Chapter 2: Time Shift and Abyss

“Vas? Can I come over?”

“Jess? I don’t think this is the best time,” Vas responded while looking at the mess the fight had created.

“How about I go over there?”

“Okay. Vas?”

“Yes?”

“Please hurry.” Jess’s voice trembled a little hinting at her fear.

“Of course. I’ll be there in a couple minutes. Cya.”

Vas hung up his phone and started gathering items. He grabbed his hiking bag and satchel and started filling them with various provisions such as food, water purifiers, medicine, etc. While at the medicine cabinet, he took a couple pills to help with the pain he was feeling in his left shoulder where his arm had shattered to pieces. It now just felt like a void where something should be and an intense pain. He then wrapped the shoulder up with a few bandages securing it tightly and headed downstairs to where he first got the spear. There he grabbed a couple of the high end katanas his dad had collected as an avid fan of Japanese culture. Finally he grabbed some ropes, sun blankets, and his sister’s spherical glass memento which he had found to somehow still be miraculously intact aside from a small surface crack.

After going through his head one more time that he had the basic necessities for now, he walked over to Mai’s house as quickly as he could despite carrying about 60lbs in items and missing an arm.

As he walked, having figured out what the stats did for the most part, he distributed all his points into vitality which gave him an extra 100 health and .005 health regen per second.

Ding, dong. Ding, dong.

“Va…” Jess’s voice trailed off when she opened the door and saw Vas standing in front of her looking extremely disheveled. His silvery hair that perfectly matched with his sky blue eyes were completely disheveled. He was also carrying a large amount of equipment that would have made it look like he was going camping if not for the katanas strapped to his hip. Then after noticing the obvious, she saw that Vas looked like he was missing his left arm (because he was).

“Vas! What happened? Your hair? What’s with all the bags? Your ar…” Jess put her hand up to her mouth tears threatening to spill over.

“Jess, calm down. It’s not as bad as it looks. More importantly, are you okay? Have you run into anything unusual?” Vas said trying to calm her down.

“Unusual? Of course! The blue box showed up and I thought it was just me, but everyone saw it and now we only have 12 minutes left and Vas! What’s happening!?” Jess said in a torrent of questions and comments.

“Jess, like I said calm down. First, take me to the others.”

Jess looked at Vas and saw the conviction in his eyes. He had a calm determination in his eyes that she had never seen in him before.  Quickly calming down, Jess quickly complied and led Vas to the living room where the others were sitting staring absently at the clock in front of their eyes counting down to something called a time-shift.

Kousuke was the first to notice Vas enter the room. Kousuke shot daggers at Vas like normal.

Vas sighed, ’Too bad I can’t just help Jess. Or perhaps Mai who seems to not have noticed I’m here yet.’

Kousuke only continued glaring at Vas for a few seconds before he noticed Vas’s arm.

“Why are you hiding your arm in your shirt, Vas? Some kind of new fashion statement?” Kousuke said stupidly as his two goonies Youhei and Yousuke laughed at his comment.

“No and I don’t have time to go over the details, but I lost it fighting a Basilisk. More importa” Vas said before getting interrupted by Jess and Mai who just entered the conversation. Now it seemed he had the attention of everyone in the room.

“Basilisk?” Mai questioned.

“Your arm…” Jess mumbled as she started crying.

“Yes, a big ass snake. Now as much as I want to tell you about how I lost my arm, first thing’s first, we need to prepare so let me tell you the important details.” Vas waited a second expecting someone to say something, but even Kousuke and his goons seemed to register the seriousness of the situation.

“Good. Now, ever say status with conviction.”

Obligingly, everyone said it and had a surprised look on their face as their status window appeared before their eyes. Sounds of “Whoa” and “What” were heard throughout the room. If something wasn’t supposed to happen in a few minutes, Vas might have even found all their distorted faces funny. However things as they are, Vas wasted no time.

Without any delay, Vas continued, “Those show your current stats. If I had to guess, everyone starts at 10 points in each.” A few nods of confirmation followed.

“Okay, so the best way to see our current situation is that the real world just changed into a game like world. However, you might still be able to die so don’t be stupid.”

Vas again paused for a moment expecting some comments but was once again surprised to find that the only noise was from Jess’s quite sniffling.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen when this time-shift event happens, but I have a feeling it’s going to be bad. Like I said earlier, I fought a Basilisk in my house earlier. I don’t know how it got in my room, but it was definitely not from this world.”

Finally someone interrupted him and again. It was Mai. “Not from this world? How do you know?”

“I’m just getting to that. I gained some skills.” Mai looked at him with some confusion until understanding began to dawn on her as she registered why he said it’s best to look at the world they’re in now as a game. “Yes, Mai. This is why I said the world’s like a game now. I got skills and in those skills, they mentioned people and monsters from another world called Lorain. The Basilisk was apparently from there. Now do you have any questions so far?” Vas asked while looking at the clock. 7 minutes left. I need to hurry.

“I have one kind of. If the worlds are converging like this notification says and you say there is another world called what was it again?”

“Lorain.”

“Yes, Lorain. Then does that mean there will be more monsters like the one that took your arm?”

Kousuke asked a surprisingly decent question. However, no one had a definite answer. “All I can say is that from everything that’s happened so far, that’s a good bet, and I don’t think it’s just monsters. I think it’s the other world’s inhabitants, and if we have learned anything from history, it’s that different people have a hard time getting along with one another if they’re different, so we should be careful.”  Kousuke nodded his head and looked to be in deep thought.

’He’s surprisingly calm about this and not making any snarky comments either. I wouldn’t mind a Kousuke like this. Vas thought to himself.

“Okay, we have a little over 6 minutes left. Hurry and grab something that can be used as a weapon and grab some food or something. Get back her in 5 minutes.” Vas used a surprisingly commanding voice and everyone quickly moved to do as he said heading to various parts of the house finding things from kitchen knives to baseball bats. Everyone was back within 5 minutes except for Kousuke.

’God Dammit. Nevermind. I can’t get along with someone like this…

Everyone (but Kousuke) looked up at Vas with expectancy on him directing them on what to do next.

“I’m going to go look for Kousuke. All of you hold hands! I don’t know what’s going to happen so be careful.” Vas was almost through the door when he looked back. “Good luck,” he smiled and disappeared to find Kousuke.

’Where are you? Why are you always causing me trouble!

45 seconds

“Kousuke! Where are you!?”

30 seconds

“Kousuke!”

10 seconds

“I’m here!” Kousuke yells back from the stairs.

5 seconds

Vas runs towards his voice as fast as he can.

1 second

Vas dives forward tackling Kousuke with all his weight and the weight of his things pushing him forward.

Time-Shift Commencing

Vas started feeling a sick twisting feeling. Everything became blurry except Kousuke. The world around him started disappearing, and he saw shapes quickly moving, blurring, and changing shape all around him. Colors changed in rapid succession. There was a high screeching, pulsating sound invading his hearing. Vas started to lose consciousness for the second time in one day. The blackness encroached on his vision from all directions. He felt like he could hear Kousuke yelling right next to him but wasn’t able to make out what he was saying.

’Is this the end? Is there nothing I can do?

Vas was helplessly drifting through this space with the person he dislikes the most in the world. They’d started moving what seemed to be horizontal to the ground. Everything was elongating like when you look out the window of a car and you’re driving really fast; except this was 1000 times faster. No, this was 10000 times faster. They’d been moving at ridiculous speeds for God knows how long now. The world was growing silent. He could no longer hear Kousuke yelling.

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After what had seemed like an eternity, the ever changing space they had inhabited began to change. Vas began to hear a light ringing in his ears instead of the high pitched pulsating sound. It slowly grew louder and higher pitched. Now Vas started yelling as pain struck his whole body. His whole body shuddered as the high pitch sound tore at what felt like his soul. His soul was being ripped at. The lines and colors around him continue to grow more elongated as he goes even faster through this alternate dimension when all of a sudden he ended up on all fours teleported into a highly wooded area with Kousuke at his side.

Vas keeled over and starts spilling all the contents of his stomach. He wretched like he had never before. Kousuke was doing the same. Slowly the high pitch noise began to dissipate. The gentle sound of wind and chirping birds began to meet his ears. The cool wind brushed against him giving him some much needed fresh air. He gasped as he breathed in air for the first time since when again? He can’t even remember anymore. He fell over after having emptied his stomach. He’s lying on his back breathing in deep breathes trying to regain his bearing and sort out his thought. After a few minutes, he looked over at Kousuke who seems to have just stopped puking.

“K-kou-suke,” Vas breathed out.

Kousuke looks over and half acknowledges Vas that he heard.

“We need to find the others. Can you stand?”

Kousuke again nods as he attempts to right himself. Vas does the same. After much effort, Vas is able to stand up with all the weight he was carrying with him as well.

“Have any idea where we should head?” Vas asks Kousuke.

Kousuke looks around a minute before shaking his head.

“Okay, let’s just start walking then.”

Vas and Kousuke started walking towards the deeper part of the forest to the North. There was a black looking tower in the distance that they made their way towards. Little did they know that between them and the tower was Forest Goblin territory.

Vas and Kousuke had walked for over 8 hours when they began to hear rustling around them. Vas pulled out a katana while Kousuke pulled out a baseball bat. They stood there listening and waiting. Sweat began to make its way down Vas’s forehead when an arrow flew by and skimmed Kousuke across the cheek.

They both started running in the opposite direction as 8 Forest Goblins came into view. 7 of them were green and standing about 4 feet tall. They had 1 archer and 6 warriors. The last goblin stood about 5 feet tall and was a darker shade of green. He seemed to be leading the other goblins.

As they ran, the goblins began to catch up as Vas was running out of breath. The weight of all his equipment was quickly getting to him. He ditched the hiking bag which decreased the weight by close to 50lbs. Now he just had his satchel and the katanas. He continued to run with Kousuke for a good 3 miles through heavily wooded area when they ran across a clearing with a hole so deep you couldn’t see the bottom with even the best lights.

Vas was able to stop his running in time, but Kousuke wasn’t as lucky. He tripped and slid almost into the hole. He was hanging on at the edge using a root. Vas stopped next to him and hesitated. For the slightest second Vas considered leaving him there as that would probably save him. However, he quickly brushed that thought aside.

’I will not lose my humanity, no matter how much I dislike this guy.

Vas leaned down and was pulling on Kousuke when the Forest Goblins reached the clearing. Kousuke was able to stand up when they started their onslaught. Quickly letting go of Kousuke and grabbing his sheathed katana with his right hand, Vas leaned forward and using his years of training, quickly deflected the first goblin’s attack and dispatched it with a strong slash through its neck severing the head from the body. Kousuke on the other hand had used Vas as a decoy and started running again in the small amount of time it took to kill one goblin.

’Motherfucker. How could you leave me? No, don’t panic. That goblin was easy to kill. I’ll be okay.

Vas dropped his satchel and displayed frightening prowess with the sword. With his back to the hole, Vas moved forward and ducked under the first goblin’s swing. He then quickly pulled his arm from the left side to the right straight into the goblin’s torso a few inches. The leather armor though kept it alive. Vas’s sword was stuck in its abdomen because he lacked the strength to cut all the way through with only one arm. Quickly abandoning the katana, Vas drew his other katana.

’This is hard without my other hand. Vas thought to himself.

2 goblins quickly approached him one from the right and one from the front.  Vas swiftly parried the right goblin’s downward attack to the right and using his momentum, he moved closer to the right goblin effectively dodging the front goblin’s wide downward attack. Continuing with the motion, he pulled the right goblin’s leg up with his right leg, dropped his katana, and pulled the goblin’s right shoulder with all his might effectively throwing the goblin into the hole. Without missing a step, Vas used a sweeping kick and knocked the front goblin off its feet, picked up the katana and ran the katana through the goblin’s eye and into its brain. Vas started twisting the katana in an attempt to end the ugly green colored goblin’s life. His momentary break in concentration led him to be cut by the goblin he’d previously left alive with a katana in its torso.

A chipped copper sword was now stuck in Vas’s left side as he cried out in pain. He swung his sword out catching the goblin in its throat causing blood to fly everywhere and soak Vas. He took a couple steps back as he tried to gather himself. He was now on the edge of the hole, missing his left arm, and with a sword stuck in his side, and there were still a few goblins left.

2 more goblins approached from his left and right. Vas again readied himself and with a quick motion twisted his body and sidestepped the first goblin. He was now standing behind it as he swung his katana in an attempt to decapitate another one, but as he was swinging it an arrow found its mark into Vas’s left leg. Vas looked over at the archer goblin he’d forgotten about and was met with an ugly grin being flashed his way. Fuming and screaming with pain, he desperately kicked the goblin in front of him into the hole while stumbling a bit.

Clutching his leg with his right hand and with the katana in hand, Vas looked up at the goblin commander with malice in his eyes. Vas still had some hope left. He just had to be more careful. That’s what he was thinking before the commander took a step forward, pulling out a worn-out iron war axe from behind his back. Vas’s heart stopped seeing the size of the thing. He was one that remained calm in almost any situation, but he was beginning to panic.

Time started to slow down around him. One of the warrior goblins came running in from his side bringing down a club. Unable to deflect it, Vas attempted to block it with his katana but failed and felt his legs give out under him under the heavy blow. Now on one knee, out of breath, with an arrow and sword in him, Vas made one more desperate sweep at the goblin in front of him which miraculously made purchase. The goblin fell to the ground with its legs hamstring having been cut. Vas smiling viscously attempted to swing his katana again but found that he’d lost all strength in his arm.

The commander was now running towards Vas, iron war axe held high.

’So this is the end, huh? Dammit. Isn’t there anything… anything I can do?’

Deep in Vas’s mind he knew what he had to do. He only really had one option. It was an option that left him such a slim chance of surviving that he didn’t want to even consider it, but in that moment it was the best he had.

Using the last of his strength, he sheathed his katana hoping he wouldn’t lose it. The world seemed to go silent in those last moments. Smiling quietly, Vas tried thinking about his life, but surprisingly the only thing that came to mind was Jess.  He saw her smiling in his mind as he smiled back.

“Goodbye, Jess.” Vas quietly whispered, a tear carving its way down his blood soaked face. Vas relaxed his muscles and fell into the bottomless pit leaving behind everything he once knew.

Author's Note:

Hey guys! Just letting you know I'll be updating this whenever I can pull out a new chapter. I've gotten the basic outline written already for the next 30 chapters or so. If you see any really big inconsistencies, be sure to let me know so I can explain or fix them! Hope you enjoy :)