The road began to thin out as I rode closer to the city’s boundary—giving way to patches of grass and dirt until eventually petering off into nothingness, like a snake shedding its skin, leaving only a dusty trail leading to parts unknown.

My Interface indicated that there were still three days left until the Server vanishes but I don’t want to bother trying to hunt down the few remaining SCAVs and Riftspawn left in the city. There was also three subquests left and a Riftgate, but I really just wanted to go out and be somewhere else.

I revved the engine, and the Ley Line-fueled motorcycle roared to life. Grinning like an idiot, I tore out of the Server, fresh wind in my face. The thrill of the ride made my heart race, and I couldn't help but push the bike to its limits.

"Gas! Gas! Gas! I’m gonna step on the gas! Tonight I’ll fly...and be your lover," I hollered, as I swerved left and right, getting a feel for the bike. It responded like a dream, gliding effortlessly across the landscape.

Feeling more confident, I decided to try some tricks, even though I was still a complete noob on the bike. I shifted my weight and pulled the handlebars, attempting a wheelie. To my amazement, I pulled it off, balancing the bike on its back wheel for a few glorious seconds before dropping it back down.

"Man, I'm a natural!" I bragged to myself, my voice lost in the wind.

Emboldened, I decided to push my luck even further. I spotted a small hill up ahead, and I figured it would make for a perfect ramp. I gunned the engine and charged toward it, adrenaline pumping through my veins.

As I hit the hill, the bike soared into the air, and for a brief moment, I felt like I was flying. But as the ground rushed back up to meet me, reality set in, and I realized I had no idea how to land this thing.

"Oh shit!" The bike slammed into the ground, and I went tumbling, my body bouncing across the dirt and grass like a ragdoll.

“Urgh!” When I finally came to a stop, I lay there for a moment groaning, trying to catch my breath. My body felt like it was hit with a thousand tiny hammers, each one screaming ‘You’re an idiot’ with every hit, like a chorus of tiny, judgemental blacksmiths.

"Okay, maybe not so much of a natural," I admitted, chuckling to myself. The laughter hurt, but it was worth it.

Wincing, I picked myself up and limped over to the motorcycle. My heart sank as I saw it lying there, half-buried in the dirt.

“Oh, god…Revvy no. Please be okay.”

I brushed off the dirt and inspected the bike. Miraculously, it seemed to be in one piece. A few scrapes and dents, sure, but nothing that looked like it would affect its performance. I let out a sigh of relief, and then a laugh.

"Okay. No more crazy stunts like that until I rank up my riding skill. Just stick to the basics."

I climbed back onto the bike, my body still aching from the crash, but my spirit was undeterred. I revved the engine once more, and the motorcycle sprang to life. With a grin, I took off, vowing to be a little more careful this time.

As I sped across the landscape, I felt the thrill of the ride returning, and I couldn't help but shout into the wind, continuing that song. "Yeah, yeah yeah! I’ll be so quick as a flash, and I’ll be your herooo!"

The motorcycle roared beneath me, carrying me farther and farther away from the Server, and into the wild unknown of Nexus.

----------------------------------------

The sun dipped below the horizon, and I found a spot to set up camp for the night in a wooded area off the path. I parked the motorcycle and dismounted, my body still a little sore from the crash earlier. But hey, at least I was getting the hang of riding.

I rummaged through my pack and pulled out a couple of ration bars. Unwrapping the first one, I took a bite and grimaced. "Ugh, tastes like cardboard and despair," I complained to myself. "I'd kill for a cheeseburger right about now."

As I choked down the ration bars, I stared into the growing darkness and pondered my next move. "I guess I should find another Server, get some quests done, maybe level up a bit," I mumbled. "But where the hell am I supposed to find one?"

Thinking back on what Aubrey taught me, I remembered her mentioning that Servers only appeared within Ley Line Nodes. But that didn’t mean that every Node had a Server in it. So, my best plan would probably be to just keep riding along the Ley Line and go from Node to Node until eventually I stumble upon a Server.

“Hopefully it won’t take too long.” I had a decent amount of rations but depending on my luck, I might have to go and hunt for food along the way. Were there even normal animals out here? God, I hope so. I don't want to hunt alien worm meat or some other weird shit. Fortunately, Aubrey also taught me the basics of foraging so I’ll at least be able to do that if it came down to it.

I found myself wondering what Aubrey was up to, how she was faring on her own. We'd only parted ways a little while ago, but I couldn't help but feel a pang of loneliness. She had been my guide in this strange new world, and now I was on my own.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

I shook off the melancholy thoughts and decided to check out the night sky. Manifesting my Interface, I laid down on the grass and stared up at the heavens.

The Ley Line energies overhead danced and shimmered, like a more vibrant version of the Aurora Borealis. I’ve never seen the real thing, only pictures of it. It was breathtaking, and I couldn't help but be awed by the sight as the lights played across the clouds.

I let my thoughts wander as I gazed at the celestial light show. "I wonder if Aubrey's looking at the same sky right now," I mused, a small smile on my lips. "Maybe she's thinking about me too."

As the night wore on, I continued to watch the swirling colors in the sky, feeling a strange sense of peace despite the uncertainty of my future in Nexus. Eventually, my eyes grew heavy, and I drifted off to sleep, lulled by the soft breeze rustling through the trees around me.

----------------------------------------

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of birdsong and the warmth of sunlight on my face. I stretched and groaned, feeling the aches from yesterday's crash but also an eagerness to get back on the road.

I packed up my camp, wolfed down another ration bar (still gross), and hopped on the motorcycle. The bike's engine roared to life, and I couldn't help but grin as I prepared to ride off into another day. The familiar clicks and clacks of my Interface manifesting told me that I was ready to go. It served as my improvised motorcycle helmet even though it only covered my face.

"Alright, Nexus. Let’s see what you got for me today!" I declared, revving the engine and taking off at full speed, eager to find my next adventure.

As I rode through the lightly wooded plains, I couldn't help but marvel at the scenery. The grass seemed to stretch on for miles, punctuated by the occasional grove of trees. The landscape was oddly familiar, like somewhere I'd been before, but also completely alien.

"Kinda reminds me of that one time I went hiking in Montana," I mused, leaning into a turn as the motorcycle followed the contours of the land. "Just needs more cows and less... you know, apocalyptic doom."

The landscape rolled by as I continued my journey, the wind whipping through my hair and the motorcycle humming beneath me. It felt good, freeing in a way that I hadn't experienced in a long time. In that moment, it was just me, Revvy, and the open road.

As I cruised along, I found myself thinking about my old life, the one I'd left behind on Earth. It felt like a lifetime ago, but at the same time, it felt like it had only been yesterday.

"Guess it doesn't really matter now, does it?" I muttered, shaking off the nostalgia. "I'm here, and there's no going back."

I decided to focus on the beauty of the world around me, the vibrant colors of the grass, the way the sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground. It was a reminder that even in a world this harsh and unforgiving, there was still beauty to be found.

As I continued my ride, I passed by a small stream, the water sparkling like a thousand diamonds in the sunlight. I couldn't resist the temptation, and I steered the motorcycle toward it, bringing it to a stop at the water's edge.

"Man, I could go for a drink," I said, hopping off the bike and crouching down by the stream. I cupped my hands and scooped up some water, bringing it to my lips. It was cold and refreshing, washing away the lingering taste of the ration bar from earlier.

I splashed some water on my face, feeling the cool droplets invigorate my skin. I laughed to myself, thinking about how such a simple thing could bring me so much joy. My canteen was getting close to empty so I refilled it.

I revved the engine one more time, and the motorcycle responded with a throaty roar. Grinning, I took off once more, the landscape stretching out before me like an open invitation to adventure.

As I followed the Ley Line northwest, I started noticing a faint glow in the sky, even though it was broad daylight. The closer I got, the more intense the glow became, a mixture of greens, blues, and purples swirling together like some kind of cosmic kaleidoscope. It didn't take long for me to realize that I was approaching a Ley Line Node.

"Whoa, that's... that's something else," I breathed, pulling the motorcycle to a stop and gazing up at the ethereal convergence. I could see the Ley Lines streaking across the sky, coming together from three different directions and merging into a dazzling display of power.

The Ley Lines were much easier to notice without all of the crumbling buildings and monsters around distracting you.

I sat there for a moment, taking it all in, before realizing that I had a decision to make. With three different Ley Lines converging at the Node, I had to choose which one to follow. But how the hell was I supposed to know which one was the right choice?

"Maybe I should just flip a coin," I muttered, patting my pockets in search of a stray bit of change. Then I remembered that coins didn't really exist in Nexus, at least not as I knew them. "Right, no coins. Plan B it is."

I dismounted the motorcycle and picked up a nearby stick, holding it up like some kind of divining rod. "Alright, stick, it's up to you," I said, closing my eyes and spinning around in a circle. "Wherever you fall, that's where I'm headed."

I let the stick slip from my grasp, and it tumbled to the ground, coming to rest pointing in a specific direction. I opened my eyes and looked down at the stick, then up at the Ley Line it was pointing toward. It was as good a choice as any, I supposed.

"Alright, then," I said, straddling the motorcycle once more. "We're headed... that way."

With a rev of the engine, I took off again, following the path of the Ley Line as it stretched out before me. I didn't know where it would lead, but that was part of the adventure, wasn't it? The uncertainty, the thrill of the unknown, the promise of discovery just around the bend.

As I rode, I found myself thinking about Aubrey again, wondering if she'd ever faced a similar decision, if she'd ever had to choose between three paths with no idea where they'd lead. I wondered what she would have done in my shoes.

"Probably something badass," I muttered, grinning as I imagined her deftly navigating the world of Nexus, taking on whatever challenges it threw at her. "She's got this all figured out, I bet."

A message suddenly popped up on my peripheral.

Server creation in progress. 50 kilometers ahead. ETA: 2 hours, 39 minutes, 10 seconds

“Oh boy…I’m not gonna miss this.”