Where it All Begins

Day 10

-00:10:59

"Almost ten minutes more and I'll be in a life life. My time has come!"

A mysterious girl said as she was excited for the countdown to run down to 0.

-00:10:57

Meanwhile a dark silhouette on the back corner of an alley was standing there staring at his phone. He was holding a knife filled with blood on his hands. A white smiley mask he was wearing on to cover his face.

"Ten more minutes. Let's see what fun I'll experience with this one"

-00:10:33

On a high rise building, a man in tuxedo was staring at the countdown timer. He's holding a glass of wine on his palm playing with it.

"It's almost time, this time I will dominate this world!"

-00:10:01

Xin: Just hold on Abit longer Lily. I'll will resurrect you soon just you wait! 

-00:09:59

-00:06:30

-00:02:16

-00:01:07

-00:00:10

-00:00:09

-00:00:08

Xin: Seven, six, five.

'I wonder what will happen now'

'Im starting to feel nervous about this'

'I need to get ready!'

Xin: three, two... One!

[Game Starts!]

At the moment the black screen showed a various amounts of task needed to be completed.

The rewards? There were points of some kind.

It says XP. Could it be Experience?

'Does this game have levels as well?'

'The only thing I know right now, is that I have to get stronger. Stronger than the rest of anyone!'

'Im order to fulfill my wish. I need to!' 

As I scrolled down the tasks, I noticed that they're kind of odd.

Task 1: Don't eat lunch

Task 2: Do 10 push ups

Task 3....

Wait, push ups?! What the heck is this a fitness app?! 

After scrolling down near at the bottom. On task stand out the most.

Task 9: Delete Lily's picture

Reward: Gain a new class.

'What the?!'

'How did it know that I have a picture of her?!'

That's the only picture I've taken of her and it was just a couple of days ago.

When we said out goodbyes, I secretly took a picture of her as a keepsafe as the there was the sunset shining down on her glorifying her image. So I took it. 

I've gotten down to think some time. 

'You know what? I just can't '.

'But... If I can get just a little bit stronger. I might have to'

With a lot of hesitation. I took went to my phone and opened gallery. And there one single picture stood out.

A picture of Lily staring at the sunset. It was as if a Goddesss came down from having to stare at the magnificent mystery of the sun. 

But now, it's time to say goodbye.

'It's the only thing that reminds me of her'

At this point my heart was bursting. 

I was crying inside just to look stare at the delete button.

But, if this would help bring Lily back. I'd have to do it. I'd really have to.

[Deleted]

[Congratulations! You can select one more class!]

'Select scholar'

[Scholar Selected!]

My mind is just so tired of this. I'm really just begging it all to end at this point. 

I fought of my grief over her picture and once again just pushed through doing each task.

I may have been slightly overweight but I managed through the ten push ups.

I also didn't take my lunch as it was just easy enough.

And did a bunch of tasks and completed them.

[Congratulations! You've leveled up!]

'Level 2 huh'

[Please allocate your skill points]

'Let's see'

I got

Strength:5

Agility:3

Vitality:4

Intelligence:7

Dexterity:4

With so far I learned in video games. You only need to focus some of the stat that is related to your job class.

So I'll just focus all my stat in Intelligence right now. All five points.

Strength:5

Agility:3

Vitality:4

Intelligence:12

Dexterity:4

After doing most of the task. I was really tired for the day and had to rest. It was almost evening when I finished all task. 

I gouged down my dinner as I was so hungry at this point. And almost as I landed on my bed I fell asleep.

Day 11

A text from Daniel came up. 

Daniel: Don't be late for school today man. Even if you're still grieving you need to go to school. I exactly know how you felt as I lost my father when we were younger. Y'know that.

I replied back to him.

Xin: yeah I'll go. I'll meet with you up soon.

And the day at school started. 

But my tasks didn't stop me from going to school. More like they've adopted.

A bunch of tasks arrived. And aside from skipping breakfast, there were also some weird task like help a classmate do his/her homework, sweep the floor, and help clean out the trash.

It was pretty weird I thought.

At the class, Marshal spoke to me.

Marshall: Haven't you eaten yet Xin? You seemed kinda skinnier than I last saw you.

Daniel: yeah me too. You somehow looked skinnier.

Xin: I just skipped meals from time to time. Nothing to worry about guys.

Xin: These past few days, I haven't been able to eat that well honestly. But I ate dinner last night. 

Marshall: alright but you don't have to overwork yourself okay? I know it's a hard time for you right now but we'll be here to support you.

Daniel: Like if you need something, just ask away alright?

Xin: hmm I might take up on that. I kinda wanted to help out clean the classroom Abit and take out the trash just to clear my mind for a bit.

Daniel: Alright I'll help out.

Xin: No! I mean... I can do it by myself no need to help me with that. Okay? I just wanted to do something right now.

Daniel: okay okay. Fine man. I understand.

My friends let me be for a bit while I was helping out to clean the classroom as the tasks insisted. And I also did managed to find a classmate who hadn't done her homework yet.

Xin: hey grace, what's up? You haven't done your work yet?

Both of my friends were staring from the corner.

Grace: hey uhm I just haven't had the time to do my homework yesterday. I was kinda tired from doing practice at my club.

Xin: you were doing volleyball right? Can I lend you a hand like I already did my assignments yesterday and I thought I'd help you out.

Grace: okay that'll be a great help. I owe you.

Xin: it's nothing I just thought I'd help ya out.

Marshall and Daniel were both skeptical with what I'm doing. 

When I can back to them I just told them:

"It's not what you think"

"I really was just helping her nothing more". 

Marshall: well knowing you for a long time. It's odd that you started caring for our other classmates especially for Grace.

Daniel: just let him be Marshall. He hasn't been in the right mind for days now. I think this is good for him anyways.

Marshall: no doubt about that. I'm just worried.

Xin: It's okay guys. It'll be fine like I tell you. 

I'll be okay.

School day ends and. I'm already level almost level 4 and I've got a few more tasks ahead of me.

One is to run for 10 minutes and another is to do 10 squats. The squats I had a hard time because after running and panting all the while I kinda burned all my energy on that and have little to no energy left for squats. But I persevere and managed to pull through. 

At evening we had dinner and once again had a lot of eat because I was so tired. Later on we went to the funeral and this time I'll properly say goodbye to Lily. But little did I know what's about to happen next will change everything.

It was at her funeral that I started feeling funny. At first it was just like I was going through the trauma I've felt earlier. It was as if something was bothering me. It's making me sick like I wanted to puke out. 

Never did I know that this feeling would lead to something very dark.

Suddenly time had stopped on people around me and suddenly buildings outside started to rust and turn to ruins in an alarming rate. 

And finally, when I look back at the funeral, all the people was gone and I was isolated.

It was if I was at limbo . Like the chaotic version of this place. Or anyplace that used to be a thriving city. 

Then my phone start to rang loudly.

[Event has started!]

[Goblins have invaded the Netherworld, hide!]

[Survive the remaining time 9:59]

!!! Goblins?!

What do I do?????

My heart started pounding and I started to run.

I was trying to look for a place to hide before I meet one of the goblins that would soon engulf this place but where would I hide?!

I managed to find a place near a gas station. It looked old a decrepit but it doesn't hinder me from hiding on this place. 

[Survive the remaining time 08:31]

Soon as I hid myself, I heard footsteps and eerie sounds started to engulf the silence. It was as if a legions upon legions of monsters where coming to walk through the streets.

[Survive the remaining time 07:40]

'That sounds so many!' I thought. And as soon as they arrived, I heard screams from a distance. 

'Are there other people in this too?!'

'No! This can't be!'

I thought I was the only one. I thought that i would be the only one chosen for this game. I must've been too naive to get my wish granted just like that with no competition.

Either after this I will try my best to find other people. I might just get a little chance of surviving this game! 

Chaos flooded the streets and I took a peek for a little and there were legions of goblins scouring the area and fortunately enough they just passed by the gas station and haven't noticed it as they were busy chasing off people from the opposite place to where I was at.

[Survive the remaining time 05:01]

'I just have to survive five minutes more!'

It was only five minutes left until this all ends. 

But suddenly 2 goblins passed by sniffed on the air and stared towards my place. I quickly hid my head but to no avail. I heard footsteps coming closer and closer to me.

I decided that this is where I should leave this place.

I ran through the backdoor of the station and ran. I ran and ran until I was out of energy but as soon as I stopped, there were other more goblins that would find me. They let out a shriek and started chasing.

In a state of panic I started to run again and passed through alleyways. And finally, I was rushing pass by a manhole and then suddenly I heard a whisper into that place.

"Pssst, follow me in here"

I stopped and with no time to think I quickly tired to pull the cap from the hole but it was too heavy! 

"Quick! There's no time! I'll help you!"

Suddenly the steel cap became a bit lighter just enough for me to lift it. Someone was pushing it on the other side 

Soon enough I managed to open the whole and I jumped in. And the hole was closed as I soon as I rush pass it.

"Hey, you okay?"

With just a light from a phone I could barely make out a silhouette of a girl. 

Xin: yeah I think so.

"I'm violet, another one like you"

Xin: another one like me? Like how did you get in this game?

Violet: I was also asked the same thing. For my wish to be granted I clicked Yes.

Xin: ahh you're now starting to make sense.

Xin: good thinking on hiding here. 

Violet: I figured as the goblins in games aren't smart enough I thought I'd hide in here.

Violet: How about you? What's your name? And where did you hide?

Xin: I'm Xin. I hid at the gas station a few blocks from here but unfortunately my cover was blown. They could smell the air for some reason.

Violet: well they can't smell it from here. No worries, this place stinks!

Xin: Yeah kinda. I don't have a good sense of smell you see.

Violet: good for you.

Me and violet didn't even take a peek outside and waited the time until it was all over.

It was just a flash that five minutes went by as we were talking.

[Survive the remaining time 00:30]

Xin: anyway Thanke for like saving me.

Violet: it's nothing. I don't want to see another person died and it just happens that you were there running for your life that I managed to save you in time. I'm glad things are just over.

Xin: me too.

[Survive the remaining time 00:00]

[Congratulations you have survived the event!]

[Claim your rewards: 1 level up]

I claimed my reward and soon leveled up to level 5.

[You earned 1 skill point]

'Skill point?'

'For like skills?'

Xin: hey I just got a skillpoint! How about you violet?

Violet: nothing yet. I just leveled upto 4 just now.

Xin: hmm a skill point after 5 levels huh.

Violet: it would seem to be the case. Anyway let's get out of here. Things should be over now.

When we got out, it was all back to normal again. As if nothing really ever happened.

I exchanged numbers with Violet and promised to text her once I get home.