Nothing much has changed

"Woahhh. What's this thing?" Jarun pointed at a locker.

"Uhhhh, a locker? You put your stuff in and take it out throughout the day."

"Wait, don't people have an inventory?"

"Nah bro. We use backpacks instead, I guess."

"A... back pack?"

"Yeah it's a bag that you put over your—"

Ziya butted in. "That's cool and all but can you at least tell us where we are?"

Oh yeah. Probably should've mentioned that already.

"We're at the high school."

"What's a 'high school'," Jarun asked.

"Damn. You always ask questions in new places?"

"Well, I kinda—"

"Is this where you live?" Ziya interrupted again.

"Yea—I mean, no it isn't. If you guys stop asking so many questions I might be able to show you where we live."

"We?"

"Yeah... we," I said, thinking how long it's been since I've seen the homies.

I guess I hadn't realized how long it had been since the last time I saw them. Even though I had been gone an hour here, it was a year on Jaguer(Y-ae-gur). Sure, I thought about them now and then, but those thoughts were quickly flooded with focus on training. I mean, they were constantly partying, but when they weren't stoned, they were pretty chill dudes to hang around.

Ziya snapped me back to reality. "You mean you don't live alone?"

"Yeah. C'mon. Lemme show you my homies."

"What are hom—"

"C'mon dudes. I'll answer your questions when we get there."

Jarun grunted, and I was quickly reminded he was still in his beast form.

"Hol' up. Jarun, you're still in beast form."

He laughed. "Guess I already forgot."

I pulled out a thin tube filled with a thick, clear substance. I tapped the end a couple time and a syringe popped out. Before Jarun had any time to react, I stabbed the needle into his arm, where he let out a shriek.

"Whatever. I didn't hurt you that bad—"

"What do you mean!?! Bro, are you heartless?"

"No, I'm Andrew. Since your in your human form," I gestured to his body, "let's roll."

"Aw ma~n. Can't we just—"

"Can't you stop complaining for two seconds? Thanks," Ziya spoke up. She shut him down in an instant.

The moment I stuck my foot outside, my nose was connected with a familiar fist.

I let out a cry of pain and looked up to come face-to-face with an old friend I also hadn't seen in a while: Bill.

"Hey there, Dyllans," he spoke in his usual raspy voice, although this time it seemed more cracked. Like he had been... crying.

"What do you want Bill? I've already had a... long day. Now can you please—"

He cracked his knuckles. "Man, I dunno why you were in there for an hour. Maybe to hide from me? Well, you thought damn wrong."

"Bill just get out of my way we need to—"

"How 'bout we have a little one on one, hmm?"

I guess things had stayed the same. Bill was the type of person to pull this shit off, and yet I had fallen for it. I probably would have had a better chance if I wasn't gone for, I dunno, a year.

Not only that, but I remembered Bill wasn't a person who accepted no for an answer.

'Still stubborn as always,' I thought. "Fine. I'll do it if you just let us leave."

A evil grin formed on his face. "Then let's go. You and me: right here, right now."

"Deal."

We both immediately went into a boxer pose, ready for one of us to attack first.

"Andrew, let's just go. Not like—"

Bill lowered his guard. "Oi, you. Be quiet. We're in—"

"I really don't have time for this. 'Skull Smasher'!"

I aimed my hand at Bill, but instead of the line appearing, the stat screen appeared instead.

"Your level is too low for this move to be used."

"What? What do you mean 'my level is too low'!"

"Dyllans, I have no clue what the hell you're tryna do, but if you haven't noticed, you left your chest wide open."

He was right. In that short amount of time, I managed to lower guard and leave myself wide open, wide enough for him to blast me with water.

Bill swiftly made touch and turn motions above the screen of his watch, preparing to use some sort of water move.

But before he could stick his hands out to spray me with a water blast, Ziya appeared behind him, raising her hand and karate chopping into the base of his neck. He instantly dropped to the ground, his eyes rolling into his head before closing the eyelids.

"Are people like this everywhere?"

Although I was in utter shock, I managed to give an answer.

"Yeah. Most can be gentle, but there are tons of people like Bill. Some... even worse."

I thought about the terrorists that attacked our country. I thought about those kids from the orphanage. The thugs in cities around the world. Gangs.

"Then that's a total waste of a planet."

"You know what also doesn't help? The atmosphere deteriorating. So must of us have to wear oxygen masks during the day to save oxygen."

"Why is that happening?" Jarun asked.

I sighed. "Well there are tons of reasons: climate change, global warming, cutting down trees, carbon emissions—"

"I think I get it. Your place sucks."

He was speaking a little harsh, but it was partially true. I mean, before the war, there were pictures of beautiful forests and lakes. But there were also some of the first World Wars.

I tapped my foot impatiently. "You guys wanna go meet my homies or nah?"

"Oh yeah. We should probably go now."

The three of us started on our way to the dorm rooms. But one question was nailed into my brain.

Why did the system say that I was too low of a level to use 'Skull Smasher'? I mean, when I was back on Jaguer, I was able to use it on Ezra. So why now?

A dreaded feeling ached in my stomach. I remembered that in the circle of masks, there was a message that had said that my skill points and level would reset.

'Time' I thought. My hand flew towards the 'stats' button. My suspicions were sadly correct.

<Strength: 8>

<Agility: 10>

<Chasm: 3>

<Intelligence: 7>

<Senses: 7>

<???>

<Lvl. 1> Andrew Dyllans

I was back at ground zero.