Chapter 0: The Choice
It was an ordinary day. Cars vrooming, smoke brewing.
It was all accompanied by the people walking and talking. Sometimes with their phones or whatnot.
But me? I wasn't that fortunate to be on their level. Just wasn't it...
I looked down to see my ragged clothes and tanned skin, I only have myself to blame for it.
Walking down the alleyway, I stretched out my arms and did some basic exercise. My body was athletic until I was quarantined without any training gear.
I deeply sigh with regret and sadness.
I was going to be a runner, a track star. All of it went down the drain after a simple test. I didn't even know that I was being drugged with performance enhancers, or was I being framed?
I contemplate my situation while sitting on a cardboard box. It was filled with trash bags, it didn't erase the softness though.
Eventually, I fell asleep as the Moon overtook the Sun.
I was woken up by the sounds of rustling.
"Is it another raccoon? Not again"
I grunted as I brought my body up. I grabbed a nearby stick and swung it around.
"Good stick"
I stepped closer to the rustling trash when I heard the voice of a kid.
"I finally found it!"
I saw the kid hold up a necklace with both of his hands.
It looked like a locket necklace. Did the kid lose it or something? But the moonlight wasn't bright enough for me to look at the picture.
I took a sigh of relief as I walked back to my sleeping spot— with the stick in hand— Just in case.
~~~~~
A new day rose and I stretched my body again, scratching my back and looking at the broken mirror. I tried to style my hair using the shattered reflection as a guide, and I think I did a good job.
I then started my daily routine which consisted of running around town and restocking my water supply.
Then at noon, I ate my lunch— it was just Bread and Water— and finally, at dawn, I went to all the bakeries and tried to negotiate with them.
I usually get 1-3 pieces of baked goods in each bakery, but it seems like lady luck isn't with me today. I look at the single piece of bread in my hand, whilst running back to my alley.
Humming while jogging, is a great combo. But two misfortunes? It wasn't a good combo.
I look at the thrashed camp. My cardboard box was taken, and the mirror was also taken. Even my bottles of water were gone.
*Sigh*
With this much sighing, I think I'll run out of breath soon.
I took my midnight supper and I thoroughly enjoyed it, I had a water bottle on me so I emptied that as well. Thankfully, the bread was from that fancy bakery, Maybe it was the bakery that made the other bakeries close down. I looked down as I caught my breath after drinking.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
I sat down my back against the wall. I didn't have anything to do except remember and reminisce.
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[ Congratulations, You have been chosen to pick between two options! ]
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A weird prompt popped up in front of me. It wasn't bright, but it exuded a type of radiance. It beckoned me to pick a choice, but I wondered—
"Why?"
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[ You have been chosen because of your L̵̛̦̙̋́̕ͅo̷̡̘̍̃͊̀͜n̵̫͓̻̥̐͛̀g̴̢̺̪͑̅ĭ̵͍͂ǹ̴͔͚͌̂̉ͅg̸̨͍̘̐͊̅́ ]
[ Please choose between the two options! ]
( Unleash The Fantasy )
( Travel Into Fantasy )
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"My what?"
The prompt gave me an answer, but I can't see it. Was it supposed to be my emotion? It seemed like it.
But then, I look at the options. It was vague, was it asking me to choose between unleashing something or leaving the world? But thinking about it now.
I hovered my finger over the First Option.
How bad was the Fantasy?
Is it the apocalypse?
I didn't know, nor do I need to know. I sigh again as I contemplate the two choices. Then I heard a noise, It sounded like a whirring of something.
I peeked the corner and saw nothing. I wiped the sweat off my forehead and sat back down.
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[ Please choose between the two options! ]
( Unleash The Fantasy )
( Travel Into Fantasy )
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I decided to pick an option. The option where I would cling onto and enjoy it.
I pressed the Second Option and a new screen popped up.
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[ The Second Option was selected, Enjoy your trip! ]
[ Name of User has low presence ]
[ Deletion of Name has been issued ]
[ Q̵̧̢̮̩͕͚͗̒̀́ṳ̸͙͕͉̗̈́ĕ̷̘͓̫̪̉̍͗̓͝ shall be deleted ]
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"What?"
My name has been deleted?
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[ User History has low presence ]
[ Your Ľ̷̡̠͎̩̺̞̪ė̶̹g̶̭̞͇͖͋̓̅̀͋͐͝a̸̖̜͖̬̝̙͉̲͒̊͑̈́͐̂̕͝c̸̡͍͔̯̠͓̠̭͎̘̈́̇͠͝ỳ̴̡̛̟̥̱͓̻̦̌̅͊̐ has been deleted ]
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"Argh!"
I grunted as my head felt like it was short-circuiting like my memories were being pulled out.
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[ Unprecedented History has value ]
[ Conversion has been applied ]
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The pain stopped, and I remembered running. Only running, I want to run... To be free.
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[ Portal is materializing ]
[ Step into the Portal ]
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I looked in front of me and I heard the same whirring sound from before, then sparks started to emit out of thin air, drawing a circle and opening a blurred color.
It was red, not a bad one. But the one of comfort.
I stepped in and everything went dark.
Before I grew unconscious, I saw one final screen.
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[ Your Lineage has insignificance ]
[ Your H̵̱͚̹̦̹̩̹̅u̷̻͉͐̎̓m̴̰̭͗̎̽ą̶̯͉͖̲̏ͅñ̴̡͓̞͔̣͙̕i̴̻̻̞̞̙̜̯͂͗͐̓͋ͅṯ̷̢͍̥̟̺̋͐y̸̧̫̤̘̰͓̤͎͒̅̑̀͠ will be replaced anew ]
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I felt my body change, morphing slowly and painfully.
It wasn't that bad anymore, it was just a bit of an inconvenience now.
I steadily levitated in this space. It was comfortable, it was warm, and caring. It made me fall into a deep slumber without any resistance.
~~~~~
Waking up from what seemed like a deep hibernation, I looked around and everything was blurry— with a tint of red. But in front was a screen I was oh so familiar with.
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[ You have successfully Entered Fantasy ]
[ Your status is partially completed ]
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I tried to open my mouth but liquid rushed inside of it... It tasted sweet.
Began to gulp down this sweet water, and found out I was encased in some kind of hard shell.
I formed a fist and tried to punch it, only to not feel the shell.
"What?"
I look at my body, only to see the ground. I circled only to hear a clack. I clenched my teeth and found out it originated from myself.
I had mandibles???
I was flabbergasted, why did I turn into a bug?!
My exclamation turned into a screech. I bit hard on the shell and I was able to crack it open.
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[ Your Lineage and Kinfolk have been replaced ]
[ Kinfolk: Insectiant Nymph ]
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I cried inwardly after seeing the screen.
"*Screech*"
I wasn't even able to speak normally...