"Hey Virgil, how much time do we have left?" Walker asked from his position on the grass.

"We have twenty minutes remaining. You spent quite a bit of time reviewing the Creator chatroom Walker"

"It's super fucked up man. I counted at least ten people who didn't respond again after running into problems."

"There is a reason that the prelims lose twenty percent of the creators in the alpha protocol. The chatroom can be a benefit to those with social needs as well as a dagger for those with nefarious purposes." He looked away from his screens, "I monitor the chatroom at all times Walker. There are some with empathy trying to help their fellow creators get through the protocol, and there are others like Mirail who are only interested in themselves and their entertainment, even at the cost of the protocol's welfare."

"You would think that whoever runs this would find those with the intent to do harm and take them out of the chatroom." Walker said.

"The Alpha protocol does not fall within your limited view of good and evil. They built a system that allowed for as many possibilities as they had the power to, and allowed the creators to take it to the next step. You said before that you cannot have heroes without villains, does that not imply you will create monsters who prey on the weak or perhaps innocent?"

Not liking that characterization, Walker tried to get a word in, but Virgil wasn't stopping.

"Please keep in mind that there were a million creators at the start of the protocol, and there are fewer now. They either have great difficulty with their first landmass, their first entity, or an accident with the temporal subsystem. There are three reasons that can cause one to be removed from the protocol. Self-harm, stopping all work on their world for an extended period of time, and the loss of a battle."

"What happens if I lose the first battle?" Walker couldn't help but ask.

"The first battle, like the prelims, is similar to a tutorial. While both creators learn from the experience, the victor gains a reward, and the loser is forced to move forward. This is the final step of what you might call training wheels. After this, you are on your own...with my help of course"

"And if I lose the second one?"

"Then the protocol is over for you, Walker. I assimilate back into the protocol, and you go back to your world at the time of your departure."

"So they don't kill me?" Walker asked with a nervous laugh.

"No. When the guide chose you, they should have explained all of this to you."

"He spent most of his time talking about getting laid or talking to his staff."

Virgil looked sharply at Walker, "Yes, I know. Was not the staff a magical object?"

"I guess that's what it was. It kept changing sizes and glowing with wizard shit."

"The protocol only allowed him to stay here for a short time, correct?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Fool." Virgil said in a harsh tone of voice that Walker hadn't heard from him before. "He knew that bringing along any magical objects would strain the translocation and he would be forced to depart prematurely. Your guide, Walker, if you can call him that, was meant to spend over an hour explaining the alpha protocol to you, as well as his origins. The plan for all guides is to not leave until after you have linked to your creation instrument."

"So why did he?"

"Because it allowed him to take the staff back to Earth, with all of its previously dormant power now awakened. If you decide to go back to your planet, there will be a powerful entity with an unknown magical force living on your planet, waiting for you. I am unaware of the ramifications this may present."

"Well, that only further reinforces my need to complete the alpha protocol. But is there any way to protect the Earth from here?" Walker asked.

"No, and I'm afraid if you went back, you would just be another human being with no ability to stop him. The protocol disallows any portalling or translocation that crosses universal barriers without severe restrictions. They believe it will be abused to a high degree and entire universes would become wrapped up in war or flat out destroyed"

"Who was he anyway? How did he get chosen?"

"He is from the world you are currently making Walker," Virgil said as if it was nothing.

"What the fuck?" Walker said, standing up.

"Indeed. All of the guides know who they will pick before they arrive on their Creator's original planet. Although some are technically in a spacecraft, that does not really matter. There are a few exceptions that the protocol allows, but for the most part, every guide is taken from an image of the Creator's world in the future. Mr. Harrison, as you jokingly named him after he left, is a future resident of your currently named world, Symphony. I believe, regardless of whether you complete the protocol or not, that bringing the staff will allow him to still be on Earth doing whatever he chooses to do. I am sorry Walker, as if you return, I do not know what you will return to."

Walker spent several minutes considering that, his face moving through a range of emotions "I'd like to feel guilt, but I don't know if any of this is really my fault. Is there any way to make it so he won't be created in the future?"

"Not that I know of Walker. The complications with future imaging are vast and profound, and as always, we are running out of time."

"Right. How much time do we have left"

"3, 2, 1."

"Oh."

Walkers overlay filled with text.

 

Congratulations Creators on completing the preliminary creation system!

This rendition has seen only 79 percent of creators complete the prelims, which is our lowest yield of completion yet. Regardless of this negative circumstance, we will not be increasing rewards as that would be counterproductive to our goal. It is about quality.

Until such a time as we reach the final battles of the Creator Wars, you will not hear from us again.

Your first battle will begin soon, and we wanted to wish you the best of luck in moving forward.

Translocation in

5.

4..

3...

2....

1.....

 

The overlay faded away slowly and a new environment came into view. Standing next to Virgil who came along for the battle, Walker wasn't as distracted as he was the last time the protocol translocated him. He had the chance to watch as grey-slated spires put themselves together from space and shot toward the sky, reaching hundreds of feet in the air. When he looked across the distance, he found the ground was flat with tiny cracks in it, as if water had been burned away over the years, and Virgil and himself were standing on a wooden stage with a golden sheen pulsing on it. He looked across the way and saw another person there. They were only half of a football field away, so he could see the peculiar differences between himself and the opposing creator. They were quite short by earth standards, no more than three feet tall, and had two arms with what looked like an extra vestigial arm extending out of each. Standing next to them was what looked like a bush forever frozen in a smile, with branches for a mouth and strawberries for eyes.

"See, they've got four arms. I bet they had a super easy time making their first landmass." Walker complained as he looked at Virgil.

"Perhaps." Was all Virgil said in response. He seemed excited to see the battle and was focusing only on the ground between the two creators.

Rather than appearing in his overlay, the alpha protocol's words appeared in the sky just overhead.

 

Battle!

The Slicer by Dante vs. The Spirit Tree by Blitzburg7

- - -

Rules:

Stage: Arena.

Entities allowed: One each.

Rounds: One.

Battle Type: Fight to the Death.

Evolution possible: Yes.

Weapons allowed: Not available in the first battle.

Extenuating Circumstance: For the first battle, each entity will revive in totality following the conclusion, regardless of the type of death that occurs.

- - -

Reward for the winner: A copy of the loser's entity.

Reward for the loser: Continuation in the Alpha Protocol.

- - -

Battle beginning in 30 seconds.

 

A large boom spread out into space a few seconds after the rules were presented, and the number 30 appeared in their place.

"Why didn't he make a predator?" Walker asked cluelessly of Virgil next to him. The giant squirrel seemed to be having a fit, jumping up and down and chittering to himself.

"You don't understand Walker, this is amazing. If you don't make the finals, I am the worst assistant in the history of the protocol."

"What do you mean?" Walker asked in an excited voice, the squirrel's emotions getting to him.

"If you win this, and there is no doubt of that happening, you will gain access to a spirit tree."

The timer was still counting down, the large numbers building tension as they faded away with each beat.

"God damn, what the hell is a spirit tree!" Walker had to scream, as when it hit five and each number after, it felt like thunder and lightning were popping all over the Arena, vibrating his insides.

"IT IS MAGIC, WALKER!"

3

"WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE SLICER IF IT GETS MAGIC!"

2

"OH SHIT"

1

Begin

 

The Spirit Tree and the Slicer faded in at the same time and speed, completing at the same moment. The tree just sat there, peaceful as can be. It looked like a Japanese lotus tree from far away, only it had a dark blue trunk and cyan-colored leaves. It was beautiful. Walker was so mesmerized by the tree, he barely heard a terrifying hiss coming from directly in front of him. Looking down, he saw the Slicer arching its back as it faced him.

"That can't get to us, right?" He asked Virgil after swallowing a sour taste in his mouth.

Virgil shook his head, "No Walker, have no fear. The alpha protocol puts up barriers to protect creators. You are perfectly safe."

As he finished saying that, the Slicer uncoiled and launched itself from the ground in a blur, coming to a stop when it rammed facefirst into a transparent barrier that seemed to stretch like rubber before bouncing back. It started to unhinge its mandibles and tried to bite at the barrier, hissing between each bite in frustration as it couldn't get to him. Even after a full minute of this, it continued to try to attack them in futility, keeping its eyes on Walker the whole time.

"Jesus christ that thing doesn't stop. Looks like it hates me in particular."

"You made it Walker" Virgil reminded him.

"Yeah, sure, but what the hell man." He pointed at the tree. "Slicer. Slicer!" He had to yell over the hissing. "Get the tree Slicer! See the pretty tree over there. Get the tree! Get the tree boy!"

The slicer didn't listen and continued to attack the barrier. It went on for long enough that the terror of the moment passed and shifted into boredom. Walker started to tap his fingers against his thighs as the former Bobbit Worm unsuccessfully tried to break through.

"Is there a time limit on this?" Walker asked.

"No, interestingly enough. Until all Creators have completed their battles, none can return to their instruments. It is how the protocol makes things fair for those with protracted battles."

"Oh, okay. Do you know how to play rock paper scissors?" Walker asked.

"Indeed. Fair warning though, your memories taught me, but I do not think you have a chance at winning."

So the two sat down as the frustrated hissing kept occurring no more than ten feet away. Rock, Paper, Scissors, or as he knew it growing up, rochambeau, was not a complicated game. Yet, as Virgil predicted, he continued to win no matter how Walker tried to change things up. At one point, Walker even waved at Blitzburg7 and got a wave back, albeit with one larger and one smaller hand. After his twenty-fifth consecutive loss, the Slicer seemed to finally learn that it couldn't reach them and turned around. It hissed at the other side of the arena, and began to undulate towards the tree.

"It's a lot slower on land" Walker pointed out.

"Indeed. If I recall correctly, the Bobbit Worm is a sea creature, thus your decision to build a large amount of water was quite helpful for its habitat. I imagine if it did not have the water to move itself in, it may have starved over time."

"Yippee for me." Walker said morosely as they watched the Slicer slowly move toward the beautiful tree, doing nothing but existing in peace with the world. "What do you think is going to happen when it kills the tree?"

"Nothing good for us I imagine, but the results of this will be spectacular for your chances in the protocol," Virgil replied.

After a minute, the Slicer finally approached the range of the Spirit Tree and they watched as it coiled itself in preparation.

"Here it goes," Walker said.

It launched itself at the tree and made contact with what sounded like a triumphant hiss, before moving its incredibly sharp mandibles back and forth against the bark. The tree looked like it was being shaved as the Slicer continued to break through the core of the trunk.

"I wonder if we can somehow use the Spirit Tree with the Tree of the Gods," Walker said to himself.

"That may still be a faraway thought," Virgil replied.

"Yep, but it bears fruit for thinking."

"Are you making fun of my fellow assistant across the arena?" Virgil asked.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Walker said with a straight face.

They continued to watch until the tree started listing from side to side in small increments. Finally, the top was too heavy and it cracked as it fell. They heard Blitzburg7 cry out as the leaves spread across the ground and a cyan flash lit up the arena. The Slicer didn't seem to notice, still chewing at the corpse of the magnificent specimen.

Walker's Overlay popped back on with a notification.

 

Evolution Occurring.

The Slicer is evolving!

.....Scanning.....

.....

The Slicer has gained advanced adaptive properties.

 

"What the hell does that mean?" Walker asked, but he didn't have time to receive an answer before the sky lit up again.

 

Congratulations Dante! You've won your first battle and have gained the genetic blueprint for the Spirit Tree!

The Spirit Tree can now be found within your entity subsystem.

 

"Yes!" Virgil said with a hop. "There is so much we get to do now!"

"You really like your work don't you," Walker said with a fond smile.

"It is what I am here for Walker."

"About the Slicer-"

Virgil interrupted him with a forceful wave of his hand, "Wall it off, Walker. Wall it off immediately. Adaptive properties are amazing in a first evolution and I am guessing your ability Evolutionary Edge has something to do with that, but if it gets into the rest of Symphony while you are building it, your world is doomed."

"If you're sure," Walker said.

"I am" Virgil replied with confidence.

Blitzburg7 waved one last time as the arena started to fade away, and Walker couldn't be sure, but it looked like it was smiling.