Genki

Our group walked back into Kristannia, heroes of the West Fleugal Plains. We had fought most of the low-level monsters and even defeated some Beastmen.

“Hey, let’s head straight to Charles’ Keep and complete the mission,” Rista declared eagerly.

I was about to reply, but before I could, a chill ran down my spine and a hot flush raced over my entire body, even to my avatar’s ears and tail, which made about as much sense as a dancing-talking-purple dinosaur.

“—you guys feel that?” I was getting some really weird sensations. Someone must have been with messing my real-life body.

Suddenly, the world shifted, and the ground shook, sending us to the ground. The buildings and foot paths were becoming grainier, a little less virtual background object and a little more real. The corners and edges were more defined, the windows actually less reflective. Even our characters were enhanced. Holder’s bear avatar’s white fur was blowing in the wind.

“Wow... It’s probably that scheduled upgrade they announced recently. They said it was going to blow minds,” Mykaru said, and rushed off towards the keep, his bushy-red tail wagging behind him. “Last one there is a rotten-egg!”

Was this really an upgrade? The graphics and sensory feedback went from top-tier game to hyper-realistic in a matter of seconds. How do they even have the CPU power to run this level of detail?

Holder surprise slapped me on the back and the impact rattled my bones, sending me tumbling forward. “Oh, sorry-sorry!" He bowed his head apologetically. "Come on though, we should look around.”

I know he was just trying to keep me from spiraling, and I could tell by his tone he was worried, too. “Okay, you’re probably right. Let’s go complete the mission quest. But then we should probably logout.” 

***

We stood beneath the Charles’ Keep gates and peered through the open space. It was actually quite crowded inside. Was it a cutscene? Or were these players too?

“Hey guys, shouldn’t there be like a zone point here? And you know, some doors?” I said cautiously, stretching my hand towards the gate’s open threshold.

“It’s the upgrade!” Mykaru said, waving his little red paw at me as he stormed towards the keep. The tiny little hairs on my arms and neck shot up. I reached out for him, but he was one step ahead of me. What would happen to someone stuck between two zones? Would the system fry him? Had it even been tested yet…?

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“See?” he reported from the other side of the gate. “They must have placed everything on the one server.”

Maybe… maybe that’s possible. There was a gnawing in my stomach that just shouldn’t have existed. I chuckled nervously, hoping they took it like I was just joking. My laugh was more girly than before. Before the shift, my voice was being converted with audio software, but now… now it felt more natural. Like this is actually my voice now. “Yeah, I knew that. Was just teasing you.” I threw out for extra convincing that nothing—absolutely nothing was wrong.

We strolled through into the keep’s main courtyard. There was a crowded murmur coming from the characters that had gathered. Holder placed a thick-white paw on one of them. “Hey there,” Holder's voice was thick and husky now. “What’s going on?”

The little man dressed in basic starting gear, dagger by his side, looked up with a dazed look that quickly changed to one of horror and fear when he caught sight of Holder’s massive head full of sharp teeth. He shook it off and gathered himself. “Shh, there’s some sort of event starting,” the little man said, and looked out towards the podium.

Gabaltar, the training and mission giver NPC, was joined by Prince Zion and Princess Victoriya on the podium, along with an angel… literally an angel. She had huge-white dove like wings, pure-white braided hair twirled around her head that went all the way down her back. A creature of absolute beauty.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s the new Mission Five cutscene,” a player in full anglers’ gear, probably a purely crafting account, said.

What was he saying? Why does it matter? He could obviously see I was a bit confused. “The emergency update details were leaked online,” he added with a wry smile, content with how smart he thought he was.

Prince Zion addressed a nearby player. “Ah, Staceysmom, you have come. The royal family has an important task that can only be entrusted to someone as esteemed as yourself.”

The crowd parted revealing the player and his party. It was a ragtag group of adventurers, in mismatch armour and default races. “Umm, us?” Staceysmom looked shocked.

The NPC Prince Zion continued. “I am afraid we must ask of you a small favour. Not without reward, of course. You see, the Kingdom of Kristannia is sending an envoy to the leader of the Beastmen tribes." He flicked his luscious hair and scoffed. “I know what you are thinking. However, these are desperate times, that call for desperate measures." Gone was the suave dreamy eyed prince, a cold stony visage in his wake… an eternity passed before he spoke again. “Apologies,” he said, “the important thing is who you will be escorting."

Princess Victoriya with her beautiful auburn hair, and skimpy but decorative silver plate armour, strode out onto the podium above us players like some overpowered NPC.

"You will be escorting my sister and also…” an absolute goddess of beauty glided across the podium with feather light steps, the envy of all ballet dancers. “Stellar, one of the Twelve Archangels, and representative of Divinity,” he announced.

“I am in your hands, Staceysmom. Do take care.” Stellar said with a playful smile and sharp eyes.

Princess Victoriya lightly bowed her head. “Do not let us down, Staceymom. The state of the nation, no, the world depends on our success.”

A city-guardsmen stepped of the keep’s inner quarters and onto the podium and kneeled before the royals. “Your majesties.”

Prince Zion sighed. “I wish I could go with you, Sister.”

“And I with you, Brother.” She held her brother’s face in her hand. “For freedom.”

“For freedom.”

“Staceysmom. The time is nigh, go now and escort the royal carriage to city of Dagon, far on the edge of civilization.”

Princess Victoriya, Archangel Stellar and three city-guardsmen slowly descended the podium and the crowd parted like a sea of gaping fish as they made their way for the gate. Silence gripped us. What was happening? Where was the cutscene?

“Hey, shouldn’t you like follow them?” a rabbit player called out.

Staceysmom was dumbfounded, and there was no reassurance from his party. “Well, might as well!” Staceysmom walked on after the royals, and his party shrugged but followed.

“Well, that was weird.” Jaro was a cute little bundle of puppy, it was impossible to take him seriously, even if he was worried.

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