Chapter 2: An NPC'S Solitude
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The beast stood before me, towering like a mountain of darkness, its jagged claws gleaming in the moonlight. My breath hitched as I took in its massive form—a Shadow Drake. I recognized it immediately. It was a monster from Forbidden Word, one that appeared in certain high-level zones. But seeing it in person, in this world… felt entirely different. It wasn't just an in-game boss anymore. This was real.
The Shadow Drake's glowing eyes burned with an otherworldly fire, its wings unfurling to create a shadow that seemed to stretch across the very sky. My instincts screamed at me to run, but my body didn't obey. I was frozen, trapped in the monster's unyielding gaze.
The creature roared, the sound deafening and raw, shaking the very ground beneath me. It lunged, its claws slicing through the air with terrifying speed. I barely managed to dive to the side, the claws scraping the ground where I had just been standing. I could feel the wind from the attack tearing at my skin, and my heart pounded in my chest.
I scrambled to my feet, panicked. I had faced many monsters in Forbidden Word, but none like this. It was huge—faster than I could have anticipated—and it wasn't following the predictable patterns I was used to. It was like a living nightmare.
I stumbled backward, desperately trying to create some distance between us, but the Shadow Drake was relentless. It swung its massive tail at me, and I barely managed to duck in time, the tip of its tail grazing my shoulder. Pain shot through me, but it was nothing compared to the terror I felt.
"Shit…" I gasped, clutching my bleeding shoulder. I could barely think straight. My vision blurred as I tried to push myself up, my legs shaking from exhaustion and fear. I had no weapons, no armor, no way to fight back. My body was already bruised from the previous attack, and the Shadow Drake was closing in on me.
I had to do something. I couldn't just sit here and die. But what could I do? I wasn't a warrior—I was a wizard in the game. My entire existence had been about casting spells, using magic to defeat enemies from a safe distance. But now?
I had nothing. I was weak, defenseless. And yet… something inside me was pushing me to act. My heart pounded harder, but in that moment, a strange feeling stirred within me. It wasn't just fear—it was… recognition. The urge to fight. To defend myself.
I didn't know how or why, but I opened my mouth and shouted, "Arcane… Blast!"
Nothing.
I stood there, my chest heaving, unsure of what had happened. I had said the words, but no spell appeared. Was it just a glitch? Or was I too scared to concentrate? I stumbled backward again, narrowly avoiding the Shadow Drake's next strike. The beast was toying with me now. It wasn't rushing—no, it was savoring the chase.
My vision was swimming with dizziness, and my head felt foggy. I couldn't breathe. I was so close to dying. I felt the cool sensation of darkness creeping in at the edges of my vision, but then… there was a sudden clarity.
That feeling—what was it?
I could feel the energy within me, the magic that I had used so often in the game. This time, I reached deeper—into the very core of myself. I wasn't just a player anymore. I wasn't some avatar of a wizard in a game world. I was the magic.
I extended my hands outward, concentrating, willing the power to form. This time, it wasn't just words. It was a surge of energy that flowed through me and out into the world.
"Frostbite!"
The spell shot from my fingertips like an icy torrent, crashing into the Shadow Drake with a violent explosion of frost. The creature howled in pain, its movements slowing as its legs froze to the ground, ice cracking around them. I felt a rush of triumph, but it was short-lived. The Shadow Drake didn't stop. It was still struggling, still coming for me.
I raised my hands again, but this time, my voice was steady. "Arcane… Blast!"
This time, it worked. A beam of concentrated light shot forward, blasting the Shadow Drake square in the chest. The creature recoiled, stumbling backward from the force. But I could see—it wasn't dead. It was still alive, still coming for me.
I could feel it. The monster was getting stronger. Its aura was warping the air around it, distorting reality. If I didn't finish this quickly, I might not get another chance. I needed to act fast.
With every fiber of my being, I focused all my energy into a final spell—a powerful force I'd never even attempted before in the game. I didn't know if it would work, but I had no choice.
"Arcane Detonation!" The words burned in my mouth as I shouted them, the spell forming in a massive sphere of blinding light around me.
The explosion erupted with an overwhelming force, a shockwave of magic that blasted outward. The Shadow Drake shrieked in agony as the force consumed it, the explosion tearing its body apart. I stood my ground, shielded by the blast, as the creature disintegrated into a cloud of glowing particles, disappearing from the world in a burst of light.
I collapsed to my knees, gasping for air. My body was covered in sweat, my muscles aching from the exertion. I had done it. I had survived. But barely.
I looked around, taking in the quiet aftermath of the battle. My heart was still pounding in my chest, and my breaths were shallow. The Shadow Drake was gone, but the weight of what had just happened settled on me like a heavy blanket. The world felt too real, too alive.
Was this still the game? Or had something changed?
I stood shakily, my head swimming with questions. I didn't know what was going on, but one thing was for sure—I wasn't just playing Forbidden Word anymore. Something had happened. Something had pulled me into this world, and I wasn't sure I could ever go back.
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After wandering aimlessly for what felt like hours, I stumbled upon a small village. The walls were simple, made of wood and stone, the buildings modest but well-kept. Lanterns flickered along the cobblestone streets, casting a warm glow against the setting sun. It was the kind of place I'd seen countless times in the game, a spawn point for new players to gather.
I approached cautiously, hoping to find some answers, hoping to find someone who could explain what was happening to me. But as I moved through the village, I noticed something strange.
The NPCs—those familiar, lifeless characters who only existed to serve the players' quests—weren't behaving like NPCs at all. They moved with purpose, exchanging greetings and pleasantries, speaking to one another as though they were real people. I could hear snippets of conversation as I passed by.
"Good evening, Arin! How's the farm today?"
"It's going well! We'll have fresh produce for the market tomorrow."
The voices weren't scripted. They were human, full of life.
Curious, I stepped closer to a group of villagers who were gathered near a fountain. They didn't acknowledge me at first, but when I spoke, they turned toward me with expressions of mild interest.
"Hello," I said, my voice unsure, tentative. I felt like an intruder in this world. "Is there someone who can help me?"
One of the villagers, a middle-aged woman with brown hair, smiled warmly. "Of course, dear. What do you need help with?"
I was taken aback. These NPCs were acting… real. They were treating me like a person, not an object to be interacted with. And yet, I wasn't a player. I was an NPC. I could feel it in my gut. I didn't belong here, and they didn't know that.
I tried to speak again, but no words came out. It was as if I had no choice but to repeat the same greeting, over and over.
"Hello!" I said, unable to say anything else.
The villagers smiled politely, but it was clear they didn't see me as anything more than a part of the town's fabric. I was just another NPC, an unremarkable part of the environment.
As I walked away, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed. The NPCs interacted with me as though I was real—but when I watched them speak to the actual players who wandered into town, their demeanor shifted. They went back to their usual scripted responses, nodding politely and offering quests.
I was invisible to them, just as I was to the players.
I wasn't a person anymore. I was just another NPC, trapped in this world, unable to reach out to anyone who could understand.
The weight of realization sank in, and a hollow feeling spread within me. This was it. This was my new reality. And the worst part? No one would ever see me as more than an NPC. No one would ever know I was real.
I was stuck.
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End of Chapter.