What is life, apart from a series of choices?
What is my life, apart from a series of bad choices?
...
I wander around Terhi, looking for any trace of Roni, or at least to recognize one of his friends. But I don't see any sign of him, and I confess that I don't remember any details about his friends to distinguish them if I saw them. I pass between a few groups of players and ask about Roni or Eternity, and I'm met with swearing and a lot of threats... Apparently, Eternity and Stardust have started killing each other over the special rewards from the event... I don't think I can judge them, I'd probably kill a few players if I knew they were carrying rare items.
The headache slowly increases as the minutes pass.
The echo of the stabbing hits me from time to time, so intense that it seems real.
I stop in a square, near the center of the village, watching a small crowd going about their lives. Locals and players, indistinguishable from each other.
I kind of forget why I was looking for Roni... what would I do, end up dying again? The raging fire that ignited after my second death was extinguished by the simple truth...
I wasn't made for this.
Well, it's time to put an end to it...
I look around one last time, absorbing the details of this world so realistically that I'm incapable of being anything other than what I already am.
Recognizing your flaws and accepting them is part of the process, I guess.
Just before I give the command to close the game, a smile blooms on my face when I recognize a face in the crowd...
Well, well, well, what have we here... Could this be a farewell gift from the god of games?
I notice a gray head protruding from the crowd... like a bent nail begging to be hammered. Next to it, like two puppies, follow the killer and the weirdo.
Life, even virtual life, is full of surprises.
I make my way through the crowd, my hand moving automatically, startling the people next to me.
"BEHOLD THE WIZARD! YOU SONS OF BITCHES!!!"
A visceral roar rips through my throat. The city seems to stop and stare at me. I revel in the shock and fear they express.
The brute was the first to recognize me, but soon his eyes cloud over, and with a roar of his own, he draws his axe and strikes the person closest to him.
5 seconds.
The city explodes in screams.
Before the first drop of blood is spilled, I aim at the assassin and fire [dark spark]. She reacts quickly - or my magic, which is slow - and pulls out a native to use as a shield.
4 seconds.
The poor man squeals in pain as the purple beam hits his back... unfortunately, his scream draws the brute into a frenzy and I see his head being crushed as the axe almost split him in half.
I fire another spell, this time aiming at the weirdo, who seems to be trying to get away from the mess.
3 seconds.
The assassin is thrown away by a kick from the brute, as he spins the axe in a wide circle, maiming a few people in the process.
I... hope that's not a child...
2 seconds.
I refocus on the assassin, firing another spell at her, while making my way through the panicked crowd to get closer.
The assassin is hit in the back. The purple light sticks to her clothes and begins to sizzle. The woman screams in pain.
1 second.
I smell blood. And even in the midst of the pandemonium I've created, I can hear the sizzle of flesh being eaten away... Rather unpleasant.
I lift Ingrid up by the hair, who seems to be going a little crazy from the pain. The girl is breathtaking up close.
"STOP THIS MADNESS!"
A new character appears, roaring through the chaos. A little late, if you ask me.
"I think we're even now. Are we going to be friends?".
I see her face light up, almost as if we were in slow motion. I've never really been into fashion and stuff, but I think purple would really suit her...
A dark spark explodes in her face.
And, for reasons I don't know, I begin to see the world from a totally hallucinatory perspective. I feel like I'm spinning.
[You've been killed...]
…
…
Well, it looks like it's over. I'd like to say it was good while it lasted, but I'd be lying. Anyway, I'm going to miss it...
"Disconnect!"
...
[Error!]
[Command cannot be executed!]
[Error!]
[Being interfered with]
[Error!]
[You've been resurrected]
"What?"
I'm lying on the ground, my arms pinned behind my back, and there's someone very heavy stepping on me... totally unnecessary.
Too much has happened in these few seconds for me to be able to think properly. But most importantly, I can't get out of the game...
Another important thing... did I kill Ingrid with my last attack? I hope so.
There are a lot of soldiers around, as well as some people who seem important. The first is the wizard who "taught" us the first skill, I suppose he's my tormentor, Valthir. Next to him is a young knight who is very reminiscent of a prince from enchanted stories. And finally, a middle-aged man in religious garb, who looks rather tired.
None of them look happy.
"Orc... I condemn you to true death for killing 3 people and maiming 7 others"
'A crazed brute, armed with razor-sharp steel, is capable of doing a great deal of damage... perhaps I should have chosen the path of the berserk...'. It's a pity I lack the bloodlust for such a class.
The young knight speaks in a firm tone, then stops in front of me.
"As for you... You will be imprisoned until the royal envoy arrives"
The young man looks almost pitying as he proclaims my punishment… This doesn't look good. As I think of something to say, I hear the killer's voice.
"My lord, my companion is not to blame for what happened. He was under the influence of that terrorist's magic!"
'Apparently, Ingrid survived. Or she may have been resurrected too... how do I get her to die?'
"No... no... don't believe her - argh!". I try to speak, but the weight under my back increases and my face is pressed against the floor.
"She. Used. A... native... as. Shield. Of flesh...". I speak it word for word.
The pain I feel is terrible. Whoever is holding me seems to be trying to bury my head in the stone floor, while doing their best to break my spine.
Ingrid and the brutes try to say something, but I can't follow what's being said. After a while, the weight on my body disappears, and I am lifted. In front of me are the knight, the wizard and the priest.
"I. May. Be guilty... for what happened... But. None. Of them. É. Innocent...".
Speaking hurts. Half my face is cut and bleeding, pierced by stones. My head feels like it's going to explode, and even my vision is blurred.
"They're a powerful group in my world, they control millions of players scattered around... They're going to steal everything from you..."
"Take that trash to the dungeon. Bernard, make sure he stays alive."
The knight didn't seem shaken by my gloomy prophecy, unlike the wizard and the priest...
"CLOSE THE GATES!"
"Ha.ha.ha". As I'm being carried half-dead, I hear the knight's shout and I can't help but laugh, even if it brings more pain.
"ALL IMMORTALS WILL BE DETAINED FOR QUESTIONING!!! WHO RESIST WILL BE KILLED AND EXILE FROM TEANOR!"
The last thing I heard was an inhuman scream along with the sound of lightning...
I regain consciousness with the frantic beeping of the system.
[Player has lost consciousness. Vital signs at dangerous levels]
[Starting safe mode]
[Error!]
[Error!]
[Initiating security protocol]
I've been dumped in a small, damp and dark cell. The stench in here is almost like that of the living dead... I'm not going to lie, I'm starting to get worried.
I'm in so much pain that I don't even try to move, just lying there where they left me. It's a bad time to remember that I didn't eat anything during the game... I'm hungry, thirsty and cold. Plus all the pain.
"You've finally woken up, little one".
A hoarse, brittle whisper breaks the silence. The voice seems to come from all directions, bringing a suffocating sensation with it.
"I've heard about you... immortals... I wonder if it's true... Well, shall we make a deal? I'll get you out of here, in exchange, you do something for me. How's that?"
"No..."
I gather a little strength to reply. I don't care about any mission or escape, I just want to get out of the game.
"Game, you say? Hahahaha"
A shiver runs through my body. Did I say that out loud?
"You may have the power of immortality, but you're so weak... You won't get out of here... the gods didn't allow it."
[Error]
[Error]
"Error! Error! Error! Error... Hahahahahah!"
The voice seems to howl with contempt.
"The only way out is death, and you can't die"