Somnia Online by K.T. Hanna (reading strategies book txt) 📕

it moved so fast after that initial moment, Murmur couldn’t follow it with her eyes. The next thing she knew, Devlish was smashed against one of the cliff rocks surrounding the arena they stood in.

Michael’s eyes crinkled, and he laughed, taking a step forward to run after the dread knight. He paused mid-step, a brief flash of confusion showing across his face. Behind him, Telvar grinned and taunted him with his second taunt.

They’d already figured out that Michael needed two taunts for them to stick. Game physics in all its glory. It was fascinating to watch. Even as Murmur pushed every single thing in she could to take his power from him, and even as she watched the rogues throwing knives or using bows instead of their habitual close combat abilities, Murmur knew what was happening.

Even as powerful as the man had become inside his own fantasy, even as much as he wanted to and thought he could and should be able to read minds, Michael had forgotten something. Telvar grinned, hitting that damned taunt button again. “How about you turn and face me then, because I’m your opponent now.”

He’d forgotten that the AIs were sentient and that they could and would fight back.

Murmur could sense the regret at that oversight roll off him in waves. It was quick, like a brief drenching downpour, and then he sealed his thoughts back up and away from her. But it was enough to know he wasn’t completely immune to anything they might throw at them.

She tossed a thought out to Somnia as Telvar kept their opponent engaged. Devlish had suffered some heavy DoT damage and needed them to wear off before he could step back in. Luckily, Risk was ready to take over the yo-yo when it was next required.

Any ETA? How low is too low? Can you give me anything else to go on? She shot the questions at the world, just needing an answer at any time, if not now. Michael’s health ticked toward the seventy-five and down past it before Somnia finally answered.

It’s better if he’s more alive than dead. We are probably ten minutes out? It was like she asked for confirmation and Murmur rolled her eyes.

We’re sitting just under seventy-five percent right now. So he’s more alive. Get here when you can, and by the gods, you owe me explanations. Murmur left the conversation this time, needing to concentrate as she could see Michael getting ready to push off again.

It made her wonder why he wasn’t using more specific attacks. Surely his predecessor that he’d taken over had more offensive tactics? Hell, Jirald had his full arsenal of spells available to him, and he’d used the hell out of them.

And then, as Michael rose into the air and this time got ready for what looked like a corkscrew dive directly down into the stone beneath him, the reason why he seemed so limited on abilities hit her. Michael wasn’t a gamer. Nor had he previously had a character in Somnia.

She had to duck and roll as Michael landed, a shard of rock catching her in the face and cutting through her flesh as if it were butter. She grunted and forgot about it a second later when a heal landed on her. But she had hope now, so injuries didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except what she’d discovered.

Michael didn’t know how to play a boss. He’d never encountered one; all he could base his actions on were the few things he probably had in his HUD, and the way he’d witnessed monster villains in movies or books being portrayed. For a brief moment, she almost felt sorry for him.

Here he was with this cool-ass character that undoubtedly had a heap of hidden talents and abilities within reach, and Michael didn’t appear to know that he could grab them. Instead, he used brute force, which was quite effective but wouldn’t last forever.

When Michael created the headgear, he was focused on reaching the inner mind. While the game afforded him the ability to develop it and test its limits, he wasn’t personally in tune with the gaming aspect. Just the scientific approach that allowed him to get that step closer to reading minds, to manipulating minds. That was his accomplishment, that was his obsession, and the sad fact was, in all these months, it had still been his only goal.

She spoke over guild, trying to contain her excitement. He’s not a gamer.

It was all she said, but she could sense every single member of Fable around her in that raid suddenly lose some of the tension that threatened to overwhelm them.

Veranol: So he doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing?

Murmur smiled to herself. Not so much, no.

Jinna: Good. Let’s get rid of this virus.

Murmur grinned to herself, feeling like there might actually be an end to all of this that didn’t completely suck. She sent her thoughts to Somnia. We’re ready when you are.

Somnia felt nervous. She knew she didn’t have the original three AIs with her because they were already on the island with the stupid intruder, trying to delay him like they needed.

Arita was by her side, as was Dirsna, Forshin, and Intanka, from the hunters who’d lain siege to Verendus so long ago. Somnia felt oddly out of her depth without Murmur to anchor her. She was further from Murmur by proximity than she’d been since she was created, since she’d come into existence. And yet, if she needed to be there, she could, in a flash, if something happened that Murmur couldn’t deal with.

“Are they ready yet?” Arita asked, impatiently, interrupting her thoughts.

“Almost. We’re almost done here too. This should be enough, maybe more than enough.” Still so much uncertainty in her mind, even when she was factually certain of something. Being assertive with anyone who wasn’t Murmur seemed difficult. But she had to get over that if she was to survive. They all needed her to get over it.

“Do you think it will