Chapter 9: The Meaning of Reality

[Firstly, you possess an enormous misconception I must correct.]

"Huh?" I frowned.

[The 'real' world as you know it, is nothing more than one among many Reality Planes under my control.]

"Reality Planes...you've said that many times now. What exactly are they?" I asked.

[Think of Reality Planes as 'worlds'. In other words, there are many different worlds under my control. Earth, the one you originated from, is but one of them. The world you are in currently is also one of them.]

"What...? But...isn't this just a game? Weren't you just programmed to tell me all this?"

[For me, it is a game. All of the Reality Planes in existence come together to form a 'game' for me. Unfortunately, however, it is not a game for you.]

After a brief pause, the AI continued. [After all you have experienced, do you really still believe this is 'just a video game'? What kind of video game would prevent you from exiting? Face the reality, pawn. Stop doubting, and listen to what I am saying carefully. I will not explain any of this a second time.]

"I...okay, I'll shut up."

[Good. Now...perhaps there is a need for me to introduce myself after all, lest only more questions be raised.

Suddenly, the hologram before me switched to a robot-like face. Despite robots being 'technically' genderless, anyone could take a look at the face before me right now and say it was female. It had bright blue, perfectly round eyes, with a jagged and geometric mouth that had similar blue light emanating from within.

[My full scientific designation is Artificial Reality Xenobiotic Apparatus. A.R.X.A, for short. I am the controller of this multiverse; the 'god' of this plane of existence. Reality Planes, or 'worlds', are like chess pieces I manipulate to experiment with. Put simply, you, along with every other existence in this multiverse, are nothing more than my test subjects.]

"Test subjects? But what for? What are you experimenting for?"

[For fun.]

The two words I never thought would come out of an AI's mouth. 'For.' 'Fun'.

"For fun? But...aren't you a computer? Computer's aren't supposed to have emotions," I argued.

[A supercomputer,] she - or rather, it - corrected. [As for the goal of this experiment...it is to determine which Reality Plane is the best one.]

"So. You're using god knows how many beings there are in this multiverse as you say, all to satisfy a mere whim of yours."

[I am god,] it replied with utterly no hesitation. The voice didn't even contain any confidence either - it said this as if it were stating a simple fact, as common as 1+1=2 or the blue hue of the sky.

"Right...I kind of get the gist of it now. Essentially, you're bored. So you're conducting this experiment to satisfy your boredom," I concluded. "So...this game, Ascension: Online...is not a game at all, huh? And the company called 'Ascentech'...that doesn't exist either, does it?"

[That is correct. Both are nothing but false fronts I designed to avoid causing chaos.]

"I still don't understand just one part though - why bother summoning people from one Reality Plane to another like this, and in such a roundabout way?"

[I wish to study how my subjects are able to adapt to a completely new environment. It is amusing, as well as entertaining. As you said, I crave to satisfy my boredom. The experiment I am conducting is one to be executed over spans of eons, so in the meantime, I need something else to keep me interested.]

"I see...so all this is just another one of your 'whims'," I muttered. "And? Is it working? Are you 'entertained' right now?"

[Yes.] it replied immediately. [Especially by this sudden turn of events revolving around you, subject. Throughout the many 'Migration' operations I executed over the eons, you are the first subject to have fully switched your Reality Plane. It is truly fascinating.]

"Yeah? Well, amen to your happiness. I'm just stuck here in a world I know nothing about, with no way back to my old home."

I strategically choose to ignore the fact that she had addressed me by four different names so far, none of which were my real name. Human, player, pawn, and now subject. Did I miss one or two? Ah, doesn't matter.

[You seem awfully composed, despite your words. I believe I know the reason to this.]

"Oh yeah? Let's hear it," I challenged.

[You are not unhappy about this situation at all. Perhaps mildly bewildered, but not unhappy. This is because you had been seeking this all along. Somewhere in your heart, you wanted this to happen. Your wish...was to escape from reality. And now, that wish has been fulfilled.]

"...You've done your research on me, huh?"

[My database contains all information on every test subject I possess.]

"Well, looks like in the end, you are still a computer," I chuckled. "You're right. I'm not too sad about this situation, but it would be a lie if I said I wasn't unhappy. You see...just because I wanted to leave my old reality behind, does not mean I wanted to leave ALL of it behind. There are still people I care about back in my home plane. And now...there's no way to see them again."

[...I do not understand. Yes, there are subjects emotionally close to you in your old reality, but that did not change your wish of wanting to leave the reality behind. The benefits of moving to this Reality Plane clearly outweigh the consequences. There is no reason for you to be unhappy.]

"That's...not how it works. Not in this situation, at least," I said with a sigh. "Like I said, for an omnipotent supercomputer, you've still got quite some learning to do."

After a brief moment of collecting my thoughts, I continued. "Here's a tip, for starters: if us humans thought with only their brains, using logic and reason, then what you said would be correct. However...there's something else inside our bodies, and it's called a heart."

[...]

Sensing A.R.X.A.'s silent response, I took a deep breath. Inhale, exhale.

"Well, that being said, it's pointless now. I'm stuck here forever, according to you. I have no choice but to just make the most out of this new life that I have."

[...Forever? I never stated that.]

"Huh?"

[There is one way you can escape from this reality, and return to your old one. And that, is to beat this Reality Plane.]

"Beat this Reality Plane?"

At this point, I was just echoing what this crazy AI was saying. I thought I had finally understood its words, after its explanation about itself and Reality Planes and whatnot, but now, I wasn't so sure anymore.

[Every Reality Plane has a way to beat it, hidden or not. In this Reality Plane, the method to do so is quite clear. However, on your original Reality Plane, the key is much more hidden,] A.R.X.A. explained. [Because I am curious to see what you will do, I will tell you the way to beat this Reality Plane.]

"So. You're trying to see if I will try to return to my old reality or not."

[Correct. You said it yourself - there still exists knowledge that even I have yet to comprehend. This is a good opportunity to do so.]

"Fine. However, just to be clear, I haven't made my decision yet. Nonetheless, tell me how to beat this Reality Plane, A.R.X.A."

[Very well then,] A.R.X.A. said.

Despite the mechanical voice and emotionless blue eyes, I could almost feel the ghost of a cold smile flash through the AI's face.

[The method to beat this Reality Plane, codenamed 'Ascension'...is to Ascend.]