The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 66: What about you?

Chapter 66: What about you?

The day of the Merge:

The world was covered in fog and the log in screen of the game I had played for years now was plastered with Update in progress. Areithia Online was becoming real. I had watched the news coverage and like many others thought it was an elaborate prank. Slowly as the hours went by however, the joke never came and people all over the world began to erase their doubt.

"This has to be a joke," Sarah grit her teeth, leaning over the table where our brand new virtual headset sat on the table. "We worked for years on this thing and Areithia Online is just going to disappear? Our labs finished!"

The Professor looked at her with a gentle smile, "We'll be fine. Our device has many uses outside of just gaming. It'll just be a matter of convincing our investors. The university will back us up."

I couldn't help laughing, "Honestly, I'm surprised you two aren't more concerned about the fact Areithia was real. I still don't believe it. But this fog, the people who appeared on the news... it's a bit hard to deny it completely."

"There must have been quite a bit happening in the background," Professor Grayton gestured to the TV screen that had been muted. It was all over the news as crews across the world settled down at the thickest points of the fog. They couldn't pass through and were just waiting for the marvel of Areithia to appear behind it. "I can't imagine how much effort they would have put in to smooth the transition and keep it a secret."

I smiled wryly, "I did hear rumours, but no one believed them."

"Hey something is happening," Sarah unmuted the TV. The particular channel we were watching was set up within central Australia, the place where Crysis was soon to appear. The greatest landmass of Areithia and the centre of its politics and power. The fog began to clear and the reporters began to clammer, held back by a line of military and law enforcement. It wasn't too late for this all to be an incredibly elaborate prank but as the minute passed there was nothing but to face the truth.

Central Australia, a dry and for the most part, barren land. Instead, the fog revealed grass, trees and woodlands. As it cleared the mountains of Areithia appeared in the distance. It was a scene from the game. A road I had gone by in the game that was once blocked by fog now existed in reality and knights in shining silver armour stood at the ready.

System Integration Complete. Welcome Ardent Friend to the new world. A pop up suddenly appeared in front of me. From the looks of the Professor and Sarah, they saw it too. This truly was going to be a new world.

"Well...," I rubbed my head. "I guess we might need to look for a new project."

**

Endithalia:

The flash ended and Endithalia rose from her bed covered in sweat. Her heart hurt but not from pain. A dull longing and sense of unease crushed into her chest.

"What... what was that?" she breathed heavily and after catching her breath closed her eyes again. Her brow furrowed as she tried to recall the bizarre dream, convinced it was more than just that. Only bits and pieces came back. Ardent sitting opposite a small child, her face blurred but clearly smiling. The two walking together through city streets she couldn't recognise. Then finally Ardent kneeling on a broken road battered and bruised as the child held on to him through teary eyes. It all ended as a man entered the frame, his body covered in blood red crystals.

Endi crawled out of her bed and grasped onto the walker she now used to get around. As demeaning as she felt when using it, the walker was the easiest way for her to move. She entered the kitchen she shared with Ana and her brother. The only sound, her shuffling feet and the dulled noise of the few cars that travelled in the night. With a glass of water now in hand, Endi exited to the balcony. The cool night air rushed through her hair and past her skin, breathing life into her body.