The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 17: Brand new dawn. (Part 2)

"Looks like this is the last of the boxes," I looked to Aria who was tidying up a similar box herself. All the small items had been removed from our apartment and sorted into a neat pile of boxes. All that was left was the larger furniture and what we needed for the day to day.

Aria looked at the room conflicted, "I know it was my idea to move but I will miss this place."

"Same," I checked the time. It was 10am on a Saturday. Areithia Online's update had gone live several hours prior. Vanter had already started to play the game, starting in one of the Dwarven townships. The game was currently setting an all new high player count as everyone jumped back into the game and many started.

"Well, I'm done here," Aria smiled satisfied. "You can head off. I'm going to do some study before Dad gets here. We can start moving in the smaller boxes today. A truck will come by for the big stuff tomorrow."

"And then it's really goodbye to this place," I tapped the wall lovingly. "I'll meet you at the new apartment around 5. Call me if you need anything."

"Roger that," Aria saluted me. "Oh, before you go. Where are you going to spend tonight?"

"Hmm, I'll follow you."

"Then dress warm because we'll be sleeping on an empty floor today," she grinned. "I'm so excited. I can finally decorate my room how I want to."

I was at the door and laughed, "Like that ever stopped you before."

"Hey, I was being mindful. With you gone I shall unleash my full creative power!" she gloated and huffed an evil laugh before choking on her saliva.

"You okay?" I peeked through the barely open door.

"I-I'm good. Too much enthusiasm that's all. Go, your people need you," she waved me away.

With that door shut and I left our old apartment, possibly for the last time. It was a tender feeling as I walked the very familiar hallway and down the same stagnant smelling staircase. So many things had changed and this was a big one. It felt like everything was coming at once and I wasn't quite sure where to head next. Vanter suddenly appeared, the game was changing directions and Zen was moving in with us. They were all good things to the point I expected something bad would happen to balance it. Maybe not now, but it was more of a matter of when.

I headed to the gym which had a good morning crowd going and after checking in with how things were going with a quite enthusiastic Finn and Fiona, left to the backroom. I hadn't quite decided what to do with the VRP yet, whether to bring it to the new apartment or leave it where it was. Our new place from door to door was only about five minutes away and that was including travelling down the elevator and waiting at the crossing.

I pushed the decision till later and lied down in the pod, closing the case and felt the familiar sensation of logging in. My eyes eventually opened to the city of Crysis. The bustling city was missing quite a lot of its player base with the vast majority of people milling about being NPCs. It was obvious where they all had headed to and I made my way to the same place.

For a moment however I just breathed where I stood on the side of the street. The update had come through and with it many players were marvelling at the new sensations they could feel. It was a feeling that my real body couldn't replicate yet. The simplest way to put it was that my body felt full, like it was alive. I could feel the steady flow of mana within me in a constant ebb and flow with the world. Different to that was Aura. The power of my soul that felt like a warmth trickling from the centre of my chest. The only reason I could feel them so well was because of my training with Ratansi. In my skills list several new ones had appeared. Mana cycling, Ratansi Style Mana Control, Aura ignition. They were all related to the new sensations players could control. Although not complete yet, it felt quite similar to my past self.