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Initiating story reboot: correcting story path
Progress: 5%
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Mark was back there. Back in the most terrifying moment of his life. The surroundings were hazy and everything looked as if it was being looked through a red filter.
The dogs were in front of him, still small and friendly. Still eating the food he gave them and he was terrified. He could see them turning into something more horrifying. Something that could tear him apart without any effort at all.
Mark was filled with fear.
Why was he here again? Surely this was a dream of his? There was no way he was back there while his brain had conjured this dream up. But why was it doing this to him?
Wasn't he past this?
It was similar but not the same. No, it was not daytime but rather night. The details were not clear but he could feel himself not in control - neither of his actions nor his emotions. The world was too blurry, almost to the point of it being intentional.
His hands were petting the dogs and his lips were moving but everything was muffled in his eyes and his ears. It was only a matter of time now before the unforgettable happened.
It was such a relaxing picture but the red filter and the detached senses made everything much more solemn.
He was standing up now, leaving the place just like the day before and the feeling of dread just kept on piling up high inside his heart. It was overwhelming as the picture of the dogs turning into monsters just kept flashing in his eyes.
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Progress updated: initialising original plot progression
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The voice was the only warning before it happened again. Just like the day before the dogs were mutating. Mark wanted to move but the horrible realisation passed over him.
Whatever was trapping him here was making it impossible for Mark to move at all. Unlike the daytime, he could not move right now and it could only mean one thing - he would die right here and right now.
He would die here all alone without anyone in sight. No one would know he was even here and what would happen to all the people then?
He had things to accomplish. He needed to clear the air out with En, he had patients to see and so much more. He had a life to live but he would die here - in an unknown place.
He wanted to live.
There was a gasp behind him, a terrified tone in that voice. However, how could that be possible at all? There was no one around, there was supposed to be one around.
The dogs turned toward the voice behind him and it made him tense even more. Was there another life to be lost along with him? Liam had never mentioned it but he had also refused to say anything about it.
This time Mark's body decided to turn around by itself. It felt as if something was controlling his actions and he could not stop it from moving at all.
As soon as he saw the face, he knew who it was. Luna - the teen he had met, the apparent protagonist of this world and perhaps the only hope of this world.
Mark could not allow him to die here. From the terrified expression on his face, Mark could tell that the teen had no idea of what was going on.
There was no one else in sight and the dogs were now full abominations of their former self, big and so scary that anyone would want to run away from them.
"W-What is going on? W-What are those things?" there was genuine fear in that voice and with a jolt, Mark realised the situation they were in. There was no way they were getting out of this situation alive.
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Role initiating: protect the protagonist
Course set: Affirmative
Progress: 50%
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The voice was back and it was still unclear. It talked in codes and words he had no idea how to actually decode.
But he could make out one thing clearly - Luna needed to live. The feeling was not his own at all, rather it felt as if it was forced upon him but Mark could not fight it.
Not in this state of mind.
So he allowed it to guide him and he lunged at the poor teen just as the monster made a swipe at him. It caught him at his side, the long nails enough to make him bleed out from there.
The teen in front of him looked shocked, a few drops of Mark's blood decorated his face and those pupils were blown wide enough to seem non-distinguishable from the iris.
"R-run. S-survive'' Mark managed to force out as his body throbbed. He would not be able to move, he was sure of it. Already the pain was getting too much to bear.
"W-what is going on here?" The teen was still frozen and Mark could understand it. The fear and the monsters who were watching them cautiously were too much to bear and this person here was just a teen.
"S-someone would explain. R-run now" Mark was sure that Liam would take care of everything. The teen seemed to hesitate but then surely the fear took over because he got up on his feet shakily and ran.
The monsters let out a growl and took a few steps to follow but Mark could not allow that at all. He had to take their attention away.
Again, he knew these thoughts were not his own. He would like nothing more than for those monsters to leave him alone in peace. Then maybe he would survive?
But his body and those foreign thoughts that were invading him made the decision for him on their own. He could feel his hands moving toward his pocket, his side hurting like hell and taking out his phone.
It was soon thrown toward the monsters which successfully pulled their attention. The fear and desperation to get out of here were pulling at his every cell now but his body would not allow it.
The monsters were at him in an instant and he felt himself choke as blood filled his mouth. The pain was everywhere and he closed his eyes, not wanting to see.
He would not be able to stomach the sight at all and he was losing consciousness now.
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Course progress: 95%
Course progression: set - correction progress: 99%
Booting sequence: initiating
Healing progress: 20%
Path: original course: progression: complete
Error: system invaded
Error: resolved
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The pain was everywhere. Mark had opened his eyes in his bed and came to the horrible but relieving realisation that it had all likely been a dream. He was alive even if he was hurt in every part of the body.
Looked like going to sleep on the sofa was a no go after all. Not only had it resulted in that nightmare but also gave him all those body pains.
He wanted to go back to sleep but the nightmare had eroded all the sleep from his eyes for the time being. Plus, he was hungry as there had not really been an opportunity for him to stop and eat.
Breakfast was almost a tasteless devour of food. His stomach was too hungry to protest with him about his food choice and the food was bland but fulfilling so there was not complaining.
Once the morning routine was done, Mark decided to take a step back. On a normal day, he would open up his clinic, but not today. He decided that the guide was more important to look at.
Tapping his wrist, he observed the window that popped up. It really looked like a game menu with basic stats, weapons and even customisation available.
However, most of it was either blank, not selectable or had a ? sign and from his limited experience in games he knew that it would either progress or a specific action. The guide was straightforward in explanation with basic event descriptions, plot progression and basic enemies.
He skipped for the time being to read through the part that explained how to work the basic system.
Apparently, dead-end was a first-person game and the panel was designed so. Mark felt it fascinating to explore but he didn't get very into it before his door opened with a bang.
He flinched at the noise, his body tense as he looked around the place.
"Mark, you there?" En's voice sounded inside his ears, loud and terrified. Had something major happened he was not aware of?
"In here" he called out and realised how horse his voice sounded just from that. It hurt as if he had been shouting but he was sure it was not like that yesterday.
"Mark? Thank god you are ok. You are ok right?" En sounded relieved and at his node the tension that En's frame carried flooded out of him.
"What are you doing here?" Mark asked, his voice full of a frown "don't you have work to go to?"
"Work? Right work. Mark, there was a report made today morning about someone dying from a monster attack. It was Luna and the site was where you were supposed to die yesterday. We checked the place and there was no one there and I just assumed the worst because the description met yours but you're alive. You're alive" that reminded him of his dream he had yesterday.
It felt too real and he wondered if Luna had dreamed something similar to him?
"I'm alright here. I was here all night too" his words seemed to put En at ease. There was silence for a few seconds before a beep broke it.
"It's Liam" En informed as he tapped his wrist twice. The screen popped up with a communicating sign. And then Liam's face showed up inside a normal-looking room. His bedroom perhaps?
"Liam, I'm here with Mark right now" En called out to the other who just looked even more worried.
"You are? He's alive? En, Mark I won't sugarcoat this for you. There was a virus attack yesterday when we were refreshing the system and things got bad. The progress of the story is not halting at all. It won't be long before the monsters start to show up for real. Mark, pack up and go to the base for now with En and I'll meet you there"
Perhaps Mark's dream had not been a dream at all but the result of the virus. He could not be sure but he was alive and he would like to make sure he would stay alive.
He knew inside him that this was just the start of everything. Things were sure to get difficult from here on now.