Visionless Reality

Nine

‘This match will start with a batch of 5 recruits, each entering in a vault in front of you. The task of the match is stated on the notepad in the vault. Make sure to use your skills to complete the level-5 and win the experience points. Once ready, push the buzzer in the vault. No actions to be taken before pushing the buzzer.’-Major Rorie.

        This task was kept secret from the other recruits while the chosen batch performs their actions. What I could see from my position was a table with a notepad on it and a Five-seven on the table. First batch entered the vault like they owned the place. After the buzzer was audible, the doors behind them were closed. I think they placed a timer of 5 minutes for the task. Lots of bangs and bullet shell drops were audible. It felt like something related to shooting. The batch of 5 was too scared making the exit out of the vault. Their clothes had blood stains and hand were shaking. Something was out of tune. Batch 2 made their entry and came out same as the previous ones, fearful and in terror. But something was different with the batch 3. One recruit out of 5, came out in pride and had no marks of blood stains. It was definite that there is a cleaner way, out from the task.

        It was my turn to present myself inside the vault. I was focusing on the loophole, more than the task. Entering the vault, I could see a table with a notepad, a Five-seven, and the buzzer on the table.

‘This task is related to all the skills you learnt in the previous levels. Pushing the buzzer will introduce a cage, full of experimental rats. They are kept far away from this room so that you can be kept safe from their plague infection. All you need to do is to end their existence from this world. To perform the task, you are given a Five-seven with sufficient amounts of ammunition to complete your task. For each kill, you will be awarded points on the scoreboard beside it. Once you read this, please push the buzzer to view the cage and start the timer. Good Luck!’-Notepad.

Well not to waste time, I pushed the buzzer and the wall in front, exposed a wired window. Far away, around 10 meters away, was the cage, full of plague infested rats, running inside the cage. But they were not normal rats, they had a metal band attached to their bellies with an LED blinking. The whole cage was wired instead of the base. It was a metal sheet. There was a cable going on from the top of the cage, to the scoreboard, which solved all the mystery. The system of scoring was making the rats, touch their bellies to the base of the cage, increasing the points on the scoreboard. But killing was not only the way to make them touch their bellies. Looking around in the environment, the thought that hit in my mind, was to free the cage from the chains which were holding it… finally letting the cage fall on the ground. I hit the chain carefully, saving the wires, and the cage fell on the ground. This led the scoreboard point 100 instantly. With all the batches completing the task, we reached the end of the first stage of pathetic match.

‘Well done recruits. You have done a great job in achieving skills, knowledge and most important, experience points. There are your belongings. You can collect them while leaving. We have selected the best recruit of stage 1. Congratulations to recruit-172. He was perfect on every level of stage 1. The leaderboard has been pinned on the noticeboard. Do give it a check. It was all great to meet all of you. See you next time.’-Instructor.

‘I knew that. Recruit-172 is the son of Colonel Peithin. I knew they would select him for the tag of best recruit. This is not fair.’-Some random recruit.

        As usual, instead of making the recruit feel great for his achievement, others gave his achievement the name of being biased towards his relation, with one of the attendants. This thing is too stupid to believe. I congratulated the recruit and he was actually a nice person. Looking at my ranking, it was not bad either. I secured 12th position in stage 1. I was happy for my achievement. This was my first competitive play in the game and it was really exciting. But I was totally hyped for the story mode. I decided to give it some rest, and continue after a day or two. I decided to invite Safina to show her this amazing world of VR. But it was too late to call anyone, and force them out of their sweet dreams, just to listen to the weird looking story of mine. 4:21… and still awake... Jumped off my bed, thinking who would have sent me this rig? I was not that special to anyone, also not too famous for people to send me their electronic gadgets to use. But however, I was really loving it all. Roaming all around in my dreamy world, I fell into deep sleep, just like a baby. Without any fear or worries of the world.

        11:21… ‘None of the dreams, none of the alarms. I woke up fresh and this was a charm. No one to hurt, no one to harm. Why this morning is feeling so warm? I don’t care coz I am calm. Washing my hands while rubbing my palm. I don’t care coz I am calm, I woke up fresh and this was a charm.’

        After getting ready, I pinged my teammates for a match, just to check on them and to give the Asahi rig, some rest. Safina replied with excitement that she would be available for a match that day. I was feeling energetic and much more confident than usual. Was it the experience gained in that virtual world, or the excitement to reunite with my team? I don’t know, but whatever it was, it was great. A few minutes later, someone pinged on my phone. It was Kanei, wanting to show his latest achievement in gaming. I was happy for him however I did not know what was he talking about. I turned on the PC and logged in the game so that we may have some fun while listening to his achievement. It was his first nationwide solo gaming competition, and he stood second. He was extremely happy and that could be felt in his voice in the audio chat. Later on, Mudshei, Trisma and Safina joined in the game too. We enjoyed playing the game for hours after so many days. It was relaxing to have some loyal and great friends. The urge to boast off my knowledge was great, but I was suppressing it for no reason. I was not scared of my friends, but I was not feeling like telling them. But Safina was surely the one whom I could tell without any hesitation. Coming to the fact that it was a weekend, she was arriving at my house.

‘You wanted to share something with me Akashi? Tell me what is it?’-Safina.

‘You know few days ago, I received a parcel. I don’t know who send it but it had something unexpected.’

‘Something unexpected? Like what?’-Safina.

‘Like… No, let me show you!’

‘Yes please! Let’s see what is it that is making you so restless.’-Safina.

‘Take a look at this… Isn’t it awesome.’

‘Yeaaah… But what actually is it? I can guess that this one is a VR headset and those are the gloves, and definitely these are the headphones… What is it so interesting about this, instead of being steampunk mods?’-Safina.

‘Exactly. The thing that is not visible, is most impressive thing about this VR setup.’

‘I don’t want any puzzles. If they can help you time travel, then tell me. Else I am going back to my house.’-Safina.

‘They can’t time travel… but wait. Let me get it going for you. Try it yourself. This is the most impressive VR setup you would have ever used in your life.’

‘Sure. Let’s see what is so interesting about it…’-Safina.

‘Akashi! I think it is late enough for a girl to stay here. Her parents must be waiting. Would you please drop her to her house?’-Mom.

‘Can she stay here mom for today? I have a new cool game to show her!’

‘I don’t think that would be acceptable for her parents. Why don’t you call her tomorrow for lunch?’-Mom.

‘Yes, that would be good. Let’s go Akashi. You can tell me why is it different from other VR setups on the way back to home.’-Safina.

‘Yes… let’s go.’

‘So basically what do you know about VR gaming?’

‘It is a step ahead of normal gaming where you encounter a world, different from ours, created by the developers.’-Safina.

‘Yes, that’s right. But what makes it different from our real world?’

‘I think the major difference is that we can only see and pretend to feel that world on a screen but can’t really feel it with our hands and all.’-Safina.

‘Exactly and that’s where this VR setup comes into play. Using it for the first time, I felt nausea and sick the whole day. In this console, we can control our character using our mind and we can actually feel the weight of everything we pick up. It is more like living in a whole new world. You must try those out. I am sure you would love them too.’

‘Are you having more of your episodes?’-Safina.

‘No. They have been settled. But why do you ask?’

‘I think this is all your imagination. There is no device available yet in the market that could make you do these crazy stuff.’-Safina.

‘I already knew you won’t believe me. Actually no one would ever believe me. The matter is only to try them out. I know I sound crazy and out of my mind, but this is truth. Have you ever tried a Beretta, colt python or a Five-seven in real life?’

‘No… I haven’t got a chance even to see them in real life.’-Safina.

‘Well, I used them in the VR world. The recoil of colt is highest, then comes Beretta and the least recoil pistol, the Five-seven. I felt each and every groove of those pistols and even the weight could be felt. I am very excited to see you get crazy, trying that VR setup.’

‘You now sound much crazier than ever. If all this is true, I make sure to steal the setup from you and play day and night in the different world. But tell me… can we both play the game at the same time? I want to play it with you.’-Safina.

‘I don’t really know about it but we can’t just play it on a single platform. I think we need to have two similar setups for playing the game efficiently. I’ll let you know tomorrow.’

‘Ya do let me know. Although I’ll be coming tomorrow to play that game, do try to get some information about it.’-Safina.

‘Sure. I will.’

        Dropping Safina at her home, I got a job to do. To find that company which sent me the gaming platform. Reaching home, I tried searching the internet for information regarding the company but no clue at all. I tried to find some answers online in some of the related threads and discussions but no one actually had any answer related to the platform. I was stunned. How in the world, no one knows this thing exists? I tried hard to find the address of the sender, the name of the company, the names of the characters and everything that could make it distinguishable but no… nothing relatable was found. The only option to know more about the game… was to dive deeper in the game. I connected all the peripherals to the rig, powered up the system, and was ready to go. It was 00:12 already and I was going to game all night… to find answers of its origins.