Draconia Offline vol. 1

6.3. Am I Growing Wings?! - Part 3

When I wake up, Erik is still by my side me but I must have been out for quite a while because my gaming friends made themselves comfortable in my apartment. Liana is watching news using my 3D projector she connected to her laptop, Fefnir sips coffee from my favourite mug and Ingri took off her corset. I feel that their emotions are much calmer. They think rationally again.

"He's up," Erik announces when I twitch.

"Did I fall asleep on you?" I yawn. "Sorry."

"Don't be, more like passed out," Erik kisses me, indifferent to three other people in the room.

Ingri must have been crying for some time because her eyes are still red and puffy. However, she seems to enjoy watching my intimate interaction with Erik. I guess it helps her to get some emotional relief so I don't mind her staring at us.

"Careful, your... ehm... wings have grown again," Erik helps me to sit up. "Their structure is now clearly visible from under the skin. I'm still finding it hard to believe but there's no doubt. See for yourself."

He takes a quick photo of my back and shows it to me. Damn, it's no mistaking it now! And is there on my skin... what is that exactly? White pointy dots, two small patches of them around the swellings.

"Oh, that itches!" I whine and try to scratch it. Erik catches my hand and doesn't let go. No scratching, Ryuu, he says in his thoughts.

"We think they're calamus, we looked it up online," Fefnir suggests, "they started popping two hours ago. You're most probably growing feathers which is only understandable considering... you know."

"How do you feel?" Liana asks. "Your fever won't go down."

"Ravenous," I say, able to think only about food now. "Erik, what about those dishes you brought? Can I have it now? I hope I won't puke this time."

"Fefnir ate it all three hours ago, you've been out for five hours in total," Erik says but adds quickly: "But don't worry. When we found out there's next to nothing in your fridge, we've ordered. We have noodles with chicken, vegetable curry rice, three pizzas and some pasta."

"A cheese pizza, please," my mouth starts to water.

"I'll heat it for you," Ingri offers and swiftly leaves for the kitchen.

"How do you all feel?" I ask in a meanwhile so that I don't focus that much on the pain. They must have been discussing things the whole time I was passed out.

"Our symptoms are progressing as well but, luckily, we're still a few days behind you," Liana says.

"A few days? Why is it so quick in my case?" I frown.

"We're guessing your immersion ability," she suggests. "By the way, most players of Draconia all over the world are experiencing the same symptoms in early stages. It's on all conventional broadcasting platforms and viralling on the Internet."

"But VR developers, scientists and doctors still don't know what it is," Fefnir says. "Players only experience fatigue, redness and tickling so far. They still think it's purely psychosomatic."

"Oh, shouldn't we share the information, then?" I'm surprised they didn't already when I was asleep. "Everyone must be panicking, we have to help."

"We should. The problem is," Liana sighs, "even anonymously, it'll be probably very easy to link it to you specifically."

"How come? Take a photo of my back only, not my face."

"They put two and two together an hour ago and concluded that the speed of progressing symptoms is tied to one's immersion level," she explains. "And while you've never publicly confirmed the fact, it's no secret that your level is, or rather was, 100%. Draconia's developers have your address, right? They send you promotional stuff and fan mail, after all."

"Oh, right," I realise but I'm too hungry to think what it entails for now. My empty stomach rumbles. Thankfully, Ingri returns with my pizza. I gobble each piece, not worrying that I must look very messy.

Erik, so far looking dead serious, smiles. "Nice to see you eat so enthusiastically for a change, skinny."

"Oooh," I drop back on my bed, full and content, when I finish the whole meal. "That did the trick. I hope I'll hold it in my stomach this time."

"Okay, listen now," Liana sits on the edge of my bed. "We've been thinking that your apartment isn't a good place for you to stay."

"She's right," Erik nods. "They explained some things to me about the game when you were asleep so I agree with your... ehm... viceroy."

"We're not ingame, she's not really my anything," I oppose but I'm too stuffed to move. I've always had a tiny stomach.

"You still don't get it," Liana tweaks me, quite hard. "We are changing into our avatars! It's really happening! Soon, you will have wings in real life. And so will I. Fefnir will have a tail, horns and scales. And Ingri... whatever the Earthborn have, I have no idea how it's officially called, to be honest. Can you even imagine that? And what if it won't stop at a purely physical level? What if we'll have our skills and magic even here?"

"Magic? You serious?"

"Total serious," she nods. "But even without any actual magic, we won't look human anymore. Whatever is happening, it's changing our very DNA."

"Right, time for another photo shoot," Erik grabs his phone and takes a photo of my face this time. "Look."

I freeze for a moment. My hair continues to whiten from the scalp, does is actually grow really fast? I'd swear my hair is at least four centimetres longer. And my eyes, my originally dark eyes, start to look much brighter.

"We can't know if our ingame levels will mean anything here, probably not," Liana continues. "Even if we develop mana, we'll have to learn everything from the scratch. I doubt just saying a made-up fictional word will actually produce a spell. But it seems immersion levels have a significant effect and yours was the highest."

"You could have mentioned you're the Emperor ingame," Erik pokes me. "Liana told on you while you were asleep."

"Just a glorified guild master," I set things straight. "A VR celebrity, nothing more."

"Anyway, we must presume that the developers together with doctors and various scientists will be probably very interested in examining you and other race rulers as well when they find out what's really going on," Liana says. "So unless you want to become their lab rat..."

"But where should I go?" I feel desperate. I've always considered this apartment to be my safe haven. And now it's not.

"You can stay at my place," Erik offers readily. "There's nothing connecting me to you. They'd never find you."

"Actually, I was thinking about my place," Liana coughs. "Sorry, Erik, I know that you're Ryuuto's boyfriend but you can't protect him if it comes to the worst. If the government decides this is a matter of national security and Ryuuto's quick transformation can help their scientists to crack it as soon as possible, they won't hesitate to take him by force."

"And you can?" Erik is offended. "Who are you, anyway? Liana, a fake nickname. A fictional viceroy in some fantasy game. That's all we know about you."

"Oh," Liana smiles mysteriously. "I'm just the owner and CEO of AstraTech, one of the richest and most influential people in Europe."