Dream

It was all a dream, wasn't it?

Me dying.

Me reincarnating.

Is it even called that since my soul survived?

Then I dreamt of all this weird Yggdrasil stuff.

I look at my clock.

4 am.

How did I even wake up this early?

Ah, actually I know.

I've been grinding for a week.

Questing non-stop in that new game.

Until finally I achieved max level.

First one on the server haha.

Not on the game sadly, but still.

I had been preparing for it for a while.

Even using a VPN to play the overseas initial version of it.

One I could barely understand but who cares.

Nothing a good translation patch can't fix haha.

I didn't sleep.

At all.

All until I finally accomplished my goal.

Then I instantly collapsed on my bed.

Just reaching it was a stretch.

How long did I sleep?

Almost a full day.

What now?

Should I take care of the plants?

Let's do that real quick.

As I get into my greenhouse, I notice something peculiar.

For some reason, they seem to be doing well.

Way too well considering I've been busy for a week.

I've been negligent too a bit.

Oh well, lucky haha!

I soon go back to my room.

For some reason, I'm not hungry in the slightest.

Must be the remnant of all those energy drinks messing my system up.

I've lost count of how many I drank recently.

Good thing my heart didn't give up.

Was it worth just for that single achievement?

I got a screenshot: totally!

But I need a break right now.

I feel like playing a single-player game.

One that I can just casually chill in.

Let me see, not this one, not this one either.

I'm looking at my Steamy library with boredom.

All these games yet none that fits with my mood.

Then I notice an old game I haven't played in a while.

A real-time strategy civilization-building one.

Where one fights for supremacy against many opponents.

I open it and start a completely random game.

I pick some AIs of the highest level as my opponents.

Still, they are too predictable either way.

The first step to my world domination plan is managing my resources.

Also queuing the production of some military units.

I'm more of a defensive player in general.

Just need to have enough troops for …

There it is.

One of my opponents sends some units to destroy my base.

Except they simply get overwhelmed since I have the home-ground advantage.

I can't help myself but type in chat to taunt the AI.

About how weak it is.

It is coded to reply with various random war cries haha.

I know how pointless it is, but it brings me joy.

I keep working on both my economy and my military.

Then I slowly develop my base into an impregnable fortress.

Of course, my enemies send siege weapons after me.

All that doesn't matter since I respond with my infantry and cavalry to take care of it.

The more it goes the more I expand.

Quickly claiming all the resources around the map.

All basic defenses in place at least.

Then I have a mobile army to clear any issue.

Don't get this wrong playing defensive doesn't mean to be static.

I am in fact spying on my enemies and making sure every soldier they train gets countered by my own troops.

I am simply raining death upon them.

The more the game goes the more of them I destroy.

I don't even accept their surrender.

I could have won the game long ago, but I do not want to.

I want to enjoy myself.

To find the remaining ones I even invest heavily in scouting.

Crush them to the very last one.

All until it is finally over.

Satisfied I decide to switch game.

Killing tons of troops in a strategy game is fun, but I now feel like playing something more immersive.

That's when I decide to play DragonHunter.

An awesome game where one tracks and kills dragons.

Then you craft new equipment with the items they drop.

Only to be able to fight even stronger dragons in turn.

I keep playing for a while.

My old muscle memories activating.

I know every single attack pattern there is.

Tail swipe? Crouch down.

Shockwave? Jump and avoid.

Bite? Roll on the side.

Claw slash? Approach and engage.

That one only seems dangerous at first glance.

If you get close enough to the body the attack misses you.

Anyway, I keep playing and playing.

I can't help but think about this previous dream of mine.

The one that felt so real.

The one where I met so many friends.

My game is done.

The dream where….

That is when I see something out of the corner of my eye.

Some figurines.

Wait…!

Then I see a small potted plant.

One I know for a fact wasn't there before.

One I recognize.

This is my house in the dream.

This is …

No. It was no dream.

No, more accurately there was a dream.

No, this is a dream!

My last memory is of me floating in the pond.

Seems I fell asleep.

Except that instead of the usual slumber I came here.

I really hope my body is fine.

For all I know, I've been devoured already, and I'm stuck here forever.

C'mon wake up!

Wake up!

I get the feeling the potted plant seems sad about being confined here.

I'm losing my goddamn mind!

For some reason, it prevents me from focusing.

[*Jokingly* As a plant you need sunlight…go out and play!]

That is when roots appear.

It starts…walking?!

What the hell?

Then it reaches the window and throws itself out.

What is happening?!

Did a potted plant just commit suicide in front of me?!

No time for that I need to…

But the more I try the less it works.

This is a huge pain.

Calm down.

I can do this!

I turn and turn, but no matter what it's not working.

I even try to lie on my bed.

Trying to clear my mind.

Until I finally decide to give up.

That's when I feel myself rousing from unconsciousness.

What will await me in the outside world?!