The Lag (The Game Master: Book #1) by Alex Bobl Page A
Authors: Alex Bobl
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Fantasy, Epic, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Genre Fiction, Movie Tie-Ins, TV; Movie; Video Game Adaptations
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the clerics. What are they doing here? It's not working again, dammit! There's no chat, no private messaging, nothing at all!"
"Come on then, let's go," Yanna made a few tentative steps. "Whatever it was, it seems to have eased off a bit."
But Beast slapped his forehead and turned his stare to Attila. "I'm stupid! You have this God's Eye you made, don't you? We should use it to follow the clerics. Great idea! I'm a genius! Let's just hope the Storm didn't botch it. But you weren't out in the open during the Storm, were you? You were hiding somewhere. If you two didn't die like my group, then hopefully the Eye should be okay."
"The Eye doesn't work very well in wooded areas," Attila said. "That's why I haven't used it yet."
"They don't seem to be heading to the Valley of Death, do they?" Yanna pointed in the direction where the clerics had disappeared. "Unless they know of an easier way. What do you think, Blue Face? A portal, maybe? Never mind. We need to get to the Valley. Forget the clerics, let's go. We don't have time for your Eye nonsense."
Beast pouted his lower lip. "What kind of control freak are you? What if they're out to kill someone? You saw Legate's message. I didn't make it up: whoever dies in game dies for real."
"That's what he says," she snapped. "I still don't believe it. Which is why I think we need to get to the Valley and find out. Actually, you're too young to argue with adults. You should be staying home doing homework, not playing online games."
Indignant, Beast reached over his left shoulder and grabbed at the mace handle. Clenching his other fist until it resembled a knobby dark-blue boulder, he lunged toward the girl. Yanna whipped out her dagger and assumed a defensive posture.
"Come on, you blue slob!" she shouted, slicing the air. The dagger left a blurred gray trace in its wake, betraying its charmed nature.
"Cool it!" Attila cut in. "Beast, sorry man, but she's right. We really need to get to the Valley and find out what's going on. The Eye will take some time: I need to reset it and lay out a new course for it to follow the clerics. Time is an issue. I might try to launch the Eye on the go, provided we leave now."
Grudgingly Beast removed his hand from the mace. After an expectant pause, Yanna did the same, sheathing her dagger and readjusting the bow across her back. She swung round and resumed her marching pace. Beast hurried along, mumbling something about others having all the say. He soon caught up with the girl and walked in front of her. Shaking his head in disbelief, Attila followed.
He should check the Eye, really. Attila produced the book and began fiddling with the crystals. What if the Eye too had blown like all the other in-game equipment?
But no, it seemed to be working. The steel star soared into the sky, snapping its arms open. He twiddled the black crystal around. Yanna watched him curiously. Without stopping, Beast turned to look at them. The Eye started rushing around until it hit a tree and dropped to the grass.
"Ah," Beast's voice betrayed his disappointment as he turned away.
What had happened? A control malfunction? He really should stop and investigate, but they were too pressed for time. Better not risk it. He could always check out the Eye at some later opportunity.
Attila used the remote control to fold the star's arms but didn't dare to launch it again. He reached out, caught the Eye mid-air and packed it back into his bag. Later. All later.
His head didn't ache any more. Still, it felt like it was filled with jelly. Attila kneaded the back of his neck while watching the clouded sky showing through the gaps between the tree tops. The sky was pulsing with a pale glow, growing brighter, then receding. It pressed upon him like the claustrophobically low ceiling of a locked cellar.
"Beast," Attila called. "Were there any large upgrades planned recently?"
"Nope. They would have told me. But even if they hadn't, I'd have known anyway."
"Why did the Dead
"Come on then, let's go," Yanna made a few tentative steps. "Whatever it was, it seems to have eased off a bit."
But Beast slapped his forehead and turned his stare to Attila. "I'm stupid! You have this God's Eye you made, don't you? We should use it to follow the clerics. Great idea! I'm a genius! Let's just hope the Storm didn't botch it. But you weren't out in the open during the Storm, were you? You were hiding somewhere. If you two didn't die like my group, then hopefully the Eye should be okay."
"The Eye doesn't work very well in wooded areas," Attila said. "That's why I haven't used it yet."
"They don't seem to be heading to the Valley of Death, do they?" Yanna pointed in the direction where the clerics had disappeared. "Unless they know of an easier way. What do you think, Blue Face? A portal, maybe? Never mind. We need to get to the Valley. Forget the clerics, let's go. We don't have time for your Eye nonsense."
Beast pouted his lower lip. "What kind of control freak are you? What if they're out to kill someone? You saw Legate's message. I didn't make it up: whoever dies in game dies for real."
"That's what he says," she snapped. "I still don't believe it. Which is why I think we need to get to the Valley and find out. Actually, you're too young to argue with adults. You should be staying home doing homework, not playing online games."
Indignant, Beast reached over his left shoulder and grabbed at the mace handle. Clenching his other fist until it resembled a knobby dark-blue boulder, he lunged toward the girl. Yanna whipped out her dagger and assumed a defensive posture.
"Come on, you blue slob!" she shouted, slicing the air. The dagger left a blurred gray trace in its wake, betraying its charmed nature.
"Cool it!" Attila cut in. "Beast, sorry man, but she's right. We really need to get to the Valley and find out what's going on. The Eye will take some time: I need to reset it and lay out a new course for it to follow the clerics. Time is an issue. I might try to launch the Eye on the go, provided we leave now."
Grudgingly Beast removed his hand from the mace. After an expectant pause, Yanna did the same, sheathing her dagger and readjusting the bow across her back. She swung round and resumed her marching pace. Beast hurried along, mumbling something about others having all the say. He soon caught up with the girl and walked in front of her. Shaking his head in disbelief, Attila followed.
He should check the Eye, really. Attila produced the book and began fiddling with the crystals. What if the Eye too had blown like all the other in-game equipment?
But no, it seemed to be working. The steel star soared into the sky, snapping its arms open. He twiddled the black crystal around. Yanna watched him curiously. Without stopping, Beast turned to look at them. The Eye started rushing around until it hit a tree and dropped to the grass.
"Ah," Beast's voice betrayed his disappointment as he turned away.
What had happened? A control malfunction? He really should stop and investigate, but they were too pressed for time. Better not risk it. He could always check out the Eye at some later opportunity.
Attila used the remote control to fold the star's arms but didn't dare to launch it again. He reached out, caught the Eye mid-air and packed it back into his bag. Later. All later.
His head didn't ache any more. Still, it felt like it was filled with jelly. Attila kneaded the back of his neck while watching the clouded sky showing through the gaps between the tree tops. The sky was pulsing with a pale glow, growing brighter, then receding. It pressed upon him like the claustrophobically low ceiling of a locked cellar.
"Beast," Attila called. "Were there any large upgrades planned recently?"
"Nope. They would have told me. But even if they hadn't, I'd have known anyway."
"Why did the Dead
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