Chapter 2: Genesis Revealed
Just as Brian got into the VR game, Psalm online. he thought of how he had gotten the Genesis quest in the first place.
Flashback:
Stepping into a forgotten world, the Royal Academy archives were like that. Flickering candlelight danced long dark shadows on the stone walls.
The books on their shelves groaned untouched for centuries. Aged parchment and dust and the cold dampness of being underground, the air smelled of it.
The lantern Brian had was casting a soft glow on the chest in front of him.
The dust had layered itself over the surface, melding into the surrounding shadows. His hand was over the latch. He hesitated.
This better be worth it, he muttered to himself.
The chest groaned open, cold metal lifted, the chest opening with a loud, sharp sound in the quiet room.
The dim light revealed a tarnished and dulled crest inside.
Slowly, carefully he picked it up, brushing away years of dirt. He traced the carved letters on its surface with his fingers.
"Genesis Awakens."
He froze. The words didn't belong here. Clear, sharp, undeniable, they were in English.
His mind flickered a memory, broken like a broken mirror. There was something distant and familiar rushing in, his heart pounding, crowded streets, the blare of car horns, the rich smell of coffee. He couldn't remember who was laughing, but someone was.
"This…" Brian's voice trembled. Almost breaking it, he squeezed the crest tightly. "It can't be a coincidence."
It felt like a weight on his chest. His life on Earth was connected to his life in Rondell in these threads. But how? Why?
---
Brian couldn't get the crest out of his mind. Days turned into nights, and he buried himself into the Academy's archives. There were books and scrolls lying scattered all over the covers of his study table, as if hastily scribbled notes had been passed over.
He muttered as he flipped through another dusty tome and read aloud, 'The Genesis of Lyta.' "Something of unimaginable power, something like a treasure. Trials that test the soul"
Tired eyes rubbed and he leaned back in frustration. "But what trials? Where is it? There has to be more!"
There was a loud crash of someone slamming a book shut in the quiet library. The growing frustration was each dead end, was each riddle, each cloaked in legend.
"Still at it, Brian?"
He looked up sharply. A look of concern wrinkled the librarian's brows as she scanned the mess on his table, perched near her.
She said, 'You've been here every night for weeks.' "You'll burn yourself out."
Quickly, Brian replied, his hand sliding over the crest on his desk, protecting it.
She sighed and didn't push further. He heard her footsteps fade into the distance, so he was alone.
Brian let out a shaky breath. It wasn't fair to stop now. He was so close to finding out.
Then among the ancient records he came upon such an unexpected thing.
Something buried.
A game.
---
It wasn't just a game that was Psalm Online.
It was a thing—a full-blown virtual reality that made you feel like you were in another world.
Brian did not care at first. So what could a game have to do with an ancient treasure? However, the more he read, the more the parallels became difficult to ignore.
Comparing descriptions from his research, he muttered to himself. "… locations … events … artifacts …" His eyes widened. "If we weren't, we wouldn't be this precise."
He searched online forums for more information. One thread immediately caught his attention:
"Didn't they unlock Genesis Quest yet?"
It was a discussion of blurry screenshots interspersed with speculation. It was a game wide enigma, a mystery no one could solve.
"Rondell's history looks like this…" Brian's voice trailed off. He had a thought. "At least the answer I'm looking for could be in there."
His eyes stayed on the screen. Psalm Online was crazy, competitive, and overwhelming, but who cared. He had to try because this was his only lead.
---
Sleek and unassuming, his VR headset sat on his desk. Brian's hand hovered over it.
"This is it," he whispered. "And if this doesn't go anywhere… then what?"
He began to doubt the edges of his resolve. What if he was mistaken? What if this was all for nothing?
He thought about the crest—the one that shouldn't have been there. His jaw tightened.
He put the headset on with a steadying breath. A soft hum filled his ears and the straps hugged his head snugly. A notification appeared in his vision.
[Initializing Neural Sync.]
A warm feeling like static electricity danced across his scalp. He was weightless, suspended in a void for a moment.
Instantly, the darkness was a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes.
The world changed and warped, and he stood in the middle of a beautiful landscape.
It felt real.
His boots sunk into cool, soft grass. The sun warmed his skin where it didn't linger, and a faint sweet scent of wildflowers blew on the breeze.
Brian ran his fingers through the grass, crouching. His chest pulsated, and his heart was beating wildly in his ears; as he whispered, "This… feels real."
A soft chime sounded around him.
[Welcome, Player. You have entered Psalm Online.]
The scenery changed, and he was sucked into a bustling medieval style plaza. The streets were filled with the lively atmosphere, NPC's moved smoothly through the streets if lifelike movements blending seamlessly. Their voices merged with the vibrant hum of the crowd and was called out by the vendors with wares.
There was a new notification in the corner of his vision.
[Quest Unlocked: The Genesis Awakens.]
Brian read the words and his breath caught. "So… it's real." He muttered to himself.
His fingers curled into fists, his determination gripped him. He straightened and his gaze hardened.
"I'm going to see how far down this rabbit hole goes."
---
The faint hum of the VR system echoed in his ears, Brian took off the headset and sat up. His body was dead weight, every muscle ached and stiff. It was a painful reminder for each movement of the painful synchronization process he had just been through.
Trying to get rid of the never-ending pounding in his skull, he rubbed his temples. The migraine was a pressure splitting his head, splitting it from the inside — it was unlike anything he'd ever had before.
He glanced at the glass of water next to him. He nearly dropped the glass, as his hand trembled so much. Furthermore, he cursed softly and forced his hand to grip it tighter.
The cold water went down his parched throat, but the relief was short-lived. It was a reminder of what he'd paid: the constant ache in his body.
"The pain from the game is too realistic" brain thought.