Without the Will

Thing 3

I found myself walking along a cobblestone path surrounded by smoke which I can only describe as phosphorus. My sight fixed on the void, I pressed on almost unaware of my wavering footsteps.

Roots and other vegetation had begun to overtake the once firm mason. The smoke went from the dry sterile smell of a hospital waiting room to the earthy moist fog of a spring morning dew.

With each step I tread, this brume cleared just a tiny bit more, as did my mind. My stumbling turned to a stride, my strides became a run, and my running to a sprint - a sprint through the wilderness, a sprint to the incandescence leaking past the foliage just a short distance away!

One leap through the thicket and I emerged into a clearing; at first overwhelmed by the radiant shine of the sun, my eyes then began to adjust to see the vista before me: tall grassy fields speckled with trees rolled on as far as my eyes could see, a smooth, strong flowing river leading to the walls of a large decadent city.

This feeling of absolute wonder used to be very common in my younger years of exploring the national parks around my town. Which made it that much more annoying when some dingus behind me started shouting "HOLY SHIT!" In a voice that of a country hick.

Well, I suppose this is the spawning ground, great. Time to go find Vivian.

Just as I started to scout for her, the same voice asked, "Aye friend, you know where we're 'pposed to be goin'?" Directly behind me.

When I turned to face him, I was met with a six foot three goliathan of a man, with a face that of everyone I've ever seen or met before; one of those faces that blends into a crowd, no distinct facial characteristics at all.

"No, not really..." my sentence trailed off due to the sight of many more samey men of varying shapes and heights, all bearing the same face.

The illusion of a true to life virtual world dissolved for me as the "Remember, this is a video game?" bashed my optimism into the ground.

The giant diverted his attention to the same sight. "Huh, why is everyone looking the same?"

"The guys who made this game probably wanted a strong opening, so they most likely postponed character creation until after spawning." I explained with near certainty.

He turned around, nodding, as I kept my eyes on the tree line.

"Any moment now." I muttered under my breath.

There, a perfectly bland young woman around the height of my sister emerged. She seemed to have roughly the same reaction that I had leaving the grove, right down to the same reaction I had after hearing the people on the other end.

"Yo, Vivian!" I called as loud as I could.

She came running up, "You guys all look pretty boring, why wouldn't it let us make our avatars?"

I repeated what I had said to the colossus, who was still attempting to make eye contact with me.

"Huh, that's pretty stupid." She commented.

"I know, right?" The looming tower of flesh budded in.

"Hay, you guys mind if I walk whicha?" He added, slouching to atone for the height differential.

"We'll all be on the same trail regardless, so do what makes ya happy, partner." He seemed genuinely happy after my demeaning response, and said, "Oh where are my manners? We been talkin' for while and I ain't even told ya my name. I'm Tobe."

"Vivian, John." I gave a weak introduction while waving a pointed hand between I and my sibling.

However strange Tobe was, he did provide excellent white noise while on the trek to the walled village, as he recounted the relatively uneventful tales of his life.

"Then I climbed unda the house with a twenty gauge and damn near broke the plumbing trying to kill wha'ever was nesting down there." He finished his multi-part epic relating to the mysterious rattling beneath his home with a long hearty laugh as we approached the castle like gate of the city.

A bright, luminescent wall that of the forest's barred entry to the town.

Two soldiers stood either side of the portal, "Please walk on through, the court wizard is beyond the aperture." One or both of the guards advised, the ambiguity being caused by all the thundering echoes rolling throughout the surrounding countryside.

"Okay, onwards we go then." I said precariously.

I strolled along into the gate.