Game Alive: A Science Fiction Adventure Novel Read Online Free PDF Page B

Jake told his friends as soon as she was gone. “This is totally not the right climate for dread wolves. They like it way hotter than this, the cold nights in this part of Xaloria should kill them. And I’m sure I never put any this far south.”
    “Maybe they migrated,” said Des, not sounding worried about it in the slightest. “You let the people do whatever they want, why wouldn’t the program allow these wolves to migrate?”
    “No, no,” Jake said distractedly, shaking his head. “They could, I guess, but the AI should restrict them to environments where they would be normally. The habitats are all well defined in the coding.” Exasperation rose in Jake’s voice as he went on. That little feeling that something wasn’t right was growing steadily. “There must be something wrong with the AI for dread wolves to be in this area.”
    “Well I’m glad they’re here, for one,” said Kari, still excited despite Jake’s obviously worried turn. “They’ll be dead wolves when I get to them.”
    “Not if I get there first,” boasted Des, leaning forward over the table and clenching his leather-gloved fists.
    Jake tried to push down his building anxiety and join in his friend’s banter. Maybe he had misplaced the dread wolves by accident. Maybe there was nothing wrong with the AI. He would still have to check later, but he could do that after they tracked the pack down and dealt with them. He didn’t want to bore his friends – especially Kari – messing around with the template controls on their first visit.
    When the friends had finished their ciders, Jake handed over a few small, copper coins to Albred. “See you later, Innkeeper,” he said boldly. “My companions and I will surely be hungry later. The slaughtering of savage dread wolves works up an appetite!”
    Aldred looked at him with obvious fear in his eyes. The plump innkeeper knew Sir Xend’s reputation, but these foul creatures from the blasted lands around the Fissure in the north were a threat he had never imagined his beloved village would face. He reached out and took Jake’s hands in both of his own large, flour-dusted hands. “Grace and luck be with you, young Knight,” he said.
    “So it shall,” Jake assured the man. He and the others left the inn through the front door, turning left to look down the single, cobble-paved road leading north out of town. Beyond the gates of Everheart spread the forested wilderness of Xaloria, a vast realm Jake had only begun to explore. The familiar rush of excitement he had felt each time he had visited this VR world returned to him now, overcoming the worry he had nearly given in to inside.
    “The farms all lie in this direction,” he told his companions, pointing north. “Just past the river, a mile or so from town.”
    “What, no horses?” Kari pretended to be shocked. “Where’s your armored stallion, sir knight?”
    “I haven’t bought one yet,” Jake admitted sheepishly, looking down at his steel-shod feet. “I’ve been too busy programming to save up much money in the game yet.”
    “What good is being the creator if you have to save up for your horse?” asked Des.
    “It’s more realistic. Besides, in the game I’m not the creator. I’m just a knight. Why else play the game, if you don’t have anything to work toward?”
    Des gave Kari a knowing look. “It’s going to be one of those games,” he said in a groaning voice.
    “Lessons and values,” agreed Kari, crossing her arms in their billowing, loudly-colored sleeves. She gave Jake a disapproving look, but a smile tugged at the corners of her lips and laughter twinkled in her eyes.
    The smile that spread over his face make Jake feel goofy. “I like games where you can choose where you want to go, accomplish whatever goal you set out to do,” he said defensively. “Instead of simply completing the script, and letting yourself be taken somewhere. It’s way more fun this way.”
    “He’s right,” Kari told Des,