A New World, An Immersive Game Experience

Vivian found herself standing in the place of her nightmares. Watching as spells of death rained over the walls, along with numerous undead monsters climbing and being catapulted over them. She watched as people woke from the chaos, as screams filled the air as some were burned alive, others had their life taken by blade or claw, others by fang and antler.

She watched herself rushing out from the barracks, taking her sword and rushing to fight the nearby undead.

"No! You idiot, go find dad!" She shouted, yet 'she' did not listen. She fought and gathered those nearby to fight back against the undead. Organizing everyone and forming a line of defense around the injured. Trying to push back the undead.

She watched those last dreadful moments as she saw her father rushing past the undead along with the captains. Pushing through the opened gates, they stopped the flow of undead and gave the fort time to reorganize.

Yet, it was clear that they had lost. Soon the other gates fell, the single magic tower incapable of turning the tides.

Vivian felt a hand grabbing her shoulder, pulling her back as she fought to move to the gate. To stand with her dad. She swore at those saving her, cursed them. Attacked them.

Yet, she was dragged away.

Her life saved.

Her life turned upside down.

'Why? Why make me relive this?!' She asked as tears streamed down her sunken cheeks, as her heart broke again. The night she had tried to forget, never wanted to remember, was now as fresh as on that horrible day.

"Why... Why didn't you run!" Vivian shouted as she lost sight of her dad, just as a ghoul had ripped through his side. His armor deflected the blow, but blood was still drawn. That horrendous venom entered his body. Yet he fought on.

"Why!?" She asked, her voice breaking from the pain. "Why did you leave me?"

"Vivian, why do you train so hard?"

Whipping her head to the all too familiar voice, a much younger Vivian wanted to jump to hug the man standing next to her. Yet, she was slumped over, heaving from exhaustion. Unable to control her own body.

"Do you know what my reason is?" Her dad asked. "You probably don't, but it is to keep you and your mother safe. I would much rather have you be like the other girls. Stay indoors, enjoy tea parties, just... Stay away from the field of battle."

"They'll die when it comes to it!" Vivian countered, shocked by her reply. By the arrogance in her words. Was that who she used to be?

"That is why I train, I won't let it come to that." Her dad said.

"Dad, you are well aware that you can't ensure that. I want to at least not be a burden when we are forced into retreat. You take care of mom and I'll take care of myself!" Vivian declared, standing proud as she regripped her training sword. A heavy wooden blade, twice the weight of a normal sword.

'Idiot! Just stay here!' Vivian shouted with all her might. If she hadn't been there. Been at the fort. Her dad could have- could have.

'Is that true?' She looked at her dad, at his proud caring face. His bare chest, sweat dripping down from hard training, was covered in scars. Was that the body of a person who ran or stayed?

"Why did I not run back then?" She asked, recalling the moment when she had thought she would die. The undead's sword moving towards her neck. "Why did I stay behind to fight and stall for time? I could have made it out, I could have saved myself..."

'Dad, would you have stayed. Would you have held the line even if I wasn't there?' Vivian hated the idea, hated that he would leave them like that. Yet, it was what she had nearly done to her mother. It was who they were.

Balling her fists, Vivian slowly came to accept that it was not her fault. "Dad, I'll come free you soon. I promise! Please, hold strong until I make it!"

With her conviction, her mana stirred and the flower bloomed brighter than before. She could feel a weight being lifted from her shoulders. Standing strong, conviction burned brightly in her green eyes. The blade at her side vibrated, wishing to be let out. To fight, to kill.

'Not yet, I must first become stronger!' Clenching her fists, Vivian turned around and headed for the house Eldrian had gifted her. 'I need to master this new ability. I can't be afraid of every wandering soul!'

***

"What do you think of her?" Amnur asked, the two were covered in an invisibility barrier, watching the artifact's reveal.

"She's young and acts before thinking." Athtar replied, "But she has a very unique ability. If she matures, she will be a great asset."

"Will she be able?"

"I'm not sure, the aura she gained is not light. Its weight on its owners is far greater than any other." Athtar shook his head. They could only hope that she would not end up mad. They could offer no help to that aura, and aura that could be called a curse.

"What of the artifact?" Amnur asked, he was impressed by it. It was shocking that it actually worked, so much was lacking. Yet, it was so much more than anything he could have made for this purpose. Simply because he lacked the insight, lacked that connection with death, with loss and the sorrow it brought.

"It is most impressive. We will have to continue to keep an eye on him to see if he has learned from the last time or not. Though, the most shocking is certainly that his curse had been lifted."

"Right! That is normally not something so easy to accomplish. You first have to- Ah, right. No need to explain it." Amnur laughed, the two deciding to leave. As they did, Athtar mumbled that he should tell Itireae to come and use the artifact.

'She might just be able to recover some memories of her father.' Athtar himself was tempted, tempted to relive those times with his close friend and with his long-distance lover. To spend a moment with his lost children.

He had forgiven himself, had come to accept the reality. That did not matter though, he still missed them dearly.

He was truly tempted.

***

"Don't you know some spells other than fire that can deal with undead?" Eldrian's question did not receive an immediate response. Sadly, it was not that simple.

"I do, but they take longer to cast than the fire spells and..." Myropsis stopped. Sadly, some undead would not be affected by her spells. Flaming Reanimated were especially troublesome, though ice and water spells were effective against them. It was not in a comparable manner to fire against other undead.

Naturally, she was shocked that she had overlooked the trouble that fire would bring in the mines. However, at this point, it no longer felt like a mine. The cavern they were in currently was massive, comparable to that which the dwarves lived in. It did not give the feeling of being in a cave at all.

"Well, you're not alone. Why don't we hold the line while you prepare the spell? I'll support from the side where needed." Eldrian said, though even with this they should stay careful. He kept inspecting the nearest red dots. Trying to make sure that they would not run into anything they couldn't handle. The cost basically equally the XP he received from the battles due to the sheer number of dots.

"Let's do it." Myropsis nodded, calling everyone and explaining the new plan. They were all adventurers with plenty of experience, they had no problem stalling the undead. However, they would have preferred a way that did not require them to fight directly.

After all, they were not battle maniacs. They did this for a job, not for a hobby or some other strange reason. They had people back home who relied on them, for whom they couldn't allow themselves to get killed.

Eldrian could feel the mood sinking as everyone expected that injuries and some casualties would be inevitable. Reminding him clearly that he had to find a way to resurrect the fallen. It trumped making weapons and finding creative spells. He had to have that security going forward.

'I can't allow anyone to die on a mission with me!' Eldrian swore that he would never allow that to happen again, with determination shining in his eyes he told the group that he would not let them die.

"Just shout if you are struggling and I will rush over to help."

Naturally, everyone knew of Eldrian's weakened state. Yet, he was still a hero in their eyes. Hearing his determination and promise the morale of the group shot through the roof.

They advanced forward, clashing with multiple groups of undead. Everyone would form an inverted U-shaped line. Eldrian and Myropsis inside, offering help through spells. Eldrian would focus on the undead trying to sneak past or where someone was struggling. Myropsis would focus where most undead were gathered. Maximizing her spell.

Through this they made good progress, killing a few hundred undead by the time night arrived on the world above. They were now at the last layer, and the dots Eldrian had found were not something he felt confident in facing.

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