Jason embodied the essence of an ordinary, middle-aged recluse. He was a man in his mid-twenties, living a solitary life in a modest apartment nestled in the heart of England.
The signs of an unhealthy lifestyle were evident in his appearance. His physique was large yet not in a domineering way, but one that had grown through the gradual toll of neglect. A result of the countless hours he spent indoors coupled with the copious amounts of calories he consumed.
Next was Jason's apartment, which bore the marks of his solitude. His room was dimly lit, with the curtains drawn to ward off the outside world, and the air heavy with the stale scent of isolation.
His presence in the apartment was a solitary one, with no family or visitors to share his space. He was estranged from his relatives, not through force but by his own choice, with the ties that had once bound them now being firmly broken.
In the digital realm, however, Jason found his sanctuary and escape. Perched on a cluttered desk, his gaming console was the nexus of his existence.
The soft glow of his monitor screen cast a bluish light on his face as he immersed himself in virtual realms. In these digital landscapes, he transcended the mundane, donning the identity of heroes and adventurers, escaping the reality of his daily life.
Days blurred into nights as Jason navigated these alternate realities, forging bonds with fellow gamers worldwide while cocooned within his apartment's four walls.
Unlike his actual existence, which was characterised by his physical isolation, Jason's online persona thrived. The hum of his computer and the rapid clicking of keys filled the apartment, echoing the rhythm of his solitary existence.
However, as Jason sat fixated on his screen during yet another uneventful and mundane day, an eerie, soft hum suddenly began reverberating through the ground, gradually growing louder as if the Earth itself was growing increasingly enraged. Jason, caught off guard, tumbled from his chair as the tremors intensified.
Sensing the unmistakable signs of an earthquake, a rare occurrence in the United Kingdom, Jason swiftly sought refuge beneath his desk, seeking shelter from any potential debris or hazards that might descend from above.
Given his elevated apartment, rushing outside might have been the wiser decision, but even in moments of danger, Jason clung to the familiarity of his reclusive habits.
Huddled beneath the desk, Jason closed his eyes and braced himself as the vibrations surged through his body, their intensity increasing with each passing moment. Strangely, these vibrations did not seem to just penetrate his physical body but also his mind, and in the wake of this mental assault, he lost consciousness.
Yet, he was not alone, for the sound had echoed throughout the once-vibrant world, causing everything to fall into an eerie slumber.
Time passed as minutes quickly turned to hours.
As Jason groggily awoke, he found himself sprawled out on the floor, disoriented and unsure of how he had ended up there. He pondered whether he had dozed off during another gaming session, but his confusion deepened when he remembered the unusual events of the previous day.
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As he assessed himself and found no injuries, he speculated that he might have hit his head during the earthquake-induced fall. After a quick self-examination, his attention was once again drawn to the conspicuous absence of the usual background noise that permeated society.
The silence was unsettling and pervasive.
With daylight seeping through the curtains, which was usually accompanied by the sounds of bustling city life, Jason ventured toward the window. He tugged at the drapes, pulling them apart to reveal the outside world. To his astonishment, everything appeared normal. There were no toppled buildings or shattered streets, though many cars had crashed, but surely this much was expected with an earthquake.
However, after further scrutinising the outside world, Jason finally noticed something strange. His gaze locked on to what he had assumed to be debris, but under a more focused gaze, whilst his elevation made it difficult to make out the shapes, he saw an assortment of unconscious bodies strewn across the ground.
"Ok… that's not normal".
Taking in the surreal scene, Jason squinted. He was unaccustomed to the sunlight after being confined indoors for so long, and so his eyes stung as he continued to observe the surroundings.
As his gaze remained fixed on the fallen bodies, perplexed about what to do, an ethereal screen materialised before him, further enhancing the surreal quality of his current predicament.
Surveying the translucent blue screen, he could not help but notice its uncanny resemblance to the countless video games he had immersed himself in over the years. Curiosity piqued, he habitually read its contents.
System Notification:
Dimensional synchronization of world 024-0611* has achieved the mandated dimensional energy threshold. Planet 024-0611*, Earth is now poised to initiate its ascension sequence.
Greetings, inhabitants of 024-0611*, identified as Homo Sapiens, Humans. We extend our best wishes as you embark upon your Ascension Trials.
May fortune favour your journey.
As Jason finished reading the ethereal screen, a few new pop-ups appeared.
System Notification:
Welcome, inhabitant of Earth. Would you like to commence your trial?
Y/N
Dumbstruck by the sheer bizarreness of it all, Jason's initial confusion soon gave way to a broad, beaming smile.
Given the situation, with so many people outside either injured or dead, such emotions did not fit the current atmosphere, and yet those thoughts did not fill Jason's mind. Jason did not really care about others, not anymore anyway.
No, instead, he was fully focused on the screen before him.
Wasn't this scenario reminiscent of the countless games he had played and the novels he had read?
Jason raised his hand with infectious giddiness, trying to click the "yes" button.
As he extended his hand to interact with the icon, he was surprised to find it intangible, with his hand passing through the screen. Intrigued by this peculiarity and drawing from his extensive experience from novels, he focused his mind on selecting the button instead.
However, before Jason could select "Yes", at the corner of the ethereal screen, juxtaposing the blue with its deep red, the flashing symbol of a mail icon bleeped unceasingly.
"A red icon…? It has to be important!"
Jason decided to interact with this 'mail' icon first. After mentally selecting it, a new notification appeared before him.
System Notification:
Congratulations!
The higher dimensional entity, 'The Hive,' wishes to be your Patreon.
Y/N
Jason's excitement was palpable as he read over the message.
But just then, his phone buzzed, slicing through the moment. Jason's eyes dropped to his phone screen, and then his stomach twisted.
'Her' name appeared on the caller ID. The woman who'd broken his family. Jason's fists clenched as bitter words rolled on the tip of his tongue.
"That damned wh…" Jason was about to explode seeing 'her' name on the caller ID, but the system notification and situation helped to control his boiling emotions, and instead, he ignored the call and refocused on the screens before him.
After reviewing the notification and concluding that it couldn't be anything bad, he promptly accepted it.