Deception: Conquest: A Dystopian GameLit Saga, #2

By R. M. Mulder

Brittany Parker is a Police Officer for a precinct that has adopted CyberBolt's implant technology to enhance abilities, which also grants her a unique gaming experience. But after getting wrapped up in matters of National Security, she is ordered to undergo a dangerous procedure rumored to cause memory loss and dementia. After the excruciatingly painful experience, she awakens inside the Augmented Reality MMORPG game CONQUEST to face a terrifying threat unlike anything she has ever encountered before.

A rapture-like apocalyptic event transports players through a portal to an alien planet inhabited by the Leviathan, a loathsome creature whose insatiable hunger until now has been fed by that world's few remaining souls. The terrain of CONQUEST is the same, however the game parameters have changed drastically.

Now in a First-Person-Shooter (FPS) setting, Brittany comes head to head with many foes in battles of wits and survival with her limited ammunition. Little does she know however, that the more she levels up in the game, the more she carries out the sinister work of the Leviathan.

Will Brittany see the error of her ways before she pays the ultimate price?

• Language: English
• Publisher: R. M. Mulder
• Release date: Feb 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215165546

R. M. Mulder

Most of his friends from High School still don't even know his first name. Known only as either "Mulder" or "Agent", there was an unforgettable moment when a girl he was dating expressed her confusion when a friend approached him and called him "Richard". The ongoing joke was "Hey Mulder, where's Scully?" Ironically he later married a redhead... R. M. Mulder began querying agents for his novel CONQUEST back in January 2016. He then received some inspirational feedback from one of the editors involved in a query contest that had stated in part, "Honestly? Everything about this screams 'Blockbuster self-pub!!' Writing is sharp and commercial. Author has a plan. Go be Hugh Howey. I don't think querying is gonna go your way, and you've got big vision." Mulder ran with this inspiration, and has since become an Amazon Bestselling Author. His book CONQUEST also won 1st Place as Favorite Dystopian Book during Virtual FantasyCon 2016. Mulder invests his time and talents in his upcoming LitRPG miniseries which carry on the story of the Conquest Saga. Stay tuned by joining his newsletter for all the news about upcoming releases, super sales, and reader perks! http://newsletter.RMMulder.com

Book preview

Prologue

Game Servers Online

Both suns loomed high in the midday sky as High Priest Matityahu gave the command. He stood inside one of several crumbing stone towers of the Semyaza Temple. Everything around him was ancient, with the exception of the modern launch pad in the central courtyard.

A full satellite attached to a rocket prepared for launch, in tandem with several others in the multiple cities across the massive continent of Enoch. Timur Demyan had long ago made the necessary preparations for this monumental day and had assigned the High Priest to carry out the launch.

T-minus ten... nine... eight...

He watched in awe as the smoke began to billow beneath the rocket. Having been raised his entire life in the land of Zion, he had never before seen such an inspiring display. The modern mechanisms and technologies from Earth appeared to him as though they were magic.

Three... two... one... and we have ignition!

Matityahu squinted as the blast of smoke filled his vision. He choked, having not understood that the smoke could reach this high in the tower. After waiting several minutes for the air to clear, he shielded his eyes from the twin suns that blazed in the midday sky. He gasped in disbelief when he saw the small pinpoint of the rocket soaring high into the sky with a column of smoke trailing behind it. In the distance, several other similar streaks rose into the sky.

Far above, nine rockets detached from the satellites and began their descent into the vast oceans below.

It took several hours to get the satellites properly positioned in orbit around the planet Zion. High Priest Matityahu sat at a control panel deep inside the chambers of the Semyaza Temple. To him, the LED panels appeared to be the work of pure sorcery. A group of twenty computer programmers from Earth, members of the Creed of Nephilim, had long ago been relocated here by Timur so they would be available to operate the foreign technology.

We have contact! one of the Creed members announced. The satellites are live!

Matityahu watched the displays light up with foreign symbols of data, no idea what to make of it.

We are ready to activate the server. The Creed member faced him. Do you want to do the honors?

Matityahu glanced dubiously at the panel he was referring to. I fear I understandeth not thy technology.

Don’t worry. I’ll show you what to do. He smiled and waved him over. I’ve already got it queued up.

Matityahu shrugged and stepped toward the other console.

Press here on the glass, the technician said.

As instructed, he pressed the tip of his index finger against the glass where a red circle had appeared. All at once, a flurry of activity raced across the many screens. Symbols of data scrolled rapidly for several seconds until a large symbol appeared, followed by a few words in English he could barely decipher...

CyberBolt Entertainment Proudly Presents:

CONQUEST

Chapter One

Assisted Kill

Amongst the seventh generation of Seth was born unto the earth Enoch, who didst become a mighty Prophet. The Leviathan became very desirous to consume the soul of this man Enoch, for his divinity hadst become manifest...

– Methuselah 11:1 –

Brittany Parker strode through the dark forest, trees thickening around her. She had strayed from the path and had entered a strange forest with dark boughs and large protruding roots that hampered her path at every possible turn. A warning alert had popped up in her HUD indicating that she had entered a ‘Lost Zone’, but she had ignored the prompt and pushed onward. On the chat boards she had read about unique player experiences and rewards found in Lost Zone areas in Conquest, but you could only retain these rewards if you were able to find your way back out with your bounty. Rumor had it however that few players had ever succeeded.

The air around was musty, and it seemed like the darkness wanted to draw every bit of strength out of her. The NeuReality environment was so real that she was having difficulty breathing. Moreover, it was dark. The thick canopy above didn’t help. Her inner voice started screaming its apprehensions about continuing any further, and it might be better to just accept the penalty XP deduction and log out.

Part of her wished she could see the NR enhanced sky, experience the freshness of open air. She wanted to welcome the sun on her avatar’s face, or if it was night in the game world she wished she could gaze at the twinkling stars and appreciate the crescent moon’s beauty. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. The map on her HUD had grayed out the instant she had swiped away the warning, so she was trapped here in this forsaken Lost Zone.

The forest was a trap. No living thing could possibly stay cooped up inside such a cage.

Eager to get out, she quickened her pace, often tripping over the protruding roots. She still carried her old spear, primarily using it as a hiking stick to maintain balance. She cursed every time her mouth opened to let out a word. Her bones complained of ache and demanded rest. Yet she gave no thought to her avatar body’s complaints, strengthening her grit to leave the place as soon as possible.

Such a stupid idea! she mumbled to herself.

This is SO not worth it!

Regardless, she moved on. Deeper and deeper into the forest’s depths she went. A chilly wind blew, making her shiver despite the armor she wore. Usually, it kept her warm, but this cold seemed uncanny. The trees around her changed, its boughs even darker, its canopy even thicker. She cringed and halted in her tracks.

Should I keep moving forward? Or would it be better to retrace my steps and get out of this wretched place?

The darkness ahead did her no favors. Yet, when she looked backward, she felt a sense of dread hit her. The way back no longer seemed as safe as it had been while she trudged along. Yellow glowing lights dotted in every direction. Whichever way she went, she would have trouble getting out.

Perhaps I might not even find my way out.

What those yellow lights were, she had no idea. They had appeared out of nowhere. She was pretty sure they weren’t there before. They just lingered, never coming near. And with it a funny smell lingered in the air. It was as if they were gauging the risks of approaching her.

Is someone following me?

A grunt escaped her mouth and she trudged forward, feeling very uneasy about the strange arrivals. She took narrow steps, wary of her surroundings. The trees closed in around her, trying to hem her in from all sides. It felt as though the trees talked to each other and had decided to block the way forward.

Then she heard it - a whisper. Perhaps it was just the air. The dread only increased every passing second.

Looking behind, she saw the yellow lights disappear and heaved a sigh of relief. Perhaps it was just a trick of her eyes. She was about to thank her fortunes when the yellow lights appeared again, this time closer and brighter. A frown encroached on her forehead.

What are they? And why are they following me?

Then she heard a hiss, like that of a snake.

It made the hair on the back of her head stand on end. She looked here and there, trying to decipher where the sound had come from. The yellow lights blinked suddenly. She closed her eyes and realized the error in her guess. The lights didn’t belong to torches as she had presumed at first, but instead were eyes. She wanted to smack her forehead, but refrained.

I should have known!

By its sound, she was pretty sure it was some type of reptilian creature. And then it swished its tail, its dark green scales hitting a tree and leaving a dent in its thick bark. As it drew near, she saw its face. It looked somewhat like a dragon, but with a snake-like body. It had no legs.

Threat Detected: Level 20 Basilisk

HP| 2,000/2,000

Strengths: Prolonged exposure to the basilisk’s eyes can cause temporary paralysis of players and on occasion instant avatar death. Once paralyzed, the basilisk will often bite its prey with its poisonous fangs, causing instant avatar death. Further, a single drop of basilisk poison is potent enough to melt skin upon contact. Classified as one of the rarest creatures in CONQUEST, but yet one of the most dangerous.

Weaknesses: Unknown.

Oh, great!

She retreated, trying to make her footfalls as quiet as possible. Not that it would make much difference, but she knew if she ran, they would follow. Snakes could outrun most animals and humans, and there were at least six of them here. Although, five of them remained at bay.

How can I get rid of one basilisk, let alone six?

When the reptile opened its mouth, it displayed its fangs, green ooze dripping off it.

Poison.

You’ve got this! she tried to rally herself.

She raised her spear and waved it in the air, issuing a challenge to the reptile. It was stupid, it was reckless, but she did it anyway. Running was no solution. Standing rooted to the spot waiting for it to strike her was no solution either. The only way out was to go swinging.

The basilisk snarled at her movement. It seemed angered at her challenge.

Instead of bringing its teeth down on her, it lashed out with its tail. The tail’s breadth could match a decently sized road.

She tried but failed to jump over it. It struck her at her side, sending her smashing into a tree. The bark penetrated her skin, drawing out blood.

[-130 Damage]

She could feel and hear the thunderous crunch as several of her bones shattered from the impact. She groaned in severe pain. Her forehead contorted, her mind convinced that she was going to die.

She gritted her teeth and bore the pain as she raised herself back onto her feet, the virtual pain ever increasing. There was no time to drink a healing potion.

The basilisk roared and started wrapping her with its tail. It was tightening its snare.

As she had logged hours leveling up and had her fair share of in-game deaths, she had been stabbed, slashed, and attacked by many creatures. But never before had she been crushed to death!

Her spear had fallen out of her hand, so she had no way to defend herself. She squirmed in the basilisk’s grip, unable to scream as it crushed her lungs.

Just then, the basilisk gave a loud screech and released the grip. She fell down to the ground to see an unfamiliar player slashing and stabbing.

A gorgeous blonde warrior with the identity marker @SuaveQueen25 had come to her rescue. She was doing everything she could to keep the basilisk away, while the other yellow eyes lurked in the distance. They too joined the fray and soon her rescuer was hard put to defend herself against all of them. Even so, she fought, ever so valiantly. Slashing, stabbing, crouching, whatever she could do to save herself from dying too.

Brittany tried to get up, but the pain became too much to bear. @SuaveQueen25 was providing an efficient distraction, so Brittany quickly procured a healing potion from her inventory and gulped the whole flask down in one shot.

System Alert!

Your HP has been filled to 100% capacity.

[HP | 700/700]

Her wounds healed and she felt her bones snap back into place. A warm sensation weaved its way through her skin. She then looked for her spear.

The fight had pushed it away. She quickly leaped over a couple of tails and landed next to the spear, picked it up and turned on her heel. A basilisk had come right atop her, its bright yellow eyes bearing down on her. She felt a deep sense of dread grasp her tight. Her legs straightened and felt as though nerve impulses had completely disregarded them. Was this how paralysis felt like?

Its fangs bared, she saw the green ooze drip. Her armor melted when the poison connected with it. The poison was far more lethal than she had thought. Mustering her courage, knowing another drop would likely melt her skin, she raised the spear and drove it deep into the top of its mouth. She twisted and yanked it out. The basilisk screeched and raised itself before falling down again.

StabTwist: Difficult

Instant Kill

[+70 XP]

Skill Unlocked: StabTwist

Delivers an Instant Kill when you stab your weapon into an opponent, and twist while withdrawing. Chances of Instant Kill are 90%. Greater chances for Instant Kill increase with higher levels. Requirements: Level > 6, Strength > 9, Agility > 4, Stamina > 5, Intelligence > 4, Willpower > 4

The basilisk’s entire weight bore down on her, but she rolled over to the left before she could feel its brunt.

Phew! Missed me by a couple of inches!

One basilisk down, she moved on to the others who had swarmed around her new friend, who kept fighting as if there was no tomorrow. She couldn’t help but admire the girl.

Screaming a battle cry, Brittany attracted two of the basilisks. They slithered towards her, fangs trying to strike at her. She swiftly moved from one to another and back. Like an oscillating pendulum, she was striking and dancing with her spear.

Strike

[-50 HP]

Stab

[-70 HP]

Slash

[-20 HP]

Jab

[-40 HP]

Reptilian screeches were the only sound in the forest. Heaving a deep breath, she thrust her spear into one of the basilisk’s eyes, blinding it.

[-500 HP]

Unable to see, it moved here and there, crashing into the others. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her new friend take down one of the vile creatures. Seeing an opportunity, she moved to the side, climbed up a tree and scaled along a branch. Quickly storing the spear in her inventory, she pulled out a broadsword that she had recently acquired. She then jumped onto the blind snake, and stabbed through its head. The basilisk crashed down to the ground.

HeadStab: Difficult

Instant Kill

[+70 XP]

Skill Unlocked: HeadStab

Delivers an Instant Kill when in close range. Chances of longer range accuracy are 25%. Greater chances for Instant Kill increase with higher levels. Requirements: Level > 5, Agility > 2, Stamina > 3, Intelligence > 3

As it fell, she pulled her sword out of the creature and slashed across the neck of another.

NeckSlash: Difficult

Instant Kill

[+70 XP]

Skill Unlocked: NeckSlash

Delivers an Instant Kill when slashing across an opponent’s neck in close range. Greater chances for Instant Kill increase with higher levels. Requirements: Level > 7, Agility > 2, Stamina > 4, Intelligence > 4

LEVEL UP!

+1 Agility

Only one remained, which her new friend was trying to fight off. As she rushed forward to help, she saw the woman behead the last basilisk with a strong move of her gleaming sword. Brittany’s eyes opened wide, admiring the brute strength.

And then as if nothing had happened, without giving her even a cursory glance, @SuaveQueen25 activated a Spawn Stone and disappeared in a flash of light.

Well, that was rude. I didn’t even get a chance to thank her for the assist!

Chapter Two

Duty Calls

Enoch and his followers were despised and cast out of the kingdom of Seth. But yet Enoch wast influential insomuch that he established the great city Atlantis in the East where he didst gain many intelligent and inventive followers...

– Methuselah 11:2 –

Later the next morning Brittany’s vision was filled with a brief moment of static when she pressed her right temple to log out of the NeuReality game CONQUEST. Surrounded by hills and valleys of thick green foam, she glanced about as several other players lined up to exit the CyberBolt’s Chicago Arena. A message popped up in her NR enhanced field of vision:

Thank you for using CyberBolt’s Sleep Mode Service. We hope your experience was tranquil. To help improve the quality of our services, please take a moment to fill out this customer experience survey.

With a wave of her hand, she brushed the message aside. She was grateful that she had paid for the annual arena membership several months ago with her tax return, because due to a recent government sequester she was short on rent money. On the plus side, she now had a lot of free time to herself.

Climbing over the foam hills to the nearest exit, she joined the throng of unhappy-looking players. She innately knew they weren’t displeased with the game – quite the opposite. They were dreading the return to real life.

She walked through the massive doors, smiling at the eager young faces passing in the opposite direction. A trumpet sounded overhead, heralding the new players as they entered the arena. Walking through the hallway, she admired the medieval décor. She passed the enormous gift shop and entered the women’s locker room.

She stripped off the gray CyberBolt jumpsuit and threw it in the laundry chute. She washed the three-days-worth of sweat and grime off of her body and toweled herself dry. She was proud that, during her absence from the precinct, she had successfully achieved level 8, and now had a plethora of weapons. She had also raised her Strength to 9, Agility to 4, Stamina to 5, Intelligence to 4, and Willpower to 4.

Brittany sighed as she opened her locker, beholding her police uniform and gear. The last thing she wanted to do right now was return to her shift. Her three-day ‘staycation’ at the arena had been liberating, a much-needed reprieve from her stressful job.

Hours later Brittany sipped at her coffee while she watched the ongoing questioning session through the one-way mirror. Her partner, Officer Jill Brown, questioned the teenager.

Just leave me alone! Jack yelled as he struggled to hold back his frustration.

Come on Jack. If you cooperate, we can all go home happy.

But I didn’t do anything! he insisted.

If that’s the case, then you have nothing to hide. she smiled, Now in your own words, tell me what happened.

Well... he hesitated, It was kind of weird to tell you the truth.

Try me.

Like I said earlier, he rolled his eyes, I was playing Conquest at the Arena last night...

Continue please. Jill urged after a period of silence.

Jack flinched, I stayed overnight using their Sleep Mode service so that I could earn some extra cash by renting out my Avatar. But when I woke up, I was in that alleyway when your partner tackled me to the ground and arrested me.

Brittany rolled her eyes. She was very familiar with CyberBolt’s Chicago Arena, and was intimately familiar with their Sleep Mode service as she utilized it on weekends too. Sleep Mode controls your body’s natural circadian rhythm by tricking your brain to believe that your levels of adenosine have peaked. This effectively puts your brain into a temporary comatose state while you rent your avatar for use by other players. She was also very familiar with the controls CyberBolt had in place to prevent players from leaving the Arena while in Sleep Mode, so she knew he had to be lying.

Likely story kid.

Hold on. Jill huffed, There’s a flaw this hare-brained story of yours...

Stop interrupting me! Jack roared with eyes bloodshot, Will you please listen to me this time?

That depends on whether or not you intend to fill in the rest of the details. she scoffed.

Fine then. Jack shot a look of utter contempt, I hope you don’t expect to get any more answers out of me."

With all the professionalism she could muster, Officer Brown stood and spoke, The psychiatrist will be in shortly.

Great. Jack muttered as she left the room, Now everyone thinks I’m crazy.

It was nearing noon when the psychiatrist arrived at Brittany’s desk to give her a report.

I have both good and bad news. he stated.

Let’s hear it.

The good news is, he paused, he wasn’t lying.

That’s impossible. Brittany retorted, This morning after we arrested him for drug trafficking I questioned him personally. Are you trying to tell me he was sleepwalking?

Well, that’s where the bad news comes in. he sighed, My analysis confirms that Jack suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Diss-what?

Also commonly referred to as Multiple Personality Disorder.

You’re kidding. she retorted.

I’m sorry, but you may never find whatever it is that you’re looking for. He can’t answer any of your questions unless he falls back into another lapse, which likely won’t happen again anytime soon. I am recommending him to be monitored for a few weeks at the mental facility downtown.

Thanks. she replied in frustration.

Brittany thought back to earlier that morning when she dragged the teenager handcuffed to her squad car. She had caught him in the act trying to sell drugs when his client scurried off and got away. The boy seemed to be in an utter daze when Brittany demanded to know who his client was.

Jack Timberland was seventeen, and came from a wealthy family. And now he can’t be questioned on account of his delirium? This case was already getting more frustrating by the minute.

Later that afternoon Brittany found herself sitting in Chief Herbert’s office.

This looks really bad for the Precinct. he moaned, Several news stations have already taken flight with the story. My office has been slammed with phone calls all morning. How do you intend to fix this, Officer?

I just need more time to question the boy further, sir.

I’m afraid that’s out of the question. he interrupted, The Timberland family has contacted multiple media agencies as well as the American Civil Liberties Union.

But what does the ACLU have to do with anything?

They claim that the Timberland’s son is being held against his will rather than being provided with the medical treatment he needs.

But we just found out about this so-called ‘medical condition’ a few hours ago!

Regardless, the media will spin this story however way they please. he sighed, "The ACLU is already demanding an answer from me as to