Surviving the Simulation: The Grand Crusade

The night passed without major incident, or at least anything that was major enough to wake him up. The global Simulation announcement's chime rudely awakened him; it sounded like an alarm clock in his head, snapping his eyes open and instantly assaulting his vision with the Simulation message.

Greetings, players! Congratulations on making it through the first planetary cycle of the Simulation reboot. You will be happy to know that the level-zero protocols are working as intended and the global player population is adjusting toward the accepted upper limits of the Simulation. Previous player population: 8,089,179,962 Human. Current player population: 5,354,948,178 Human. No player data for additional player species is available.

Three billion people.

Xander blinked, but the number didn't change. Three billion people gone in a single day.

A low, keening wail rose from somewhere below. Then retching. Then sobs.

He stayed where he was, flat on his back on the rooftop, staring up at the sky that didn't care how many people had just died. He should move. Should check in with JT, Zoey, Alex. Should get a head start on the next inevitable crisis.

Instead, he just lay there, listening.

Below, the Oasis was unraveling.

A woman collapsed near the edge of the main courtyard, her knees slamming into the hard ground. Her hands clutched at her hair, pulling, fingers curling into fists as if she could physically keep herself from falling apart. She was sobbing hard enough to shake.

Near a fire pit, a man doubled over, vomiting onto the pavement, his whole body convulsing with dry heaves even after there was nothing left.

Small clusters of survivors huddled together, some whispering frantic reassurances, others just sitting in stunned silence. One woman rocked back and forth, arms wrapped around herself. A man stood motionless, staring at nothing, his expression empty, like his mind had simply shut down.

Xander pressed his palms against the rooftop beneath him, grounding himself against the solid surface. Three billion people. It was a number too big to mean anything. The equivalent of the entire United States, wiped out almost ten times over. More than a third of the world. Gone.

His stomach twisted, but he forced it down. Survive first. Process later.

The Oasis had a few hundred people. Maybe a little more. There were probably other safe zones forming. Groups like this, fighting to hold on. Maybe even whole towns making a stand.

And maybe there was no one left at all.

He pushed the thought away. His quest was still active. That meant Jo was still alive. That had to be enough.

Time stretched. The grief around him didn't fade, but it settled around him like thick smoke instead of open flame.

Only then did his mind catch onto something else from the announcement. A small, out-of-place detail buried beneath the weight of the death toll. No player data for additional player races is available. Xander let the words turn over in his mind. He wasn't sure why they stood out now, only that they did.

Other player races? The Simulation had phrased it like something was supposed to be there, but wasn't. Myths and legends usually had roots in something real. If this Simulation had existed before, maybe elves, dwarves, and other races weren't just fantasy. Maybe they had been real at some point.

But in the end, it didn't matter. The Oasis was still standing. He was still breathing. And the world was still trying to kill them.

Stay focused on the now, Xander had to remind himself.

Packing up his bedroll and putting on his armor, the smell of coffee hit his nostrils coming from down below. While normally not a coffee drinker, he did certainly like the smell of it. Plus, Xander thought he was probably going to learn to like coffee, as nobody would produce any of the soft drinks he normally preferred. Mentally adding a note for himself to scavenge all the soda he could along the way to Sidney, he made his way down the ladder to find where everyone else was. He was eager for JT to have his big meeting, so he could start out for Tolono and then on to Sidney. The sooner he got on the road, the sooner he'd get to Jo.

After stopping in the area set up as a cafeteria for a cup of coffee, Xander found JT and the rest of the major decision makers currently shaking out in the leadership hierarchy in JT's office. Zoey and Alex were both sitting off to the side while Harvey and JT were engaged in a heated discussion with several older folks. Seeing as whatever was going on most likely had little to do with Xander, he ambled toward the chair Alex had nodded toward as if his companions had saved for him it.

"Look, JT, I don't know why you think you're in charge. You had no right to decide who should have gotten that hammer and you have no right to decide how this place runs," the same middle-aged man that confronted JT the previous day bellowed.

Leaning over to Zoey, Xander whispered, "What did I miss?"

"It's the same thing as the big to do yesterday. People who were in power are mad that they're no longer in power, and of course a little butt hurt because they think they know better," Zoey whispered back.

Taking a deep breath, JT took a moment to calm himself as the older gentleman, still red in the face, sat across from JT with his arms crossed. "We covered this yesterday. It's a whole new world with a completely new set of rules. I'm just trying to keep as many people alive as possible. As for what gives this responsibility to me? The Simulation gave this responsibility to me via the safe zone interface. I'm going to be blunt here, since I've tried to play nice and be inclusive, but you keep wanting to turn this into a haves versus have nots status quo. Here it is: everyone is going to have to contribute, everyone is going to able to provide feedback, but at the end of the day somebody is the leader and right now that is me because the Simulation says it is. We've got a real chance here to build something that saves many people that otherwise wouldn't have a chance in this new hellscape. You have suggestions, I'll listen, but I'm done having this conversation about why you should be the one in charge, because so far you haven't done a single thing to make things better here. The only thing you've done is bitch because the young folks aren't paying proper respect. Now, I'm going to recommend that we stop this conversation and cool off before one of us says something we can't take back."

"Why, you little piece of shit, you don't know who you're messing with. I know Big Jon personally. I'm going to show you who's in charge," sputtered the man as he stormed out of the office, slamming the door on his way out.

"Good gravy, it's only the second day and already we've got people rushing to hold on to any scrape of power they had prior to the reboot," JT commented to the remaining group, a tone of despair in this voice.

"JT, it's going to get worse before it gets better. We'll get through this, but everyone is going to have to hit rock bottom before they build back up again," Harvey said. "With no central leadership, we're going to see small pockets of people trying to carve out what they can. Some are going to see what I hope we're planning on doing here, some are going to stick to the old method of running things, and yet another type of person is going to take what they want no matter who has it. The ones that stick to the old ways will fall quickly either to the Simulation or to those people that are going to turn into despots or petty warlords. Eventually, the despots will fall to the Simulation because they will not make sure everyone has the power to fight back the literal monsters at the gate. If people have power to fight the monsters, then they're going to have the power to fight a despot, and that is the last thing someone who wants to run things that way would stand for."

"You're probably right, Harvey. All right, many of you know each other, but I will bounce around the room, introducing everyone. You all know Harvey, he's leading one of the adventuring teams and has already told me that his group will work out of Starlight for the foreseeable future. Becky there is heading up our supply depot. Once we establish individual businesses, that may change. Next to her are Lily Foster and her brother Quincy. Lily is a hobbyist blacksmith and Quincy has a group of friends that's forming another adventuring group. Mason will take on the role as guard captain and helping build the defenses of the Starlight Oasis. That leaves Zoey, Xander, and Alex over there, another adventuring group that was an immense help in completing the safe zone quest. Xander won't be staying with us, though. He has a previous obligation he needs to complete. This group will form the basis of the Starlight Oasis leadership council, minus Xander. Questions? No? Great."

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What followed was JT outlining everything they currently knew about the Simulation and what immediate next steps needed to be taken to build up the Starlight Oasis as an actual secure location. Mason would gather a group to build actual fortifications. While the car wall would be sufficient for a week or two, nobody thought that it would stop an actual attack if it came in force. There were plenty of people who wanted to help but weren't comfortable straying too far from the safe zone. Those people would be the core of Mason's labor force. Quincy's team, along with his sister, would be returning to Lily's workshop to bring back any supplies and tools she needed to build a working forge. The group was a little concerned since they'd been outmatched previously, but JT instructed Becky to outfit the group with what was available from the supply depot. That left Xander and Harvey. JT wanted to send a group north to Tolono to search for survivors needing aid or, at minimum, to mark areas suitable for scavenging supplies over the next week. Xander hadn't discussed his plans with Zoey and Alex, but he told JT that he would head toward Tolono first either way, so Harvey and his team were welcome. The meeting adjourned shortly after we tabled several questions regarding uncooperative individuals and other administrative details.

"Alex, Zoey, over here," Xander said, motioning to an area off to the side once the group exited JT's office.

We hadn't really talked yet, but I planned to go to Sydney. It's the first rally point for Jo and me in the event of a disaster, and to be honest, it's stocked full of supplies. If Jo isn't there, I'll continue on to Kickapoo State Park. That's our fallback rally point, and actually closer to where Jo was at the time. I didn't want to speak for you guys in the meeting, but I'd love for you to come along. If you'd rather stay here, I'd understand.

"While I like the idea of staying at the Starlight Oasis," Zoey said as she adjusted her quiver to hang better off her hip. "I've already discussed it with JT and we both agree that intel on what's happening in the area is going to be critical. My plan is to stick with you and feed back info to JT or other safe zones we may find along the way."

"Meh, this place is going to be a drama fest for a bit. I'd rather hit the open road with you guys than deal with out of touch people shaking their fist as those darn kids trying to save their lives." Alex chuckled. "I've got my gear all set to go, so give the word and let's get out of Dodge."

"I'm glad to hear it. Honestly, I was a little worried you guys wouldn't want to come. I told Harvey to meet me at the north gate in twenty minutes. That enough time for you guys to get your stuff?" Xander said with a bit of relief. He'd go it alone if he had to, but his chance of success increased drastically if he had help. That thought brought a smile to Xander's face as he thought of his dad and his mantra of being prepared to walk the road alone, but never be afraid to ask for help, either. Now here was Xander literally asking for help to walk a road.

The group broke apart, each person moving with quiet purpose to gather their gear. Xander took a few minutes to double-check his own supplies, the familiar rhythm of preparation steadying his nerves. His fingers brushed over his equipment one last time before he set off for the north gate, boots crunching over gravel and frost.

The gate came into view soon after. It wasn't much, just a gap in the wall of old cars, ringed with scrap and watched by two tired-looking sentries huddled near a fire barrel. Harvey stood nearby, talking with one of them, his breath misting in the cold air.

Harvey and Xander debated walking along the railroad tracks versus the two-lane highway. Xander favored the tracks, but in the end, Harvey's mandate of looking for additional survivors won Xander over.

Normally, a hike of five miles along a good road would only take an hour or two, but the group moved much slower among the abandoned cars and carnage along the highway. Both looking for threats, supplies, and survivors. They had encountered no survivors, but they found a fair number of bodies, including a pair that Xander recognized as the two wannabe tough guys that had tried to rob Zoey back at the Oasis. A few rodentia and aggressive animal encounters were easily dispatched by the party of seven. Also, Harvey had created a handful of caches from salvaged supplies to be picked up on the return trip. There was no reason to carry everything they found north for five miles, only to turn around and carry it back five miles to the Oasis.

It wasn't until two and a half hours later, when they were approaching a cemetery at the edge of the village limits, that the group encountered something actually interesting. While still early morning and despite the sky being clear, a low fog rolled from the cemetery, creating an eerie atmosphere. Several shapes walked within the fog bank.

Signaling the group to stop, Harvey motioned to the shapes. "Anyone not think that we're looking at some type of undead creatures? Zombies, maybe?"

"Not sure it's really going to make a difference," Xander said, taking the binoculars out of his bag. "We can either go around them or we can take them on. We certainly can't stop to fight every creature we come across, and sometimes avoidance is the better part of valor. But if this is undead, it'd feel wrong not to clear them out."

"I swear the Simulation needs a message board and encyclopedia function. Bad enough it thinks the planet is way over populated, but at least give us a damn chance," Zoey vented.

The party of seven adventurers cautiously made their way through the wrought-iron gate that guarded the entrance. As the party delved deeper, the air grew colder, and the soft echoes of something approaching reached their ears.

Skeletal forms emerged from the shadows, clattering bones, announcing their arrival. Six skeletons, armed with rusted swords and tattered armor, advanced menacingly. At the rear of the undead horde stood a taller figure, a skeleton adorned in a fractured breastplate and wielding a wicked-looking blade. As the adventures shifted position to intercept the threat, Xander analyzed the larger skeleton hanging back, as well one of the group of six.

[Analyze] Skeleton Captain | Level: 5 | Status: Hostile | Class: Fighter.
[Analyze] Skeleton Foot Soldier | Level: 3 | Status: Hostile | Class: Fighter

While it was nice to see that the increase in analyze was providing some additional information, it still wasn't giving them anything providing a tactical advantage.

"The one in the back is the leader and level five," Xander called out as he dropped his spear in favor of his new mace. While the range of the spear would have been nice, it was a weapon meant for slashing and stabbing. That would not do much good against a walking skeleton.

The clash began as the adventurers engaged the skeletal coterie. Arrows flew and weapons clashed against bone. Xander deftly parried the captain's strikes, his eyes narrowing in determination. Alex, using his roguelike stealth, slipped through the chaos to position himself behind the captain, landing precise blows on the skeletons' vulnerable leg joints.

Instead of parrying the captain's next swing, Xander connected with the head of his mace in a powerful strike, shattering the captain's blade, sending metal fragments scattering. The captain stumbled back, tumbling to the ground because of its already damaged leg joints. Alex took advantage of its vulnerability and used that as an opportunity to plunge both of his enchanted swords into the captain's skull.

With the toughest opponent on the field neutralized, the rest of the skeletons fell in short order. As the last echoes of battle faded, the adventurers stood amidst the headstones and scattered bones, victorious but winded. Xander retrieved his spear and spat out the blood from his split lip; a flying shard from the captain's sword had caused the injury.

"Everyone okay?" Xander asked, rejoining the group.

"Looks like minor scrapes and bruises. Jeez, our extra gear is certainly helping make these fights a little easier, but damn if this handicap of having to wait until level five for everything to unlock doesn't suck. Sure, most of us are level three now, but we're one nasty fight away from a total party wipe," Harvey said as he kept watch for the rest of the team as they looked for any available loot.

Quest Notification! This graveyard has been cleared. However, there are numerous unsanctified remains in the area; undead will respawn randomly after twenty-four hours. Due to the possession of a sanctified item, you have a chance to consecrate the area and put the tormented souls in the area to rest.
Difficulty: Low
Reward: Experience, Ten gold, Spawn point closure.

Accept Quest? Yes/No

"Did you get that quest notification?" Xander asked Harvey before responding to the prompt.

"No, nothing here. Why, what happened?"

"Evidently I have a sanctified item on me and the Simulation is asking if I want to consecrate the area to prevent additional undead from spawning in twenty-four hours. I'm going to say yes unless you can think of a reason not to."

"I don't see any reason not to shut down a spawn point."

"Eh, I could see a reason to use something like this as a training ground, but that's for a time when we're not on the verge of extinction at any give moment," Xander said, returning his focus to the prompt to select yes.

A soft glow emanated from the mace he had hooked back to his belt. A moment later, a ring of light shot out in a ring with Xander at the center until it reached the edges of the graveyard, sweeping away the fog and sense of foreboding that had surrounded the area.

Quest Completion! Congratulations, you have successfully consecrated the area.
Rewards: Experience Points, Ten gold, Spawn point closure.

"What the hell was that?" Alex questioned animatedly as he returned to the group.

"It seems the mace we took from the dark cleric is sanctified and can shut down graveyard spawns." Xander explained, "Though it seems odd that a dark cleric would have that power. You'd think they would have been able to raise undead."

"I'm going to say it again, the Simulation needs an encyclopedia," Zoey huffed.

"Anyone find any loot?" Harvey called out to the team.

Not surprisingly, the skeletons had no loot worth taking. All of their armor and weapons were worse than junk and rusted so badly they probably weren't even worth being used as scrap metal. Disappointed, the team formed back up to continue farther into town. Xander and Harvey had agreed before leaving the Starlight Oasis that the groups would split apart once they reached the railroad tracks heading east out of town.

"Let's head out!" Xander called as he made his way back toward the cemetery gate.

If the graveyard was any sign, Tolono would not be empty. The question remained: would any humans still be left?