The NextWorld 02: Spawn Point (2 page)

“Why eleven?” I ask, trying to appear intrigued.

“Each one represents a quality of partnership that they should honor.”

I can't help smirking. “Only eleven? That doesn't sound so hard.”

Cyren elbows me in the ribs. “Be nice.”

“And what's this about?” I ask, trying to restrain my reaction to the spectacle. “Why are there white feathers falling from the sky? It looks like a blizzard.”

“It symbolizes the purity and weightlessness of love.”

“Of course it does.”

Cyren wipes the tears from her eyes, leans away from me, and crosses her leather-strapped arms over her chest. “You can resist this all you want, but I've seen you be romantic before.”

“Romance? Sure. I just don't think it needs to be this complicated. I love you, but I don't need magic or spirits or any of that stuff to explain it. It's more logical to me.”

“Oh really?” she says, leaning forward, suddenly very interested in what I'm saying. “Perhaps you'd care to explain the logic of romance?”

This isn't the conversation I want to be having, but I see on the video-cast that the Omniversalist teacher is changing his robes into a waterfall that is cascading down the front of the church and washing over the audience. Whatever that's supposed to symbolize is even less interesting to me.

“When I met you, you were the first person I felt like I could relate to. Ever. You were uncomfortable around people. I saw every moment that you were trying to pretend to fit in with them. I knew what you were doing because I was doing the same thing.”

She smiles and says, “So you love me because I'm just like you?”

“No,” I say with frustration, but I'm only frustrated with my own inability to explain myself. “That's how I felt when I met you, but as we spent more time together, I realized how much we complimented each other. Your strengths are my weaknesses, and vice versa. My logic is your emotion. My calculated response is your brazen action. My ranged attack is your melee.”

She lets out a chuckle. “My melee? Coming from anyone else, that might be the strangest compliment ever given. But from you? That's the sweetest thing you've ever said.”

“I'm trying to say that for me, love isn't just something I feel. It isn't some unquantifiable emotion. Love is something I do. It's a physical action. It's a verb, not a noun. I
love
you. Whether that's through a simple kiss, or holding a door open for you, or protecting you from that giant preying mantis.”

“Yeah. Thanks again for that. It would have been a terrible way to die.”

“I love you because you're the greatest person I've ever known.”

She closes here eyes and bows her head, hearing my words as deeply as she can before leaning in and kissing me. I want the moment to last longer, but out of the corner of my eye I notice something happening on the screen.

Both Xen and Raev's chests burst open, a golden chain springing forth and locking together in the middle. As I explain the bizarre image to Cyren, she responds more calmly than I expect.

“Their hearts are to remain bound to each other for the rest of the night.”

“That's... grotesque.”

The Omniversalist teacher bellows through the church in his most commanding voice, “I now pronounce the souls of these two partners forever locked in the space of infinite!”

The crowd cheers. I consciously watch everyone's reaction as Xen and Raev parade through the audience, shaking hands and hugging people. Xen points right at our camera and waves at me. Cyren urges me to wave back.

The camera follows the couple into the adjoining room for the celebration of their partnership. I settle in and summon all the mental strength I have in my body, knowing this is the part of the day where I'll have to interact with people. I lean over and grip Cyren's hand for support, but we're interrupted when someone throws open the entrance to our tent.

The barbarian steps into the room, his hands pulling aside the curtains of blond hair washing across his shoulders. Each strand curls at the end with a sort of playfulness that's ironic compared to the rest of his violent physique.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he says, “but we found something.”

I jump to my feet, trying uselessly to hide my excitement at the sudden turn toward the game world. Cyren jumps up next to me and pushes me back down on to my chair.

“You're not going anywhere.”

“But-”

“You have a speech to give,” she says, pointing her leather-gloved finger right in my face. “We're all Level 100. I think we'll be able to handle whatever this is. I'll be back as soon as I can, but in case I don't make it in time, I want you to record your speech with your in-game camera so I can watch it later.”

“But-”

“Stay,” she says, wiggling her finger again. Then she leans down, kisses my cheek, and whispers, “You'll do great.”

Her kiss takes my breath away long enough for her to leave the tent without any more argument. The cloth door closes as they begin to discuss whatever exciting things are happening in the zone. I let out a long, dramatic breath and cross my arms in my best pouting form.

There's more. I knew it. More zones to explore, more monsters to kill, more game to play.

I try to summon a look of attentiveness as I watch the entire audience of Xen and Raev's family and friends file into the celebration room of the church, but even without a golden chain, my heart and my mind are with Cyren. Always.

I can't stop thinking about what the Level Zeros have found, but I try to bring myself back to the moment I'm experiencing.

“Xen is my best friend,” I say into the screen.

The crowd in the celebration room is staring back at me. A sea of faces hang on my every word. I know the palms of my hands are sweating in the real world, but my avatar looks calm and collected. I hope.

“You might not think that's a big deal, seeing as how I only have one friend, but that's exactly why it's important. There aren't many people who could put up with somebody like me.”

The crowd laughs. They think I'm joking.

“Most people think I'm so self-absorbed that it wouldn't be possible for me to care about anyone else. It takes a special person to look past my exterior. I have an obnoxious inability to interact with anyone. At least using anything other than my awkward social skills. I often indulge in a distanced analyzing of other people. I have idiosyncratic, nuanced behavioral disabilities. I mean, what I'm trying to say is that most of the time I'm a real jerk.”

The crowd isn't laughing anymore. They're shuffling in their seats. Someone clears their throat, making the silence more obvious.

“My point is, Xen has always been able to look past that. He ignores the avatar and sees the person that lies within. For every failure, he sees a success to match it. He tells me that this is what Omniversalism teaches us to do, but that doesn't mean we all do it. It takes someone special, someone like Xen, to excel so highly at being a good person.”

I smile, more to myself than anyone else, because I know I'm almost done. I've almost completed the task. Soon the attention will be off of me and I'll be able to breathe again.

“Luckily for Raev, there isn't anything to look past. She's a beautiful, thoughtful person, and I have no trouble seeing why Xen would choose her to partner with. I'm sure it's just as obvious to everyone gathered here today. So without any trepidation, I'd like to congratulate them both for finding a perfect partner with whom to travel through this life.”

The crowd cheers. It's almost like no one noticed how terrified I was. Or no one cared. Maybe they're as happy that I'm done as I am. I try to remind myself that maybe this moment isn't about me. I was just a momentary distraction from the real spectacle.

Xen and Raev stand up and they share a kiss for all to see. The crowd loves it, their cheers growing louder. I pull my screen to the back of the room, relaxing into the shadows where no one will notice me. The awkward weight lifts from me as the thousand eyes look away. I can breathe.

There is a procession of congratulations. A line of people wait to shake hands with Xen and Raev and offer brief points of partnership advice. Some share humorous anecdotes from the past, others give a simple word that sums up the attractiveness of the ceremony.

I watch from the back of the room, trying to wrap my brain around why anyone would partake in such a strangely choreographed ritual in order to exemplify their relationship for others. I've never felt the need to explain what Cyren means to me. Not even to her. She understands. That's one of the things that's so great about her.

As NPCs pass plates and serving trays full of glowing food and colored drinks around the room, I notice Xen and Raev stand from their throne-like chairs at the head of the room and make their way through the crowd. People stop them to chat and tell Raev how beautiful she looks, but soon enough they smile and wave their hands at my screen.

“Kade!” Xen says through his still-beaming smile, rocking back and forth on the heels of his feet, barely able to contain himself.

“Hi,” I say, limply waving my hand at the screen. “Um... congratulations.”

“Thanks,” Raev says. “You did good.”

I shrug my shoulders. “I'm just glad it's over. I hate doing stuff like that.”

Raev chuckles, unsure if I'm joking or not.

Xen clears his throat and says, “Either way, we're glad you're here.”

I reply with a single word: “Cool.”

I wish Cyren was here. She always knows how to fill the gaps in conversations.

Before I can think of anything to say, a hand reaches out from the corner of the screen and grabs Raev's arm. An older woman steps into view, her rigid face looking anything but happy. There's nothing unique about her design, but I can tell she's from an elite line of avatars. It's a very boring, very expensive model for the business-conscious user that doesn't want to make a statement other than: “I can afford to be a conformist.”

“Your mother would like to speak with you.”

Raev runs her hand along the golden chain bound to Xen's heart and says with an authoritative voice, “My partner and I are talking with our friend right now. We'll let you know when we're done.”

The woman squints her eyes and inhales through her nose, holding on to Raev's arm for a long pause before releasing her grip and storming off into the crowd.

“What was that about?”

Raev runs her free hand through the rainbow ribbons on her head, straightening them before releasing them to flow freely over her shoulder. With a deep breath her sarcastic attitude returns.

“That was my mother. The life of the party.”

“Raev's mother isn't exactly thrilled about our partnership,” Xen says, his smile looking weak and forced.

“Oh, that's not true,” Raev says with a sardonic smile. “Our partnership doesn't bother her. It's my choice to join you in DOTgod that really stokes her fire.”

“I take it she isn't religious?” I ask, surprised by my own interest.

It's possible that I'm feeling something akin to empathy for her. I understand the disappointment of a parent when you refuse to follow the path they've laid out for you.

“It's more than her philosophical differences with Omniversalism. She owns InfoLock. It's one of the biggest information insurance companies in NextWorld. Her success provided us with financial security and gave me opportunities that, I can't deny, we're pretty extraordinary. The fact that she was able to get a child license as a single mother should tell you how much influence she can throw around.”

DOTgov looks past a lot of their own rules when you have enough credits.

“But she expected you to take over the family business, not join a religious movement,” I say, filling in the rest of the story from my own experience.

“She's been grooming me for InfoLock since I was a child. She used her money to give me the best of everything, but she also used that same money to control my life.”

The design of Raev's avatar is quite amazing. And expensive. The detail doesn't hide the tension in her face. She clenches her teeth and tightens her jaw.

“She dangles her credits over my head like she's trying to teach a new trick to her pet.”

“So you're saying that joining up with a humble, minimalistic religion wouldn't exactly thrill her?”

Raev laughs boisterously, trying to step away from her own seriousness. “You should have seen my mother's face when I told her that the church pays for the ceremony.” She lifts the back of Xen's hand toward her lips, laying a soft kiss upon it. “But it doesn't matter. None of it. I've found my partner. I've found love. That's all I need.”

They get lost in each other's gaze again, but this time I'm not as disgusted by the display. In fact, I begin to feel something, a connection to what they're experiencing, when the game announcer's booming voice breaks in.

“Group member Devyl has died.”

“Group member Alfa has died.”

“Group member Phaet has died.”

“Group member Newk has died.”

“Group member Saynt has died.”

“Group member Epek has died.”

“Group member Taifoon has died.”

“Group member Dedhed has died.”

I'm forced to turn off the alerts as an emergency voice-cast from Cyren appears in the corner of my view.

I slam my hand on to the icon and hear her voice shouting over a thunderous roar of gunfire and magic spells.

“I shouldn't be sending you this, I shouldn't be asking you to do this, but we don't have a choice. I need your help.”

I'm standing up from the couch before I'm aware of what's happening. Xen and Raev don't have a chance to react before I'm pulling out my revolvers and checking to see which advanced ammunition I have selected.

“What's going on?” Xen asks. “Is there trouble?”

“Yes,” I say, my hands shaking as I select different options in the menu. “Something is... I don't know...”

“Cyren?” Raev asks.

I nod my head, unable to say the words.

Raev leans in closer to the screen. “Go to her.”

I nod my head again, acknowledging the fact that she understands how dire the situation is.