As we sat down in the dimly lit safehouse, Aubrey cracked open another can of soda she had taken from my grocery bags. She took a long, satisfying sip, savoring the taste. I could tell she hadn't had a real soda in a while. It must have been a nice break from the rations and MREs she'd been surviving on.

"Alright," Aubrey said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Let's get into the nitty-gritty. Ley Lines and Ley Line Nodes. You need to know how they work if you want to make it out here."

I nodded, eager to learn. Aubrey had been a lifesaver—literally. Without her, I would have been dead the moment I arrived in this strange world. I owed her, and I wanted to make sure I pulled my own weight.

Aubrey activated her Interface and tapped the side. Blue light projected from a point on her visor and manifested a holographic map on the table.

“Holy fuck! That’s like Star Wars.”

She laughed. “Right…help me, Obi-Wan scene.”

The map looked like a topographical projection of a region, though I wasn’t sure of the scale. At the center was a tiny, birds-eye view of a city with the name Caveirdus—ah, that's the place we're at right now, I remember. The city was enveloped in a faint blue dot. Three blue lines branched off from the dot, with each line connecting to another blue dot and so forth. One of the dots furthest away from Caveirdus disappeared, and the two lines connected to it vanished as well. Another dot appeared in a different region and three lines emerged along with it, connecting to other blue dots in the vicinity.

Woah. That looks almost like some sort of circuitry.

"Ley Lines are powerful streams of energy that stretch across Nexus,” she continued. “They're about five kilometers wide and two kilometers high. You can't see them without your Interface, but they're everywhere. They connect Ley Line Nodes, forming an interconnected web of energy."

I glanced down at the map, trying to wrap my head around the concept. "So, these lines are like... highways of energy?"

"Yeah, you could say that. They're the lifeblood of Nexus. Without them, we wouldn't be able to use our Psionic powers."

"And how does that work?" I asked, still a bit confused. "How do these lines of energy give us powers?"

Aubrey deactivated her Interface and leaned back, her eyes narrowing as she considered her answer. "Well, that's the million-dollar question, isn't it? We're not entirely sure. I was taught by older players who had been here longer than me, but no one really knows where the Ley Lines come from or why they give us Psionic abilities. All we know is that they do."

I frowned, trying to process this. "So, we just... accept that we have these powers because of these mysterious energy lines?"

Aubrey shrugged. "It's not like we have much of a choice. Nexus isn't exactly a place for deep philosophical debates. We're just trying to survive."

I couldn't argue with that. Survival had been my primary concern since I arrived in this world, and I knew I had a lot to learn.

Aubrey continued her explanation, delving deeper into the nature of Ley Lines. "Ley Lines are ethereal and invisible, but they're everywhere. They're like a natural force, like gravity or magnetism. They're an intrinsic part of Nexus, and they're tied to everything that happens here."

As she spoke, I noticed her eyes lighting up. It was clear that despite the harsh realities of this world, Aubrey was still fascinated by the underlying mysteries that governed it.

"Every Player has a Psionic ability, which is fueled by the energy within the Ley Lines. Your ability, um…Umbrakinesis, was it? You need to be in a Ley Line or in a Node to use it."

I glanced down at my hands, flexing my fingers. The thought of wielding such power was both exhilarating and terrifying. I had always been a fan of comic books and superhero movies, but I never imagined I’d actually get some sort of superpower.

Aubrey's voice snapped me out of my reverie. "Now, Ley Line Nodes are where the real action happens. That's where the energy from the Ley Lines converges and manifests. These Nodes are crucial for us Players, and you'll soon understand why."

She activated her Interface again and pointed to the map, showing me several points where the Ley Lines intersected. "These are Ley Line Nodes. They're like power stations, supplying energy to the entire web of Ley Lines. Your Psionic abilities are at their strongest inside of a Node."

I nodded, trying to commit this information to memory.

"But be careful," she warned, her expression growing serious. "Ley Line Nodes are also where Servers appear."

I remembered her mentioning Servers before, and my curiosity was piqued. "What happens when a Server appears?"

Aubrey hesitated, as if debating how much to tell me. "Well, when a Server manifests, it's always within a Ley Line Node. If you happen to be in a Node when that happens, you’ll get forcibly ejected to the edge of the Server—and the ride isn’t pleasant.”

Oh fuck… Definitely don’t want to experience that.

“A countdown timer appears for any Players who enter the area. Those that decide to stick around a Server will have between two to eight weeks to complete the main quest and any subquests there before the Server vanishes."

"Vanishes?" I asked, alarmed. "What happens to the people still inside?"

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

"Nothing. They stay where they are. Only the city and the Riftgates vanish.”

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. Well, at least I won’t vanish along with it and end up in some other Twilight Zone.

Aubrey continued, her voice growing more animated as she delved deeper into the subject. "Speaking of which…Ley Lines are like a double-edged sword. They give us our powers, but they also make the world more dangerous. Creatures called Riftspawns are attracted to the energy within the Ley Lines, and they often appear near Nodes."

"Riftspawns?" I asked, feeling a shiver run down my spine. She mentioned the term earlier and I figured it was just a fancy name for monsters.

She nodded grimly. "They're dangerous creatures and entities from other dimensions. When a Server manifests, it gets populated by hundreds of them. They can pose a significant threat to Players, especially those who aren't prepared to face them. When you encounter one, be sure to check its Threat Level. I’ll tell you more about that later."

As I processed this information, I couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease. This world was even more treacherous than I had thought, and it seemed like danger lurked around every corner.

But as Aubrey continued to explain the intricacies of Ley Lines and Nodes, I found myself becoming more and more determined to survive. This was the hand I had been dealt, and I wasn't about to fold without putting up a fight.

"Remember, Connor, Ley Line Nodes are where the energy from the Ley Lines converges and manifests. When a Node collapses, we call it a 'Node Collapse.' This can happen at random intervals, which makes it difficult for us Players to predict when we might lose our source of power."

I frowned, trying to wrap my head around this new concept. "So, if a Node collapses while we're near it, we lose our ability to use Psionics?"

"Exactly," she confirmed. "That's why it's important to always be aware of the Node you're currently in and have a plan for how to escape if it begins to collapse."

“So, I’m assuming that the Ley Line Node that we’re in right now won’t randomly collapse because there’s a Server inside of it?”

Aubrey grinned. “Hey, you got it. You’re catching on real quick. Yeah, a Node is stable if a Server is attached to it. Just to be on the safe side, players usually leave a few days before the timer runs out just in case the Node collapses after the Server is gone. Most of the time, it doesn’t but you never know. A lot of things are random around here.”

As she spoke, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety. This place already had too many bizarre things going on and it was overwhelming to try and keep track of them all.

Aubrey placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, Connor. I know this can be a lot to take in all at once, but you’re hanging in there. I’ve seen people shrivel up into a ball and sob themselves to death rather than adapt to survive. I think you’re doing well, keeping your chin up, asking the right questions."

I nodded, grateful for her support. Aubrey had a way of making me feel like I could face anything, as long as we faced it together.

She continued, outlining a method for following the Ley Lines as we traveled through Nexus. "Since Ley Lines are invisible to the naked eye, you'll need to use your Interface to detect them. Once you've located a Ley Line, you can follow it like a road, leading you directly to the next Node."

So it was basically a highway I could use to follow the next intersection until it leads me to the next city—but the highway could disappear at any moment. Damn, this was freaky.

"So, even though the Nodes are constantly appearing and collapsing, we can still navigate the world by following the Ley Lines?" I asked, trying to clarify my understanding.

Aubrey nodded. "That's right. Plus, your interface will have a map of the region you’re in and it’ll show you all the Ley Lines and Nodes in the area. The map will show you only about a fifty-kilometer radius from your current location, and it only works if you’re inside of a Ley Line. If you’re outside of one, then you’ll be dead lost unless you know how to navigate the normal way."

Damn. I wish I paid more attention to those survival shows. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the challenges ahead.

"There's one more thing you should know, Connor. There's a way to use your Psionic abilities even outside the range of influence of a Ley Line, but it requires the use of a special device called a 'Ley Line Battery' or LLB for short."

She rummaged through her backpack and pulled out what looked like a cold cathode tube the size of a tallboy beer can and handed it to me.

I examined the device. It had a filament coiled around a piece of metal suspended inside. Once in a while, I saw a wisp of blue light flicker in and out of existence.

"This is a Ley Line Battery. It contains aether collected from a Ley Line, which you can use to fuel your powers when you're not near one."

I turned the battery over in my hands, feeling the weight of it. It was surprisingly heavy for its size. "How do I use it?"

Aubrey pressed the top of the battery and it made an audible click. The filaments glowed and more of the blue light swirled inside the tube. "You simply activate the battery and connect it to your Interface. Once it's connected, you can draw from the stored aether to power your Psionic abilities."

I nodded, committing the information to memory. "That's incredibly useful. I can see how it would be a lifesaver in a tough situation."

"Definitely," she agreed. "But keep in mind that Ley Line Batteries are a finite resource. Once the aether inside is depleted, the battery is useless. So you should only use them when absolutely necessary. You can have that one."

I tucked the battery into my pocket, understanding the importance of conserving such a valuable resource.

As we continued our conversation, I noticed that Aubrey had started to munch on some of the grocery items I'd brought with me when I arrived. She seemed to be genuinely enjoying the taste, and I couldn't help but smile.

"You like the food?" I asked, curious about her reaction.

She looked up from her meal, her eyes wide with delight. "Hell yeah! This is amazing. I haven't had anything like this in years. I've been living off rations and MREs for so long, I'd almost forgotten what real food tastes like."

Her enthusiasm was contagious, and I found myself grinning as I watched her savor each bite. It was a small reminder of the life I'd left behind, and a brief moment of normalcy in an otherwise chaotic world.

As our discussion about Ley Lines, Nodes, and Psionics came to a close, Aubrey reiterated her warning about the dangers that lay outside the boundaries of the Ley Lines. "I know I've already said this but I can't stress it enough, Connor. Inside Ley Lines, you may feel like you’re a superhuman, but this world is a lot more hostile and unpredictable than the Earth you and I know. You need to be cautious and prepared for anything."

I nodded, taking her words to heart. "I understand, Aubrey. I'll be careful."

She smiled, her eyes full of warmth and confidence. "I know you will. So today, I want you to practice using that new power of yours. Your power is different from mine so I can’t teach you how to use it. Today will mostly be self-study for you."

“What kind of power do you have?”

Aubrey grinned and gave me a wink. “I zap people.”