The screaming was unbearable, and I checked the notification I’d apparently set to appear on spawn. I took a quick look around and saw an insane number of insects crawling over something that looked suspiciously like a person.
A person with an uncanny resemblance.
[Don’t think about it Melvin. Ten O’Clock and run. #2133]
I closed the notification and sprinted. There was a stone hallway tilted to the side, and I struggled to keep my footing. Years of insects scuttling about gave it a texture that I didn’t want to think about but helped me keep my footing. The Traction skill helped, I was sure.
[20m turn right. Third door on the right is an enclosed room. The door will keep them out. #521]
I followed my past self’s instructions and closed the door behind me. I went through my messages and noticed Alexei’s last one.
I winced, looking around the room. I sat against the lopsided wall, leaning back. I wondered exactly how many times I’d been through this exact situation. I’m not built for this shit. Alexei was always better at this. I sighed and spent a few minutes going over all the mistakes I’d made. Where it had all gone wrong.
Stabbing your best friend in the back probably wasn’t the start, but it definitely didn’t help. There were other things. Ignoring it as Emily was brought back over and over, each time using older memories to try and ‘fix’ her. Keeping quiet about Mint’s hobbies. The secret adjustments.
I almost swore.
[Keep quiet. They’re stupid not deaf. #6312]
I wonder…
[More than you want to know #???]
The fact that I’d hidden the number from myself worried me. I started to go through the information that was being fed to me by various notifications. For some reason, I couldn’t remember previous incarnations… well… most of them.
[Don’t think about it. #3332]
Fuck how predictable am I? I wondered about something and then couldn’t help but laugh, choking it down almost as soon as I did. Nothing happened, just the constant screaming. I went to my encyclopedia and checked for information. An entry had exclamations by it.
Name: Prius Cicada
Type: Insectoid
Creator: Allman Hetren
Behavior: Territorial
Diet: Whatever organic matter that will fit in their mouth
Description: Creatures that are mostly sluggish and hibernate most of the time. They move and eat automatically primarily building long and winding tunnels as they innately move towards food. They are primarily a cleaner species, eating creatures and excreting the excess to fill the tunnels behind them, along side whatever dirt they manage to ingest.
They are mostly docile unless their nest is encroached upon. If sufficient damage is dealt to the larva or breeders, the whole hive will go into a frenzied scream and begin to attack and consume everything in an effort to grow and then replace them.
Well… that’s not good. I thought, looking around. I didn’t have access to a crystal to perform the necessary start procedures. The tutorial needed access to the system to activate, and normal players couldn’t go through it without touching a crystal. One of the benefits of being born into the system was bypassing that.
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I should have just dealt with growing up. Puberty would have been preferable to this. I thunked my head against the stone wall and winced, rubbing at it. Hindsight was a bitch, unfortunately, and she never put out when you wanted.
I noticed that the alerts were timed, and a new one was coming up.
[Alexei will get us out of this. Check the messages. #1632]
I rolled my eyes. His message gave me hope, but I was not going to be able to hold out until he got here. It’d probably take at least…
I considered the math and sighed. Probably months of this. I can’t predict when he’ll get here, can I?
No alert. Maybe this was new. New could be good.
[New isn’t always good. #5221]
Not like I knew for sure what was new and what wasn’t. Hell, I was desperately trying to avoid thinking about the few memories I had from the resurrections. The Prius were not fast in eating him.
I shuddered and looked at the message again. I had all of my old ones from friends too, but I opened my favorites folder.
[Nostalgia won’t get you out of this. #694]
I ignored the alert. Since I was apparently in the mood for self harm, I opened up the last message I’d gotten…
Hey Mel.
I got your notes on my report, and I don’t think Mint is going to go for it, just like you said. Something is off about him these days, and I can’t tell what. I feel like he’s always watching me, even when he isn’t anywhere near me. I ran a few virus and malware scans, but couldn’t find anything. I’m gonna have Alexei get Zera to look into it. I know he has better things to do, but It’ll make me feel better.
By the way, did you ever figure out the problem with the Core Sea? I’ve gotten reports that the sea life has disappeared. This isn’t me telling you how to do your job, but I miss watching the rainbow leviathan take out ships that tried to cross. Maybe you and I can hang out and try to find it, sound like a plan?
Let me know when and where.
Bai Bai
Emily
Tears rolled down my face. It was the last message she’d sent before we both found out about Mint’s… activities. It was all in a server, but with AI rights and digital consciousness laws, I had thought I’d never run into it again. And you had the gall to be glad it wasn’t you. I thought to myself.
It wouldn’t have been the first time. Hell, there probably were still versions out there in the wider universe. I’d been pretty popular for a ocean biologist. One of the few people brave enough to travel below the depths of planetary seas. Discovering strange life nobody had discovered before. And sometimes making it myself, if I couldn’t find anything. All of it streamed to trillions of people across the galaxies.
Wiping my eyes, I looked at the door. I think that screaming is getting to me… I almost want them to break through right now.
[I told you. #695]
I rolled my eyes, letting out a cathartic sigh. Standing, I looked around at the bare room. I had no way of knowing what it had been before, but I knew it was sanctuary now. Somewhere I could gather myself before…
What? I venture out to try and slay as many bugs as I can? I shook my head, that was never my strength. I was stuck here, and I knew it.
…but there was one person I could ask.
Despite what Alexei said, Zera wouldn’t help me. At least, I didn’t think he would. I hadn’t tried before, according to my sent messages, but there was someone else I hadn’t tried. Someone even angrier at me than Zeratus.
But he was always there for those who needed him. He was one of the best of us…
[Last message: No matter what, this will pass. You will get out of this eventually. You’ll be able to make it right then. Don’t give up. #82,926]
My eyes went wide and I looked at the notification. I checked the meta data… an couldn’t help but laugh. I wonder which time I put the numbers on a random generator. How many times have I truly died?
This time was different though. Alexei had put the idea in his head, and he’d do whatever it took to get out of this…
Even if it hurt.
I opened up the message window.
I sent it through the administration channels, making sure he’d get it. Then I sat there, waiting.
And waiting.
And waiting.
I watched the message go to ‘Received’. Hope sprang in my chest.
More time passed, and I slumped against the wall, practically collapsing. He won’t help.
I didn’t blame him. Emily and Alexei were his favorite customers. I’d been barred from his establishment since…
I deserve this. I thought, staring at the floor.
With a sigh, I stood up and walked over to the door. Might as well get this over with.
I left the door the way I’d found it, for my next iteration. Maybe that one would be the one to break free. Maybe Sai would give the next one a chance.
I walked further along the tilted floor, finding a set of stairs that were hard to navigate, but possible. Small, tiny insects were scuttling about, crushed under the default shoes every player got. I couldn’t help and laugh.
You didn’t even get your first weapon until you touched a crystal. What kind of idiot designed this system? I kept laughing, unable to hear myself having long since gone deaf from the screaming.
I made it saw a section of the building that just… ended. It just ended in a pile of loose dirt and rubble. I laughed more. Hard enough that it was starting to hurt.
Then the pain.
I looked down and saw a bug the size of my forearm cutting into my knee. I couldn’t resist as I went down, more seemed to join the frenzy. All of it was just… too damn funny.
I just… kept laughing.
And then everything was black.