*Flash*

With a flash of light, a young boy of sixteen or seventeen appeared in Tomlin in Brittan Alliance.  He was tall, average built and long hair. He had azure coloured eyes which went well with his blond hair. These features also made him stand out. The young man took a deep breath and said, “Great to be back…”

His words stopped at that. The young man was taken back by the sight of the streets teeming with countless adventurers and NPCs. He had a hard time believing this was inside a game.

He couldn’t believe his eyes as he looked around. There literally hundreds and thousands of players on the streets. Some were bargaining with the shopkeepers, some were visiting food stalls, some getting armour repaired, there were limitless activities being carried out. The view unfolding before his eyes was exactly the same as the real world, with people busily coming and going. The young man took a step back in shock. This was not something that he expected.

The view that he remembered was a tiny village secluded by the mountain ranges bathing in a very sombre atmosphere. It used to be an everyday ordinary tiny village.  Silence used to engulf this tiny hamlet. Back in the day, the wind could be heard as the trees sighed, the creaking doors would echo as the townsmen would go about their daily life and the pitter patter of each drop rain fall could be heard. A handful of men inside the inn could always be heard conversing and laughing, the clatter and clamor one expects from a drinking house. Music too could be heard from all quarters... but no, of course there was no music anymore. Now it was just chattering and haggling on the streets; shouting and screaming; bargaining and crying – no harmony in the sounds just a lot of noise.

Everything that this young man once knew has now become a thing of the past.

He lowered his eyes to his legs standing on the ground. Even the ground was different now; there was now a cobbled street beneath his feet; where once a dirt path used to lay. There memories in each of those grains of sand but none in these stones. This was all new to him and yet somewhat nostalgic. Strangers passed him by as he stood still in a daze.

“What’s he staring at?”

“Is there something on the ground?”

“He might be a complete newbie.”

Some passing-by adventurers commented; loud enough for him to hear. Their words didn’t sting or burn; he would not blame them for thinking what was natural. He was simply spending his time reminiscing with the past; nothing wrong with that? Draped in travellers clothes he didn’t garner all that much attention but there were enough people eyeing. Not all were scornful in their opinion of him;

“Excuse would you like some help?” A user offered as he watched the new player.

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The bewildered young man looked at the person who spoke to him and refused shyly. “No thanks.”

“Well if you need help let me know. I am not that high levelled but I am level 8.” The user proudly remarked.

“I will keep that in mind.” The young man replied with a smile as he turned away and began further away from the crowds. He didn’t trust people too easily; no it would be easier to say this young man didn’t trust anyone. His trust was fragile and broken beyond repair; it would anything short of a miracle to restore it.

I let me emotions get the better of me. This is where I belong; there is nothing to be surprised about if it has changed a little.

Close to the spot where he had shown up was a bulletin board exhibiting maps and descriptions of Brittan Alliance, and directions for using the basic interface.

Although he had seen it a hundred times before; he still read it again just to be sure. Careless mistakes are the priciest mistakes.

The young man’s fists were clenched as he whispered to himself “Then let me begin my adventure once again in Royal Road.”

His beginning wasn’t all that spectacular. The first step he took; he ended up tripping. There was significant difference between his real height and his in game characters height. In real life, he was much shorter compared to his in game character which stood at six feet plus. It wasn’t his first time in virtual reality; but he was returning to virtual reality after a very long time; the result being – he fell on his face.

‘That didn’t go too well. Again!’

He stood up avoiding the awkward glances other adventurers were needlessly throwing at him and began to exercise. He touched his feet with his fingers, he then curved back as he tried to touch the ground. He twisted his back sideways, stretched his arms into the air, and even did some sit ups. He played imaginary piano and wiggled his toes. Cracked his fingers and rotated his shoulders. He even tried a few kicks and punches. All this was done to get an estimate of his new body’s dimensions and flexibility. Imagine trying to throw a kick or a punch without knowing the reach of your own attack?

His movements attracted a fair bit of attention but then again this was a fairly common sight as virtual reality was new. Royal Road had just been released and there were many who were not used it.

Having examined his new body, the young man hurried off in search for an adventure.

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@readers

I am having some technical issues relating to forum and posting. The entire prologue will be posted as soon as the same is resolved.

This FF is the prequel  to Ruler of Rules. :)