"Come with me." His words were more heartfelt than ever before. Whoever said that love at first sight didn't exist was dead wrong. Within the span of just this conversation, he was already falling for her.
"I wish I could, but I can only exist here in your dreams. My present incarnation is in Septunia, you just have to find her. I'll always be with you. I love you. Goodbye."
Chapter 3
Out of the darkness and into the light. Dusk awoke plastered to the hardwood floor, staring up at the feeble cyan lights of his personal room—his new sanctuary from the endless dangers of the world. At some point he rolled off his soft bed, smacking onto the cold unforgiving ground below. Frosty sweatdrops lapped over his unhinged body. His physical shell protested at him through faint aches and pains thumping through his shoulders and neck. He stirred his stiff body, rising to his feet with moans of suffering.
Covering an eye with his hand, he wracked his disturbed brain in a wild attempt to anchor his mental state to calm and clear waters.
I'm back in Septunia again?
He slowly strolled out to the balcony to affirm his belief. The raw November air nipped at his sweat stained body, molding fresh goosebumps over his being. His rigid body whined in dissent of the cold wind biting at his bruises.
Shuffling through his inventory, he brought out a
This entire stay in this new reality made him realize how much he had taken Earth for granted and how easy he had it back in his former life.
You don't know what you've got till it's gone, huh.
Even so, without this game world, he would never have met such amazing people. He had witnessed horrific things, but in doing so, he became stronger in body and mind. This house where he currently resided belonged to his friends—new people he had come across during his travels in this hostile world. He used to prefer the life of a hermit, but this place had forced him out of his comfort zone in order to evolve and thrive.
Donning his black coat, he ambled silently through his new home, lest he awaken any of his new comrades. He needed to be alone right now, to pick up the pieces of his newly shattered mind. The fangs of madness were gnawing at the vestiges of his sanity. He needed clarity, he needed reflection.
Fifteen minutes later after a brisk walk and hacking his way through several monsters, he found his way down to the beach, his sanctuary of solitude. This game world was filled with an endless supply of ferocious beasts and towering monstrosities. The only safety to be found was in the cities. Those who chose to brave the wilderness of Septunia would have to be prepared to fight for their lives. Yet compared to the world he just came from, this was like a delightful picnic.
What a wild dream.
He stared up in wonder at the full moon with its star companions illuminating the dark night. There was still so much of this world left to explore before he could go back to Earth. Septunia was a world of seven continents and seven different races, six of those being people from Earth that had become prisoners themselves. The seventh race was run entirely by AIs. He read stories on the message boards of faraway lands where the moon burned red, where islands floated in the air, where citadels sat atop massive glaciers. He even heard of an entire city that was submerged in the deepest parts of the ocean. His childhood curiosity caused him to think of extraordinary treasures hidden beneath the vast blue. He hadn't even ventured out of his home continent of Bermia yet. Here, the people around him all looked like humans, but in other places he heard of sentient demons and dragons, even the token elves he saw so much in fantasy movies.
Before he could muse any further, he noticed a disturbance behind him. Several boots crunching against the cool night sands.
"Is that who I think it is?" A voice bellowed out from the unknown. Dusk turned immediately to face the mob of players. His throat puckered shut with horror as soon as his eyes verified the worst. Five players? No, at least ten—and he knew what they wanted.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't The Black Death," another player spoke smugly.
The Black Death—Dusk had secured this nickname through a combination of winning tournaments and killing others to survive. Judging from the violent air that was suffused into their auras, he knew that they weren't interested in friendly conversation. Even so, he wanted to avoid conflict at all costs.
"What do you want with me? An autograph?" He asked, feigning stupidity.
"We want you. You can come quietly, or we can kill you. We get paid either way."
Dusk unsheathed his two blades. If only he had those blades from his dreams here with him now. In this world, he was far less powerful. Still a feared swordsman in his own right, there was no way he could take ten players by himself—at least not without killing some along the way. He summoned his courage from the depths of his spirit, hoping to intimidate his foes into retreat.
"You picked a hell of a time to fuck with me." His voice boomed with poison. "I'm in a really bad mood right now. If it's a fight to the death you want, I'll show you no mercy."
The crowd clamored amongst one another in confusion and dismay. They couldn't believe their opponent wouldn't surrender.
"You would rather die than go to prison!?"
"I won't be chained." He replied firmly.
"Then we have no choice," Another man responded with sorrow assimilating his voice in its all-consuming affliction. Various swords were drawn. Spells were charged, ready to unleash their arcane powers upon him. The battle was about to begin.
"Neither do I." Dusk launched himself forward, slashing through two enemies at once. Their cries of agony filled the air as the metal bite of the swords sunk its teeth in unrelentingly, leaving a blood spray when it finally let go of its hold.
"Kill him! Kill him now!" The mob shouted in a panic.
A fireball came flying at him from the left, hissing through the air. For a brief moment he was prepared to face the flame orb head on, the dream still freshly burned into his brain. But this wasn't a dream now. This was real. He jumped to the side, parrying two incoming blades on his landing. He leapt around the sandy battlefield, dying the sands crimson as he swayed and twirled around in his dance of death.
Two more enemies had fallen, but the enemy was still not giving up.
How many more need to die before they stop?
He hated this. He never wanted to kill anyone. But since he had set foot in Septunia, he had been forced to murder. The first homicide is what made him a wanted man. Instead of having police hunting him, a bounty was put on his head for all of Septunia to see. Now he couldn't go out alone anywhere without bounty hunters stalking him from the shadows. They all sought to bolster their wallets with his corpse money.
He ducked the horizontal swing of a greatsword, diving into his plated enemy with both blades, releasing a bloody torrent from his form. He didn't desire bloodshed, but when it was kill or be killed? What was he supposed to do? Just then, he noticed it. He had finally thinned out the ranks enough that there was a gap for escape.
He had an ability in this world called
He kept on dashing without end until his legs coul
d take no more. Leaning back against a tree, he huffed for breath. It seemed no matter what reality he was in, he was fighting for his life. Earth was now the only safe place. The only thing that kept him sane were his friends, along with the faint glimmer of hope that one day, there would be a brighter tomorrow.
Once a shy, insecure gamer who could barely muster the courage to talk to others, he had now gained a soldier's resolve. Yet with every person he eliminated, his psyche suffered a deathblow as well. Would he one day become like X?
What was that anyways? I've never had such a vivid dream in my life.
It wasn't a dream you idiot.
Dusk immediately rose, craning his head frantically to and fro. He sprinted through the trees, looking for the source of the voice that mocked him from the unknown.
"Show yourself, you coward!"
Laughter bounced through the walls of his cranium, echoing in his mindscape.
Show myself? I already did. You just refused to accept the truth. Have you already forgotten my voice?
Wait, that was it! The veil concealing this voice had been lifted. Dusk remembered now, though hazily, the all too familiar voice.
"X". He responded, an ocean of terror drowning him.
Well at least you remember that much. Maybe you're not completely hopeless.
The bonds keeping Dusk stable were slowly beginning to unravel. "You again, you're real!? Just leave me alone already!"
Not yet. Not until you embrace what you are. You can't run forever. One day you'll have to face the truth. That day is coming sooner than you think.
"And what is that truth?"
His question was only met with the subtle rustle of leaves crackling in his ears. Screw that. He needed an answer.
"I asked you a goddamn question. Answer me!"
Maniacal laughter resonated off his temples, nearly spilling out through his eye sockets. X derived great pleasure from the mental torment.
Just survive until that day comes. Oh, and one last thing. I saw you kill those men a short while ago. Well done. Continue killing, just like that, and live...Just remember. If you show a moment of weakness, I'll devour you, mind, body, and soul. When that day comes, I'll be the one in control.
"Fuck you!" Dusk screamed, clutching the sides of his head as he shook it wildly, trying to shake the unwelcome passenger out of his cerebrum. "Go away and never come back!"
X was gone, but Dusk had caved. All of the struggles, all of the killing, all of the mind games. It was starting to tear at him, swallowing his inner peace in its entirety. Sleep would elude him for days. Even so, he would not let himself be broken completely, never. He would press on in the face of overwhelming hardship out of sheer stubbornness. No matter how vast the darkness, there would always be a ray of light. If X was real then so was she. Most of the memory of his dream had already been lost, but he still remembered both X and her. Her love is what would give him the strength to push through. Taking a series of deep breaths to calm himself down, he began the long walk back to his home, where he might bask in the companionship of his comrades, his personal radiance, his hope. He needed to steel himself for the journey ahead. The struggle was just beginning, but he was determined to win no matter what.
One genocidal monster at a time. Dusk steeled himself. X, or whoever he was, would have to wait. The more immediate problem was Raven. Thanks to him, millions of people were trapped in this harsh, monster laden world, unable to go back to their former lives on Earth. They were thrust away from their families and friends, unable to receive their warmth. Hundreds of thousands had even died here, bleeding out alone in a world far away from home. No matter what, he would stop Raven at all costs.
City Of Blood (War Of The Elements Book 2) Page 5
