Draconia Offline vol. 1

4.1. Compatibility Failure - Part 1

Compatibility: 87%

I feel my avatar's virtual body again but it's a weird experience. I have my wings, of course, but they don't feel that real to me anymore. I try stretching them and they respond nicely but the sensation is rather dreamy.

Is this how VR is like to normal players? What the hell happened? I've never heard of any cases of people's immersion ability going down as it can only go up based on how many hours a player's brain spent connected. The brain gradually adapts, it's a proven fact. It can get stuck at a certain level when one's mind reaches its limit but never decrease.

Then I realise another thing which makes me shiver. My telepathy... it's still on. A bit clouded, but I feel emotions that aren't my own. How is that possible? Shocked, I look around but I'm alone in the royal office. Is it coming through the walls? It seems ridiculous that I'd be able to perceive other people's emotions in VR when their real bodies are often thousands of kilometres away but I need to make sure.

I check the map of the palace. With my administrative rights, I can actually see players who have permission to be here as little dots. The royal palace is basically a guild house and I'm just a glorified guild master, after all.

I can see a few dots that represent guild members quite near me so I try focusing on them. I get nothing specific, though. What I feel comes from a totally different direction. No, it's just not possible to feel other people's emotions here. Players are connected from all over the world. Sure, my telepathy got stronger just a couple of hours ago but it's still impossible.

Then it hits me. I can identify these emotions! They are familiar, belonging to my neighbours. Somehow... I can still feel telepathic waves from the real world. It's a vague mixture which unnerves me. I'm used to either feeling everything and assigning it to specific people or nothing at all in VR.

Is it because my immersion ability dropped? With 87% immersion, it would mean that my brain is still 13% in the real world. Normally, people shouldn't feel any difference because they don't possess extrasensory abilities. But I do. A huge difference. Could my helmet be simply malfunctioning? Please, let it be the case!

Liana's avatar materialises just two minutes after me.

"H-hi," I say, startled a little. It's weird to feel other people's emotions but not from the person in front of me. I'm suddenly unsure how to talk to her.

"Are you okay?" she notices something's off about me right away.

Should I tell her? I can't mention telepathy, but...

"Just tired," I decide to lie. "Do I play too much, Li? How many hours do you play?"

"Usually around six at workdays," she says and is looking at me with suspicion as I've never doubted my gaming habits before.

"That's not that different from me when I'm at school, hmm..."

Liana is eyeing me analytically.

"You don't look comfortable," she summarises. "I don't want to preach but it's never a good idea to ignore your body and play when you're sick in real life."

I need to tell her at least something or I'll go crazy.

"No, I don't have flu or anything like that but lately... I don't feel well-rested after gaming and my back is sore," I confide.

Her expression changes.

"I also feel really tired recently," she admits.

"Do you think there might be something wrong with our VR helmets?" I suggest.