Level 25

Level 2 Changing Timelines

Level 2 can be tiresome, lots of experience farming, battle coins earning and character levels to jump and Otto does just that. His eyes have not seen anything outside the generated world through the goggles attached to the gaming helmet for about nine constant hours. All the while he is accompanied by his now friend Lenny. Both the boys kept pushing through their limits until it was too much to bear. 

“Oh Len, buddy I think I just fell asleep for a minute  there.” informs Otto. Lenny replies “I am still good for another hour or two. There is just so much to do in this place. I wish I could live here, under the stars.” Otto could not help but smirk at Lenny’s comment. Otto did not elaborate when Lenny asked a reason. He just said “You can lie and look at the stars and go to sleep while connected.” The idea did not seem that bad considering the world they had in front. It may be fake, there ain’t a smell nor the feeling of the cold winds caressing their faces but the area is open, the clouds keep moving, forming various shapes and the stars form constellations. To top it all is the crown jewel surrounded by twinkling stars, the big round moon. It’s not too bright but just right. This made a lasting effect on all gamers exploring the giant world of ICBA.

“Fun fact, the AI created the sky on its own, learning from both real life and cartoon images of the sky.” says Otto. He then proceeds to log out mentioning how much his stomach started growling for sustenance. Taking the helmet off after such long hours has left him dizzy. It takes a couple of minutes to readjust. Otto could not walk. He is still commanding his virtual legs. Realizing his mistake Otto laughs at himself and forces his body up from the comfort of the sofa. Otto attempts to twist his body in various angles focusing on the joints that hurt. “How long will I keep doing this?” Otto asks himself disgusted by his own existence.

Otto starts feeling pain. He takes a look at his phone which was kept aside in silence. Twenty-two missed calls from Ted. Otto keeps silent and still undecided. Should he call back or not. “I know what awaits if I call back. I cannot go through it all over again. Why!!! Why did I have to come back?” screams Otto, his eyes teary. 

Otto lets go of his phone and it drops in the table with a thad. He turns off all sources of light and sits in the corner, thinking and fighting his own judgements. All the while he asks himself why and how but he cannot reach any conclusion. Otto remains isolated and devastated inside his own dark den for as long as he possibly can.

Far away in a different continent, Melenie decorates a board with clues, pictures and dates with their corresponding events. She marks three questions with stars. The sole purpose of this board is to find the answers. “DID I ACTUALLY DIE?; AM I REALLY BACK IN TIME?; HOW IS THIS CONNECTED WITH LEVEL 25?”, are the questions etched onto the board in bold black marker ink. The dates and events correspond to different occurrences in ICBA and her personal life; events in the future.

September 12, 2022 - Launch of ICBA

April 5, 2023 - ICBA Neural Command Update

September 12, 2023 - Omega Update

February 14, 2024 - Introduction to Level 25

September 12, 2024 - Networld Upgrade

October 3, 2024 - AI Kills Me

September 14, 2022 - Accident

December 3, 2022 - Break up with Omar

December 12, 2022 - Meet Omar and his girlfriend (Chance Encounter)

The second round of events are all concerned with her life and it goes on for quite a number of lines. The girl stands still with the marker placed above her lips, her arms crossed. She is examining the contents of the board, the pictures of a wedding dress and a tech company called Rhino Tech and the hardwares for ICBA. She also has a group picture in the midst where everyone wears the same black color with Networld company logo. She is clearly not good at this. The board has lots of information without any organization. She breaks her posture with a big sigh.

Melenie brings out her phone, looks at herself with the front camera. She squeezes her chubby chicks and poses her face in different angles. Melenie looks rather cute with her hair all tied up in a bun and her eyes covered with big round nerdy glasses. She checks up on her teeth ending with a smile to herself. Melenie positions her phone in a stand, facing the window in a slight angular posture, allowing her to record the street in front of her house. She stands near the window to begin her live session.   

Hello it’s Melenie back again with my voodoo time travel experience. I know most of you don’t believe me but I have another proof for you. So, on September 14, 2022 I had a bad accident. Yes, it's today. A black SUV rushed in front of my home street and I barely got out of it’s way, falling hard with the entire pressure on my left arm. I remember it being fractured. Today, I will change the future by not even going out into the streets. A black SUV will pass at a very high speed any minute now. I can’t really recall the exact time.

Melenie does not remember the reason for her to stroll in the streets that day until she saw the events unfolding all over again in front of her own eyes. Back in 2022 she was out in the yard playing with her little sister who is about six years old now. “Oh no! Kira!” Melenie exclaims. Kira plays in the yard but Melenie is no longer there to supervise. Realizing the urgency of the situation she rushes out in panic. Little Kira, keeps pretending to be a bird and runs around looking up in the sky following the birds. She falls quite a lot, but something about this meaningless running always cheers her up. In her past Melenie stood close to the roads looking after Kira and she was never in any danger.

Like always Kira pretends to be a bird. She does not realize when she passed out of the yard onto the roads. Melenie runs from her second storey room towards Kira. The black SUV arrives just as she remembers but this time it hits. Melenie is able to pull Kira by her arms away from the road but she gets a bump slightly by the side of the car when the driver attempts to avoid a direct collision with the sisters. The SUV sped away. Melenie fell from the impact a little further. She lays bleeding from her head. Meanwhile her phone records the entire incident.

In his home the daylight forced itself in disregarding the curtains' attempt to keep Otto in pitch black. He has not moved since last night, not eaten or drunk a drop of water. He slept sitting overcome by tiredness from all the thinking and weeping. It is way past noon when Otto finally opens his eyes gasping for air, finally escaping the grasp of his recurrent nightmares. Otto seems to lack emotions as he fixes himself up with some food and a long cold shower. He wears a black suit, combs his long hair that is in a desperate need for a proper cut and shaves himself clean for an event. Otto has faced his demons and now he moves silently towards the door.

Otto walks alone lost in his thoughts finally arriving in a familiar neighborhood. He once lived here and the place remains the same. Next to him is a small suburban house where he spent a lot of time, running around in the yard, having long conversations and even studying for long hours. This was a place full of beautiful memories yet it feels so distant coming back from a time when he had no reason left to come here. Otto enters to find himself in the midst of unfamiliar people. His anxiety rises in such a situation so he tries hard not to bump into the crowd. A familiar soundtrack grabs Otto’s attention. Her favorite song breaks his emotionless barrier; Otto smiles.

“Are you here for my funeral. I know you hate me but this is so low even for you.” a young woman whispers tauntingly  into Otto’s ear. Otto looks at her with a smile. His eyes get  watery, his mind finally at peace. Otto hugs the woman in a tight embrace. “Oh, it hurts Otto. I am glad you have come to your senses. Dying is boring without you.” says the lovely woman. “I am sorry Sasha. I never hated you. I… I was just scared… I can’t...” blurts Otto hurting and finally releasing Sasha from his embrace. 

Sasha smiles back and wipes the single drop of tear sliding down Otto’s cheek with her hands.  “I am trying to not cry today Otto. Please just be here with me now and all will be fine, okay.” says Sasha hoping her words will calm Otto down. They don’t talk anymore but look at each other memorizing every detail in each other’s face as it could very well be the last time. Sasha looks pale and sick but Otto could not help but admire her beauty and attempt to look perfect for today. She is trying to have fun with colorful clothing and a dark purple lipstick. She desperately wants to look okay. Otto sees her the way she wants to be seen beautiful and elegant.

Their silence is finally disturbed when a good looking young fellow stomps towards Otto with anger. “How dare you come after what you did yesterday? You ghosted me Otto.” he says. “Do you know what happened last night? I didn't call you to ask about your health.” he continues. Sasha intervenes in an attempt to calm him down with her sarcastic remarks, “Babe, I am dying here, would you please not ruin this for me.” Otto knew what happened last night. He was there in his last timeline but in this timeline he came after Sasha had her episode. He has changed his future through his indecisions. “Sasha, I am just fed up okay. I don’t like your death jokes. They are not fun. After what you've been through last night nothing is fun.” says the young fellow before moving away to calm himself. “Ted wait...” Otto finally speaks. “Don’t… Let him go, he will be back to his cheerful self soon. Last night was rough for him” Sasha says feeling sad for Ted. 

“About last night...” Otto tries to explain but Sasha cuts him off “I am glad you didnt show. So, no worries. I am alive right and glowing for now.” “You should really cut down on the death jokes.” says Otto. “Well, it keeps my expectations in check. Now let's go do something fun, okay.” implores Sasha with her trademark creepy smile. Otto missed her smile, her smell and every detail of her face. It must be the first time when he is at peace by reality in years. 

Sasha wanted a farewell party. She knows what awaits her hence, she wants to have fun. Last night she thought she would die and wanted to see Otto one last time. She is alive still. Moreover, she has her best friend back and now she is more energetic. Sasha drags Otto along with her and greets everyone with a broad smile. She never fails to impress. In an instant she could change the mood of the conversation with her quick witted remarks. Sasha was finally happy in this moment with Otto, Ted, her friends and family all by her side.

Sadly enough she could sense the sadness that surrounded her. It was a lot of effort to keep the party going with such a depressing reason for the gathering. Otto notices her struggle, like he notices every single thing about her. He suggests playing games like they used to. Sasha quickly accepts the invitation, dragging him away from the guests. What she did did not come as a surprise to Otto. Sasha has already ordered the helmet for ICBA and she wants to play for the first time with Otto by her side. Otto likes her idea but he did not have his gaming helmet. To his surprise, Sasha had two of them one for her and the other probably for Ted. “I am very good at this might I remind you” informs Otto. “Oh, you devil! You started this game without me. How could you? I will kill you.” exclaims Sasha. “If I say, I came from the future, would you believe me?” asks Otto. “Yes, only if you can tell me when I would finally die.” says Sasha. Otto goes silent, he knows the exact date, the exact hour and minute when Sasha dies, but he was not there out of guilt. He could not, he still cannot save her from her fate.

“Oh, you seem serious. So, when is it?” asks Sasha again. Otto replies with a question “Do you really want to know?”. “Yes, if I could know I would know, look death right in the eye and say let's get to the next level buddy.” says Sasha with courage even though she is terrified. “You never die, in the future. We become ICBA buddies and conquer this land with style.” Otto knows her better and knowing the actual time would make her more scared of the inevitable unknown. 

Sasha chose the name SashaSerious for the name and for her first super power she chose flight. She has heard from the advertisement how the flying feels so real and it is something she was eager to try first hand. Otto has unlocked the second ability and for flying around with Sasha he chose flight as well. “Should I pay for the next power or I could level up like you?” asks Sasha. Otto explains she is too much of a noob to beat him without leveling up and so she should level up for a match against him. Sasha was always better at games. No matter how hard Otto tried, Sasha had the upper hand. Otto makes Sasha level up to have a fair battle. 

SashaSerious is more than just flying now, she chose the “COLOR CYCLONE” as her second and “FADING” as her third power upgrade. They begin fighting with each other learning the controls and talking about their lives as if nothing happened. Sasha feels Otto has changed in some way or he just feels grown up in the manner he speaks, the longing he shows. Otto loved her from a long time ago. For ten years they were almost inseparable and the last four years were just void. Otto was not into gaming, it was Sasha who liked competitive games like ICBA, maybe he chose to hide in games, maybe he found a part of his best friend but he is not sure himself. He just wanted to beat the game.

Sasha was failing miserably with the mind commands. “Just relax and think you are going up as in an elevator.” instructs Otto. Sasha is still not sure if it would work but Otto shows her by flying circles above her taunting her for her failures. Sasha is not one to let Otto get away with that. She commands her character to fly, and fly she did with a whoosh faster than any elevator she has ever been, reaching a lot higher than Otto did. The skies in the world of ICBA are so clear and out of the world. The views looking down can surely give a feeling of flying. Otto grabs Sasha’s hand both in virtual and reality and keeps soaring through the skies exploring the glorious sights below. “Thank you Ott, I am glad to have played this. Now I could say I flew” Sasha expresses her joy holding onto Otto tighter. “I knew you would love this game. Sash,I am sorry for being such a jerk to you.” says Otto.

“Hey, I know something ain’t right with you. You sound so cold but you should be happy. I want you to be even when I am not around. Plus, I could never really stay mad at you long. So, now show me how to fight and cause some chaos in here.” Sasha says. Otto then continues to explain every detail of the game with excitement. Sasha is intrigued by the knowledge he has. Otto was never someone to deeply associate himself with a game. They start to fight against each other but Otto’s quick moves were too much for Sasha’s inexperience. “I think there should be an option to play with a controller. I would have beat your ass a hundred times over if I had a controller.” informs Sasha. Otto comes to the rescue with his knowledge once again. He knows of the existence of a patch that allows limb movements and special attacks with controllers. They download the patch and now Sasha feels more in her element with perfect movements. Otto goes further to explain that this will be banned from ICBA after a few months but it’s worthed as ICBA characters are built to be controlled by the brain. 

Sasha is finally able to lay hits on Otto. She uses her character's special attack the “Color Cyclone”. This power allows her character to summon a rainbow where all the colors whirl into a cyclone covering up Otto’s OmegaWarrior. Sasha could not help but laugh at the sight especially with OmegaWarrior looking so much similar to Otto. She is loud and this somehow triggers a continuous loop of coughs. Otto helps her out of the helmet and rushes to get some water. Ted runs towards Sasha noticing her distress. Otto brings her the water and attempts to help her drink, but the glass is taken off his hand almost forcefully by Ted, who ends up helping Sasha drink. She sips in a bit and takes a deep breath. “I am fine boys, no panicking, okay.” ensures Sasha.

Ted wants Sasha to stop with gaming and take some rest but she is still not satisfied. She starts acting like a child pleading to Ted for one more hour of gameplay. Ted could never say no to Sasha and allows her one hour. “I give up. But only an hour.” he reminds her. Ted looks to Otto to point outside asking him for a private chat. Otto nods in return; he goes behind Ted. All the while Sasha gets busy wearing the helmet and gets more in touch with her character in ICBA.

Otto arrives back to the sofa and crushes beside Sasha. Sasha asks what it was about to which Otto replies, it’s men bonding and not something for her ears. They keep teasing and taunting each other in the game world. Lenny arrives towards Otto finding him online. “Hey, bud… What’s up?” asks Lenny. Otto introduces Lenny with Sasha. “So, Mr. Back to the future how far are you from Level 25.” inquires Lenny. Sasha and Lenny start talking about Level 25 and Otto’s wish to become the best. Otto does not interrupt them choosing to remain silent. “I would like to beat this Level 25 too. Sounds awesome.” shares Sasha with excitement. Sasha and Lenny want to fight each other but they get interrupted by three players one of whom has a grudge to settle against Otto.

It’s Alisha and her two friends looking forward to a rematch against Otto. “I will crush you this time OmegaWarrior. You used the controller patch for sure. Now we have it as well.” declares Alisha in confidence. “Hey, no one crushes Otto but me. And he never used any controller.” informs Sasha. Alisha does not believe. Lenny suggests a three on three challenge and they agree to fight. Otto blurts a single remark “Thoughts can do a lot more than any controller”.

In one side it's OmegaWarrior with two powers, SashaSerious with three powers and BigBadLenny with one power while the other side has every challenger with three powers. KillBill, MotaStriker and JohnnyHits.

The battle begins with Otto charging towards Johnny by air. He grabs him by his throat lifting him up in tremendous speed as high as he could using his super strength. Down in the ground the others could not help but see what Otto actually plans on doing. Otto and Johnny disappears for a second and reappears with Otto’s fist placed behind Johnny’s chin. All the while he keeps Johnny in place grabbing with his other hand. Johnny tries to break free but the super strength grab was too much for his character. The next instant Otto pins him into the ground. His health drives to zero before he could take any action or show his abilities.  

Now, it has become two versus one. Alisha takes the chance to end Sasha with her signature sword s***h and super speed. “Sasha, lookout!” shouts Otto. To both Alisha and Otto’s surprise Sasha fades away before the impact only to reappear up in the skies. “Opps, did you just hit my reflection.” taunts Sasha. Alisha’s teammate MotaStriker is a fat character that goes well with his actual plump face. His character has a seriously elastic belly capable of reflecting very powerful attacks. Otto informs the team about Arun Seth, the actual man behind MotaStriker. Arun looks forward to fighting Otto but he was in for a surprise. Otto focuses multiple one to three punches all along his face, followed by a jump and punch capable of pushing his enormous body backwards.

Alisha does not like to be made a fool and she uses her gust powers to launch sharp knives like wind blows all over Sasha and Lenny. Sasha quickly swoops down behind Lenny who protects her and himself using his invulnerable body. Otto keeps repeating the one to three punches dodging every attempt made by Arun to fight back.

Otto suddenly finds himself in a glitch, he is transferred to an unfamiliar room, looking somewhat like a laboratory while he lands his rhythmic punching. Before he could see the surroundings more clearly he finds himself back in the desert where they are in fighting. This sudden memory flash distracts Otto enough for Arun to get a direct strike throwing Otto onto the ground. Arun goes in for the kill strike. Sasha sees Otto in a bad condition and he is still not moving. “Ott, you okay” asks Sasha but he doesn't answer. Sasha dives in from above with her rainbow cyclone but this time she focuses the power into a ball. She places herself in between Otto and Arun letting the ball hit the Earth below. It does not blast in contact but it engulfs an entire radius of the battlefield along with MotaStriker completely.

Arun cannot see anything but various colors, everywhere he moves and his life which was already low from all the consecutive punches is draining down until it’s finally zero. “That’s a colorful chaos for you” sighs Sasha. Alisha takes this distraction as a chance and cuts Sasha with her sword from behind, instantly draining her life to zero. “Oh, well I am finally dead” exclaims Sasha. Otto is still shaken. He has seen that place before but he could not remember, Alisha strikes fast and beats Otto in an instant leaving only Lenny. Lenny was too slow to stop Alisha and now he has to face her alone.

Otto finally shakes it off. “Sash, is it your first time playing this. That attack was just beautiful” admires Otto. Lenny challenges Alisha in a one on one battle forfeiting the current 3v3 fight. “Why a one on one Lenny?” asks Otto. “When you finally go on to face that Level 25 you keep talking about I want to be there with you.” replies Lenny. Sasha cheers him on and so does Otto. “You cool girl. I want you to be part of the crew Sasha” says Lenny to Sasha. “I am part of this crew forever boys.” informs Sasha with excitement. Lenny gives a hell yeah to her comment and Otto silently says to himself “Forever” with a heartfelt smile. 

“Okay, I am ready to test your invulnerability against my sword.” announces Alisha as they start their battle.