Читать книгу We are SLC3 - Sophie Liebhardt - Страница 8

“Hi, Sarah,” the robot greets me. Its friendly smile is reflecting the morning sun with a metallic glow.

I walk past it to the VR chair.

“That would be the moment where you say ‘hi’ too.”

“Can we just start?” I ask annoyed.

“Why are you so rude?”

“You’re a robot,” I say confused. “How can you be rude to a robot?”

“Okay, that’s enough.” That is a really convincing expression of anger. “You are being disrespectful and that’s not okay. I might not be organic, but I have feelings, you know.”

“Sure you do.”

“You don’t believe me.” He shakes his head in disbelief but then its expression changes to a calm one again. “They told you something like this could happen, Michael. Just do your job. Act professional. Fighting over this won’t get you anywhere.”

***

This time the simulation is different. Instead of being rebels in a futuristic city, we are assassins in a medieval fantasy world trying to kill the corrupt king.

Hanako and I are completely covered in black clothing. Almost like 忍者 (ninja). Even our faces are masked with dark fabric. Only our deep brown eyes remain visible.

Our starting point is an old church, that was abandoned so long ago it is basically a ruin. The wooden benches are rotting because of their constant exposure to the elements. There is a big hole in the beautifully stained glass window. The light of the setting sun shines through the remaining shards and paints colourful patterns on the stone floor.

There is a certain sadness to it when you see a former sacred place destroyed like this. A feeling of emptiness and the loss of something valuable.

Hanako and I duck behind one of the benches when a fireball comes flying our way.

“Damn sorcerers,” she curses. Then she looks at me. “I will distract them. Try to sneak around the back.” I nod. “Good luck.” She gets up and steps right into the space between the two lines of benches. “Here I am. Come and get me!”

On all fours I slowly make my way to the left aisle. I squeeze through the little slit under the last bench. I keep crawling forward while fake Hanako gets bombarded by a barrage of spells. She dodges them masterfully, just like the real Hanako would have.

Finally, I reach the first row. There is one of the sorcerers within arm’s reach and with his back towards me. He is wearing a cloak in red and orange tones, that is decorated with golden ornaments.

I leave my cover, grab him from behind, and slit his throat. During his fall to the ground, I already go for the next one.

The third and last one turns towards me. But before he can do anything, Hanako already sprints towards us and takes him out.

After she has cleaned the blood from her knife using the dead sorcerer’s cloak, she says: “Let’s move on.”

Outside the church an entire medieval town is stretching far into every direction. Uphills in the distance we can make out the castle. Our destination.

We climb one of the houses surrounding the church. From up here the roofs form a path leading directly to the castle.

Parkour is always a lot of fun in games. You can make jumps your real life body could not do. Without any training needed. Plus, you do not have to be afraid of getting hurt.

Soon the sun has disappeared completely. Ahead of us the almost full moon forms a giant sphere on the night sky behind the castle.

We are running faster and faster. Jumping, rolling and sliding over rooftops. Just Hanako and me. Side by side.

Until our path is blocked by the moat.

Hanako does not even stop to think. She jumps directly into the water. I, on the other hand, have to go back a few steps, so I can get enough momentum for the jump.

We swim through the moat and climb the sturdy stones up to a window. Which is a lot easier said than done. Especially, when you are still wet. I slip multiple times until we are finally inside the castle.

A red carpet and torches on the stone walls are leading the way to the throne room.

We enter its giant halls with pillars reaching up to the high ceiling. It has some similarities to the church but is in way better shape, looking all fancy and majestic. The banners on the walls have the same colours and golden ornaments as the sorcerer’s cloaks. Each of them shows the simplified silhouette of a phoenix.

As we get closer to the three steps that lead up to the impressive throne, we are surprised to find it empty.

Seconds later the whole room is filled with the sorcerers of the royal guard.

We do not stand a chance at all. Those are at least twenty skilful sorcerers, and we are only two assassins with nothing but little knives equipped.

We surrender. They take away our weapons and lead us out of the throne room.

The entrance door leads directly to a cell in the dungeon. A kind of cut typical for VR games to prevent motion sickness.

A heavy wooden door closes behind us with a just as heavy sound.

It is not too dark here thanks to the bright moon light, shining through a little barred window close to the ceiling. Although, it might make the place even less inviting because the metal chains hanging from the ceiling are directly in the spotlight.

I have been in prison cells in other games before. Normally, there is always a way out. So we check all four cold, dark grey stone walls. No, nothing. We even try the wooden door. As expected it is locked. Then, why is there no Game Over screen?

I try giving the speech command to restart, but that does not work either.

“Seems like we are trapped here,” Hanako says while she pulls down the black cloth that covered her mouth and nose.

“Yeah.” I do the same.

Hanako leans on the back wall and sinks to the ground.

I sit down next to her.

We stay there in silence for a while. I look up to the window above me. The white moon light really is beautiful.

“Sarah, can you promise me something?”

My blood freezes. I have heard these exact words before.

“If anything happens to me, will you continue our fight?”

I do not answer.

“What’s wrong?” she asks worried.

“Hanako, you’re not real. This is a simulation.” I have the same emotionless, bad news voice as the doctor who told me that …

She stares at me. “You’re kidding, right?”

What am I doing here? Telling a character that they’re not real?

“Wow.” If she was not sitting already, this would be the moment where she sinks onto a chair. “Does that mean I am dead?”

My expression already tells her everything.

“I see.” She sounds so sad. But she only lowers her gaze for a few moments. Then she looks me in the face again where she notices something. “And you got hurt too.”

I touch the burn scar on my cheek. All of the sudden I have the urge to tell her everything. “The doctors offered me to remove them, but I said no. So I will never forget.”

“Then why are you covering it?” She grabs my long, dark hair and pushes it back behind my shoulders. There is the glow of a challenge in her eyes again. “You should show it to the world, so everyone can see it. Show them how strong you are! Continue our fight!”