[Welcome to DragonArcus."

Two young men were in a gymnasium, running on the treadmills, talking to each other at the same time. Through the glass you could see that these two were good friends, although one of them quickly changed his face from happiness to surprise and stopped, getting off the treadmill.

The young man with the brown hair was a friend of Alexander's, John. They had been together since childhood and went to the same school and university, but went their separate ways, eventually finding themselves in the only place where they could have fun together when they had free time.

"You're coming back!? Do you know that half the world at DragonArcus hates you for the way you behaved?"

The second young man, who was still running on the treadmill, stopped slowly until the treadmill stopped, allowing him to get off.

"huuufffff..."

Alex sighed deeply and John continued to stare at him, patiently waiting for his answer.

"I know how I behaved, but my justification is valid, we were all idiots at some point in our lives, right?"

John still couldn't believe that Alex had the idea of returning to DragonArcus, a game he had almost ruined himself by his actions and behavior.

"Dude, I don't recommend it, everything you did in the game, I assure you no one has forgotten and I stopped playing six years ago, but I still find the occasional publication, talking about the statue and what it represents."

John's fear was justifiable, Alex's behavior had been unacceptable in the three years he was present in the game, his most notable action was that of PK, stealing other people's items and then using the typical gesture of a buffoon, pretending to make fun of his victim, this same concept was applied to the game's top players, who lived from and for the game.

Such behavior was not forgotten and a monument to Alex's name was erected in the biggest city, not out of respect, but because this statue had been placed together with a plaque to the most shameless player that ever existed, and he also applied a badge of bad reputation to the player permanently.

"I was young, I couldn't help it, the power made me stupid and I'm not the same as before."

I assured John that I was no longer the same idiot who was once in the game, but for John, this was hard to believe, but he couldn't deny the fact that outside the game, I had grown up in my life, got a scholarship, graduated from college and got the job I always wanted.

"I know you've grown up, Alex, but the things you've done I don't think you're welcome in the game and I know how much you liked it there"

He wiped the sweat off my forehead with a towel and I looked John straight in the eye and smiled at him.

"I'll fix everything, I acted like an idiot and changed, but I won't let my past leave such a mark against me either."

I was adamant about getting back in the game. John could only smile and sigh.

"You're very stubborn, you know?"

With a brief laugh, I answered him.

"Aren't we all at some point in our lives?"

Pi

Pi

Pi

Pi

The clock on my wrist suddenly started to ring, telling me it was time to go home.

"Oh. Look at the time, it's time to go back to the hole. See you another day, John."

I said, leaving the towel on the treadmill and taking my backpack with the clothes in it, I headed for my car.

"See you next time, Alex, take care."

The young man from the gym said in a friendly tone to Alex, saying goodbye and hoping that he would come back another time.

"Thank you. Lucas, have a good night and take care."

I responded in the same way, I got to my car and as I got into it, I suddenly couldn't help but remember a moment when I stabbed a player in the back and started to tease him, dancing around him as he bled out.

"Damn. I wasn't bothered, I looked like a psychopath on the loose at the time..."

John was right and Alex possibly hadn't been forgotten by his actions, but there was still a small chance that if he had been forgotten, his love for the game hadn't died yet, so he decided to try at least one more time.

"Forget about those things, you've changed, you're not the same loser you used to be. You've grown up, graduated with honors, and changed, you're not the same jerk you used to be.

"Forget it, forget it, forget it, forget it."

I repeat the same word to myself over and over again, it was like my past was torturing me, I just want to get it over with and get rid of the doubts.

Knock

Knock

Knock

A sudden knock on the window of my car door brought me once again to reality, it was the Lucas, the guy who was at the counter.

"Alex. Here, your towel, you forgot it... Are you okay?"

Lucas had brought Alex's towel and, at the same time, realized that Alex was mumbling things, so he decided to ask him.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking and I appreciate the towel."

"It's already 7 o'clock, I'd better make something to eat now or maybe later, when I'm done playing."

It was obvious that my desire to play was greater than my desire to eat, so I left the food for later and after closing the doors and windows of the house, I went up to my room where the computer was and DragonArcus was waiting for him.

"We finally meet again, the old me."

I told myself when I opened the game and entered my old account and password, I found myself a surprise, my character, "Art_The_Jester" of level 1000, had not been deleted or the account deactivated.

I could feel my pulse rising and I got a chill which ran down my back as I listened to the old DragonArcus welcome music.

As soon as my character appeared on the screen a sudden bright and powerful light appeared on the monitor screen, completely blinding me.

"¿¡What's going on?!"

I said to myself, looking at my hands, which seemed to be being distorted, the movement of these were leaving a trail of colors.

"¿What the...?"

[Welcome to DragonArcus, Art_The_Jester."

The light finally disappeared allowing me to regain my sight, but what received me afterward was something that no one in their right mind would believe, my vision was incredibly reduced as if I had a mask on my face.

"What the hell is this?!"

When I touched my face I could feel a soft surface and I decided to give it a couple of knocks.

Tock

Tock

The couple of knocks I gave the surface. they let me know it was hollow, my hands went over my face until I finally found what looked like a buckle and decided to unbuckle it. which allowed me to take off whatever was on my face.

I looked carefully at the strange object and when I turned it over I found the surprise of my life, a mask.

"A jester's mask."

A jester's mask, to be more exact, my jester's mask, which my character possessed.

"What's going on here and where is this?"

As I looked in all directions and as far as I could see, I was in an alley where there were a couple of other people sleeping.