Iolaus Manticore

Simon is an unassuming boy for the most part, and tends to be quiet and shy. But sometimes he has wild outbursts of rage that he can’t control. These outbursts are happening more and more frequently at school, and it’s getting him into trouble. Even his best friends Jasper and Nico can hardly get through to him anymore. Little do they know that Simon has Iolaus and Manticore now. Only Simon can see and hear them because they’re avatars, controlled by artificial intelligence and provided by an online platform for virtual friendships. Simon has amazing adventures with them; they stand faithfully by his side and know exactly what he’s feeling. In his excitement, Simon completely blocks out the fact that the avatars are not doing this because they have a genuine interest in him, but because they are controlled by an algorithm that is extremely quick to learn.

But the stronger and louder Iolaus and Manticore become, the more the quiet, uncertain part of Simon starts to retreat into his nightmares. In these nightmares, terrifying creatures drive him towards the nearby cave and into the subterranean darkness within, where he sees himself encircled by a crystal. The same dream over and over again. Only gradually does it dawn on him that his friendship with the avatars might not be in his best interests. He senses the threat they pose and realises it may be almost too late to turn away from them. But can he really just switch them off? No – they have too much power over him and his actions; they know how to manipulate him; they have evolved into autonomous beings.