I Reincarnated as an NPC Witch

Greater Power

“Cleave?” Abigail looks at him with shock in her eyes, “Another one of those bastards? So, they’re not working by themselves?” Laurence nods, “Well, they’re not working by themselves even before. I am once a partner of them to fix the code of their game and fix bugs when they are wanting to release a lot of new content in the game. But, they betrayed me and put me in the very same game that they let me fix its ‘bugs’. Little did I know this is some sort of astral prison for our souls to be able to roleplay as something that they told us to be. They don’t create these graphics, they have either commissioned or get some volunteers to give them some of these sweet realistic models.” He sighs, “But, what did they do? They got their souls and trapped them inside a machine, forever making the models they need for them.”

“It means, there are more people in this game than we expected?” He nods, “Even with my power over this game and some of their computer’s systems, I don’t know how many people are trapped in this machine. I don’t even know the full picture of trapping human souls in an artificial body. Whatever this ability they got, it’s scary. They could make AIs out of us without even trying, just like the graphic artists they got and enslaved in this machine.” Abigail looks at him, “How could they even do this?” Laurence shrugs, “I don’t know. Even the idea of trapping a soul here is still something I need to absorb and accept. The human soul is just depicted as a metaphor for almost everything we embodied minus the physical body. I didn’t even know that really existed in real life. I thought it’s just from those old beliefs and all that shenanigans.” He sighs, “I think it was better for us to have no awareness about the real existence of souls. I think it’s better for humanity to not know what this abomination inside us could do. Just see how these bastards took it for themselves. How about other people who have much darker intentions, as if the intentions these developers have will get worse.”

Abigail sighs, “Will you?” Laurence looks at her, “What do you mean?” She takes a deep breath and puffs, “If you were given that awareness, what would you do with it? Especially the thing they use to get us here, whatever that is.” Laurence became silent for a little bit as he shrugs, “I don’t know, Abigail, to be honest with you. I don’t know. That knowledge is a bit heavy in the back.” She looks at him, “But the fact that these guys could just easily manipulate this awareness to their own will, I don’t think that it’s that heavy, hmm?”

“It’s heavy, Abigail. You don’t know how heavy this situation is. This is another level of a security breach or privacy invasion. They didn’t just take our credit card number nor the password of our social media accounts. It’s even worse than those. They took our soul, basically our lives as a whole. It’s a heavy obligation to have. They are just acting like kids that don’t hold their responsibility well. I don’t judge them dreaming to create the most realistic and interactive game. I judge them for their decision of taking others’ past, present, and future just for the sake of that.” Laurence sighs as he looks away from her, “This is literally a god’s ability, Abigail. If it weren’t for my determination to get everyone, and especially me, out of this place, I would just tuck myself in the corner. This awareness is scary and the ability to extract our soul and everything we have is even scarier, terrifying even. Talking about psychological horror.”

He shakes his head in disappointment, “Like me, Abigail.” Laurence turns to her, “I worked my way to get this elevation of access. Even if it looks like it’s great up here, it’s not that easy to be in this position. It’s not at all. You feel a great sense of obligation to get you and all of you out of this mess of a place. Even if it looks so cool to be able to manipulate some systems and even get in and out of this game, it is, I’ll admit. But, it’s not something for just funsies. Unlike The Gemini is doing to the awareness that they have right now.  They know they can use their co-humans to be something they want through the soul thing they used to trap us. So, they made us a character in this anime-like game with a massive medieval fantasy inspiration. Just think of that, Abigail, just think of all of these things in your surroundings. It’s either screwed up or totally screwed up, nothing in between, no choices.”

Abigail sighs, “I am sorry, I was caught up with the world I am in right now. Thank you for knocking me out of my senses. I was in this euphoric feeling the whole time, I knew it got to end somehow.” Laurence looks at her, “I am sorry for interrupting your surge of artificial dopamine or coded happiness, but I got to slap you some reality, well, simulated reality. Besides all of that bad news I said to you, I got much better news to calm your nerves.”

She looks at him, “What is it?” Laurence smiles widely, “Did you noticed something while you were in this utopia of yours earlier?” Abigail was visibly confused, “I mean, I noticed this forest and I got this fox. Is there something to this?” He nods, “For now, this place is only visible to the both of us. Even the companions that we have. Well, that you have. I can have anything I want anyways. I don’t want another artificial obligation. Although, it can relieve my sadness of missing Lily back in the real world.” He looks at the black fox that he got as his face’s mood dropped a bit. He’s wearing a bitter yet sweet smile for a moment. He shakes his head and looks at her, “But, yeah, all of this can’t be seen by everyone but us. With your addition, they need to create all of these to go along with your character, Crocus. I am quite a bit pissed at why they did this, but I guess you have more time to prepare for the challenges they have prepared in the west.”

“Why?” Laurence flicks his tongue, “Remember that snowy thing I said to you before? They halted that one for a bit to work with your own things.” He laughs, “You know why I have that apartment before?” Abigail looks at him, “Why?” He shakes his head, “They are moving my stuff to the new thing, so my all-mighty dark wizard tower is out of the game. I don’t know why, since I am not the villain in this update, or at least I am but I will not be the greater one.” “What do you mean?”

“I thought you are an avid fan of this game? With a new place comes a much greater villain. Although thinking of the fact that they will move my things to there, maybe I am.” Abigail rolls her eyes, “Are you serious?” “Hey,” he looks at her, “I don’t know everything that they plan! There are only a few things I could do.” Laurence crosses his arms, “Anyway, back to the topic. The new is was halted, blah, blah, your things are getting in development, blah, blah. In conclusion, you still have time to get to Garett. Which I have another good news for you.”

Abigail looks at him with hope in her eyes. “He’s pretty much fine. I still need to get on his directory and see what they did to him. I know where it is but it’s not the perfect time to mess with his files. Especially they are looking at everyone’s files except yours.”

“So, I am the only one whose files are protected?” He shakes his head, “Mine’s too. But, they know that they already get rid of my memory. So, they have nothing against me. They might be suspicious to me but not that heavy. I honestly thank the corrupted for existing, somehow. Since they are covering my tracks. They know about that thing but not my awareness and elevation of access. But, with him quarantined in this system, I can’t do much as I do when it’s on the loose. It’s a curse and a blessing situation. Although, much on the cursed side. You’re protected but you are vulnerable. They are as determined as us to get you out of your real self and to the identity, they prepared for you.”

“You’re here to protect me, right?” Laurence looks at her, “I am and I do…” He sighs, “But, I don’t promise that I could every time, just like before.” Abigail groans, “What is this service? I thought I was promised 100% protection? Where’s your manager?” They both laugh as Laurence sighs, “But, in all seriousness, I can’t really do that. You know? As I’ve said, there’s only much I could do. With their godly powers and my average computer ability, who will win in that fight? I mean, I have a chance. But, probability doesn’t like me as much as I don’t like it. I am not a gambling man, you know? I am more leaning toward certainty. And this situation doesn’t call for that.”

Abigail smiles and holds his shoulder. With some squeeze and rub on it, she comforts him. “At least, I know you are trying. There’s nothing wrong with trying, right? You could lose more if you didn’t try.” He nods, “Thank you.” Laurence muttered under his breath, “I never felt this heavy obligation before apart from making myself survive with the little salary I have. They have the same problem, it’s a matter of life or death. But, it’s not just me who will live or die, it’s you, me, and all of the people in this god-forsaken world.” He giggled a bit, “They were right, being in this isolated place gets you crazy. I hope it’s not that severe.”

The witch smiles, “Don’t worry, you’re not crazy. They are The Gemini. They are crazy for putting us in a game. I mean, there’s no sane person that will abduct someone just for their soul to be put in a game, are there?” He shakes his head as he sighs, “I am sorry that became too emotional. It’s been months since I got a human contact, well, real human contact. Not some sort of robots with human intelligence that are controlled by the people who ruined my entire life.”

“It’s fine. Besides, you’ve been masking your true identity for everyone. You can unmask your emotions to me. Just like how you unmask your plans to me.” Abigail giggled, “Besides, you can trust me. I am not someone that’s just here to spy on you guys.” Laurence squints at her as she laughs, “I am just kidding. You know how badly I want to get out of this, from your own words, god-forsaken world.” Laurence smiles, “Thank you once more.” He clears his throat as he puts on the hood of his robe once more. “You can also now go near at the vicinity of the Yris. They cleared up the recycle bin of the computer, so that information is gone, forever.” Abigail rolls her eyes, “Why did you say her name so ominous?” He laughs as he pats her on the back, “I will be going now. Be fast, your companions are finding you.”

He vanished through the fog, leaving Abigail behind. She decided to go back with the fox that she summoned to the city once more. As she arrived in the manor, she was immediately welcomed by her friends. “Where have you been?”