Cyber Mortality

Chapter 4:

A warm breeze blows my long black hair around my head and tickles my neck. For the last fifteen minutes we have not seen another player or anything to hunt.

"We will let you mess around and if it looks like you're going to die we will step in," HardRock smirks after explaining our plan. "Nothing on this level should kill you in one shot."

"Wow thanks for your confidence," I mutter and grasp my sword with both hands. It is a simple design. Double edged and the black leather hilt is just large enough for me to fit both hands.

"Pro tip, that is technically a one-handed sword," DeNyle nudges me which makes me jump.

"Oh," I glance down at how I am holding the sword and switch it to only my right hand. "Like this?"

"Yup," he nods. "I personally don't like one-handed blades. I'm more of a large two-handed sword guy myself, but that is a good one to see if you like swords or not."

"How much damage can it do?" I question.

"About ten HP," he cocks his head. "It's the most basic sword out there. There are plenty of swords that can deal more damage. Especially if you show a skill for it."

"How much HP does each person have?"

"That depends on the person," DeNyle replies. "Every new player starts with the same base stat. Twenty HP, twenty strength, and five magic. By doing different things you can get those stats higher."

"Wow," I pull up the menu and hit the 'Stats' button and sure enough each stat reads as he said.

"I heard something," HardRock hushes us both and his eyes glance around the clearing we are in. "These woods are full of wolves. I hope you're ready DizMay." His silver eyes flash over to me and I nod. A twig snaps to our left and I spin around to face whatever approaches. A small snout appears from a bush followed by amber orange eyes that twinkle in the sunlight.

"What is it?" I hiss and take a hesitant step forward.

"Huh," DeNyle snorts. "It's a pup." I gaze at the creature intently and see young features in its face.

"Come here," I grin and set my sword in the grass. "I won't hurt you." I hold out my hands and the puppy takes a step closer. Tufts of fluffy gray fur stick up all over the little things body as it slowly shuffles closer.

"I don't know if that is a good idea," HardRock warns but I wave him off. What could a baby wolf do? It presses its soft head into my hand and I grin. He feels just like my families dog growing up, Dove, did when she was a puppy.

"You're just a sweetie, aren't you?" I grin when he flops onto his back so I can rub his tummy. "Oh yes, you're a good boy." I spout baby talk and the pup groans in satisfaction.

"Back away from the wolf, May," HardRock commands and I hear him cock his pistol.

"Hey, he is just a baby. You don't have to act like he is some giant adult wolf that will eat me," I glare at him.

"It might not, but his mother will," his gaze levels just above the bush the pup crawled out from. The leaves shake and a growl erupts through the air that chills my bones. Piercing amber eyes gaze down at me from nearly human height and my eyes widen.

"I'm sorry," I whimper and release her pup. "I did not mean to scare you by playing with your baby." The growl grows and I see DeNyle tense as well out of the corner of my eye.

"Pick up your sword, May," HardRock's commanding voice sounds again and my fingers scramble for purchase on the hilt of the blade. The second they close around the hilt, the wolf leaps clearing the bush in one bound. She falls toward me and I whip up my sword just as her mouth is about to rip my head off. The blade slices into her chest and a cry of pain erupt from her mouth and her hot breath blows the wisps of my hair away from my face. From the point my blade pierced her light erupts and then her body explodes into dust that disappears into the air. The number ten appears beside a spinning gold coin on the left side of my vision before fading away. The wolf pup whimpers and yips before sprinting for cover in the bushes.

"Wait! I didn't want to hurt you mother!" I shout after it but it is gone.

"That is part of life," HardRock gazes down at me. "We kill so we can make money and survive. That wolf was not real but a computer program."

"She sure felt real," I sigh. I climb to my feet before sheathing my blade.

"That is why we brought you here," he sighs. "So you can kill a computer program instead of another player."

"You kill other players?" my mouth gapes. He nods slowly.

"We don't try to, but sometimes you are both going for the same goal and only one of you can make it," he shrugs. "Kill or be killed, DizMay. We don't want you on our team if you refuse to kill, because they will kill you."

"I know. I'm sorry," I sigh. "I've just never killed anything before. It doesn't matter that she was only a program. My mind is here so that makes this reality right now doesn't it?"

"I suppose that is one way of looking at it," DeNyle's lips turn up in a grin. "Your consciousness is here."

"Can people sleep in this game?" I blurt out the question and DeNyle bursts into laughter.

"Yeah, but it is not the same as sleeping in the real world," HardRock explains. "You might feel rested but your brain is still hooked up to a machine."

"You'd be surprised what all you can do here," DeNyle winks and I do not want to know what he is implying. "You ready to look for another target?"

"Yeah," I nod slowly. "I'm ready."