AIN SOPH Part 2

Episode 8

Combat boiled below. King Dagon stomped and bellowed and swept the ground with its claws. The Star Things clung to King Dagon’s limbs, climbing up the monster’s body, biting and tearing with other-worldly teeth and claws. Star Things and fish men rolled across the snow, biting, clawing, and wrestling each other in a spectacle displaying the raw talent of the TAO visual arts team. Every creature in TAO had an internal skeleton articulated at 700 points for lifelike movement that responded to external stimuli. Virtual combatants fought and died in a drama no game designer had scripted. The Internet had learned to make war.

Andy McCarthy was not in a protected hamlet in the New England woods. Andy was in Portland, Oregon, where people were not as friendly. Andy could see half the city burning from the window of his office, and did not expect the power to stay on much longer. He’d figured out King Dagon was behind the crisis when he witnessed his AIN SOPH program shifting balances between SpectraCom bank accounts. The world needed solutions, not answers. Andy was desperate to keep others from discovering he was responsible for the catastrophe. If he didn’t kill King Dagon, Andy McCarthy would probably lose his job.

DUKE: I need your help.

DUKE: We need to wake up the Star Things.

DUKE: No other weapon or spell can do more than 1 damage.

SITA MOON: cthuhlu dag

SITA MOON: 1 hit kill

Sita Moon lunged at Duke. If she could get close enough, she could freeze Duke and take back the weapon.

DUKE: I can’t use it.

DUKE: Password.

SITA MOON: i know it

SITA MOON: i wrote it

Duke hopped back and readied his Sun Sword.

DUKE: Tell me the password.

Sita Moon dropped a Circle of Fire from a CINDER WAND and blasted Duke within hand's reach of the ScornFish, who were running out of Star Things to kill. Duke burned for a moment, allowing Sita Moon to equip her bow and rain POISON ARROWS on him.

DUKE: Tell me.

SITA MOON: u figure

DUKE: You think this is a game?

DUKE: People are dying!

A fire ignited on an upper floor across the street. Andy could hear rioters shouting below, throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails. Duke absorbed the arrows and swallowed a HEAL as he climbed back up the ice. Duke’s charge gave Sita Moon her FIRST STRIKE, but Duke parried the rest of her attacks and cut Sita Moon to single-digit Hit Points in a few rounds.

SITA MOON: i die you lose

Duke pressed his advantage on Sita Moon, keeping her from healing or re-equipping. She backed up to the ledge in a defensive crouch. The Star Things were almost gone. King Dagon lunged for Duke, chomping air as the fighter dodged and jumped, unable to score a hit. Ignored, Sita Moon restored maximum Health.

SITA MOON: give my dagger

SITA MOON: no other way

Andy sighed and selected “GIVE,” “CTHULHU DAGGER,” to “SITA MOON,” from a succession of drop-down menus.

DUKE: When the world turns normal, I’m hunting you down and taking this back.

SITA MOON: The world will never be normal.

Sita Moon equipped the CTHULHU DAGGER and leapt from the ledge into the ocean of ScornFish. Duke jumped after her, slashing with his SUN SWORD before he landed. Even with a one-hit kill, Sita Moon needed to survive long enough to score the final blow. The last Star Things were gone, and many of the ScornFish had already lost interest. King Dagon was leading them back to the sea.

A shrill ring slashed from Andy’s speakers as Sita Moon launched a Ball Lightning from her LIGHTNING LANCE that arced up and fizzled across King Dagon's flanks, nearly toppling the monster. It roared in pain at the 1 point of damage floating above it. Four seconds were needed to spin King Dagon’s full girth and look down to Sita Moon.

Andy McCarthy’s computer screen went black, along with every remaining desk lamp and digital clock in the office. Only the reflection of fire provided light. Andy wailed and threw up his hands.

Episode 9