Chapter 25

“The Alchemist and The Pilot”

The digital void shifted, wind scouring Mount Kenya's scarred face, and two consciousnesses emerged together, bound by blood in a world that had stolen so many others from them.

"Oh, how extraordinary!" Gameweaver's voice chimed with intense fascination. "The Okoro twins! Survivors against all odds - when most twins never even survived the womb. How perfectly fascinating that you'd enter my game together!"

She focused first on Asha's essence. "The Alchemist class suits you beautifully, dear. That pouch of yours will become something special - bottomless and bound to your will! Just think what you desire, and the exact vial will find your fingers. Every poison, every remedy, every vial you've crafter and mastered, all within instant reach!" Her tone lilted with dark amusement. "Though do be careful with those vials. Some things, once shattered, can never be restored... like your village, for instance!"

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Her attention shifted to Amari. "And you, the dreamer who taught himself to fly! The Pilot class was inevitable, wasn't it? But not just any pilot - I'm giving you something unique. The only airship in all of my fantasy realm! Won't that make you a deliciously tempting target?" She trilled with wicked delight. "And that spear you've mastered - perfect for defending your vessel from those who'll certainly try to claim it!"

Gameweaver's voice took on an almost maternal tone. "But here's what makes you truly special - your connection! Asha can teleport directly to the airship whenever it's in flight - though not during my boss encounters, of course! And you'll always know each other's condition, no matter the distance between you. Every wound, every triumph, every moment of despair - shared perfectly!"

"Though statistically speaking," she continued with cruel cheerfulness, "even the only airship in the game won't significantly improve your survival chances. But won't it be magnificent to watch you try? Perhaps you'll even gather other players aboard - assuming they don't decide to kill you for such a precious prize!"

The digital void twisted, smoke rising from burning villages, the twin consciousnesses merging into the stream of billions, their bond unbroken even as they joined the vast ocean of minds awaiting their fate.