My steps were more hurried than I intended as I crossed the distance before sliding the black curtains apart.
I quickly plugged in the Echo pod to a wall socket.
Ba-dump!
Ba-dump!
My thoughts spiraled, running through every possible scenario.
Now don't get me wrong, I was usually cool-headed and wasn't the type to overthink things, but when it came to the game? I would practically lose my marbles.
I wasn't an overly religious person, I mean I barely even made it to church twice a month but I could only pray inwardly that it wasn't what I was thinking.
'They couldn't possibly be thinking of quitting… right? Wait, that can't be right, Echoes Of Ruin is the world's most popular MMORPG, shutting down abruptly doesn't seem like something they would do… but then what!'
I was already freaking out.
My Echo pod wasn't even plugged in, yet it displayed a message… one which I was yet to check, I had to log in to do that.
The point is, it had never done that before, never!
Not once since its launch.
I took off my sleeveless sweater then tossed it at a random corner of my room, without wasting any more time I unlocked my Echo pod.
The VR sarcophagus slid open with a hiss, the kind that made you imagine a foggy mist leaking through the edges of the echo pod.
I didn't think twice.
I allowed the Echo pod to embrace my form like a long lost lover which at this point could actually pass for one. I practically had this version custom made to suit me.
The Echo pod sealed itself shut and almost as instant as it did, the familiar feeling of my consciousness drifting through an ocean made of clouds followed.
A low hum reverberated through my nerves causing me to slowly open my eyes to the familiar world of the game.
The change was instant, not only did I feel a bit taller, my senses were almost enhanced to a degree which allowed me to pick up distant sounds as though the source was whispering directly into my ear.
[Player: Alistar has logged in.]
The system notification flashed above my eyes, then I suddenly remembered something important.
"Oh… damn, today's the day we were supposed to raid the final floor of Lucifer's tower, no wonder I got a notification, I was worried for nothing."
By we I meant the top twenty world players and the first set of players to ever reach the seventieth floor of the final tower of the game.
Amongst them I ranked third overall in the world rankings, an amazing feat which goes without saying considering the fact that the game had over eight hundred million players, but let's skip such trivial information for now.
If my calculations weren't wrong then there was still at least five hours before the last floor would be open, which meant that the notification wasn't meant for the final scenario.
I was already inside the game so I didn't waste anymore time. I moved to open my notifications, or rather I was about to but the system alert beat me to it.
[Ding! System update is complete.]
"Eh?... An update…"
But it didn't end there.
[Ding! The Meiosis phenomenon has merged the Towers with planet Earth.]
'What the…'
[Ding! A new map is being created.]
'Is this some sort of joke?'
[Ding! All saved progress has been reset to the tutorial.]
[Ding! All character stats have been reverted.]
[Ding! The constellation channel has been activated.]
[Player's streaming system has been activated.]
[Ding! First scenario… SURVIVE.]
"Survive?"
The question was directed to no one in particular as I was the only one within my waiting room.
I stared at the floating notification and only one word came to my mind.
"Fuck!"
Then I snapped.
"Oi, what do you bastards mean all saved progress has been reset to the tutorial? Are you fucking joking… is my life a joke to you lots huh? Three bloody years… three years tsk! don't fuck with me… don't fuck with me you retar—"
Perhaps the developers could hear me cussing out or perhaps the system had a personal beef with me and decided to cut my crashout short, at that moment I felt my consciousness wane before I was forcefully ejected from my Echo pod.
****
(Seoul—Korea, Gangnam district).
The day progressed just as another day would.
From the busy roads of Seoul to the crowded streets where pedestrians huddled together, it was a sight which humans were long accustomed to.
And all of them expected the day to go by just the way it had always been but…
RUMBLE!
A deep crack ran across the ground while the earth itself trembled exactly the way a massive earthquake would.
Or so they all suspected.
A man dropped his phone mid-call as the ground split beneath his feet.
Someone screamed.
Then everyone ran.
In a matter of seconds the streets of Seoul grew frenzied.
But their nightmares had only just begun.
Right In front of every human present, a massive black tower burst forth from the ground, creating a massive crater around it while the colossal building rose until the roof was no longer visible.
People rushed to flee with frightened gazes while some who recognised the tower stared with mouths agape.
They stopped running, bit by bit their paces slowed and the curious ones took bolder steps forward.
Those who knew what the tower was, were as pale as a corpse.
"T-That… that's the t-tower of Baphomet." A lady said.
The moment she pointed that out, the man beside her shuddered.
"Y-You're joking… right?" He asked, visibly shaken.
"Ah… ahhhh! No… it's really Baphomet's tower."
"What's going on?"
"Did Echoes Of Ruin become real?"
"Die… We're all going to die."
Mutters of dread quickly spread amidst the crowd.
Some people already had their phones out, taking videos of the tower.
The murmurs didn't die down, it increased over time, growing louder by the seconds until.
SNAP!
An unsettling silence befell Seoul.
It lingered for a second or two, then a childish laughter followed.
"Bwahahahaha! Welcome Humans, to the Echoes Of Ruin… the whispers of forgotten dread and the tales of the damned."
Normally anyone would have found themselves captivated by the childlike giggles but the streets of Seoul were dead silent.
No one spoke… not as they laid eyes on the small floating creature high above them.
"...I, Yao Yao shall oversee this scenario as your taskmaster, be honoured mortals, Bwahahahaha."
It paused then licked its lips wickedly.
"Now… shall we begin."