In a pure white hospital room, a figure is seen laying in a bed. Over his face is an oxygen mask and IV’s inserted in his arms.

The figure sits straight up and removes the mask covering his face. His calm eyes looking over his surroundings.

…

“A hospital room…?” My eyes turn to the window near him. The sun shining brightly into the room. While looking around the room the door to the room opens.

A girl walks in about the age of twelve. Her brown hair unkempt as she enters the room.

Behind her is an older boy, his face donning a small frown carrying a bouquet of flowers. His black hair kept in a short ponytail and his bangs combed to the right side. He has a lean figure. His muscles hidden behind the clothing he wears.

“Ah!” The girl exclaims looking towards me. “Lloyd! You’re awake!” She attempts to rush forward but is stopped by the other boy in the room. “Careful, he just woke up…” His small frown turning to a smile.

“Good morning Lloyd.” He says looking at me with that constant smile coming back to his face.

‘Lloyd… I haven’t heard that in a long time…’ I think to myself looking at the two familiar figures.

“Hello Anna. Good morning Arthur.” I say back to them.

Anna was twelve the last time I saw her. Doesn’t look like I’ve been gone for that long… Her eyes brimming with tears as she looks at me.

“Don’t do that again!” She says stomping over to me.

Remembering the reason, I’m in the hospital; I move my hand towards my neck. Trying to feel for the cut that figured gave me.

She reaches me and grabs ahold of my hand.

“Promise!” She says with tears running down her face.

“I promise…” I reply to her with a gentle smile and pull her into a hug. “Sorry for worrying you Anna.”

Her tears starting to flow freely.

After a few minutes Anna stops crying and pulls a chair over to sit in. Arthur does the same while looking at me with a slight worry in his eyes.

“Where is William?” I ask looking towards Arthur.

“William is on his way here. He finally got leave from work.” Arthur replies. “They wouldn’t let him go without finishing their training plan. When he shows up, you’ll have an earful to listen to.” He says with a small laugh at the end.

--

It’s been a few days since Arthur and Anna came to visit. Today is the day I finally get discharged from the hospital. While it was entertaining staring at a wall and not having to live in a nightmare, I experienced another type of torture sitting through William’s lectures.

William is my older brother. He’s thirty-two this year and he helps my younger brother, Arthur, train for archery competitions. He has messy brown hair and glasses. He has a lean figure and was a former martial arts competitor and performer.

We reach the car and begin our drive home.

“We already packed your things and put them in the car. It’ll take us two or three days to drive back to Colorado.” William says starting up the car and driving out of the hospital parking lot.

After a few hours of driving I notice a few strange things floating around in the sky around us. I keep my eyes trained on them, while Anna notices my gaze. “The stars are really pretty tonight…” She says from the back seat.

I turn my eyes to look at her and turn back to the floating figures, but they’ve disappeared.

‘Hopefully that’s not a bad omen…’ William pulls the car over for a stop while we rest for the night.

Closing my eyes for the night I drift off to sleep.

…

Or I would have if not for a giant game window appearing in front of my eyes.

“Wait what’s this!” Anna shouts out from the back seat.

“You guys are seeing this?” Arthur says as well.

“Yes, I see it…” William adds.

In front of me is a game screen saying the following:

[Greetings. You’ve been granted a gift! Turn your world’s fate around with these abilities!]

The screen says and as suddenly as it appeared it disappears from my sight.

“What was that about?” I say aloud. My eyes turning to William, but his eyes still open with shock. I look out the front of the car and see an open plain with a massive gate. Our car no longer parked in the rest spot.

From the gate a menacing muscled figure walks out with a giant two-handed axe. His green skin and protruding bottom fangs look terrifying along with a giant scar across its face.

A guttural roar is let out by the beast as it charges towards us.