Episode 7-Ender's Game (18)

We were in the Battle-room. The boys asked me to demonstrate my defensive position, but some of them complained and said, "How can we attack lying on our backs?"

Dink didn't correct them. In the novel, he used the corridor orientation and didn't think of the enemy gate as downward. He understood the effectiveness of it, but not the inherent mindset you would need to pair with it.

After that demonstration, Dink ordered his men to attack a star and move above and under it. They always had a stand-up position, so the feet-first position caused them to have vertigo when they went under. Because they were insistent on perceiving a form of gravity that didn't exist, they became awkward as they executed the move. As time went on, they began to hate the feet-first position. By proxy, they hated Ender. Who was me.

"Do we have to learn how to fight from a Launchy?" One of the soldiers complained.

"Yes," Dink answered.

After that, we had a mock battle, and the other soldiers saw the effectiveness of the feet-first position. It narrowed the surface area an enemy fighter could shoot at, and made it difficult to freeze them. As soon as they realized that, they began to practice the technique more willingly.

As evening came - or what could be counted as evening in Earth's orbit - I went to see my Launchies. I conversed with Alai, and we went straight to work on training. We practiced what I learned from Rat Army, but I also put my own iterations on the techniques. Especially thanks to Fragment of the 4th Wall.

[Try to ma ke th em fly wi th one leg fro zen. The n two le gs fro zen. Also, try to usi ng fro zen boys as leve rage to chan ge dir ect ions...]

Using Fraggy's advise, I began to direct my Launchie group and coordinate them. Halfway through the practice, I saw Petra and Dink standing in the doorway together. I looked away from them for a little bit, and when I looked back, they were gone.

(Ender questioned whether he could trust them, but I know their characters. He can, unless the creator of this simulation made changes.)

After that, we continued training until the very end.

***

Two days had passed. Another battle had come onto Rat Army's shores, and we were ready to face it. It would be the first battle I would officially participate in.

"Wiggin! Come forward!" Rose de Nose shouted.

I followed his orders, and came forth.

"We'll see how well you do now, Ender. As soon as that door opens, you jump through, go straight ahead toward the enemy's door."

(That's basically suicide. Absolutely pointless self-destruction,) I thought angrily.

"Yes, sir," I said simply.

The wall vanished. I launched myself through the gateway, and felt the grasp of zero-gravity, or better to say, lack of a grasp. The opposition was Centipede Army, and they were slowly emerging from their gate. Unlike them, I was halfway through the Battle-room. Many of them were able to get to cover quickly, but I already brought my legs up, held my pistol to my crotch, and shot at them.

They froze my legs, but I had three seconds before they could flash my body. I froze several boys, and twisted myself to look at the main contingent of Centipede Army. I fired into the mass of soldiers - a second later, they froze me. My momentum carried me throughout the battle-room at high velocities, but the friction from the air eventually slowed me down.

After my initial bout, Rat Army proceeded to fight, and won the game. After that, I checked the scoreboard, and saw I was still number one in the standings. I saw that I had frozen three people, disabled two, and damaged seven. There was no more talk of my perceived ineptitude, and Rose de Nose allowed me to use my desk as I pleased.

What I perceived as a suicide tactic was actually put into practice by Dink. The idea of instant emergence from the corridor intrigued him - my attack on Centipede while they were still coming out was devastating, and was a successful attack on their forces.

"If one man can do that damage, think what a toon can do," Dink said.

Soon, Dink even had Major Anderson open a door in the middle of a wall in the Battle-room, so soldiers could practice emerging in battle conditions. Rat Army's new tactic spread, and the usual waiting time in the corridor changed. You couldn't size up the battle-room and wait 10 to 15 seconds. The first army out of the corridor was the army that had more control of the battle-room, which was highly important now. The game had changed.

More battles came our way. We lost some skirmishes, and I made mistakes. My standings in the scoreboard fell, and I lost first place. I learned from my failures, though, and slowly rose back up. I felt comfortable in my toon, and was able to work within the framework of it. Soon, Rat Army was devastating the battlefields.

***

After one practice session, I stayed in the battle-room. I noticed Dink stayed behind, and I thought he was trying to get extra practice. Although, I was wrong. He wasn't practicing; Dink stood in the doorway watching me. I simply stood, watching him. He probably expected me to leave, but I didn't. This was my way of saying "no." Soon, Dink took off his battle suit, and went back into the Battle-room. He flew around for a bit, and came back out.

"Come on," he said to me.

We went to our barracks, and it was empty, since everyone else was at the mess hall having dinner. We changed into regular uniforms. After I was done, I waited at Dink's bunk.

"Why did you wait?" Dink asked.

"I just felt like it."

"Well, now you know why I'm not a commander."

(Ah. If I remember right, this introduces his backstory.)

"Actually, they promoted me twice, and I refused."

"Really? Why?" I inquired.

"The second time they took away my old locker and bunk and desk, assigned me to a commander's cabin, and gave me an army. But I just stayed in the cabin until they gave in and put me back in someone else's army."

"Why would you do that, Dink?"

"Because I won't let them do it to me. I can't believe you haven't seen through all this crap yet, Ender. But I guess you're young. These other armies, they aren't the enemy. It's the teachers, they're the enemy. They get us to fight each other, to hate each other. The game is everything. Win, win, win. It amounts to nothing. We kill ourselves, go crazy trying to beat each other, and all the time the old bastards are watching us, studying us, discovering our weak points, deciding whether we're good enough or not. Well, good enough for what? I was six-years-old when they brought me here. What the hell did I know? THEY decided I was right for the program, but no one ever asked me if the program was right for me."

"So... why don't you go back to Earth? Head back home, and see your family?"

Dink smiled crookedly, and said, "Because I can't give up the game. Because I love this."

"Why not be a commander then?"

Dink shook his head and said, "Never. Look at what it does to Rosen. The boy's crazy. Rose de Nose. Sleeps in here with us instead of in his cabin. Why? Because he's scared to be alone, Ender. Scared of the dark."

"I didn't know that."

"They made him a commander," Dink continued, "and now he has to act like one. He doesn't know what he's doing. He's winning, but that scares him worst of all because he doesn't know WHY he's winning, except that I have something to do with it. Any minute someone could find out that Rosen isn't some magic Israeli general who can win no matter what. He doesn't know why anyone wins or loses. No one does."

"That doesn't make him crazy, Dink."

"I know, you've been here for a year, you think these people are normal. Well, they're not. We're not. I look in the library, I call up books on my desk. Old ones - because they won't let us have anything new, but I've got a pretty good idea what children are, and we're not children. Children can lose sometimes, and no one cares. Children aren't in armies, they aren't commanders, and they don't rule over forty other kids. It's more than anyone can take and not go crazy."

After that, Dink began to talk about his brother, and how the children in Battle-school never cry. He said the Battle-School didn't make us, and that we came from somewhere - we had homes. He said everyone was crazy, and I asked if he wasn't. He said that when he's craziest, he's alone and in space, and that his insanity only comes out when battles come. I resumed the conversation.

"Maybe you can be a commander and not be crazy. Maybe knowing about craziness means you don't have to fall for it."

"I'm not going to let the bastards run me, Ender. They're got you pegged too, and they don't plan to treat you kindly. Look at what they've done to you so far."

I recalled what they've done. They took me out of my Launch group and placed me in the hold of an abusive commander. They did screw me over.

"Yeah, you're pretty right in that regard."

"They got you on ice. Don't let them."

"That's what I came for," I said half-heartedly. "For them to make me into a tool. To save the world."

"Do you honestly believe that?"

"Believe what?"

"The bugger menace. Save the world. Listen, Ender, if the buggers were coming back to get us, they'd be here. They aren't invading again. We beat them and they're gone."

"Yeah, but what about the videos?"

"All from the First and Second Invasions. Your grandparents weren't born yet when Mazer Rackham wiped them out. You watch. It's all fake. There is no war, and they're just screwing around with us."

"Why though?"

"Because as long as people are afraid of the buggers, the I.F. can stay in power, and as long as the I.F. is in power, certain countries can keep their hegemony. But keep watching the vids, Ender. People will catch onto this game pretty soon, and there'll be a civil war to end all wars. That's the menace, Ender, not the buggers. And in that war, when it comes, you and I won't be friends. Because you're American, just like our dear teachers. I am not."

After that depressing statement, Dink and I went to the mess hall to have some well-deserved dinner.

***

I was at evening practice, but I didn't see as many boys as before.

"Alai!" I beckoned the boy towards me.

"Ho, Ender."

"Why are there less people? They got something better to do, hm?"

Usually, the battle-room would be packed with Launchies, but our group was halved. Bernard - someone who enjoys the sessions so much - wasn't even here.

"Haven't you heard?" said someone else. "Word's out that any Launchy who comes to your practice sessions won't ever amount to anything in anyone's army. Word's out that the commanders don't want any soldiers who've been damaged by your training."

After that, we had casual banter, but it was interrupted when actual commanders from official armies came into our battle-room. They began to talk to the Launchies, and asked for their names.

(Are they trying to get early recruitment? Like me?)

It wasn't a farfetched idea. My case of promotion was unprecedented. Something along those lines could happen again if the boys I trained showed enough promise. That is what I thought, but I couldn't be more wrong.

***

It was the next evening. There was even fewer boys. I heard about it. My peers were getting slapped around in bathrooms, or had "accidents" in the mess hall or game room. They also had their computer systems destroyed by older kids; the primitive firewalls provided little protection.

I wanted to cancel this night's training session, but Alai convinced me otherwise. Stopping would actually encourage the behavior, and I didn't want to do that. It would be a show of force to continue on.

As we trained, soldiers from different armies came in and mocked us. Members from Salamander and Rat were amongst them, and they hurled jeers and insults. My comrades were getting riled up, but I calmed them down, and we even began mocking the soldiers.

While we took the verbal abuse, the older boys - in their glorious maturity - decided to come out from the corridors and fight us. Some of them had flash guns, and froze some of us. We couldn't fight back due to the bulkiness of our suits, but that didn't make us useless. The inherent stiffness of the suits could be an advantage. I had all of us gather in one spot, and when a boy charged at us, we threw a frozen Launchie at them. The helmeted boy hit the older one's chest, and he flew away screaming in pain.

As our skirmish began, I kicked one boy in the ear, fought off three more, and had my friends rendezvous somewhere else in the battle-room. As I kicked one boy in the groin, the opposing force sent me towards the door that led out of the battle-room. My Launchies grabbed me, and I felt the gravity take hold of me again.

(If those kids came into the battle-room without flash suits again, then the same thing will happen.)

I heard the agonized screams of some boys I've injured.

(If they come with suits for another fight, then we can just flash them.)

I echoed these thoughts with my comrades, and they agreed that we shouldn't cancel our practice because of this violent debacle. One of boys also said that the teachers wouldn't allow something like this to happen again.

(I can only hope.)

***

Later on, I checked some reports, and saw that there was four casualties from the fight from earlier. One boy had bruised ribs, one had a bruised testicle, another one had a torn ear, and the final boy had a broken nose and a loose tooth. For some reason, when I checked the cause of these extreme injuries, all I saw was this:

[ACCIDENTAL COLLISION IN NULL G]

(The personnel... they're covering it up...)

I felt stress and anxiety. Fighting someone... killing someone... I would always feel nervous afterwards. I would always wonder who would come for me next, what type of consequences I would incur, and whether those consequences would be just. I could barely get any sleep because I was afraid of who would come while I was unconscious.

(I should play some games.)

Whenever I was worried or stressed in the real-world, I would watch videos on YouTube, read some Webnovels, or play some games. I couldn't play Minecraft on my phone, but I could play the next best thing: the Mind Game.

I grabbed my tablet, loaded my game, and my last save. For some reason, I was back at the Giant's corpse again. Instead of spawning in the castle, I spawned near the dead Giant.

(Interesting...)

The Giant's body changed. Instead of being an identifiable corpse, it became a part of the natural environment. It was overgrown, and it seemed that a hill had integrated it into it's terrain. The only visible feature was the Giant's skull, which peeked from the Earth like an abnormal hill. The texture and color of the cranium didn't even look like bone anymore; it resembled limestone, and I could mistake the body part for a rock. I proceeded through the park, and saw that the children were gone.

(It seems if you kill them once, they're gone forever.)

I still did the monkey bar trick to get a metal pole, though.

(Having a weapon in this situation will be pivotal. Plus, there is the snake in the tower.)

I left the park, and found the well in the overgrown field. I descended downwards, and felt like Alice going down the rabbit hole, making her way to Wonderland. I crept through the cave, ignored the obvious treasures, and stood at the cliff's edge. I saw the landscape, which was hidden by the surface world. I wondered if this was how Kirito felt as he was transported into Alicization. I felt as if I was some isekai protagonist in some fantastical realm.

I took a leap from the cliff, and nestled in a cloud. My character felt the gentle breeze, while my "real body" only felt the still air of the battle-school. I jumped into the castle again, and waved my cloud goodbye.

I saw the rug morphing into the snake, but I did not hesitate. Rushing forward, I brought my metal rod downwards, and stabbed through the snake's skull. The serpentine creature writhed and twisted, but I held my weapon firmly, and pressed it deeper into it's cranium. After a few minutes, the snake went limp, and all life sapped from it's eyes.

I laughed deeply in the real-world, and caught the attention of some of my fellow soldiers. In the game, I grabbed the snake's body after I dislodged the metal pipe from it's head. I threw the carcass over my shoulder, and carried it with me. I looked for a way out, and found a ladder that led down the tower.

(That's strange... Shouldn't there be a mirror that shows Ender's brother?)

I couldn't climb down the ladder because my hands were cluttered, but I had an ingenuitive idea. I tied the snake's dead body around my waist, and used it as a makeshift belt. I then tucked the metal rod through a knot I made, and it fit snugly. I then climbed down the ladder.

Once I got to the bottom, I emerged into the rest of the castle. I navigated the walkways, until I was in an immense throne room. In here was a singular throne, with a piece of parchment on the seat.

(This feels reminiscent of when I visited the Underworld. I wonder how much real-world time passed.)

I walked towards the throne, and picked up the paper. It was rolled up into a scroll, and I had to unfurl it. Once I did, I saw a large title written in ink and calligraphy, which was centered in the middle of the scroll. It said:

[THE GUIDE TO THE END OF THE WORLD]

There were cryptic paragraphs, which gave guides and descriptions. There were also maps and directions that would lead to the reader's destination. I read one strange passage and it said something quite mysterious.

[Four keys will open the way into the oldest dream.]

[One key is lost in a demonic realm.]

[One key is lost in the cycle of birth and death.]

[One key is divided by good and evil.]

[The last and most important key has shattered, and must be made whole.]

[All of the keys lie within.]

There were more strange utterings, but I saved those for later. I looked at the map, and found where I was on the map. I saw where my next destination would be, and when I found out where it would lead me... I looked up. I stared at the large wall in the distance, which was darker than night.

(This map... it'll lead me there.)

I continued my journey.

***

I exited the castle, which had very little items. Besides lavish furniture, there was not much else. Leaving the castle behind, I entered another forest. I walked in the game for fifteen minutes, and passed a quaint village. The people here were peaceful, and even waved "hi" to me. I made my avatar wave back.

I came across a train station, and saw rusty rails overtaken by vines, lichen, grass and moss. When I looked at my map, I saw that this would lead me to that strange wall. I hopped down from the station's platform, and followed the decrepit railway. It was surrounded by trees and thickets, and the overhead foliage even blotted the cavern's ceiling. I walked for quite some time, and could only guess I trekked an indescribable distance.

Soon, I came across a foreboding tunnel that was carved into a small mountain. The opening resembled a yawning maw, and the dank environment resembled saliva. I could hear water dripping, and felt immersed in the ambience.

(I have no light.)

I would have to go in blind. I looked towards the sky, and saw the illuminating crystal stalactites. I wish I could have one, but I didn't think it was possible to get one at this point in time.

(I have to take the plunge.)

I crept forward bit by bit, and heard the dirt squelch under my feet. If I was really in the Mind Game, would I feel the dirt sink under my weight? Would I smell the decaying, damp tunnel? As I ventured deeper into the gullet of the Earth, I saw light up ahead. I eagerly ran towards it.

(What is that?)

Soon, the tunnel ended. The railway stopped. The tunnel morphed into a cavern, and I saw rough hewn stone. I continued onward. The light I saw grew brighter, until I saw that it was an opening to the outside world.

(I see. So, that's what it was.)

I stepped outside, and saw where I was.

(My god...)

I craned my neck, and I looked left to right, but it didn't seem to have any end. I was there. I was at the ebony wall. It was still far, it was still out of reach, but I could tell that this thing existed now. It wasn't some terrain glitch. I was close enough to throw a stone at it. Looking forward, I saw a cave. When I walked in, I saw the underground part of the wall. It was just as smooth as the outside but... something was wrong. There was a gaping hole in this impregnable wall, as if someone blew a chunk out of it.

(Did someone use dynamite? Does that even exist in the Mind Game?)

I stepped forward and tried to step into the wall, but something blocked me. An invisible force. Suddenly, illumination was casted inside the cavern from nowhere, and I could clearly see what I bumped into. It was a foggy piece of glass.

(The mirror... it's here.)

If I was right, then Ender's psychotic brother - Peter - would appear. The mirror was covered in a sheet of condensation, so I made my avatar wipe it away. When I did... I was shocked. Peter's face wasn't there. It was mine. Not Asa Butterfield's face, but my real face. Ethan Nakamura's ugly mug. Before the apocalypse. They- I looked normal.

I backed away from the reflection. The image of me stayed where I was in the mirror. As I continued to stare, the condensation on the mirror dripped off until I could see all of it. There I was, standing calmly in place.

(How...?)

The image of me began to speak. I crept closer to it, until I could hear it. Even though they were in a piece of glass, I heard them perfectly. I heard them say-

"You're a monster."

I saw the image of my face distort in rage and anger, and they shouted at me.

"YOU'RE A MONSTER!!!"

The sound tore through my tablet's speaker, and disturbed the peace in the barracks. Running, simultaneously taking my metal rod out, I bashed it against the mirror until it cracked. I struck the image of myself, but it still shouted that one phrase.

"YOU'RE A MONSTER!!!"

-!!!BAM!!!-

"YOU'RE-"

-!!!SHRIK!!!-

"A-"

-!!!SHRACK!!!-

"MONSTER!!!"

Spiderwebs formed in the glass, and the mirror finally shattered. The barrier between the cave and the wall was gone now. The light in the cave suddenly went out. I thought that was the end of it. I waited in apprehension. I thought it was over... until I heard something.

-!!Pssshhew!!-

Accompanying this sound was a sudden illuminating light, which was dyed red and shaped as a sword. It lit the cave aglow in crimson.

(No way...)

It was easily recognizable. It was a red lightsaber. It was ignited towards the ground, but the wielder brought it closer to their head. When they did, I saw it. It was my face. My REAL one. My face after the Apocalypse. I saw the blackened scar on the right half of it, and I saw the rain jacket they wore. It was my real body.

"Hello there, Ender."

Then they charged, bringing their lightsaber in a downward cut. I raised my metal rod to defend myself, but the lightsaber sliced through it. With another swift motion, they brought the lightsaber through my waist, cleaving through it entirely.

(That's sai tok... The attack that Obi-wan used on Maul...)

My avatar's upper body flopped onto the ground as my real-world self looked down at me.

"See ya around kid."

Those were the last words I saw before the screen gradually faded to black. Then two words - the most frustrating ones in the Mind Game - appeared.

[Play Again?]

I stopped playing for the night. My desperate attempt tp escape from the stress only incurred more. I was tired.