The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 26: Between players (Part 1)

Chapter 26: Between players

It was unfortunate that Zen wasn't the only one I needed to have a serious conversation with. Although we had swept it under the rug for now, our current guest was simmering with a curiosity that she was equally fearful of.

"So, Zen said all of that," Vanter looked out to the distance. We met in Areithia, sitting at the top of a lookout that saw across the recently released Destrian Desert. "Yeah I don't think the whole returning from the future thing would be easy to explain. Good work finding an in between."

"Well I've been thinking about it for a while now," I sighed. "And by the way, we'll be telling Erin the same when she gets here."

He nodded his head, "Oh look there she is down there."

Below the lookout tower was the fortress city of Desir. It sat on the edge of Crysis territory nestled between giant arched splintered rock walls that cut off the desert. It was the only city that touched the desert and acted as a gateway to the dangerous sands. The city itself was regimented with streets that formed boxes of buildings. The largest structure being the fortress at its westward end. The city was for higher level players and frequently saw monster attacks against its great walls. We stood on one of those walls, calmly waiting in the lookout tower and below the bob of green hair approached us.

On the other side was the seemingly endless desert. A once fertile land that was destroyed by the hated and feared boogeymen of Areithia. The Rift Walkers were the enemy of all, but it wasn't them. This was the work of a Witch. Powerful beings that appeared in Areithia's timeline and always ended in melancholic tales that were read to children to warn them from danger. In this case, the desert was created by the Witch of Sands. It was her rampant power that destroyed the land.

High and rolling sand peaks crossed the view, occasionally split by a conspicuous rocky spikes large enough to house a town beneath its shade. There were dozens of dungeons in the desert, possibly even more. When it was first released, players tackled the content only to be continuously pushed back by the harsh conditions. Not only was there the blazing sun, but the coarse sand and monsters made ill prepared players suffer. It was not a location you could casually explore.

"Can we really trust her though?" Vanter asked as Erin spotted us from below.

"Do we have a choice?" I replied shrugging.

"Well we could always try the old memory wipe."

I sighed, "Right now, only Endi can use magic on that level. Would you trust Endi with that delicate of a spell?"

Vanter raised his hands, "No you're right. My sister is much more of a punch you in the kisser type of girl."

"Besides," I began and looked down to where Erin was making her way up to the outer wall. "I want to trust her. Just having her alive changes a lot of the future we know. I just hope it's for the better."

"Yeah, hope so," Vanter smiled.

We waited together until finally Erin arrived at the top of the tower huffing.

"Jeez, did you need to pick a place so hard to get to?" she complained. While you didn't tire as quickly in Areithia, the game still simulated it and Erin had been wandering around for a while. "We could have met in the square or something."

"And miss this gorgeous view?" I gestured and Erin looked around.

She folded her arms, "I admit it's amazing. It's definitely what I would define as a fantasy desert. I can't wait to explore it, but first." She faced us, "We need to talk right?"