Transcending Reality: When The Game Becomes Life

A Fat Man

I plopped down onto the cozy seat that Lyra had expertly crafted just for me, as my heart overflowed with gratitude for her thoughtfulness. I gazed out at the endless stretch of ocean in front of me as a soft breeze blew across my skin, as gentle as a lover's touch. Suddenly, I felt a deep sense of peace wash over me, as if all the chaos of the world had melted away in the salty sea air.

However, I inhaled a lungful of air and let it out with a dramatic sigh, my mind was suddenly flooded with flashbacks of the conversation I had with Lyra. It was just yesterday, but the weight of her words had somehow grown heavier with time, causing me to feel like a shaken-up soda can ready to burst at any moment. Suffice to say, I was far from feeling settled.

It was almost unfathomable to me that Lyra could have dropped such a spine-chilling plan with such an impassive expression, as if it were just another casual conversation. I mean, seriously, who could believe it? It was as if the weight of her words were heavy enough to crush the very air around us, leaving us both breathless and reeling from the implications of what was being proposed.

Isadora occupies the seat beside me, her gaze fixed nervously upon the vast expanse of the sea. The rest of her company stands idly by, ignorant of what the future holds.

"Is the dame really that frazzled that she needs a fancy beach getaway to get her act together?"

"Hey, pipe down pal. Maybe they're holdin' out for somebody."

"Who could they be waiting? We're staring down the Dead Sea, the most damn treacherous body of water around. Ain't no living creature with half a brain gonna make it across that shit alive."

Oh, how the knights did revel in their distance from all prying ears! They thought themselves safe in their secluded spot, far from the reach of any snoop or spy. Their voices carried on the wind, a faint whisper in the ear of any who cared to listen. And I, with my sharp senses and keen perception, was able to hear their every word, as if I were standing right beside them.

The endless ocean stretched out before them, and doubt crept into the minds of Auric and Kaelen, who were the first to speak up. Their words dripped with concern and hesitation as they contemplated the impossible feat of traversing the deadly waters in a mere day.

Auric, in particular, appeared taken aback by the sheer magnitude of the challenge before them. His gaze fixated on the unforgiving sea, and he could not help but express his doubts out loud. "Uh! Please forgive me, your majesty," he stammered, quickly realizing the potential consequences of his words. "I did not mean to imply that your soldiers aren't strong enough to overcome it," he added, attempting to backtrack and save face.

Kaelen chimed in with his own reservations, nodding in agreement with Auric. "And to traverse it in a mere day, I find it impossible," he said, casting a sideways glance in my direction. His eyes held the same look of doubt and disbelief as Auric's.

As they spoke, I remained calm and composed, sitting with my legs crossed and arms folded. I could sense the fear and uncertainty emanating from them, but I knew that their worries were unfounded. With an amused glint in my eye, I looked at them and then at the horizon, where the incoming ships were approaching.

"There's no need to worry," I reassured them, pointing towards the sea. "As you can see, they are already here."

All eyes turned towards the ocean, where a fleet of twenty airship carriers and fifty battleships was making its way towards the shore. The sight was a marvel to behold, and the onlookers were awestruck by what they saw. The ships seemed to glide across the water's surface effortlessly, as if they were walking on solid ground.

"By the gods! What manner of beasts are these that traverse the waters as if they were land?" exclaimed Aragorn, his monocle falling from his eye in shock. He continued to stare at the approaching fleet, his voice trembling with disbelief.