Not the Hero Nor Villian

Chapter 1: The Emergence

I didn't expect things to turn out the way they did. None of us did. We all believed we were living in a world governed by politics, religion, science, and numbers. Then one day, everything changed—both for better and for worse. I no longer had cancer; the relentless worry about paying medical bills vanished. But in its place emerged an incalculable number of new problems.

It all began the day the continents magically rose hundreds of feet into the sky. There were no earthquakes, no tsunamis, no natural disasters—just a silent, surreal defiance of the laws of physics. Cities perched atop these elevated lands, their skylines suddenly stretching closer to the heavens.

Not long after, Earth began to expand, swelling to a size comparable to that of Saturn. The transformation didn't stop there. A colossal supercontinent emerged, a landmass that redefined the geography of our planet and irrevocably altered the course of human history.

With the new supercontinent, at its epicenter stood an awe-inspiring tower, dwarfing any structure in human history. This monolithic edifice reached into the sky, a beacon of mystery and transformation. Those who entered the tower experienced an astonishing metamorphosis: their bodies were restored to their physical prime, free of sickness and disability, though their heights remained unchanged.

Inside the tower, a gateway opened to other "levels," each a distinct realm brimming with challenges and adventures. It was as if reality had merged with a fantastical game world. People could undertake quests issued by the system and interact with NPCs—non-player characters—designed to guide and test them. Completing these quests allowed individuals to gain experience and "level up," enhancing their abilities and strengths.

At first, it seemed like a miraculous opportunity, a new frontier for humanity. But as time went on, we began to realize that the tower held secrets and dangers beyond our wildest imaginations. The administrators had painted a picture of endless possibilities, but the reality was far more complex and perilous than we could have ever anticipated. We were pawns—no, being a pawn implied we had a role to play. In the sick game of the Prime, the gods and demons were mere children. We lesser beings were toys...a source of entertainment.

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I squinted at the TV screen mounted on the wall opposite my hospital bed, the news anchor's face a blur even with my glasses on. The brightness of the room, the sterile scent of antiseptic, and the quiet hum of machines filled the air. My head throbbed with a dull ache, a constant reminder of the stage 4 brain cancer that had taken over my life. At 29, I should have been out there living, not confined to this bed, struggling to see and do anything on my own.

The news was just background noise, something to distract me from my reality. I barely registered the stories being reported, my mind was too foggy to focus... Honestly, I didn't care about the news, or anything for that matter... I was dying.

Before I could go into a mental self-deprivation rabbit hole, I heard a soft knock at the door which brought me back to the present.

"Alistair," a gentle voice called. I turned my head slowly, wincing at the effort. Stacy, my nurse, stood there with a warm smile on her face. She was a blonde woman, about 38 years old, and one of the few people who still treated me with kindness. In her hand, she held a cupcake—a chocolate one, my favorite.

"Happy birthday," she said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her.

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. "Thanks," I muttered, my voice rough from disuse. Birthdays had lost their meaning to me. Each year marked just another milestone of suffering. It was also a reminder that I was that much closer to death. Day by day, it got harder and harder for me, psychologically, and mentally... But Stacy... Help me with the pain in more ways than one.