AN: Two-thirty in the morning, and I'm writing a chapter.

Why?

Because this FUCKING MUSE won't leave me the fuck alone. When I'm awake, when I'm asleep, during every. Waking. Moment.

It's DRIVING ME SANE.

I can think straight. I can plan it out. I can see the lines, the branching paths, the different arcs and stories, the effects and reactions. I can hear the dialogue, the voices and the gestures, the scenery and the background, the secrets, the innuendos, the jokes, the puns, all of it.

I'm finding my FUCKING MIND. And now I remember why I lost it in the first place.

...It would have been better for all involved if my mind had simply stayed lost.

Unfortunately, I have the habit of doing the expected when it's unexpected. I tried to draw like Mozart, but found my cello didn't have the right colors, so I decided to smell the sunshine, and brag about the taste of the rainbow. Now, I'm going to listen like Beethoven.

Is it funny, that sometimes I think I'm the only sane person in this world?

I'm tired of secrets. Of giving hints. Of concealing things. So...how about I just tell you everything? Yeah, that sounds good...

First, some backstory. Next, a different point of view. And then...

Back to my favorite zambie.

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Many attribute the end of the world to when the sky fell.

However, I attribute that point to a long time ago.

But, since that story is unimportant at the moment, I'll tell you about the time when the earth and heaven were reunited.

The year became known as 0000 AE, or AFTER END. Taking place in the sprawling metropolis known as ARFIELD. Set in the middle of the clover-shaped continent, it was the meeting place for people from all walks of life. Commoners, soldiers, kings, and every now and then, a god or two.

As the four peninsula were separated from each other by several miles of water, infested with gigantic sea-life, this city was the only place that people could see others from different peninsula. Without this small stretch of land holding the four peninsula together, they could be called separate continents.

One day, ARFIELD disappeared. People in the city itself looked up to find the sun had lost it's light. It was noon, and the sun should have been straight overhead. The violet light of their star had never before disappeared.

That day, a shadow covered ARFIELD. It slowly grew smaller, and smaller, and people began to sigh in relief.

Then, a rock ten miles high and wide destroyed the city, the people, and all life within 100 miles of it. No tidal waves or shock waves went past there, as the two divines in possession of this landmass contained the damage to the hundred square miles surrounding the sudden destruction.

What happened next took man, monsters, and the gods by surprise. A demon king by the name of <> claimed the mountain as his own, built a citadel, contracted minions, and stated his defiance of the divines. Naturally, the god and goddess took offense to this, and tried to strike him down...

...but since Divine Law states that divines cannot directly destroy mortal beings, the two were forced to request their followers to destroy this upstart.

A war spanning ten years followed, and then ended abruptly as the demon king personally went out and destroyed the divines' armies. For the next ten years, both sides gathered their strength and licked their wounds. During this time, the four peninsulas became separate, and lost their cohesion. When the war resumed, their forces were, one by one, forced to retreat. Meanwhile, <> did nothing but gain power.

The divines were powerless, the demons omnipotent, and the power of man all-but extinct.

All seemed lost...

...

But, then, one company released a 'game.'

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Jacksons' POV

I excitedly put on my protective suit, placed a mouth-guard in my mouth, (duh) and got into the capsule. VR tech had come a long way, ever since a company calling itself The Agency had gotten their hands on the product. They had made massive leaps and bounds in the field. Their top-scientist, a kid-genius named Silica, had finally discovered a way to simulate the five senses through use of previously unknown technology.

Now, after years of work and trillions of dollars worth of equipment, it was here. It gone through prototyping, military use, insanely-high prices, and now...it was as expensive as an Xbloks and twenty games. Although a large investment, people the world-over firmly suggested it.

And now...it was all mine. I giggled and fidgeted, delaying the moment I started it up. I shivered with joy, and then a burning surge of desire to start it up incinerated all other emotions, and I pressed the start-up button. A haunting blue light came on, and I felt my mind begin to move to a different place. The suit would protect my body from any radiation, even though it had been tested and proven to be 100% safe, and the mouth-guard would stop any uncontrollable spasms from making me bite my tongue and kill myself.

And then, I saw nothing but white. I looked down, and instead of seeing a body, all I saw was white. When I looked up again, I saw a small window with 'sign up' at the top. I filled in the information, checked that I'd read the terms and conditions agreement, (Who actually reads that?) and was then asked to provide a username and password. I obviously made my password *************, and then metaphorically sat down to think on my username.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

I wanted something majestic, something awe-inspiring, something that made you stop and examine the person you saw.

After putting in the username, I pushed REGISTER, and entered the universe of virtual reality. I immediately pulled up my face-book chat, then asked a simple question.

{What world should I go to?]

I waited, but then I remembered...

I don't have any friends.

...

I blinked away the virtual tears and opened up the list. All the worlds had names, but they were numbered for ease of filing. I randomly selected world 69 because of reasons, and was then asked were I wanted to start. I looked over current events, and found one I liked.

<>

I selected it, and was then asked which of the four continents I wanted to start on. I chose the south-west one, which resembled the leaf of a four-leaved clover, and was then asked what race I wished to start as. Although it was boring, I chose human. I randomized my starting city, and then fell to earth.

I opened real, human eyes, and looked around.

I was sitting in a chapel, surrounded by candles and crosses. Behind me stain-glass with the image of a goddess reaching out toward a nekked man was artfully displayed. I turned around, and got up off of the altar. In front of me, a priestess bowed and presented a white tunic. I took it and put it on, and was then led out the door. When I stepped out, I was struck dumb.

A pollution-free sky, a violet sun, and clouds a shade of deep red. I looked down to earth, and looked out at the city from which I had been 'born.'

One-and-two story buildings, all seeming to lean, dark alleys, twisting streets, and shady people walking with their hands on their pockets. This chapel was up on a hill, which let me look out over the city, but it really was seedy. To the side, the priest spoke. She was a middle-aged woman, with a kind if flat face.

"Tis' the year 0021 A.E., 7nth day of the month of the ox. I'm guessing this is your first time, so you didn't know. I'm guessing you already know what you're here for?"

I nodded, then spread my hands. "My name is Jackson, but you can call me Jack. What can I do to help?"

The priestess seemed slightly surprised by my tone. "My, it's been a while since a polite one came through. Perhaps you aren't completely crazy like the others...either way, my name is Melinda. If you honestly want to help...then, we have an infestation in the chapels' storehouse. Could you help out?"

I nodded, smiled, then followed the priestess. After being handed a long stick, I proceeded to beat the shit out of fifty rats. I would not have been able to normally, but the priestess continually healed me, and gave buffs. I pretended to not be surprised by magic, and she pretended to not notice how much I enjoyed killing the rats. Afterwards, she gave me some money and an amulet with a cross, blessed me, and sent me off with a smile while promising me that I could come back tonight if I couldn't find a place.

Once she was gone, I gave the voice-command for help, and got acquainted with the user interface. After I'd familiarized myself, I pulled up my status. I'd gained two levels, and had twenty points to distribute. I'd gotten ten from starting, and five for each level-up. I quickly put all the points into agility, dexterity, and strength, and a couple into constitution. I then headed into town, and the nearest two-story building.

There, I rented a room, and then headed out of town to see if I couldn't find anything else stabbable.

I'm liking this world already.

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My race was horrible in so many ways, I never thought I'd find a good thing about it. Well, in actuality, I never got fatigued, so that was a plus.

I highly dislike being wrong.

I'd arrived at a little town after walking a long time. I had the cloak on my back, two copper pieces, and a mutant-rat with huge fangs and razor-sharp claws.

I sighed, then headed into town.

Destroying the world is so much work...

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AN: Hi, it's me again. I practically spoiled god, the meaning of life, and the universe, all at once. I hope you're happy, you muse bastard.

Well, didn't get as far as I'd hoped, but that just means I'll write the next chapter really soon. Or never. I can't remember which. Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and all that...and also, just to clear things up, Quibbles is a normal mouse. Well, sorta. I'll not spoil that. Our MC is just...eccentric. In a lot of ways.

I'll enjoy writing about them. :3

Well, I'm glad. I just ruined all of the mystery that I've been building for months. Feels good...