Ender’s Invention
By: TheNightshard
Table of contents
1: The idea
2: Ender’s game
3: Phase 2
4: the other gamers
Chapter 1: The Idea
He was just another kid on the block, the one with an unusual name. That is, until he started inventing. His name was Ender. He looked like your everyday 13 year old kid, but looks can be deceiving. At first glance, you’d think he was normal. Until you saw his inventions.
The first thing he had ever invented had been created in his basement. It was a set of Robot arms mounted on a rail on the ceiling of the basement. The robot arms were the only things people knew that Ender invented. They thought it was the only thing he ever invented. They were wrong.
One Tuesday afternoon, something in the basement exploded. Ender was working on another one of his projects, magnetizers for the VIA robotic arms. The explosion was caused by the splitting apart of a metal electronic as VIA activated all the magnetizers simultaneously, splitting the object apart because the magnetic force was too strong. “Test 5 readouts: failure.” Ender said from behind a mask. “Any suggestions, VIA?” One suggestion would be to decrease the magnetic force produced, sir. Replied an automated voice from a mounted speaker on top of a large metal box. This metal box actually was the main computer system for VIA, VIA was a very advanced AI program that Ender had worked on for the past year, coding and adding new updates. VIA’s programming was a bit similar to that of a human brain, with some exceptions, and the AI was a helper to Ender and any other user logged into its interface. “Alright, point taken.” Ender said, taking off the welding mask. Grabbing a screwdriver, he proceeded to unlatch the magnetizers from VIA’s “Hands”. These “hands” were actually claws, basically, with three fingers. The magnetizers were located in the “palm” of the claw, which is the space in the middle of the fingers. Ender finally unlatched the magnetizer, exposing a tangle of wires. “VIA, shut off claw 3 power.” he said. “Shutting off power in claw 3.” VIA replied. The wires (which previously had been sparking with electricity) immediately stopped sparking. Ender reached through the wires and grabbed hold of a small knob in the center of the small device. He turned it counter-clockwise, then withdrew his hand and relatched the magnetic device back onto the claw. “VIA, repower claw 3” he commanded. “Repowering claw 3.” VIA replied. The claw’s lights turned on again, and the claw rotated. “Beginning test sequence.” VIA reported. The fingers closed, then opened, then closed again, and then the claw rotated one more time and then stopped. “Control test successful.” VIA reported again. “Good, good.” Ender muttered, turning around to do the same to the other magnetizers. Once he had done this, he put the mask back on. “Test 6: ‘telekinetic’ robot arms. Magnetizers:
Check.” VIA said. “Arm positions.” The robot arms repositioned themselves, pointing toward the next metal box that Ender put down. “Check.
“Test launch.” Ender said.
The magnetizers booted up and started to whir and glow, and the metal box started to float in the air. This time, it did not split apart, but it was deformed a little bit. “Decrease magnetic power.” Ender said. “Decreasing magnetic power.” VIA replied. The glow lessened a little bit, and the metal piece stopped deforming. “Power level perfected.” said VIA. “Good. We have perfected the power level. Test success!” Ender exclaimed. “Test success!” VIA agreed. “Hmm, we’ve made a sort of telekinetic power for you, so… what now?” Ender wondered. Absentmindedly he glanced over at the computer.
“Hey… I think I have an idea.”
Chapter 2
Enders game
It was another evening, a normal everyday evening for Preston, at least. Brianna, his wife, was busy right now making yet another video for her youtube channel. He had to admit, she was getting a little better at minecraft and youtubing. She was learning, Preston would give her that much.
Suddenly, he saw a delivery truck roll in. That was unusual. Usually the mail came right after noon. The driver hastily parked and walked up the stairs toward Preston’s house. He stepped out. “What brings you out this late to deliver stuff?” Preston asked. “Sorry sir, last-minute delivery.” the mailman replied, giving Preston a box. “This couldn’t wait until tomorrow?” Preston asked. “No sir, there was a note on it that said to deliver it upon arrival.” the mailman replied, bringing out a checkboard. “Sign here please.” Preston signed his signature, grumbling about how last-minute deliveries were overkill. “Thanks, sir.” the mailman said, and started back down the steps. “Hey, make sure to buy my merchandise, OK?” Preston called after him. “Will do, sir.” the mailman called back before getting into his truck and driving away. By the way, Preston was none other than the well-known youtuber Prestonplayz. He considered it necessary to remind people that came by to buy his merchandise. He went back inside. “What could be so important as to be labeled urgent and delivered to me at this nice quiet part of the evening?” he wondered. He sat on the couch and started opening the box. Inside we two metal pieces of something. The pieces looked like they might go together. “Well, whatever this was, it broke.” he mused. And then he saw a series of clips on the edge of the metal parts that looked like they clicked together. There was also a small booklet that he hadn’t seen at first due to the metal parts being in the way. Inside were some assembly instructions.
Five minutes later he looked at what looked like a futuristic-looking helmet. “Cool,” Preston thought, “but what is its purpose?” He noticed a small box with a plug. He set the plug in a small outlet on the side of the strange helmet-like contraption. An LED screen started glowing on the little box. “Life system online.” an automated voice rang out. “Life system…” Preston mused, “Why do I need a life system? I’m not dying!” He chuckled, but his laughter soon died. “At least, I hope I’m not.”
There was also a screen on the other side of the helmet. He pressed a button next to it and it showed him all the available wifi signals. He clicked on his wifi. “Voice password required.” the voice rang out again. A microphone symbol popped up on the screen. “Buy Preston style merchandise.” he said. The microphone symbol disappeared. “Internet access granted.” the voice reported. “Headset online.”
“So this is… a headset?!?!” Preston retorted, “seems like a pretty strange headset to me, but whatever.” He unlatched the front mask plate, sliding it upward so he could put the headset on. Once he had put it on, he slid the plate back down, covering his face. A sort of screen lit up inside. “Please specify computer to connect to.” The voice said.
“Ummmm…” Preston stuttered, as a list of detected computers popped up on the screen in front of him. A small ring was set onto his head, and started to glow. “Neural link established.” the headset said, “please specify computer to connect to.” He saw his wife’s computer in the list, and he kind of wanted to see what she was actually doing, but how to choose. Suddenly, the list vanished. “Connecting.” The computer said. And then everything went black.
He woke up on the ground, looking at the sky. “That’s weird.” he thought, “Wasn’t I indoors?” Just then he saw a blocky cloud float through the sky.
A blocky. He screamed and bolted upright. The trees, the ground, even the sun, it was all made of blocks! Did that mean he was… He glanced down at himself. He was wearing a black fire merchandise sweater, which was blocky like the rest of his environment. Then, he took a good long look at his hand. It was… It was… Lava. On top of that, it was a cube at the end of a rectangular arm. He looked down at the rest of him. His body, his WHOLE body, was all blocky. But that means… “I’m in minecraft For real!!! What the heck happened?!?!?” He yelled. Far away, a pink building jutted out from the sea of seemingly endless trees. “That’s Brianna’s tower! She told me about it!” Preston gasped. “Which means… I’m in Brianna’s minecraft world!
But wait, is this actually for real, or is this headset really so fluent?”
He felt his head, but didn’t feel any weirdly shaped helmet on him. Just his square head. “HOW DO I GET OUT OF HERE?!?!?!” He screamed.
Suddenly, he remembered a certain phrase in the booklet he had found…
“Exit simulation!” He yelled. And suddenly, he was back on the couch, in the living room.
He yanked off the headset and stared at it for a good long while. “What the heck is this thing?” he finally asked, breaking the silence. No answer came from anywhere. “And who just happened to send me this creepy headset?” he demanded into the open air. “Who?” It suddenly occurred to him that there would be a sender address on the box. He grabbed it and examined the sides. There was an address on one side: 301 15th avenue, Ellington, Washington. The sender name was VIA auto-send module. That was weird. It didn’t even have a real name. Just VIA Auto-Send Module. Whoever had sent the strange headset to Preston evidently wanted to keep his identity a secret.
He started to examine the headset, every inch and crack of it, but found nothing that hinted to the sender’s secret identity.
“Come on, there has to be something…” Preston muttered. Suddenly, while feeling the exterior of the headset, he found a small hatch. Using a screwdriver, he pried it open. Inside was a small piece of paper. He brought it out and unfolded it. Inside, he found this writing:
Hello Prestonplayz.
If you are reading this, then you have found the small storage hatch on the F.E.U.I (full Experience User Interface) headset. If you have not already explored the abilities of this headset before locating this message, let me explain them to you.
The headset has microscanners in its interior that scan your brain and “extracts” your consciousness into whatever computer is selected and whatever is currently active on that computer. playing on that computer. This headset works best on videogames. However, if you try to enter a movie, you will find that you are unable to interact with any part of it.
You are not the only one to receive a F.E.U.I headset. Other lucky youtubers have been chosen as well.
Play well,
TheNightshard
The name at the end sounded familiar… but he didn’t know where he had heard it from. Maybe he was a fan?
Preston looked through his fan mail that had come in that morning, but didn’t find anything that was sent from a TheNightshard or any letters written the same way as the letter he had found. He didn’t have anyone like that in his phone contacts either.
Maybe this guy emailed me. He thought. Opening his email, he looked up TheNightshard into the search bar.
What popped up was a notification stating that a user called TheNightshard had subscribed to his youtube channel about a year ago. He brought up the user’s channel and found minecraft content similar to his.
Suddenly, a notification popped up on screen that an email from a user called TheNightshard to Preston. He opened it. Here’s what it said:
Come to Ellington, at the address your headset was sent from. Go to the basement. VIA will meet you there.
Hope you make it,
TheNightshard.
“Who the heck is this guy?!?!?” Preston exclaimed. He looked up the address and saw that the address led to a small house in a small town in Washington known as Ellington. That’s where he wants me to go, huh? He wondered. I suppose I have some time for a trip to Washington.
What am I thinking!?!?! I’m a popular youtuber! This could be a trap to get my stuff! I mean, if this guy can make a weird super-headset, then what else could he make?
He ran off all the possible traps that could be made to trap him. Then, he told himself to snap out of it.
I need to see who this guy is, and maybe have a word with him. Preston thought.
It’s settled, then. I’ll go tell Brianna to pack up. We’re going to Washington.
Preston went to Brianna’s room where she was texting on her phone. “Brianna, pack your stuff, we’re going to Washington.” he said.
“We are?” Brianna asked, confused. “Yeah.” Preston replied. “Someone sent me something, and I need to know why.”
“You mean TheNightshard?” Brianna asked. Preston started. “Where did you hear that name?” he demanded. “He sent me this weird-looking headset. I haven’t tried it yet because I usually don’t use VR.”
“Brianna, these headsets aren’t VR.” Preston said. “They’re some sort of super interface that brings you into a game.” Brianna sighed. “Preston, you’ve been watching way too many ‘trapped in a videogame’ movies.” Brianna chided. “I’m serious! It actually happened!” Preston exclaimed. “Well, if you’re serious about going to Washington, then I guess we’ll be going then.” she said.
“Alright, pack your things then.” Preston said.
“We’re leaving tomorrow.”
Chapter 3
Phase 2
Preston and Brianna, as you may have noticed, weren’t the only ones who received a headset like this.
Aphmau was making a draft video for her youtube channel, when suddenly there was a knock at the door. “One second guys. I think someone’s at the door. I’ll be right back.” She clicked on the AFK notification, and then went to the door to see who was there. She opened the door and found a package on the steps of her suburb home in Bellevue, Washington. “Hmmm… I don’t remember ordering anything online recently.” she exclaimed, while bringing the package inside.
Aphmau set it on the counter and opened it. Inside was a strange purple headset and a user manual. She took out the headset and found an assortment of controls on the side. The strangest thing about this headset: It looked like it was homemade. Some wires stuck out of the contraption here and there. Suddenly, a screen on the side of the headset turned on. “Please connect FEUI to the internet in order for full operation.” An automated voice rang out from the headset. A list of available wifi signals popped up on the small screen. “Um, ok…” Aphmau said, selecting her own internet and putting in the password
TheOnlyUltima.
Access granted.
“Wifi connected.” The voice rang out