<< Command Failed >>
The prompts popped up and beamed in red colour signifying something negative.
"What... the... hell... is going on?"
"Synapse, log me out!"
<< Command Failed >>
She dished out the same command over and over and for each of her commands, there was still only one response — Command Failed.
Eve dropped to the ground. Her mind strayed, trying to figure out what was happening and possibly, a solution to her current problem.
She had seen the 'Log Out' tab earlier and now she sat down, confused and quite doubtful if she had really seen it since it was no longer there.
She shook her head.
"No. I definitely saw it."
Eve had been trying for hours, in the time of Alderix, to solve her problem but she could not come up with a solution.
Her SOS message to the Neu-Ron company, who were the developers of the virtual reality massive multiplayer roleplaying game (VRMMORPG), also failed.
She was stuck in this universe while in the form of her avatar, Eve Nyx.
Eve was scared for her life at the thought of a new form of existence she did not opt for. In as much as she relished the concepts behind virtual reality games and enjoyed the world of Alderix so far, Eve never planned on staying forever.
Being stuck in this virtual world meant she had to stick to the identity of her avatar — Eve Nyx, who is summarily a 23 year old beautiful elf woman with silvern hair and the ability to cast magical spells.
Eve Nyx was a basic character at best pending when she decides to take on more challenges within Alderix.
With every second, every minute and every hour that passed, Eve lost faith that cannot be regained. She was losing it.
"I knew it," she cried out.
"It was too good to be true. I should have known better. No one gives out free money."
Her hands were tied on the matter and there was nothing she could do but that did not stop Eve. She could tell that something fishy was going on in the real world but could not pinpoint what exactly it was.
It was all too convenient for the 'Log Out' to suddenly disappear right after she had passed through a Gate of Alderix.
"The only chance to quit was in the A-Room."
Eve laughed when the realisation came to her.
"I'm in for a long ride then."
She rose from the ground where she sat and looked forward
Ahead of her but blurred due to the immeasurable yet surmountable distance was a tower. A gigantic tower whose top she could see as it appeared to be hidden in the sky of Alderix.
There was only one option left which she was yet to explore. Although Eve could not guarantee that it was going to work but she would not know until she tried it.
It was the surest among the ones she had tried. Eve sighed again as she thought about it.
Even though the possibility of getting out of Alderix was highest with this particular option, it was going to take a long time to execute successfully.
The thought of it alone strained her.
That option of exit, which was her last option, was for Eve to complete the VRMMORPG and reach its end.
That was the only way that she could assure her exit to a greater extent.
Having completed the A-Room level, she was currently a level 1 player in Alderix and equal to most of the players she entered the beta testing launch with although she was yet to see any of them.
"Synapse, can I see a map of Alderix?"
<< Map Is Not Accessible To Eve Nyx >>
"Huh? What do you mean not accessible to me?"
<< Eve Nyx Has Not Purchased A Map Of Alderix >>
"Hmm," Eve muttered.
"The map isn't free, I see."
Eve, from her little gaming experience in the real world, knew the importance of maps in adventure-themed games and that was why she needed one.
Navigating through an unknown world without a map was an effort bound to be fruitless.
A wasted journey.
She clicked the 'Map' tab to see how she could purchase a map and how much it cost.
<< Maps of Alderix: >>
<< Visual representations of the World of Alderix and the various locations to be explored. The Maps of Alderix are graded into categories >>
"Show me the categories."
<< Map Categories >>
<< Category 1: Basic Map. To Unlock [1000 Coins] >>
<< Category 2: Advanced Map. To Unlock [8000 Coins] >>
<< Category 3: Expanse Map. To Unlock [Reach The 65th Floor Of The Tower Of Babel Plus 18000 Coins] >>
<< Category 4: World Map. To Unlock [Reach The Neo-World Plus 32000 Coins] >>
"What the hell is this?" she exclaimed.
"It costs a fortune! Maps are even supposed to be free."
Eve continued to lament until she realised that she was shouting alone and not at anybody, even the Synapse paid her no attention.
She sighed and tapped the Category 1 Map to purchase a Basic Map.
<< Eve Nyx Has Purchased A Category 1 Map >>
<< Minus 1000 Coins >>
<< Basic Map Has Been Added To Inventory >>
<< Location Of The Tower Of Babel Is Now Known To Eve Nyx. +60 Experience Points (EXP) Earned >>
<< Journey Eastward To The Door Of Babel >>
"The door of Babel?"
Eve rubbed her chin while assimilating the contents of the successive prompts that were popping up in front of her.
She viewed them as they appeared on the larger blue box thanks to 'Expand'.
"What's the door of Babel, Synapse?"
<< The Doors Of Babel: >>
<< The Doors Of Babel are magically created portals or pathways that open up to players at different locations, leading them to the 1st Floor of the Tower Of Babel >>
Eve exhaled.
She understood what Synapse explained but a lot was just running through her mind. She had no choice but to journey east if she wished to complete the quests that awaited her in Alderix.
...
...
Meanwhile... in the real world, crisis continued to rage on in the old lady's home.
"I know I should have killed you first."
Scarred Mouth's mouth widened into a grin that reached his ears with his face distorted to take on a grotesque expression of satisfaction like one who had seen blood to quench his bloodlust.
Scarred Mouth turned his attention to Adam following the event where he witnessed Stutterer's body fly out through the door with sparks of electricity sizzling through his body.
"Don't underestimate an already wounded man!"
Adam had used the taser function of his mobility scooter to catch Stutterer off guard. It was a combined electroshock defence and attack mechanism that Eve had installed into his vehicle, when she modified it, to help him whenever he was in trouble.
With the push of a button, a thin wire with a needled end will be fired towards its target, sending electric currents into the body of the victim.
Scarred Mouth shifted his gun from Seth and pointed it in Adam's direction. Adam saw this but did not fret, in fact, his countenance passed a message across to Scarred Mouth that he had found solemnity and welcomed death to come for him.
But in truth, Adam was not thinking rather it was the rush of adrenaline racing through his system that did all the talking and acts.
Blood splattered instantly, soiling the old lady's couch. Her aged voice shouted out in a loud cry that was drawn from extreme fear and anxiety when the blood splashed on her hands and the floor around her.
The next sound they heard was that of Scarred Mouth. The man in black shouted in great agony and tussled around, trying to throw Seth off his body.
Finally succeeding in overpowering Seth, Scarred Mouth threw him towards the door.
Blood was smeared all over Scarred Mouth's face as he cried out in anguish.
The part of his shades that cover his right eye was shattered and plunged into his right eye alongside the remote control that Seth was holding.
Seth took the opportunity that appeared when Scarred Mouth wanted to shoot his brother and stabbed Scarred Mouth in the eye with the remote control and enough force to burst into his eye with shards of his dark glasses piercing his sclera and sinking into his eye socket.
Scarred Mouth was in radical pain with a remote control buried in his eye socket.
Seth got himself up from the floor and locked eyes with his brother who spoke only three words to him and smiled afterwards.
"Run Seth! Run!"