Chương 66: George’s Run (I)

, <Conceptual Flare Activated. Dual Boon Engaged. > >>Cassie isn't dead. >>What? >>She isn't dead. If she was dead, we would have been teleported out of the game because of that I Am Your Father Orb. >>She's alive. She needs— Nod's sentence stopped as the whole room went still and completely silent. >>What is going on? Can you move? George stood up from where he'd been crouching, still holding the shield between himself and Pine. Nothing else was moving. Hollywood had frozen in the middle of stepping toward George.

His foot hovered a foot above the ground. The vordigan's tail was upraised like a scorpion but the strike didn't fall on the gnacker's back. The gnacker had turned its head backward over its own haunches in an effort to get at the vordigan. Its open mouth was paused inches from one of the creature's spindly legs. The hovering stone circle Misco and Grey stood on, ripped from the ground moments earlier, was no longer moving. The rose petals cascading beneath it had stopped in midair.

Even the black smoke from Sarala's poison orb had gone completely still, like time itself had stopped. But George could still move. And the two concepts could move, too. They were floating down toward George. They stopped just in front of him. This close, they loomed taller than they had seemed across the voting room. Each of them loomed twelve feet high and just as broad. [Imbalance: This is a Stillness.] The black and white rings around the Concept of Imbalance were spinning faster now, the chips of rock blurring into continuous circles.

"What's going on?" George said and his voice echoed in the hard, vast room. [Metamorphosis: The trial has come to a point, and now it will change.] The bronze rune shook and thrummed each time Metamorphosis spoke in a way that was unnerving and hard to look at. It was constantly shifting form now, almost too fast to follow. [Metamorphosis: You have activated a flare.] [Imbalance: We bring you a boon.]"What does that mean?" [Metamorphosis: We have been watching you. You have satisfied us.] [Imbalance: You entered the trial as the weakest player, yet you have climbed to the top of the leaderboard.] [Metamorphosis: You have changed inside the crucible of the game and now we will give you an opportunity to change further.] [Imbalance: And to upset the balance just as it is poised to fold along the seams of powerful plans.] [Metamorphosis: … Plans thought to be unalterable.] [Imbalance: So we provide an opportunity for the weak to imbalance the strong.] An opaque, white portal appeared in front of George. Identify kicked in and labeled it. <Challenge Room Portal: Unique> >>What about Cassie?

"What will happen in this room if I go through that portal?" George said. [Metamorphosis: The Stillness will ensure that nothing changes.]"My friend is injured. Give me a healing orb and let me give it to her before time starts again and I will do your challenge," George said. [Metamorphosis: Nothing can be changed in the Stillness, but you will have opportunities to change inside the challenge room.]"How long does the challenge room last? How do I get out?" George said.

[Imbalance: You can exit the challenge room at any time.]"Is it dangerous?" George said. [Imbalance: You cannot die in the challenge room, though you will suffer.] >>George. I'm not in the habit of walking away from deus ex machinas when they freeze time and say they are rootin' for me. >>We have that quest power that will let us choose an item tailored to what we'll encounter inside. So… we got this. >>Also, I dominate challenge rooms.

[Imbalance: If you enter the challenge room, the Stillness will continue until you are finished. If you do not enter, the Stillness will end and the round will resume at the moment the Stillness began.] >>Which means that Pine continues taking pot shots at everyone on his kill list, TLX finishes his mission to eliminate the blue team, Hollywood continues his rampage, and all the good people we've met in this trial so far die. >>Including Tycho, who is apparently your son, Max. >>Then, the bad guys win.

>>Is this even a decision? Let's go! George stood up fully and let his shield drop. Cassie's eyes were closed like she was sleeping, but one arm was bent the wrong way at the elbow, and dust and lacerations covered the front of her body. Tycho was frozen in place with the huge metal shield still lifted above his head. His strange backpack was on the ground beside him. His face was streaked with blood.

George took the fob out of his pocket, shrank the jet ski into its keychain form, and used draw to summon it back to his hand. He walked toward the white portal and stepped through. There was a flash and suddenly he was inside a long, thin hallway with a door at the far end. The walls of the hall were smooth and black and unadorned except for a white button attached to the wall beside him. <Exit Button> There were no windows in the hallway, but, just like the cradle, light seemed to suffuse the room anyway.

George looked backward and saw a pit inches from his heels. It was like the floor just fell into nothingness. There was also no rear wall, as if the pit extended upward behind him into nothingness. He took a few steps away from the pit and a notification appeared. Entering: Challenge Room—George's Run Description: You will be faced with a series of scenario rooms. Each room contains obstacles and dangers to impede your progress. Bonuses and powerups will appear periodically.

If you are killed, you may reset and start again. The first reset costs five prestige tokens, rising on each reset. Resets loop time to the moment of your entry to the challenge room. The nature and difficulty of each room's scenario are randomized, but the sequence will remain the same on each time loop. Exit the challenge room by pushing the white exit button. Duration: Time is stopped and time is never-ending.

Abilities: Deactivated Resurrection: Enabled Reward: Choice of personalized legendary utility upgrade (dependent on performance) Entering Scenario Room One Objective: Reach the door Focus Stat: Speed Difficulty: Medium George read the room description and was about to ask Nod a question, but then, words in all caps appeared in his vision for the first time since the end of the first trial. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

WHAT A PICKLE YOU'RE IN, GEORGE! I WONDERED WHETHER IMBALANCE WOULD TRY TO GIVE YOU A BOON AT SOME POINT, BUT I DIDN'T SEE METAMORPHOSIS STEPPING IN. A CONVERGED BOON IS RARE. YOU'RE LUCKY. AND IN REAL TROUBLE. GOOD THING ABOUT DEATH BEING SHUT OFF. OTHERWISE THIS CHALLENGE ROOM WOULD BE A VERY SHORT EXPERIENCE. BUT THEN, IF YOU DIED, CASSIE WOULD BE TELEPORTED OUT OF THE GAME AND COULD BE HEALED. HMM. THE DRAMA IS PALPABLE! WITHOUT YOUR ABILITY, YOU ARE SO ILL-EQUIPPED FOR THIS CHALLENGE ROOM AS TO BE LAUGHABLE.

IT IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU ALLOWED TO HAPPEN TO YOUR DAUGHTER, KAT. ISN'T IT INTERESTING HOW TIME REPEATS ITSELF? MY POPCORN IS RIGHT HERE. MY FEET ARE UP. GO GET 'EM, GEORGE.

"What do you mean? What happened to Kat?" George said. But no other words from the AI appeared. >>George! You got a challenge room named after you. You're famous.

"ALL CAPS just dropped in," George said. >>Oh yeah? What did our local god stand-in have to say?

"He's not betting on us," George said.

"And something like what happened to Cassie happened to Kat in the past." >>Uh huh. But he didn't tell you that whole story, did he? Just dangled that juicy tidbit and disappeared? Nice of him. >>Put it out of your mind. We need to get to business. >>The door is about 1000 yards away. Why don't you saunter down there and we'll talk through things as we go? George started walking down the long hallway. >>I couldn't help but notice that abilities are deactivated.

>>Super George won't be making an appearance to save the day this time. >>I guess I'll have to take matters into my own hand. >>Again. Quest Update! Description: Discover a challenge room. Completed: 2/? Reward: Choice of bonus item suited to the challenge room. [Timeloop Bonus: Extended list. Diminishes upon resurrection.] Choose one item from the list below to aid you in the challenge room. • 33% Node Spider Intraskeleton: Thirty percent progress on your node spider's intraskeleton.

Includes basic node spider specialty selection. • Book of the Wisdom of Elovar the Slick-Witted: Elovar the Slick-Witted was also known as Elovar the Hermit and Elovar the All-Knowing. He spent his life writing a 40-volume treatise of all his wisdom. This is the sole copy. Celestial Library enabled. • The Red Leather Jacket from Michael Jackson's "Thriller": Voidmetal-chestplate-compatible double-breasted sash. Indestructible. Unlocks durability stat. Cherry red.

• Two Additional Arms: Gain a set of combat-ready mid-torso arms. Includes gene modification and contract with House Lex. • Mware Inc.

"RazorMutt" Mechanical Hound Companion (™): Sic 'em-class seventh-generation hunting dog familiar. • Singularity Grenade: Just pull the pin and run. Very far. • Squadron of Gremlin Malefactors: No one messes things up like these guys. Once summoned, just point them at the enemy and they will obey. Sort of. • Jet Ski Hover Trailer + Survival Pack: A trailer accessory for the dolphin seat, loaded with everything the intrepid multiversal adventurer would need to survive a dire scenario.

• MindWyrm "Trauma-B-Gone" Neural Fortifier Serum: Just when you thought you couldn't take it anymore, MindWyrm is there! This neural fortifier is guaranteed to strengthen you against the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and get you back on your feet again! • Adamantine Polymorph Crafter's Toolkit: Basic kit of polymorph-enabled crafter's tools. • Crafting Skill Upgrade: Unlock one skill from a menu of six advanced crafting skills. Upgrade the skill to level ten. • You Call This a Progression Fantasy?

: Force unlock five stats. Upgrade them all to level 50. • Visit from a Dreamweaver Weaponwright: If you can dream it, the Gnostic Gnomes can help you kill things with it. • Enigmatic Holographic Hand, Crafting edition: A force hand skill designed for crafters working with volatile materials. • Reset Your Spawnpoint to the 51 st Scenario Room. • The Horn of Eld: Blow on your last reset for immense reward—or suffer anticlimactic eternal repetition. • Obtain the Sibilance >>Wow.

Last time all the bonus items were just fancy ways to go up or down. >>What kind of challenges are we about to experience that our quest power thinks this wide array of items will be helpful? >>Looks like we have weapons, crafting stuff, "improving George" stuff, and a fourth category let's call "miscellaneous chaotic stuff we shouldn't choose" including whatever a "singularity grenade" is.

"A lot of those look good," George said.

"That stat one is at the top of my list. Or the crafting skill one. I wonder what it means by "advanced" crafting skill?" >>I don't suppose you want two more arms? Could be… handy.

"Two arms, a weird gem in my hand, and one node spider stowaway is enough," George said.

"Judging by what we know of the Sibilance so far, I think we can rule that one out." >>Though it is interesting to cross paths with it again. Seems a little too foreshadow-y for comfort.

"What do you make of that red leather Michael Jackson one? Unlocking another stat seems good." >>Yeah, let's talk about that one. I see pros and cons. >>Pros: Uh. Nope. I guess I don't see any pros. >>OK, fine. Another stat would be good. >>Cons: That is the AI trolling you. You wouldn't look cool. You would just look like a pudgy old guy who made a bad Halloween costume decision. >>But the real deal breaker is that anyone who saw you in it would demand that you perform the dance. >>And, George… >>…

I'm going to be really honest with you now. Remember that I am your friend and that this is a safe space. >>That would be a BIG mistake. >>You aren't ready for that yet, and neither is anyone else. >>Now, if this said, "Fully functional suit from Tron with accompanying light cycle," that'd be a different story. Sadly, that is not the game we find ourselves in.

"Ok, Nod. Thank you for that very supportive, informational answer," George said. >>I got your back, man. >>Now, let's talk about the real gold-star standout upgrade on the list—that 33% intraskeleton upgrade. That would help us in almost every way. I vote we get it.

"That's the one where you get to control more of my limbs, and it hurts a lot as your skeleton grows through my body?" George said. >>Yep. That's the one.

"Not happening," George said. >>OK, but seriously. Think about it. It lets us choose a node spider specialty. Who knows how long it will take us to get there on our own? >>I could become a spore infiltrator. We could breed a whole farm of node spider clones. Think of the possibilities!

"No," George said. >>Or a soul machinist. Your core self could really use a tune-up.

"No." >>Rotcore spinewidow. Being bipedal is overrated.

"Nope." >>Berserker puppeteer.

"Hell, no." >>Dude. Work with me. Little Noddy needs to grow up. I am a node spider. That node spider lives in your body. That is never going to change for either of us.

"I think we have a standing three-upgrades-for-one saved life deal," George said.

"So save my life another forty times and we'll talk." >>Fine. >>But I now have my heart set on berserker puppeteer. I like the way it rolls off the tongue and I want blade hands. >>I'll bring it up again next time we are in dire peril. Desperation seems to be working for me so far. >>In other news, remember how I have that omni-directional proprioception and can distinguish environmental changes to the fraction of a millimeter?

"Is something changing?" George said. >>The floor is inclining.

"What do you mean?" >>I mean that since you started walking, the floor has been inclining incrementally, and it is starting to accelerate. George looked down at his feet and couldn't tell a difference, but when he looked toward the distant door, he could see that the room now had a slope he hadn't noticed before. >>That might be the trick to this room… the further you go in this egregiously long hallway, the steeper the floor gets and you end up taking a long fall back into that pit where you started.

>>It said the focus stat of this scenario room was speed.

"So you think this room might become a slide in a few minutes?" George said. >>I think this room might be a cliff in a few minutes.

"Will the light grapple reach the door? Does it have that range?" >>Bro. We were shooting it farther than that at moving targets during the last challenge room. >>That must have been in the "George closes his eyes and curls up in a ball while Nod does all the work" phase of that experience.

"Nod," George said.

"Do you think we can do this?" >>Make it to the door? Yeah, no problem. The inclination is accelerating but you have a hover jet ski. Let's just keep walking until we're ready to mount Jellybean and we'll be there in no time.

"Not the door. Everything." >>Ahhhh, I see. You mean can we dominate this challenge room in such a way that we save Cassie, dodge Pine, kill Hollywood, stymie TLX, live long enough to meet your son, Max a. k. a. Tycho, all while maybe helping our sort-of pals June, Loveland, and Top survive, too?

"Yeah, all that." >>Are we talking with or without that intraskeleton upgrade?

"Without," George said.

"For now." >>In that case, I'll give it a solid… maybe? >>The concepts seemed to indicate we'd have a chance to tip the scales and encounter a bunch of goodies in this challenge room, so maybe we'll find some super weapon that will let us blast a hole in Hollywood Cole as soon as the Stillness stops. Maybe we can find the equivalent of a health potion and slip it to Cassie.

>>On the other hand, judging by the magnitude of the power of the quest items we have been offered, I don't think our quest power likes our chances. >>It is one thing to get offered a giant ladder to help us climb up floating platforms. It is another thing to get offered a singularity grenade. Or the Sibilance, which I read as our quest power saying, "You're screwed. Might as well hand your entire existence over to this scary entity."

>>But the good news is we can't really die in here and we've got tons of do-overs in this time loop until our prestige tokens run out. >>The bad news is that we aren't going to be on top of the leaderboards when this is done because we'll probably be tokenless again. >>Which might also be good news. >>Either way, this is going to make a riveting chapter in my memoir…

>>I'm thinking it will start with something like this: "Just as all seemed lost, two enigmatic conceptual entities froze time and—""—and then George interrupted Nod with a reminder that we still need to choose an upgrade," George said. >>And once again, the No Fun award goes to… [drum roll]… the reigning No Fun champion, George "only two arms" Brandiss.

>>But seriously, assuming you are still not prepared to buy me that intraskeleton upgrade right now, I think we should wait to choose an upgrade until we know more about what we're facing.

"That is possible?" George asked. >>It is your quest power. We can choose whenever we want.

"Then we wait." >>OK. George. Time to go see what is behind door number one. George tossed the dolphin keychain in front of him and expanded it to its jet ski form. >>"Eschewing a chance at ultimate power, George decided not to upgrade his node spider. Instead, he mounted his emasculating rainbow steed and sped down the long hallway toward his destiny… and probable death." George turned the handle on the jet ski and it flew forward. By the time he reached the far door, the floor was slanted at a 30-degree angle.

He minimized the jet ski, and stepped through the portal inside the door.