A New World, An Immersive Game Experience

Upon returning, Eldrian immediately logged back in. However, he did not dive into learning new spells instead he spent most of his time meditating. Trying to get used to the changes, and particularly to his increased sensitivity to mana.

While at it he also took time to get used to using Mana Sense. Learning how to use it with only one thing in mind, to keep the unnecessary information to a minimum. Eldrian also went out, not far, but enough so he could go wild training with Aoidos.

Eldrian did this for the next couple of days. Until they finally moved on to the next camp, Eldrian being informed that there would be just one more. One bordering the corruption which they had outlined on their map and then copied. Distributing to everyone so no one would enter it by accident.

They would wait for reinforcements before trying to establish that camp. With Pelaros still recovering they dared not provoke the undead more than they already were. Luckily the past battle seemed to have hurt the undead just as much as it had hurt them.

In the past few days Eldrian had also continued to test his abilities against other players in PVP, the rest of Pheonix left without words when they realized just how fast he was now. He had not once used magic, leaving them shocked at just how powerful he actually was considering it was normally his go-to.

The new camp was an improved version of the previous one. Two walls, one simple wooden logs, and the other having a simple catwalk for archers. Though the catwalk was not so simple due to it needing to allow centaurs atop.

A few medical and lodging tents were between the two walls. Soldiers from the fort had come to defend the camp itself and they stayed in between the two walls. Enabling all the adventurers to focus on their quest of finding the undead.

Passing the first wall and entering through the second Eldrian found himself a spot to meditate on. Happy that it seemed that Vivian had stayed at the fort and not joined the reinforcements.

As he was about to start meditating, Eldrian finally recalled that he was now strong enough to go and merge with Cephaphyr. However, the system's warning made him wonder if he should. On top of that, there was no way he would be able to go there. It was far too far for him to travel, plus he was currently busy with a mission.

'Sorry, Ceph. I can't stay at Tier 3 until I can make the journey.' Eldrian apologized internally as he continued with his training. He had found that the more he got used to his mana, the lower the cost of his spell became. This decrease was not much, still, it was especially useful regarding spell upkeep.

If the spell was not actively doing anything, for example, if Frost Needle was just floating in place, then he could keep it active for over 5 minutes with ease. It would only start to drain his mana severely at this point, yet that draining was still nothing to his almost 600MP

...

"Are you ready Faust?" Nerenth asked, appearing in her fairy form before the two. Erik holding Akarui's hand to stop her from running to play with Ficel like usual.

"I do not know." Erik mumbled, looking down at Akarui and resolving, "I am."

"Good." Nerenth's fairy form hobbled up and down in a nod, "They will be here soon."

As if on cue, two graceful pure white pegasi flew over the city walls and dived into the overgrown part of the forest. Their appearance sending the city into chaos, everyone rushing to the abandoned part of the city to find the magical creatures. Some with pure thoughts, others with wicked intentions.

The pegasi quickly found the two treants, their auras particularly strong and easy to follow. "Is this the two you mentioned?" A male voice asked rudely, unimpressed by what he found. The pegasus spoke through manipulating the air.

The leading pegasus was larger than the one behind him. They were both pure white, with not a single blemish on their coats. Their wings were magnificent, folded barely covering their sides, yet when they are extended they would be over a meter.

"Yes, this is Faust the dryad. The little one is Akarui, the Fysi." The fairy said, turning to the pegasi who knelt upon seeing her fairy form and the fruits of life on her branches.

"Please forgive my crude question," The male voice pleaded, not daring to look up. "Had I known it was you..."

"No need child, I did not take offense." Nerenth replied, turning to Erik, "Before you go, take a fruit of life." Nerenth moved one of her branches carrying a shapeshifting fruit towards Erik.

"Do not recklessly consume it." She said after Erik took and stored the fruit, "Also, remember what we talked about."

Erik nodded, unable to form the words to express his gratitude. Over the past days Nerenth had been tutoring him, sharing some of her vast knowledge. The fruit was nothing compared to what Erik had gained.

"Little one," The fairy moved to Akarui, who extended her arm for the fairy to land on. Assuming that flying must be hard, a thought moving Nerenth's metaphorical heart. Treants naturally did not really have hearts.

"For you, I give this," The fairy suddenly took out a small tulip, the flower a flowing rainbow of colors in the fairy's hands, changing to a light pink in Akarui's.

"When you feel lonely, simply hold the flower close." The fairy said, flying up and turning to the pegasi. "For you, I give you these."

The pegasi wanted to say there was no need but, they did not know how without sounding rude. Hence they allowed the fairy to stick a small light purple lily behind their ears.  With that, the fairy disappeared.

"Hurry, we need to move before the humans arrive." The larger pegasus said, moving forward and lowering himself for Erik to get on. The smaller one doing the same for Akarui.

The two only barely climbed on as shouts could be heard, followed by curses as everyone saw the pegasi fly out of the forest. Their passengers were hidden by the wings to all but the mages in the magic towers. Filling them with curiosity.

...

Logging out and then entering Erik's virtual home, Eldrian wondered what was up. Erik had told him he had some amazing news.

Arriving in Erik's virtual home, which was just one of the basic layouts the company had created for people to start with, Eldrian found Erik standing in his gardens.

"It is truly strange," Erik said after getting a notification that Eldrian had entered his virtual home.

"What is?"

"I can't feel the plants. I mean, I can touch them and physically feel them, but... I can't feel them."

To most this would sound crazy, Eldrian however immediately agreed with that sentiment. Over the past few days, he had come to discover that everything had life in the game. Mana Sense was far more than just seeing the mana or stats of a thing.

He had found that he could feel... What can only be described as the essence of life. Feel that things were alive. That they weren't just... Weren't just things.

In the virtual home however, this feeling was lost. The same with reality, causing Earth to start feeling foreign to Eldiran.

"It is strange," Eldrian agreed, this far more prominent to him with mana. He felt like he had less energy than normal, like something was missing. Constantly.

A feeling he had come to live with, but when reminded it would quickly return. Like if someone told you that you were breathing, instantly you would now be conscious of it.

The two stood in silence for a unknown amount of time. Eldrian trying his best to feel his surrounding, to find mana. Erik to feel the plant's emotions, the plants' purpose.

They gave up at almost the same time, speaking at the same time. "Erik you-"

"Eldrian I-" Pausing, both smiled and laughed. Erik telling Eldrian to go first.

Nodding, Eldrian asked, "How did you get a hidden class?"

"You know? How?" Erik asked, knowing full well that only someone with a stronger hidden class could see his.

"Right... I never shared that did I?" Eldrian rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed that he had kept this from everyone. "Do you recall when I told you how I... Never mind, I also have a hidden class."

"How?" Erik asked, not wondering how Eldrian had one so much as how Eldrian's was stronger than his.

"It kind of just appeared. Yours?" Eldrian realized that he and Erik had really not talked much ever since things started becoming crazy. Ever since Sabrea, ever since Avgi.

"Just happened? How can it just happen?" Erik was completely thrown by this, it had taken him nearly a week to get a grasp on his hidden class. Heck, it was still Tier 0, with him only having barely scratched the surface.

Unlike normal magic, mastering a hidden class was far more difficult. If not for Nerenth's guidance Erik would have stood no chance.

Eldrian did not know what to say, his situation was so complicated he did not even know where to start. He realized he had not even shared how much he had hurt after losing those who had gone with him to save Vivian.

He had never talked about it outside of when Gengxin had told him. Eldrian wanted to share everything with Erik, but the location was not a good place for this.

"Erik, meet me here," Eldrian said, sending an address to the latter. Logging of immediately and getting himself a ride. Informing his sister that he was on the way with a friend.