1. A: confused

Light

And only light

In a world of no horizons, all I saw was an endless amount of blinding white light.

light, and only light.

Everywhere I looked was painted white, bathed in light.

It was confusing, it was fascinating, but it was also...

Blinding.

To what degree, you might ask, hmm?

Well, it was blinding enough...

That all I could think of was the color of white.

And that all I knew of was the light.

It was blinding enough...

That I did not only lose my vision but even my senses were lost.

And at that moment...

My consciousness was cut off, with my last memories being of me...

Melting into this white world and as a series of light streams...

Accelerating.

.....

For a single second ? or for a whole eternity?

Hmm, I didn't know.

And for all I can guess, it's also possible that no time has passed at all.

Nevertheless, I could not know.

For all I knew was light.

The blinding ...

White light.

......

......

......

rustle. rustle. rustle.

.....

rustle.

Hmm...

Lost in the world of dreams, I am suddenly bothered by the sound of rustling.

Rustle.

Like, come on, can't I sleep comfortably for once, please?

Rustle.

Especially when my head is already aching, you know?

Rustle.

But hmm, rustling?

Why is there rustling in my room?

No, wait.

When did I even get back to sleep?

“..??!”

Suddenly feeling a contradiction in my memories, I jolt awake...

Sssh.

And in one swift movement, I flip back, getting on my feet, as I quickly pull my halberd.

Ssssh.

Then following that, was me making a full circle, as I instinctively swing my weapon as if trying to cut the air.

Fuuush.

But even so, I don't stop, nor care for the absence of a response, as I...

voooo.

Using every ounce of my power, throw the halberd ahead of me.

Just for me then to...

Sssssh.

Quickly pull my daggers from my back, as I swiftly get in a vigilant stance, while also observing the black metallic disk homing in my direction, as it starts circling around me.

Voooosh.

.....

But...

Nothing happens.

.....

And even as I am waiting nothing changes.

Fuuu.

Wind breeze sound.

Well, nothing but a cool and peaceful morning breeze passing by, and me, in a half-awake and cloudy headed state, vigilantly looking around me, as I stop the urge to close my eyes.

Yawn.

Though with my head starting to hurt, and no danger or threat approaching me, I am suddenly starting to feel sleepy again.

Yawn.

And so, feeling my desire to sleep increasing, I force it down, and instead relax my vigilant state, as I put back my daggers, while also stretching my right arm and taking hold of my accelerated halberd.

Yawn.

But hmm? hmmmmmm?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm?

Daggers? Halberd?

"the hell ?"

Suddenly feeling confused as all of my sleepiness is gone, I glance at my right hand.

Staare.

And there I am greeted by a black all-metal customized halberd, that I am unconsciously holding.

Weird, right ? or is the most appropriate word, surprising?

But, leaving that aside, can someone please tell me? tell me what...

“The hell’s going on ?”

I mean, even if I am a person that enjoys fighting a little, it does not mean I sleep with weapons in my arms, you know?

So anyway...

“where am I ?”

Suffering from headache, and feeling my confusion not clearing but only increasing, I move my gaze from my halberd as I look around, checking myself and my surroundings, in an attempt to understand what's going on around me.

But from where should I start?

Well, let’s start with me, I guess.

So, currently, I am wearing a black jacket, black leather pants, and black mountain boots.

Oh, not to forget my gloves, the arm and leg guards I am wearing under my clothes, the sheathed sword and daggers on my waist, and also the baldric for my halberd.

So now, ignoring my all-black outfit, is my surroundings, right?

Soo, .....

I am currently in a clearing covered in grass.

To my sides and front is a weird forest of giant trees, and if I were to glance behind me,...

"it's the area-limit building."

Well, technically two buildings, but meeh.

It’s not important.

Because what’s actually important is the fact that for some reason, I ...

"am inside LSO it seems."

Hmm, but then why don’t I remember logging in?

“no, to begin with, I don't remember much before waking up.”

Thinking so, I turn around. And with my strong headache, and confusion still lasting, I start walking toward the building where I first saw the area-limit notification, aka "The Walker's For Blind Gentlemen".

"no, were they actually males to begin with? hmmm, what a tough question indeed."

Smiling as I think of that, I walk through a giant hole in the wall, while also remembering the scene of the heavy walker making his dramatic entrance from here.

And with it, I slowly start recalling everything that happened before.

Everything from killing the walkers, and finding the area-limit notification for the first time, to scouting the rat building, finding the same notification inside of it, and then logging out.

Oh, then after tha-....

“Hmm ?....”

But just as I start recalling, and clearing my head, I suddenly notice something.

No, let me correct myself. I don’t notice a certain something.

Because something that should have been here, is for some reason absent.

And yes, you guessed it right.

It’s that weird crack in the middle of the floor from last time.

It’s for some reason not there. How mysterious, right?

And for it to disappear just like that, without even giving me a chance to pass into the other side...

Tsk.

“What a stingy bastard.”

Still, it’s not like I will be giving up now.

After all, if two of them existed already, then surely a third one will too, so I just have to find a new one again.

“and hopefully, it won’t be isolated again. Otherwise, it’s going to be a big letdown.”

A big, and frustrating letdown.

But back to the topic.

Swiping my hand, and calling the UI menu, I get back to recalling what I did before.

So after I logged out, I went out to get my lunch, before going to a public park near my home.

But the thing is...

Something weird had happened then.

And for some reason, the SR drive that I had made sure to leave in my room, was ON my wrist.

And what more? the damn thing, for some random shitty reason, did a forceful login, can you believe that?

“but for now, I should start by logging out, I guess.”

Thinking so, I glance back to the bottom of the UI menu, and down there is...

The log-out button.

“Fuuuh.”

Seeing it, I sigh of relief, and with a small smile on my face, I then try to press it...

But as if fate is playing me, or maybe just reality splashing cold water on my face, it happened.

And as my hand drew closer to pressing the log-out button, the world has suddenly...

Lost its colors.