The alarm clock buzzed in the tiny one bedroom apartment, I smashed the snooze button, laying with my face in the pillow, trying to muster up the courage to face the day. There was an inner struggle going on inside me between drowsiness and my sense of responsibility, and I was rooting for the underdog. After the alarm went off for the third time I decided to get out of bed, sitting up I glanced at the time 6:33 A.M. No wonder I was so tired I had gotten only an hour of sleep, the lack of sleep was due to the three consecutive raids I led last night in my favorite PC game. I made my way to the bathroom to begin grooming for the day, as I stepped into the shower I wished I was stepping into my guild room in Lyran, on Earth I was just Cole Richardson the unintentional bachelor who lived by myself and had a minimum wage job at the corner store, but on Lyran I was Artorias Gray the Knight Magister and leader of the Howl-pack of Olympus. Here I put on a uniform and tie, there I put on a suit of armor and a sword strap. I grabbed an apple then hurried out the door and down the steps, I had to get to the store before Joe showed up. Joe was a nice enough old man, well as long as He had my coffee before eight in the morning, if not the man would start spouting off what he thought was wrong with the world today, always beginning with the youths of America and how they have zero work ethic claiming that it was due to them being too preoccupied with their “smarty phones” and “minespaces.” I hopped down the last couple of steps and unlocked my bike then rode off to start what was bound to be another uneventful day in the long string of uneventful days that was beginning to be my adult life.

As I sped down the streets of Summerset Pennsylvania I hummed to myself and watched the scenery go by, there wasn't a lot to do in this particular town and that is exactly why I moved here, well that and because the university I was attending was one town over. I chose this school two years ago because freshmen weren't made to live on campus so I decided on the unassuming town of Summerset and settled down with a goal to find a good job and pay off my classes, although so far my plans had yet to bear any fruit, I knew I needed to find a better paying job before the next enrollment period came around but I couldn't bring myself to quit. The owner of the shop Mr. Shirihama was an incredibly nice old man who hired me despite me not having any work history or any credible references and that's not even considering the fact that I would feel like an emotionless monster if I left him alone right now. Shirihama's wife passed away months before I started and his only son wanted nothing to do with him, so the old man was all alone and I was the only friendly face that I saw on a regular basis.

I rode up to the store unsurprised to see Joe standing at the door looking more upset than usual, I parked my bike and decided to start the thrilling conversation.

“Hey Joe, what are you doing here so early? You couldn't have missed me that much?” I said squatting low to lock my bike to the rack.

Joe sneered and replied “what do you mean early? Are you trying to be funny boy?” I grabbed my keys and made my way to the door “it's only five past seven Joe.” I could feel holes being burned into the back of my skull.

“It's five past eight you dolt” said Joe with a sneer on my face, “See this is what's wrong with our great country. Young men like you not taking your work or your life seriously, did you forget to set your clock ahead last night?”

I pulled my phone out and looked at the time then cursed “oh man, I’m sorry Joe I'll go get your coffee started, don't worry it's on me.”

Joe smiled, he seemed to like the idea of something free, he grabbed a doughnut and a thick newspaper then sat down at a booth.

“Well at least you're taking responsibility for your mistake, add these too and we'll be squared.”

“Cheap bastard” I said to myself. “yeah sure thing Joe, as long as this stays between us, I don't need Mr. Shirihama getting upset with me.” I went to start making the geezer his coffee only to find no coffee bags. “Hey Joe, I forgot to stock the coffee yesterday so I'm gonna get some from the back, don't rob the place.” if the geezer heard me he didn't acknowledge it.

The coffee was on the top shelf three feet above my head, “great I left the ladder up front and I really don't want to have to deal with Joe complaining.” I put my foot on the bottom shelf and lifted myself up. “Health insurance would be great right about now” I grumbled to no one in particular.

I succeeded in scooting the box forward halfway before the box and the one beside it landed directly on my face and I fell to floor hitting my head hard on the tile making my vision go black with the promise of unconsciousness, but after a moment a brightness broke through the black and enveloped my vision.

I waited for the brightness to recede but it never did, as I strained to look around all I saw was pure white, I tried to get up to get my bearings but there was nothing to get up from, the floor had gone and I was just floating in this space. But before I had the chance to start worrying about my current predicament a faceless, human form melted from the air in front of me and a loud voice boomed from from every direction. “your power will be shown to you soon, but your purpose will be made a mystery. The answer to which lies at the end of an adventure. The form melted back into nothing and my senses took a nose dive as the black came rushing back.

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The moment I came to I was face to face with a very angry looking Joe holding a very empty looking coffee mug.

“What are you doing down there boy? First you're late then I catch you trying to take a nap in the back. Where the hell is my coffee?” said Joe angrily.

I tried and failed to sit up “I'm not taking a nap Joe, I got knocked out.” Joe’s eyes went wide and I grabbed the closest thing to him that looked like a weapon, which unfortunately was polka dotted umbrella.

“What? By who? I bet it was one of those Jugglewhos.” After a couple of tries I managed to get up without too much pain.

“No Joe the box fell on me and I hit my head on the floor.” I said through gritted teeth as a headache started to form.

The old man looked at I like I had a spreadable disease. “Damn boy, can you do anything without messing it up? I'm just going to take my newspaper and leave, see you tomorrow I, hopefully on time this time.” With that Joe did something that I thought was impossible, he left without any coffee.

The rest of the day passed by without incident, I had an hour left before my ten hour shift was through and I was hoping that it would pass by without incident, my headache had only gotten worse. I was debating whether to go to the hospital or not while stocking the milk when a gentleman in a business suit and briefcase came walking in talking on the phone.

“What do you mean the test subject is dead?” the man walked to the back and grabbed a bottle of water and some tylennol. “he walked in front of a bus? You're kidding right? That is the most tired excuse I've ever heard.” I put the milk down and made my way to the front. “I don't care how you do it, we need another test subject by tomorrow night or else it's your head.” and with that the businessman ended the call. I tried to make it seem like I hadn't heard the conversation

“Hello sir, having a good day?” the man put his items on the counter then handed me a 20 dollar bill and spoke in a harsh, flat voice.

“Obviously not, you're not deaf so I know you heard my call.” I didn't say anything back, and when I went to give the man his change the register wouldn't open

“I'm sorry this thing is older than me”, I pulled my keys out and began to wiggle the key in the hole while trying to keep a smile on my face. This guy was a total douche nozzle.

The man was already irritated, and the speed at which this simple transaction was heading was making him even more upset. He was about to say something to the young man when he noticed a key chain on the boy's key ring. The man put on my professional face then spoke to the boy as friendly as He could in that moment.

“Do you play Raze of the Titans young man?” I was surprised by the sudden change in the man's demeanor

“I play most games by Origin entertainment sir, but Raze of the Titans is my favorite.” I said, the man seemed to think this over.

“Do you play with friends or family?” asked the stranger. I looked at the man a little confused as to where the questions were coming from, this man didn't look like the type to play any video games.

“No sir, I live by myself and my family lives a couple hours away, and as for friends I've never been one to put myself out there long enough to get any.” The gentleman's luck could not have been any better, he stuck his hand out for the boy to shake it.

“It's always nice to meet a fan of our work, my name is Ted, Ted Adams. What is your name young man?” I tentatively grasped for the mans hand and shook it awkwardly.

“My name is Cole Richardson sir, what did you mean by 'our work' if I may ask?” I asked questioningly.

“Well Mr. Richardson I'm glad you asked, I am the head of the council in charge of the advanced R&D department at our main building in Harrisburg. And I have a golden opportunity for a man as yourself, it is related to a new software and game engine, the platform and server are very closely related to the world of Lyran.” I was sure that my eyes were the size of dinner plates before the man's last words left my mouth.

“Do you mean a pre-alpha test sir? Or something else?” I said wishfully. Ted smiled a genuine smile to himself hook, line, and sinker.

“Well Cole it's not even that far along. May I see your phone?” I handed it over without hesitation. “Do you have mobile data Cole?” I nodded my head. “Well I have just synced a developers app to your phone, after midnight when the server is up and running I want you to open that app and find out more, but I must stress not to open the app before midnight or else the app might crash, understood?” I was too shocked to reply. Ted snapped his fingers to get the boy's attention “Cole, did you hear me?”

“Yes sir! Sorry I was just lost in thought.” I pulled my keys out and handed the man my change.

“Well I hope you enjoy the new product, have a good day young man.” I didn't hear what the man had said I was too fixated on the new app taking up space on my phones wallpaper.