[You have defeated the final boss!]
[You are the first player to beat the game on hard difficulty!]
[You have unlocked veteran difficulty.]
Prompts materialized within the glowing screen before me, each accompanied by a melodic jingle that resonated like celestial bells in a distant valley. A speck of life, lighting away the darkness surrounding this blackened room. This kept me going when responsibilities came crashing down like surging ocean waves during a sea-borne hurricane. It was the eye of the storm which raged around me. Sometimes I wanted to do away with the chaos molded from concrete and sit in a green oasis of trees, grassland and humming wind. All alone. But no such place existed, so this electronic world acted as my portal.
At least in the past.
"Another difficulty? My gruff voice echoed against walls.
This was meant to be my final endeavor, a nostalgic tribute to days gone by. I had willingly imprisoned myself within this confining cube. Like a solitary monk of old, I had renounced worldly delights and embraced a life of simplicity. But free-time once more came to an end.
"One, two, three..."
Those were the meager hours of sleep I was allotted. I've had enough. Even the voice in my head had been tired out. It was in this state of exhaustion that the creaking of my chair blended with the familiar heavenly ring that accompanied each prompt.
[Selected difficulty - veteran]
"The option to pick a class?" I murmured quietly, observing the newly added feature.
[Selected class - arcane craftsman (grade - mythic)]
[Are you certain of your decision?]
With a weary but determined smile, I confirmed my choice by pressing [yes]. As a wave of relief washed over me, my anticipation grew. The loading screen held me captive, knowing that the familiar sound of the first bell would soon resonate. But this time, its ring carried an unfamiliar, unsettling distortion, instead of that calming chime. As if warning me.
[T#ere is n0 t9rni$G B4ck>]
And all went blank, not even that hopeful light remained, as I stared into an abyss of darkness. For a short while, only black enveloped me in this toneless environment, both in sound and look. Met with the sensation of floating within a sea, the sound of static soon followed, drowning out what initially seemed like inaudible voices.
"S..."
"Syl..."
As the voices grew clearer, hues of red, green, and blue started to reemerge, bringing the surroundings back to life. Soon, a vivid image materialized before me, gradually taking shape.
"Impossible..." I gasped, my voice sounding strangely youthful and filled with disbelief. The sky above me stretched out like a still purple lake with floating black clouds. Dizzily, I surveyed along a wall like that of a medieval castle, surrounding the area. Part of its structure rested in piles of rubble, collapsed, exposing thriving nature, with grass, trees, and vibrant flora. Flickering white fireflies danced in the distance, their ethereal glow shimmering gently. Yet, it was the soil that stood out the most, as it contrasted against the vibrant life around it. It was charred black, completely devoid of any color.
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But then, as hundreds of old, lit-up buildings and neatly crafted paths made of light-grey stones, met my eye, a sense of wonder washed over me. I found myself standing in a city of fantasy. The resemblance was uncanny, leaving no room for doubt. I had been transported to the very world I had immersed myself in. This place... It could be none other than that notorious area, renowned for its sweeping chaos and mystical adventure.
[The lawless zone - Vel'Karaz]
"Sylas!" A clear voice pierced through my racing thoughts, snapping me back to reality. My gaze shifted to a bloodied teenage boy, sprawled on the cold ground, desperately clinging to my leg with his remaining strength. Gasping for his final breath, he cried out, "Run, Sylas!"
The scene around us was one of devastation. Lifeless bodies, dressed in mage's robes, along with others donning battered armor, lay scattered on the ground, their faces buried in the ink-black dirt. Among the debris were broken sticks adorned with dull, colored crystals that faintly gleamed their last luster within the chaotic atmosphere. Scorching craters marked the aftermath of intense flames, billowing smoke combined with swirling particles that polluted the air, turning breathing into a chore. The surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins prevented me from fully comprehending the situation, immunizing my mind from an infectious fatal shock.
As I frantically surveyed my surroundings, preparing to flee, my attention was drawn to two figures within smoke dancing above a nearby crater. Slowly, they became clearer, akin to a shark swimming to the surface from the depths of a bottomless body of water.
"One survived..." a seductive and chillingly feminine voice murmured, sending a shiver down my spine.
"Shall we kill him? We have gathered enough slaves," a male voice responded matter-of-factly.
With the figures now in clearer view, my vision played tricks on me. Opaque windows materialized before my eyes, accompanied by a whimsical ringing sound, as if I were experiencing a vivid hallucination.
[Introductory quest - Survive]
----------------------------------------
[Current status of "Sylas"]
[Lvl. 3]
[78% Till next level]
[Free points: 0]
Strength 2.1 Dexterity 2.25
Vitality 2.1 Magic 6
Intuition 2.25 Magic Resist 2
Resilience 1.25 Charisma 2.25
Luck 3.25
[Main class: Arcane craftsman (grade - mythic)]
[Sub classes]
None
[Spells]
None
[Equipment]
Regular hooded cloak (grade - common) [Effect: Increases movement speed]
[Blessings]
None
[Curses]
None
...
----------------------------------------
Abysmal... An all too familiar status window appeared before me, its contents offering little hope. Survival seemed grim as two figures cloaked in black, fully revealed themselves. I was sure of it, what stood before me weren't human beings.
They possessed an otherworldly beauty, their features sculpted to perfection. Both had flowing white hair and a set of piercing red eyes that seemed to glow, capturing every bit of surrounding light. A sinister smile crept across the man's face as his arm shot out, his hand closing around my throat, lifting me off the ground without breaking a sweat. Beneath his smile, distinct sharp teeth, those of vampires, glinted ominously.
Agony coursed through my body, tormenting my senses. Before I could even react, the man's other hand gripped my right arm with gorilla-like inhuman strength. Red streaks of light gathered within his grasp, intensifying alongside the mounting pain.
"Rotten lower-life forms like you should remain in the human realm," the man sneered, his voice mixed with disdain. That was the last remembrance I had before consciousness slipped away, alongside familiar ringing of a system message.
[Afflicted! Curse of suffering.]
Today had marked the fateful date where I had become an extra. A mere non-playable character within the vast realm of war-enveloped Evergarden. The game that once occupied my every waking moment.