My New Reality
When my vision finally returned to normal once more, I found myself on the cobbled streets of Qingrad, my eyes wide and my heart pounding as time seemed to resume around me, Alessia continuing to joke as she made her way towards the Supply Depot, where we had agreed to go to pick up some more work and earn some more money.
What just happened slammed into me like a train, knocking the air from my lungs as I felt my head reel, the reality of this situation far too fantastical and sudden to be... the actually be reality.
There was no way, right..?
I mean, there had been laws and regulations to prevent this from happening again, so how would the devs have managed to sneak this past all the regulatory eyes that were required to make sure this didn't happen?
This must be a joke, right?!
Somebody hacked into the game and is playing a prank on us all or something, right?!
Right?!
"Kira..? Hey, Kira? Are you alright?"
Someone placed their hand on my shoulder, and I lurched back a step as my stomach did flips, all while my heart beat against my chest like a drum.
I felt sick and like I couldn't breathe, my mind in turmoil as I tried to come to terms with reality, to come to terms with what I had just heard.
It can't be real..!
It simply can't be real!
This was something that was IMPOSSIBLE to do!!
IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE!
SO HOW?!
How had they done it?!
How had they..?!
In desperation, like I would find something different, I opened up my menu to try and log out, searching desperately for the button that would send me from this harsh, cruel, dangerous fantastical world back to my own, where I could wake up and order a meal without needing to hunt for it, where I could travel miles in mere seconds, where I could be safe no matter what...
I looked desperately everywhere, searching high and low even as I knew deep in my mind that there was no button, that I was trapped here now, with no hopes of escaping.
My breathing was faster than if I had just run a hundred miles, my heart pounding harder than a hydraulic press, my head spinning like I was in a spherical pod floating on the oceans currents...
I was a wreck, but suddenly that pressure that felt like it was suffocating me was lifted, a soothing warmth entering my body and ridding me of the overwhelming anxiety and claustrophobic tightness, allowing me to breathe and think without a looming fear over my head.
A soft golden glow shrouded my body, and I blinked a few times as I realized I was on my knees, my hands clenching my chest as I stared blankly at the ground.
"Kira?! Are you alright?! Hey, Kira! Answer me!"
Crouched in front of me was the blonde Dogkin, her scarred face twisted in worry as she held back from reaching forwards and shaking my shoulder, the warrior knowing that any sudden actions could create a reaction that neither of us wanted.
Gulping, I took a few deep breaths and tried to moisten my tongue, feeling absolutely parched.
"Y-Yeah... I-I c-can hear you, Alessia..."
My voice was shaky and unsure, making the Dogkin's frown deepen as she looked me over, searching for some kind of wound that might have caused this, only to discover that there was none.
"Water... Something... t-to drink..?"
Nodding, Alessia reached for her belt and grabbed the waterskin, handing it to me and watching me closely as I unscrewed the top and took a small sip, allowing my body to reacclimate to hydration so that I wouldn't puke it out, even if my stomach still felt queasy.
After another sip I stood up, accepting Alessia's hand and shuffling beside the woman as she led me towards a bench, allowing me to sit down and cradle my head in my hands, her spell slowly beginning to wear off.
"Kira... what was that? Are you alright?"
Her voice was soft and gentle, the warrior staring at me worriedly and showing a side that few would expect her to have thanks to her appearance.
"I... I'm fine... Just... needed a breath..."
Alessia rubbed my back soothingly, the Dogkin woman trying to comfort me as she worriedly looked me over, partially aware of the turmoil in my mind and hoping that I could overcome it myself.
And... I hoped that I too could overcome the dreadful realization that this world...
The world of Twin Moons of Eden...
That this would be my new, permanent, and deadly home.
That there was no escaping this dangerous reality that I now found myself in.
This world of swords, arrows, magic and monsters, warfare and Dungeons, Gods and Devils...
They were all real now.
I could die here.
The things that I might have been able to avoid thanks to this being a game were now unavoidable, things that could truly push me to the edge and ruin me as a person...
This dangerous place was now my home...
And I couldn't get back to my world.
To my home.
Lulu...
I would never see her again.
Hopefully my message went through.
Hopefully the people of Anum would discover what the devs had done and bring justice to us.
After all...
I was 'alive' here, and yet - if the dev was to be believed - I was dead on Anum.
I would never see my apartment again.
Never receive my degree.
All my other games, all my friends, my family...
They were all gone.
All that was left was this world for me...
Taking a deep breath, I tried to push everything from my mind, to push the fear of this world from my mind as I looked up, understanding that I would be living here for however many years.
Decades.
Hopefully decades.
But how would I live here?
Would I put the sword down right away and try to find a peaceful life..?
No, I couldn't.
This was a game world originally; there has to be some major events coming up soon.
Could I really trust someone else to fight whatever comes around on my behalf?
Even if it isn't some big bad, could I place my safety in someone else's hands for local things?
What if a Goblin continues to evolve and grow stronger, could I really let Alessia go out with some soldiers and hope that she can win each and every time?
I...
I don't think I could.
The idea scares me more than actually being in combat, and it would only continue to scare me if I heard about things happening around the world without being able to defend myself.
No, I needed to get stronger.
This was my new world, and I needed to accept that.
Accepting it meant understanding it too, and I understood enough about this world to know that if I stayed weak, I would be chewed up and spit out before I could even think about living a peaceful life.
Someone might come to 'claim' me, something might kill me, my home might get destroyed in a crossfire...
No, I needed to be stronger.
I had the things I needed to get stronger, and I WOULD grasp whatever I could to make sure I was ready to live in this world.
No matter what.