YOU DIED

"Thank you for this gift, with this, I shall be able to finish what my Predecessors started."

The 8-bit pixilated figures faded to black,

Bringing your near-lifeless body up by the neck, the Grandmaster of the Cult of the Husk drives his fist into your chest, pulling out a small black stone. 

YOU DIED.

The words blinked in red across the monitor. Below it a small box appeared containing the words [New Game].

Without thinking, I swept my arm across my desk, my keyboard was sent flying against the wall, a few keys broke off as it clattered to the floor.

Bringing my clenched fist to my chest, I dropped back into my seat.

"Hhhhhhhhhhhh, I need to stop doing that," He grumbled.

Staring at the screen momentarily, I glared at the empty spot on my desk where the keyboard used to rest.

"A year, another year's worth of work and effort. Gone into this damn game." Grabbing my mouse, I slowly move the curse over the 'new game' button.

Swords, Bows and Staffs.

A shitty title for a shitty game.

I've been playing this game for half my life. When I was sixteen, my mom gifted me my first laptop, and my grandma gifted me Swords, Bows and Staffs.

Which was not what I wanted, but I said thank you as you do. I thought I might as well check it out, and it turns out. Swords, Bows and Staffs is actually pretty good.

At least that's what I thought at first.

You play as an adventurer, pick a character, a starting weapon and are dropped into the town with basically no tutorial, just one objective. Survive.

For the next twelve years, I've basically only played this game. No other game released before or after even came close.

The amount of classes it has, quests, secrets, NPCs, blah blah.

I just couldn't put it down.

And yet with every playthrough it made me madder and madder.

Insta-kill traps with no warning.

Overpowered enemies that roam into the starting areas.

Late-game enemies with one-shot attacks.

The fact that NPCs you hire to aid you in the Crypt can stab you in the back if your relationship isn't high enough with them. 

And more and more and more pains that only built up. 

"I wonder if I'm going to need to buy a new keyboard…"

Tapping my fingers on the empty space in the middle of my desk, I glance at my mouse.

I have never tried a playthrough with just the mouse.

I wonder what class could let a mouse be viable.

Holding my mouse, I press on new game prompt.

The screen flashed to a white page.

[New update available: New game mode

Would you like to update your game now Y/N]

A new update? Huh, Swords, Bows and Staffs hasn't been updated in years, I remember the exact date, it was the day I graduated from college.

Clicking on yes, I sit back, watching as the update bar begins loading.

I wonder what this new update could be. A new game mode? There's never been more than the one, the hardest mode, die once, straight to a new run.

Is it odd that I hope it's not an easier mode? I've got so used to how hard this game is, an easier mode wouldn't feel worth my time.

Ping.

My attention shifted back to the screen, the bar was already at one hundred percent.

That was fast, not even a minute.

The screen displayed one prompt.

[New Game]

Oho, that's exactly what I'm here for.

Reaching for my mouse, I move the cursor over the text. It begins to brightly glow.

I click on it.

The screen goes black.

Tilting his head, I stared at my own reflection in the monitor.

Sunken eyes from not enough sleep.

Rough stubble from not having shaved in days.

Messy hair from not having showered in weeks.

Dropping his head into his hands, my long nails dug into my skin.

Why do I keep wasting my time playing games?

I can't just waste my life forever.

I lost two girlfriends to this game.

I lost four jobs. After all, I kept coming in late because I was playing this game until god knows when in the morning.

Fuck.

Dammit.

"What am I doing with my life."

"I would hope you are getting ready for your test."

Bolting up, my eyes strain against the bright light of the sun streaming in through 

Squinting, I turn to my right to find where that voice came from.

An elderly man with a long grey beard half my height looked at me with a certain fondness.

"Are you okay?" He reaches into the deep pockets in his robe. "You seem a bit, out of sorts." Pulling his arm back, he produced a small loaf of bread, offering it to me. "Eat up, you've been preparing for this test for a long time. To think today you will become an Adventurer. I hope it will have all been worth it."

Blankly looking at the man, I reach out, accepting his gift of a loaf of bread.

He seemed familiar, but I couldn't recall where I had last seen this man.

"Um, thank you." 

Wait, this voice.

Clearing my throat, I speak again. 

I just need a small question about where I am, something to ground myself.

"What day was it again?"

Shock ran up my spine, this voice definitely wasn't my own

It was too high pitch, my voice could never go this high.

At least not since puberty, but that was over a decade ago.

"What day? Oh, Melania, you silly girl. It's the first of the month, you know what that means."

A spark of recognition ran through my brain.

The first of the month? I squinted at the man.

What happens on the first of the month? Come on, brain think.

Taxes? Shopping for food?

That doesn't really seem very important for my current predicament.

I mean, in Swords, Bows and Staffs, the licence to be an Adventurer is always held on the first of the month. That's how every playthrough begins without mistake.

Wait, no.

Maybe?

Oh no…

My head once again droops into my hands, the piece of bread I had been given becoming one with my forehead.

I've been sucked into Swords, Bows and Staffs...