So this is how my world ends, huh?

Sitting on a cliffside overlooking the quaint little town where I first entered this world break down into colourless polygons,and even further broken down into shining dust that levitates into the air, revealing an infinite void that expands into nothingness.

As the border of deletion slowly approach my location, I wish that the creators would be trying everything that they could to prevent this from happening, and return it to the way it once was.

But they won't. This was their plan since the very beginning.

And here I am, eating my triangular cut clubhouse sandwich, know full well it will be my final meal in this world.

Behind me is the first house I have ever bought with my own coin, waiting to be deleted along with the rest of the world. It was small and quaint, looking like a house right out of Stratsbourg, with a nice garden and path of stepping stones I installed with my own hands.

I wonder if the people of this world knew that the end is coming? Perhaps they've long known, after all, they have always felt more alive than the npc's of any other game, although subtle.

I wonder if Aivleen decided to make this sandwich, knowing how much I love them? That it was the first thing that we ever served each other after we first met?

This world, Grand Arcana, truly was a one of a kind world. Many tried to copy its ideas and premises to no avail, unable to copy the scents of the unique species of flowers, the songs of the many birds in the forest or even the flavour of these simple sandwiches. With even the creator of this world unable to explain how he made this world, only saying it came to him in a dream as a gift from God, they soon gave up.

Most thought that this story was a cover, a way to protect the technology and secrets behind its creation, similar to a country keeping their military secrets.

But to a few, his words were taken to heart. This world is alive, hiding its beating heart underneath its surface. And to me, the creator was nothing but a looking glass into a different creation, to give a taste to a different world.

And outside this vibrant, hidden world, was a relentless reality that neglected my existence. A reality where my mother left me at a young age, with a father who drank away his problems, ignoring my existence except for small amounts of cash to keep myself fed.

School wasn't much better, either. I just never felt as though I was accepted. I was ignored by those who were supposed to teach me how to survive in this world, unable to ask questions, making me work several times harder than anyone else in my age group. My classmates weren't any better, looking at me as though I was dust on a windowsill, not caring about me at all.

Over time, my lack of friends made be an easy target for extortion. My money would be taken, and I would be forced to do their homework. After they realized I barely had and money and wasn't a genius, they would beat me, and the teachers would turn a blind eye, with the scummier ones extorting me as well.

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One day after being beaten and left in an alley, I came across an advertisement of a game. Grand Arcana, a VRMMORPG that was called by its title of 'second reality'. Despite what the reviews of the beta testers said of its quality, the price was absurdly low, so much that even I, with the meager pocket change I saved over my years of self reliance, could afford all of the equipment needed to play.

Perhaps it's title was what spurred me on, or perhaps I was just tired and bored, but after the harshness of reality beating me day after day, I wished to experience the so called 'second reality'. On the day of its release, I bought it along with tens of millions of others. It was nice, knowing that for once, I wasn't alone while pursuing others.

After logging in, I felt a feeling I had never experienced before. It felt like I had a veil that had always before my eyes suddenly pulled away, and for the first time in my life, I could finally breathe. It felt like this world was the real one, and the one that I just left was nothing more than a long, drawn out nightmare.

And I wasn't alone, many others also felt this way at first, practically living in it. Sadly, over the years, the player base slowly left for the newer and easier games, like many before.

Taking another bite of my sandwich, I recall my first hunt. It was a pack of jackolopes in the forest that was taken before the town. It was unimaginably difficult, and in the end I came out empty handed.

Tired from the failed hunt, I stumbled upon an npc run food stall. Luckily, she took pity on me and gave me a meal on the house. We talked over the meal, and I discovered that she wished to go on adventure. One thing led to another, and we along with 7 others traveled across the country exploring its secrets. Even though the dialogue with her was bland, I truly felt like she was alive, and enjoyed our journey.

I still remember the taste of the food that she served me that day. It was a simple tomato soup with a clumsily made clubhouse sandwich. Even though it was simple, I remember crying at the taste of it.

That day, I formed my resolution.

'I will stay in this world until it's end.'

Even after years, reality still didn't let up on me. Nobody would hire me even for the most simple of jobs, barely anyone would speak to me and time and time again I would be extorted by the owner of the places I would rent, with my only way to survive being to sell what I could in GA.

One day, while I was coming back from a hunt I heard a rumour spreading amongst the players. That 'on the tenth anniversary of Grand Arcana, the number one player would be granted any wish'.

That rumour is what spurred me to leave this small town and travel the country and learn as much about this world as I could, getting stronger along the way. Although I didn't know whether that wish was real, or what I would wish for, I felt a deep dread over what would happen if it fell into another's hands.

As the years past and my companions grew, I realized I had a craving for those clubhouse sandwiches I would eat after returning from every hunt. Before I knew it, I was back in town. I don't know how it happened, but I was able to bring her with me on my adventures.

Before I left, I decided to buy some land with a nice view of this town with my companions, we built a house.

More years past, and the rumour had longs since died, along with the playerbase. Before I knew it, I was practically unrivalled amongst the remaining players, with two of my companions close behind. At this point, we were all fairly reclusive, rarely meeting others. Many people searched for the top three players, on the highest mountains, darkest caves and deepest waters, but no one suspected that the on of the top players would be here, overlooking one of the beginning towns.

Although I was the top player, I wasn't sure how it had happened, because we rarely ever explored the most extreme places as we just wanted experience the world for what it had to offer.

That life continued on for a while, until twelve months ago when the creators made an announcement.

'On the tenth anniversary, all servers will be shut down.'

After this announcement the remaining ten thousand players slowly trickled out, not wishing to stay in a world that would soon disappear. With each wave of people leaving, they had a more and more difficult time leaving, until eventually, only the 11 people online right now were left.

When I first heard the announcement, I despaired. What was I supposed to do when I would be stuck in a world that would reject me until I died?

And then I remembered the wish. I panicked and set out to increase my abilities as much as I could so no one could surpass me in the games final days, hoping that with the wish, I could at least secure my living. There was still no real proof of it being real, but it was the only hope I had at the time.

And just a few hours ago, I came home back to this small house with Aivleen, while my party member went their own ways during the final hours.

And as I sit here, finishing my sandwich and watching the end of the world that already took the town slowly approaching my home, I glance at the leaderboards and see that in the very end, I still held first place. Looking at that, I held a wry smile on my face thinking back to when I first overheard the rumours.

"The number one player will be granted any wish, huh?"

And as the timer is seconds away from zero, I closed my eyes, remembering all that I can before I was erased from this wordl too.

"I just wish I could have lived in this world forever."

As those final words left my lips, the world turned black, and in reality,  a flash followed by a loud noise like lightning on a clear day, rung throughout the streets as the clock hit midnight.