Jet and April were already inside the game. Jet had a full set of VR gear and was usually lost to the world when she was in game mode. If the full VR goggles and gloves weren’t bad enough, Pretzelverse had sent her a prototype of a full-body suit that resembled a high-tech wetsuit. This gear allowed her to control aspects of the game without using a traditional keyboard and mouse. She seemed to be having a fun time based on the laughter and other bemused sounds she was making.
Nigel’s interface to the Colossal Machine was basic. He wore a pair of AR glasses with a built-in speaker and microphone combination. Jet had given him her old sensory suit that sent some sensations to the player if they got hit. It wasn’t very good, but he liked being aware that someone was hitting him; Nigel hated the visual indicators, because they were distracting. He preferred controlling his character by old-school methods. He didn’t mind, but the amount of keystroke combinations required became tedious. After Nigel logged into the game, he had to reorient himself to his new surroundings. He was facing a wall and couldn’t move. A system message appeared on his in-game interface.
<<>>
System Message: Greetings, JetaGirl is inviting you to a party.
Do you accept?
<<>>
Nigel accepted the party invite and tried to move; he couldn’t move an in-game muscle.
“Nige, where are you?” Jet said.
“I don’t know, I think I’m chained up.”
“Hmmm, the in-game menu doesn’t seem to show me your location. I’m going to attempt to cast a Locate Party spell.”
Several moments later, Nigel was still immobilized.
“Did it work? I’m still trapped.”
“You are in the Queen’s Tower! How in the hell did you get there?”
“I think I was in or under Strombach the last time I was in the game. Do you think you can get to me?”
“That is a high-level area, Nigel. Do you have any recall stones?”
Nigel checked his inventory, but someone seemed to have cleared all his items. He checked the status menus, and all his stats were at base levels.
“Someone robbed me as well,” Nigel said.
Small vibrations came from the suit, tingling his shoulders and upper arms.
I’m losing health.
Pain shot through Nigel’s arm. It was more of a jolt than he was expecting. His muscles contracted.
Argh, this really hurts. I’ve never experienced pain in the game before.
A cracking sound emitted from behind. He collapsed to the floor, and an acrid electrical smell hung in the air. Nigel turned; he expected to see Jet and April, but instead there was a pale-looking man of medium height dressed completely in black who was blocking the only exit.
Nigel took stock of his situation; he was dressed in a leather outfit, which was basic garb for a level-one rogue.
What happened to my gear?
“Who are you?” Nigel asked the man.
The man remained silent.
“Jet, do you read me?”
All communications from his avatar were cut off.
“You are alone in this world,” the man said in a deep, baritone voice that gave Nigel chills.
He got a better look at the man. His eyes were completely black.
“Am I a prisoner here?”
“You are a guest of Queen Amerdelle.”
The queen must be cruel if she keeps her guests locked in a cell. I should examine the cell.
Nigel dragged his hands against the wall; it was jagged, stony, and icy to the touch. He tried wriggling the stones, looking for some kind of lever to a control mechanism. He was about to give up when a clanking sound resonated throughout the room. A rumbling sensation reverberated as the door opened. A woman that appeared to be in her late twenties entered. She was wearing some sort of warrior’s garb. A ruddy red-and-brown-looking substance covered most of her white skin. The pale man stepped aside to allow her to enter.
“Are you the queen?” Nigel said.
The woman let out a grunt, then attached a metal collar to Nigel’s neck, and then a leather strap. Moments later, he was being dragged out of his cell like some sort of dog. The hallway was dark and had a musty smell to it. Small square windows provided illumination from above. Other doors on either side of the hall were visible as he followed the barbarian-like woman. After what seemed like an eternity, they prodded Nigel into a massive chamber lit by various candles and torches. An open window appeared behind a gigantic ebony throne; the sun wasn’t visible, just a purple glow. The effect was enough to give the room an eerie look.
Nigel tasted bile as his stomach churned. His jailer removed the collar, then stood just to the left of the throne. The creepy-looking pale man took his place on the opposite side. A moment later, a woman entered the room from behind the throne. She was wearing a long black dress beneath a red cloak. Instead of a crown, two massive horns protruded from the top of her head and curled in a swirling pattern behind her. Her red lips were accented by black.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
She’s beautiful, but she’s a boss.
“Who is this?” the horned woman said.
“I’m Nigel. Are you Queen Amerdelle?”
Nigel’s legs trembled.
“You shall address the queen properly,” the pale man said as he waved his hands.
Nigel felt like he was being controlled, like a puppet.
“Stand down, Etras,” Queen Amerdelle said. The pale man did as commanded.
The queen stared at Nigel like he was a bug that needed to be squashed.
“Pledge your fealty to the queen,” Etras said.
I don’t think pledging anything—especially my loyalty to the Mad Queen—is a good idea.
“What happens if I don’t?” Nigel said.
“Then you die,” the queen said.
Nigel hated dying in the Colossal Machine; he always seemed to lose gear and experience points when he did. Nigel remained silent for a long moment, pondering his options. The touch of a cold steel blade distracted him.
“Pledge, or lose your head,” the barbarian woman said.
Before Nigel could respond, a bright blue oval appeared. Two robed figures emerged. Nigel recognized Jet’s snow-white Magi outfit, which comprised a thick embroidered white robe with gold trim. April wore a simple gray robe.
“In-Por-Ot-Bem,” April said.
The room filled with a yellow luminescence.
“What’s the meaning of this? How dare you barge into my chambers like common gutter rats,” Queen Amerdelle said. “Kneel and beg my forgiveness.”
“I shall never submit to your kind, wicked temptress,” Jet said.
The queen stood and unclasped her robe, revealing the low-cut black dress that looked like sexy underwear to Nigel. She waved her arms into the air and started mumbling something incoherent. Her forearms changed; it was like someone was painting her arms with a crimson tar-like substance. The queen’s eyes turned black as her hands danced in the air.
“Un-Por-Vet-Dak-Mth,” Queen Amerdelle bellowed.
The walls liquefied and poured onto the floor like black paint. Nigel thought he heard low guttural sounds emit from the black goo.
“It’s the black death,” April said.
“Sludgelings, don’t let them touch you,” Jet yelled.
Status bars with red and blue indicators appeared for Jet and April. Red and green bars for Nigel appeared.
Nigel jumped up out of reflex as the inky-black creatures edged closer. April took out a piece of chalk from her robe and started drawing a circle around her and Jet.
“Come, Nigel,” April urged.
It was a tight squeeze, but the three players all huddled in the small chalk circle as Jet began some sort of incantation.
“Here,” April said as she thrust a dagger into Nigel’s hands.
“In-Por-Vet-Em,” Jet recited as she raised her arms.
White light shot out of the blue crystal at the end of Jet’s gold staff. A translucent blue shield rose from the floor; it seemed to emit from the chalk lines that April had drawn. A squealing noise emitted from the sludgelings as their slimy bodies came into contact with the circle. The barbarian woman struck the shield with her sword. She didn’t penetrate the shield, but it flickered. The queen’s face twisted into a snarl as she extended her arms toward Nigel and his companions. The pale man also started an incantation.
“Un-Ot-Mth-Dak-Vet,” the queen and Etras said in unison.
Something extinguished all light from the room. A faint glow from the outside window provided the only illumination. A check of the party’s stats revealed that Jet’s blue mana bar was getting dangerously low. April’s red bar, which showed health, was starting to slowly tick downward. The room rocked. Nigel shivered for a moment before he heard the roar, and a beast materialized in front of the group. The creature resembled a fleshy clump with horns, half-covered eyes, with puss and ichor oozing from its head.
“What the hell is that?” Nigel said.
“A dark denizen,” Jet replied.
Dark denizens were the most powerful beings in the world of the Colossal Machine. Powerful spells were one of the few things that could summon these monstrosities. Sometimes players could control dark denizens, but that was rare. Nigel didn’t know that anything besides casting magic could summon one. This one seemed to be the Mad Queen’s pet.
“Come, Rolf, look what mommy has for you,” the queen said with delight.
What twisted soul would even name a dark denizen? Now I see why she is called the Mad Queen.
The queen and her henchmen continued funneling dark energy into the creature. The queen’s face changed. Her beautiful appearance morphed into something that looked like a banshee; her face stretched and distorted. Streaks of blood poured from the horns and onto her face. Nigel got into a crouching position, waiting to strike once the shield gave way. Moments later, the shield flickered rapidly.
“The shield’s failing—be ready for anything,” Jet said.
Nigel reviewed the party’s health and mana. Jet’s mana bar was almost replenished, but everyone’s health was decreasing.
I hope Jet has something up her sleeve, otherwise we are denizen food.
Nigel’s dagger started glowing, the silver blade turning white. It became hot as lava. An acrid smell assaulted his nose.
I could smell my skin burning, Jet’s suit makes the game more lifelike than anything I had before.
He dropped the blade. As the shield evaporated, the dark denizen started flopping about on the floor like a jumping meatball. As it inched closer, a giant tongue shot from one of the creature’s many mouths and wrapped around Nigel’s neck. His health bar was decreasing by the second. He dove for the blade, but the creature held him into position.
“Here Nigel,” April said, trusting the blade into one of his hands.
He thrust the blade at the writhing appendage, then stabbed it repeatedly. Roars of pain and frustration emanated from the creature. Nigel lost his footing and almost got bitten by another set of fangs that seemed to grow from the creature at an alarming rate.
April screamed as an outstretched piece of flesh with a mouth snapped at her face. Nigel cut it off the creature. The mouth-thing dissolved as soon as it hit the floor.
At least I can hurt it.
“Let’s get out of here,” Nigel yelled.
“Un-Por-Vet,” Jet said.
A blue oval appeared, and April jumped into the portal. Nigel hesitated for a moment. His heart was throbbing, and his breathing quickened.
Oh no, I can’t freeze up now. Move, Nige!
The blue oval began flashing.
“We have little time left, the portal is collapsing,” Jet said.
He moved toward the portal but hesitated just before entering. Jet tackled him, and the two dove headlong into the blue, shimmering expanse.
Nigel hit the ground hard but got his body into a controlled roll. April and Jet barely seemed to exit as the portal closed. A scream of anguish nearly deafened Nigel. The portal disappeared, but half of the dark denizen flopped around on the ground like a fish. Jet squashed it with her staff.
The trio took a moment to rest.
“Where are we?” Nigel said, looking around.
“We are at the Garden of Light,” April said.
“Look,” Jet said, pointing to a giant edifice.
“Where did that come from?” Nigel said.
“The gardens do not always show themselves to nonbelievers,” April said.
A structure with many spiraling columns made of alabaster appeared before the trio of travelers. The terraced complex reminded Nigel of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. A waterfall poured from the top of the enormous construct, which seemed to be obscured by clouds.
An old man dressed in tattered white robes approached the group.
“Are you the redeemer?” he asked.
Jet stared at the old man. “I’m just a humble Magi, at your service.” Jet bowed.
“Come. The Council of Nine is convening now, and we require your assistance.”
The old man strode toward the terrace.
“What is the Council of Nine?” Nigel asked.
“Well, if they are meeting, then the world of the Colossal Machine is failing, and soon the constructs will crumble,” Jet said.
“Constructs? What are you talking about?”
She ignored Nigel and followed the old man. She appeared to be in a trance. Nigel and April followed closely behind.