Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Capricious Infection ❯ Act 4: Final Session ( Chapter 4 )

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Capricious Infection
Act 4: Final Session
By: Melissa Norvell
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TranscendingTimex: Dude, no way. You. Me. Personal IM. Now.
BladeRunner: Here it goes again.
NexusJuncture: Uh…sure.
BerefHex: Hey, fuckasses! What about the game?
Undyingprophecy: Yes. I came to play our session.
-RagingRebellion- has entered the chat.
SinisterSpades: It’s about time.
BladeRunner: The party is all here.
NexusJuncture: I am still present on both ends.
RagingRebellion: Do I start up the session?
BerefHex: No…We want to keep bullshitting here.
BladeRunner: We do?
BerefHex: NO. God, you people are stupid. Why do I waste my time on you?
Undyingprophecy: I’m wanting to see how far I get in today’s session.
RagingRebellion: Alright. Let’s get this mother fuckin’ show on the road.


-X-



Rezzi minimized the memo box containing the ongoing chat as a new window opened, black with a lime green bar that filled with color signifying progress of uploading. Tarvos peered over her shoulder, watching as the bar reached its full potential.

“Are you all playing separately?” How did this game work anyway? They all made such a big fuss out of it in front of him. It would be interesting to watch them all play, even more so to see what type of characters they chose to be in such a game.

“Yes, but we keep up on each other’s progress. We can talk in small bubbles off screen. That’s what this list of names is,” the girl moved her finger across the screen to the foggy chat box in the lower left hand corner. “Right now, I’m wandering through the school. Everyone’s been killed and I’m trying to find the source of the matter. This game is so lifelike. It actually looks like our school, people in it and my character from what I can see bear a remarkable resemblance.”

Tarvos peered at the character, which was currently running through the halls of the slaughtered. She was tall and lean, had the exact hair and facial features of Rezzi, even those same round, pitch black glasses. She was taller, older and dressed in a dark teal dress with splits up the sides with black heels and what looked like a black body suit underneath. She moved gracefully and her dress flowed behind her as she carried her large, staff-like weapon.

“So, what’s the point of this game?” Tarvos inquired.

“We don’t know yet. Right now, our mission is to hunt down the Grand High Messiah. We’re supposed to stop him from destroying the town any further,” Rezzi informed as her character turned the corner and ran by a demolished wall with several dead bodies leaned against it in twisted positions. Their blood splattered haphazardly about.

“How are you going to do that?” The demon was a little intrigued, although his voice only showed mere undertones of minute interest. Her character darted through what looked like what was left of an archery room and picked up a bow and a few arrows, strapping them to her back.

“We’ll have to fight him more than likely,” she responded as her character darted through a destroyed classroom and darted out of the door, nearly running into what looked like a perfect replica of Ayumi. The only differences were that the character’s eyes were blue and her uniform was black with white accents. “Oh, it’s Ayumi. I’ll talk to her and see what she’s found.”

Rezzi clicked on her character and a mini speech bubble appeared which opened up a chat.

-Undyingprophecy has begun a chat with MaidenofLight123-
Undyingprophecy: Ayumi!
MaidenofLight123: Oh, Rezzi! How are you?
Undyingprophecy: I was wondering if you found him again.
MaidenofLight123: No. Have you?
Undying Prophecy: Obviously not. I just started my session a little bit ago. I’ve been pretty alone this whole time.
MaidenofLight123: You mean, you haven’t seen David or Dante?
UndyingProphecy: No, should they be here? David said he was going to find Oz.
MaidenofLight123: Oh yeah.

As the characters moved back and forth, giving the impression that they were engaged in conversation, the screen shook out of nowhere and rocks flew in from the upper right hand corner. Both female characters shielded themselves as a third character entered the scene.

This character was male, of great physical build. He was dressed in those same leather clothes that Tony had, only with slight additions and modifications. He had weapons strapped to his thighs, ankles and arms with brown straps and a long chain that connected the end of his weapon to his belt. This strange man also had a Mohawk. There was no mistaking him for Tony.

Another chat was opened as his character’s head and hand moved. In his other hand, he held a large war axe with intricate engraving of swirls on the tip of the blade, as well as on its bejeweled handle.

BladeRunner: Sorry, I thought you were some of those aliens.

Ayumi’s character turned to him, walking up a suitable distance.

MaidenofLight123: Aliens?
BladeRunner: Yeah, there are some minor aliens lurking around. I’ve been taking care of them with my axe. HauntingGallows helped me out with a big boss a few minutes ago.
MaidenofLight123: I wonder where everyone else is.
BladeRunner: I saw David running around. He said that he had to collect a set of coins to be able to learn a new power.
MaidenofLight123: He’s gone in a whole new direction than we have.

Rezzi’s character still stood on the outside of the couple and commented.

Undyingphrophecy: I don’t blame him, you know.
BladeRunner: Let’s go and try to find the Grand High Messiah.
Undyingprophecy: Good idea.

The chat ended and all of the characters took off together in a straight line. Rezzi’s character led the way, followed by Ayumi and Tony’s character took up the back. They made their way through more classrooms, each more macabre and graphic than the next. Students were sprawled around in the most inhuman positions and internal organs and severed limbs littered the rooms. No one was spared; even the teacher’s forms were decimated.

Tarvos watched as the scenes unfolded before him. He couldn’t help but feel tingly and antsy about such displays of destruction. A smile crept to his face, dark and disjointed from reality. “This is quite gory.” His comment was more than amused.

“It’s set in an apocalyptic world. I think we’re supposed to somehow save it.” That was what she had gathered from playing it so far, anyway. Her sources were limited as to what the true storyline actually was.

“Doesn’t this game come with instructions?”

“No. That’s part of the challenge. You have to figure it out yourself. You can always preset your keys as well. That’s what we all did. You learn the story as you go. It doesn’t have any storyline or anything. We don’t know our objective. We can only guess, but that’s what makes it exciting,” the girl smiled with amusement. The lack of plot or direction was like a mystery in its own right that sat around, waiting to be unwrapped and dove into. It longed for exploration and analysis and the Libra girl would not let such an opportunity to put her natural instincts to work.

“There’s really no way to cheat is there?” Tarvos asked with interest. This was an amusing game, indeed. A true master surely had designed such a thing.

A true master, indeed.

“Nope. Everyone’s story is different as a result.” It was more than fascinating that any game could hold such an advanced level of diversity and technology. It was very personal and player-specific. These were some of the few reasons that she loved it so much.

All of the characters exited the school and walked into an open piece of demolished land that appeared to have been a classroom at one point in time. Brown dirt was below their feet, stained with the blood of bodies that looked as if they had been flung about with a mixture of desks, chairs and school supplies. A large pile of rocks and debris were piled in a mound and on the other side of that mound, David’s character was throwing things out of the pile and digging around for something.

His character was simplistic and looked like an older version of himself, clad in a black wife beater and commando pants with military boots. The party of three approached him as he unearthed a large coin, nearly the size of his hand with an intricate picture of some bird on the face of it.

“Found it,” the character smiled as he reached in and seized the coin, holding it in the air with a look of triumph etched onto his features. “This should be all of them.”

Rezzi opened a four way chat with them all.


Undyingprophecy: David!
TranscendingTimex: Oh, hey. What are you guys doing around here?
Bladerunner: We’re trying to find the Grand High Messiah.
UndyingDiscord: Never take your eyes from the corpses.
TranscendingTimex: Da fuq?

David’s character turned, and the others did as well. The screen flashed to black before coming back on again. This player was not invited to their conversation. Gazing to the top of the mound of rubble, a tall character stood, his form was entirely shaded black and his only features were a wide mouth with long, jagged teeth and large, white eyes that were void of pupils. He had massive wings and the symbol of a gear on his chest with two wings, a bird-like wing and a bat-like wing. In his hand, he carried a massive scythe with a giant N protruding from the top of it.

His other arm held the back of a shirt of a female warrior-looking character with long, blonde hair. Her body was limply seated at his feet, his hand the only reason she was even able to sit. This girl was beaten and battered. She had been savagely murdered by the nightmarish shadow.

BladeRunner: Mae!
Undyingprophecy: Look there!

Rezzi’s character pointed to the other side of his body, where another form appeared.

TranscendingTimex: Ayumi!

He must have killed her when he appeared, because she was right there standing with them! Her corpse sat next to Mae’s supported by his leg as blood ran rich from an open wound between her breasts. She had been killed again.

UndyingDiscord.: There are parts of this game that will come to haunt you. Parts of this game that is all too real to come true. This prophecy will be cast upon you in the future.
BladeRunner: Are you…The Grand High Messiah?
UndyingDiscord.: Yes, as a matter of fact I am. The very being that you seek in this game. Although I am afraid you’ll have to forgive me. This is the last time we’ll see each other.

That was more than warning enough for all of the remaining characters to take defensive positions. This was the being that they had pursued this whole time. The great destroyer of this world and the one who would rip them all asunder with a wave of destruction. The Messiah was a true colossus of death. To be honest, they weren’t even sure that they could defeat him, especially when he had slaughtered their team members so easily.

Undyingprophecy: What?
UndyingDiscord.: Now that you’ve seen me, you all must die.
TranscendingTimex: What? The point of this game is to see you, right?
UndyingDiscord.: I’m not a character to be obtained. Even if you do, you will never have me.
BladeRunner: I don’t get it. If you’re not supposed to be a member of our party, then what are you?
UndyingDiscord.: I am the reaper of this game. Now that you all have seen me, this game has just become…terminal.

David sat at his computer, staring at the screen with a look of utter confusion. His fingers hovered slightly above the keys as he pondered what to type. “What does he mean “terminal”?” As soon as his finger laid itself upon a key to type the inquiry, the screen flashed to black and the room went silent. It was as if his computer completely just shut down out of nowhere. “What the fuck just happened?”

Rezzi and Tarvos stared at their black screen. “Did our session end?” She was just as confused as the rest of her friends.

Tarvos smiled. “I guess you found the Grand High Messiah.”

“I wonder what happened, though.”

Tony sat at his computer, staring blankly at the screen for a moment before he grabbed his cell phone off of the computer desk and dialed Ayumi’s number. The girl answered on the other end, her voice was normal as ever. It was as if nothing happened. Maybe it didn’t for her, since she did not see the Grand High Messiah like they all did.

“Hey, Ayumi, can I ask you something?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Are you still playing Twisted Land?” It was a curious inquiry. After all, he screen going black could just be a glitch from his machine. Maybe it was just a weird occurrence that happened to have the most opportune timing. Surely a game didn’t hold that much power of technology.

The news he was about to hear did not make him feel any better. “No, my screen went black after I died again. I did see the Grand High Messiah this time, however.”

“That’s weird. I wonder if it’s a glitch in all of the games or something.” He replied as white letters were being typed on his black screen much like a DOS Prompt program. Turning, Tony caught these words and fell silent after uttering a ‘huh’ lightly into the phone receptor.

“Is something wrong?” Ayumi questioned from the other side of the phone.

“Hey…Look at your computer screen.”

“What?” The black-haired girl quirked an eyebrow as she turned around to see the phrase ‘you have been warned’ on her black screen in white letters. Chills went up her spine at these words. It was as if she was playing a victim in some intricate horror show and the killer was leaving her warnings.

David stared at his screen, still transfixed and in deep contemplation over his current status. The words reflected themselves in his black shades. “What does that mean?”

“It’s quiet and I can barely read. My speech software isn’t telling me anything. What does it say?” Rezzi glanced towards Tarvos. She could see the white blur but no matter how much she squinted it was still a blur to her.

“You have been warned,” the way he said it made it sound much more ominous than it was.

“Warned about what? I don’t get it.” This was truly a conundrum. Rezzi could only begin to ponder the implications. This session of the game was super strange. She wondered if this was a normal occurrence when people came into contact with the Grand High Messiah. Surely there had to be some reason for getting this message. Maybe their gaming session had been hacked.

“Don’t you think that’s a little strange for a game to give you a warning like that?” What kind of game was this? He could see why all of the copies that existed were bootlegs. Maybe it was supposed to be some edgy, gripping game designed as nightmare fuel for whoever played it.

“It could be part of the storyline,” Rezzi contemplated out loud.

“Maybe…” Although he was sure it didn’t mean that. The screen flashed and the sound of the computer‘s fans came back on as her screen went back to normal and the message board window was her main display tab.

“The game stopped,” she blinked, before shortly being altered of the conversation in the message board, which erupted into a flurry of conversation.

TranscendingTimex: Dude, wtf just happened?
Undyingprophecy: I don’t know. Our session just shut off.

An invitation to Fruity Cupcake Fuck Train was sent to her and her and David both accepted and moved their chat into the main room.

SinisterSpades: Uh…what was that?
RagingRebellion: I have no fucking clue. Did the game just have a big ass fucking glitch?
BladeRunner: Has anyone tried to restart their session?
RagingRebellion: It tells me that there’s a fucking disc error. So what the fuck just happened?
SinisterSpades: I died. That Grand High Messiah killed me.
RagingRebellion: So where is David?
UndyingProphecy: I was talking to him separately but he’s gone quiet now.
BladeRunner: The whole thing is weird.
SinisterSpades: What’s with that message? Did you guys see that? It said ‘you’ve been warned’.
RagingRebellion: What the FUCK was that about?
BladeRunner: Dunno.
UndyingProphecy: I thought that maybe it was part of the storyline.
BladeRunner: It doesn’t seem like that.
SinisterSpades: Rezzi might be right, guys.
UndyingProphecy: I’m worried about David.

A black cell phone began to ring, playing the school’s murder scene music from the game. He picked it up and answered with a casual hello, expecting one of his online friends or someone from school who was weirded out by the screen ordeal. A formal, wise male voice intoned over his speaker.

“Greetings, we both play Twisted Land together.”

“We do? Who is this and how did you get my phone number?” David was super selective on whom he gave it to and he didn’t know this guy from Adam. If he obtained his number from within the game, then he had to be a programmer or hacker.

“This is NexusJuncture-“

“Dude, you hacked me, didn’t you?” He was a bit annoyed, but sort of happy about it. He didn’t have to hack him; he would have gladly given him the number. Abusing his power as a hacker miffed him when David would have obliged to his demand. For Christ’s sake, he didn’t have to be an ass hat about it.

“Yes.”

Conniving bastard.

“We’ve never spoken face-to-face…er, phone to phone.” Whatever he considered it.

In a dark room of outstretching starry skies a projection of David’s face was shown to a darkened figure, seated in front of a computer, “something like that.”

“What happened to our session? Do you know?” If it was hacked, this guy would know all about it. He was probably the most intelligent player he had run across and David considered him a pillar of knowledge in the community.

“The warning has been delivered, and those who heed it will survive.” Okay, scratch that. He went from smartest man alive to batshit insane and he didn’t have to try.

“What? What’s wrong with you?”

“Listen, tomorrow will be the marking day. You must prepare and heed the warnings given to you.” This guy’s voice was so dire, like the world was just going to end like that and it was some sort of survival message delivered to them by an unknown god of destruction who wanted to spare them from a catastrophe.

“I don’t get it. What’s the deal with the game quitting on us like that?” David questioned. Who cares about his little message or whatever, he just wanted to know about their session. This guy could just quit the bullshit and give him the down-low right now.

“The session is complete. That is the end of Twisted Land.”

“You’re shitting me. So, we all get killed by the Grand High Messiah? This game fucking sucks. I never even got to be a Time Guardian.” Seriously? Seriously? He was fucking pissed. What a sham of a game. He felt like he was being trolled.

“You’ll have a chance to become one.”

“Do we just start over, or what then?” If that was true, then he had a chance to start over with another life like Ayumi did…right? That was what he was hinting at anyway.

“You want to meet Oz, right?”

“You know it, bro. I practically have a brocrush of epic proportions on that guy,” his voice was more excited than he would have liked to admit there. Not to mention the fact that he just admitted it like it was no one’s business. What was he thinking? Oh well, it was a stranger that wouldn’t take it seriously anyway. Right?

“You’ll meet him, but I can guarantee he won’t be what you think he is. I know Oz; he’s not as great as you convey him to be.” It was a warning well-heeded. Oz had his flaws, more than people would like to acknowledge. While the compliments might be flattering, they were shallow words for what he truly was.

“When will I meet him?” David would rather find out for himself.

“Soon enough, tomorrow, he will guide you through your last session of Twisted Land,” the male’s voice lowered. “It will be your ultimate test of skills.”

A smile lit up David’s face. His heart raced and he felt jittery, almost as if he had a caffeinated rush. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day. I won’t be able to sleep tonight.” Finally, after all of this time, he would get to see the guy he spent the whole game admiring.

“If you know what’s good for you, you will get as much sleep as possible,” this guy made everything a life-threatening issue.

“You act like this is real life, dude. It’s just a game.”

“Twisted Land is no simple game,” the other male argued, although his voice remained calm. He was rather stoic in nature.

“Duh, it’s the best game ever.” God, couldn’t he see that? He worked with Oz for crying out loud. This should have been common knowledge.

“You’re so dense,” he was almost amused by the other’s comment. How charming.

“Why? I think you’re talking about things too seriously. It’s just a game.” Now David would emphasize the word to get his opinion. This guy should get a clue.

“Tell me something.”

“Sure, bro,” David backed off of being so defensive on the subject.

“Why do you have a so-called “brocrush” on Oz?” It was a simple inquiry, one of pure curiosity with no undertone of anything more than reaching an answer.

“It’s not like that, man. I’m totally straight. I just think he’s a great guy,” he didn’t want this guy assuming too much about him or his infatuations with people. It was a brocrush of the most platonic kind; at least he thought it was anyway. David simply felt gravitated towards Oz, that was all there was to it.

“Why?”

More questions? What was this guy’s agenda with his feelings about Oz?

“He’s a super genius. He’s even an awesome hacker. Better than you are. He made a mother fucking game. The epicality factor on that is through the roof,” his accolades were beginning to sound more like a fangirl’s blush-crazed words than mere compliments to a brother he respected. This was more than awkward.

“So, you don’t love Oz?” That made it worse. Way worse. What the hell?

“My bro feelings for him are hard to explain,” David’s defenses were falling and his structure was beginning to stumble.

“What if he loved you?” Of course, this was hypothetical. His reaction would be interesting, however.

“That would be awkward as fuck. Why are you asking me about this?” David was glad that this guy couldn’t see him. His face looked like a stop light.

“I believe Oz has taken a special interest in you.” Was this guy trying to get him riled up? Was he trying to be a troll and screw with him, making him rethink everything he thought was correct before? Why was he saying this stuff? Did Oz really feel something for him? If that was true, then wouldn’t he have actually spoken to him directly? He was so confused and embarrassed. It was hard for someone to shake his façade of being the cool guy, but NexusJuncture managed to do that with mere sentences.

“What? Is he gay or something?”

“Gay?”

“Likes men, you know.”

“I don’t understand,” he was genuinely confused or at least he seemed like it. It was as if this guy was out of touch with reality in the most basic of ways. Everyone knew that there was sexuality like that, right? This wasn’t just some off thing that only he was aware of, right? What plant was this guy from?

“What?” Now David was confused as well.

“I must go. Heed the warning.” Before the blonde could work up a reply, the phone hung up in his face. David pulled the phone away from his face and cast the screen a confused look. “What was that about?”


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Rezzi stood up at her desk, turning to push her computer chair in before she walked up and looked up at the taller male. “I guess that the game is over for today.” Too bad, the storyline got super exciting. If only she could have had a chance to actually fight the Messiah. Ah well, maybe this final session would give her the chance that she so longed for.

“That’s a weird game. Don’t you think it’s strange?” Tarvos was still stuck on it. It was so off to him that a game could deliver such an interesting message that held such dark promise.

“In all honesty, I think it’s been trying to deliver a message,” the girl’s voice turned oddly grave for such a casual conversation.

“Deliver a message?” He was interested in what she was trying to sell. Her state of mind had always been a mystery in itself. Let alone the fact that her deductions always interested him. Like her others, Tarvos felt himself waiting in anticipation for her next words.

“Even before the game, I’ve felt like I’m living on the edge of an Armageddon.”




…To Be Continued