Elias's fingers drummed against the edge of his desk, the low hum of his PC filling the silence in his room. He was quick to get to work. His eyes flickered over the screen for what seemed like hours. His latest stops were forum posts on a site called BattleNetForums, a place where Celestian Requiem players gathered to exchange tips and strategies. It was morning now and he'd combed through dozens of threads already, searching for any mention of the glitch he had experienced the night before.
Nothing.
No one had reported any similar crashes or mysterious messages. Elias leaned back in his chair, frustration simmering beneath his skin. The game wasn't known for bugs. It was sleek, polished—as advertised by GodGamer, the anonymous creator who spearheaded the ambitious project. With four-hundred million players, someone would have written something by now if there was something wrong.
He opened another tab, this time checking a website called GameZone Community, another hotspot for player discussions. Again, nothing unusual popped up. Just threads about boss battles, strategies for leveling up, and casual banter. His mind kept circling back to the message. The warrior's will. What did it even mean? Why him?
His thoughts drifted to the figure he had seen in the game—the scarred warrior, the glowing sword. He rubbed his temples, trying to shake the growing unease gnawing at him. Was it a hallucination? A glitch in the system? None of this made sense.
A sharp knock on his door jolted him from his thoughts. He spun around in his chair as the door creaked open, revealing Ava standing in the hallway. Her expression was soft, but there was a tension in the way she held herself, like she was walking into a conversation she wasn't entirely prepared for.
"Hey," she said, lifting it up slightly. "I, uh... brought breakfast."
He blinked, caught off guard. "Thanks. Sure, come in."
She stepped inside, glancing at the cluttered desk: half-finished energy drinks, snack wrappers, and the ever-blinking monitors. "It's like a tech graveyard in here," she said, laughing lightly.
He shrugged, trying to keep it casual. "Gamer life, I guess."
Ava's smile flickered, her eyes tracing over him with a look he hadn't seen in years. "How've you been? I mean, outside of... this." She gestured at the monitors, her tone light, but her gaze searching.
Elias shrugged again, feeling the question land a little too close. "Same old, you know?"
She nodded, a shadow passing over her expression. "Yeah. Same old." She fell silent for a beat, as if there were something she wanted to say, but instead, she sat on the edge of his bed, the quiet between them growing thick.
"About last night..." she started, her voice gentle. "I didn't mean to put you on the spot."
Elias shifted uncomfortably. "It's fine. I'm used to it by now," he said, glancing back at his screens.
She looked down, tracing her finger along the edge of the bed. "Eli... we haven't really talked in a long time. Not since college."
His jaw tightened. "Yeah, well... you've been busy. We both have."
Ava's hand stilled, and she looked up at him, an unspoken hurt flickering in her eyes. "We used to... make time. At least, we tried to." She paused, and there was a slight tremor in her voice when she added, "It feels like you're somewhere far away now. I don't know if I can reach you anymore."
He swallowed, a flicker of guilt tugging at him. "I'm still here," he murmured, more to himself than to her. "Just... doing my own thing."
Ava nodded slowly, though it was clear his words hadn't reassured her. "Your own thing," she repeated softly, almost as if she were tasting the words, trying to understand them. She let out a quiet sigh, the tension in her shoulders melting into resignation. "I guess I just... miss you, Eli. Sometimes."
He looked down at his hands, words gathering on his tongue but refusing to form. He didn't know what he'd even say if they did.
They sat in silence, neither of them moving, until Ava stood, brushing off her jeans. "I'll let you get back to... this," she said, nodding to his screens. "I just wanted to check in."
Elias's mouth opened, but no words came. Part of him wanted to tell her that he missed her, too. That maybe he hadn't been here for a long time. But it felt too close, too raw to say out loud.
"Thanks for breakfast," he said finally, the words feeling hollow even as he spoke them.
Ava gave him a small, sad smile. "Anytime," she whispered, lingering for a moment before she turned and left, the door clicking softly behind her.
Elias sat there for a long time after she left, staring blankly at his screen. I guess I just... miss you. Her words echoed in his mind.
He shook his head, trying to dispel the thoughts. Then, he turned back to his bed, staring at the login VR headset for Celestian Requiem, the world just a click away. His chest tightened, the weight of Ava's words still pressing on him.
You're somewhere far away now.
Without thinking, he logged back in, letting the virtual world envelop him once more.