Proof of Concept

Liam awoke to a cold ache. The concrete beneath him strained his back. His eyes opened to stone walls that stretched into a dark sky. The ground was tiled stone, with a dim light embedded roughly every ten feet.

Where am I? He could hardly remember the last thing he had done. A headache pierced his mind. Is this VR?

Liam wandered through the darkness. The path diverged, and Liam took the path on the right. Then it diverged again and again and again. A maze? Either he was dreaming, or in VR. The experience felt surreal, it didn’t make sense. No game had ever come close to full immersion.

The stone looked the same everywhere. No marks distinguished whether he was going in circles. The air was cold. It was quiet, a contrast to an echo one would expect from cold air. Too quiet. The isolation brought goosebumps to Liam’s skin. This has to be a dream. It is too real to be VR.

A snapping sound broke the silence. The only sound that echoed. It repeated at a rhythm. Liam followed the sound into a square courtyard. The stone path continued, as grass complemented the corners and surroundings of the courtyard. A fountain adorned the middle of the courtyard, and at the top of it stood a strange man in a suit and top hat. His beard was dotted with black and grey hairs, cropped thickly around his face. His eyes locked onto Liam’s, shifting in color. They were blue, then green, then purple, then red.

“Welcome” he said, as he continued to snap with his bare fingers. Each snap perfect in sharpness and volume. “I’m the Game Keeper.”

Liam remained silent. The Game Keeper? A bunch of questions flooded in, but before he could pose any, a number of people started to emerge from the path. A girl with straight hair and gray eyes struck Liam first, then a muscular man in a tank-top. A figure approached Liam from behind, then circled around him to get a good view. She leaned forward, with a lilt in every step. She looked into him from not even a foot away, her red eyes studying him. Her face carried a curious disposition. She took a step back and gave Liam a mischievous grin.

“You’re new.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yea?”

“My name is Viviette, it is a pleasure to play with thee” The red-eyed girl stretched forth her hand, and Liam hesitantly gave it a shake. The girl had a strong grip. Her white thick hair dropped to her shoulders. She also wore what looked to be a black and red Victorian styled dress.

“I’m Liam, a pleasure as well.” Liam was still unsure where he was. Am I really dreaming? I can’t be. This has to be a game. The girl gave a slight chuckle before turning toward the Game Keeper.

The Game Keeper clapped his hands. “Everybody present? Good.” Nine other people stood around in the courtyard, excluding Liam. They all stood giving attention to the Game Keeper. “As everyone is well aware, we have a new player.” Everyone looked at Liam. All the probing eyes made Liam blush. “This is Liam Lanchorage.”

The Game Keeper looked at Liam and said. “I am sure they’ll all introduce themselves in due time; however, the game must begin.”

The Game Keeper clapped once again and started to explain the game. “You will all be divided into teams of two. Your objective? Escape the maze. The rules of the game are such: The game doesn’t end until one team remains. But be careful for what lurks in the maze. Any questions?”

Liam raised his hand. “Actually I—”

“Alright good.” The Game Keeper clapped his hands. As soon as the clap happened, Liam found himself staring down a long corridor. He was returned to the maze. His mouth wide open.

He heard a voice behind him. “Aye,” Liam turned around, to see the girl from earlier, now in a grey cloak. Her red eyes were bright in the darkness. Liam looked down, he wore one too.

“Move thyself.” Viviette took Liam by the hand and dragged him along the maze. Liam’s head swirled from all the information bombarding him. None answered his questions. He surmised that he was in a game of some sort.

Pleasure to PLAY with you, a Game Keeper? Rules of the Game. It all pointed to some sort of game. Liam remembered signing up for some advanced VR prototype, but never got an email or message back. Did he somehow get access and forget about it? “Uhm, so what is going on?”

Viviette stopped walking and turned back. Her mischievous grin returned. “Thou wilt know soon enough.”

“So we’re in a game?”

“Yea, ye canst call it that.”

“We’re looking for an exit right?”

Viviette raised her eyebrow. “Dost ye not listen, boy? The escape dost not open till only one team remains. Therefore, we tarry till the other teams are eliminated or… we eliminate them ourselves.”

“Eliminate them?”

“Eliminate them.” Viviette pulled a short blade out of a pouch in her cloak. Liam found the same blade in his own. “Thy Keeper suggested other things lurk hereabouts.”

Liam felt the blade in his hand. He ran the blade over his finger. “Ouch,” his finger recoiled and blood dribbled from it. Not a dream.

“What did ye expect?”

“This game is realistic.”

“Realistic?” Viviette said, for the first time, genuinely confused, but before either could expand on the conversation, noises carried around the corner.

Viviette put a finger in front of Liam’s lips, getting him to quiet.

They could hear the voices and footsteps drawing closer. The steps echoed off the stone floor and walls. The voices spoke in whispers, but close enough to make out.

“I thought I heard someone speaking from over here.” Came the whisper of a man.

“I don’t like this.” Came the voice of a female.

“The atmosphere is a bit eerie, you think the keeper is up to something?”

“There is a new player, you think the keeper is going to fool around here?”

The voices reached the peak of the corner. A lean man with tousled brown hair rounded the corner. Viviette burst forth, stabbing him in the belly with her short blade. She retracted it and gave him a fatal blow to the chin. Blood gushed out of the man as he fell to the floor.

No!

The girl behind, shrieked in terror. “J.D!” She tried to strike Viviette with her own blade, but Viviette dodged right, tripping the girl with her foot. Viviette brought her blade down into the back of the girl’s head.

The girl let out a shriek “No—” before the blade punched through her eye socket.

This is wrong! Liam took a step back shaking. His heart began to race, and his skin shot up in goosebumps again. Viviette stood up with her cloak covered in blood and a red smile on her face.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, grinning even wider then before.

“You— You killed them!”

“Quiet, someone might hear.”

“They’re dead.”

“Of course they’re dead. I killed them.”

“But,” This was all too real to be a game. The pain, the visuals, every sense in Liam’s body was telling him this was real.

“The others must be eliminated to win. Remember?” Viviette took a step toward Liam. He recoiled back away from her.

“Awww, are ye scared?” She said with a chuckle. She took one more step— then blood burst from her chest.

Viviette’s blood splattered across Liam, covering his face. He flinched back, blinked, and whirled around, disoriented. His hands recoiling in horror.

Liam recovered his bearings. An inhumanly tall entity stood behind Viviette. At least seven or eight feet in height. It had a face of moving shadows, and skeletal hands. It was cloaked in a dark hood and carried a scythe, now planted straight through Viviette’s back.

Her face strained in agony, quivering. She dropped her blade and reached out toward Liam. “Run!” she strained to say as the creature ripped the blade through her, tearing her apart.

This isn’t happening!

Viviette’s top half tumbled to the ground. Liam made eye contact with her cold lifeless eyes. He didn’t remember starting to run. He sprinted through the corridors of the maze. His breathing grew erratic the faster he sprinted. He still clutched his own blade tight. Don’t turn back, don’t turn back, don’t turn back!

Liam’s body screamed at him to stop running, but his mind was telling him that it certainly meant death. The adrenaline fueled the dash, it blurred everything else.

Eventually, he turned enough corners and found a pocket in one of the walls. He slipped into it and waited. He tried to hold his breath, but his breathing was still out of control.

Then he heard it, the unnatural wind. The creature that killed Viviette floated down the corridor. The cloak ran down to the floor and dragged behind the creature. It passed right next to Liam without stopping.

Liam’s heart pounded for escape, ready to burst past the bars of his ribcage. He tried to calm his breathing more. Deep breath in… Deep breath out… Repeat… Deep breath in… Deep breath out… It is just a game, a game. He repeated it, but didn’t truly believe it. It was just too real. He leaned against the wall, felt his stomach turn, and then doubled over, throwing up.

When he stood back up, he felt much better, but danger still lurked. A voice echoed in the sky. It was the voice of the Game Keeper.

“Two teams remain alive! Good luck players!”

Players! We are players! This is a game. Liam took a look to his right, what he saw filled him with dread. A corpse of one of the players was lying against the wall, the corpse had multiple stab wounds, but was also holding a red crystal. This is just a game, just a game. I can do this.

Liam forced himself forward, grabbing the red crystal, unsure of its significance. Did the keeper say anything about a crystal? I don’t think so, no. I should hold onto it just in case. He slipped it into one of the cloak pockets, then proceeded through the maze.

Every slight sound sent Liam into a flinch. The dim corridors played tricks on his eyes. The Grim Reaper. The monster that had torn Viviette apart resembled what Liam would have imagined the Grim Reaper as. Liam took corners and hallways, but found nothing.

Eventually he heard a scream in the distance. Liam stood there debating what to do. Someone is in trouble. An opposite team. Maybe I should leave them be. He trembled with each step.

A man with jet black hair rushed around down the corridor. When he made eye contact with Liam, he shouted.

“RUN!”

Liam could see the monster right behind the man, silent, but quick. Liam also turned and rushed into a full sprint. He was much weaker this time, still out of energy from the last sprint. The man caught up to Liam.

“This way!” He shouted as he tugged Liam around a corner, then another. After all the running Liam found himself in the same courtyard as before, but this time it was empty.

They both looked back as the monster rushed down the corridor, but stopped before the courtyard. Liam didn’t notice it before, but there was a line marking the end of the corridor and beginning of the courtyard. It can’t cross. The monster stared at them, then proceeded to disappear into the maze.

Liam looked at the man who had saved him. We are on different teams. Liam took a step back.

The man didn’t seem fazed. He stared at Liam with piercing blue eyes.

“Liam, right? I’m Alaric.” The man said. “My teammate is dead, how about yours?”

“Uhm, yea. My teammate…” The memory of Viviette bursting apart came rushing in. He suddenly felt sick once again. “Dead.” He managed to get out.

“I understand.” Alaric replied.

“Why did you save me? Why’d you bring me here?”

Suddenly the Game Keeper appeared. “Alaric! Teaming is against the rules, besides one of you needs to die before the game can be brought to a close.”

Alaric looked at the Game Keeper. “I just wanted to give the new guy a fighting chance, that is all.”

The Game Keeper gave Alaric a glance, then Liam a glance. “I see; however, you still broke the rules.”

With that, the Game Keeper snapped. The blade in Alaric’s hand disintegrated. He was left unarmed.

Alaric glared at Liam, “Very well.” He said with a smile. Alaric put both his fists up, ready for battle.

Liam took a step back. “I can’t” he said.

Alaric took a step forward. “You must, or else I’ll have to beat you to death with my fists.” Alaric took a lunge forward and knocked Liam to the ground with a hit to the face.

The left side of Liam’s face stung from the hit. Blood ran down his lip. “Get up!” Alaric kicked Liam.

Liam tried to block the attack, he then rolled over to gain distance. Alaric matched pace with a stride, then struck him again.

“Get up!”

“Stop it!” Liam yelled out.

“You stop it!” Alaric gave another kick. Then again.

“It feels too real!”

“That is because it is real! Get up!”

“Stop! Stop! Stop!”

“Get Up!” Alaric repeated, putting more force into his kicks. Liam clutched his blade and jumped up, plunging the blade into Alaric. Liam felt the sickening slice as the blade slid through the belly of Alaric. He felt the thickness and resistance of the flesh. It slid in clean, yet gave an awful meaty sound. Alaric clutched the blade and groaned. He looked at Liam in the eyes. “Good,” he strained.

Liam pulled the blade out, feeling the slice further as the blade exited the wound. Blood spurted out and covered Liam’s hands. He dropped the blade, as Alaric fell backwards on the floor.

Alaric glared at Liam with dying eyes. “You’ll get used to it.”

Liam stared at his trembling red hands. I murdered someone. He is dead.

“I killed him.” Liam muttered to himself.

The Game Keeper walked up to the dying body. The glint in Alaric’s eyes disappeared. “Now the game is over.”

The Game Keeper clapped twice, then a door appeared in front of Liam. “I had expected things to go differently, but I suppose its alright. Beginners luck I suppose! Here is the exit lad.”

The door opened in a white void. Liam forced himself to step in. Tears filled his eyes. I’m a murderer. I killed someone. They all died. What is this! Liam clutched the red crystal in his pocket as he entered the door. Tears fell off his cheeks and the white consumed him.

“IS THOU CRYING!” a voiced shouted in absolute laughter. Liam opened his eyes to a strange sight. He was now at a dinner table, a long glossy wooden table. The chairs matched, carved in fancy shapes. Lamps and lanterns hung from the wall and ceiling creating a warm cabin feel. All ten of the players from the game sat around the table. The voice came from Viviette on his right.

His cheeks were red and tears were still falling. What is going on? He couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

“Knock it off Vivie! (Viv-ee-aye) Leave the poor boy alone!” The man Viviette stabbed from earlier sat at the opposite end of the table. He crossed his arms at Viviette.

Liam tried to wipe the tears, but they wouldn’t stop. Somebody touched him on his shoulder comfortingly.

“They do this to everybody their first time. It is a cruel rite of passage. You should have seen me.” The girl sat in a chair to the left of Liam. She had wavy dark hair, and intense brown eyes. “I’m Sofia, but you can call me Sofi.”

Liam couldn’t speak, but was overwhelmed with joy. They’re all alive. It felt so real, but… they are all alive! He tried to speak, but stuttered a bit.

“It felt so real. Is this VR?”

Viviette gave a puzzled look. “What is VR?” Everyone ignored her.

Alaric gave a smile from across the table. “No this is far from VR, this is real.”

Real? That doesn’t make any sense.

“I watched you all die, how is that real.”

Viviette chuckled. “We art all dead silly! Including thee!”

It had taken a while for the group to clear up the confusion. The man that Viviette stabbed, Jordan Douglas, but everyone called him J.D. explained it to Liam.

“This is the afterlife, or at least what we understand of it. You are dead, I am dead, all of us here have died. You’re still in shock, so it might not come to you right away, but you’ll know how you died soon enough. We are sort of in a… how do I explain it?”

“Purgatory” Viviette interjected.

“Yea.. A sort of purgatory. You’ve met the Game Keeper, we were in one of his games. The games are all different, but a lot of the time they involve bloodshed. He is like the god of this place. He creates games for us to play and we have to play them.”

“What if we decide not to play them.” Asked Liam.

“Punishment.”

“What kind of punishment?”

“Sometimes it is pain, facing a dreaded fear, or whatever wicked thing the Game Keeper comes up with.”

“Or Erasure.” Viviette interjected once again, but this time the table went silent. Everybody at the table glanced at each other. Liam could sense some sort of tension.

The tension was relieved when the Game Keeper all of the sudden popped into existence at the end of table, in a golden carved chair.

“Apologies for my late arrival. Tonight we shall feast to our new guest!” The Game Keeper picked up an empty glass and it suddenly filled with wine from the bottom up. Every empty glass at the table began to do the same. Everyone took a sip. “Now, for the rest.”

A feast exploded out of non-existence and covered the table. Chicken, beef, roast, turkey, ham, meatballs, and other meats filled the table. Mash potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and various other foods that Liam couldn’t name fell before him. Everyone at the table began to dig in, but Liam sat, baffled. If what they are saying is true, then I’m dead.

Liam looked over at the Game Keeper. The Game Keeper caught Liam’s glare and stared back with his color changing eyes. He gave a big smile.

“How did I die?” asked Liam.

The chatter quieted. The Game Keeper folded his hands together. “Very Well.” He said in his jolly voice. “Liam Lanchorage, age 18, passed away August 11th, 2020. Liam was riding passenger of his friend’s 2011 Chevy Cruze. While driving late night on the highway, a deer crossed into the road, the driver of the vehicle swerved off the road. The driver brought the car straight into a tree. Luckily for the driver, the tree hit on the passenger side of the vehicle. Unfortunately, Liam Lanchorage succumbed to various injuries and passed away later that night”