Dr. Fenix Ensiger
"Game Updated!"
"Congratulations! You have successfully updated your Last Byte account. You may now proceed with the game without any unnecessary interventions."
After I handed over my sister's food at her e-sport team building, I quickly went down to their meeting lobby. I still need to go to the main hospital to assist those interested patients. My sister's team captain and her were standing in front of their members. They are having their meeting about the regional finals. I also overheard them discussing the latest update.
I made sure to walk without having to disturb their meeting or without letting my sister see me moving away. But, I failed. She quickly called my attention in the middle of their meeting as if she was about to give me alarming news. Thank goodness that their team captain wasn't that distracted about her commotion.
"Big brother!" She shouted… a little.
I closed my eyes and shook my head as I forced myself to pivot my body towards her attention. "Yes, what? I already put your food on your table," I stopped her within tracks. But, as usual, she wasn't focussing on what I was saying.
She showed me the screen of her phone, displaying the Last Byte Instagram post about the update, particularly the date posted. My forehead creased by looking at it.
"Hm? What about it?" I asked with innocence as if I did not know what was going on.
Amorist Ensiger, my sister, crossed one of her arms in front of her chest while shaking her head from side to side. "What's your opinion about the latest update?" she asked with a confused and bothering emotion plastered on her eyes.
I took a step forward and while my eyes were still struck at the IG post, trying to analyze what she wanted me to understand. I did my best to act as if I didn't know about the update at all. She knew that I am not into esports, especially recently that it has been an issue for us in the medical field.
"What? What do you mean?"
"I just find it weird. What if there is manipulation or cheating that will happen later on during our regional finals round…" she answered, expressing her unsettlement. Her eyes went down like she was suspicious about something that might happen along the battle rounds.
She looked around like she was waiting for somebody. When my eyes accidentally dropped into the team captain's, we both smiled in respect. "Well, that cannot be avoided if it ever happens. Just do your best," I tried my best to comfort her as I was trying to understand what she meant to say.
She breathed out deep air before continuing. "Our managers didn't say anything about the latest update. As a usual practice, every time Last Byte has an update, it's always the e-sport managers or the captains who will be informing us ahead of time before Last Byte would even announce it in public," she explained with a quizzical voice.
I froze. As much as possible, I wanted to avoid this kind of conversation with her. I know this cannot be avoided, especially because she is my sister; we live on the same roof.
I can still picture the contract at the back of my head. There are portions there that says: (1) The information shared between both parties, A and B, should only be kept among themselves, (2) Failure to comply with section 2.2 would be fined accordingly depending on the amount of damage done by either of the parties, (3) Last Byte will file legal cases against any malicious acts, leaking of confidential informations—
"B-Brother?"
I blinked my eyes multiple times while my sister was holding my shoulders and shaking my consciousness. As soon as I looked at her back, her face was filled with worries.
"I need some opinions. I don't think I can play knowing that there is a manipulation happening," she voiced out. I caressed the side of her forehead while shaking my head.
"I need to go now—"
"But—"
I left the building without waiting for her response.
As soon as I arrived at the main branch of our family owned hospital located in the metropolitan City of Testa, I got overwhelmed by the number of patients rushing towards the entrances.
I was walking this time while checking Last Byte's instagram account, @lastbyte_tech, to check the latest announcement. Finding out the crowd number brings me to the point where I have to put the phone back in my purse. My eyes widened in confusion as I stared what's in front of me.
As soon as I walked through the door of my office, my eardrums were greeted by the jumbled sounds of the patients' conversations, which left me with the distinct sensation that something was off.
"Doctor, please help me update my Last Byte App… It says it needs to be connected to wifi…"
"C-Can you please help me update the app?" Favored by an old woman to that pregnant person sitting next to her.
I heard a lot of mumbles, complaints, and other unpleasant things that, if someone had a little amount of tolerance in listening with these, mayhem would undoubtedly arise. This provided me with a cause to ask my co-doctor, Chantal Daughtler, to come to my clinic so that we could discuss the situation. Recently, she has been assisting the patients who are waiting in line outside in the corridor. Her brother, Nurse Kendric Daughtler, is also lending a hand in efforts to control the unexpectedly large throng that has gathered outside the clinic.
"All of these patients are here to be healed through… Last Byte?" I asked in disbelief as I stared at Dr. Chantal's eyes.
Chantal nodded her head and replied, "Yes, doc. I also asked the first fifty bytes to register first at our Last Byte machine." I glanced at the patients and by taking turns, they did some face capturing and fingerprinting thing in the hologram machine.
Bytes… So, they aren't called patients anymore, huh.
I had almost forgotten that all of those medical practitioners that will participate in this collaboration will also be informed about this—the mechanics, concept, and everything.
"Are you sure all of those first fifty want to participate?" I asked, then and again. I wanted to end this unsettling judgment I had at the back of my head.
Chantal slowly nodded. At this time, she is looking straight in my eyes as if she is trying to analyze my uncertainty. "Yes," she answered with conviction. "I asked them more than twice, and have also informed them about the mechanics of the healing process."
Oh… Then, we are good to go…
I clasp my hands once and lift up a convincing smile at hers at which she repays by smiling back.
"Okay, let's begin."
Third Person
The first fifty patients—bytes—were slowly assisted by the other nurses, headed by Nurse Kendric, towards a private and secured, vast area of one of the hospital's rooms. Everyone is dressed in either a white medical gown or pajamas. Some of the patients are unable to tear their eyes away from the cutting-edge architecture and design of the facility. It has holograms of various LAST BYTE heroes moving around and twirling, neon lightning effects, raised flying machines, and a lot more of a game world than you could ever imagine. Doctor Fenix joked that he needed to compliment Last Byte Technology for the speedy job that they had done.
"I didn't know that this hospital had something like this hidden inside the building," one patient expressed.
But, it seems that the design and ambient light have an unattractive effect for Riel Dizon's eyes. He looks away and seems restless with the movement of his hands while walking. When he chose to close his eyes, he accidentally bumped into a man with a third-degree burn on his right arm.
"I'm sorry!" Riel apologized.
The man named Andrew Evangelista, the waiter from The Bliss Cafe, kicked his feet away from Riel with quite annoyance.
Daniel Robar, Elle Robces, and Dayen Aquila, are also here.
After all of the bytes had stood at the circle's outline in the middle of the room, about fifty hospital beds also appeared from their back. The patients were surprised by what they saw and couldn't stop wondering.
"Oh, it might take us a few days before we recover from the disease. I still have an appointment with a foreigner tonight," Elle expressed in a worried tone while flipping her hair from both sides.
While all of them were assisted by the nurses in laying down on the hospital bed, Daniel refused to be helped out. He almost pushed the nurse away from his way, causing the nurse to feel agitated. Dayen, on the other hand, was accommodated by three nurses because of her difficulty in moving due to her unhealed bruises and inner wounds.
After laying down, the nurses, then, began to put layers of cables attached in their bodies, and injected a fluid for them to sleep. They also have something attached to their head. Riel was restless with what was happening so the nurse calmed him down before hanging them up.
"That doesn't hurt, does it?"
"Yes, just inhale and exhale. Everything will be alright."
Dr. Fenix reached Dr. Chantal's side and whispered, "I feel nervous." Chantal glanced at him and chuckled.
Then, the nurses left the patients. Dr. Fenix immediately approached on the side of the machine with the red button. When he gradually reached to press it, his fingertips started trembling. Dr. Chantal looked at the clock and there were about a few seconds left for them to start.
He blew air, convincing himself to stay calm. Why is it that I feel like what I am doing might be a wrong choice?
After gaining some self-confidence, he finally started the game.
"All players have successfully entered the game lobby. It's time to pick your heroes."