5 CHAPTER 5: LIFE CHANGING TRUTH AND MYSTERY
Lucas got up as the sun hit him directly in his eyes causing him to groan in discomfort; he turned in his covers trying to salvage the remaining sleep he had but to no avail.
Sighing in frustration, he kicked away the covers and got up.
He briefly winced as the pain on his stomach hit him which was odd, only his avatar was harmed yet he too was feeling the pain.
"Odd!"
He paid little attention to it and left his room.
He came to the living room and his father was there watching the news.
"Morning Dad"
"Morning Grif"
Lucas sat down and watched the TV absent-minded. His mind was on how he would level up his character and his familiars, he had a feeling that he did not see the last of Darkstar.
[On recent news, worldwide there had been reports of people turning up deceased just after the initial release of the newest game by the company Shadow Search]
Lucas's attention was drawn; he sat upright and stared at the reporter.
Did people die because of the game?
That was a vague report.
[Doctors released a press statement that hinted that brain activity ceases to exist while tied to the headgear the game came with. They, however, don't know the root cause of this]
"So Lucas that's the game you are playing right?"
Lucas looked at his father; something did not add up. Why would everyone just suddenly die while being connected to the game? Non-functioning brainwaves?
Lucas had more questions than answers.
"There must be a reason for this," Lucas replied and got up.
He had an appointment at the hospital. To check up on his body and how it was standing.
He left the living room to bathe.
Lucas came back after an hour, dressed in black jeans, sneakers, and a white shirt. He passed his father on the couch and stopped at the door.
"I'll be going, I'm probably going to return later."
His father nodded, he knew where the boy was going.
He only prayed that he found good news.
Lucas left the house and breathed in the outside air; the sun caressing his skin with its rays. The wind blew past him sending shivers down his back.
Autumn in Japan was always cold, cold as if it is winter.
He boarded the taxi and sat in silence heading to the biggest hospital in Minato ward— The taxi came to a stop and Lucas got out after paying his fee.
He breathed in looking at the white building with the large fonts at the front.
His fate awaited him.
He made his way into the hospital and talked with the receptionist at the front desk. He got the ward he was supposed to be and he left the reception.
He got to the ward and waited for his doctor to arrive.
Lucas did not wait long as a young woman just about 4 years older than him entered the room. She had black wavy hair, Grey eyes, and a beauty mark under her mouth.
She wore a black T-shirt, a knee-length skirt and stockings with heels to finish up her attire, and a white coat.
Her Grey eyes scanned the clipboard in hand for a moment then looked at Lucas. "Lucas Griffith, I'm Doctor Monett your new doctor."
Lucas nodded, although he had questions about why he was transferred from his previous doctor, He just kept quiet.
Monett gave him orders and he complied, and soon enough Lucas was attached to machines and some tests were taken.
He watched as the doctor left the ward for a moment, plastered on her face a look of concern.
From the look, Lucas could tell that he was awaiting bad news; his heart palpitated, his shoulders felt heavy, his palms were sweaty and his knees weak as he swallowed his saliva trying to calm himself down and to moist his dry throat.
Dr. Monett returned to the ward and stared at Lucas.
"I'm sorry!"
Those words meant Lucas knew what they meant. He had seen his last remaining uncle in the hospital and a few days later his father was told those very same words.
His eyes widened briefly before they settled, fate was not on his side. He knew from the time he was around 7 years that, unlike other children, he would not be able to grow till his senior citizen years.
"So how long?"
Monett was sympathetic— she could not comprehend how someone that young would be subjected to such a horrendous fate. "From how the DNA analysis show, you have less than 6 months."
Lucas's heart sank momentarily, he replaced the facial expression that had accompanied him the moment he heard about the time he had remaining in the world. His face beamed and a bright smile appeared on his face.
"I see... Thanks, doc,"
Lucas got up and left the ward, leaving the hospital shortly after.
When he arrived home, it was nearly dark.
The sky was vacant of its luminous bodies that provided light at night, just pitch black as if it was mirroring how Lucas felt, how his heart was at the moment.
He got home and made his way to his bedroom.
He was going to make it count, the 6 months he had remaining. He would spend them wisely for they'll be his last.
A tear dropped down his cheek as the reality of the situation kicked in.
In 6 months, he would be no more.
Ignoring the thoughts and focusing on one objective, Lucas wore his gear. He had to investigate, the news broadcast earlier made him start to question the game or whether some power was at play.
But the question is, why?
Why would someone cause such pandemonium if it indeed was a person?
What benefits would one reap once the aftermath settled?
Lucas got into his gear and sat on the chair, his eyes watching as the pod head slowly closed shut. He closed his eyes and felt his body being transferred to the virtual world.
WELCOME SHIKIGAMI
To Lucas's surprise, instead of being spawned in the town of fortune like earlier, he was spawned into a separate plane.
His eyes looked around and all he could see was black, pitch black with multiple purple lines forming mathematical cubes running on the ground.
[Welcome Shikigami!]
A startling voice pierced through the darkness, prompting Lucas to look around, his eyes rapidly discerning his vicinity to see if there was anyone there with him.
The dark space illuminated as 8 lights flashed on around him, the illuminations took the form of masked individuals who stared down at the teenager.
"Who are you? And why am I not in the game?" Lucas asked being wary of the individuals whose features he could not recognize.
[As per my decree, you've been granted an audience with the game administrators that's partially the reason you are here, any questions you have?]
Shadow king! Lucas knew the voice from anywhere. It was the voice that had appeared twice to him now.
He placed his hand on his chin, he had so many questions to ask about the game and its relevance to the death rate that spiked rapidly in less than 48 hours.
"What is THE LEGEND OF THE SHADOW!"
[THE LEGEND OF THE SHADOW IS A MASSIVE MILTIPLAYER ONLINE ROLEPLAY GAME designed by our company.]
"I don't mean the general description of your game Shadow King, I want to know what it is really! There had been reports worldwide of people dying while playing the game."
[That's classified information, just know that an update after this is coming.]
Lucas feigned a sigh of frustration, the one known as Shadow King blatantly ignored answering his question.
"What was the point of me getting an audience with the game administrators if I can't get answers?"
[All I have to tell you, Shikigami is. What you attain in this world, can be transferred to the outside world.]
Lucas's eyes went wide before he could question what the Shadow King, who was the one communicating amongst the 8 meant, the space he was in vanished and he found himself in the town of fortune again.
He clicked his tongue, it was no use holding onto what just occurred but Lucas deep down knew, he knew there was something with the game.
Everything you attain in this world can be transferred to the outside world!
Those words rang repeatedly in his mind, did that mean he had a chance to find a cure for his condition? How would the world be like if such a thing was possible?
Shaking his head to clear the questions he had, Lucas looked toward the mountain ranges. "I should level up more, I can't maintain Yok, and the others for long in my current state."
[Side Quest: Dungeon of the Cryptic]
The status window appeared in his line of sight.
Lucas grinned, that was what he needed. Some experience points to better level himself up, and his familiars.
"Ryuk come out!" He declared opening the Umbrella.
Ryuk came out of the Umbrella and roared to the heavens, startling the NPCs and some of the players there.
Lucas gave him a pat on the head. "Ryuk mind we go somewhere?"
"Let's go, master!" Ryuk replied.
Lucas nodded and he along with Ryuk started venturing out of town.
They came up on a desolate land. The winds were harsh, blowing profusely, everywhere the eye could see was nothing but white; the snow covered the mountain ranges, the canyons.
In the atmosphere clearly visible was a thick layer of magical energy, mana.
Lucas looked around the location, his body temperature was drastically decreasing as he stood there. He had to find the dungeon mentioned by the system.
He looked up and saw a cave at the peak of the mountain in the distance.
"Ryuk there!" Lucas pointed at the mountain peak on his left side.
Ryuk nodded and the clouds he had produced moved across the canyon to the cave up the mountain peak.
The duo arrived at the cave and were greeted by two double doors with kneeling knights statues holding their spears over the entrance prohibiting anyone from entering.
[Cryptic Dungeon: do you want to enter Yes/ No]
Lucas confirmed that he wanted to enter the dungeon and the kneeling knights got up to their feet, their spears retracted opening the entrance for them.
Lucas was hit by a wave of malevolent aura, he felt his skin go cold from the intense presence of the aura originating from the subdomain.
Looking at his familiar, they nodded and went inside.
The entrance glowed as it vanished behind them.
Lucas scanned the world within the gate. It was exactly like the outside but instead of being mountain ranges, the space within was occupied by crumbled houses.
"I wonder what we will find here. I also have to allocate the EXP from the tower boss." Lucas mused to himself as he and Ryuk roamed the dead village covered in snow.
He stopped.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. An alert of danger that's what he knew; Lucas quickly opened the Umbrella and from within Yok, and Ryuji came out.
Once outside, they too felt the sensation of Dread.
They were being watched by an unknown entity.
Lucas turned around as he caught something moving out of the corner of his eye. "Was... That an eye?"
Asking no one in particular, Lucas remained vigilant of his surroundings. The uneasy feeling he got still churned in his stomach, increasing in intensity.
"Master watch out!"
Lucas turned around as Ryuk warned him, he saw an approaching battle Axe easily three times his size. His life started to flash in front of him, knowing the hypothesis he had concocted after what the administrators told him.
If he does, he dies in real life.
The Axe got lodged into a cloud, the tip of the Axe cutting his hair a bit at its proximity to his face.
Lucas breathed heavily and muttered a thank you to Ryuk before looking at the ice Axe in front of him.
The owner of it was the cause of that presence they felt.
[Ice Giant warrior Escanor]
[Race: Ice Giants also known as the gods of war]
[Attack:200]
[Speed:55]
[Defense:160]
[HP:19,600]
[Passive: War Axe brandish- the more the Ice giant Axe makes contact with an object increases its rage which increases the attack radius of its swings and HP regen]
[Ice breath: the Ice giant can breathe frosting ice from their mouths]
