《Aurora》


 Ch.0000 — Prologue: Hopes Peak

    It was a world of white and grey.


    Flurries of powdered snow filtered down from the overcast sky, the crystals unhurriedly moving to join their brethren already hiding the soil and rock below. Each footfall was accompanied by the sound of crushed ice beneath, each step pulling itself free from the blanket of frost only to return to its embrace scant inches farther.


    The snow wrapped all the way up to the knee as though it were alive, hindering progress while the air served its own part in deterring trespassers. The frigid locale was paired with a thin atmosphere, and while the snow could hardly be considered heavy on its own, every breath turned progress into an ordeal. It was a struggle not against man nor beast, but against a lack of oxygen and the body¡¯s undeniable need for it.


    Hope¡¯s Mountain lived up to its name only when viewed from afar.


    Taken in by its lovely appearance, many a person had fallen for its unassuming guise and tried to scale its heights. There had even been organized efforts to reach the top itself¡ªfull complements of adventurers and explorers turned into would-be-tourists¡ªand yet no matter the numbers, every person that had tried to traverse this forbidden domain was inevitably lost. Despite the picturesque tranquility of its landscape, it was scarce a wonder why it had become so resolutely avoided; no matter how many tried, no matter how much time passed, the peak was still untouched by mortal hands.


    Not even I had touched upon it yet.


    The wind howled defiantly against my body as though to fling me from the very precipice I walked. ¡°Go back¡± it all but seemed to howl as it tore at the heavy cloak bearing the brunt of the assault. ¡°You¡¯ll never make it.¡±


    And it was true.


    As many others before, I too had underestimated the mountain¡¯s treachery, and by now the sun was beginning to set upon the distant horizon. The already grey world was dipped into yet darker shadows, the chill growing ever more tenacious against my clothing, and the dark browns of my protective cloth¡ªonce lightly wettened from the exposure of snow to body heat¡ªwere now left stained and heavy with formations of ice.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Had I set out a few hours earlier, perhaps the mountain¡¯s peak would not have eluded me so. Though it was within range of my eyes¡ªits slight curvature lancing brazenly into the sky¡ªit was no longer within range of my feet. Neither snow nor gale could have truly stopped me had I been more dedicated; even now, all the former could manage was to cling desperately to my form while the latter was relegated to spewing imagined invectives. With most of the dangerous terrain behind me, even the encroaching darkness was more an irritant than a true barrier, and enough care could feasibly lead me ever onward.


    No. I simply lacked time.


    With only a small portion of the mountain left untread, I stopped.


    The weather that had proven so discourteous before was turned to a makeshift cushion as I set myself upon it, the ice and snow bending just enough to support my weight while conforming comfortably to the shape of my body. The wind, too¡ªas though sensing my acquiescence, my defeat¡ªturned to a passive spectator content to watch placidly from the sidelines.


    Though I had intended to reach the summit, the progress I¡¯d made had left me with a view no less splendid. A brilliant gold stretched across the horizon, the sun bathing the world at its fore in its splendor even as the pinpricks of stars skirted impatiently just beyond its reach. Not even the snow-covered expanse around me was left without impression, and it was only here¡ªwith the crystalline ice glimmering and shining as it fell¡ªthat I truly came to peace with failing my original objective.


    Two years.


    It had been two years ago to this day that I¡¯d first stumbled around the nearby city, no more than a novice asking around for directions and a place for bread. Two full years of exploration and adventure, all culminating into this final sunset. It hadn¡¯t been easy, and¡ªas the mountain around me would attest¡ªI hadn¡¯t even always been successful.


    But it had been fun.


    And so, as the brilliance before me began to die down, as night began to reassert itself upon the sky¡¯s domain, I bid my own farewell to the land I¡¯d begun to consider my home. To the land of Aurora.


    And as the last sliver of light disappeared for the final time, the world was blanketed in darkness.


    [You have been disconnected.]

 Ch.0001 — Deadlines

    I had only just barely disconnected before reality began to reassert itself once more, the darkness of the encroaching sunset leading seamlessly into the pitch black of the capsule¡¯s interior. The process was gradual by design, and the Virtual Reality Capsule kept a watchful and ever-wary eye upon my vitals while I could all but feel my mind and body pulled free from Aurora¡¯s hold. The numbness that had begun to set into my limbs in the mountain¡¯s company began to ebb away, and the whispering of the winds gave way to the far less adventurous thrum of electronics. When only memories were left of my most recent encounter, a soft yellow light illuminated the VRC¡¯s sides, bidding me further patience while it checked and rechecked my status, ever the cautious creation.


    Though the first time I¡¯d logged out from Aurora¡ªhad been made to wait unmoving like this¡ªhad been an ordeal in its own right, the several hundred times since had left me inured, and it was with a pleasant, faintly melancholic calm that I began to mull over my most recent experience. I had wanted my last moments in Aurora to be memorable and¡ªthough I had fallen short of accomplishing the lofty goal of ascending the mountain in its entirety¡ªthe image I had been allowed to part with had been an agreeable consolation.


    It was truly bittersweet.


    Aurora¡¯s closed beta had ended, as had my connection to that place with it. The full version was slated to be released in naught but three weeks¡¯ time to coincide with the summer season, and already the media outlets were aflame with talk of its revolutionary progress on multiple fronts and fields.


    ¡°Developed over seven years and diligently safety-tested for no less than two, Monument Gaming is finally confident enough to present Aurora on the global stage.¡± Though the marketing campaign had been rather hush and reserved in the early stages, Aurora¡¯s name had been plastered all over the news by the time the beta was finishing up. ¡°With the advancement of virtual reality and nearly a decade of effort, Aurora is not a simple MMORPG, not a simple ¡®game¡¯, but an experience that anybody can enjoy!¡±


    Perhaps a bit on the exaggerated side, but it was true that it was a well-polished and functional game. Although there had been several investigations all but scouring the records for some health-related scandal, there was already talk of a slightly modified version of the VRC coming to hospitals as a diagnosis tool not far in the future; worries of ¡®getting trapped in the game¡¯ or ¡®dying from the shock of the virtual experience¡¯ had been vigorously stamped out before ever managing to gain traction.


    Hell, even the most recent two years¡¯ beta seemed more for formality¡¯s sake than any actual testing, and my own VRC¡ªgiven to me at the start of the beta¡ªwas still going strong despite the countless hours I¡¯d spent inside it. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the only difference between it and the more recent models was an eye-catching color or a more comfortable interior.


    Only once the requisite two minutes of observation had finished¡ªthe soft yellow shifting instead to a cheerful green¡ªdid the bindings on my wrists and ankles slacken. I had considered staying inside the capsule longer to reminisce and strengthen those final moments, but I discarded the notion almost as soon as it had formed. Far too soon, my finger found the ¡®open¡¯ button and the remnants of Aurora I had been so keen to hold onto were replaced instead with the musty scent of sweat and stale air. The capsule¡¯s lights lingered for a few seconds longer, illuminating my path just enough for me to pull myself out and away before they finally dimmed into nonexistence, leaving me with only the soft light from my computer¡¯s screen saver to guide me.


    Clothes were strewn haphazardly about, blankets covered everything except for the top of my bed, and there was even an aged, half-eaten meal that I¡¯d yet to decide whether I was willing to risk finishing: my room in all its unfettered glory. Getting from the capsule to my computer¡ªthe only two objects of any real worth¡ªwas a puzzle in itself, but it was one that I had practiced so often that it hardly affected my pace; with just a handful of seconds I was seated in my desk chair to trade one virtual space for another.


    My life as a neet.


    There was the ever-present prickling of dread, of course. With the finishing of Aurora¡¯s beta test, my parents¡¯ leniency¡ªtheir ¡°amnesty, as they¡¯d referred to it¡ªhad come to an end, and this lifestyle I had unwittingly cultivated over the past year was to be replaced with either employment or homelessness. Come the morning, it was all but guaranteed that I¡¯d be set upon by ultimatum after ultimatum, and at least for this small window of time, I wanted to numb myself and enjoy the moment a little longer.


    It took only a quarter hour on the Aurora forums before my mind was settled again, old habits driving away new concerns. Naturally, the board had been all but flooded by users now that the game had been taken offline, and topics and their responses were streaming by en masse. A small sample of every community had gathered to chat amongst each other or make announcements of their plans in the upcoming near-month. New friendships were being forged, guilds were dissolved and coalesced, the final exploits of the users were being shared in full detail¡­ and not even a day had passed.


    Seriously now, did these people know no self-restraint? There was time before the game came out in full; it wasn¡¯t necessary to stuff everything into these initial moments.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    No matter my own lecturing, though, the reflexive smile never left my face. Even if it was unlikely I¡¯d be able to continue playing once I¡¯d begun to hop between jobs, I still felt a bead of determination in my heart: I¡¯d keep up with this game through the forums, at least. That would still be possible, right?


    With that, my attention begrudgingly shifted from Aurora guild ads to those for real-life jobs; perhaps if I showed at least some initiative now, I¡¯d receive some leniency in return. Unsurprisingly, my introductory courses from college left me with little more than fast food or lifting boxes, the same drudgery I had tried¡ªand failed¡ªbefore in earlier years. My maladjustment would be even more noticeable now that summer was approaching and I had to compete with the newly released students as well.


    Although my time on the forums had staved off my gloom, now it was asserting itself in full force. It wasn¡¯t terribly unlikely for me to be hired on at least somewhere for a time, but hopping from task to task trying to find somebody willing to keep me definitely wasn¡¯t how I wanted to spend my days; time and youth was too precious a commodity to squander away on dead ends. I considered returning to college, but financial aid was no longer available to me and dropping into debt was about the least likely method of living my days carefree.


    I was trapped. Cornered


    There wasn¡¯t a way out of this. Nothing I said or did would stall any longer.


    Just before the bitterness began to boil over, I returned myself to comfort, fleeing from my problems back into the comforting embrace of Aurora¡¯s forums once more. Yes, it was a problem, but it wasn¡¯t like I needed to really face it until the morning anyway; at least for now, I should shore up my contentment for when the real thing happened¡­.


    Fifteen minutes became thirty, thirty became an hour, an hour became two; the clock continued to tick as I watched others happily chat away. I didn¡¯t even involve myself in the conversations directly¡ªonly periodically chiming in with some esoteric detail when it was called for¡ªand yet it soothed me all the same. A few more posts and I could see the beginning of dawn just beyond my window, the light revealing the sorry state of my room with far more detail than my computer screen had; I¡¯d probably have to clean this up sometime in the future as well, wouldn¡¯t I?


    The rising sun heralded the end of my night of freedom, yet still I resolutely glued myself to the computer screen, blocking it out. I should have been occupying the bed hours ago, yet here I was, alternating freely between bouts of agitation and relief. I wanted more posts, more announcements, some videos¡­.


    And then a small blot of red caught my eye.


    Positioned at the top right corner of my browser was a faded red exclamation mark centered just in front of an envelope. It was such a bizarre occurrence for me to receive personal mail that I hadn¡¯t even seen it at first, and if it weren¡¯t for me trying to switch tabs, it was unlikely it would have ever been seen. My first thought was to submit a bit of feedback to the forum to make it more pronounced, but it was put off for the time being for something more immediately curious: reading the mail itself.


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    Dear Brendan Schutts,


    It has come to our attention that you have offered us a great deal of time and effort to help ensure Aurora¡¯s success. Although the Closed Beta is coming to a close soon, we at Monument Gaming firmly believe that there is room for continued improvement and would like to invite you to be a part of the effort to do so.


    This is not strictly volunteer work, and those who take part in our upcoming project will receive due compensation for their time and effort, as befitting the nature of their work at a competitive rate compared to other companies.


    We are aware that this offer is of relatively short notice, but it is our hope that we receive a favorable response from you in the near future. The earlier we receive word, the more likely we will have space to accommodate you.


    Help us make a world we can all enjoy,


    Monument Gaming


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    My first response was that of instinctual skepticism. It was not unheard of for scam mails to be passed around, although Monument had a good track record of addressing them when they did happen to crop up. It certainly seemed rather official enough and had a similar style to the announcements that littered the boards, even if the content itself wasn¡¯t so believable.


    My second response was that of dread. I didn¡¯t publicly display my name like some other people did, and instead very stringently adhered only to my handle, ¡°Moth¡±. If this really was a scam, then they¡¯d already gotten deeper into my personal information than I was comfortable with. It did strengthen the case for its validity, at least; the only time I¡¯d given out my name like that was to sign up and receive the VRC in the first place, so it wasn¡¯t strange for them to have access to it.


    ¡­ Could it be real?


    A job offer when I was nearing the end of my rope? From the company I respected for a product I enjoyed, no less? A job that I could hold down?


    It seemed illusory, too good to be true; these things only happen in the land of fantasy.


    But even if it was fake, I couldn¡¯t help but to entertain the thought that it wasn¡¯t. Even if this guiding star wasn¡¯t real, I wouldn¡¯t lose anything for reaching out to grasp it.


    A quick check at the mail¡¯s date showed it had actually been sent a few days ago, and I steadily began to write one of my own. The message did say that an early response meant a higher likelihood of success, and not noticing until now had been a grievous error; it would be truly unfortunate for this to turn out to be real only to be rejected for the sake of an invisible deadline.

 Ch.0002 — Let Us Pretend

    When next I awoke, it was to the insistence of my well-meaning parents. I¡¯d only managed to get two hours of sleep after I¡¯d sent my response to Monument, but the excuse was paper thin and it crumpled before I¡¯d even managed to say it. A fast shower coupled with an equally sparse snack for my breakfast was all I managed before I was pushed out the door, the lock clicking behind me and the threat of homelessness looming over my head in truth. My key had been taken and nothing short of a job application would allow me entry any longer; my parents had become serious in their pursuit of pushing me out into the great unknown.


    First impression: it was too damn bright.


    The day was certainly beautiful, but my eyes rebelled against the natural lighting that had become all but a stranger to me. I¡¯d likely developed some manner of dwarven cave adaptation from my habits, and the sun was not lenient in the slightest; not only did the current season leave it abnormally vibrant, but there wasn¡¯t a cloud in the sky to offer a reprieve from its scornful gaze.


    It was a mixed blessing that the city around me offered ample opportunity to escape into the shade, and the only immediate downside was that most of them were fast-food restaurants or stores and were liable to have far too many people for my liking. Still, the day wasn¡¯t about to end itself anytime soon, so I might as well finish off two birds with one stone and get out of this too-pleasant weather.


    The front door let off a soft ding as I stepped into a place with a name I hadn¡¯t even bothered to check. The air was alight with the scent of ground coffee beans and the lighting was dimmed down to a far more appreciable level, though, marking it both as a cafe and a well-suited sanctuary for the time being. It seemed as though fate had chosen well for me.


    Soft murmurs of private conversation littered the room from one corner to the last, supplying it with a cozy atmosphere that didn¡¯t lose even to my own private room. The temperature, too, had found the perfect compromise of warmth, and not even those who had decided to wear a jacket for the seasonal weather would find themselves in discomfort. Truly rather ideal for someone like me, although it seemed as though there were sadly¡ª


    ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    ¡ªtoo many people.


    It seemed as though I¡¯d been standing in the doorway just long enough to draw the attention of one of the employees. Just like everyone else, she put on a patently fake smile as she greeted me, and there was almost enough forced hospitality to make me believe it. Brunette, somewhat on the shorter side, with a pair of crystal eyes and a smile that could melt the heart of men anywhere; it was no wonder she had been hired on, and from her young appearance and the not-yet-jaded personality, it seemed plausible that she was a highschool graduate from about a year ago, likely six or so months into her job here.


    It was unfortunate for her that I was already experienced in such tricks.


    ¡°Yes, are you accepting applications?¡± Though my own words came out with only slightly less politeness, my expression itself didn¡¯t change. I made no attempt to hide the fact I had no desire to work here¡ªeither in the now or in the future¡ªand the girl seemed to catch on fast enough, albeit with some confusion.


    ¡°Ah, hold on. Let me check.¡± Her face had twisted into surprise for a moment, the expression she had cultivated so well cracking ever so slightly at being presented with someone neither pleasant nor a customer. Just like that, she¡¯d managed to excuse herself and leave me to my own devices, and I took the opportunity to stand silently at the room¡¯s fore in wait, idly glancing out beyond the windows into the eye-straining brightness I¡¯d have to revisit soon enough.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Before the girl had even returned, another employee had approached me, this one more openly curious and confrontational as to my presence here. Although I wasn¡¯t blocking pathways, I was still in clear view of everyone, and¡ªunlike the last one¡ªthis worker seemed to be a veteran unconcerned with chasing somebody like me away.


    ¡°Excuse me, but is there a reason as to why you¡¯re standing here? Are you waiting for somebody?¡± The man looked to be in his mid-to-late twenties, and I wouldn¡¯t have even been surprised if he told me he was a manager right then and there. He definitely had the weary look of somebody who had experienced enough of life to know what it lacked, and his expression was far more guarded towards me; he understood as well as I did that my presence was harming the atmosphere here.


    ¡°Waiting to receive an application.¡± For such a person, my words did not even need the faint touch of politeness I had shown before. My time in this place was coming to an end, and I had already grown tired of it regardless; there was no point in extending this longer than it had to be. The possible-manager seemed to believe the same, too, and I could hear the words that followed before he had even spoken them.


    ¡°We¡¯re not accepting applications at this time.¡± A response so canned it could have come directly from a factory, but it was enough of one to finally bring this charade to an end. ¡°If you¡¯d like, there¡¯s a free table near the corner over there, but if you¡¯re not going to buy anything I¡¯m going to have to ask you to leave.¡±


    At least with this, I could say I¡¯d given it a try. I simply nodded to the man and headed outside, the sound of a ding once again chasing after me. Although the temperature and the lighting had been enjoyable, it was an unfortunate truth that places like these had a fundamental flaw:


    They weren¡¯t vacant.


    By the time I¡¯d managed to fish an application from one of the nearby buildings¡ªfrom an employee that looked patently new, in a fast-food restaurant that had a ¡°now hiring¡± sign out front¡ªa full hour and a half had passed me by. Each encounter had been more or less the same as the first, just as it had been for me a few years ago when I¡¯d been made to do this same exact thing. Even this application seemed as though it would lead to the same dead end eventually, either with a stern refusal come a week from now or by being ignored outright. Even if I did get accepted, I¡¯d probably just find another red blotch on my employment history after getting fired a month down the road and the process would repeat itself.


    These attempts only solidified what I¡¯d known all along: I was unhireable, and this hadn¡¯t changed in the slightest despite the few years between.


    With the application in hand, I was allowed to return to the house once more, the paper serving as a makeshift writ of passage into my own residence. The lock clicked, the door opened, and I was greeted once again by my well-meaning mother, her face so wreathed in relief as to make my brows crease. To make such a fuss over a single application that would ultimately amount to nothing¡­.


    But of course I couldn¡¯t tell her that. Just as I enjoyed escaping into my games though they weren¡¯t real, I wouldn¡¯t take away these moments from her. These moments where we would pretend I could get a job and become a productive member of society, these moments where we would pretend I wasn¡¯t unsuited for the company of others and wouldn¡¯t find myself jobless once again. She was happiest in times like these when we pretended I wasn¡¯t a failure.


    As for me, even without Aurora to guide my attention, there were still a few other distractions that had been gathering dust in the meantime.


    I¡¯d returned to my room almost immediately after the brief conversation at the doorway and my fingers had switched on the computer before I¡¯d even taken a breath. My eyes adjusted to the darkness near immediately, and the computer screen welcomed me home after my fruitless journey beyond these comforting walls.


    The chair creaked with familiarity beneath me and a new game was loaded up without further pause. The job application was left abandoned on the side of the desk, the paper a casualty of indifference; although it constantly tried to remind me of my obligations, I simply wanted to immerse myself in something else right now.


    I would deal with it later, when I had to.

 Ch.0003 — A Scrap Of Paper

    By the time I so much as glanced at the application again, several days had managed to pass with little to speak of. My initial excursion into the city had left my parents subdued enough to grant me some time to my own devices¡ªpresumably to do research on the job itself¡ªand I filled my schedule in the manner I knew best. The stack of untouched games that had begun to pile up with Aurora¡¯s beta began to steadily diminish thanks to my efforts, and it was with a token measure of pride that I was approaching a full completionist run on one of the RPGs I¡¯d taken a fancy to. With a few pointed questions here, another looming threat there, I begrudgingly set to the paperwork I¡¯d been neglecting for the better half of a week.


    The application itself was nothing too difficult and I¡¯d been expecting the pressure on me to increase around this time anyway. It took less than a quarter hour to complete even with my leisurely pace, and although it had gained a few creases and a small stain at the corner, it still looked relatively presentable. Definitely legible, at least.


    I¡¯d be turning this in within the next hour or two in order to earn another extension on my stay, but handing over a piece of paper was far less of a chore than getting one in the first place. If things went well, I wouldn¡¯t even have to interact with people directly and there would be a bin I could drop it into; it was very possible that this would be nothing more than an idle stroll with a short detour between.


    Or, at least, that was one of my options. I¡¯d received another mail from Monument, after all.


    The message was somewhat sterile and unimaginative¡ªeven moreso than the first¡ªbut it was more agreeable to get into the meat of the matter without having to sift through some PR-tinted fluff, anyway. I¡¯d already responded once before, too, so they¡¯d probably assumed I would again regardless of the phrasing.


    I¡¯d gotten a late start and the amount of time I had was equally limited. By now, it was all but assured that a majority of the slots had been filled up or were slated for other, more promising candidates, and I was skeptical that this was anything other than a false cause. Perhaps if I had seen the mail and put my effort in ahead of time it wouldn¡¯t be an issue, but I had the sneaking suspicion that this was going to be another instance of Hope¡¯s Peak: too little effort started too late, with nothing more than memories to show for it.


    However¡­ the open interview time block was between noon and 4pm, and it turned out that the local branch for Monument was not too far away from where I lived, either. It would require me to go in the exact opposite direction of Burger Bill¡¯s and extend my ¡°stroll¡± into a veritable journey once again, but it wasn¡¯t beyond my means. It was just a matter of deciding whether it was worthwhile. Was it worth delaying my completionist run more than it had to be?


    A quick glance outside showed that the sky was covered in gloomy overcast of mottled greys. Branches swayed only ever so slightly in the mild breeze, and¡ªalthough the day was unhappy¡ªit did not seem likely for rain to follow too soon. Couple everything with the spring temperature and it did not seem as though the weather could get much better than this; if ever there was a time for me to go, it would be today.


    =====


    By the time the building began to come into view, I had already had a good forty minutes to build up my expectations. Was it as ostentatious as the game¡¯s logo was, vibrant and colorful to stand out in the crowd? Perhaps a modern marvel of engineering, just as the game itself was touted to be? Forward-thinking, relying on solar energy to power itself? A building could very well be a representation of the people inside, after all, and I couldn¡¯t help wondering just how Monument decided to show itself to the rest of the world.


    Once I arrived, however, I had to double-check just to make sure I¡¯d gotten the correct address. Walls of simple, unadorned white greeted me from every side, and there wasn¡¯t even a logo at front to showcase its owner. A pair of sliding glass doors and a few windows here and there was all that broke the monotony by allowing for glances inside, but even the interior seemed just as insipid as the ex-. The only impressive feature of the building was its raw size, and it quite frankly looked more suitable to be a warehouse than the branch building of a name-brand company.


    Another check with the address assured me that this was the correct place, though, and I¡¯d already walked all the way here¡­.


    Unlike the restaurants and shops I¡¯d been to before, there was no chime when I walked past the sliding doors, nothing to alert anybody of my presence. The lobby was spotless, the walls lined with a few waiting-room chairs while a prominent front desk presented itself near the back of the room proper. The room all but begged to be filled with people and had seemed designed with that very intent in mind, yet it was bizarrely vacant.


    Vacant, yet peaceful.


    My shoes lightly squeaked against the (newly waxed?) floor, hands drawing my light jacket closer to my body as I stepped towards that desk. My eyes drew along every inch of the walls, and aside from an analog clock ticking away just above the counter itself, there wasn¡¯t an inch of decoration. Even once I¡¯d reached it, I milled around a bit in mild wonder, curious to see if I was being observed from elsewhere and another would come out to greet me anytime now.


    Yet the clock clicked onward without sight of another occupant. One question was answered, but my curiosity only grew; was this not actually the time for the open interviews? I reached out and tapped the buzzer to more formally announce my presence before leaning in against the desk, idly watching the time without anything else to draw my attention.


    Although the room had been empty and the building looked practically deserted, it was somewhat surprising that I was not made to wait long; before even a full minute had passed, the sound of hurried footsteps began to echo out from one of the doors at the back corner of the room, followed shortly after by company. She was slightly out of breath, her head bowed at a mild angle as she moved towards the other side of the desk.


    Lengthy black hair had been pulled up into a ponytail at the back, and although I couldn¡¯t immediately get a glance at her eyes, once she sat down I was afforded a look to their dark cerulean blues. A white blouse was coupled with a light black business jacket, and the way it was buttoned at her front emphasized her modest chest. The lengthy skirt she was wearing¡ªthe same color as her jacket¡ªseemed to flirt with the eye as well, and even though there wasn¡¯t any skin exposed, it still flowed with her movements in an attention-grabbing manner.


    A faint color of red had since settled to her cheeks: embarrassment for a slight I wasn¡¯t particularly concerned about. Really, it was impressive that she had managed to get here so quickly in the first place, and even if she wasn¡¯t silently pleading at me with her eyes not to ask any questions, I wasn¡¯t about to start prying after being on my feet for so long.


    ¡°Sorry about the wait,¡± another bow of her head followed her apology despite my decidedly neutral expression. ¡°Welcome to Monument Gaming, where a vibrant world of fantasy and adventure is only a few steps away! How can I help you?¡±


    Yep, this was the right place, and the copy-pasted introduction definitely seemed to align with a company¡¯s methodology. Perhaps not quite as professional in some areas, but I wasn¡¯t looking to be their business partner, just check in on a potential opportunity. ¡°I was informed that there were open interviews scheduled for today?¡±


    The woman¡¯s face went blank for a moment, her eyes blinking several times before she glanced back up to the clock and back to me, not even bothering to hide her troubled expression. ¡°That¡¯s right, from noon ¡®til four.¡± The words came out with some hesitation and uncertainty before she looked away from me entirely, shifting her focus upon the computer before her instead. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯ll be able to get you in one today, but maybe. Name and handle?¡±


    My brow raised of its own accord at that, eyes returning towards the time. It was only 2:24; I could understand not being able to get me in immediately, but why ¡°today¡±? I knew I was effectively unhireable, but I¡¯d been holding a small ember of hope that something like this would be different for me. Nonetheless, I kept my expression relatively even as I regarded her, already working to smother some of the kindlings of interest I¡¯d had beforehand. ¡°Brendan Schutts. Moth.¡±


    A nod followed, her fingers preparing to click away at the keyboard before stopping, looking to me with that same apologetic expression before I preempted her question¡ª¡°With an ¡®e¡¯ and an ¡®a¡¯. Last is spelled S-C-H-U-T-T-S.¡±¡ªand she returned to her task, cheeks once again faintly colored in self-admonishment. Seems she was likely new to this job.


    ¡°Ok. Moth, then?¡± she echoed, glancing to me once more as she overlooked the information, a newly speculative expression joining the others she had shown me. ¡°Most of the interviewers have already left for the day, but I might be able to get you in anyway. Gimme a sec.¡±


    ¡­ Mm? Just what had she seen on that screen of hers for her tune to change so quickly?


    The secretary tap-tapped away while I silently watched on close by, my fingers lightly drumming upon the wood while she apparently checked and verified¡­ whatever it was. It wasn¡¯t too obvious what she had to look up, of course, especially since I had arrived at the right place, the right time, and had been all but invited besides.


    A phone call even got involved near the end, as did the words ¡°medium-high priority¡±, likely in reference to me. It caught my attention, but once again I didn¡¯t go out of my way to pry any further than necessary, simply waiting patiently while we both pretended she wasn¡¯t in clear earshot and I wasn¡¯t eavesdropping every word. Or maybe she genuinely didn¡¯t know; I had the feeling she might have said something I shouldn¡¯t have heard.


    Once everything was said and done, though, she returned her attention to me with the beaming smile of someone who had just managed to overcome a particularly challenging trial, filled with good cheer while her earlier unprofessionalism and embarrassment was left completely forgotten. ¡°Matt said he¡¯ll interview you in room A206,¡± she began, pointing to the same door she had arrived from before. ¡°Go through there into the hallway. Sixth door on the right; you can¡¯t miss it.¡±


    With my requisite nod and a simple thank you, I left her to her station and stepped past the door into the hallway. The corridor was just as expansive as the rest of the building had been, each door accompanied by several meters of distance between them and enough space to fit a genuine crowd without many difficulties. So much vacant space felt just as abnormal here as it had in the lobby, and the pathway seemed to stretch on without end. Each door had a sticker pushed against the front with their numbers on it, and true enough I managed to reach A206 right where the secretary had told me it was, its designation taped on crookedly to the side.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Not quite what I expected from a large gaming company.


    A light knock on the door was answered by a gruff ¡°come in¡±, and so I did exactly that, pushing my way from the barren hallway and into a room just as lacking. No ornamentation, no color, and¡ª if it weren¡¯t for another desk and a few chairs¡ªno furnishings, either.


    The voice¡¯s owner stared me down from the other side of his little wooden island within the featureless sea, and I could tell right away that we would get along just fine. Sure, the man was built like a barroom bouncer and looked at me like he was considering how best to break me over his knee, but it was refreshing to find somebody who didn¡¯t hide himself behind a veneer of forced politeness despite his obligations otherwise.


    He motioned towards the uncomfortable-looking chair opposite him with his meaty hand and I unhurriedly complied, setting myself in the seat with my hands folded in my lap. A neutral silence settled naturally between us as I idly studied his features and waited while he cycled through his computer and flipped through a folder settled close by, neither of us seeming inclined to break our natural tendencies. He eventually pulled out a sheet in particular and set it before him, the click of a pen resounding out as he readied it, voice following shortly after, ¡°So... Brendan, right? Or would you prefer Moth?¡±


    A simple first question deserving of a simple answer; a nod of mine chased after his curiosity. ¡°That¡¯s me. Though yes, I¡¯d prefer to go by Moth.¡±


    The man gave a humored snort at that, his free hand moving to jut a thumb in against his chest as he grinned. ¡°Fair ¡®nuff. Name¡¯s Matt, but you can just call me Admin, M, or even Admin M if you¡¯re feelin¡¯ particularly fancy.¡± The man truly wore his emotions on his sleeves, and one minute he¡¯d been plotting my demise and the next he was chatting with me like a friend. ¡°So you decided you wanted to be a part of Monument Gaming after all, eh? Yer a bit late, but that might not be too big an issue.¡±


    Just like Matt didn¡¯t hold back his expressions with me, neither did I bother hiding mine with him; mild bouts of curiosity flickered on my face, and I glanced to the papers settled on the desk before he answered. ¡°You got yourself an impressive list here, Moth. Haven¡¯t heard of ya, personally, but looks like you did a lot, eh?¡± the man asked before tapping at the folder in question, ¡°In Aurora. You¡¯re a real No-Lifer.¡±


    I bristled at that, my brows curving sharply on my face. It wasn¡¯t a term that was unfamiliar to me, but it certainly wasn¡¯t something I wanted to hear after going out of my way to come here; I¡¯d gotten more than enough of the chastisement at home. ¡°Maybe, but at least I can fix that pretty easily,¡± my words spilled free of their own accord, each syllable holding a notably acerbic tint, ¡°For you to be interviewing a No-Lifer like me, your own life must have fallen into the gutter years ago. I doubt there¡¯s a ¡°Mrs. Admin M¡± waiting for you outside of VR.¡±


    That certainly earned a reaction, and the friendliness that had been slowly acclimating itself to his face was replaced by the ¡°I¡¯ll break you over my knee¡± expression he had had at the very start. He glared at me and I returned that glare in full force; if this was the kind of bullshit I¡¯d have to put up with here, I¡¯d be no better off than if I were elsewhere. The sound of his meaty finger tapping on the wooden top grew more pronounced as his anger grew fiercer, and just when it seemed as though the interview would come to an end then and there, he burst out into laughter.


    The tension seemed to drain from him completely in that moment, and with it so did my own, my face returning once again to its more neutral¡ªalbeit wary¡ªstate. ¡°Looks like the bug has some fangs, eh? Well, no matter!¡± The man¡¯s hand shot forward like a runaway train, his fingers outstretched not so far from my chest as he held it out in an expectant manner. ¡°Ya, ain¡¯ got anybody waiting for me anywhere other than here and Aurora, ya got me. Rare to be bitten by someone that ain¡¯ even a qualified newbie, but I give ya credit.¡±


    Ah, a handshake. My own hand rose up to greet his, and I was made all too aware that his muscle wasn¡¯t purely for show; with only a few seconds¡¯ grip, the tips of my fingers had gone numb and prickles of pain asserted themselves up to my wrist before he¡¯d released me. Worse still, it looked completely effortless on his part, and I couldn¡¯t tell if it was intended to be a warning or it was just the force he used by default.


    ¡°So Moth, it says here ya chronicled almost the entire bestiary and even had a hand in the world map we were using before the end? Cartography? Exploration? Even some guides?¡± Admin asked as he drew his attention back to the folder, flipping lightly through it to pull out specific points. ¡°Connectivity time upwards of a hundred twenty-five hours per week. Forum karma of around twenty-two to one, positive to negative. Top hundred in total experience gained¡­ honestly, ya didn¡¯t seem like the other superstars we managed to pick up, but I can see why the boss wants you on board.¡±


    Ah, that explained the secretary¡¯s change in demeanor not so long ago. Still, all of this was a bit exaggerated. ¡°I haven¡¯t made any maps myself, I just corrected some here and there. Besides, with the bestiary, it was mainly others that recorded them first. I just verified and discovered a few more details to add to their work.¡± I couldn¡¯t account for the forum karma, but that number seemed somewhat plausible; since I didn¡¯t say much, it was difficult for me to get involved in disputes that would negatively impact my forum reputation, and it was hard for others to justify downvoting posts that only clarified facts.


    ¡°Uh huh. I see,¡± Admin nodded lightly to himself, scribbling some notes down on the paper he¡¯d pulled out for himself earlier. ¡°No involvement in any guilds, though. No real popularity, not even some arena awards. I¡¯m not sure how ya managed it, Moth, but I¡¯ve never even heard of ya until today, despite this list. Frankly, if I wasn¡¯t sure of my source, I¡¯d say none of this ever happened.¡± The man smirked at me with a familiarity I didn¡¯t feel in kind, my brows creasing with growing agitation. Sure, my achievements were being blown out of proportion, but it¡¯s not like I spent those hours online twiddling my thumbs; that this was hard for him to believe just showed how little Admin actually did during his own time.


    Before I had the opportunity to sting my tongue with a response once more, Admin preempted me with a wave of his hand, his own gruff voice pushing matters along, ¡°What would ya say your strongest area was in Aurora?¡± he queried, his hand moving up to idly rub at the scraggle forming at his chin. ¡°Assumin¡¯ ya could play it all day every day just like ya were before¡ªand get paid for it¡ªwhat would ya do?¡±


    ¡­ Where was I strongest? What would I do? Two tough questions at once pushed my agitation elsewhere for the sake of genuine curiosity, my gaze drawing up towards the plain white ceiling as I gave it genuine consideration. ¡°I¡¯m not certain, really. I guess I did a little bit of everything and didn¡¯t focus much. I just sort of...¡ª¡±¡±


    ¡°¡ªlived your life freely?¡± he cut in, finishing my sentence for me when it seemed as though I¡¯d drawn a blank. ¡°We get those kinds of people, too. Some go into it with a goal, with an expectation, and others jus¡¯ pick a random direction and keep on walkin¡¯.¡± His eyes dipped away from mine at that, his pen once more scribbling into the paper while I was left to silently contemplate upon those words. What he said wasn¡¯t entirely false, but there was something that didn¡¯t entirely sit well with me within it.


    ¡°I think I just never found it.¡± The words had come slowly, tentatively, the tone just as uncertain as the contents themselves were. ¡°I think I just never found out what I wanted to do. So I did everything.¡±


    Silence settled again, Admin watching me speculatively while I shifted my attention to the side. It was somewhat galling to admit to it, to admit that despite having played the beta for two years and putting so much time, effort, and energy into the game throughout its incarnation, this was a question I couldn¡¯t answer. How could I have not found my own little place, my own niche? How could I have not determined what I was after? I¡¯d dabbled in a great number of things, explored and discovered, but no true passion had overtaken me even to the very end, had it?


    ¡°Well, we get those kinds of people as well,¡± Admin eventually chimed in, writing down some final notes on the paper before nodding to himself at last. The atmosphere had become more serious with the most recent questions, and even Admin seemed to be sobered up compared to before. ¡°What kind of hours would you be available for work, assuming you got the job? There¡¯s a few more positions open and some variety in them, but it would suck to put you on midnight only to find out you¡¯re allergic to nightshift.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m pretty much available whenever.¡± This question was much easier than the last two and it came freely. There was no point in trying to act coy with it, either; he¡¯d read out the kind of hours I played, so he was likely already aware and just looking for the official response. ¡°I don¡¯t have any other obligations.¡±


    Another nod at that, another brief checkmark before Admin pulled a sheet of paper from the folder and began filling it in as well. Every so often he would glance up from the form to give his computer some attention, his eyes flickering across the screen with interest before returning the pen to paper anew, a few more scribbles appearing for his efforts. This went on for several lingering moments, although the lack of visible clock on the walls kept me clueless for exactly how long; all I could do was twiddle my thumbs in wait.


    ¡°Here.¡± After Admin tore off an attached copy for his own purposes, he finally passed the paper to me so that I could see the fruits of his handiwork. His name, my name, a few numbers and checked boxes, but even more eye-catching was his signature at the very bottom, flowing from one side to the other in a very ostentatious manner. ¡°Orientation will be this Thursday. If you still want a job here by then, show up here by 4pm, though I suggest you get here earlier than that. Show this paper to the receptionist and she¡¯ll show you where you have to go.¡±


    I blinked at that, my eyes scanning over the paper with incredulity. An hour ago, I had turned in an application at a place I wanted nothing to do with, yet now I was being given an opportunity I had once dismissed as too good to be true. My attention was once more drawn to Admin, a single brow raised, my face full of questions and uncertainty. ¡®Did I hear you correctly?¡¯ my expression asked what my voice would not, ¡®Not another interview, but a job outright?¡¯


    To my unspoken queries, Admin simply waved his meaty hand towards the door, dismissing me without a shred of either duplicity or further interest. ¡°If yer late, don¡¯t blame me if we kick you out and lock the doors. I¡¯m givin¡¯ ya a job here, make sure you manage ta keep it.¡±


    Still unable to shake the uncertainty from my body, I was a bit sluggish in rising from my chair, my expression taking on pensive casts as though uncertain what kind of reaction was called for with the news. ¡°Oh, and tell Claire to get me some coffee while you¡¯re out there.¡± Admin called out just before I shut the door behind me, likely referencing the receptionist-secretary I had met in the lobby earlier.


    The hallway was just as plain as before, but I could already begin to feel it growing on me¡ªeven if just a little bit¡ªas my footsteps echoed off the bare walls. Even the near-empty lobby had a bit more vibrancy and color than when I had first seen it, and my pace was a touch more vigorous when I moved towards the counter and informed the newly dissatisfied Claire of Admin¡¯s latest request.


    The spring weather outside seemed warmer, too, though that could have easily been attributed to me growing accustomed to the temperature indoors in that span between. The return home was every bit the enjoyable stroll I had once used only in sarcastic reference.


    It wasn¡¯t until I arrived at the house that I tucked the paper away, hiding it from view. My thoughts were aswirl with the possibilities to come and I was not in a condition to properly break the news to them right now. I knew how they¡¯d react, I knew they¡¯d shower me with positivity and praise for it, and I also knew that if they did that, I would get sucked into the cheer. I could feel my mouth splitting into a grin even before I¡¯d even ascended the stairs, and by the time I¡¯d placed the paper front and center on the desk beside my computer screen, the shock began to slowly ebb away while excitement filled in the cracks.


    The orientation was three days from now. Three days would be plenty to inform my parents what was likely to be my new employment status and to ensure I had everything else set in place to show up on time with all of my affairs in order. I could even do a little bit more research on Aurora on the side, really, or start recording some of the information I had gleaned from before. My general contributions to the forums had improved Admin¡¯s perception of me, right? Perhaps I¡¯ll be doing something similar in a more official manner; perhaps my name would be highlighted in the red of a moderator, lending me the credibility and weight of a legitimate staff-member.


    Rather than go to my computer as I was so wont to do otherwise, this time I simply moved to collapse onto my bed and pulled the blankets over my fully-clothed form. The pleasure and satisfaction coursing through me was similar to the time I¡¯d entered Aurora for the first time, and I wanted to savor the moment without distraction for as long as I could.

 Ch.0004 — Overcast Skies

    The day of my good fortune¡ªthe day I¡¯d received the written notice of the upcoming orientation¡ªhad been one of the best I¡¯d had in a good while. I¡¯d ended up curling up in bed for the better part of the rest of it, simply relishing in the thought of what was to come. The VRC at the side of the room had been a consistent reminder of what I¡¯d lost, of the memories that would no longer be made; now it was like a beacon of what I¡¯d gained, all of the effort potentially culminating into something worthwhile.


    The jobs of the past had been loaded with drudgery and more people than I was ever truly comfortable with, but this one offered me an outlet for one of the few skillsets I had confidence in. It wasn¡¯t that I looked down on those jobs, that I couldn¡¯t stand the thought of them, I just recognized that I would never be suited for them. This one, however¡­ I could be.


    It had been a mistake to believe everyone shared that opinion.


    The cheer and celebration I¡¯d expected from my parents was replaced instead with scorn and anger. Rather than view this as my own efforts bearing fruit¡ªas my own attempts at pushing my way out of my maladaptive lifestyle¡ªit was seen as rebellion and relapse. The smiles I had taken for granted being there did not show, and I was instead treated with ridicule for supposedly trying to pull the wool over their eyes.


    Preposterous.


    Invectives rained down like arrows from both sides, my parents doubling down on what they believed was right while I similarly grasped onto what I saw as a rare chance at a unique opportunity. This was normally where I would acquiesce, where I would bow my head to their demands while shirking off to my room to stave off the aftereffects, but the feeling of my good cheer being stripped away from me left me emotionally raw and unwilling to compromise.


    My efforts didn¡¯t do much to change the hierarchy, though; I was nothing more than a freeloading parasite, after all, and they were the ones taking care of me out of their own good will. No matter how I played my part, on this stage I was nothing more than a supporting character and the ending had been written without my input. It ended just as it was normally wont to do, an ultimatum reestablishing how little say I had here.


    Their house, their rules. I could either deal with it, or I could leave.


    So I left.


    The city morning was chillier this time than the last, and while yesterday had been pleasantly overcast, this time the clouds were heavy with the threat of rain. Pedestrians rushed by on their way to their normal working hours, a veritable collection of suits and school uniforms as they crowded together and slipped past like fish from the same shoal. Though some of them were laughing and smiling in good cheer, the vast majority seemed little more than walking corpses carrying on the habits from when they were still living, spectres of the past who had given up a long time ago. Their faces were blank, their eyes dead, and even in their silence I could hear their lamentations.


    Would I be forced to end up like that? Trying to fit a square peg in a round hole just to make ends meet? Would I merely ¡°exist¡±?


    . . . Rather, wasn¡¯t that the same kind of expression I¡¯d been making for years now?


    I milled about aimlessly while others carried on with their obligations. While some drifted from the crowds to their cubicles and desks, I meandered towards the city¡¯s park, wishing to fill my gaze with something other than the sight of so many others. The wind caught my jacket and a chill settled into my bones, the telltale sensation of droplets falling upon my head shortly after while my own impassive gaze shifted upward in silence.


    Even now I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to help but to return to that house. I had understood long ago that I needed it, that I needed my parents and all of the necessities they allowed for me. Even as I stomped outside in my brief bout of passion, their words had refused to relinquish their grip on my thoughts. Not even the cozy silence of the park and the verdant green of the flourishing trees could stave them away.


    I¡¯d have to return before the day¡¯s end.


    I did not know how long I remained on that bench gazing listlessly to the sky, the dark grey-black of the approaching storm denying me sight of the sun¡¯s passage. I did not know how long would be enough for my parents¡¯ anger to subside, nor could I even tell if my own ember of animosity had diminished enough to hold a genuine conversation. All I knew is that the wind had become even less accommodating and the material of my jacket was no longer enough to shield me from the strengthening rain.


    By the time I¡¯d reached that familiar front door, my clothing was drenched through and my hair was matted to my head beneath my hood. I looked every bit as though I¡¯d washed up from the sea, and my forlorn demeanor only strengthened when I realized the door was locked without my key on-hand.


    A few tentative knocks coupled with a painful silence and I was admitted back into the household. It seemed as though both parties had sobered up, even if the atmosphere was still just as overcast as the skies outside. I was in no state to fight and neither were they to start one, their words carrying the weight of a judge bearing down with a final verdict:


    Starting next month, I would be paying rent.


    It was not entirely unexpected, really, and it was also a form of compromise in its own way, a method of forcing me into the world without dictating how I went about it. This was the first time they¡¯d brought it up, though, so odds were I could have simply closed my mouth and went along with what they said as I had in the past and it would have never happened. I had been vehemently defensive of Monument as an avenue worth exploring¡ªan opportunity, an option¡ªbut now I had to decide whether to hedge my bet or double down completely.


    A sigh rose unbidden to my lips, yet another of a steadily growing collection. What I wouldn¡¯t give to return to those carefree days when I didn¡¯t have to concern myself with any of this¡­.


    =====


    Although the unexpected clash with my parents had left my mood and outlook tattered, by the time Thursday came I was feeling a small echo of the excitement I¡¯d had from when I first heard Admin¡¯s words. The acceptance slip had been kept in near perfect condition save for a few creases, and I tucked it away into my pocket before slipping free from the household into the city anew.


    Although it was desire that had set the destination, the newfound weight of financial necessity set the pace. When I had first received word of the schedule, I had planned on arriving perhaps five minutes early with neither concern nor worry for being delayed, yet when the warehouse came into sight, I was twenty minutes ahead of even that. The sliding doors parted for me to reveal the same near-empty lobby as before, only this time Claire was actually manning the desk and the chairs lining the walls had disappeared.


    ¡°Got the job, then?¡± Claire asked in a decidedly conversational manner, her voice holding a great deal more cheer than when we¡¯d first met, though it was hard to tell whether it was because we would potentially be co-workers or because I hadn¡¯t caught her shirking the desk. Unlike the time previous, today her attire was a rather simple, casual affair: a nice simple blue t-shirt that emphasized her eyes with a dark grey jacket to weather the potential storm forecasted for later tonight.


    ¡°Supposedly.¡± I¡¯d expected to jump through more hoops to get the job, and it stood to reason that this ¡°orientation¡± may very well just be another hurdle before I was assigned in truth. ¡°I take it you¡¯re the receptionist, then?¡± I followed her question with one of my own, moving closer to drop my acceptance sheet on the counter before gesturing towards the rest of the empty lobby. ¡°Did I get here too early?¡±


    ¡°Heh. No, no, it¡¯s just in the lounge,¡± Claire waved off my mild concern with a literal movement of her hand, her other drawing towards a stack of paper on the desk before snatching one up and pressing it towards me. A quick, cursory glance revealed a surprisingly legalistic tint to it, and as my brows creased in curiosity, her words following affirmed it. ¡°Just an NDA. Companies like to keep their secrets, and even I had to sign one.¡±


    The document itself was rather dry and simple as I looked through it, even if there were some things that seemed particularly curious. Apparently, everything I was to be doing was going to be classified, even to the point that I couldn¡¯t publicly refer to myself with more specification than ¡°Monument Employee¡±. As the trailblazer for this type of game, I wasn¡¯t too surprised to see their tech and trade secrets on the list, but to require my silence on so many details besides was unexpected. Still, it wasn¡¯t like there was anybody for me to share this stuff with in the first place.


    Once I¡¯d scribbled my name along the line and handed it back to Claire, she looked it over with a brief nod before placing it away in one of the drawers. ¡°Alright then. This way, please,¡± she motioned with her hand as she stepped out from behind the counter, a pair of form-fitting jeans replacing the skirt from before as she guided me away from the counter and towards a pair of double doors to the left of the entranceway. ¡°Matt should be here in about twenty minutes. I think almost everyone¡¯s here, so chat a bit before then.¡±


    I¡¯d taken it for granted that my early arrival would have spared me from coming into contact with too many others, and I¡¯d also grown a bit too accustomed to the vacant nature of the building. Once those doors were opened and the room beyond was revealed to me, I could only view my earlier thinking as naive; a rather sizeable group of people were already chatting away amongst themselves, and it was now obvious where the lobby chairs had disappeared to.


    A good majority of the crowd still seemed to be in the later stages of their teenage years¡ªabout as I¡¯d expected given the subject matter¡ªbut there was still a healthy variety all the same. Most of the younger applicants were crowded around each other near the room¡¯s center, but a few sensible others were waiting casually on the outskirts within hearing range without putting themselves forward. There was even a man so old I could mistake him for somebody¡¯s grandfather, and as he took notice of my entrance and interest, he returned a soft, paternal smile out of place in such a gaming-centric environment.


    The unnecessarily noisy environment immediately left me soured on my decision to come early, and¡ªrather than bother with it at all¡ªI simply turned around and left the room entirely. Claire didn¡¯t realize she had company until she¡¯d returned to her desk, and when she noticed my retreat from the lounge, all she could do was offer me a few blinks in confusion, uncertainty crossing her features as I deviated so firmly from the rest.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just wait out here before it starts,¡± I half explained, half asserted, my eyes sweeping over the chairless walls once more before settling for the floor. I¡¯d positioned myself outside of the casual path and viewing of others, and¡ªwithout a valid reason to stop me¡ªClaire just silently watched as I claimed a small section for my own.


    Claire continued to look at me with uncertain bewilderment for a few moments longer before her gaze returned to her computer, likely watching or reading something to stave off the time between arrivals. As for me, I was content to simply rest and watch the clock tick by if the alternative was to stick around in the lounge, and the awkwardly silent atmosphere began to grow more relaxed as Claire grew less reserved in ignoring my presence.


    The comfortable peace was rarely broken, a few more people entering the building to follow the same pattern I had: go to the front desk, sign the NDA, get directed to the lounge. I paid only the barest of attention to them, and I received the same in kind; only one particularly short girl seemed to glance my way as she was led towards the rest of the gathering, but it seemed more out of shock at having not noticed me earlier than anything resembling interest. She was shepherded inside just like the others in the end, however, and just like this I spent the last few minutes in relative comfort.


    ¡°What are ya doin¡¯ out here?¡± I heard Admin¡¯s voice before I saw him, his words pulling my gaze from the clock. He himself was two minutes early and hadn¡¯t come from the front door like the others, and despite his broad frame it turned out his footsteps were surprisingly light. ¡°What, got cold feet? Ya shoulda just stayed home, then.¡±


    I could only roll my eyes at such a half-baked taunt, though it seemed to be the reaction he was looking for; his smirk grew more pronounced all the while and he watched on with interest as I rose to my feet. ¡°I¡¯m early,¡± I began, stretching out the stiffness in my knees while Claire not so stealthily watched with a curiosity of her own. ¡°Where I wait is my own business.¡±


    ¡°S¡¯pose so, ya. Though a word of warning: yer not some urchin pulled from the street, an¡¯ this isn¡¯ some charity.¡± Admin¡¯s voice grew lower at that, his easygoing gaze shifting towards Claire momentarily before returning to me anew. ¡°Be mindful that I¡¯m the boss here an¡¯ we¡¯ll get along just fine. I don¡¯t mind that mouth o¡¯ yours, but I can see why yer history is so shit.¡±


    To this, I didn¡¯t really have anything I could say. It looked as though he¡¯d glanced at my background between meetings, and as much as his tone made venom pool at the edge of my tongue, I made a conscious effort to swallow it for now. That he¡¯d go out of his way to let me know he¡¯d done his research showed the gravity of his words, and the weight bore down upon me and caused my head to bow ever so slightly in acquiescence. With a lingering pause, I managed to squeeze out a low ¡°Right.¡± in agreement before my brows creased in displeasure; I could only hope that he did not test me like this too often, lest I failed before long.


    With that trial completed, Admin¡¯s expression returned to that of lazy smugness, the face of a man who knew he could do as he pleased without the desire to actually do so. ¡°Come in, then, little bug. Got some news tha¡¯ might interest ya.¡± Before I could so much as blink, I felt that overbearing hand of his on my shoulder, and it was to my detriment that an earlier curiosity of mine was solved: the strength he had used with his handshake from before was just his natural tendency.


    I¡¯d intended to follow behind Admin so as to avoid standing out, yet he made a thorough effort to thwart me even in this, his palm guiding me beside him until we¡¯d stepped into the lounge itself. The clamor continued even after his entrance, and he released me to my own devices before walking up towards the other end of the room, drawing more and more attention his way in the process. By the time he¡¯d reached his destination and I my chair, a loud clap silenced what remained of the speakers as he looked out at the others like a king might his subjects, his chin tilted slightly upward with the arrogance afforded only to the one in charge.


    ¡°Alright then! Fer those who don¡¯ know me, jus¡¯ call me Admin,¡± he began his little speech without a hint of restraint, his teeth exposed in his self-indulgent grin. ¡°Starting today, yer all the property of Monument Gaming, here to slave away until yer bodies break down and yer hearts give out. This isn¡¯ an easy job just anyone can walk into, an¡¯ if I catch anyone slackin¡¯, I¡¯ll either toss yer ass out or put you to the toilets.¡±


    Rather than be cowed, most of the crowd simply snickered and nodded along with his words, though whether it was from flippant disregard or tacit agreement I could not easily say. Considering the hiring process and how much emphasis had been placed upon my own merits, it was likely that these people had all stood out in some manner through their exploits in the beta; it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if they actually felt Admin¡¯s demands were loose.


    ¡°Most of ya are gonna get a different job. Some of ya will be official Monument staff out there playin¡¯ as an NPC or Helper ta make th¡¯ world feel more alive. We wanna add that personal, human touch to the interactions here ¡®n there ¡®til nobody can tell the difference ¡®tween the AI and real people.¡± That actually did cause some commotion, a few muted whispers passed around the occupants while my own eyebrows raised ever so slightly.


    There had definitely been a bit of stiffness in Aurora¡¯s AI in the beta, but that had hardly been seen as an issue at the time. It felt artificial and unpolished in some small areas¡ªpredictable, even¡ªbut that was just the limitations of AI in general, and it was even deemed ahead of its time by far. I certainly hadn¡¯t expected them to be hiring people to mimic NPCs, but I had to admit it probably would make the whole place more immersive. And, of course, with those NDAs¡ª


    ¡°O¡¯ course, what I jus¡¯ said doesn¡¯t leave this building. Makin¡¯ a world as immersive as possible only lasts s¡¯long as the players don¡¯ understand what¡¯s going on under the hood. The moment someone catches wind of other people playin¡¯ NPCs, it¡¯s done.¡± Admin¡¯s voice had become very forceful at this point, his eyes holding a steely cast as his attention drew along the crowd. ¡°At best, ya can expect to be terminated. Immediately.¡± His arms folded across his chest, his tone growing every bit threatening before he continued. ¡°Worst, legal action. This is not somethin¡¯ that will be tolerated. The boss wants Aurora ta be the best, to be another world, and if anybody here fucks that up, well... everybody loses.¡±


    A few more whispers spilled forward at that, one of them even growing heated before the owner threw her hand up into the air, her voice erupting out in an almost accusatory manner before even being called upon. ¡°You say we¡¯ll be playing NPCs, but what kind of NPCs? You¡¯re not going to make us sit around in shops doing nothing, right? If you are, then fuck this, but I didn¡¯t come here to play pretend of some other shitty day job.¡±


    Silence returned right after she¡¯d finished, and it was an agitated Admin that glanced her way, his smile noticeably forced and unpleasant. ¡°What you¡¯ll end up playing depends on what you were doing before you got hired, Maki,¡± he responded in a manner even more coherent than normal, his tone holding firm heat. ¡°Some people actually want to play parts like that. If you¡¯re really so worried about it, don¡¯t be; you have already been selected for a different role.¡±


    I could all but feel the girl¡¯s interest despite being several meters removed with only her lengthy blond hair viewable from the back. It seemed as though she was about to launch into another outburst, too, before Admin cut in once again, ¡°And if yer wondering what you¡¯ll be, wait until the end. You¡¯ll all be receivin¡¯ yer assignments on an individual basis, so let me get through the basics first.¡±


    The girl seemed to hesitate at that, debating on whether or not she should confront him again on the matter, but either his answer or his unpleasant expression seemed to mollify her for the time being and he launched again into his speech. ¡°Everythin¡¯ ya do will be done here, in this building. Each of ya will have their own personal capsule and room which you can use, and only time spent here will count towards the job.¡± Though the words came as a surprise to me¡ªa personal room apiece for each person here?¡ªI eventually began to understand; the building¡¯s size wasn¡¯t an incidental thing. ¡°These capsules have special privileges and unique IDs ya can¡¯t access anywhere else.


    Another nod from me, as did many of the others at this point. The whispers from before had largely died down after the blond-haired girl¡¯s question and the subsequent response; by now, most of the others seemed to have already decided whether they¡¯d stay or go, with the former listening closely and the latter no longer invested enough to interrupt.


    ¡°Aurora¡¯s openin¡¯ is just around the corner. ¡®Til then, we¡¯ll be doin¡¯ a few tests and studies ta make sure nothing messes up for when the real thing comes, so expect ta be put to work startin¡¯ this Monday.¡± Ah, that had managed to get some murmurs from the crowd, a few holding concern at the date while a far greater number expressed excitement. These were all people that had played the beta to extremes, after all, and it was hardly surprising that they¡¯d be eager to return ahead of the public release.¡°That¡¯s about it. Details of yer employment have already been written down; see Claire at the front desk ta receive ¡®em, and come ta me if ya have any questions.¡±


    There was silence for a bit, Admin retaining the floor for a few moments longer before he just casually strolled away from the front and through the lounge doors, disappearing from sight once they closed behind him. Taking his absence as a cue, the majority of the others also rose to their feet and followed after into the lobby, their excitement and curiosity audible even after they¡¯d left. Every so often, the opened doors would reveal a half-floundering Claire trying to cater to the throng of people as quickly as she could amidst some eager cries, a line already formed while she sorted out the paperwork and responsibility she¡¯d been saddled with.


    The small group that had remained in the lounge¡ªwith the blonde in the center¡ªchatted animatedly amongst each other with a seeming lack of concern for anything else. It reminded me quite a bit of the social hierarchies of my own high school days, and their near omnipresent youth only furthered the impression. The topics filtering through to the outskirts where I sat were nearly all Aurora-related, however, with some guild names thrown into the mix as well; perhaps they¡¯d all been a part of the same guild before and collecting like this was a normal occurrence for them?


    I only half-listened to them chatting away while waiting for the line to diminish, and once Claire was free at the counter once more, I slipped from the lounge into the lobby to retrieve my own own sheet. With most of the other assignments already handed out prior, it took her far less time to find mine and I was presented with it only a few seconds after she¡¯d seen me approaching.


    Name: Brendan (Moth) Schutts. Moth preferred.


    Room: A112


    Time: 35+ hours/week minimum.


    Pay:  $2000/month salaried. No overtime pay.


    Task: Alternate Races Research and Development, PvE Enrichment Program


    Start: Monday, 6pm, A112.


    Note: Weekly meetings every Monday at 6pm in room A208


    ... Ah? Looking at it, this kind of pay really wasn¡¯t too bad, was it? Especially for something I would have been doing anyway. Strangely, though, the tasks themselves seemed to be rather confusing and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they¡¯d mistaken me for someone else. On the surface, both of them seemed rather¡­ involved and detail-oriented, and it wasn¡¯t as though I had any experience or knowledge with game design to really help out with this stuff.


    A glance to Claire earned a giggle for the effort, and all I could do was furrow my brows in confusion while she waved it off. ¡°Everybody had the same reaction, though I didn¡¯t expect it from you. Bit strange to see you make a face like that.¡±


    My lips pursed, my expression growing even more discontent at her observation, though that seemed to only satisfy her more. Rather than put up with what was bound to be another statement to the same effect, I moved instead towards the A-wing hallway, only to find nearly the entire crowd packed in with the same destination as my own. Unwilling either to mingle with the crowd or wait for it to thin, I took the only sensible option remaining and left altogether, walking home with the prickling of a curiosity left unsatisfied.


    I¡¯d probably get some kind of idea of what I¡¯d end up doing before Monday rolled around. At the very worst, I¡¯d probably find out on the first day, anyway; there was no need to put so much focus on it in the meantime.

 Ch.0005 — Returns Prelude

    No matter how much time I spent puzzling over my job I still couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of it, so I simply bided the passage of time with my games as always. The amount of money I would be making wasn¡¯t an excessive amount, but it had still been enough to mollify some of my parents¡¯ discontent on the matter; even if I had denied this opportunity and picked out a ¡°real¡± job nearby, I wouldn¡¯t be any better off. At least for now, I was left to do as I pleased, and I spent it in habitual contentment with my console.


    By the time Monday rolled around, not only had I finished the 100% completionist run but the recent rain-laden weather had cleared up as well. The final stretch of the game had been a little bit lackluster and the sky outside was just a tad too bright, but it would have been a lie to say it didn¡¯t satisfy me all the same. I started my walk to Monument in high spirits and they held firm the entire way; even my otherwise dour expression had softened a bit, my muscles relaxed with the faintest hint of a smile.


    ¡°Night shift?¡± Although the front doors didn¡¯t have a chime to announce my entry, I still received the now-familiar voice of Claire in its stead, her eyes glancing over the front desk with curiosity and the faintest tint of humor to her expression. The scent of fast food littered the air, and I could see her holding up a slender fry between her fingers, allowing it to linger before taking a bite. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re opposites, I¡¯m about to leave soon.¡±


    ¡­ Why was she being so familiar with me, again?


    I glanced to Claire with furrowed brows, though even this sudden intrusion wasn¡¯t enough to really diminish my mood. Today, it seemed as though Claire had taken to wearing Monument¡¯s official colors, her figure subtly emphasized with a light black jacket overlaying a grey-white blouse. She had let her hair down, as well, and the strands settled at about upper-back just beyond the shoulders. A friendly smile remained on her face even after I regarded her with my disgruntled own, and she even gave me a polite wave as I drew away from the lobby and into the A-wing hallway instead.


    Odd woman.


    A112 wasn¡¯t even properly marked, its number wholly absent from the front of the door; were it not for A111¡¯s own distinct label, I likely would have ended up doubling back further on in the hallway. The interior was near exactly the same as Admin¡¯s had been, too, save for a few key details: rather than a desk, there was actually a VRC already hooked up and thrumming along at the ready, and rather than just one person inside waiting for me, this time there were two.


    Admin was only to be expected considering he had set up the meeting, but the man beside him definitely was not. He was tall and lanky, his slender body appearing more like a loose bundle of twigs when paired next to Admin¡¯s stone-like physique, and I couldn¡¯t help but compare the former to a bowling pin and the latter as the ball. The newcomer¡¯s predominantly white attire only furthered the image, an oversized lab coat draping far too loosely over his frame.


    ¡°Nice o¡¯ ya ta join us, Moth.¡± Admin¡¯s voice echoed amidst the bare walls as he gestured towards me, simultaneously beckoning me closer and interrupting the other man mid-sentence. ¡°Ready ta slave away for me ¡®til the end of time?¡± My gaze naturally shifted between the two men and the VRC not too far away, not quite able to keep the smirk from appearing on my face at the prospect of what was to come. The orientation from not so long ago showed quite well that Admin hadn¡¯t been singling me out for this kind of rough treatment and I¡¯d been looking forward to this moment for a good while now.


    ¡°Something like that.¡± Just like I couldn¡¯t hide my smile, neither could I hide the satisfaction in my tone, and the once uncertain and apologetic expression on the taller man shifted into one matching closer to my own in his relief. The VRC at home had become an empty shell without Aurora actually being online, and the gentle hum of its presence here began to fill my veins with eager flame. Naturally, Admin took my response well and returned a broad grin of his own, his hand moving out to slap the taller man harshly on the back.


    The stranger spluttered and coughed at the unexpected assault, glancing between me and Admin for a few uncertain moments before idly scratching at his scalp. ¡°Ah¡­ my name¡¯s Jonathan. I¡¯ll be¡ª¡± the man paused before releasing another cough, his face growing apologetic anew, ¡°¡ªworking with you from now on.¡±


    Ah? Even though the man¡¯s height was impressive, wasn¡¯t this just too pitiful? The outline of dark circles could be seen beneath his eyes, and although it was impossible to see his physique clearly beneath the coat, his exposed fingers had the skin pulled so taut that each knotty joint was clearly exposed. For the longest moment, I simply stared at him in wonder, glancing towards Admin¡¯s grinning face in confusion as silence reigned.


    When it was obvious that Admin had no intention of making this easier for me, I released a light sigh of my own, sizing up Jonathan with an uncompromising gaze before offering my own introduction. ¡°Moth.¡± Simple, effective, and the man had almost certainly heard what Admin referred to me as before, regardless; my repeating it was merely for show. ¡°What exactly are you going to have me do?¡± I was beginning to regret not having asked earlier when I¡¯d had a slightly less awkward opportunity, but the situation¡ªpaired with the cryptic tasks on the sheet¡ªwas not easily endured.


    ¡°Why, jus¡¯ what it said on the paper, Moth!¡± Admin responded with far more cheer than the situation warranted, clearly taking advantage of the situation to milk what remained of my patience. ¡°I think it was ¡®race development¡¯ an¡¯ PvE stuff, right? Doesn¡¯ get much clearer.¡± His grip on Jonathan tightened for a brief moment before he released his hold altogether, the same hand used to gesture towards the man. ¡°Yer s¡¯posed ta help Bones here put new races in the game ready for players ta use.¡± A glance to ¡°Bones¡± seemed to confirm this, his nod coming somewhat reluctantly after Admin¡¯s claim. ¡°PvE¡¯s more a side thing, but it¡¯ll give ya a thing ta do an¡¯ keep the combat fresh. Players get bored if the monsters stop puttin¡¯ up enough of a fight, after all!¡±


    The excitement I had felt upon entering the room began to diminish completely, my mood plummeting as I observed the two before me. The job description had definitely seemed more intellectual than game-related, and Jonathan¡¯s presence¡ªclad in a lab coat and everything¡ªonly served to reinforce that angle. The VRC had given me some hope I had been wrong, but now the blond-haired girl¡¯s words from last week began to rise once more to my mind, my agitation bubbling over. This is what I had been looking forward to¡­?


    ¡°You¡¯re not being serious.¡± It was more statement than question, my tone hard as I gave Admin an accusatory glare, Jonathan to the side blinking before seeming to all but shrink in on himself. ¡°I think we both know I suck at this stuff, Matt. You¡¯re not seriously planning on making me do this.¡± Some of the venom I¡¯d swallowed from before rose into my tone, my words acrid as I folded my arms across my chest.


    Even Admin seemed taken aback a bit for a moment, his own brows furrowing in confusion before he released an amused sigh in stark contrast to my own. ¡°Really, Moth?¡± Rather than back down with it, however, Admin simply cocked his head to the side and looked down on me, working to intimidate me away from my position. Considering the nature of my supposed ¡°co-worker¡±, it was no surprise he had gotten into these types of habits, but I was no stranger to such bullying tactics; it¡¯d take more than this for me. ¡°I think this is just perfect for an antisocial little bug like you. It¡¯s not every day ya get ta see things from the other side.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    The chastisement in Admin¡¯s tone grated on me even more than the words themselves did, and my patience had already run its course long ago. ¡°No more riddles, Matt. I¡¯m done with this.¡± It seemed as though my parents¡¯ expectations had been right all along and this opportunity was a dud. It was practically criminal to get my hopes up so high only to snatch them away like this, but I wasn¡¯t about to kiss somebody¡¯s boots while they stepped on my face. ¡°Either tell me or I¡¯m gone, money be damned.¡±


    Admin¡¯s relaxed expression began to tighten at that, his eyes narrowing ever so slowly as he regarded me as though in a newly unpleasant light. ¡°Ya get ta be a monster, ya little shit,¡± he finally said it straight, twisting my displeasure into surprise with only a few words. ¡°Not like I can put someone like you as a shopkeep, and I¡¯ll be damned if ya ever get put as a Helper. Nah, for an antisocial little shit like you, this is the perfect job.¡±


    ¡­ A monster? When ¡°NPCs¡± had been mentioned in the orientation, I hadn¡¯t considered the various monsters roaming the game to be considered the same; they had always been referred to as simply ¡°monsters¡± or¡ªas far as the lore and NPCs were concerned¡ª ¡°contra-denizens¡±. That they would have been lumped up in the same basket never crossed my mind, and my anger began to subside just like that, mild uncertainty shifting in its place. I knew quite a bit about Aurora, but this was effectively uncharted territory for me as well; I might have known quite a bit about the monsters as a player, but being one had to carry all manner of differences.


    How did their skill system function? How did languages work? Would other monsters recognize me as their own despite technically being a player? Would the monsters themselves be something akin to a normal player¡¯s NPCs? The agitation that had boiled over dipped down to nothing more than a simmer, and a newly relaxed Admin reached out his hand to pat at my head. ¡°Seems like ya understand it now, eh, little bug? Bit slower than I thought.¡±


    Patronizing bastard.


    Now that I¡¯d found out that I would indeed be playing the game and that my own input would be rather¡­ curious, I forcibly hid my words and settled for nothing more than a glare while he continued, ¡°See? Perfect fit. Knew it from the moment I saw ya.¡± A nod followed that, Admin giving Jonathan a sharp pat on the back once again before he sauntered towards the exitway, casting another look over his shoulder in the process. ¡°Every Monday¡¯s a progress report. I expect great things from the two of ya.¡±


    And then he was gone, the warily observant Jonathan and my own half-seething self left to scrutinize each other in silence. It seemed as though he was at a loss for what to say after seeing the altercation between me and Admin, and he self-consciously scratched at his head while avoiding my gaze. Looked like it was up to me to actually get things going along before the night was through.


    ¡°I get to actually play Aurora, right?¡± Though the words were no less unpleasant than when I had been speaking with Admin, Jonathan himself seemed almost relieved to hear them. His discomfort shifted into a wry smile and his eyes drew towards the VRC to the side.


    ¡°Yes¡­. Admin told me to take care of everything else.¡±


    =====


    The sweet scent of grass filled the air, a breeze causing the entire field to sway like waves upon a green sea. No matter how far I looked out into the horizon, I could see nature in its pure, unfettered glory, while the loamy soil below offered itself up for me to lie. The sun beat down upon me from directly overhead as well, the harsh glare warming my skin in a decidedly pleasant manner while I relaxed in pure contentment, the familiarity of the scene draining the tension completely from my body.


    [How does it feel?]


    The message¡ªJonathan¡¯s query¡ªscrawled through my vision while I basked in comfort. It would be easy to just close my eyes and ignore it for the sake of this sensation, to forget about work for a few minutes, but it was all too possible Jonathan would take it for a lack of receiving the message rather than intentionally ignoring it. I wasn¡¯t about to be pulled from this dream just because he thought the VRC wasn¡¯t functioning.


    ¡°So-so.¡± Rather than the English I was used to, however, the words were released into a garbled unintelligible mess, the ¡°translation¡± appearing near the server message Jonathan had sent me. The voice itself was low and sharp, the utterance causing my throat to reverberate unpleasantly while I grimaced in response. ¡°Feels off.¡±


    I raised my right hand up to my face, the thick, stubby fingers and light green skin feeling utterly foreign to my sight. A rather weak race with some slight adaptations to compensate for it, the goblin¡¯s green skin had originally offered some camouflage in the fields and forests they made their home, and their body was small but robust in order to even more easily avoid notice. I¡¯d seen one plenty of times in my travels through Aurora, but this was the first time I¡¯d gotten to see the details that went into them without having a weapon thrust in my face.


    Unfortunately, it was difficult to fully enjoy the novelty of the situation, and my purpose in the company began to show; although I could see that grubby hand in full detail, actually feeling it was another matter. The tips of my fingers were completely numb and lifeless, and even when I closed my grip, it was difficult to truly gauge the strength I was utilizing. It was definitely imperfect compared to the immersion that had come with my avatar in the past, and it occurred to me then why the race selections had been so limited.


    [Is there something wrong with the control?]


    A low growl filtered through my teeth without my input, this body giving an unnecessary reaction to even the basest of annoyances. The sound itself caused my throat to ache just as the words earlier had, and I used my other hand to massage at it, simultaneously trying to pass the message and ease the discomfort I was feeling. Even this was partial, small sections completely lacking in sensation while yet others seemed overly represented, and I gave up that unpleasant task shortly after I¡¯d begun.


    ¡°Feeling. Touch. Feels off.¡± Another low growl, another shift of discomfort to break the picturesque scene I had waited so long to return to. It had been dismissable at first, but it was near impossible to actually hold a conversation like this. I didn¡¯t even wait for the follow-up question before I began to log out, and it was with some relief that I noticed the telltale tugging at my consciousness wasn¡¯t any different between now and then; at least leaving this place wasn¡¯t going to be a problem.


    My senses momentarily faded, the world growing dark before the steady thrum of electronics greeted me within the VRC¡¯s confinement. A few moments later, a confused Jonathan slowly slid open the VRC¡¯s front to peek inside, his panicked expression meeting my nonplussed own. ¡°Couldn¡¯t feel my fingers,¡± I began near immediately, simultaneously speeding things along while confirming I was just fine. ¡°It was difficult to talk, too. Too rough, too painful. A lot of spots didn¡¯t feel right at all.¡±


    Jonathan¡¯s brows creased with worry, but he nonetheless pulled out his clipboard and began scribbling it down, his expression pensive and even more exhausted than it had been from the onset. The man really was easy to order around.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a lot of time left before the release, and if it¡¯s like this I won¡¯t be able to play for long. I can barely handle an hour at best,¡± I outwardly sighed, causing Jonathan¡¯s frown to grow yet starker while I simply reclined myself within. The experience had been criminally short and it had been in a body that didn¡¯t feel like my own, but I wanted more, wanted to explore all that Aurora had to offer me, just as I had in the past.

 Ch.0006 — Home Once More

    Although Jonathan was effectively incompetent in a confrontation, he was nonetheless excellent at taking notes and applying them. It had only taken a few days of tests and study to pinpoint the cause of the issues, and it had taken even fewer for him to put them into motion. The handful of minutes extended into an hour, then several hours, and before long I could remain inside without concern for either discomfort or pain. And to think, it hadn¡¯t even taken the full two weeks.


    Good job, Jonathan.


    Since the servers weren¡¯t live, everything had been done in a localized version, the boundless meadows I frequented cut off from the actual game itself. Both to get used to this new body and to test out the limitations of the simulation, I spent hours just running and rolling about in this little slice of heaven, and the growls of annoyance from before had turned steadily into chitters of cheer and excitement. The world was definitely a completely different place when your head only reached three feet from the ground, and although I was no larger than a child, I could scrape my fingers into the bark of great trees and climb as easily as one might breathe.


    Even the loamy soil beneath me I had been so keen on resting upon could be tossed aside with little preamble. My fingers were slightly hooked near the tips, making for wicked natural weapons as well as all-purpose tools to shape and move along the world as my heart desired. I could even feel how little my muscles strained with the effort, could feel the roughened surface of my skin repel the nicks and dings that I might have felt with normal flesh. I felt powerful; I felt strong.


    Though I wore no clothing, neither wind nor sun could harm me. Though I saw no enemy, I knew I could easily take on two of them, perhaps even more were they to be caught unawares. Aurora was not a game that utilized artificial values of Hit Points, but instead simulated injury and damage to the body as realistically as possible. I was nothing more than a mere goblin, but I could feel an overflow of confidence that wasn¡¯t there for my previous avatar, and I began to wonder just why they had been considered nothing more than smallfries.


    A quick check at my skill tree was all it took to remind me.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center" width="10%">C0</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="9">Goblin</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center" width="10%">C1</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" width="45%">Goblin Strength</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" width="45%">Goblin Constitution</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="10"></td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center" width="10%">Overflow</td>


    <td colspan="9">Climbing, Digging, Foraging</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Although I was plenty strong and had so much vigor, it seemed that was all I had going for me as a baseline goblin. The only skills I had equipped were racial traits, and the others I had access to¡ªdigging, climbing, and foraging¡ªhad only been gained through my continuous exploration. Compared to even fledgling Player Characters who had a small selection of initial skills to pick from, goblins seemed to have nothing to their name other than their bodies. Although I could definitely feel the raw potential waiting to be tapped, I had a feeling that this only allowed the AI to break even with a standard combat-type adventurer; if players ran across a standard, non-improved goblin, it likely wouldn¡¯t take much to subdue it.


    Another chittering laugh escaped from my tautly pulled lips all the same. The apple in my grip strained to keep its shape against even a modest amount of my strength, and juice had already started to ooze from between my fingers. So vibrant, so succulent, so¡­ fragile. A light toss and the fruit found my waiting mouth, the sweetly flavored debris making a harsh sound as my teeth pierced what skin remained. Not even the core survived the onslaught, and I could only think of one word as that pulverized mush slid down my throat into the stomach waiting below:


    Sublime.


    [Everything running smoothly?]


    Jonathan¡ªmy ever-present benefactor¡ªasked while I casually butchered another fruit for the sake of unnecessary gluttony. Another soft chitter escaped from my throat at that, the sound twisting into a full-fledged, monstrous laugh before I grinned towards the omnipresent sentinel. ¡°Good, very good!¡± Even dialogue had become fluid, albeit still in the goblin tongue. ¡°It feels even better than before! Even better than the real world!¡±


    My garbled words traveled far along the vacant meadow, not even an echo sounding out in complement. Although I¡¯d taken Jonathan for granted in the beginning, he had been a tireless aide from the very start, easy to push around but even easier to come to like. According to him, he¡¯d been assigned to help me specifically because of my harsh, grating nature, and it was rather surprising to find someone who managed not to provoke me. Perhaps it was directly tied to his docile mannerisms, perhaps it was the kinship born from love of the same game, but¡ªeven in the absence of those features¡ªI would have still given up a kidney to the man who had made it possible for me to feel this again.


    Silence reigned for several lingering moments¡ªthe standard procedure for when the two of us worked together¡ªbefore yet another message presented itself.


    [Don¡¯t forget. Server starts in twenty minutes.]


    Ah. Since I¡¯d been wallowing in my bliss, I actually had forgotten about the server¡¯s opening. The fact that I was already enjoying Aurora ahead of schedule had ensured it had flown my mind, and the differing time zones between the main branch and this one kept the specifics from registering regardless. Saliva began to dribble down to the grass in my anticipation, my beady little eyes squinting so tight in happiness that I could barely even see.


    [Going to stay logged in? I can transfer you over to the main server immediately after it connects.]


    Oh Jonathan. Sweet, sweet, Jonathan. Though I can understand exactly why you don¡¯t have a girlfriend, I¡¯m sure she would be more than satisfied if you did. A bout of chittering left me unable to actually vocalize my agreement with so grand an offer, and so I could only give a pronounced nod. Only my own vocalizations littered my senses now, and¡ªwith the fiery energy coursing through me¡ªI began to scamper along the field towards the nearby forest. I flung myself bodily towards one of the trees and felt my clawed fingertips dig into the bark before I scratched my way upwards, traversing the wood like a fish did the sea, pushing myself higher and higher.


    Although there was no true reason for me to seek out a higher vantage point¡ªthis small pocket world would disappear soon, after all¡ªI wanted to all the same. I felt that need to see it all, and as the branches snapped and the green canopy parted for me above , I was able to peer out at the meadow from on high. Were there others nearby, the shading of my skin would have kept me largely camouflaged while my large, knife-pointed ears would have alerted me of any intruders in the underbrush below: the perfect setup for a predator to survey its potential prey. Yet more saliva dripped from my lips, and I was forced to lick up the involuntary spittle again and again as I mentally kept track of the remaining time.


    Aurora¡­


    The environment.


    The monsters.


    The combat.


    I wanted it.


    I needed it. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Faster, Jonathan! Faster!


    Faster! Faster! Fast¡ª


    [You have been disconnected.]


    The sight of lush green was suddenly replaced with the inky darkness. The small body I had grown to love¡ªthat physique, those eccentric automatic mannerisms¡ªdisappeared from my senses. I was nothing more than a consciousness floating in a void, detached from everything and allowed only to vaguely experience the passage of time.


    A menu presented itself to me in my formless state, a regurgitated [We apologize, but there appears to be some technical difficulties] scrolling every so often with Aurora¡¯s automated response. Under normal circumstances, it was at this menu where I would begrudgingly return to the real world, yet now I only waited with mounting impatience. By the time three of the messages had passed, I could feel my essence being tugged upon once again, the menu disappearing as my state was imposed upon. Like a fish snatched by the hook, I was dragged away from the ether to a place I could neither see nor feel, the sense of movement my only companion.


    When next I opened my eyes, I was within the forest once more. This time, however, I was not alone, and everywhere I looked was a young goblin either milling about or scraping around in the dirt for edible plant life. Their skin was the same putrid green as my current own, their beady eyes gazing about with idle hunger and interest in the environment that they¡¯d been settled in. Just as I¡¯d considered, they all but ignored my presence the same as they ignored each other¡ª save for a few notable exceptions¡ªand I took the opportunity to wander off and away.


    The goblins had a tendency to cluster together for the sake of increased survival, but I wasn¡¯t interested in curling up inside a den and scrounging up mushrooms like the rest of them. Since the game had started fresh, none of the goblins had explicitly evolved yet, and so everything they did was rudimentary and unpolished; they were nothing more than a bunch of near-animals adhering to their instinctual hungers.


    I, too, felt a powerful hunger deep inside, though this was distinctly separate from the goblin body I now inhabited. No, no, my true desire was something else entirely, something that needed to be sated now that I was no longer sequestered alone in a pocket world. A trail of saliva dribbled down to the forest floor as I walked, my eyes scanning the foliage with enough force to nearly draw tears. In all of the time that I¡¯d spent in this form, I¡¯d been able to feel its power and raw potential, but not once had I been able to test it.


    And then I found what I was looking for: a forest boar.


    The creature was certainly magnificent in its own manner, almost regal in its bearing as it, too, explored the woods for the sake of food. Its large body was nearly as tall as mine with considerable more bulk besides, and the sharply curved tusks erupting from the top of its mouth and snout gave off a wicked glint whenever it caught the light. Its own small eyes raised up from the earth to glance at me, sizing me up for several lingering moments before it casually shifted its posture and aligned for another direction; just as I saw the characteristics that made it so threatening, so too must it have seen mine.


    Unlike it, however, I was not interested in pretending this meeting had not happened. There was certainly more than enough space in the forest for both goblins and boars to coexist without ever meeting each other or coming to blows, but finding this morsel had been the goal from the onset. I reached down, my fingers curling around a stone before I abruptly tossed it at the creature, intentionally causing it to land only a few centimeters to its side of its body. Its startled gaze returned to me, its hair bristling in agitated uncertainty while I myself could not help but reveal my sharpened teeth in a grin. When it turned back to continue on its way, I repeated the movement, and I even tossed a pebble directly at its face the next time it dared not to respond.


    If I threw the stone with all of my might, it was likely I could have broken something, injured it to the point it would have no choice but to roll over and die at my leisure. But I wasn¡¯t looking for prey, I was looking for a fight!


    Another pebble, then another, and when I went to pick up the largest one yet in my quest to goad the beast into action, it finally complied. Its eyes narrowed, its hair fully on end, and before I¡¯d even managed to release my hold on the rock, it was bearing down upon me like mother nature itself.


    A sharp squeal announced its violent intent right before a thick smack announced contact. It was every bit as though I¡¯d been hit by a truck, the beast¡¯s snout nearly knocking me clear off my feet before it tilted its head and thrust at my stomach, intent on goring me from the very onset. Only my goblin constitution managed to save me on that initial encounter, and a sharp, fiery pain lanced through my body as I felt the tip penetrate my thick skin into the muscles of my stomach. It threatened to tear me open, to punish me for the misdeed of threatening it so wantonly, and my hands were forced to hold on to its snout and remaining tusks just to keep it from making good on its promise.


    Adrenaline coursed through me along with the pain, red entering into my vision as syrup-thick blood drained from the wound over that diabolically sharp ivory. My breath lightened, every synapse screaming at me to fight, to struggle, to throw off this assailant. It urged me to panic, and I even began to lose vision from my body¡¯s shock, but all that could be heard in my ears was the sharp chittering of my breathy, automated laughter; oh how I had missed this!


    I willingly relinquished my stability and drew my legs upward, another inch of sharp pain announcing the tusk had pushed yet deeper within. Bile rose to my throat, but I forcibly swallowed it down and fought through the haze until I could feel my calves touch upon the boar¡¯s hairs and my ankles found muscular flesh.


    Of course, even if I put all of the weight of my small body upon the creature¡¯s neck, it would only be a hindrance and nothing more right now. No, I used my legs to grip at its upper body, locking my ankles together to stabilize myself, to keep the boar from jerking free or causing any further damage with its tusks. My position further assured I wouldn¡¯t be jarred off if I made use of my hands, and my palms roughly pulled free from the remaining tusks to push forward towards its face, their targets in clear view and thoroughly unprotected.


    A low roar echoed along the trees as both of my sharpened thumbs pushed straight through my assailant¡¯s eyes, the digits gouging out its sight with the same efficiency as they might the mushrooms they were designed to find. Another tusk pushed up against my skin threatening to join the first, but my lock kept me secured and my thick skin offered just enough deterrence to save me another hole. All the boar¡¯s frantic movements did was ensure I was able to scrape out yet more of its flesh, twin streams of blood and viscera beginning to mat its snout and color my thighs to the sides.


    I could feel my fingertips scratch against its skull from within right before the sensation of splintering wood presented itself to my backside. The boar had finally managed to push me up against an obstacle to force the full of its weight into my body, although now it was fighting not for its wrath, but for survival, all to the tune of my chittering laughter. It was giving its all now, its energy rising to the peak, its physique on proud display as its body recognized its plight. My body did likewise, and every inch seemed to be aflame with the harshness of the mistreatment. Yet still I released my sounds of glee, for while both of our bodies were giving their all, while both felt this to be their endings, there was not a question in my mind how this would conclude.


    This was my win.


    I loosened my grip on its body ever so slightly, giving it a moment of false reprieve before applying the full of my force. My legs tightened forcibly about its neck and shoulders before I twisted my upper body to the curvature of the tusk that had gored me, simultaneously pulling myself free and causing it to stagger with the sudden movement. My fingers finally withdrew from the now-empty sockets before pulling back to enclose around ivory and¡ªwith a sudden, audible snap¡ªthe creature¡¯s head was turned in one direction while its body was pushed in the other.


    My assailant collapsed to the ground in a heap, and I could do nothing but fall along with it. My chittering was marked by heavy breaths as I basked in that sensation of victory, a few coughs accompanying the celebration as bile once again rose to my mouth, this time without enough restraint to keep it down. My once plant-green body had been liberally inked in red, the grass stained with the remains of what might very well be Aurora¡¯s very first casualty.


    The adrenaline slowly began to fade, and with it the consequences of my actions asserted in full force. The wound on my stomach had already begun to clot, but my torn muscles had been pushed far beyond what they were ever meant to do. The sensation of approaching death¡¯s door¡ªeven if illusory, even if just for a moment¡ªhad also taken its toll on me and left me shivering, yet I couldn¡¯t even try to hide my grin all the same.


    [Everything running well?]


    It seemed as though Jonathan had been watching all along, too, and his question brought on another fit of laughter despite the pain it wrought. It was not merely ¡°running well¡±, but it was magical. Flawless. The ideal recreation of life in a world far better. Every sensation felt just as true as any other, and I could only marvel in wonder at how far society had come to create something so grand as this. To Jonathan, I could only utter a breathless ¡°Well enough¡±, but in my thoughts was another message entirely.


    I was home once more.

 Ch.0007 — A Prize Hard-Earned

    Once the adrenaline had truly faded, the stabbing pain in my stomach asserted itself in full force, the once chittering laughter twisting into low groans of pain forced between clenched teeth. The wound had already clotted with the syrup-thick blood, but all that did was ensure I wouldn¡¯t be bleeding out anytime soon; it had no bearing on the damage that had already been done. Each breath aggravated the torn muscles in my diaphragm and the taste of bile remained omnipresent in my mouth and throat, but my eyes never once lost their satisfaction, nor my face its grin.


    I could feel those torn muscles slowly begin to mend and heal as I rested, my [Goblin Constitution] skill asserting itself to the fore to steadily alleviate my discomfort. Were I proficient in mana manipulation as a goblin, I could even aid in the recovery, but a casual attempt earned me only the subtle signs of a potential headache for even daring to do so. For now, I could only trust in this small body of mine to do what it did best.


    This would probably take a while.


    Although I¡¯d taken quite some damage from this altercation, the boar itself had clearly received the worst of it. Its corpse lay in front of me like a grandiose trophy of my achievements, the tusks that had threatened my life forced into stillness while the blood-matted hair shimmered in the sunlight that filtered through the canopy above. One of my hands remained ever-present on my wound while the other grasped at those tusks, marveling at the sharpness with bared skin and eager eyes. The beast had been valiant and bold, every bit deserving the honor of being my first opponent since my return to this world, and it was thanks to its sacrifice that I was able to grasp some of the goblins¡¯ features with greater clarity.


    Rest easy, little creature, for you died for a good cause.


    While waiting for the pain and nausea to subside, I took the opportunity to give my skills a glance, idly curious as to whether I¡¯d managed to unlock anything new from this.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center" width="10%">C0</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="9">Goblin</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center" width="10%">C1</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" width="45%">Goblin Strength</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" width="45%">Goblin Constitution</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="10"></td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center" width="10%">Overflow</td>


    <td colspan="9">Natural Weapons</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Although the lack of my previous overflow skills momentarily caught me off-guard, I understood the reason soon enough: the data from the little pocket world I¡¯d been housed in wasn¡¯t connected directly to the live server, and so it was only natural that I¡¯d have lost access to them. The loss wasn¡¯t particularly heavy, either, as such skills had literally been grabbed just by playing around now and again with this body; if I truly wanted them, it would only take a few days at most to snatch up the basics, if not even just a few hours.


    [Natural Weapons] itself was a fairly useful skill to emphasize, but I hesitated to unslot either of my racial traits from the tree to clear space for it. Although I wouldn¡¯t be losing too much from removing such basic attributes, it also meant they wouldn¡¯t progress, and the more advanced racial traits had a tendency to be rather powerful.


    Another issue to consider was that although I had splendidly made use of my tipped fingers to deal with the problem this time, it seemed rather unlikely that I would be doing so in the near future. I had experienced those tusks first-hand, had felt how sturdy and sharp they were, and even in the boar¡¯s death they still menaced those who chanced to look at it. Between mine and the boar¡¯s, there was little question as to whose weapons were strongest, and it wasn¡¯t as though the beast was in any position to object if I were to claim some of that power for myself.


    Once it no longer felt as though someone were trying to tug out my entrails, I pulled my body gingerly from the ground with only a slight wince along the way. If I had a human avatar as before, it would likely take considerably longer to be able to stand as I did now, but even as I began to slowly walk around the immediate area I could all but feel my flesh begin to knit together and renew itself. The clotted blood had scabbed over the hole and afforded my hand its full attention elsewhere, and I busied myself looking for one of the large stones I had threatened the boar with mere moments ago.


    It didn¡¯t take long to follow the path of trampled foliage back to where the two of us had met, and it took even less time after that to find the boulder I was looking for: the stone was well-rounded above with a flattened base that allowed it to remain upright amidst the dirt, its size comparable to that of my goblin head. Were I to have picked it up and thrown it with all my might, it was almost certain that it might have crippled or ended the boar¡¯s life right then and there, and as my fingers curled around and felt its rigidity and weight more distinctly, what few doubts there were in my mind fled completely. This stone practically begged to be thrown and used as a weapon, all but whispered and pleaded to be tossed or dropped from the treetops onto an unsuspecting prey below. Yet I had other plans for now, and even as my eyes saw its potential as a potent weapon, they also saw its more immediate use as a tool.


    My feet traced the very same path I had been dragged along earlier, both arms clutching the rock to my chest as I returned to my prize. There¡¯d been some small, minor concerns that perhaps some of the wolves or vermin might have tried to thieve a meal of their own, but the corpse was just as intact as I had left it. I cast my shadow over its stained body and raised my tool high, the silence broken only by my chittering before a loud crack resounded throughout the forest, the stone landing solidly on its skull and snout. The underlying structure began to shift as cracks audibly appeared in the beast¡¯s body, but it was not yet enough for me to claim my prize. Another strike, then another, and with the third movement I was finally able to reach down and tear the tusk free.


    Although the ivory was cracked at the base from those repeated strikes, the rest of its curvature had been left perfectly intact and solid. Another bout of chittering began to escape as I gazed upon its splendor, my mind already awhirl with what I could potentially do with this, with what I could make from something like this.


    Without any pockets or even clothing, I was forced to stash my newest weapon in my mouth before dragging the now-deformed boar back towards the goblin den. I felt no kinship towards those goblins and there was certainly no need to help them in any fashion, but such a hard-earned kill deserved a fitting meal and I¡¯d be justifiably damned if I tried to roast it out in the middle of the forest. None of the forest¡¯s occupants had seen fit to reveal themselves, but that was hardly enough to believe they¡¯d stay that way; all it took was a moment of carelessness, and I¡¯d probably end up with my meal swiped and my own body growing cold.


    Before I¡¯d even managed to reach the den proper, a few of the foraging goblins nearby had taken notice of my stealthless trek and began to call out in excitement. Mushrooms and plant life were rather common for meals, but they were hardly particularly appetizing on their own; for creatures so young and underdeveloped as they were right now, this might even be the first time they¡¯d had an opportunity to even see meat, much less partake of it. A chorus of high-pitched cheers echoed from every side, and I even managed to catch a few soil-covered hands reaching out for the boar before I unhesitantly swatted them away.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Not yet, you damn bastards!¡± I yelled out after spitting the tusk into my hand, waving the saliva-slickened weapon menacingly at those who dared try to steal some of my meal. The goblins who had been caught red-handed initially recoiled at my threat, yet soon I had to defend it once again as yet more swarmed in heedless of my reservations. A low, guttural growl rose from my throat, my teeth visibly bared before I took the initiative and stabbed through the back of one of the palms, the would-be-thief releasing a shriek of pain as I made good on my earlier threat.


    Where my words had failed before, violence more than made up the difference. Although a few goblins began to aggressively chatter at me, they still kept their distance with their eyes warily affixed on the ivory in my hand. Hunger was overcome through self-preservation, and now that I¡¯d managed to get their attention, I gave another low, threatening growl, my free hand tugging possessively upon the beast. ¡°Don¡¯t ruin an opportunity like this! Cook it! Cook it!¡±


    Despite my efforts, however, the goblins only responded to the anger in my voice and took to applying their own. The once-cheerful cries from before were twisted into a harsh cacophony of rage and disbelief, and my pointed ears twitched in discomfort from the raw volume they were managing to put out. The braver members of the gathering began to approach once more, though this time they were drawing closer to me as opposed to the boar itself, their eyes filled with determination to retrieve their meal and dispatch the lone obstacle preventing them from doing so.


    Another swipe of my weapon was enough to deter the most of them, but it was all too obvious that the situation was deteriorating far beyond what I could handle right now. I had plenty of confidence in my abilities, but that was only in a one on one situation for the time being; picking a fight with the entire den was just asking to be overwhelmed through swarm tactics, no matter how much more competent I may be compared to the individuals. Small inklings of anxiety¡ªthe thoughts of losing what I¡¯d worked for¡ªbegan to creep up on me, and there was an embarrassingly noticeable trill of nervousness to my voice as I tried to deter them once more, ¡°It tastes better when you cook it! If we roast it, it will taste ten¡ª no, twenty times better!¡±


    Once again my words managed to put some distance between me and an untimely end, though it was clear from the goblins¡¯ gazes that they didn¡¯t quite believe the story I was selling them. Just the appearance of the meat alone was enough for their mouth to water with instinctive anticipation, their stomachs rumbling with a desire they had yet to solidify; was it truly possible to make it better?


    ¡°Useless twits, I¡¯ll show you then!¡± I growled out at the assortment of nonbelievers, the gazes of those hopeful few shoring up my confidence in my success. My hand swept out in a grandiose gesture before landing on the boar, my teeth fully exposed with a grin so large my cheeks strained to contain it. ¡°Make a fire for me and you can see the food of your dreams!¡±


    There was a faint tremor of excitement at that, and even those who weren¡¯t quite sold on the idea were beginning to warm up to it, even if only slightly. The promises I was making were rather large, but I had been the one to take down such a beast in the first place; if nothing else, they would be forced to admit to my capability. Those too-eager hands began to retreat, their eyes searing-hot as they watched me, waiting for me to make good on my promise, and I was all too prepared to do exactly that until I heard something I was not prepared for:


    ¡°. . . Fire?¡±


    One of the goblins I¡¯d converted to the path of roasted pork raised a problem I¡¯d never considered until now. I¡¯d brought this meal all the way here for the sole purpose of having it cooked so I could eat it with a bit of luxury tossed in. I¡¯d filled my head with the thoughts of meat seasoned to perfection just like I was used to from the chefs of the old Aurora, and I¡¯d even been a bit eager to give making it a try, myself. Yet this¡­.


    This¡­.


    Were these goblins seriously so useless? That they couldn¡¯t even roast their meat? That they couldn¡¯t even make something so simple as a fire?


    I looked around the den for some signs of light, some sign of fire that would prove me wrong, yet all I found was a few collections of fungus and the remains of a half-eaten bird that had probably strayed too close. There was nothing here, no fire, not even the hint of something burned that might point to the possibility that maybe it had just run out of fuel without proper care. These goblins legitimately did not have anything to speak of, and to make matters worse, it seemed as though they had no idea what fire even was, to say nothing of how to create it.


    The question had left me so stunned that my broad grin turned slack-jawed while my eyes blinked in rapid succession. The idea alone was bad enough, but that it had been proven true was even worse. Anger began to burn in my heart, my stomach churning with disappointment at potentially being robbed of its meal. It hadn¡¯t been important to me at first, but after fighting the damned thing and dragging it all the way here, I definitely deserved more than a tusk for my effort. With the goblins around me being so utterly useless, it was only natural that it fell upon me to help educate them, to lift them up from their destitute ways and show them the true meaning of comfortable dining.


    I clicked my tongue and regained my composure, my brows arching so sharply downward in frustration that I literally could not see anything more than blurred figures in front of me. ¡°Nnngh! If that¡¯s how it is, I¡ª¡±


    And then I paused.


    I¡¯d grown up in the city since birth. The closest I had ever come to the outdoors life had been through Aurora itself, and I had generally always had some form of tinderbox or magic close by. Outdoor survival was seen as a useless hobby that was hardly ever¡ªif ever¡ªfocused on, with only the occasional cast-off skill thrown in here or there. Furthermore, chefs would often offer well-prepared dishes in exchange for the raw ingredients for themselves; unless somebody was going out of their way to cook, few players ever even so much as looked at a kitchen. I had been like most and found little use for cooking, and for all the paths I had walked, none of them involved cutlery. This presented me with a very¡­ unfortunate concern:


    How, exactly, does one make a fire?


    ¡°¡ª. . . will give this to you.¡± I nearly choked on the words the moment I spoke them, my small body giving a light tremor of rage at what amounted to an unwilling confession. The goblins themselves were clearly expecting something different, something more impressive than this, but soon some adventurous souls actually made a grab for the trophy we¡¯d been fighting over for so long. When those undeserving fingertips dug into the meat in all of the improper ways¡ªwhen it was made clear that I wouldn¡¯t stop them¡ªyet more descended upon it like a violent torrent. It took mere seconds for my hard work to be reduced to scraps, the once noble creature¡¯s body torn to shreds in the blink of an eye before the goblins began to fight amongst each other for the tastier morsels.


    The very idea of the potential it once had caused my stomach to twist into knots, and I turned away to spare myself from further discontentment. My good mood had soured beyond repair, the ivory tusk I held in my hand no longer nearly as satisfying as it had once been. I had considered scraping away at it to give it a more efficient shape and purpose while leisurely eating my food, but those plans had all been cleared away for lack of the most important piece. Instead, I moved to an unoccupied edge of the den¡ªwhich was easily eighty percent of it, since all of the other goblins were loudly gorging themselves on my would-be dinner together¡ªand began to log off. It was late at night in the real world, but there was probably at least one place I could pick up something suitable. Probably. Maybe.


    One thing was certain, though: when next I returned to Aurora, I would have my pork, and it would be cooked to goddamned perfection.

 Ch.0008 — Obligations

    The soft light of the VRC gently guided me as I was pulled from Aurora, the thrum of electronics sobering me from my bout of agitation. My vitals were scanned, studied, and scrutinized while the last remnants of my excitement faded away, locked once again in Aurora for when I would return. After spending so many concurrent hours, it almost felt irregular for my mouth to no longer sport the overbroad grin of my other body, for my ears to be rounded rather than sharpened to points, but the sensation steadily faded and reality asserted itself where fantasy had reigned.


    This place again.


    Once the VRC had been assured that I was as healthy as could be, I opened up the capsule to breathe in the sterile air of the office room. It had been difficult to grow accustomed to at first since I had been so acclimated to greeting my personal room upon leaving, but by now I barely even noticed the difference. Neither the entry nor exit points were of particular importance since the world was the same regardless, though it had been far more convenient when I could go straight from Aurora to bed. Nowadays, I had to walk home after my shift, which often took more time and effort than I could manage after a long day of gaming.


    I idly considered bringing a pillow and blanket to work. It would certainly spare me having to brave the midnight hours for the sake of sleep, and I spent so much time here here that it was practically a second residence in its own right. The rooms were largely private with only the occasional visitor¡ªusually for scheduled meetings¡ªso it wasn¡¯t too likely for people to even see it, much less make a big deal out of it, and the public VRCs had been installed complete with the construction and maintenance, so it wasn¡¯t nearly as noisy as the past week had been. It seemed like a rather pleasant idea overall, though I¡¯d probably need to figure out a way of getting it over without carrying it out in the open.


    Jonathan himself was nowhere to be seen, but his open and still-powered laptop was visible on the small table in the corner, so it was unlikely he¡¯d headed home himself. It wasn¡¯t the rarest of occurrences¡ªespecially since most of the earlier VR problems had been ironed out¡ªbut my own habitual seclusion in the VRC left me with knowledge of neither where he¡¯d wandered off to nor for what purpose. All the same, it was perhaps for the better, as it would have been a touch on the frustrating side if there had been anyone watching me fumble about with those goblins and making a fool out of myself. I¡¯d have to rectify that little problem soon and make sure it didn¡¯t happen again; I definitely didn¡¯t feel like becoming a topic of gossip in the lounge.


    Owing to the late hour, the now-carpeted hallway was devoid of people with most of the remaining nightshift employees either sequestered in their own rooms or catering to utilities outside public eye. The days leading up to the release had been incredibly hectic for those involved¡ªand Admin had even flaked on the first two meetings¡ªbut the effort had finally borne fruit; had I not been here myself when it was nothing more than a pseudo warehouse, I would hardly imagine it.


    The lobby, too, had been all but transformed, and where once there had only been the standard waiting-room chairs there were now far more comfortable examples. This had been the first location to be worked on, and a collection of plush chairs and couches were arranged around small coffee tables to give a cozy atmosphere not unlike the coffee shop I had stepped inside not so long ago. The only current downside was that the lighting was a bit basic and the walls were entirely plain, but that too seemed to be temporary as far as the plans were concerned.


    The lobby was just as devoid of movement as the halls had been, but it was surprisingly not empty of life; the old man I had seen during orientation was partially hidden amidst the cushions of one of the chairs, his body as still as Death itself. What few wisps of snow-white hair he had curled defiantly atop his spotted scalp, and both of his hands were clasping at a hooked cane as he slumped over in his seat. His skin was as gnarled as the bark on an ancient tree, but his presence was as immaterial as air; even his breaths were completely untraceable for me despite being only a few feet away. He¡­ was still breathing, right?


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me.¡± Just as I was genuinely wondering whether or not the man was knocking on the door to the afterlife, I was rebuked by a low, vibrant voice that seemed far too out of place with the rest of him. Another glance around the room showed that we were indeed the only ones for the time being, and my brows furrowed at the incongruity of it all before I pushed past him. There was no need for me to be concerned for someone who wished me not to be, and so I put him out of mind to step into the city¡¯s midnight air.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Although the sky was clear and cloudless, it was difficult to truly appreciate it amidst the glare of the lights nearby. The streets and sidewalks were so fully illuminated that the time of day hardly mattered, a bevy of lamps revealing the pavement while the windows of still-active businesses revealed everything else. I had glanced to the sky for only a brief moment before returning to my path, making my way through the streets towards one of the always-open fast-food places. Discontent welled up in my chest, chased shortly after by the bitter taste of irony; the only time I¡¯d been able to see the stars without the interference of artificial light was in a virtual world. At the very least, it would allow me to return with less delay.


    =====


    Rather than head to my residence after picking up my makeshift dinner, I opted to return to Monument instead. I wasn¡¯t exactly tired enough to head to sleep immediately, and the anger at the goblins had diminished enough that I was likely to go a few more hours in Aurora as well. It seemed as though my vow for cooked boar was going to go unanswered for the time being, but I¡¯d manage to live without that knowledge just as I always have up to now. It wasn¡¯t truly necessary for me to learn how to make a fire, really, and I could always just try to steal some food from settlements or caravans if I missed it so much.


    The front entrance lightly chimed to signal my entry and I casually lay claim upon one of the chairs near the corner, habitually drawing myself away from the room¡¯s center. Only the faint sound of crinkling paper interrupted the otherwise silent atmosphere, and the aroma of pulled pork tickled my senses once the consolation sub sandwich was revealed. It was enough to leave my mouth watering, and I reminded myself that I was not a goblin right now; I had to be careful, lest the chair be stained and a lengthy lecture received for leaving a mess the morning literally before the grand opening. No, I had to show some measure of restraint, but as that bread met my lips and I tasted the very thing I had been craving, that restraint became easier and easier.


    It was¡­ disappointing.


    I¡¯d expected¡ªwanted¡ªmore. The sandwich certainly wasn¡¯t bad by any means, and it took no effort to continue eating it after I¡¯d realized the extent of its taste, but it wasn¡¯t¡­ it wasn¡¯t¡­


    It wasn¡¯t quite what I had been looking for.


    It seemed as though another experience would be made exclusive to Aurora, right there next to stargazing. Each bite left me satiated but not satisfied, and even the fruits I had been eating in the pocket server seemed to hold greater sway over my tastes than this.


    ¡°Excited for today?¡± The once-comfortable peace was broken by the same low, powerful voice I had heard earlier this morning, and once I¡¯d looked up towards the source, I saw the steel-grey eyes of the aged man returning my gaze with their own. Although his brows were slightly drooped to conceal the most of the whites¡ªleaving him seemingly in perpetual half-rest¡ªand the eyes seemed to have a slightly milky cast to them, they honed in on me with a force that was unnerving.


    Quite frankly, the man himself felt more than just a little bit off. From the very beginning, his presence in this place had been a minor mystery I¡¯d never thought to stick my nose into, but it was difficult to ignore when it went out of its way to interact with me. My own brows furrowed, my attention sharpening as regret began to set in; even though the chairs in my room weren¡¯t nearly as plush, it would have spared me this particular sense of discomfort.


    ¡°Aurora¡¯s lovely, isn¡¯t it?¡± Whether the man had misinterpreted my dissatisfied expression for confusion or had simply grown impatient without a response, he continued the one-sided conversation with a tone that was noticeably friendly¡ªjovial, even. His cheer didn¡¯t seem to be artificial, either, and I began to wrap up the last half of my sandwich to save for later; people like this tended to go on whether you interacted with them or not.


    The only question I had on my mind was whether or not I would return to Aurora, as I had considered earlier. My mood had been shot from the disappointing dinner and the newly broken atmosphere, and it was unclear if a brief few-hour visit would be warranted or if it would be better to sleep now for a long-term session later.


    Ah, if I went to sleep, I would be able to look up how to build a fire before returning¡­.


    The man seemed to finally take the hint once I¡¯d stood up, though I could still feel his eyes upon my back all the same. The heat of the man¡¯s melancholic gaze lingered upon me even after I¡¯d stepped away from building¡¯s fore and out of sight, but there had been no reason nor cause for me to involve myself with so irregular a person. If he truly wished for some company, he could have found it easily enough elsewhere. It wasn¡¯t my obligation to entertain strangers that had nothing to do with me, and I wasn¡¯t about to start after getting hired at a job that didn¡¯t require it.

 Ch.0009 — Unpolished Future

    I hadn¡¯t truly come to understand the depths of a goblin¡¯s advantages until I was hunting my fifth boar. The first the day before had offered me a great demonstration of how so small a body could hold so much raw power and potential, but it was the next two from today that truly sold me on just how potent it truly was. The same advantages that allowed them to alive among the forests and meadows without being found¡ªand summarily hunted¡ªwere just as useful offensively as they were defensively, a characteristic the AI had noticeably not tapped into during the beta.


    Goblins were rather well-known for their simplicity, and they were even often used as a negative comparison during training or sparring. The saying was that a goblin always attacked from the front and fled from the front, that strategy was so far beyond their skillset that it was laughable. They were the trash-mobs of all trash-mobs, the first stepping stone that even players without equipped skills were expected to handle without trouble. Even a goblin horde was little more than a tide of experience and potential loot, and stories of a person singlehandedly wiping them out were not uncommon on the forums.


    As I crept from branch to branch in the forest canopy, however, a shiver of wonder and excitement traveled up my spine. My own experience with goblins during the beta matched up with the others¡¯ tales, but now I was beginning to see just how fortunate the playerbase was. Fingers and toes curled effortlessly into the wood of the tree, and my light weight ensured there was only the slightest of disturbances. Even their balance was catered to such surreptitious acts, and I easily shifted upside down while keeping steady in order to gaze at the target below.


    It was another boar nosing about in the dirt looking for its food, this one only slightly less impressive than the first. I¡¯d heard it drawing along the underbrush quite a distance away and had managed to stalk it without betraying even a hint of my presence, and it continued its own search even now wholly unaware. My fingers began to reflexively loosen and squeeze in the mounting anticipation, and I relieved one of my hands from its perch to take hold of the tusk I¡¯d been carrying between my teeth. Even without both hands, I was effortlessly able to keep myself stable as I eyed the beast below, my muscles flexing and tightening in preparation to leap.


    Of course, with my mouth no longer gagged, a litany of excited chittering began to escape automatically from my lips, the familiar sound finally alerting my prey to my position above it. Its body visibly tensed, its hair beginning to bristle in uncertain agitation as it searched for the source of the unpleasant vocalizations, and I could only just barely manage to exert enough control to keep the volume from growing louder. My fingers gripped tighter and tighter into the tusk, my breath catching before I finally kicked off of the branch directly down towards the boar below.


    Even as the coursing adrenaline finally overcame my restraints¡ªeven as the sound of laughter trailed after my descent like the gunshot chasing a bullet¡ªand the boar finally raised its head skyward in recognition of danger, it was far too late. Panic, uncertainty, confusion: all of these things passed through its eyes as it met my gaze, only for its beady eyes to expand in surprise as my weapon found flesh.


    The slightly curved tusk felt my full weight and momentum as it was pushed against and through the beast¡¯s hide, the ivory splitting apart the back of its neck with perturbing ease. My other hand pushed itself to the weapon¡¯s base and slammed it deeper like a malformed nail, a sudden, deafening crack echoing out as I fractured the back of its skull. It was then that my body slammed into its back to drive the pressure even further, the blow forcing the beast to the ground in a fit of pained squeals while my hooked toes encouraged it even more harshly against the dirt. Once it was pressed helplessly to its side, my weapon was pulled free from its head and slammed down upon the side of its neck, puncturing its trachea and silencing its cries for good.


    Only a scant handful of seconds passed from the beginning of my attack to the boar¡¯s unwilling silence, but it spent several more struggling on the ground as though in defiance of its fate. The creature did not truly recognize what had happened to it, its eyes unfocused and its writhing without purpose. Without its own squeals added to the mix, the sound of my autonomous chittering served as a twisted lullaby beckoning it to its final rest, and it finally succumbed to its call less than half a minute later.


    It would not quite be considered perfect by most players¡¯ approximations, but this was undoubtedly an ¡°assassination¡±. Almost every aspect of the goblin seemed far too suited for such treacherous ambush, and only that automatic, glee-induced chittering worked against its prospects. It was truly fortunate for the playerbase that the goblins were so simple-minded; if they were any different, these forests would become a lot less safe¡­.


    =====


    By the time I¡¯d dragged the four boars back to the den, the sun had already begun to set while a crescent moon moved to replace it. The various goblins had gathered around with unabashed eagerness, their previous experience with the meat turning their curiosity into raw desire and gluttonous hunger. I¡¯d been forced to give up the first of the four boars to the greedy lot just to bribe their tentative cooperation and restraint, and I was pleased to find that they largely held to my demands despite my doubts. Whether it was out of genuine acknowledgment of authority or simply preoccupation with their snack, I did not know, but it stayed their hand long enough for me to gather everything I needed all the same.


    It took no fewer than three trips for my small arms to gather a pile of sticks, twigs, and dried grasses large enough to satisfy me, and I set about going to work before the goblins lost their patience. The tusk served as a knife¡¯s suitable replacement, and I painstakingly began to carve away some of the bark and cut into the branches themselves. In one, I etched out a pit and canal attached down the side, while the other had its end rounded out with cautious, careful movements.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    There were other methods I had discovered for making fires, but those relied on either more tools or more experience than I had on hand; only something simplistic would work, here. The rounded end was placed in the similarly-sized hole of the laid-flat other, and both of my palms moved to sandwich the top of the first while my feet secured the position of the second. The munching goblins looked on with both idle curiosity and outright humor to see what amounted to me playing with sticks, and I myself felt a great deal of pressure descend upon my shoulders. I understood the concepts, but the practice was wholly alien to me, and the eyes of others¡ªeven if I knew they were only AI¡ªwatching me stretch beyond my expertise steadied my hands and tightened my focus.


    A rough grating sound began to fill the air as I spun that stick, slowly at first to grow used to the movement. I had initially believed my size small enough to keep me from kneeling, but I still found myself hunching over as I pressured the branch from above and my palms inched gradually farther and farther down the wood in response. My beady eyes gazed harshly at the wood as though to will it into flames right then and there, my movements growing sharper, faster as I worked with mounting agitation. There had been all manner of details that could complicate the matter¡ªsuch as having the right type of wood, such as drying it completely beforehand¡ªand the threat of failure bid me to grit my teeth and work harder at it.


    This was about the time that the video had shown smoke, yet my efforts did not bear even the hint of such. Faster, faster I went, trying to ignore the goblins that had seen fit to take advantage of my concentration to creep closer to the night¡¯s second boar. I¡¯d been made a fool of and foregone my prize once, and I was certainly not prepared to do so again, but it seemed as though this damnable wood wou¡ª


    And then, the hint of smoke.


    It was very mild and practically invisible against the cloak of night¡¯s domain, but I could faintly smell and see the signs. My efforts doubled, the tension pushing my body just as thoroughly as the earlier combat had, and I couldn¡¯t manage to stifle the cry of surprise when I saw a faint glow along the canal that revealed the outline of smoke with greater clarity. Yet still I worked, uncertainty bidding me to ignore this potential success for one more guaranteed. The smoke grew thicker, the glow growing more pronounced, until I finally dropped the held branch to the ground and dragged a nearby twig amidst the grooved canal.


    A pitch black substance came along with it, but within I could see the glowing embers of my effort. Gathering it all atop a broad leaf, I carefully placed it inside a bundle of the dried grass and began to blow, my heart hammering away at my chest as anticipation scraped away at my unease. The goblins¡¯ attention, too, began to fix upon my weird behavior, cries of surprise filling my ears as the fire caught and the grass finally burst into a steadily growing flame.


    I held tightly onto that bundle of grass even with the encroaching heat, clutching it tight and shaking it while forcing out enough breath to leave me nearly blue in the face. Only once it began to lick the tips of my fingers did I drop the bundle of grasses to the dirt below, hasty movements bringing a few other sticks onto and against the growing flame. Satisfaction filled me down to my very core, and it was with pride that I glanced to the other goblins with my arms folded across my chest and chin held high. ¡°See? Fire!¡±


    The goblins acted as though they had never seen such a thing before and drew so close as to nearly blot out the light from the rest of the forest¡¯s view. Innumerable shadows danced upon the forest trunks and canopy while cheers and chatters echoed out into the night-filled depths, disturbing the forest far beyond the pale. With such overwhelming and obvious enthusiasm, I couldn¡¯t help but to order the collection of more branches and logs before digging out a few more fire pits to house them. Each time an ember was moved from my original flame to give birth to another, the goblins around me burst into another round of cheering, so much so that even I was moved to join in with the festive atmosphere.


    Laughter filled the air without pause, and the event only grew rowdier when I began to demonstrate the art of cooking firsthand. Those boars they found so tasty before were made considerably more so after I inexpertly piked them on sticks and started basking them in the flames. With such plentiful and tasty food and the star-filled sky above, it was truly a moment worth savoring, and it wasn¡¯t long before I ceded the matter over to those gluttons completely in favor of simply enjoying the end-result of their experimentation. While the rest of the goblins began to pair the pork with mushrooms and various tasty grasses they had found in their search for greater satisfaction, I relaxed myself nearby and began to contentedly work on my second project.


    The tusk I had been using had been invaluable thus far, but it was still nothing more than a crude replacement for what I truly needed. With the aid of stones both smooth and sharp, I began to scrape away the ivory in favor of a more suitable shape, paring away their curvature for something thinner and straight. The experience I had with crafting during the beta was limited, but it was still enough for me to understand the general process and steady my hands, and a weapon slowly began to appear before me.


    It was slow going¡ªpainfully so¡ªbut my earlier success with the fire left me confident and unhurried while the occasional pause for jovial chittering kept my joints uncramped and capable. It wasn¡¯t until the night began to brighten into dawn¡ªsignaling around four real-time hours since I¡¯d started¡ªand the light fell upon the dagger¡¯s blade that I was truly satisfied enough with my effort to stop. It wasn¡¯t terribly sharp, was a touch too broad in comparison to metalcraft examples, its sole sharpened edge had a few nicks and ridges from my imperfect technique, its origin left it with a still-present curve and a natural ¡°handle¡± that wouldn¡¯t be easy to grip in times of duress¡­


    But it was lovely all the same.


    The rising dawn reflected the light with a very dull, unpolished luster, and it would be far too obvious that this crude dagger was crafted under poor circumstances. Yet to my eyes, it was a dazzling sight. Not as a masterpiece, but as the first step to greater things; where others might only see the nicked blade and crooked craft, I saw the reflection of a brilliant and satisfying future ahead of me. All I needed was to put it to the test.