The God of the artificial world. Juriy Tashkinov
this guy who’s gone crazy. He was unlucky, what can you do?
He swiped his hand, and almost all of my inventory disappeared from my interface. Even Valkyrie wings! I spent three nights coding to buy these. Bastard!
«You won’t need this for the next forty years,» Agent Arteev smiled. – Although, I have one offer for you. I don’t think you can refuse. Work for the Government a little and I’ll put in a good word for you. Why are you looking at me like that? I, too, was once into piracy. It’s time to grow up! So, the crux of the matter is this. A black spot appeared in Technopolis. In the real world, an ordinary block. And in virtuality there is a black cloud, as if someone had cut out a piece. I’m offering you a deal. You love to spy. Go inside the mysterious anomalous zone. Find out what and how. Or you’ll go to jail for the rest of your days. Choose for yourself.
***
A perfectly smooth edge of a huge black cube. It’s as if someone decided to cut out a piece of extended reality. This is how they cut a cake in old films about that time, which grandfather Sanya told me about. I touched this substance with my hand. Nasty slime ran down my hand, as if someone had spilled ink. And then something grabbed me with a rough black hand and pulled me inside the cube.
And then – darkness.
Level 1. Meet Seisil
First there is darkness. Then a platform woven from light appeared. I could barely fit on the «island» that floated in the darkness. After a few seconds, it turned into a piece of land covered with green grass. The light hit my face, and I could not discern what was happening behind the island. A pleasant female voice rang out. She is twenty years old, no older.
– Who are you, traveler?
A note appeared before my eyes: «Choose a race»
Stop! Am I back to online gaming again?! He swore that no more. The games suck you in so much that you don’t notice how eight or ten hours have flown by. Especially since smells and tastes appeared in the virtual world. Many are stuck in game content. In the real world they have become vegetables, they are fed from tubes. Where is the exit button? An abbreviation appeared before my eyes. AWG. Oh yes! I’m here on the instructions of agent Arteev! And also for Dimon’s sake. The image of my only friend with empty, crazy eyes appeared before my eyes. You know, on social networks I have more than a thousand people added to my list of best friends. But of those to whom I could trust my life, there was no one except Dimka. This is what it is – the empty world of illusions of the virtual world!
A small lake appeared in front of me, in which I saw a guy with long ears.
«Elf. This ancient race has a natural predisposition to magic and their keen eye can make you the greatest archer in Seisil. Vulnerable in close combat. Resists poisons and diseases»
Now the bearded dwarf was reflected in the lake.
«Gnomes. They gravitate towards Darkness, their strength in dungeons increases many times over. Dwarves make excellent warriors. They have the ability to magic gold. They are stable in battle and cause the greatest damage compared to representatives of other races. Clumsy, takes a long time to recover strength»
Now I saw a ghost shimmering with fire in the lake.
«Elementals. They are capable of perfectly mastering their element, but the action of other elements is destructive for them.»
The image changed and a mud-covered monster with small goat-like horns stared back at me.
«Demons. They cause strong damage with Darkness and have a natural predisposition to magic. But they cannot tolerate even the weakest applications of the spell of Light. Not recommended by the game developers.
Goblins…»
I won’t even read it. Werewolves, vampires, goblins – it’s all not about me! Where are the people here? Play is how to play. I don’t want to be some green creature.
«Are you sure you want to become human?»
You ask again!
– Whose side are you on? – asked a female voice. -Are you one of the conquest conquerors, or are you a Freed, a supporter of freedom? A new war between the Frieds and the Conquests is very close. Are you ready to take part in it?
A window appeared in front of me with two options:
«Yes, I’m ready!»
«No, this game is not for me!»
I pressed the first button.
– I hope you will use all the knowledge you gain only for good? – the girl asked. A window appeared:
«I am a conquest»
«I am Freed»
I don’t like playing as creeps, even if you kill me. There is already enough evil around to go over to his side in the game. Therefore, I chose the local equivalent of frips – frids.
– Excellent, I didn’t doubt you, valiant warrior!
The gray haze cleared, and I was able to see the face of a new acquaintance. A fair-haired elf with long hair, blue eyes and large breasts. We stood with her in the middle of the forest. Now I could walk, and not just stand on a small island in the middle of the dark. It smelled of moss and dampness. Birds chirped. I’m not good at biology, especially fairy tale biology, so I won’t tell you which ones. There are trees around with thick trunks, I think they are called oaks. Grandfather Sanya, telling stories, often mentioned them. Allegedly, these grew everywhere in his childhood, and one could walk among them not only in the virtual world. A large dragonfly flew up from a huge lily and buzzed loudly.
– What is your name, adventurer? – asked the elf.
«Write your name»
He made a few movements with his fingers, and the inscription «Eleon» shone in the air in fiery letters.
– Good name. And my name is Latiel, I am the ancient protector of this forest. Ever since our people lost their home. You know the history of the elves, right?
I shook my head.
«This forest was once the home of a great ancient people – the elves,» Latiel led me deep into the forest. – They were friendly with nature, and she reciprocated. Any word spoken by the priest became an immutable truth. The magic of the elves was omnipotent. But none of the priests could think of using it for Evil.
Silhouettes of dozens of guys and girls with long ears and hair, with pupils like cats, appeared in front of me. They chatted peacefully about something, while flowers bloomed around them and birds chirped, as well as large dragonflies taking off and landing. He focused his gaze on them. The inscription appeared:
«Strekkil. Creation of nature. Mood: neutral. Power: weak»
I turned my head to what Latiel was showing me. I missed how an ordinary person joined the company of elves, moving with difficulty and leaning on a staff.
«I’m hiding from the enemy’s army,» he said. «They devastated my lands. And then one day we met them on the battlefield. But the forces were not equal, so my entire army fell. I was the only one left alive.
– What is your name, traveler? – asked the elf in the crown, who seemed to be the king.
– General Dartel. Please give me shelter! Hide me from your enemies!
«The elves were too kind and trusting,» my guide continued the story. Oh, and she’s a beauty, you can’t take your eyes off her chest, and her face is nothing. How is my turn to start a family going, I wonder? I’ll have to ask Svetka when I get back. «They have never encountered human treachery before.» And Dartel immediately understood the full power of elven magic.
Dartel approached the Elf King.
– Gerberolden!