Escaping Evergone
The sun had set and so had his dreams. Kae looked out from the mountains, across the Blue Wave Forest and past the Once Again River. There was smoke coming from the rooftops and they signaled it was over. The moon was hanging high above and his love was no longer there.
It started back in Not Home Village. A place where travelers visit but never stay. Full of personalities and opportunities, the way station for lost souls was the place they met for the first time. Kae was but a shopkeeper and Stel was just a dancer. They used to stay locked in their places on opposite sides of the map.
Users and players would come and go. They met millions of others but this time felt different. In Evergone, not everyone truly lives for not everyone is born the same. For those born in Evergone, you are but a pawn in the game users play.
These players visit from outside Evergone and fulfill meaningless quests. They collect treasures, kill monsters, and win the favor of royalty. The non-user or nonus exist to help the users but rarely are gifted life of their own. When a glitch happens and a nonus is given life or a quest, they are quickly corrected by the Code.
Kae and Stel had forged their own paths to Not Home, never truly taking a moment to rest. There in the save space of Evergone, the two enjoyed a few nights together before deciding to travel to the Rumor Splice. They had been given a map from another glitched in Evergone who could no longer run from the Code.
Together, they traversed down the Once Again River and quickly learned of the twisted power it had. They had to take the correct turns or they would simply loop over again. The two worked together and they made their way to Karra Way. It was a tiny village that the Code rarely visited.
They needed some supplies to traverse up Cola Mountain and took the chance to rest. On the outskirts of Blue Wave Woods, they had their fill of food and readied for a tough journey ahead. In a coffee bar, there was a lone wanderer who had visited the Rumor Splice. They told the two of how it worked.
The Rumor Splice opened up once every few reset cycles. It would open up in different spots along the peak of Cola Mountain. On the map, they marked seven spots. The lone one mentioned how to tell where the splice might open.
In the air they will see miniscule sparks that look like fireflies. Once they gather, they will crackle like lightning before opening up to the outside world. Kae and Stel thanked the lone one for the information but before they parted ways, the lone one asked a question.
They pondered if the two were truly in love. The two did not know but knew they would escape Evergone together. The lone one laughed before whispering in Kae's ear. Only one can make it through the splice. With a wink and a smile, the lone one left the two to enjoy their drinks.
The next morning, Stel and Kae began to get ready when there was a sudden explosion. It was the Code. Arriving on their bizarre shaped ships and wearing pixelated armor, they moved quickly through Karra Way. It was clear they were not taking any chances. Codes rewrote anyone or anything that got in the way.
Kae and Stel escaped into the woods but not without being followed. Having to navigate the twisted neon trees of the forest was hard enough without worrying about the army of nameless drones. Kae had a plan. They made some marks and quickly hid in the trees.
The Code followed the marks and passed right under the two. Kae was almost caught when getting back down but Stel quickly subdued the lingering Code. As the sun began to rise high above, they made their way up Cola Mountain.
If their timing was right, the next reset cycle would bring with it the Rumor Splice and they could reach it before sunset. Kae and Stel moved quietly through the technicolor rockways, not wanting to wake up the Default Bats that slept during the day. Strange things on wings, the bats were always there.
They did not want to draw attention to their location. The Code was not far behind them and they hoped the different paths on the mountain would help keep the distance. Soon they were at the first spot on the map. The sun blazed high above but no sparks like fireflies.
Onto the next spot and the next after that. Just before reaching the fifth spot, they heard it. The distorted voices of the Code. They were surrounding the spot with otherworldly weapons and heavy armor. Their hope faded when they saw the crackles in the air. The Rumor Splice was going to open at that spot.
Kae and Stel knew what they had to do. First they lured some of the Code away from the others. They then disguised themselves in the armor to get close to the spot. Once it was open they would simply run in and escape. Only Kae knew he would not go with Stel.
He had wanted to tell them but he could not find the strength to. Kae did not want Stel to stay behind in Evergone with him. There was a part of him that feared he would if he knew about the splice. Another part of him hoped he would want to stay. Kae did not want to change the path Stel was on before they met.
As they waited, they whispered silly things to one another. The two had only known each other for a few weeks but it felt like ages. Kae wanted to know more about Stel. He wanted to know everything he could. Hear all the stories of the different users they encountered over their time in Evergone.
Just before sunset, a Code began to question Stel. Fearing he would be discovered, Kae distracted the Code. He began to act like he was glitching. Stel had told him about a time they saw Code glitch in the town where they danced. Kae tried his best to act like how Stel described.
It was enough for the Code to start questioning Kae. Soon the sound like crackles of a fire begin to stir. A thin line began to form in mid air. The Code did not stop their questioning of Kae. The Code grabbed him and removed his helmet.
It was too late. Kae and Stel began to fight the Code. The two worked perfectly together, as if speaking to one another without using words. The Code was fierce but Stel dodged and weaved gracefully. They took out a few of the drones when the splice began to open.
Stel called out to Kae who quickly knocked out a few more of the Code drones. There was too much Code to fight off and the sun began to set. As it slipped away, so did the splice. Kae saw Stel fighting their way to help him when he quickly called out and told them to go.
There was a sudden quiet. Stel stopped and Kae pushed away the Code. The two stood for a moment before Kae started saying goodbye. He told Stel how he felt in between jabs and dodges. Stel was suddenly grabbed by a Code drone and Kae had but one chance to save them.
He grabbed a recoder from a fallen drone and hoped he would not miss. Kae threw the powered up device at the wicked soldier, hitting it directly in the head. Stel stumbled before Kae said one last goodbye. The two kissed just as Kae pushed Stel into the splice.
The silence was engulfed by a powerful explosion. Kae screamed his apologies but Stel was gone. He was left with the fallen enforcers and his memories of the past few reset cycles. Kae will wait for the Rumor Splice to return and when it does, he will be ready to search the ends of the world outside to find Stel.