Soulstone: Awakening: Soulstone, #1

By J. A. Cipriano

Aaron Hope plays video games, like a lot, just not professionally. When he entered the EpiX! Games! PVP World Championship on a lark, this college senior never expected to make it to the final round, nor to get drugged and shoved into the alpha test for World of Ruul. 

The premise for this virtual reality MMO is simple. Find all eight treasures scattered throughout the world before the maelstrom's forces devour everything in sight. The only catch? You can't log off, and if you die… well, let's just say what happens in the game doesn't stay in the game. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: DDCO Publishing, LLC.
• Release date: Jul 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386590927

Book preview

1

Awar cry burst from the barbarian’s lips as he ambled toward me. His leather boots kicked dust up from the arena floor as he moved in a slow circle, trying to get his back to the sun and diminish my line of sight. It was a good trick, but there was just one problem with that. I knew what he was trying to do.

Even if I could keep him from blinding me, that hulking axe of his would do some major damage. If he hit me with that, no amount of blocking would keep my head from getting caved in like a casaba melon. Unfortunately, I was only good up close. I’d have to engage him sooner or later, and since his arms were longer than mine, I’d have to be quick. Even a cursory blow from him would mean trouble since the wardings on his gauntlets let me know he had ogre strength.

That said, I’d done this dance a million times before. The key was to not get frazzled. No, I had to stay calm. If I was calm, I could win. At least in theory. Unfortunately, it was always easier to tell yourself to be calm than to actually calm down. On the other hand, it was always a lot easier to piss the other guy off.

Have you heard the one about your mother? I asked, a grin melting across my face as I stepped back, trying to put space between me and his big axe. The muscles in his legs twitched as I spoke, letting me know he was about to attack. You probably have, it’s huge.

Another snarl tore from his throat as he leapt toward me, huge twin bladed axe cleaving through the air in a shower of red energy. I stepped to the side, slipping into a shadow as the axe passed through where I’d been and reappeared behind him, driving my daggers into his back before following up with a quick kidney punch.

He stumbled forward, stunned from the blow as I unloaded everything I had left, stabbing him in the back with my dragon bone daggers and sending him flying across the arena floor like a comet of fire and blood. As he crashed to the ground lifeless, the crowd went wild. I grinned as I sheathed my twin daggers and took a bow.

A cry of outrage exploded from the computer station across from me as the angry form of my opponent, Two‘ Manchu, leapt from his seat and flung his headset at the huge movie screen displaying our match in fury.

You cheated, Kahn! he snarled, calling me by my character’s name as he marched toward me. It probably would have been a little more intimidating if he wasn’t a five-foot-nothing Asian guy with spaghetti arms, but you work with what you’ve got, I guess.

To be fair, I wasn’t much better since most of my time was spent in front of a computer screen or in an arcade. Let’s just say I didn’t consider working out a productive use of my time. Still, as he came charging toward me across the stage at the EpiX! Games! PVP World Championship, my heart beat like a hammer in my chest. I didn’t want to get into a fight with anyone if I could help it, let alone in front of an entire crowd of people.

It must be hard for you, not being able to rage quit in front of all these people, eh? I asked, standing up and trying to appear bigger than I really was while running a hand through my short black hair. Besides, hitting you in the back is hardly cheating. Haven’t you heard? Rogues always do it from behind.

Before I could say more, a too cool for school guy in his mid-twenties wearing expensive shades and a blue muscle shirt came walking toward me with his hand out. My jaw nearly dropped. It was Crash Overdrive. The reigning Titan Gate PVP champion, and the guy I’d face in the final round now that I’d just beaten Two‘ Manchu.

To be fair, I’d never expected to get this far, and I was still in sort of a daze. I’d mostly just played back at my dorm with a bunch of other drunks, and I’d joined the contest on a lark. Then I started winning.

I guess I’ll be seeing you in the finals, Crash said, offering me his hand. Two‘ Manchu had stopped in his tracks, and I wondered if it had something to do with Crash having acted like he didn’t exist. The two were in the same guild and had been buddy, buddy right before the match.

Guess so, I said, taking his hand. He squeezed hard, like he was trying to prove something.

His gaze darkened as he leaned in close to me and whispered into my ear. Don’t get too comfortable winning. That shits about to end. I’m not afraid to sweep the leg. He heaved a breath that smelled like Doritos and Red Bull into my face as he stood back and raised my hand into the air like I was the reigning WWE champion.

I wasn’t sure how the hell he planned to sweep my leg. I mean, we were in a video game tournament, so unless he was going to hack the entire contest, I wasn’t sure how he could cheat.

Still, Crash had been one of the developers of Titan Gate. It was possible he knew some secrets I didn’t. If that was the case, I might be in trouble. That said, I still doubted he’d cheat. While he was known for being a slightly underhanded player, no one got this far in a tournament like this and reigned this long as champion based on anything other than skill.

I look forward to playing against you, Crash. I flashed him the grin my mother always described as cheeky, but which was just normal for me and pulled my hand away from his grip. It’s always nice when you see legends fall.

I doubt that’s going to happen for you, but it’s always nice to dream, kid. Crash scowled at me, but before he could say more, an absolute diva stepped in front of him, and I suddenly forgot he even existed.

She was dressed like Tifa Lockhart and had long brown hair and blue eyes that made me want to fall into them and never come out again. The rest of her was nice too, but I knew if I started looking her over too much, she might get the wrong idea.

I wasn’t the type to start slobbering at the sight of a pretty girl, but as Tifa stepped up to me and smiled, I forgot how to breathe. My vision tunneled so all I could see was her as her lips parted into a smile that could launch an armada.

Hi, she said, and I was already planning our wedding. We’d have three kids and a dog, but not a really big dog. Something smaller, like a Jack Russell. It’d have a lot of energy so the kids would have to walk him.

Hello, I replied pleased I’d remembered how to speak. How are you?

Good, she said, moving close to me and gesturing toward a big burly guy wearing a nametag that said Frank. He was holding a giant television camera, and as my vision moved to encompass both him and her, everything clicked into place, and not just because her badge said Press.

So, you’re a reporter? I asked, raising an eyebrow.

How’d you guess? She socked me lightly in the shoulder, and I rubbed the spot despite myself. It was the badge, wasn’t it?

Yeah, I said, trying to play cool, which was hard because I wasn’t cool enough to talk to reporters. Truth be told, I was really new to the whole make money playing games thing. As I said before, I’d joined on a lark. I never expected to get past the first round, let alone to the finals, and OMG I was in the fucking finals. I was so screwed.

Then again, I’d watched thousands of YouTube videos. I’d seen Crash play before, and while the bastard was good, he always hesitated when using his Night Elf’s endgame skill. I never understood why, but there was definitely something off with his micro when he transitioned from Night Stun to Killing Tempest. If I could exploit that and execute my rogue’s Revering Vendetta, I could win.

Glee shot through me, and I must have looked stupid because Tifa tapped me on the shoulder with one red-gloved hand.

Aaron, are you listening to me? she asked, one eyebrow quirked in confusion.

Sorry, I just realized I can beat Crash. I smiled, wanting to jump on my private rig and test out what I thought I’d discovered.

Care to tell me about it? She gestured to Frank who looked bored. We can go somewhere more private and do an interview for IGN.

As much as I wanted to say no, I couldn’t. I hated when I upset people, and it wouldn’t take that long to do the interview. Besides the final match wasn’t for six hours. We had plenty of time.

Sure, I said, and she practically squealed with delight as she took my hand and led me toward a room at the far end of the stage. It had a big sign over the top that said Press Room.

I took a deep breath and tried to ignore how good her hand felt in mine, nor how long it’d been since I’d touched a live girl. At least three months. That’s when my girlfriend had left me for that douchebag on the football team. I was still pissed about how it went down, but she was a bitch, so good riddance. She’d had great tits though…

Just through here, Tifa said, opening the door for me and ushering me inside. I stepped into the darkened room and before I thought to ask why it was so dark inside, the door closed behind me, leaving me stranded in darkness.

What’s going on? I asked, whirling around to find Tifa silhouetted against the darkness.

Nothing, she said, reaching up and touching my face with one hand, right before she used her other hand to jab me in the neck with a hypodermic needle.

Why? A small squeak leapt from my throat as my vision went hazy, and I started to collapse to the ground. As my head bounced off the cheap carpet, Tifa knelt down next to me. She caressed my cheek as everything faded to black.

Because Aaron. You’re our only hope.

2

Something was petting my cheek, and as I lay there, trying to brush it away because I was more tired than I’d been after that week long Red Bull fueled D & D bender, a surge of realization shot through me. I’d been drugged by a really hot chick, and oh my god, I was probably in a motel room bathroom with my organs cut out.

I sat bolt upright, my eyes wide with terror as I looked around for Tifa. She wasn’t there. In fact, nothing was there. I was not in a motel bathtub filled with ice, nor was I still in the news room. I was quite simply nowhere, and as I looked around at the blank, empty whiteness spreading out before me in every direction, a sense of horrible vertigo made the contents of my stomach take the express elevator up my throat.

While I hadn’t been quite sure why the floor beneath my feet was solid since it was just as continuous as any other direction, my puke very much splattered across the surface with a sound like someone dropping a bucket of slop on concrete.

Fortunately, there wasn’t much inside my stomach since I hadn’t really eaten in a while, but that didn’t stop my stomach from convulsing like it had an eight-course dinner to evacuate stat.

Yeah, it’s a little weird here at first, said a gruff angry voice from behind me moments before something patted my head.

Who’s there? I asked cautiously, whirling around to find myself staring at a two-and a half foot pixie that looked a lot more like that flying bug guy Watto from Star Wars the Phantom Menace than it did Tinkerbell. Oh, my god, what are you? I swatted at him while crying out in a very manly little girl squeal.

I’m Ivan, and honestly kid, this is going to go a lot easier if you just let me do all the talking, okay? He raised an amused fleshy ridge where his eyebrow should have been and snorted through his trunk-like nose while fluttering easily out of my reach.

What the fuck is going on!? I cried, taking a step back as I ran my hands over my body to make sure all my bits were still there. They were, which was good. I wasn’t ready to have my junk go missing if you know what I mean.

He tried to smile at me, but just managed to reveal a bunch of yellowed teeth. When I didn’t immediately respond, he pulled a flask from the sling around its bare chest and took a huge gulp. Man, I know I’m not actually drinking this, but man is that the good stuff. He held the flask out to me. Want some? Helps with the vertigo.

No! I want to know what’s going on. I took a deep breath and tried vainly to calm myself. When that didn’t work, I thought about flipping the fuck out, but decided it wouldn’t be super effective either.

You’re in the priming zone for Virtual Reality immersion. See, right now your pod is acclimating to your body, getting all the nitty gritty ready to go for full immersion into Ruul. Ivan the bug creature crossed his blue arms over his chest and smiled again, but this time it was even creepier if that was even possible.

Virtual Reality isn’t even a thing. I shook my head angrily and glared at Ivan. I mean, okay there’s that crappy Facebook one or whatever, but it’s definitely not this. I gestured weakly at my surroundings like that would somehow make them less real or virtual or whatever.

Yeah, like I said, kid. This will be easier if you let me do the talking. He took another swing of his drink and his eyes went visibly glassy.

I’m supposed to be preparing for the final round against Crash, not here doing this. I glared at the bug, but it didn’t seem to affect him.

Funny story. Crash is in the pod next to you. He’s actually been immersed for about a day now. You’re a bit behind because we had to get your pod setup and then there was getting you declared legally dead, and man, oh, man have you talked to your mom… he trailed off into muttering as my eyes went wide.

If you hurt my mom, I swear—

He cut me off with a wave. Relax kid. I’m just joshing with you. We told your mom you’d been recruited by the government because you possess a particular set of skills. I opened my mouth to interrupt, but he shot me a look that made me keep my trap shut. See, we created Titan Gate to find the absolute best players in the world. Admittedly, it was less fair because Crash helped us develop the game, but we needed two more of you. He pointed at me. The tournament was the way to find you guys.

I took a deep breath, wondered if it was even air I was breathing now, and decided to go with it. You mean to tell me the EpiX! Tournament was a lie? I asked, shaking my head in disbelief. Why?

It wasn’t a lie. It’s a real game that makes billions of dollars, but it was modeled off of Ruul. He waved his hand like we were getting off track. Anyway, the important part for you to know is that you won. He gave me a tiny clap. And because of that, we’re going to send you to Ruul. He clapped again. Congratulations.

What the fuck is Ruul? I asked, glaring at him. I had half a mind to swat the weird bug guy, but I didn’t because if I was really trapped in a virtual reality, I wasn’t quite sure what it’d do.

See, you’ve heard of the Maelstrom right? The computer virus? he asked, buzzing back and forth in a way that made me think he was pacing.

Yeah, that’s the one taking over portions of the internet. Originally the Russians thought it was the US, and the Koreans thought it was China, but it’s like some weird AI virus. I shrugged. So?

Well, do you know why it hasn’t been stopped? he asked, taking another slug of his flask. It made me wonder both how drunk he was going to get and how much was in it.

No? I replied, unsure. Am I supposed to know?

Because we’re not sure how to stop the virus since it’s practically sentient though we don’t know how that happened either. He shrugged. But what we do know is that the virus has created a fictional world called Ruul. And Ruul has rules and an objective like a video game. We think that if we defeat Ruul, the virus will stop destroying our infrastructure faster than we can get rid of it.

And I care why? I asked, not sure why I was here and what it had to do with the EpiX tournament. I still don’t quite understand what that has to do with me and why I’m here.

Because we’re sending you into Ruul to try to beat the game and the virus. He took a deep breath. We tried with soldiers but that just didn’t work. They always got killed because they don’t think like gamers. So we built an MMO similar to Ruul and used it to find candidates. He poked me in the chest and his touch was surprisingly cold. A shiver radiated out from the spot where he’d touched me. You get to save the world. Be happier about it.

What if I don’t want to do that? I asked, and as I did, he glared at me. What if I just want to go home?

You know what, you’re going to do this, and I could spend awhile telling you why, but this is faster. He glanced upward and muttered something that sounded like Klingon. His gaze turned back to me and his grin was enormous and evil. I do so love this part.

My whole world lurched in every direction at once as everything shattered. The next thing I knew the white room was gone, and I was staring at the inside of a laboratory. Only near as I could tell, I was inside some kind of glass tank filled with viscous green liquid. It was especially weird because I felt fine, warm, and well fed.

A small, squat man with a greasy black mullet sat in a wheelchair in front of me and as I looked him over I realized he didn’t have legs, and oh my god I was staring. I returned my gaze to his face to find him grinning at me in a way eerily similar to the one the bug had. He wore a long lab coat and had a nametag that said Ivan. And as I opened my mouth to speak, I realized I couldn’t.

Right now you’re trying to ask me more questions, only you can’t, which is also why you’re going to help, Ivan said in a voice that was remarkably similar to the bug fairy. In fact, you can only see me because I am feeding you the visible feed for this room. Remember that when you decide to get feisty in three, two…

I tried to respond, to scream at him, but couldn’t because not only was he right that I couldn’t talk, but I couldn’t move, and I was suddenly overwhelmed by abject fucking terror. I tried to scream, to flail, and to do all sorts of things, only I couldn’t. It was infuriating and made me hate Ivan even more.

See, we had to, um, cut your brain out of your head and put it in a tank and hook it up to wires to get the full immersion thing working. As I said, technology is not quite there yet. He shrugged like he was enjoying himself. But we can put you back. At least, we think we can, and we’re so not going to do that unless you go to Ruul and win the game. He slapped the tube I now realized was holding my brain congenially, and I instantly knew why fish hated when people hit their tanks. Now, let’s go back, okay? Blink once for okay. He smirked, and my world began to fade away so the last thing I saw was his stupid Cheshire cat grin. Oh wait, you can’t.

3

Iscreamed in a very manly way, mind you, and this time it worked because I was back in the white room once more. Ivan was back to being the stupid blue bug again, which made sense since that seemed to be his avatar. My first inclination was to rush him and pound his stupid face into pudding, but as I curled my hands into fists, I felt all my rage wash out of me in a sea of overwhelming despair. Even if I beat him up, it wouldn’t do any good. I was trapped. This creepy bug had literally taken my brain out of my skull and put it in a fucking box.

Worse, there was nothing I could do to get my body back without bowing to their demands. The hot blooded American male in me wanted to fight and rebel, but what good would it do? If I wanted to get out of this alive, I had to play their stupid game, pun intended. Well, I could do that. No, I would do that. I’d play the fuck out of this game and get my goddamned body back.

Okay, I said, looking up from the white beneath my feet and staring at Ivan. I’m not sure how this is happening. I gestured at the surroundings. But I’m going to go with it. I took a deep breath and tried my best to be brave. It was hard since I wasn’t naturally that brave, but then again, I’d like to think I wasn’t that wimpy. Still, there are times when you have to dig deep down and man the fuck up. This was one of those times.

That is better for all of us, Ivan replied, crossing one set of bug arms over his chest and giving me his stupid grin. God, how I wished I could punch him. I’m glad you’re listening to reason. He rolled his eyes. I was worried you were going to be one of those whiny guys. He slapped me hard on the shoulder.

So what do we do now? I asked, shaking my head in dismay as I took a step back so he couldn’t hit me again. I needed to focus on the task at hand. I was doing this, actually doing this. Fucking brain stealing motherfuckers. Do I just go in and start whacking kobolds or something?

Hold your horses, cowboy. I like the cut of your jib, but first, you’ll need to pick your stats. Once that’s done, I’ll port you into the starting zone. I’ll be able to travel alongside you in this avatar, but there’s only one of me, and I have four users to look after, so I won’t always be around. He shrugged as if to say what are you going to do. Admittedly, it didn’t give me high hopes. Even if I didn’t like Ivan very much, the idea of being all alone inside the game scared me. Fear not, I have alarms set up to alert me to any problems. If you get in trouble, I’ll pop in and laugh while you die, so no worries there. He gave me a serious look then. But try not to die because if you do, the game will fry your brain.

Wait, what? I asked, surprise and sheer fucking terror filling me to the brim. No, scratch that. I was way past the fucking brim. I was in a new, previously unconceived level of hysterical. What do you mean it will fry my brain? I’d like to say my voice was calm and utterly masculine as I asked, but really, it wasn’t.

You saw the Matrix, right? Ivan asked, and before I could tell him that I had in fact seen the film, he waved me off. Actually, you know what, let’s just say your mind makes it real. Yeah, we toned down the pain and stuff through some technical shit on our end, but we haven’t been able to circumvent the whole dying thing. As long as you avoid dying, and I can patch you back together. Cool?

Not fucking cool! I growled, taking a step toward him, which was when I realized I was dressed in jeans, work boots, and a long-sleeved black shirt. It was a little weird because I’d worn this uniform of sorts when I’d unloaded trucks at Walmart after hours during high school and junior college. Was this seriously my default setting? In the Matrix Keanu looked like a fucking badass, and I was a Walmart stock boy? Seriously?

Yeah, don’t care. Ivan yawned. It was a fake yawn, but I got the meaning. Man, I was going to hurt him. I mean, the mind makes it real, right? Unfortunately, before I could make good on that thought, Ivan started talking again. As I said, your brain is in a jar of goop on my counter. Do as I say or I’ll flick the glass. His grin turned malevolent. And I love flicking the glass.

You know what? I dare you to flick the glass. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him. I wouldn’t be here if you didn’t need me.

You make an excellent point, he said, leering at me in a way that suddenly made me very scared. But you’ve got this all wrong, kid. See, have you ever seen the Expendables? That Sylvester Stallone flick with all the aging action heroes? He pointed at me with one grubby finger. That’s you. Expendable. We’re sending you in as a hail Mary pass, hoping you’ll win the day, but really, we expect you to die. He moved closer to me, so his big bug eyes were practically pressed against my face. So we can sit here and you can pretend to be macho, or we can get on with this. Am I being absolutely clear?

Right, psycho party of you, I growled, gritting my teeth together in an effort to look a lot less scared than I was. Yeah, I was going full Dark Side and embracing my anger because if I didn’t, I was going to be terrified. What he said made a certain amount of sense. Sure, they’d picked me, but they could pick