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It’s been another few weeks, and Mandica is getting stir crazy. She hasn’t
felt safe leaving the lair, so she has hardly tried. She wants to go out and
live a life, because if she doesn’t, then she’s not really living anyway.
Malika and Reagan are going with her. They want to show her around, maybe do
a little shopping. The world is incredibly detailed and believable. The bots
are perfectly programmed, and never break character. They don’t simply
ignore all mentions of Castlebourne and Earth when she tests a few of them.
They act confused, and start to think that maybe she’s not mentally well.
Malika suggests she stop doing that. It’s not respectful behavior, and she’s
entirely right about that. So Mandica embraces it. She goes all in on
Ravensgate. This is her city now, and everything in it matters, including
the people. Things might actually be okay.
“So, you two have a lot of money?” She’s been learning about the fiat
economy.
“It’s my money,” Malika contends. “That’s how I wrote my character.”
“Why doesn’t everybody do that?” They’re in a jewelry store now called
Magnum Opus. She’s scanning the gold and silver rings, and clocking the
uppity saleswoman who is clearly afraid that Mandica is here to steal. But
she doesn’t care about metals and rocks. They’re valuable, but only in their
utility, and she doesn’t have the equipment. “Why do the others live in that
studio apartment with a bed and a couch?”
“That’s the story that they wanted,” Reagan replies. “If you want luxury,
book a room at the Palacium Hotel, or insert yourself into a virtual
simulation. People come here because they want to get something they can’t
get out there. Mal chose the wealthy life because it’s an interesting
juxtaposition, having a rich person go out of their way to help others,
instead of being selfish. She didn’t write it so she can afford nice
things.”
“Still,” Malika adds, “pick anything you want. I can afford any three items
here.”
“I have had jewelry before, but nothing fancy. It was mostly gifts with
local cultural significance. And as Mordred’s lover, I sometimes
accessorized.”
“That’s the beauty of the world now,” Malika says. “If something speaks to
you, and it’s cheap, go ahead and put it on my card. If this world were
real, people would judge it, but this is just for you. Choose it because
it’s pretty, or even simply because it will remind you of the friends you
were with when you were picking it out.”
Mandica breathes and nods in understanding and agreement. She looks away
from the rings, and finds her gaze being pulled in one direction. Something
is on display in the middle of the room. It looks unlike anything here, and
may not even be for sale. It’s clearly meant to be wildly important and
special, like a literal crown jewel.
“That’s the Philosopher’s Stone,” Malika tells her, “or what passes for it
here.”
“Oh, I’ve heard of it,” Mandica says. “I may know more about Arthurian
legend, but I’ve studied other stories too. It’s funny how...basic it
looks.” She leans forward and peers at it. “It’s too even and smooth for a
stone. It almost looks like it’s made of glass.”
“It’s not real,” Reagan says.
Mandica laughs. “It’s obviously not real. It’s just, why would they make it
look like this. Is it only a placeholder until it can be replaced, or the
propbots didn’t spend too much effort on it, because they didn’t expect any
player to look too closely at it?”
“No clue. I lied earlier, though, because I could not afford that.”
That sounds about right. Mandica is still learning the value of currency,
but eleven million dollars sounds like something that no player would have
to throw around. She’s noticing the saleswoman again, who seems terribly
afraid that Mandica is seriously considering heisting a silly piece of red
glass. She’s about to confront her about the possible racial profiling when
glass starts flying everywhere. Every window in this store has been
shattered, and every display case, including the Stone’s. Mandica is thrown
into its pedestal by the blast. It hurts, but she’s not injured.
She looks up at the commotion. Vanore is standing there now, not concealing
her face in the least. She is as gorgeous as the day Mandica met her on
Earth. But she’s dressed drastically differently here. She’s wearing an
oversized dark cloak with striking violet lining. The collar is huge,
cupping her rosy cheeks, which contrast harshly against her otherwise
porcelain skin. Her hair has been darkened, and done up tightly over her
head, held together by what almost looks like barbed wire. A security
officer takes his gun out, and aims it at the intruder, but he’s shaking.
She effortlessly slings some kind of blade at him. It lodges in his neck,
and he bleeds. The bots bleed. Morgana steps forward menacingly. “When I
take someone’s eyes, I expect them to remain eyeless! I’m going to have to
take your new ones now, but when I’m done with you this time, there will be
no space left for a second replacement!” She starts walking closer to
Mandica.
Reagan, still wearing his civilian clothes, steps between her and Mandica.
Blue Umbra is now in her suit, but did not bother putting on her mask. She
lunges at Morgana, and starts doing her thing. Whatever magicks Vanore has
been able to replicate using real world tech, she keeps it in her back
pocket, and fights back physically. She’s not breaking a sweat, though,
while Blue Umbra is struggling. She is nigh invincible, and strong, but not
strong enough for Vanore. They said that Ravensgate Rescuer and Cardinal Sin
were the best in town, but that does not seem true.
At last, Morgana has grown weary of this distraction. She lifts Blue Umbra
into the air by her neck. “Your name is an oxymoron, and you...are simply a
moron.” She reaches over with her arm to lift Blue Umbra’s legs up. She then
pushes both arms down to break Blue Umbra’s back against her thigh.
Mandica turns away in disgust. Malika will survive that, but it’s still
unsettling.
Reagan tenses up now that he has become the last line of defense against the
villain. He doesn’t have his gun. It’s too large to carry, and you can’t
bring bags into jewelry stores. Still, he may be able to delay Mandica’s
death by half a second.
Morgana scoffs. “You are hardly worth my time.” She pulls her arm across her
chest, and backhands Reagan so hard that he’s thrown to the side, and passes
out. Out of nowhere, the Ravensgate Rescuer drops down from the ceiling to
take Reagan’s place. Morgana cackles. She actually cackles, like a witch. “I
held back in the alley, but I won’t be so magnanimous this time.”
“I’m not alone this time,” Ravensgate Rescuer volleys.
Cardinal Sin appears from the side, and starts wailing on Morgana.
Ravensgate Rescuer joins in too. A hero-villain team-up issue. Classic. It’s
not enough. They are not strong enough for her. She still doesn’t act like
she’s having any trouble. She cuts deeply into Cardinal Sin’s face with
claws that she apparently has, and kicks her in the chest. She turns to her
one remaining challenger. All out of quips, Morgana draws a sword from under
her cloak, and drives it into Ravensgate Rescuer’s stomach. Having been
standing too close, the blade cuts into Mandica too. Ravensgate Rescuer
falls back on top of Mandica, and they both die.
