"Dreams are the uncharted landscapes of our inner world, a tapestry woven from the threads of our memories, desires, and fears. They whisper to us in the language of symbols, offering glimpses into the depths of our psyche, and guiding us on our journey towards self-discovery and growth." – Excerpt from “Book of Elara”

  Maverick eventually decided it was a better idea just to crawl into bed, his tiredness winning out. His mind was still buzzing with ideas and questions of what was to come. Not only that, his “final” exam to acquire his masters and be one step closer to following in his fathers footsteps was quickly approaching. The reality of it all made Maverick want to jump back into TVO and clear some monster dens, as the mindless slaughter would let his physical body rest and his mind take a step back. Maverick closed his eyes and tried his best to drift off into the world of sand and dreams.

  However that did not happen, Maverick tossed and turned, unable to drift off for some reason. Even after a quick jump into the shower, his body felt relaxed but his mind was still racing. Looking over at his alarm clock the time now read three thirty in the morning.

  “Well shit… At this point I might as well take advantage of the PODs rest feature.” Maverick said to no-one as a cool breeze slipped in through his opened window. As Maverick loaded into his POD, strapped in and got the life support online, the boot screen came a little slower than normal. Usually once the visor was placed over ones eyes and the helmet finished auto adjusting they would be greeted with a transition screen, on general safety and weirdly enough a full bodily physical, then they would be dropped into their last active location.

  This time however, a sense of weightlessness came over him, as if his body was back in the sensory deprivation tank he had done with his mom last year for her birthday. With a sudden jolt the sensation of being battered around by ocean waves crashed over him, further disorienting him. The sensation of frozen water, enclosed his entire being, down to his bones and into his very cells.

  No matter what Maverick did, however many muscles he strained, or curses he uttered nothing changed. The feeling of emptiness, and cold grew more and more intense as time passed. Maverick floated aimlessly in the vast dark ocean, for what seemed to be days or weeks, Maverick did not know.

  Maverick eventually began to lose himself in this void, his very identity was being wiped away, as if a chalkboard was wiped away to begin anew. The cold of the watery void working into his mind. The emotions, memories, and feelings he had created over his life were growing weaker and weaker with every passing moment. Eventually all his mind, body, and soul knew was this new frozen reality, as if he had become one with it, merging and become a part of this new whole.

  Without conscious thought, with the last of his will Maverick cried out, for his father, his mother even Emily to save him. The words echoed into the frozen void, seemingly moving away from him but also growing closer all at the same time. With the last of his mental will exhausted, Maverick began to sink into the cold dark void of a sea, no strength left to fight against it. The sensation of drowning overcame him, the feeling of water pouring into his lungs was enough to convince him this was not the PODs doing. This was real, the cold water, pulled him further and further down, until the last breathe escaped him and his panicked mind slipped into darkness.

  Eventually Maverick came to, his body no longer submerged in the frozen waters. Looking around Maverick was in an unfamiliar place, he was defiantly in TVO now, his characters HUD was present, along with his equipment. Activating a class skill, flames light, a ring of fire floated above his head illuminating the area. The area was reveled to be a graveyard of some sort. While TVO was full of graveyards, and haunted locations Maverick had never seen or heard about a place like this. A hill, rested in the center of the graveyard, a massive tombstone rested upon its peak, with a massive great cleaver leaned against it. The blade and grave were covered in moss and vines, showing its ancient age.

  What Maverick saw next really surprised him, a massive wolf jumped from the hilltop landing mere yards away from him. The wolf was the size of bull, muscles tensed and primed to strike. A normal wolf would easily act as this beasts chew toy. The wolfs fur was matted with grey, and streaks of white. The massive wolf looked down at Maverick with eyes full of hatred and hunger. In a deep reverberating voice that sent echo's across the graveyard the wolf spoke.

  “I will ask only once, and your answer will rend the very fabric of reality. A great cataclysm nears, and the ember you possess is your sole beacon against the coming darkness. Yet, power demands a cost. Like a moth to the flame, you will be drawn into the heart of chaos. Will you claim the ember's might, a fragment of the ancient Azure Flame, and embrace your destined ruin?

  Maverick was frozen in place, unable to even blink. “Some form of intimidation skill,” Maverick thought as he took in the words. The wolfs words rattled in his mind, “what did it mean by its question? And for that matter, how did this… wait…” Maverick realized he did not know if the wolf had a name. Poor manners on his behalf, but Mavericks mind moved back onto matters at hand.

  The Azure Flame, this wasn’t the first time he had heard mention of it. No where inside the game or online had he or others found details on the flame, aside from the games original welcome message. Swallowing to moisten his dried throat, he took one more look at the wolfs frenzied eyes. Maverick answered the beast, figuring whatever this place was and its correlation to the Ember or rather the Azure Flame was important. In his experience a massive talking animal in a hidden location usually meant something unique or at least important.

  “You don’t leave me much of a choice, you kind of brain jacked me from TVO, but I figure that accepting your offer, will at least keep things interesting.” Maverick spoke not breaking eye contact with the beast.

  As Mavericks words permeated the air around them, a rumbling began. Its epicenter obvious to anyone around, the massive grave high upon the hill began to shake, cracks forming along its surface. The gargantuan cleaver that once rested upon the gravestone, now began to sink into the fissures created by the rumbling. A large bandaged hand exploded out from the ground toppling the gravestone, causing broken chunks of stone to barrel towards Maverick and the Wolf. Just before the new arrivals head broke over the ridge of earth that once acted as its burial, a large crimson health bar gilded in golden text appeared in the sky. The Butcher, World Boss, Level: ?.

  The last thing Maverick consciously observed before falling back into the darkness was the all to familiar beings half emerged body from the pit. Chains wrapped around its body, as if imprisoned, not truly having gained complete freedom. As Mavericks vision began to swim and grow dark, a bright red warning window displayed in his vision. Maverick felt sick to his stomach, his head pounded and the mere act of holding his eyes open sent needle like pain racing down to his heart.

  **System Alert: Critical Error Detected**

  **System Error**: Player's vitals have spiked, prompting emergency disconnection from The Veil Online.

  **POD Ejection Imminent**: Stand by for further details.

  Mavericks mind slipped into the dark void that awaited players logging out of TVO. He always knew there was something called Drift Sickness, that could happen to someone when they stayed connected to TVO for an extended period of time. Drift Sickness essentially caused, a temporary sensory sickness resulting from excessive immersion. It caused dizziness, disorientation, nausea and even in some cases ejection from the POD. None one ever died from Drift Sickness as the PODS built in equipment could stabilize these conditions, and safely repair the issues while disconnecting them from the game.

  This issue happened pretty frequently with the first two years as many didn’t understand the cause. Even with all of Prometheus Games testing and data proving its safety, the human body could only endure so much, especially with the time dilation in game. Eventually they added a limiter on the PODs ability to access The Veil Online based on your account, no more than four consecutive hours in a day could be used in game, as more than that ran a higher risk of Drift Sickness. But sixteen in game days for four real life hours was more than enough, or at least that’s what Maverick thought anyways.

  Mavericks concern however stemmed from the fact he was barely logged in for.. well he wasn’t sure, but there was no way it had been more than a few minutes in real time. Whatever happened to him in that instance of TVO must have bypassed some safety protocol, or it was some feature of this encounter. Never in his time playing had an event like that occurred or felt so real.

  In any given area, a player could feel the world around them as if they were actually in game, but there was still slight variations that a persons brain could distinguish from the real world. This was made on purpose according to Mavericks source at Prometheus Games, so the two worlds wouldn’t blend into one. This experience however, Maverick truly felt as if he was in that graveyard. The soil felt like real dirt, not the slightly soft springy soil ones feet got from walking in TVO. The swirling mist, the slight fog in the air, it left a trace amount of moisture on his skin whenever it drifted past him, no where in TVO did that happen, even in an area surrounded by water and fog, you never got that true wet feeling.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  But here’s the kicker, the part that really sent this whole thing for Maverick, the look in the Wolfs eyes. No NPC, animal, beast or monster in TVO gave off the feeling of true sentient life, you as the player could always tell. This Wolf radiated pure hatred and murder. Its eyes spoke of the horrors and savagery it was capable of, but not only capable, its willingness for it, almost begging for it, just to be unleashed.

  Maverick never got this finish his rumination, as his vision came back, all indicator lights on the POD flashing green, the go signal that he was fit to exit. The PODs door softly hissed open, the cool night breeze dancing over his skin. Whatever had just happened, truly wiped what little energy Maverick had left. His already tired mind, was now completely depleted. Maverick unhooked the PODs connections, removed his helmet and made his way to bed.

  Once in bed, having made a second wardrobe change, Maverick opened the second window located right above him to circulate the cool refreshing air. The sounds of crashing waves now even more noticeable from the nearby beach. The sound of rolling waves always helped clear his mind when he had a lot going on, but for a while those same sounds filled him with anxiety and fear.

  Pulling the thin sheet up, Maverick prepared himself to once attempt visitation the old wise king of dreams. Before he could nod off into the dream world however, three light knocks right above his head made themselves known. Not entirely sure if he had actually heard the knocks, they came again moments later, in a slow rhythmic pattern, speaking the all too familiar code from his childhood.

  Emily was seeing if he was still awake. Maverick had felt so proud of himself when he first created their new secret code. Sitting up in bed, with more effort than he remembered it being, Maverick softly knocked back the corresponding code, two slow knocks followed by a third and fourth in quick succession. With the message sent, he awaited her arrival. A duffle bag flew through Maverick’s window after a few minutes and in came Emily, effortlessly gliding in like a thief in the night. Their bedrooms conveniently shared small balconies side by side.

  Emily was dressed in her favorite one-piece dragon pajamas, that were definitely a few sizes too big for her, along with her favorite pair of grey all to familiar rabbit slippers. As Maverick stared at his childhood best friend, the odd feeling brough upon from his little misadventure and tiredness all seemed to vanish into thin air, floating right out the window.

  "Hello??! Earth to Maverick!" Emily's voice cut through the silence, a blend of frustration and playful exasperation. She waved a hand in front of his face, her eyes narrowing slightly as she tried to get his attention. "Did you use your head to knock back or something? Maverick!! I am talking to you!" Her tone now sharper, but with an unmistakable undercurrent of annoyance.

  She crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently, the motion causing a few strands of her strawberry hair to fall into her face. Despite the irritation in her words, her expressive green eyes twinkled with a hint of amusement. "Seriously, if you don’t snap out of it, I might have to start telling everyone how you nearly took out the kitchen window last week with your 'epic' pancake flipping skills." She smirked, trying to coax him back to reality with a mix of humor and gentle ribbing.

  Snapping out of his stupor, Maverick realized he had just been staring at Emily the whole time since she had essentially jumped in through his window instead of using the sliding door. Why she didn’t use the door like a normal person, he would never know.

  “err hi Emily, I didn’t expect you to be up so late, let alone dressing up in your Sunday Best. Did you get scared of the monster in your closet again?” Maverick spoke as now he took a verbal swing back at her.

  On her tenth birthday, Emily noticed a strange glow emanating from her closet. The door, which never latched properly, stood slightly ajar. Her childish imagination convinced her it was a monster, lurking and watching her from the shadows. And to this day Maverick still teased her about it.

  "No, it's not the monster!" Emily quickly clarified.

  “Hey not so loud you’ll wake mom up, and neither of us want to deal with her sleep fueled anger.

  She brushed a few stray locks of her strawberry hair behind her ear, her green eyes twinkling with mischief. "I just couldn't sleep and figured now would be the best chance to snap a few pictures of your homework since you never sent them over."

  She held up her phone, the screen already lit with the camera app, giving Maverick a playful grin. "Honestly, for someone so smart, you really do forget the simplest things," she teased, her tone light but affectionate. "So, are you going to help a girl out, or am I going to have to raid your desk myself?" Her smile widened, the familiar sparkle of their shared banter lighting up her expression.

  “Sure, but you might as well just do it now since you’re here. You owe me big for this, and I don’t mean just tacos on campus, you’ll owe me a trip to the comic store.”

  “Maybe I don’t want the final after all, I'll take my chances with a late submission.”

  Maverick was no noob when it came to Emily Evans, if this was actually about the homework she would just have “borrowed” it in the morning when she came over for breakfast and quickly copied the answers. Trying his best not to pry into her feelings right now, Maverick just smiled and the pair continued their normal banter.

  Maverick and Emily talked for a while, their conversation was light and filled with random ramblings and plans for school the next day. After what seemed like only a few minutes, Maverick glanced at his bedside clock and read the time, 5:37am. What had already been a long night had now morphed into a likely all nighter, most likely an energy drink would be required.

  Just like when they were kids, they always fell back into familiar habits, no matter their age. The duos relationship has only grown over the years, becoming closer and more familiar with one another. While their relationship had never crossed the line to a romantic one, each had pursued an occasional relationship of that nature with others.

  Emily noticing Maverick beginning to space out, took a close look at her best friend. She was so focused on getting out of her house, and seeking comfort in a warm familiar place she had not stopped to wonder if he was okay.

  When she first arrived Maverick had already seemed out of sorts in a way, not like his usual self. He was more acting like he had something on his mind.

  Emily reached out to thump Maverick on the forehead, but paused a few inches from his face, her finger poised for a powerful attack. She noticed the distant look in his eyes, as if he were gazing right through her. Concern immediately replaced her playful demeanor. Sitting up a bit straighter in his bed, she crossed her legs and lowered her hand. She leaned in to try and capture his gaze.

  "Maverick, are you okay?" she asked, her voice a whisper, a mix of worry and tenderness evident in her tone.

  Maverick blinked a few times, his eyes slowly regaining their focus. He shook his head slightly, clearing the fog from his mind. "Sorry, Em, I just spaced out for a second... I promise I’m okay, just exhausted. You’re like mom always worrying too much," he said, his voice unsteady but attempting a reassuring smile.

  Emily hesitated, not wanting to push him if he wasn't feeling up for it, but her nature got the better of her. She leaned in closer, her green eyes searching his face for any signs of lingering distress. "Where were you Maverick? You were looking at me but not at me," she pressed gently, her voice firm yet caring. "Are you sure you’re okay? And don’t lie just to get me to stop bugging you."

  Her fingers lightly touched his arm, a silent plea for honesty, her expression a mix of stubborn determination and heartfelt concern.

  Maverick slowly rubbed his temples contemplating if he should tell her what happened with TVO, or just continue with his earlier statement.

  Eventually Maverick came to the decision of telling her what had happened. While Emily wasn’t the most serious about leveling in TVO, she still regularly logged in and racked up play time, doing odd quests or just enjoying the scenery of foreign countries.

  Maverick started from the beginning everything from clearing the Butchers Sacred Valley, to what happened when he last logged in and how the POD ejected him.

  Emily slowly sat up just a bit straighter, her eyes wandering around the softly lit room as if she were seeing it anew for the first time. In the corner, half-hidden in shadows, she found what she was looking for. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and walked over to a small door, carefully pulled it open, and stepped inside.

  Maverick watched curiously, his brows furrowing in confusion as the moment stretched on and on eventually into silence. When she reappeared, she carried a pillow and blanket, with a determined look in her eyes.

  "What are you doing, weirdo?" Maverick asked suspiciously, his wariness evident as he knew Emily was capable of anything.

  "Isn't it obvious?" Emily responded with a mischievous grin, tossing the pilfered supplies onto the floor and wrapping herself in the blanket. "You obviously can't be left alone tonight, so I, Emily Evans, will be your knight in shining armor, your fierce protector against the boogeyman!"

  "Aren't we a little too old for this, Em? The last time we had a sleepover, you had braces and obsessing over some boy band whose lead singer you had a crush on named Dylan... or was it Dylon? Whatever, my point is, you don't have to. Really I'll be fine. It was probably just some in-game event," Maverick said, though his voice lacked conviction.

  Emily gazed at Maverick, her eyes softening. "You know, the longer I known you, the more I've realized that you're always so ready to help others, but when it comes to yourself, you act like you're fine, like you're on top of the world. I know why you go out onto that rooftop every night, Maverick, and I don't blame you. But when someone is offering their help, you need to take it before you actually lose yourself in your thoughts. A helping hand is nothing to push away, embrace it. I know I’m not one to talk, as I tend to hide my feelings with jokes and what not but I truly appreciate you. So please let me help you this time.”

  Maverick sighed heavily, Emily's words striking a chord within him. "I know you're right; you always are. I'm always there when you need me, even when you act like a tough guy, and yet I always hide myself away up there under the stars, hoping there is more meaning to life than working till you die. I don't want my life to pass me by before I can do something meaningful or miss out on the secrets up there in that beautiful sparkling web."

  Emily eventually laid her head on the pillow that had a lingering scent of lavender, pulled the blanket up closer to her nose, and smiled softly. "Maybe one day, Maverick, we can steal a rocket ship, blast ourselves up to the moon, and you can finally see what's really out there.”