Aldrich arrived at the office, his mind still haunted by the green resolve tree, the keystone's glowing presence lingering in the back of his head. It was like a faint pulse, tapping at the corners of his thoughts. The idea of the runes—those digital relics from the game he loved—had become a bizarre part of his reality. I need to shake this off, he thought, rubbing his temples. It's just some weird dream, a side effect of whatever happened last night.
He greeted the security guard at the entrance with his usual half-smile, muttering a quick "morning," before heading to his desk. His best friend Jayson was already there, lazily sipping on a cup of coffee.
"Hey man, want some cup noodles for lunch today?" Jayson asked, leaning back in his chair and raising an eyebrow. "You know you love 'em."
Aldrich shook his head, feeling the familiar weight of exhaustion hanging over him. "Nah, I'm not really hungry right now. Stomach's not exactly... cooperating," he muttered, glancing down at his computer screen.
Jayson let out a loud laugh. "You're always saying that, but we both know you're just gonna skip lunch and play League for three hours instead."
Aldrich gave him a half-hearted grin. "Maybe. But not today. I need to focus."
Jayson shrugged, "Well, if you change your mind, don't say I didn't offer. You're seriously missing out."
As Aldrich settled into his chair, he overheard a conversation from the nearby gossiping girls. They were chatting animatedly about the nearby mountain and how its vegetation had been growing rapidly. One of them, an overly enthusiastic coworker named Marissa, was practically bouncing in her seat.
"I read it in the news!" she said. "They say it's some freak of nature. The forest's growing at an insane rate! Trees, bushes—everything's changing overnight."
Aldrich raised an eyebrow, intrigued but skeptical. "Where did you hear that?"
"News report. It's all over," Marissa answered, tapping away on her phone. "Some scientists are calling it 'unnatural.' They're freaking out, but no one knows why it's happening."
Aldrich didn't have much time to process it before a familiar voice broke his concentration.
"Hey, Aldrich," a voice chimed from behind him, soft but authoritative. It was Sham, his girlfriend. She knocked on his head lightly. "What are you doing? Flirting with the girls?"
Aldrich looked up, startled, but a grin spread across his face. "What? Me? Flirting? Nah, I was just... asking them about some weird news."
Sham rolled her eyes, not buying it. "Uh-huh, sure. You're lucky I don't report you to HR." She messed up his hair in a playful way, causing him to swipe at it in annoyance. "You smell like you haven't showered in days. When was the last time you took a proper bath?"
Aldrich chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's not that bad, right?"
But Sham had already started walking away. "Yeah, it is," she called back with a teasing grin. "You seriously need to take care of yourself." She stopped, turned, and planted a kiss on his cheek, her expression softening. "But... don't worry, I still like you."
Aldrich's heart skipped a beat. "Thanks," he muttered, smiling as she walked off.
He sat there for a moment, running a hand through his messy hair, before his thoughts returned to the runes. What is happening to me?
During break, Aldrich retreated to the bathroom, trying to calm his mind. He leaned against the sink, staring at his reflection in the mirror. The green resolve tree was still there, lingering in the back of his mind like a ghost. It wasn't going away. The keystone rune, Grasp of the Undying, was unlocked, pulsating with power inside his consciousness, but the minor runes, Conditioning and Second Wind, were still locked—unavailable for use.
Why are the other runes locked? What's keeping me from using them?
He tried to focus on the locked runes, the Conditioning and Second Wind runes, but it felt like trying to force open a door that just wouldn't budge. The keystone, however, felt so... real. What if this isn't just some dream? What if this is real?
Just as he was lost in his thoughts, his phone buzzed. It was Sham.
"You okay? You've been awfully quiet today."
Aldrich smiled, typing back a quick response. "Yeah, just got a weird dream last night. I think I'm still a little messed up from it."
He put his phone back in his pocket, then decided it was time to put his thoughts to the test. The feeling inside him—this strange, pulsing power—had to be real. After work, he was going to try it out. He had to know what would happen.
After a long day of work, Aldrich finally left the office. Sham, who had been waiting for him, raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're okay? You've been acting weird all day."
Aldrich scratched his head, trying to shake off the weirdness. "Yeah, I just... had a strange dream last night. Been feeling kinda off."
Sham tilted her head. "Do you want to come over and relax at my place? Maybe it'll help you clear your head."
Aldrich hesitated. Normally, he would've jumped at the chance, but something felt different today. He remembered his earlier plan. "Actually, I was thinking of hitting the gym. You know, working out a bit."
Sham looked at him, surprised. "Really? You? Working out? You should've done that ages ago. You're gaining some weight, you know."
Aldrich chuckled sheepishly, scratching his head. "Yeah, I know. Maybe it's time I start taking better care of myself." He walked with Sham to her bus stop, and after a quick kiss goodbye, he headed to the gym.
At the gym, Aldrich approached the front desk, trying to act confident. He cleared his throat. "Uh, hey. I'm looking to spar. Do you have anyone I can fight?"
The female attendant behind the counter raised an eyebrow, looking him up and down. "Spar? You sure you want to do that?" she asked, her tone skeptical. "You don't exactly look like someone who works out much."
Aldrich winced but nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure. Let's just see what I've got."
The attendant grabbed a walkie-talkie and spoke to someone. After a brief exchange, she looked up. "Alright, head over to the sparring ring. Someone will meet you there."
Aldrich took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. He walked to the ring, a mix of excitement and nerves racing through him. As he waited for his sparring partner, he couldn't shake the feeling that something—something deeper—was about to change. The runes, the strange power within him, the growing sense of urgency... everything was connected. And now, he was ready to test it.