Lee Jun opened his eyes to find himself shrouded in complete darkness.
‘Where am I?’ He wondered as he looked around in his lucid dream. As far as he could see it was completely black, it made him wonder whether his eyes were really open or not at all. He didn’t know where he was or how he got here yet it felt like déjà vu to him. He instinctively knew this was something to fear and yet he wasn’t afraid of this lonely darkness. There was a certain apathy to this feeling of his fear. It was like he no longer cared about the fear.
What is there to fear? He knew he was forgetting but his desolate eyes would reveal he no longer cared about anything. He was completely content with just standing here in the darkness. As he stood and quietly stared into the darkness, the world around him began swirling, the black curtains of darkness twisted around him with hues of whites and greys.
He would tell something was happening. His former self might have panicked, but his present self appeared calm on the exterior however the truth being closer to he didn’t care.
As if reacting to the display of Lee Jun’s lack of any fear, the environment around him began to swirl even more violently. The shades of whites and greys broke loose into smaller shards as they began swirling closer and closer around. Their colors began changing, everything was moving so fast…yet Lee Jun stood absolutely still without a care in the world. He was slightly fascinated by what was going around him but he did not possess the curiousity he once had to question what he saw.
Just like that everything around him stopped moving; Lee Jun found himself aboard “The Arc”, his battleship in the VR game Athenos. It wasn’t the Arc he was used to. This Arc was different; the deck was deserted and the emergency lights were flashing red. Cabling from the ceiling dangled loosely below as wires sparked each time they touched each other. There were nuts, bolts and litter floating through the air. Lee Jun pushed aside a floating disposable cup that was on a collision course with him. He could see into the distance, they were in space. Outside the windows, space was like a black blanket studded with white diamonds. There was a certain calmness when he stared out the big viewing window. Even though everything around him cried of warning and danger, he was completely calm.
He took a cross legged seating posture as he stared blankly out the window. He had no thoughts about why he was here, where did everyone disappear off too or why was the Arc in such a dilapidated condition. His mind was completely blank as he silent stared of into space.
The deck of the Arc began to implode as if it were being crushed from the outside. The ceiling collapsed and the floor began creaking like metal being twisted forcefully till it jutted outwards. Lee Jun continued staring out, he felt so exhausted, he had no energy to panic or bother asking what was happening….just like that Lee Jun was soon being crushed between two metal plates and the lights switched off.
Lee Jun opened his eyes and found himself in an empty court room. Again a nostalgic feeling overwhelmed him and just as the feeling reached its peak, it dissappated away suddenly. Lee Jun’s hands slightly trembled. He knew he was scared to be here, he couldn’t recollect where this was or what it meant…but he knew he was scared; behind that armour of apathy still lay a seed of fear. Lee Jun could hear the gavel pounding the block. At first his skin tingled slightly in fear as he recoiled back but as the pounding became louder and louder, he found his apathy taking over. The feeling of shame and betrayal that he associated with this room were being dissolved…
‘What is there to fear?’ He wondered. He had no memory of why he had been so intimated of this room or this noise. He could not recollect any significance that it may have had on his life. Lee Jun knew that he had felt something far more shameful and fearsome than this before…
The pounding faded away just as it had began, it were as if the dream realized that it could no longer coerce Lee Jun using the court room…tiny green buds sprouting through the ground of the floor, branches rushed through and covered the court’s ceiling and brambles came forth everywhere.
Another déjà vu feeling swept through Lee Jun, he could feel his adrenaline pumping. The setting reminded him of something dangerous, something that made his heart leap…something adventurous. Lee Jun found himself yearning to return to this place. He knew there was something he must do here, yet he could not recollect what it was. Nonetheless, it was something of utmost importance he knew as it bothered him so much for not being able to remember what it was.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
*Crackle*
Lee Jun turned around to the sound of something crackling behind him. As Lee Jun looked up, stood a shrouded figure, Lee Jun couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman, elf, human, or otherwise. It stood there, its’ very form blurring along the edges with the darkness around it. As the gaseous like edges of the being swirled around the being there was a faint crackling sound accompanied with it.
Lee Jun and the creature stared at each other for what would seem like an eternity. Neither one moved during this time. There was no hatred being emitted, no knighting aura, it was just a simple long stare at each other with no meaning behind it.
The creature grew frustrated; if its job was to stir fear in the heart and mind of Lee Jun it had clearly failed. It let out a loud high pitched screeching sound enough to deafen everyone who stood around it. Even Lee Jun who was brimming with indifference and apathy in life, winced in pain as he clutched his hands against he ears in pain.
The creature smiled seeing Lee Jun in pain. A ting spike grew and grew out of its palm till it was long enough to be a sword. It then rushed towards Lee Jun and pierced him through the chest.
“REMEMBER!” The creatures hissed into Lee Jun’s ear.
Hundreds of thousands of images flashed before Lee Jun’s eye’s as he recollected each and every moment of his existence in an instant. A single tear rolled down his eye as he remembered the happiness, the sorrow, the fears and the loneliness…Lee Jun looked at the creature, he was finally scared of the creature…but beneath the fear was a sprout of courage that was taking root. Lee Jun remembered the last few days.. soft lips…there was something yet to live on for…
He stretched his hands and touched the creature’s face who was still clutching on to the black sword as it stayed logged through Lee Jun’s chest. It could not pull itself back as it did not expect Lee Jun to find courage to do anything like this…
Lee Jun touched the creatures and the darkness evaporated; what was left behind was a spitting image of Lee Jun albeit with a slightly more sinister look. The “evil” Lee Jun gave of an evil grin before moving back and pulling out his sword.
“What are you?” Lee Jun asked in shock; he was barely able to find the words to ask the question.
The other Lee Jun just continued smiling before fading into the background.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-
Lee Jun opened his eyes, he was on his bed. His arms were slightly bandaged and his back hurt but other than that he was perfectly alright.
“I can do this.” Lee Jun said with a twinkle in his eyes. He knew he had overcome his fear of virtual reality. He quickly grabbed his VR gear and wiped the dust which had gathered on it given its lack of use. He placed it on his head and paused for a moment, “MOM I AM GOING TO ONLINE!”
“WHAAT?” Lee Jun’s mom shouted back. She raced to up the stairs to see her son who had been unconscious all this while…however when she reached Lee Jun was already logged on to VR.
A screen flashed in front of Lee Jun;
Connect to Royal Road – Elementarem Vim?YesNo
He smiled and shouted, “YES!”
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Authors Note:
1. Well, I know most of you wanted flash backs and some of you wanted what he goes through. Independently of reader opinion (which was very insghtful), I wanted him to conquer with his inner fears before logging on first.
2. FYI, the next chapter is still not about him logging back on to RREV....(that will be V8C10)
3. A small chapter, however I am very satisfied with the end product. Its been a while since I have been happy with what I have written.
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