants to give escuse for his hate he might as well make an effort. Yes most the world might have been cut off from each other, but really, giant slimes?

After we were done eating we decided to check out the library. Kechi had said we have to go there to read Camp rules and regulations. I was also curious of which kind of books they have. Do they have books on fantasy Monsters? Class and status screens, skills and how to use them efficiently? Potions and how to make them? Dungeons? How this is all possible and why it has been hidden from the world.

"How do we find the library?" Chloe asked.

"Maybe we ask an NPC?" I offered wise words.

Willow smirked. "I am glad you are here Sam,"

Chloe pursed her lips. "If we can forget the stale joke, I think she's unto something. I know just who to ask. Come with me." We followed her to the counter and the overweight woman we had spoken to earlier. The British girl stepped forward. "Hey ma'am, can you help us with a little something? Eh, directions to the library?"

The woman leaned forward on the counter and looked towards the cafeteria's entrance. "You have seen one of those metal people?" She said.

"Automatons?"

"Yeah, them, just ask any of them. God it's their job to take care of you greens but they won't do it if you don't keep insisting about it. They have no sense!"

"Okay, thanks miss....?" Dragon asked with a smile.

"Salem,"

"Miss Salem,"

"Good luck!"

"Yeah, thanks again."

We filed out of the cafeteria together in search of one of the Automatons. We found one in the hallway immediately. I let Chloe intercept her.... It was definitely a her. She has the same silver armor molded on her body__ with only faint gaps to hint at it being accessories__ as the ones prior, but the armor shape was decidedly 'feminine'.

Besides the shape. The short metal skirt flaying out from the rest of armor at the waist, like blade of silver leaves well arranged, and the long black hair sticking out from a hole in the back of the Valkyrie like helmet in a long ponytail was telling. And if that wasn't enough, a faint swell of breasts in the metal chest said everything. She was holding a black spear and round wooden shield. "Hello ma'am, can you tell us the way to the library?" Chloe asked politely.

The Automaton stopped and regarded us with cold blue glowing eyes beneath the helm. "Very well," she nodded. Even her voice was unmistakably female. "I am Bridget of the Skies guild at your service."

"Chloe Gallants, British royal,"

"Bless you Chloe Gallant, come with me,"

As we followed after the Automaton Dragon drew closer to Chloe and whispered. "British royal?"

She gave him a dirty look. "What of it?"

He backed off raising his hands placidly but grinning fiendishly at the same time. "Maybe you shouldn't broadcast that a lot here, not everyone likes the British nowadays,"

Or Columbia, or anyone for that matter, though no one will really point that out. But if it was any other person it could have been better. But someone related to the rulers of another country? That's putting a target on her head.

"I agree," I said.

Chloe gave us a tired look. "I am grateful for your advice,"

The Automaton led us up a set of stairs to another floor. I thought nothing could surprise me anymore after all I had seen so far but I was left out of sorts yet again as we stepped off the stairs, as if coming out of a subway, into a city.

For a moment I thought we had been underground all along and somehow gone outside, to another era. But when I looked up I failed to find the sun, only bright yellow sky streaked with red. A mirage.

The other things were realistic though, the bright streets, cobblestoned floor, stone buildings___ both tall and small___ packed together, with crooked alleyways between, and great towers and palaces in the distance. It was like a medieval fantasy city.

The noise came at me as it did in the packed streets of Oak city though. People in medieval and modern cloths went about these streets buying from stalls, talking, laughing, cursing. Most held those phone like devices that conjures holograms in front of them.

"What is this place?" Sid asked looking just as dazed as everyone else.

Bridget smiled proudly. "Rankers Floor,"

"Rankers?" Chloe asked.

"For Level 20s to 45s. Like the Ground Floor we just left, or just Metro by most, that is for beginners, Rankers floors is for pros; it's one of the four stages of Camp. Don't worry, you'll learn all about it in school,"

"What's above this?" Dragon asked I could hear the defeat in his voice.

"S Realms. And above that is the Portals chamber,"

We all fell silent to take that in while following Brigit through a few streets. Fuck this was so realistic, the city looked and felt real and solid and serving its purpose. The noise, the smell, the energy. Fuck; the shadows casted by buildings, the smoke from chimneys, the cats and dogs and horse drawn wagons we have to aviod whenever one appeared, the birds in the sky.

I realized I'd have to make peace with it sooner or later that someone had really build a city indoors.

"Here we are," Bridget the Automaton said, stopping before a round open door on the wall of the long tower beside the street. Inside we could see a woman behind a desk in a wide hall, tall bookshelves behind her. "Just go in. May you find what you seek and the All Power favor you." With that the Automaton turned and left.

"Thanks," We said__ but she'd already disappeared in the river of people flowing up and down the street__ then turned to the round door and went in.

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