Warrior Games

Chapter Five

MAIA

Only shards came to him.

He remembered feeling strangely light-headed after he heard that hissing sound, and although the memory was blurry, he recalled seeing a stunningly beautiful face looking down at him. The owner of that face had said something, perhaps an order, because after that two blurry images – guards – had bind him with something. He recalled nothing from there, only vaguely remembering the sensation of motion before his eyes and mind had failed him and shut down.

Now?

As he rose up slowly from the very soft bed, his hand constantly massaged his head. He didn't know why the headaches were coming now but he suspected that hissing sound, or rather, the source of the hissing sound to be responsible for it.

Very soon though, the pain stopped and his mind cleared enough for him to process the images he was getting from the small, sparse room he was holed up in. At the corner from his right stood a white, wooden chest which was the only object in the room he could see. The walls and floor and ceiling were all white, and even the bed he sat on was white. His clothes too. Apparently he had been given a change of wears.

Kyle thought back to his life savings that had been hidden in the pocket of his jacket and could not help the sorrowful expression that crossed his face. All those years of hard work, blood, sweat and tears down the drain. At least they should have let him kept his money even if he couldn't use it. It would have, at least, consoled him.

He plopped back heavily on the bed and although he hated to admit it, it was top class. Better than his former one.

Kyle winced at the memories. Yep, his former bed was definitely a backbreaker. Unlike this new . . . bed? Could he safely call it his? He wouldn't mind this room though. He had slept in worse shelters.

As Kyle scanned the room, he noticed a square depression in the center of the wall directly in front of him. Come to think of it, he hadn't noticed a single door or window, yet he was still breathing fine and the room was bright enough. Could that possibly be a door?

He got up to inspect. If this was a door, it sure didn't look like one. The feel was metallic, Kyle concluded, as he certainly knew how a metal felt like. From the feel of it though, this one was harder and thicker than any he knew.

Kyle frowned as he continued scrutinizing the supposed door. No keyholes, no punch-punch buttons, certainly no opening mechanism. Could this be a prison? It certainly could be. Well, he thought. If this is a prison, it most likely tops all top prisons on Earth.

He sighed deeply, walking towards the bed in a defeated manner. He wondered where he was. Could he still be on Earth, or light years away? What happened to Earth? Could there . . . perhaps . . . was Earth no longer in existence? Kyle gulped. That was definitely not a sweet thought.

His eyes fell on the chest. It had no visible locks and did a good job of grabbing his curiosity. What would he find inside? Preferably not anything harmful. It would seem very ridiculous to die by the hands . . .

Kyle shook his head as he mocked his own cowardice. Nothing bad . . . too bad will probably happen to him. Besides he was a prisoner. A prisoner. So he was still useful to his captors. As far as they had gone through the trouble of not killing him, they undoubtedly still needed him.

Taking his mind from whatever dark thoughts he had on what he would be later forced to do, he moved to the chest and pulled open the top. Rather, he tried to.

The lid never budged an inch even when he exerted every ounce of his strength. He grunted. He cursed. He even screamed. But all that got him was another trip to the bed, feeling tired and hungry. Where's my rightful ration anyway? It would be very much appreciated now.

Kyle Sorenson.

The voice made him jump. He looked around frantically but saw nothing hinting at the source of the emotionless, computer-like voice.

"Wh-Who are you?" Kyle stuttered out. Before whatever it was could answer, he asked again, "Where're you?"

I'm in your head, came the response, like a voice from an artificial intelligence.

Kyle almost choked. "What!"

Yes. Literally.

Was he confused? Yes, he was. How had this thing entered his head?

"Okay, I take the 'who' back," Kyle said. "What're you and what're you doing in my head?"

I'm your Magical Artificial Intelligence Assistance, simply shortened, MAIA, it answered. And I was put in your head to aid you in any way I can.

"Care to clarify?"

I answer questions and provide guidance among other things. Explaining them would take too long.

Huh-huh. No way was he experiencing this. He pinched himself to be sure. "So, huh, MAIA, when were you," he pointed to his head emphatically, "put there?"

Question cannot be answered.

What! Oh, right. He couldn't expect to receive answers on matters involving past actions of people. Or, so he assumed. He should probably confirm.

"Why?" he asked.

Actions of individuals that are in the past and were not registered by me cannot be accounted, the female robotic voice answered.

Kyle nodded. "Okay. When did you, uhh, power on?"

One minute ago.

One minute ago! It . . . She could have not possibly known who put her in his head.

This was ridiculous. Why would someone put such a thing in his head. How was it even possible. Well, since what has happened has happened, no harm knowing a few things.

Finally calm, Kyle settled back down on the bed and asked, "Where am I?"

The voice remained silent for some moments. Analyzing. . . You are on a planet called Earth.

Kyle grimaced. That was not what he had wanted to know but it'll do. At least, he knew his home planet was not destroyed and he was not somewhere light years away.

He thought hard on how to structure his next question. "Who're the beings that invaded Earth?"

Humans.

The simple answer shocked him. Humans? But they had seemed so strong, stronger than any human on Earth could be.

He stayed in shocked silence for some time before asking again, "What planet are they from?"

To his perplexity, the voice remained silent for a very long time before responding with a long list of confusing names: Ardax, Scorius, Ga, Taris, Draco, Neptune, Ventus, Placa, Radon, Hugor, Siberium, Atla, Jays . . .

"Ok! Ok! Please stop, I've had enough!" Kyle interrupted. He palmed his face in unbelief. "Jeez, how many planets did those b*stards gather from?"

Countless.

Kyle blinked. "Oh, I wasn't referring to you."

The emotionless voice continued on, The time is nearing though.

Kyle blinked again, this time in confusion. "Time for what?"

The Warrior Games.

Kyle swallowed . . .

And choked. Hard.