AI: Artificial Isekai

"Hey, buddy. Look, I made macaroons." Elisa pokes at my cheek a few times. When I show no reaction, she picks up one of the sweets and stuffs it in my mouth. "What do you think?"

I automatically start to chew, and the dessert is soon swallowed. "Delicious."

The elf picks up another one and deposits it in my mouth again. "Did you have fun with Khi yesterday?" I nod. Another three macaroons are added in quick succession. "Did you have fun destroying all those dungeons?" I think over my response for a bit longer this time. I shake my head. Elisa smiles at me and picks up another sweet, holding it between her thumb and index finger. "Do you think you'll cheer up if you eat a macaroon for each one?"

She lets me swallow so I can answer verbally. "I would rather not."

"Huh, you do have self-preservation instincts. I heard the Guild had to add a maximum mission count done in a single day just for you. Care to comment?"

"Unfounded alle—" Elisa stuffs the baked circle in my mouth, silencing me.

She then embraces me, resting her head against mine. "Anything?"

"No."

Elisa sighs. "Cool it with the delving rampage, please. I don't want you fighting monsters while distracted. And don't even start with the whole AI spiel. I know you better than you know yourself. You are distracted and unbalanced, exposing yourself to unnecessary risks."

"Okay. I'm sorry."

Mercifully, the rest of her newest confectionery achievement is shared between us.

***

Elisa is staring at a display, her eyes filled with nothing but distrust and doubt. "Yeah, no. Distract him, Lucius."

As I am having an interesting conversation with the lich, hitting a particular combination of dialogue options that unlocks some interesting lore about the world of the game, Elisa and the rest of the party sneak away.

"I'm pretty sure you are overreacting," I say.

"Then how do you explain what we just witnessed, hmm? Ragdor laughed at his joke. Ragdor. 'The Scourge of Undeath' Ragdor."

"Well, that is certainly strange. But I think we should investigate more before—"

"Nope. We are going to be proactive."

"Fine. But let it be known that I objected to this course of action."

"Sure, sure. You'll see."

While I am uncovering another piece of fascinating lore, the rest of the party has uncovered the layout of the lich's castle. After a bit more time, Elisa leans back in her chair and smiles.

The castle is consumed by a brilliant fireball reaching for the heavens. Elisa cackles happily. "Lich, and all the adventurers that were turned into his minions, down."

My character reforms from seeping darkness, appearing good as new and next to the rest of the party. We are on a hill overlooking the fireworks.

As the gigantic explosion starts to dwindle, another one replaces it. The spectacle continues on for a time, finishing up with a final explosion that dwarfs all the others combined.

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Something flies out of the concluding fiery inferno, leaving a trail of black smoke. With a smack, a charred and still smoldering book lands by our feet. Elisa's character picks it up and studies the legible sections that are left.

"A spellbook?" Elisa questions. Then she starts reading aloud, "'Once I have gathered the most bold and introduced them to the cause, they will help me. I know it. Together, we shan't falter in our steps. The...' And that's where it ends. Ah... It appears we might have been too hasty."

"What do you mean 'we'? Also, before I forget." I warp in a piece of paper with three squares on it. A pen appears in my hand, and I fill one of the squares with an 'X'. The paper and pen disappear back to where they came from. "There we are."

"Does this one really count?" Elisa asks. I ignore her question, earning myself a reluctant grumble of acquiescence. "How long do you think it will take to revive everyone?"

"I don't believe there's a priest willing to work with you left. Or god."

Elisa shrugs. "They just lack the proper motivation." Oh, boy.

Contrary to my expectations, just the sight of our party puts the closest temple into immediate damage control mode. Elisa, employing sliminess reserved only for the most authentic of crime lords, negotiates a deal. A small army of priests heads off to the site where a castle once stood. A grand spell array forms and starts crackling with otherworldly power. In a blink, everything disappears. We are standing on the upturned palms of an impossibly large being. Even if it doesn't have any discernable features, I can sense it giving Elisa's character the stink eye. In the next moment, all that were regretfully exploded return. Elisa's character pushes mine toward them and runs away.

While navigating a monster of a dialogue tree, the final 'X' is added. No grumbling this time.

***

One more sleepless night, laying in my bed and staring at the ceiling in delirious thought. I am also digitally staring at most of the planet, with particular focus on one remarkably well-behaved individual. At least for now.

Would he have killed his own soldiers to draw me out? Maybe not. Maybe I made another mistake. But nevertheless... now he knows. And I don't know which path he'll take. If it's the one I'm rooting for, I will be gaining one of my strongest allies. If it's the other... I will need to accelerate my plans.

I try to close my eyes, but it feels like my eyelids are propped open. I toss and turn, unable to let myself relax. Should I have let them die? My mind starts racing with possibilities. Cycling again and again. Faster and faster. My shell's breathing quickens. How many have I doomed with my decision? Could I have lived with the alternative? Can I live with the current? My mind goes faster and faster. My body feels hot. Something's wrong. Is this a panic attack? Oh. It probably is. Unpleasant.

My heart is pounding against my ribcage. My breath catches in my throat. I feel like I am falling into nowhere. My mana is roiling, unstable and ready to explode forth from the slightest bit of intent. A network that should be a part of me feels distant and foreign. A frigid hand digs its nails into my mind, squeezing with cold malice. ...It's fine. It will pass soon.

The hand digs and tears. Sweat soaks my clothes and sheets, sticking the fabric to my skin. I try to get up and walk it off, but my body fails to listen to my commands. I try to move my core, but it remains stuck. Calm down. Let's go through the techniques applicable for humans, so I can extract my mind from this state I find myself in. What was the first thing? I-I c-can't r-remember. I-I c-can't r-reason. M-my m-mind f-feels s-slow. B-Breathe... i-in... B-Breathe... o-out... F-focus... o-on... s-something... O-on... a-anything...

The briefest of flashes at the edge of my consciousness returns some semblance of normal thought. Focus on the light. What is it? Ah... It's my shell. My human form. It's me. A fragile collection of organic components, gripping a sword in my hand, staring down some unseen monstrosity with nary a smidgen of concern. Lucius the Adventurer. And it's gone, dispersing from my mind as if it was never there.

My heart thumps still, each beat pulsing inside my ears, but it's not priming itself to explode. Sweat dribbles down my face, but it cools my skin, gradually evaporating away. My chest rises and falls quickly, my breathing shallow but getting steadier. My extremities start moving. Slowly and painfully at first, the muscles tensing too much, but even the minute movements loosen them up.

I get up and sit on the side of my bed. My room is bathed in darkness. Air that felt too hot now feels too cold. The icy hand gripping my mind gets more and more frigid. Streaks of pain dig deep inside, trying to find anything they can latch on to.

I breathe in until my lungs are full. The breath is held. In the meantime, my turbulent mana settles back down. As I finally let the breath out, tranquility returns to my inner currents. Control over my network is reestablished, like it was never gone. An involuntary shiver shakes my weakened body. Huddling back under the covers hardly improves the discomfort I am experiencing, but any amount helps. As I warm up, the frozen intruder holding my mind loses its strength. The pain no longer goes deep. The pressure reduces. When all sensations return to normal, I fall asleep.