About fifteen minutes later, Icarus appears in a virtual game hall. He is seated in a modern armchair, but it's not particularly comfortable. Right in front of him, small screens, show information about the game and comments from the guests and testers. Those who have tried the game seem very enthusiastic and positive, but Icarus isn't surprised by their reactions. User-name Ricoxx might sound silly but behind it he found both a humble, shy kid and a rare genius in the programming and design of virtual worlds and interactive entertainment.
Icarus had met him about three years ago in an online first person shooter game. They were always in the same group and in one of the battles they were surrounded by their opponents. They were side by side hiding behind some barrels and crates and could hear enemy bullets flying over their heads. Icarus saw Ricoxx uploading and executing a program called Speedy. Opponents immediately began moving very slowly, and the two of them left their hiding spot and killed them with ease. As usual both teammates and opponents expelled them from the game because they've cheated their way to victory, but they didn't care a bit; they're good friends since then.
Icarus Dividezero virus does actually slow down time but this chronic interference is nothing more than a side effect which is impossible to maintain or control. Truth is that Icarus also tried to compile a program that would allow him to control virtual time but had no success in completing it.
User Ricoxx is fan of fast paced games that demand lightning fast reflexes and nerves of steel. His first, almost complete game of his own is called Drago and he's been working on it for the last two and a half years. Icarus is helping Ricoxx by designing some of the in game models and applying programming techniques on the games code. It seems like Drago is moving on pretty well and has reached testing phase; it's now in a fully playable beta version.
Game's concept and goal is pretty simple. Player rides a dragon and controls its flight. A tiny hummingbird is the target and in order to complete the game one must reach and grab it while passing through imaginary courses and avoiding the various obstacles. Icarus, as a friend of the developer and assistant designer had the privilege of being one of the first Drago testers but his latest try of the game was a total failure. Icarus thinks that as he grows up he prefers games that sharpen his mind and stir his imagination to those that make you jump off your seat and require you to react in nanoseconds if you wish to stay alive. What he can easily recall from his last unsuccessful tryout is that the game is super fast and incredibly realistic. Phoenix had a blast when playing too?
Ricoxx told him that if he managed to capture the hummingbird he would get the Speedy program along with a brief explanation of the way this ingenious piece of code affects virtual time. Icarus is here for a second chance. He strongly believes that Speedy could save his life at the battle that awaits him at the CFG headquarters. His thoughts are interrupted by a young male voice.
"The armchair you're sitting on might be uncomfortable but it gives me ratings of the prospective testers. Both my ratings and eyes tell me that this bad boy had some chocolate before coming here?"
Ricoxx makes a sensational appearance; he's a seventeen years old kid dressed in a full body, black and tight vinyl uniform. A wide opening starts from the neck leaving his chest exposed and closes just below his belly. His skin is painted white and a black star encircles his left eye. His hair is long and tufted and the eighties rock star look finishing touch is a pair of bulky black boots with thick soles that add some valuable height to the short stature, lean young man. A broad smiling face appears on Icarus head.
"Guilty your honor! What's all this mumbo-jumbo? You look like a freaking clown!"
"Game developers are the rock stars of our times. Girls love the new look! How's things mate? So glad to see you. It's been a long time.."
"I'm fine? I need Speedy."
"Good old cut-to-the-chase Icarus! I like you man! Would you mind me asking for the reason?"
Ricoxx lowers the tone of his voice and talks with conspiratorial air.
"Does it have to do anything with? chocolate?"
"I've completed the program I told you once. I think I can hit digital depression with it. But if I want to release it properly I'll have to do it through a terminal found only at the CFG headquarters. They're probably waiting for me. I shouldn't pay my visit empty handed?"
"You? At Chocolate Fighters Group headquarters? Insane! Oh man! I'm sure you don't want me in, but I have to ask. Can I ask?"
"No you can't."
"Damn..."
Ricoxx turns to Phoenix that gently floats above their heads.
"Hello Phoenix."
"Greetings user Ricoxx. Mike."
"You know I want videos from the operation showing my pal here kicking some CFG butt? Wait a minute! Yeah. You want Speedy. You can have it right now if you wish?"
Icarus raises his hand and interrupts him.
"I was thinking about checking your lousy game too. Have you done any improvements or have you been wasting your time on gaming and porn simulations?"
"Ha! Business before pleasure pal. You know me; when I want something done, nothing can stop me. I see you still use your O.D. connection? Dangerous but gutsy at the same time. I like it! So for your game we have? Air drag and wind feel and forces; makes it a bit harder to hold on. Realistic smells? Virtual sounds including sound bouncing effect etc. And last but definitely not least a hundred per cent actual risk and danger for you. You know what's my latest trick?"
"Go on."
"I've modified the code in a way that now offers me the power of using an almost infinite number of objects in the game! It's a complicated system that 'describes' the objects using mathematics. That replaces the classic polygonal objects into parametric forms that use less data?"
"?and less data means faster processing." Icarus nods satisfied and Ricoxx takes a deep breath.
"Exactly. Take a simple sphere for example. You had to use hundreds of polygons to describe such an object. This is quite silly since the only info we need to reproduce it, is its origin and radius. Just a few numbers! The new sphere has one more advantage; it's perfect! No more funny edges and odd corners for low resolution objects. The beta build you're going to play, after some calculations I've made, includes geometry that would use more than three hundred trillion polygons! Ultimate freedom in game design."
"You look like crap but that doesn't change the fact that you're a genius."
"Game publishers are all over me. They all want the game and the technology that comes with it but I want to complete Drago and bring them to their knees! We're talking about a load of money mate!"
"And you deserve every penny of it. So? I'm ready."
"Nice! Are you? sure you don't want me to crank down the difficulty for you? I mean you're an old guy and all?"
"Ricoxx, Mike, screw you."
Icarus gets up slowly.
"Talking about old guys; I just found out what's missing from your crazy look?"
"What?"
"Chest openings need some hair, kiddo!"
Ricoxx laughs out loud and claps his hands taking Icarus to the Drago game environment. The young developer is still in the hall but his voice can be clearly heard in his game.
"After the persistent demand of your assistant, you won't be riding one of my dragons today. You'll have to guide Phoenix, the legendary bird through this brand new level. If you come to think of it, the game isn't even out yet and we have our first modification. Hope it brings you some luck because if I remember well, you last attempt was a total disaster."
Icarus raises his right fist and his middle finger. He is indeed seated on the back of a big weird bird. Bird's beak is short and curved at its tip and its eyes are blue. Its wings are rather short especially when compared to its spectacular long tail. Phoenix has a share of orange and red on its body and the tips of its wings have an iridescent blue color. Beak and legs are almost black while its long claws look like they're made out of some short of dark metal.
They're in a hu
ge rift with sharp craggy rocks on their left and right. They also see and hear a furious, foamy river below them. Icarus looks at his left and sees a small, ornate wooden cage. He can also spot the tiny bird in it.
"Smallest bird in the world; the Bee Hummingbird. It is definitely not easy but it's really simple, to prove your worth and get Speedy you have to catch something really fast. Fitting isn't it? If you pull both reins up or towards your body, Phoenix will gain altitude. If you pull then down or apply some pressure on its neck it will dive down. You can make Phoenix roll by using both your arms and legs. If you pull the reigns to the sides you can force it to turn; and finally, you can hit its side with your heels for a quick speed up. Are you ready?"
Phoenix rushes to answer the question. It sounds exited.
"I'm ready! Let's go!"
The small cage door slowly opens and the tiny bird that beats its wings with incredible speed shows up. It makes two revolutions around the cage and instantly appears right in front of Icarus face. The hummingbird stares at Icarus who is bewildered by the audacity of the tiny creature. He lingers and does not stretch out his hand in time to catch it. The hummingbird begins its race with lightning speed, while Icarus throws a brisk hit with his feet at Phoenix's side.
The mythical bird, without a second thought, beats its wings and hastily moves forward following its rider's orders. Strong wind hits Icarus virtual body and forces him to pull the reigns back on his attempt to maintain his position on Phoenix's back. He realizes that wasn't a smart move when his flying companion begins an almost vertical fast climb. Icarus thinks he should also be calculating the force of the wind from now on and notices that Drago really feels and looks stunning. He realizes Ricoxx technique allows him to put a massive amount of objects in his scene. Icarus pushes Phoenix's neck down and hits him to increase their speed. Although they're high they can still hear the furious river below.
At some points of the river the height difference creates small waterfalls. Dozens of tiny rainbows show up as a sign of the union between water and light. Rays look like they dive into the rift, and at open places the virtual sun reveals the beautifully crafted details. Icarus gives another hit at the mythical bird's side as he sees their target straight ahead. At the ridge's edges, and at times even hanging from the steep walls, a variety of flowers, small shrubs and trees make his job even harder.
As he moves forward he notices two young goats jumping and playing on the rocky surface on his right. He bends forward and tries to convince himself to keep his eyes and mind on the tiny bird. When he rises up he almost hits Phoenix's neck as he sees a fallen huge tree trunk right up front. The big bird receives the order and makes a swift dive heading to a foamy waterfall. Icarus gently pulls both reins and tries to control Phoenix and save their lives. After balancing their flight he looks up and finds out that the hummingbird has risen up. He decides to keep on trying and hopes that they'll meet fewer obstacles up high. Phoenix follows his orders and begins to gain height and increase speed. Icarus tries not to loose the small bird from his sight.
The hummingbird is at a continuous rise; it easily passes through a clump of trees that seem to hang at the left edge of the rift. Icarus envies the agility and size of the small bird, and with a swift move he pulls the left rein up and pushes the right one down. He tries to make Phoenix fly parallel to the left wall and he somehow succeeds. The problem is that his head is facing down and the belly of his flying friend stands opposite to the sun that's on its setting route. Icarus screams driven by his tension and excitement as they, by pure luck, make it through the leaves and twigs and reach the edge of the rift.
In a counter pull of the reins Phoenix is forced to flip and move in parallel with the ground. The sharp claws of the mythical bird sweep along small stones and dirt as they leave the rift behind. Icarus realizes that the sun begins to set and that like in most games time passes faster than normal, offering some variety in lighting and atmosphere for Drago. They should now try to come closer to their target and Phoenix eagerly increases speed, as it realizes its rider's request.
Right in front, they see tall rocky structures that look like they've sprouted out of the dry earth. They at places form big stone arches throwing their heavy shadows on the sand below. Icarus increases speed and prepares for extreme maneuvering. He thinks that in the rift, action took place mainly on the vertical axis, while they now have to move on the horizontal to avoid the hard and sharp obstacles. Phoenix moves gracefully between the rocks and Icarus notices the hummingbird flies just a few meters ahead. He is forced to pull the reins to move above a hill that marks the end of the rocky trail, and blocks their view.
When they reach the top of it, Icarus is left speechless by the amazing sight. In front and below them, stretched out in a huge valley, a fierce medieval battle is underway. He forces the mythical bird to dive in the valley as he sees the hummingbird taking advantage of his surprise and increases its distance from them. Icarus sees the sun rays hitting the shields and weapons of the myriads of warriors. As the sun slowly surrenders beaten by a silver full moon it uses its last breath to paint the scenery with a warm gold color. Screams, shouts and weapons hitting bodies or other weapons can be clearly heard below them. A group of horseback warriors rides fast not far from them. Icarus and Phoenix can hear them shouting in an unknown language. Their swords are rolled up and their faces are distorted by the intensity of the battle and the thirst for their enemies' blood.
Icarus notes that far ahead, almost in the valley's center, a big castle is perched on a rock.
"A siege!"
He also discovers that the hummingbird flies a bit lower, but not too far away. He decides to move closer; they should catch it before the sun is completely gone. Suddenly in front of them large siege towers moving on huge wooden wheels appear; Icarus begins maneuvering to avoid crashing on them. While passing the mobile tall towers, they hear a hissing sound behind them. A large stone, scratch passes Phoenix's right wing and hits at the base of the wall surrounding the castle.
"Catapults! Nice?"
Icarus takes a deep breath and pulls the reigns. Their target moves up higher and it's fortunately pretty close. Phoenix obeys and flaps its strong wings flying almost vertically to gain height. They're getting closer. Icarus reaches out and almost touches the tireless hummingbird that keeps rising. He takes a big risk as he tries to leave his seating and put his feet on the bird's wings. He struggles to keep some short of balance by holding on Phoenix's head with one hand while stretching the other to their flying goal. Icarus makes a swift, desperate move and feels like he's grabbed something. He is instantly hit by an arrow that penetrates his left shoulder while a second one hits his extended arm. Two arrows hit Phoenix's belly while another one passes through its left wing. The pain is so strong that Icarus feels he's gonna pass out but refuses to open his hand and let the tiny bird free. He looses balance, rolls on the back of the mythical bird and begins to fall.
Phoenix isn't facing a better fate. It screeches from pain and its high pitched screams reach every corner of the vast valley below. Seconds later it also surrenders to the relentless power of the virtual gravity and joins its rider in his fall. Icarus almost faints but holds his hand close to his chest and feels the hummingbird hitting its tiny wings right above his heart. He did it.
Suddenly time slows to a crawl. He feels and hears the air hitting his body during his fall. He also hears screams and noise from below; although it's pretty dark now the furious battle still goes on. Ricoxx voice sounds warm and calm.
"As you're well aware Icarus; speed is something relative. My program follows a simple logic. If you want to be super fast you just slow everything around you down. I explain? Every website, web world and simulation uses an internal clock. It is necessary. With its help users and moderators keep track of the time they log-in and out, and put posts and comments in the right order. Web time is similar to the real thing; it's both valuable and flexible. Here is how it works. First you have to s
ynchronize yourself with an external, constant clock. There are dozens of web sites and services that can help you with that. With the help of Speedy you gain time control on the web world you visit. You can then change the pace of time at will. Even human users found in the same place will have a different refresh rate and response time. It's a weapon that can give you a huge advantage over your enemies. As you can see the program is already in your possession. Wish you good luck buddy and hope to see you soon?"
"Mike?"
"Yep?"
"Your game is awesome pal? Congratulations. Phoenix; we're good to go. Phoenix?? Is it dead? Again?"
"Oh well... Disconnect."
Chapter 8: Chocolate Fighters Group