The Virtual Realm (War Of The Elements Book 1)

by Daniel Perusko

  “Nah, I’ve always been able to control that without a problem. As proof I haven’t had a drop of alcohol in two months.”

  “If I may ask, what was it that caused you to get drunk four nights in a row?”

  Dusk froze for a moment, he too, thinking of how much information he would unlock from his personal vault. “Mmm, that’s something I don’t want to talk about, sorry.” In the end, he chose to remain completely sealed off to her, putting walls of thick steel between them.

  “So, you’re not going to tell me?”

  “No I’m not, sorry.”

  “You realize this is going to keep me up all night, right?” She said, hoping to squeeze out a droplet of truth by appealing to his sense of guilt.

  Nice try. I'm not that stupid. He couldn't count the amount of times people had tried to guilt trip him in the past to get what they wanted. He knew that move like the back of his hand. If she wanted to throw him off balance, she'd have to play another card. Regardless, he would pretend ignorance. He didn't feel like rocking the boat right now.

  “What? No way.”

  “You’re not the only one who has an insatiable curiosity you know.”

  “You’re not the only one who can keep secrets you know. Maybe it’s just not time for you to know.” He sneered in victory.

  Tsuki could only grin bitterly. She had lost this round.

  Accepting defeat, she resumed her tour guide duties, escorting Dusk throughout the premises. The door at the side of the first floor staircase led to a basement. Inside the basement was an indoor pool, spa, and sauna. On the second floor there was an arcade room and home theatre, as well as guest rooms and bathrooms. Dusk chuckled inwardly as he imagined the sweet irony of playing an arcade game when he himself was already inside a videogame. There was even a room that served as a laboratory of sorts. Present in the room were cryogenic chambers, sinks, chemical flasks, lab tables, human models, plus cabinets filled with a myriad of other various tools. It was everything you’d expect to find in your modern lab environment. Memories of mad scientists in movies and books strobed through his mind.

  On the third floor resided a large lounge, surrounded by a plush sea of beige. This appeared to be a waiting area for the conference room ahead. The presence of a gargantuan ebony table commanded the chamber. The floor and walls acted as its polar opposite, containing a rich snowy color within. On one side of the room was a flat TV for presentations and charts. On the opposite side nested a massive bird consisting of pure flame as it glowed in intensity. Its mouth was open, its vast wings spread wide as it watched over the enclosure. This had to be the logo of their guild, Phoenix. One side of the room was a glass window entirely, allowing any participants of the meeting to bask in the view.

  “This is the room where we will hold meetings to discuss various business matters. This entire floor is dedicated to work,” Tsuki explained calmly.

  “So I see, but what can there be to discuss here; simply stuff about this world and how we will escape from it? Organizing raids perhaps?”

  “Our group is so much more than that. It doesn’t end with this game, or games in general. Our reach extends into the real world. We will accomplish great things.”

  “Like?”

  Tsuki stared at him with a coy smirk on her face, silently portraying what she needed to, no longer needing words for it at this point.

  “It’s not time yet, huh?”

  The fact that her coy smirk had not vanished proved to Dusk he was correct. He sighed in resignation. He couldn't say he was surprised, just disappointed.

  The other rooms on the third floor included mainly offices, but there was also a library, with books ostensibly stretching to the horizon. The amount of wisdom within these halls was staggering. The place was like an ancient tomb of knowledge. Dusk was very intrigued as to what these books entailed, this being a game world and all.

  “So I guess these books were also bought from one of those private websites, huh. Is there any material worth reading here?”

  “Indeed there is, most of these books were bought, but not all. You should really read ‘Eon Seven’, sometime.”

  “Eon Seven?”

  “It is a book that Omni wrote. There is also a book called ‘Nyxe’ that I helped write, if you wish to know more about my personality.”

  “Sounds very interesting. So you two found time to write these books? What of grinding for gear and escaping this game?”

  “We’ll talk about that in a bit; but right now, I want to show you the apex of our pyramid. Come.”

  They skipped the fourth floor for the moment, coming to what was perhaps the most interesting room in the entire structure. If the living room was the mantle of this structure, this apex was the core.

  A pitch black floor stretched beneath their feet, sucking away any remnant of light. The walls that encompassed them emitted a cosmic brilliance. When Dusk looked at these heavenly barriers, what he saw before him were the cold stars of space. He noticed several planets burning in an extra-terrestrial mixture of reds, green, blues, and oranges. In the middle of it all, a blinding sun was generously granting its light to the lesser spheres orbiting around it; a guiding beacon of radiance for the lost planets. This was nothing like the solar system he knew. None of the planets struck a familiar chord. The walls, through some funhouse illusion, seemed to stretch out into infinity, as if it truly were the universe. A nebula shimmered in the distance, treating his eyes to various shades of crimson, azure, and violet; all somehow coexisting beautifully in harmony. The scene was extraordinary.

  “Wow, this is amazing,” Dusk praised as he gaped at the cosmos above.

  “This is my favorite room in the entire pyramid.”

  “Mine too. I love looking at the stars, and space. I guess it’s the same for you?”

  “Hmm, that’s not quite it. When I look at the stars, I feel a longing. I am homesick.”

  “Homesick, what do you mean? How is that possible?”

  Tsuki’s voice had transitioned into solemnity. This question brought back the somber memory of a deep longing within her heart. “I know you might not understand this, but I feel like space is my home, where I belong. The people of this earth and all of their petty problems; I’m past that. I just want to be up in space, alone; away from everyone. Every time I gaze upon the stars, I feel like they call to me, beckoning for me to return to them. Yet I know it is not time for me to be there. I have a mission I must fulfill first.”

  “I understand the part where you say you want to be away from the people of this earth and their problems. I feel the same way. I don’t really understand what you mean when you say homesick, though. I’ve never experienced that when I stare upon the stars, I simply think they are beautiful.”

  “You don’t need to understand, you only need to accept it.”

  “So, what is this mission of yours that you need to fulfill?”

  Tsuki fell silent, her warm gaze a pleasant way of wordlessly expressing her want to keep this holy grail of information locked away.

  “Right, I see,” Dusk replied, quickly becoming used to the enigmatic silences.

  “Would you take me with you?” He asked, not realizing what he was saying for a moment. The question came out of him like an abrupt sneeze, too swift to predict. Too quick to stop.

  “Hmm?” This question sent a stone of confusion rolling through Tsuki’s body. She had a pretty good idea of what that question meant, but him deciding to ask that perplexed her all the more. Just when he seemed predictably cynical and guarded, he’d throw in little statements like that which would throw everything off. She thought of him as an egg that she merely needed to crack, so when bits of yolk came out of his own volition, it staggered her. The snow princess continued to listen to the cracked egg speak, so as to be certain to his intent.

  “To space—if you could go alone... would you take me with you?”

  Tsuki giggled fondly at the chinked Phantom. “I don’t know... maybe.”
>
  The dual wielder blushed red like a rose, not bold enough to currently look the swordstress in the eye.

  What the hell am I saying? Why did I ask that? What’s wrong with me?

  Dusk, feeling a hand touch his shoulder in his current state, jumped like a stray cat that had been ambushed.

  “I’m exhausted, I’m going to collapse,” Tsuki yawned. “Time to show you the final stop on our grand tour.”

  “S-sure,” Dusk replied, stuttering.

  The duo descended to the fourth floor, which seemed to consist of all bathrooms and bedrooms. The narrow corridor which connected all of the bedrooms consisted of a culmination of snow, ash, and silver. Their footfalls echoed across the hard floor.

  Tsuki trudged forward in exhaustion, slowly opening one of the glass doors.

  “This will be your room.”

  The room was moderate size for a bedroom. Black and turquoise hues peppered the room in their modern spice. It seemed to be a theme in this pyramid; making many of the rooms appear futuristic. A set of glass doors peered out to a balcony overlooking the river, giving him a breathtaking view of nature at work. A plasma TV on the wall would suit his technological needs if the desire arose. The necessary amenities were all present: a bed, drawers, sofas, even a computer. This would be more than sufficient for Dusk to recharge after long days in the virtual jungles.

  Dusk presented a satisfied smile at Tsuki.

  “Looks good. By the way, I never would’ve imagined any building like this existing in this world, it is indeed impressive. With this much entertainment at one’s disposal—with such a nice place as this, who would want to leave it to go beat this game?”

  Tsuki snapped out of her sleepy trance in order to drive a much needed point home to Dusk.

  “Those who work hard, play hard. Balance is required in all things. If you only work all the time, you’ll burn yourself out. If you only play all the time, you won’t accomplish much of value, and you will wander aimlessly through life. We work harder than anyone else in this world, therefore we play hard. Having such a lavish retreat is merely to refresh ourselves, recharge our energy. It never distracts us from what we ultimately have to do. We do not place much emphasis on material wealth. One may be the wealthiest person in the world when it comes to material goods, but actually be the poorest person in the world at the same time.”

  “I see. I believe I understand. One’s true wealth is determined by things that cannot be measured.”

  “That is correct; things such as love for example. Anyways, we will continue this another time. Right now, I need to sleep. If you need me, my room is right next to yours.”

  Tsuki pointed thusly to drive home her point as she proceeded on with the explanation of sleeping arrangements.

  “Reaper’s room is across from yours, if you ever wish to speak to him.” She paused for a moment before dropping new information that she knew would shock Dusk as if he were struck dead on with lightning from the firmament above.

  “Omni’s and Scarlet’s room is across from mine, but try not to disturb them unless it is absolutely necessary.”

  “Okay,” Dusk replied affirmatively. For a moment he was stone faced as the words didn’t register. It was as though a pebble was thrown into a pond without so much as causing a ripple. Then, as if the rock had caused a shockwave, he realized the implications of Tsuki’s words. The pebble which had sunk to the bottom of the pond had now made waves.

  “Wait, Omni and Scarlet are a couple?!”

  “Hey, keep your voice down.”

  “I just... I never would’ve guessed that those two were together, sorry.” Dusk hushed his voice down to a whisper.

  “I knew it would surprise you, now you know.” Tsuki walked up to Dusk slowly, embracing him in a warm hug. He wrapped his arms around her, returning the gesture. After a moment, she pulled him away, showing him a warm smile.

  “Now, I need to go to bed before I collapse, night night.”

  “Good night, Tsuki.”

  The Sword Mage closed the door to her room, which looked very similar to Dusk’s room at the moment. The structure was just completed but a few days ago. She quickly unequipped her gear, donning a black nightgown. After doing this, she immediately collapsed onto the bed, her face pressed into one of the pillows. The swordswoman reflected subconsciously to herself.

  He is a very interesting person; so clueless, yet so innocent. He definitely likes me; he just seems to be confused about his emotions right now. But what about me? I don’t fully know what I feel for him either. Fortunately, that soul ripping feeling has died down considerably. Even so, every time I’m around him I have this strange sense of familiarity, as if I’ve known him my entire life. I’ve only known him for a day, yet I’ve told him so much. I’ve never revealed that much to anyone in a day before. Why do I have this innate trust for him? He has a sense of curiosity that goes on without end, much like myself. Can he possibly understand me where so many others have failed? I hold no hope of such things, but it would be a pleasant surprise. Can he possibly understand what Phoenix is about? I don’t fully understand him yet either. Why would he not tell me why he got drunk four days in a row back then? Why does he have a red star above his name? Why did he decide to be a solo player for so long? It seems like he carries a powerful darkness within him, but from what? What happened with him and Kevlar?

  At the same time, Dusk plopped down on his bed, his hands behind his head, gazing at the dimly lit cyan darkness above. He was deeply contemplating the events of today.

  Everything about today is surreal. I met even more level 50s. These people don’t seem like bad guys, though. But it pisses me off that Tsuki beat me in twelve duels today. How... how is that even possible? No one’s ever even beaten me consistently before, yet she beat me twelve out of twelve times.

  So much information was introduced to me today; but it was only introduced, not expanded upon. What is this evolved human they are speaking of? What did Tsuki mean when she said Phoenix’s reach will extend beyond this game, that they will do great things? What did she mean when she said the earth was going to fight back against men? Everything about her is so confusing. She has a mission to complete, but she cannot tell me. She hates competition, yet she participates in events which are highly competitive. She feels like she belongs in space. What is she some kind of alien or something? Why would it not even surprise me if she was? This all seems so otherworldly, even this pyramid. Especially this pyramid...

  Why is it that when she speaks, I listen eagerly to her every word? She says things that I would normally think others were weird for saying, and yet she says it with absolute conviction. She says it in such a way that I believe all of it. Somehow, this all seems so familiar. I don’t understand, not at all. I want to watch her cook. I want her to take me into space, just the two of us. These are not things I’d ever say. How is it she is able to make me act so uncharacteristically? What the hell is she? Why do I keep seeing weird images in my mind every time I’m in her presence?

  Immersed deeply in their respective worlds of thought, the two drifted off to slumber nearly simultaneously; both thinking of the other.

  For the next week, Dusk dueled with Tsuki ten times every day, but never won a duel. He began to feel as though it were more of an exercise in frustration than of learning. After every defeat, a small fragment of his hubris would be chipped away. Losing so many times, he finally began to ponder carefully over Tsuki’s words, thinking they may perhaps be correct.

  Currently he was level 41. He had only gained a level in the timeframe of a week. This was too sluggish for Dusk’s pace. Being level 40 in a level 50 group, his experience bar crawled forward like a tortoise. A bright ray existed in these drab skies, however. Being present in enough dungeons, he had finally managed to conquer his fear of them. What’s more, he felt a gradual change occurring within him. The field of subzero ice inside him was starting to melt. For the first time since Stacy’s death, he was actually able to g
enuinely smile from the bottom of his heart. He still spent a lot of time subconsciously lamenting over her death, and planning his revenge on Kevlar and Raven, but occasionally he found himself immersed in the comforting warmth of happiness; especially when he was around Tsuki.

  October 13, 2018

  Thump, thump, thump.

  Dusk heard a knock on his bedroom door. He burrowed his head under the pillow like a badger, trying to drown out the unwanted noise.

  Thump, thump, thump.

  The knock refused to go away. On the contrary it echoed through the room even louder.

  “Hey, wake up, Drake!” he heard Tsuki’s familiar voice boom out, penetrating through the pillow directly into his ears.

  “What do you want?” Dusk replied, his crankiness showing.

  “We’re going out, c’mon.”

  “Fine, give me a minute,” Dusk yelled grumpily, slowly getting off the bed, and releasing a powerful yawn that seemed to last forever. Cursing to himself, he reluctantly equipped his battle gear.

  After dressing himself he slowly opened the glass door to face the one who disturbed his slumber. His new teacher stood there, staring at him with a scowl on her face, as if she were the grouchy one who’d just been woken up.

  “What?”

  “You’re really not a morning person, are you?”

  “No not really,” Dusk managed to blurt out through his gust of yawning breath. “I suppose you are, huh? You look pretty energetic for seven in the morning; it’s kind of annoying actually.”

  “What’s annoying is you being cranky,” Tsuki quipped. “Anyways, I have some new training for you to do today, one that will allow you to level up at the same time.”

  Dusk’s ill-tempered fires were extinguished immediately, doused by feelings of anxiousness and excitement.

  “Oh, what training is that?”

  “You’ll see when we get there.”

  Dusk let out a sigh, a few sparks of grumpiness still lingering. “Fine, fine.”

  “But first, a nice breakfast to start your day,” Tsuki bubbled joyfully.