Chapter 3

[Since you are thinking of ending your life why not try making a deal with this old demon?]

A voice echoed inside my head startling me in my thoughts, I looked around me but saw nothing but pure darkness, now that I think about it, I have been falling for quite a while now, I should have already died.

"Who is speaking?"

I calmly asked, this is a game, and I am sure I am not hallucinating, the voice sounded old and a little eerie but it was loud and clear, I also felt that I have stopped free-falling and I could feel the ground but I could see nothing but darkness.

[Ho? you are calm even with my presence? interesting]

*Fwhoosh!

A small flame appeared in this dark place, it was like an Oasis in this abyss, it was burning brightly, not wavering in this cold dark place.

If I go to that flames, maybe, I myself could finally escape this dark place, that cold dark place...

But just as I was about to go towards the flames, it started flickering, I suddenly felt anxious, if that flame disappeared, I will go back to darkness once again, I don't want that!

I completely forgot I was playing a game and that was I was playing an undead character that was supposed to have no emotion, I felt everything was real, that this was my last chance to redeem myself.

*Poof!

The flames disappeared and a sudden pang of depression hit me, it's too late, I should just...

[Haha interesting, interesting! so you want to escape huh? then I shall lend you power]

*Fwooosh!

I heard the voice once again, and then I saw the flames light up once again, but this time, there was no but just one but two, three, four, more and more flames started appearing unknowingly, the whole place light up.

The abyss that I thought turned out to be a cave, yes, a cave, a very large cave leading to multiple paths that I don't where it was going.

[I will give you a test of faith, in these caves lies the answers you were looking for]

"Answers I'm looking for?"

[The light]

I couldn't help but clench my fist as I heard that,.

"Before that, who are you!? why am I here?"

[All answers to your questions lies in these paths]

"i..."

I don't know what to say, I took a deep breath and calmed myself down, I finally came back to reality, this is but a game, I only have to choose, even if I die, I can respawn, there is nothing to lose for me, I am talking with an NPC, if I die this quest will reset, I can just go back here once again.

[In addition, there are also dangers that lie behind those caves, so if you make a mistake you will die and don't take my words lightly, you will also die in reality, Bane Sanders]

"How do you-"

[I am an ancient being, I know much more than you think, and don't take this world lightly]

As if a huge amount of information flooded my head, I broke down, my real name is Bane Sanders, what I'm facing now is not just a normal NPC, but a mysterious being, I am actually scared, very scared.

I wanted to refute its words but this is something unprecedented because when I was registering this account, it didn't ask for any of my personal identity, it didn't even ask for an ID, it just went straight to character registration.

I was actually a little suspicious about it but after playing this game for a few hours I did not have any doubts about it anymore, and now, even without providing anything to the company, an NPC knows my identity, it was really scary.

[Now, your trial starts, you have an hour to venture your own path]

The voice disappeared I was left here in this place by myself.

"I- i need to log out"

I swiped my hands in the empty air and the user interface appeared in front of me, swiping down once again, I arrived at the logout button, but it was not there, there is no such thing as log out button in the interface.

All I could see was a blank box, I felt anxious, I went to my friend list to ask for help from Argus but my communication are disabled, I could not contact him at all.

I could not help but break down to the floor, and unknowingly I looked at my hands, the one hand that I was expecting was not there but a normal human hand, I jolted up immediately and looked at my body.

I was naked without any clothes, it was thin and scrawny, it's my real body, my eyes started to turn blur as I saw this, these happenings are too bizarre,

"J-just what is happening!?"

Tears started to fall off my eyes, then I saw myself once again, crying again, weak and pathetic, I could not help but clench my chest, this again, I don't want it, I don't like it, wiping off my tears I stood up.

"Heh, isn't it just death? It's something that I have already been thinking for a while, then I might as well die trying"

I tried to be courageous.

Taking the first step, I don't need to think about which path to choose, just go whatever you like!

I don't want to see my pathetic self anymore.

On the other side of the cave, there were more caves, I don't care, just look at one and enter.

I want my parents to be proud of me.

More caves appeared one after another, I don't know how many caves I have entered or what lies behind them but I kept going and going, then I arrived in front of a huge metal door, is this the end? no, If there is more then I will continue, I have decided I want to see the light, I want to...

I want to change!

*Creak!

I saw hell.