BlueLizard took in a big breath and then slowly breathed it out, getting acclimated to her character.

She was currently sitting crosslegged deep within the foggy interior of the Celestial Mountain Range. Ancient red symbols covered the stones surrounding her, artifacts of the ritual needed to summon a Player such as herself into this realm. The trees stood tall and upright, reaching for the sky. They were clustered close together, and their branches competed against one another, so the actual sky would have been impossible to make out even if the thick fog blanketed the forest had dissipated.

She took another breath of the cool and damp air, allowing her consciousness to meld into the body of the man she had possessed.

I am Grandov.

Grandov was BlueLizard's absolute favorite type of character to play. He was through and through a good person. He might have had a sharp tongue sometimes, but he always meant well. He was the classic "hero" character that stories told of. Some Players felt nauseated at playing a character so classically good, such as him, preferring characters less bent on saving everyone. BlueLizard, however, wished that more characters were like Grandov. It made the Games easier for her to complete when she knew she was helping do good.

She took in another deep breath and breathed out.

Grandov is me, and I am Grandov.

She didn't need to reread Grandov's background information; she knew it by heart by now.

Grandov had lived all his life in Adovoria. He was born on a farm and moved to Genise when he was eight. He never knew his mother, who died in childbirth. Unfortunately, his father also passed away shortly after coming to the capital city, Genise. However, he had an older cousin who held a respectable position within The Order, and she had taken him in. Relying on her earnings, she raised Grandov with great care and love.

However, misfortune struck again. When Grandov was merely twelve, his cousin, unfortunately, also passed away while in the line of duty. She died while protecting a family of travelers against some bandits. He might have been considered an orphan at this point in time, but his bright personality had endeared him to his community. Despite his loss, his neighbors and the soldiers of The Order enveloped him like a family.

He soon followed in his cousin's footsteps. He became a soldier of The Order, the youngest they had ever welcomed into their fold. He moved through the ranks at lightning speed, showcasing not only the qualities of a great soldier but also a leader that other soldiers were willing to follow into the depths of battle. Beyond his exceptional service, his generosity knew no bounds; it was a trait his cousin deeply ingrained into him. With part of his earnings, he supported other orphan children, a reflection of his own journey, and what little time he had of respite was dedicated to constructing houses in East Genise.

BlueLizard rolled his head and stretched out his arms overhead. He frowned.

It wasn't my imagination. It feels different.

Having played Grandov's character for so many years, BlueLizard could tell this body wasn't the same as in the previous rounds. The ache that he always felt radiate from his right shoulder was gone.

He ran his hand over his face.

There was a decent beard grown out from the amount of time Grandov likely sat in meditation on this rock. However, the texture wasn't as rough, and the familiar small scar on his chin wasn't there.

BlueLizard felt a slight panic.

Is it not Grandov? Did Player0.4 take over my favorite character instead of me?

BlueLizard's gaze shifted toward the sounds of a nearby small waterfall, and he scrambled over to the still small pond sitting near the falling water. He leaned over the edge to view his reflection. Despite his body's changes, the face that looked back at him was unmistakably Grandov's.

He turned his face from side to side, inspecting himself in the water's reflection.

It's definitely still Grandov.

Perhaps he was a tad thin and slightly younger, but it was nonetheless very much the same Grandov he had possessed in the past.

Interesting.

He cupped the water in his hands and lifted the fresh water to his mouth, drinking the cool liquid.

Before jumping into Adovoria's Fall again, BlueLizard had read up on the comments other Players made regarding the oddity of the items that Player0.4 had put into the Game Store. They were items that predated Adovoria's Fall.

Did Player0.4 manage to find a way to start Adovoria's Fall years earlier than the original Game's start?

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

He settled against a moss-covered boulder beside the water and pulled out some dried beef jerky that Grandov had in one of his pockets. With a crunch, he took a hearty bite of the snack, savoring the salty and dried meat.

Did Grandov wander into the Celestial Mountain Range earlier in time as well, then?

BlueLizard knew Grandov's background but wasn't completely aware of what this hero was like at this point in time.

What point in time is this anyhow?

He flicked his left hand, and a screen appeared.

[ Adovoria's Fall : Year 780 ]

Interesting. So this is four years before Adovoria's Fall original start date. This could be either very fortunate or really unfortunate.

He flicked through the blue screens, with some amount of information missing because of the 60% limitor he had set on himself. However, what he found of note was that none of the quests were available. Captions beside them stated that they would be available in four years' time.

So, the Game's primary functions to help grow the character aren't available. That makes it trickier. I'll have to do this old school, then.

He pulled out another beef jerky and took a bite, chewing the dried meat.

System, can you connect me to the other Player in this matrix realm?

[ Negative. There is only one Player playing Adovoria's Fall. This is a single-player Game. ]

He smirked.

As expected. 0.4 and 0.6 make one whole. But it was still worth a shot.

Grandov shrugged and stood up. He stretched the younger man's arms and legs, which were nonetheless stiff after having sat in meditation for so long.

I guess I'll figure out who they are eventually. But I do wonder which character they managed to possess. And how.

He walked over to the ritual rocks and picked up Grandov's traveling sack, tossing it over his broad shoulders.

In any case, I ought to go and find Luca Frey again.

He smiled.

After all, the System did hint the last time I played Adovoria's Fall that that strange young man was key to beating Adovoria's Fall.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

"Get your fresh fruit here!"

"Come one, come all to see the amazing acrobats performing later this evening!"

"Try Adovoria's famous roasted nuts!"

Sedna pulled back the silk curtain of the carriage and peered out, taking in the colorful sights and sounds of the capital city. The air was filled with the sounds of music, laughter, and the shouts of street vendors hawking their wares. She eyed a group of dancers who were currently practicing the traditional Adovorian Summer dance.

The carriage carrying Sedna and her mother rolled through the busy streets of Genise, the Summer Festival in full swing. It wasn't yet even noon, but the streets were beginning to crowd with people, all celebrating the warm weather and the long days.

However, the capital's festivities weren't where her mother and she were currently going.

The carriage rolled under a bridge underpass, the shadow of which momentarily darkened everything in the carriage. The darkness was shortlived, and sunlight filtered in through the carriage windows again once they were on the other side, but there was a distinct drop in noise.

"Here, put this on," her mother said.

The carriage slowed, and her mother handed her a mask to cover her face.

Sedna accepted the white and yellow painted mask and slipped it over her head, covering her face fully except for her mouth. Her mother put on a similar mask over her own face, with painted yellow suns on the cheeks. It was a sort of mask commonly found sold in the stall of the Summer Festival, typically worn by children. However, in this instance, the mask was required to attend a prominent auction organized by Spiders Syndicate.

Unlike what the common folk might have believed, the famous black market auction took place in broad daylight in one of the wealthier districts of East Genise. And it was a far more festive event than one might have imagined, with plenty of entertainment, refreshments, and all attendees wearing these colorful festival masks. It was a festival in its own right.

As one might say, the best way to hide something is by putting it in plain view.

The Ozeryn carriage followed a procession of other carriages attending the event, having passed one of the checkpoints confirming their invitation. While the event was broadcasted more openly than the average person might consider appropriate given the sort of goods sold, the event was still shrouded with plenty of precautions. Thus, most people living in Genise were blissfully unaware that the continent's most prominent black market auction was taking place in Genise today.

"Mother, what are you hoping to buy at the auction?" Sedna asked, curious.

Her mother had never liked the dealings of the Spiders Syndicate and rarely attended events held by their organization. While the Ozeryn Duchy wasn't on friendly terms with the Spiders, they avoided any conflict with the powerful syndicate as well. They were an organization that was simply too powerful and too embedded into the political tapestry of the continent to disregard.

"I heard a rumor that they might be auctioning off something that could serve as a cure for you," her mother replied. "It might just be a rumor, but I thought it is best to check out."

Sedna's heart sank at the apparent hint of excitement in the mother's voice.

It was going to be yet another disappointment. Sedna had grown weary of any more of these miracle cures that her mother chased after.

She sighed.

At least this is a new turn of events. Mother had never attended this auction in the past.

The carriage came to a stop, and her Mother got out first. A wheelchair was prepared for Sedna to move about in, as her crutches were too distinct and went against the secrecy of the event.

Sedna settled down into her wheelchair and gazed about the other masked attendees. She saw people of all ages and from all walks of life, albeit all well-off, gathered together for this auction. She wondered what they were all here for and what secrets they were hiding behind their masks.

Not that they do much good anyhow.

She didn't need her bracelet to figure out who most attendees were and suspected most attendees didn't need to either. Their clothing did all the talking for them. The masks were merely symbolic for the most part.

That's one of the Daylan princesses. That's a group of diplomats from the Barakian Empire. And that's none other than the head of the Mentisun family.

Her eyes moved toward the black carriage that rolled up after theirs.

"Your invitation?"

"Here," a familiar voice replied.

Sedna took in the slender young man dressed in black who stepped out of the carriage, adorned with a sparkling yellow mask. In his hand was a golden envelope.

She felt a shiver move down her spine. There were characters far more notorious at this event. Still, knowing what she knew about this young man, she had an unsettling feeling that there was trouble on the horizon that accompanied his appearance.

Just what is Luca Frey doing at this auction?