"Ha!" Felix sprung out of bed, his face shaking in sweat, "Hah, what where?" he looked at his hands staring at something alien.
"My hands aren't wrinkly... my old room... is this death? I remember uh my head ah!"
His head throbbed a wave of pain ruptured his mind due to his reincarnation there was a matter of two souls existing in one body his older worn out mature one and his young fresh self.
Two souls couldn't exist in the same body no matter the origins but since they were similar, one teeming with life and the other old and worn down a consensus was agreed, and both spiritual bodies merged into a new one bright with life yet showing the sparks of experience.
Felix was reborn anew.
And with this rebirth memories of what's to come flooded his mind, some thoughts about who won leagues and events and lotteries flooded first, then the memories of his actions that led to his miserable life.
"Ha... ha... I-I can't believe it," his eyes watered as his mind came to a sense, why would hell be something familiar? And this certainly wasn't heaven, was he really given a chance? Did the universe pity him? What did he do to deserve this?
He stood up from his bed, opened his window welcoming the light of the moon, switching on his laptop. It read.
[1st January 2120 Friday 1:00 am]
'10 Years!' he was on the verge of screaming but managed to keep his mouth shut. He reincarnated into his 17-year-old self!
"If I'm back then I need to check," he went on the web and searched "Fallen Online."
He clicked the nearest article to find then he searched others the middle of the night there was not a sound except him typing on his keyboard. Eventually, he stopped leaning back on his chair.
"I'm back..." he chuckled warm droplets running down his face, "... thank you."
His voice was shrill and weak but held the most gratitude he could muster, glanced to the edge of the room in the corner opposite to where he sat was a gaming capsule, it was his gift from his father for Christmas.
He had a previous one for other games, but this one was special as it allowed for complete immersion the game was already installed on his account settings and the game would go live today at 10 am GMT which is today at 11.
"Phew... I have 9 hours," he whipped his eyes, 'I still can't believe this is real.'
This was hard for him to fully accept so he moved to the window letting the cool air wash over him. After some time and some tears, he accepted this reality that he was given a chance.
He rummaged through his desk took out an empty notebook he bought and began writing all he could remember about the game.
This was an important issue as right now he was losing some of his memories may be a cost of reincarnation, a loss when both souls merged it was hard to say.
So he wrote the information that could be exploited the game was well-made no bugs no updates a perfect creation, the only useful tactics he had were Items events and locations to grind and prepare for.
"First, race choice, I pray for the idiots choosing to be human," he chuckled writing, "Items, recipes uh where was that vault located ah right!..."
He filled each page with all the information that followed, dungeon bosses and how to kill them, where to find guild tokens and sell them.
'I'm not planning on making a guild, It's too much of a hassle instead, being a one-man army is possible in the game, solo clearing a multiplayer dungeon is possible... It's just a difficult path to walk, but it is the freest.'
At this moment he made a promise to enjoy himself to the fullest, guilds were just shackles to him.
"Good mounts useful early, trash now but later good items, what else am I missing quests and skill books, achievements and titles too..."
He couldn't remember everything, so some of his information was foggy, and more the legendary achievements by other players were never made public, so he had no information like only from his experience.
"Ah, right there are no classes in fallen online I should still go with a decent build the one I had was decent enough, but I can make it better now."
After more writing about the game he dropped his pen exhausted, he filled more than 100 pages. Was this enough? No. Did he remember it all? Not at all. But he was content with this.
"I need to buy a hard cover notebook and put these in, maybe one with a lock too," he looked at the time forgetting it was night.
[1st January 2120 Friday 4:00 am]
'I need to sleep and tomorrow I need to make it up to dad.'
...
It was the dawn of the morning sun, its light shot through the window into Felix's room, his instant reaction was to bury himself under his covers. But what about time?
Beep! Beep! Beep!
"Argh, I forgot I had an alarm set," unable to stay asleep, he got out of bed and stretched.
[1st January 2120 Friday 7:01 am]
'That felt like 1 hour to me,' he stretched looking at his mirror reflection above his desk the bags beneath his eyes were darker than his already brown skin.
"Jesus, I look like shit."
He chuckled and left his room. Opening he headed downstairs, he saw his dad by the table with a drink in hand, up and dressed for the day.
"Morning dad."
"Good morning son, did you sleep well? You look like hell," he chuckled taking a sip of coffee, his father owned a restaurant. It had an average rating of 3.7 stars and catered to common and important people.
"You could say that how long before you leave?" he asked "Hm, 15 minutes why?" he asked, noticing the slight serious look in his eye.
Nodding to himself, he took a seat opposite to his father, "dad... I want to say thank you... um," he took deep breaths trying to keep himself from tearing up, these were feelings he'd held in a long time, "I can't know how hard it was for you when mom died."
"..."
"I know I don't say it, I rarely do, but I-I love you and I miss mom... I do...." he stayed quiet looking at his hands, "Uh... phew heh I didn't want to tear up damn it, I want to say-"
"Stop." Isaac raised his hands to stop his son.
With wet eyes he looked at his son and asked "What happened?" this wasn't a look of questioning, but he hadn't heard him mention his mother in a long time, he raised his son and knew he did nothing wrong.
Felix felt his throat tie in a knot, not sure where to begin, I'm from the future I merged with my past self and am now reborn? No, he couldn't say he might take it as an insult, but he couldn't lie either.
"Dad, I had a dream well a nightmare..." he inhaled deeply and gave a short fiction of his life how he wanted to succeed and failed him and himself how he would regret not saying the things he just said, and it made him more humble and wiser.
"I'm going to break up with Jessica today, you were right she's a bad influence on me and my grades reflect that I'm sorry I didn't listen to you earlier."
"... I haven't heard you mention your mom in years, part of me thought you blamed me for her death or wished it was me instead, and I wouldn't blame you, I-I miss her to every day," he took deep breaths rubbing the ring on his finger.
There was a brief moment of silence before Isaac glanced at the time and stood to leave but before giving a powerful hug.
Pat, pat.
"I'm proud of you, Felix, and no matter what, I won't ever be disappointed. So enjoy your game, and I'll see you later tonight who knows I might try it."
"Okay, maybe someday you could play with me."
He chuckled, shaking his head, "Hah no, I don't want an SAO situation to happen."
'That is so old besides the reboot,' he rolled his eyes watching his father leave, he was now alone.
"Less than 4 hours."
With that, he went to shower and had a light breakfast.
'I hope you're watching mom, I'm going to rip and tear all those fuckers.'
...
[1st January 2120 Friday 8:00 am]
He was sitting in his room glancing at his phone he went to contacts to send a lengthy message to Jessica he wasn't going to waste time seeing her and ended it with that he also told her he blocked her number.
His next course then was to reach out to his friends, Jack, Claire, Jessy and Scarlet, they still had him in a group chat most likely Scarlet since considering her feelings for him.
He went to explain he recently broke up with Jessica a pic of the message and that he'd want to meet up tomorrow with them.
There was no response, but he wasn't expecting one. Soon time flew, and it was almost time for Fallen online servers to go online.
"Ten, thirty, I'll hop in now," he changed into something casual and moved to the Pod his hand lightly brushed against it, smiling he opened it and sat inside putting on the headset and closed his eyes.
[Welcome to chrysalis, "so anyway I started blasting" which game would you like to play?]
[Minecraft, Skyrim, Assassin's Creed, God of war, Berserk Guts Path of Blood, Pokémon Surging Sapphire or Fallen Online]
"Fallen Online!"
[Confirming...]
[Commencing Logging into account awaiting approval.]
"Link start!"
The moment he dove in, his mind was transported to a battlefield, watching a war wage on from the skies."Long ago all nations were living in harmony, but everything changed when the-""Skip, I want to register my username first, and I choose to join neither faction," he spoke to the sky everything paused and vanished leaving him into absolute black.Shing!A sparkly light appeared in front of him, out of it came a little fairy with pink hair and wings."Greetings adventurer, my name is Pixie, but I am also known as Gaia in the world of fallen this is just one of my many forms, I will be your guide to prepare you for the next world!""Nice to meet you, Pixie.""Great! Now registering your name, what would you like to be called?" She asked a screen appearing before him.Alpha has been taken."Damn," he already knew the name he wanted but just in case he could in time pick a different name he tried."Shakuni," has b
Apex Stood up getting used to his new body, he looked like a flamingo that evolved into a human-like being with his pink feathers.[Welcome Player to Mudwater Village!]"Wow look this game is so real! I can feel the cool grass, Even my breath! Hah, Oof!""From graphics alone, this is a 10/10."He heard the praises from the others all around him, at this moment everyone had entered the game and everyone was equal, with no silver or golden spoon.The developers of Fallen Online wanted a fair experience for you when currency exchange becomes an option in 6 months, all the rich bastards thinking they can buy their way to the top would be wrong. The exchange works one way.There was no inventory only the status screen, market and internet connection, everyone entered with a grey set of clothes.He looked at the ground seeing some bluegrass and started picking them up. They were mixed in with green grass and needed a closer look to be found
In the world of Fallen Online, anyone can learn a skill if they meet the requirements. However, learning skills was a different issue. Skills could be learnt in one of three ways, a skill book, being taught the skill or learning it through action.Skill books had to be bought, dropped or found in treasure chest some he had knowledge of. Right now after distributing his status he left the Inn and went to a restaurant it was shut down but there was a man inside.He was human his body ancient and sickly, "I'm closed."Apex sweatdropped as he walked, "I know sir ahem I was wondering if maybe you offered to teach lessons?"'Another wanna be chef,' the elder chef looked him up and down, "fine follow me," he got up using a cane, Apex nodded following him to the back of the restaurant to a kitchen, "open the cabinets and take out the ingredients."He followed that man's orders, all the experience from real life and his past would shine now.[Quest:
After setting his attribute points he went to the tailor's shop, "Hello," he was greeted by a male clerk, "How may I help you?""I'm looking for some leather armour," he said the clerk looked the pink Birdman up and down his clothes were tattered past the point of repair, "Alright would you like three or a five-set piece and what kind?"Apex looked behind the man there stood a wall of different types of monster skin, wold, mud salamander, even fox."Three-piece wolf set please," he answered, "Alright that'll be 300 Silvers please."The beginner towns had sold their supplies at a discounted price compared to outside. It meant with the coins he had he'd be swimming in at least green rank equipment it was also the highest rank Item the clerk was willing to sell.[Wolf leather set 3/5 (Green)] [+50 Defence.][An item made from the flesh of wolves improves the hunter's spirit.]"Not bad it's on the lowest spectrum of green equipment but I
Quickly Apex dashed to the Inns and sat inside the day had yet to be over and he knew people would be searching for him, not for nefarious reasons but as fans, 'Good thing I turned off Direct messages.'...The entire world's forums were going berserk of Apex's achievements.["HOW THE FUCK CAN ONE GUY TAKE ON A FIELD BOSS!? HACKS!"]["I've seen this player before, he's the one who put up that epic recipe."]["A chef made it to level 10 in 5 hours?"]["@Apex, we of the Might guild would like to offer you a premium position, please contact me if you're interested!"]["@Apex, we of the..."]["@Apex, we of the..."]["He's blocked Dm's guys take a hint."]...In front of the smithy where the three adventurers, the elf was the first to speak, "Re-Bunny you don't think?" she couldn't finish her words, "I think so." she smiled this was something unexpected."So are we going to recruit him?" the red fox girl
[You have logged out.] Shua! Back outside, the white pod opened slowly as Felix stepped out. "Hu!" he groaned twisting and flexing his body, "Ah, that's the stuff, I should start going to the gym soon." [1st January 2120 Friday 16:40] 'Five hours in real life, ten in-game the Exon company did good making this,' he thought walking out his room, he went into the kitchen and started taking out ingredients, "Some rice that way dad can eat while I'm playing." He looked at the knife in his hand, realizing, 'I need to buy throwing knives... I should also check my balance.' [Felix Green] [Balance: ₤2,178] He finished cooking and sat down enjoying a nice meal, "Nice once I get the order for the saviours guild I can put half of it into some stock," He paused in between eating, curious he checked the official discord of Fallen Online 'Haha,' he chuckled, seeing all the attention was about him and how he managed to solo a f
"Hah phew," Apex wiped his forehead he had just killed another group of Trunk-gators while searching in the night. He purposely took longer and travelled around the forest to remember its layout and markdown descent locations for the journal guide he'd been writing. And as he got up to search he soon arrived at the west end of the forest he could tell because in a mix with the forest were Standing and broken pillars. "Where the fuck is this place!?" Apex bellowed he had been walking for at least two hours killing Trunk-gators left and right. He stood in the centre of it all gazing at the uprooted stones and pillars with wild archaic symbols. He didn't remember the lore of this place, 'Something about the dryad I think,' but he didn't care. 'Uh, alright it says there's a cave between a pillar and tree marked in an upside-down v so were,' he paused looking around none of the trees or pillars were leaning together and most on the ground were shattered an
[2nd January 2120 Saturday 9:12 am] "Mn..." Apex groaned in bed. He woke up and tried to push himself out of bed, only to flop. 'I need more power!' he tried again to push himself, but the urge to sleep was stronger! Flop! 'Uh, I can't win!' he struggled once more, with some epic music to fuel him. The song reached its best part. "Ha!" he pushed himself out of bed. He got up, looking back down. 'One minute wouldn't hurt,' [10:03 am] One minute became another until he fell back into sleep, "Yawn... I regret nothing." Moments later he left the shower with his phone in hand, "The hell is with the internet?" He checked YouTube the moment he entered and found a video on him to be on the recommended page. "Who is Apex? Frances hidden expert. Hahaha, I'm not hiding," he laughed changing himself and heading downstairs, on the table he found breakfast already made with a letter for him, "Thanks, dad." He scrolled more and paused